Syd Parker - The Killing Ground

“This is still our case, but even I know, the FBI has resources at its disposal that we just don’t have. You would have to live in a cave to not know that funding for the city police departments is way down and we just don’t have the manpower to cover a case like this.” She sat up quickly. “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not handing this case over, and when it’s solved, the Feds don’t take credit, but you will have the full cooperation of the CDD.”

Jordan breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear that, Detective Foxx.”

Detective Foxx took a moment to study Jordan. “Just so we understand each other, I’m doing this because my number one focus is catching the son of a bitch that attacked Julie Keppler and killed those other women.”

Jordan’s temperature climbed a notch. She resented the fact that Detective Foxx had to clarify the reason they were all there. This wasn’t an exercise in pissing off the CDD. Jordan could not care less about jurisdiction. She wanted the asshole just as much as Detective Foxx did, probably more.

Matt turned, sensing her agitation. “Detective Foxx, I think you will find that is our goal as well, and we have no plans to take the investigation away from the CDD. We are merely offering the FBI’s resources, as you call them and asking for some shared information in return.”

Jordan hid a smile. Good old Matty, always riding in on his white horse as the good cop. She watched Detective Foxx’s face for a sign that she wasn’t immune to his charm and good looks. She spotted nothing.

“I have no doubt, Special Agent Riley, that you have every intention of manhandling this case.” She mustered a fake smile, turning Matt’s political correctness right back on him. “Rest assured, that would hinder the successfulness of this joint investigation.”

Jordan gave her a mental tick mark. Detective Foxx was all for a joint investigation, as long as she controlled the information being shared with the FBI. That and Matty’s normal charms didn't affect her in the least. “Detective Foxx, I give you my word that the FBI’s involvement is under the radar. You won’t see the normal bullying tactics. We can’t risk the public knowing that we have an interest in this case. And believe me when I tell you, we are just as interested in catching the UNSUB, so whatever assistance we can provide each other will be handled with professional courtesy.”

Detective Foxx studied Jordan’s face a few moments longer, weighing her words. Naturally wary, she was trying to put the common good ahead of her natural instincts to protect her turf. Finally, she decided she could take her at her word, but she left no doubt as to the consequences if the FBI pushed her too hard. “I hope I don’t regret this, Special Agent Gray. Nothing shuts the CDD up faster than hearing that information pertinent to an investigation has been leaked.”

Jordan nodded. “Understood.” Jordan hated this political BS, but in this case, it was necessary. What she really wanted to do was flash her badge and tell Detective Foxx to go fuck herself, or at the very least, Jordan could take care of that. Without the glare, she would probably register on Jordan’s radar anyway. Maybe when this is over, I can show her who is boss. But instead, she was here playing nicey nice and her badge meant nothing.

Jordan hid a smirk. She’d had a weakness for redheads. There was a definite air about Detective Foxx. Maybe she would try a different tactic. She always got more Intel from someone when their badge was on her nightstand. She leaned forward and licked her lips, her blue eyes holding Detective Foxx’s emerald-green ones. “So now that we got that all straightened out, what do you have for us?”

Matt watched Jordan out of the corner of his eye and swallowed a laugh. Whatever she saw in the Detective, he didn’t share her opinion. Although she had ignored him completely, so maybe she was a lesbian. It surprised him to see her roll her eyes in reply to Jordan’s subtle advances.

“Let me guess Agent Gray, this is the part where I’m supposed to swoon because you are so handsome and give up my hand in this case?” Rebecca leveled her gaze at Jordan. “Let me let you in on a little secret. I didn’t get where I am today by getting weak in the knees every time some badge with a power trip batted their eyes at me. You can put your dick back in your pants.”

Matt snickered, and Jordan rewarded him with a glare. He suddenly realized that maybe he did have a shot with the lovely Detective Foxx. “Sorry.” He muttered under his breath, all the while trying to mask the smirk on his face.

Jordan felt the heat rise in her face. It had been a long time since someone put her in her place like that. Properly chastised, Jordan dropped her eyes playing the penitent role to appease Detective Foxx. She regretted her decision to throw sex into the mix and hoped for the sake of the case, she didn’t fuck up the Detective’s offer to share information. “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot, Detective.”

“I don’t play games, Agent. I know this whole adorable bad-guy routine is something you’re used to getting your way with, but I can assure you, I am no more interested in you than you are in Agent Riley.”

Game, set and match to Detective Foxx, Jordan thought. Very quickly, the rules of the game had been established. Jordan was benched before she even had the chance to swing. “Very well, Detective. No games.”

Again, Rebecca’s emerald eyes studied Jordan, this time looking beyond the facade and into her soul. This time she was almost convinced she had the upper hand… almost. “Agents, the information that I’m going to share with you is highly confidential. It stays here. Don’t make me regret this.”

They both nodded. They did not need to be told that protocol dictated that the information they received here would definitely be shared in their own circles, but it would stop there.

Rebecca pulled a file out of her drawer and opened it up. She handed Jordan a thin file. “We don’t have much. So far, he’s been clean. No DNA left at the scene."

“No sperm?” Matt asked incredulously. “Not even trace amounts? Nothing?”

“That’s what I said, Agent Riley. This guy’s good…or was.” Rebecca smiled mysteriously. “Until last night’s case.”

“How so?” Jordan asked quickly.

“Last night he got spooked and pulled out…so to speak. The condom came off inside the victim…” Rebecca saw Jordan wince. “I’m sorry, I mean Ms. Keppler. It’s the first break in the case we’ve gotten.”

“It usually happens that way, Detective.” Jordan opined. “The UNSUB thinks he’s the first smart criminal and bam, he does something stupid.”

“Did you get a hit in the Combined DNA Index System?” Matt interrupted. Jordan was emotionally involved already. He didn’t think that her relationship with their boss was any closer than his. Sure, they were both lesbians, but that hardly qualified them as best friends. However, he knew his partner, and she was already invested in this case more than she should have been. That’s when agents got sloppy, overlooked things, made mistakes when their brain stopped controlling the shots, and their heart took over.

“No, if our suspect has committed crimes before this, he’s never been arrested.” Rebecca thumbed through several more pages. “The only thing that kept Ms. Keppler alive was a homeless guy. It turns out they were in his alley. Spooked the perp before he could kill her.”

Jordan swallowed the lump in her throat. Here they were talking about Julie as if she were just another victim, a number in the CDD’s or FBI’s database, like she was just one more faceless person in a long line of faceless people. She was frustrated beyond belief. She had never had to put a face to the victim, never had to personalize the case. She felt a mixture of helplessness and fury swirling around inside her gut. Her next words were spoken through gritted teeth. “How many?”