10:20 am
FBI Headquarters
Nikki just came out of her SAC’s office after updating him on the Simon case. He couldn’t believe Simon put the money into her account, their cyber techs could not determine how he was able to do it. The SAC authorized Nikki to return the money to the Bishop family once he saw the evidence of Simon moving the money out of his account as he claimed he had done. Nikki called and informed Mrs. Bishop and she was beside herself with appreciation. That was the nice part of the meeting, on the other hand he was not thrilled about Nikki interacting with Simon but in the end he agreed that she continue to work this thread to see what she could get out of him and if there is any way to lure him out. Nikki knew Simon wouldn’t allow that, but she wanted to continue to interact to see what she could learn about him, at least that’s what she told herself as she was walking back to her office to compose a response to last night’s email.
Nikki’s fingers hovered just above the keys on her office computer when there was a knock on her door and then her SAC stuck his head in, “Nikki, we just got notification that a body was found in Montgomery Alabama at the bottom of a gravel pit. There was a car and a suicide note that was basically what Simon wrote in his blog. I think this is Delta. Nikki was up out of her seat and on her way down the hallway to get a full briefing.
Nikki was back in her office after spending the day liaising with the Montgomery field agents where they all but confirmed this was Delta, Marcus Steadman, 35, pharmaceutical sales rep. There wasn’t much left of Marcus after the fall and animal activity over the last several days. The body is awaiting autopsy at the field office, but Nikki didn’t expect they would find any physical evidence. Nikki went to the board and wrote:
Alpha: unknown
Bravo: Atlanta, GA
Charlie: Jacksonville, FL
Delta: Montgomery, AL
Echo: ???
“How is he driving back and forth to all of these locations, doesn’t he have a job he needs to get to? Of course he doesn’t have a job, this is his job now. He has proven he can obtain money when he needs it. He is moving his location apparently randomly, but how is he getting back and forth to all of these cities, he must be driving constantly.” Then it hit her, “of course, why didn’t I see this before.” She sat back down at her computer and composed the following:
“Hi Simon, I’ve had an interesting day today, we just found Delta. The ops center is mobile isn’t it? It took me awhile to figure it out but once I had Delta’s location it was pretty obvious that you are able to move around freely and I already know you don’t have a day job to make your money, you could have all you want I am sure.
In response to you stating you are sure we don’t agree that what you are doing is for the greater good and as you said, I would have agreed with you but once we confirmed all that you said Delta was, I am not sure I don’t agree that the greater good has been improved by the removal of Delta who had no identifiable decent qualities whatsoever. What we can’t agree on is that you are the one that can unilaterally make that determination and that is our fundamental disagreement. I wouldn’t be sitting in the chair I am if I didn’t believe in due process and our legal system. I still understand your position though, our interactions are allowing me to see a different side of you than I would have expected you to posses.
My grandmother raised me after my parents died. Grandpa had died the previous year from a heart attack and I think my grandmother needed me as much as I needed her and it was just the two of us against the world after that. My grandmother was the best person I have ever met and I lost her a year ago and I am still trying to recover. That is more than I have ever shared about my childhood with anyone.
Can you tell me where the anger, the rage comes from?
Be well Simon,
Nikki”
Nikki wiped the tear she hadn’t realized had fallen from her cheek and hit send. She could not figure out why she was opening up so much to this man, this unsub, but there was something about the way he speaks in the blog and her emails that has allowed her to see something she never could have prepared for. Nikki had always been very closed off around others and she threw herself into her work and really hadn’t noticed the loneliness that has become a constant companion until Simon came along and make Nikki look at her life, at who she has become and who she wants to be. Now she just had to figure out what all that means. Nikki grabbed her work out gear and headed to the gym for some strenuous activity to get her mind off of the case, if only for an hour.