Rachel arrives at the Jenkins house to find an ambulance idling in the driveway, its doors open but empty. A camera flash catches her eye, and she spots the forensics team processing the scene. She finds several cruisers and the forensic van parked along the block. Glancing towards the house, she sees a detective securing the yard while a few rookies do their best to hold back the onlookers. "What happened here?" she thinks, watching her team process the crime scene.
The driver's door opens, Joe leans in and says, "I need to warn you about what you're walking into before you step through the doors."
"You're scaring me, Joe." She says, climbing out of the car.
Taking Rachel's hands in his, Joe looks into his wife's eyes. "Roy has multiple stab wounds in the legs, abdomen, and chest."
"Who'd. Who'd do that to him?" She gulps back the tears, the boiling rage threatening to escape.
"He claims it was his son." Shifting his weight, Joe adds, "I didn't want you to have to see him like this, Rachel. I didn't, but he insisted I call. Said he needs to say a few things to you before he." Tears stream down Joe's cheek when he finishes. "Goes." Like Rachel, Roy has been a huge part of his life since he was a young lad.
Pushing him aside, Rachel darts into the house. Gasping when she reaches the doorway.
"Rachel?" Roy calls.
Running to Roy's side, she takes his hand in hers. "I'm here."
"My sweet little Rachel." He smiles, strumming his shaky finger down the side of her face. "I. I wanted to tell you I love you with all my heart." Gasping for air, he smiles and adds. "You've always been like a daughter to me." He draws in a quick breath and says, "You've brought me so much joy, so much hope, even when my world was crumbling around me." He coughs. In a wheezy voice, he adds, "You made me believe, to dream, to want to live again, and for that I'm forever grateful."
Whipping away the tears, she says, "Emma and I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for you. Your repeated rescues, providing a safe haven during tough times at home, and ensuring our constant access to food. You did more than you can ever imagine, Roy. I was a broke child, but you didn't see that. No, you saw me for me and accepted me for who I am, making me believe in myself again."
He glances over at his son's picture on the mantel. Teary-eyed, he pats her hand. "At least I did one thing right in my life."
"You did better than that, Roy. This town wouldn't be thriving today if it wasn't for all the hard work you've put into it."
He wipes the tears streaming down her cheek, and says, "I'm proud of you Rachel for all you are, all that you have become." He coughs again, then adds, "You go out there and do what you do best. Bring my son to justice before he kills again." Roy gasps for much needed air. Looks over and whispers, "I love you Rachel, little Emma too. Don't you ever forget that alright."
"I won't, Roy. I promise I won't," Rachel sobs. His arm goes flaccid, his chest remains still.
Letting his hand go, Rachel kisses his sweaty forehead, wipes her tears away and says, "I am who I am because of you, and for that, I'm eternally grateful." She kisses his forehead one last time. "I love dad, and I'm going to do my best to make you proud." Turning, she darts outside.
Jerry turns to follow. Joe grabs his arm, shakes his head, and says, "Give her a minute, Jerr."
He glances toward the door again, nods and says, "Right, boss."
Joe finds Rachel sitting on the porch a short while later. The wind has picked up, giving the night a chilly feel. Putting his arm around her, he says, "Roy doesn't have to suffer anymore."
"I know." She sniffles, glances towards the starry skies and adds, "I'm going to miss him, Joe. I'm going to miss his crooked smile and all of his jokes." She recalls the last one he told her, chuckles and says, as lame as they all were."
"Some were pretty bad," Joe chuckles.
"He did a lot for us, Joe, for Emma and me. I don't think we could've survived if he hadn't come to our rescue the way he did. He was like a dad to me, Joe," she sobs.
"I know, hon. I know." Drying her face he adds, "He'll always be here, and in here." He points to her head and then to her heart."
"I can't believe Jason would do what he did to his own dad. Making him suffer more than what he is. And the wounds…" A horrid expression crosses her face. She gasps.
"What is it, Rachel?"
"The wounds."
"What about them?"
Pushing away, she wipes the tears away and says, "The timeline doesn't fit."
Confused, Joe shakes his head. "What are you talking about, Rachel?"
"Jason's death and Roy's wounds. The timeline doesn't add up."
A perplexed look crosses Joe's face. "What?"
"Jason died the morning before, right?"
"The Medical Examiner said he died somewhere between midnight and four."
"Right, so we can assume the attack began hours before. Correct?"
"I'd take the killer at least a couple of hours to do all he did."
"So that means he'd had to have stabbed his dad no later than ten the night before."
"That sounds about right."
"So, the wounds should have clotted, but yet the gashes were still bleeding, like it recently been done."
"Maybe one of his medicines or his condition, his cancer, caused the excessive bleeding."
Rachel thinks back to her nurse's training. "That's possible, I suppose. But I still want to talk to Sharon and see what she has to say."
"There you are," Sharon says, stepping onto the porch. Walking over, she hugs the sergeant, then asks, "How are you holding up?"
"I'll be alright, thanks. Have you examined the body yet?"
"I have."
"How old would you say those wounds are?"
"They were recently done. Why?"
"Is there any way the stabbings occurred a couple of days ago?"
Shaon shakes her head. "The wounds would have formed a layer of fibrin over the lesions if he had."
"Would his condition, his cancer and chemotherapy, affect the healing process?"
"It would, yes, but those wounds were fresh, done within the last hour, I'd say."
"So, his son couldn't have stabbed him, because he was already dead."
"Then why did Roy claim what he did? And why did he tell you to stop his son before he kills someone else?"
Rachel looks over at Sharon. "You're sure the man on the table is Jason Jenkins, correct?"
"We made a positive ID through DNA."
"So maybe Roy has a son no one knows about?"
"I only remember him having one son growing up, Joe. And I don't recall him mentioning anyone but Jason, either. So, the only way for that to be possible is if the wife was pregnant when she left." She's heading down the steps when her phone rings. Sergeant Bower. Putting the call on the speaker, she steps back onto the porch.
"Sergeant, it's Jeff. I just spoke to the girls, and they said they saw a second man come into the factory. And that they got a good look at him before the kidnapper shoved them into the room. They are sitting down with a sketch artist now to see if we can get a composite." He chuckles and adds, "On your boyfriend."
Joe chuckles
They've been referring to him as her boyfriend because of his gifts and only wanting to speak to her. "Not funny, Jeff. I want you to run it through the national data bank. Oh, and Jeff, take the picture out to our old captain, see if he can tell us anything and ask him to show it to a few cop buddies of his. The killer's records may not be the data banks, but hopefully not from people's minds."
"Will do, Serge." Smiling, she turns to Joe and says, "I might just solve that case yet."
"You mean the one on your boyfriend?" Rachel glares at him. Joe laughs again.
They're heading back inside when Joe's phone rings. "It's the station. "Captain Bower. Another child has disappeared." He glances over at Rachel and says, "We're on our way."