"The first couple, Fritz and Johanna Dietrich, were from Germany. They were discovered 25 days ago on Highway 50, at the southernmost point of Lake Tahoe, just across the state line into California." Hotchner read aloud from the files, while Reid placed a small red flag on the lower part of the map.
"The second couple, Melissa and Tom Taylor, were from Oregon. They were found on Highway 267, northeast of Lake Tahoe, not far from the interstate."
Reid placed the second small flag on the upper right part of the map.
"The third couple, Ian and Abby Corbin, were from Arizona. Their incident occurred on Highway 395, directly east."
"The fourth couple, Jonathan and Rebecca Garon, were from San Luis Obispo. They went missing during a vacation in Reno last weekend, and were found four days ago on Highway 206."
Reid solemnly placed the third and fourth flags.
"Excluding the two couples eliminated due to traffic accidents, these four couples were all married. They hadn't booked any hotels locally, and their last credit card records were at gas stations dozens or even hundreds of miles away."
"No records or traceable signs, they are the perfect victims. I don't understand why the killer would deliberately cause a traffic accident when he could have done a better job destroying evidence at the final step." Reid took a few steps back, observing the marked map with a puzzled expression.
"We'll figure out why," Rossi said. "Jack, Emily, and I will check the two most recent scenes. Reid, contact Garcia. We need recent satellite maps, see if she can get some from the NSA."
Rossi adjusted the scarf around his neck and led the two outside.
JJ was to gather all officers with Sheriff Bruner to reiterate confidentiality. Hotchner took on the task of contacting the victims' families, hoping to learn more.
When the team reconvened, it was past 9 PM at a restaurant near the police station. Jack devoured a pepper steak and ordered another.
Before the second steak arrived, he pulled out four satellite maps, marking several circles on them.
"All four incidents occurred at downhill curves on highways. The killer chose excellent spots, all blind spots. Heavy trucks or trailers, due to their inertia, couldn't stop in time upon encountering a car parked in the road, even if they tried to slow down for the turn."
"The highways are surrounded by sparse firebreak forests and some forest trails, which off-road or all-terrain vehicles can easily navigate."
Emily continued, "We believe the killer set everything up, waited by the roadside, watched the accidents happen, then fled."
"Though most traces were covered by snow, Jack and I found some tire tracks. Unfortunately, the most recent incident was over four days ago, making further tracking impossible."
Hotchner, lacking appetite, frowned as he poked at his chicken salad with a fork. Contacting the victims' families was clearly not an easy task.
"I met Abby Corbin's father. He came to claim his daughter and son-in-law's bodies and mentioned a restaurant, Flo's Restaurant, known for its donuts."
"Is it possible they stayed nearby?" JJ asked.
Reid pulled out his phone, searched for the restaurant, and called Garcia.
"I thought you forgot about me. That hurts my feelings," Garcia said.
Reid, unfazed by Garcia's dramatics, got straight to the point. "Garcia, can you check the area around Flo's Restaurant in Sherwood?"
"Ah, hold on. Sherwood is a beautiful town on the east side of Lake Tahoe, near the state line. There are over 300 hotels, motels, and resorts nearby."
Garcia spoke with an animated tone, like a travel agent.
Hotchner leaned in closer to Reid's phone on speaker. "Garcia, send us a list of all the hotels and motels there."
"Addresses and phone numbers? Sending now. Anything else, kind sir?" Garcia asked eagerly.
"Not for now, thanks, Garcia."
As Reid was about to hang up, Garcia cheerfully said, "You're welcome, fluffy cuties."
The two women exchanged smiles, and Hotchner's frown deepened. "Remind me to have her take a drug test later."
Jack, receiving his second steak, politely nodded to the waitress and explained with a smile, "She probably cleaned out the fridge of sweets while we were gone, feeling guilty now."
Rossi chimed in, "I thought only kids and Reid got hyper after eating sweets."
The team's jokes slightly eased the tense atmosphere, but they still faced a case with no leads.
"It's too cold for my old bones to run around. Tomorrow, Jack and Emily will go to Sherwood and check out that restaurant to see if anyone remembers the Corbins."
"Reid and I will visit the crime lab to see if they have any new clues. We need to narrow down the search area; we don't have enough manpower to cover all of Sherwood."
"JJ and Hotchner, stay at the police station and wait for updates. If possible, ask Sheriff Bruner to organize some manpower. We need to prepare for the worst."
After Rossi's instructions, Jack was slightly disappointed. He had hoped to see the famous CSI team but might not get the chance.
The next day, everyone followed the plan. Jack drove Emily to the famous donut spot, Flo's Restaurant.
They were lucky. The waitress remembered the Corbins because Abby, who loved sweets, had breakfast there two consecutive days, tipping her $10 each time.
Rossi and Reid's luck was neutral. The crime lab confirmed that all four husbands had been bound and beaten, with times of death slightly earlier than their wives.
The four wives had signs of assault and long-term abuse, but the killer had meticulously cleaned up afterward, leaving no DNA traces.
However, the weapon was identified. The fatal head injuries matched those inflicted by an ordinary baseball bat.
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