Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Sienna jotted down the phrase mission-oriented. It’d been a while since she’d studied serial killers, and she’d never actually worked on such a case. She planned to do more in-depth research on what Professor Vitucci was telling them here.
“Is this because he himself was abused? He’s relating?” Kat asked. “Because from his writings, it seems the opposite. That his mother was his only protector.”
“I cannot attest to the honesty of the writings,” Professor Vitucci said. “But generally speaking, many serial killers suffered physical or sexual abuse as children.”
“You’d think he’d choose to kill abusive fathers instead of neglectful mothers,” the older female detective with the last name Harris said.
“Maybe since his mother protected him, he finds it particularly offensive that others would not?” the younger male detective named McGee guessed.
“God, I already have a headache,” Detective Harris said, to which Professor Vitucci offered a soft chuckle.
“That’s what happens when you attempt to enter the mind of a madman,” he said, a teasing tone in his voice.
“Trust me, I know,” Detective Harris said. “Have you met my ex-husband?”
Soft laughter followed her comment, and Professor Vitucci shot her an amused glance. “These killers are very rarely clinically insane or psychopathic.”
“Oh, well, there goes the similarity to my ex-husband,” she said to another round of chuckles.
Professor Vitucci offered a smile, but it was fleeting as he got back to business. He turned to the board, looking over the photographs for a moment. “They are often perfectionists and highly meticulous,” he went on. “They plan their murders with great precision, and they are not likely to leave evidence behind, unless on purpose.”
Well, that was one definite they could attest to. And it confirmed what they’d thought about the fact that Mr. Patches’s body made several things easier to investigate. He was leading them somewhere, and so while the addition of clues felt victorious in a way, it also made Sienna feel manipulated. To what end, she couldn’t yet guess.
“Mission-oriented killers will not stop unless they’re apprehended,” Professor Vitucci said. He looked around the room. “Any questions before I move on to the second category?”
There was a general murmuring, but no one raised their hand.
Professor Vitucci nodded once, linking his hands behind his back as he walked in one direction, pivoted, and walked back the other way. “The second category I believe this suspect falls into is the power-oriented killer,” he said, stopping and turning their way. “This type of killer derives gratification from the dominance he exerts over a victim.”
“Does that also go back to the fact that our killer most likely felt inadequate at some point?” Kat asked.
“Inadequate or powerless, yes.” He paused, his gaze moving around the room. “These killers are patient, and they enjoy the process of the murder. It’s him directing you. He derives intense pleasure from that. The cat-and-mouse game is part of the fun for him. This killer seems to find particular enjoyment in making a literal game out of the investigation, but other serial killers have done similar things . . . taunting the police by calling or writing letters to them, drawing maps as to where bodies might be found, leaving clues or notes—even cryptograms—for them at crime scenes.”
“All in an effort to exert the ultimate control,” Ingrid said.
“Precisely,” Professor Vitucci answered.
“The press coverage must thrill him,” Sienna said softly, half to herself.
His gaze hit on her. “Yes, it certainly expands his power reach.”
He gave them a moment, and once the murmuring had quieted, he went on, “Those are the specific things I see when I profile our suspect. But as far as generalities, I have this to give.” He linked his hands behind himself again and paced slowly in front of them, back, forth. “Generally serial killers are white males in their twenties and thirties. They are intelligent, mobile, gainfully employed, long-term residents of the area in which they kill, and their killings typically bring them into close contact with the victim, as with our killer. I would hazard a guess that he fits all of those generalities.”
“So no sharpshooters,” Detective McGee said.
Professor Vitucci’s lips tipped very slightly. “There have been a few of those, actually. There are always exceptions, especially when dealing with the human psyche, but again, in general terms, no, and especially in the two categories I spoke of. No, this killer enjoys the hands-on. Or he’s beginning to.”
Sienna tapped her pen on the pad. Yes, that was true. The ME had guessed that the nature of the second victim’s neck wounds indicated less hesitancy than the first victim’s. If their Danny Boy hadn’t enjoyed the first kill (if it was his first), then he had enjoyed the second far more. Or at least . . . he’d gotten better at it.
She went over the other generalities Professor Vitucci had just listed. White male. Twenties or thirties. Drives a car. Has a job. Sienna jotted those things down as she considered the other specifics, her brow dipping. “Professor Vitucci?” He turned, lifting his chin slightly. “You said serial killers tend to kill in areas where they’ve been long-term residents. The two victims live nowhere near each other. What do you attribute that to?”