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couldn’t.  It was one of the skills that had her services in such high demand.
    “You know I can be of assistance, so to use one of your expressions, you’re just going to have to suck it up.  If I were anyone else, would you still be resisting?”  
    If she were anyone else they’d put in protective custody, how much time would he spend worrying about her emotional health?  The reminder was useless; it wasn’t a stranger, it was Sophie.  He stretched out his legs, crossed one ankle deliberately over the other.  This wasn’t an argument he needed to have with the woman pinning him right now with shrewd blue eyes that saw too much.  He’d have it instead with his superior.  
    “What’d Maria tell you?”
    “She said another victim has been found.  That the UNSUB was revisiting her burial site when he was interrupted by some kids.”
    “Revisiting.”  He settled himself more comfortably in the chair.  “That’s one word for it.  He was sexually assaulting the corpse.  I have a feeling that will be the last time those kids stage a kegger in the woods at night.”  He glanced up at Sophie.  “So your first impression about there being two offenders was spot on.  One assaulting the victims when they were alive and the other post-mortem.  Which means as bad as Vance is, this other guy is a very sick fuck.”
    If her hand hadn’t remained on his arm he might have missed her subtle shudder at the mention of Vance.  “Under the circumstances I wish my theory had been wrong.  The victimology concerns me, though.  I didn’t think there were any other missing persons cases fitting the profile of the six already recovered.”  All of the victims had been single, attractive and wealthy.  All had withdrawn a healthy amount of cash from their accounts on the day they vanished.
    “There aren’t any cases identical, no.  Other women have gone missing, of course. But the case detectives couldn’t be sure they didn’t disappear on their own.”
    “Of course as Vance and his accomplice evolved, their selection of victims might have, as well.  I look forward to talking to the ME…will Lucy be on the case?”
    “She was there last night.”  And the irony of Benally’s mention didn’t escape him.  He’d been vehement when he’d spoken to the ME that Sophie wouldn’t be linked to this case any longer.  Gonzalez had effectively changed all that this morning.  And he was increasingly anxious to have a word with the SAC about that.
    He looked at his watch.  “I need to shower and shave.”
    Sophie let him get halfway out of the chair before she said, “Did you really think I’d let you leave before telling me the rest of it?”
    “The rest…”  Damn.  He sank back into the chair.  “You and Maria had quite the little chat before I arrived.”  Another mark against his superior.  Gonzalez was racking them up lately where Sophie was concerned.
    “Good thing, too.”  She smoothed her hand down the front of her robe.  “You’re maddeningly reticent.  She said the UNSUB took the bait and entered my apartment.  Since she didn’t mention an arrest, I assume something went wrong.”
    “Try everything.”  Briefly, he gave her a summary of the events, downplaying the details.  His careful parsing, however, didn’t stem the outpouring of concern.  
    “Oh my God.”  With a flash of thigh she surged from her perch on the arm of the chair and proceeded to pace.  “Is Corbin all right?”
    “Boggs wore a vest.  He’ll be sore for a while, but he’s fine.”  Cam wasn’t without sympathy for the agent’s injury.  Even with the body protecting armor, taking a bullet packed a helluva punch.  Boggs had been out of commission until well after the UNSUB had fled the scene.  “Your couch and the spare bedroom weren’t as fortunate.”
    “And Carter.”  She rounded the desk, came to a stop for a moment as horror flickered over her expression.  “He could have been