Flash Point by Colby Marshall Page B

spot on the paper. ‘That last stick missed the carotid. We won’t know until the M.E. performs the full autopsy, but based on what he observed at the scene, he suspects she actually died from the initial injury to her eye. Thinks it hit her brain, caused a bleed. He thinks she went into shock and passed out, so they thought she was dead. When he opens her up, he suspects we’ll find out the actual cause of death will be the heart stopping from lack of oxygen post-brain death.’
    â€˜Weird,’ Porter muttered.
    â€˜Maybe not,’ Jenna said, thinking of the shrimp color and Slender UNSUB’s lack of grace. ‘She went for Rebekah Webb with the first weapon already held high as she charged her. If you look back at that, it seems likely she meant to stab her in the eye the whole time.’
    â€˜Yeah, what
was
that, by the way? The first blade she used for the eye stab?’ Dodd cut in. ‘A kitchen knife or something?’
    â€˜Video’s too grainy to tell, but size-wise, maybe.’
    â€˜There’s something really amateurish and maybe even klutzy about the way she moves. I think the eye stabbing thing looks like a strategy she developed going in for whatever reason. Even I have no idea why
that
was the strategy she went for, but just the way she runs at Rebekah Webb with her arm already at face height …’ Jenna said, her voice trailing.
    â€˜Is it coincidence the victim she rushed was close to her own height? Her own size, even. If it was a pre-determined strategy, it makes sense for her to go for the victim she thinks she can take,’ Teva said.
    â€˜That implies she wouldn’t have been able to take just anyone,’ Jenna said. ‘What makes you say it that way?’
    â€˜Well, look at the second tactic she takes. Once Rebekah Webb is incapacitated from the stab, she rounds her and takes a second knife out but uses that reverse ice pick style grip everyone in every slasher flick known to man does. It’s visually appealing for horror movies, but no experienced fighter on earth is going to use it because all the victim has to do is reach up and grab her forearm or wrist to stop the downward stabbing motion. ‘Only reason you choose that grip on a big knife like the one she pulls out is because you need that downward stabbing action to give enough upper body strength to deliver fatal blows.’
    â€˜And let’s not forget she did
miss
the carotid artery,’ Porter said.
    â€˜Of the two killers we’ve profiled so far, the terrorists seem to have brought with them to the massacre a barely adult street kid and another woman clearly not part of this because of her fierce skills … I’m thinking whatever cause has these people so committed they’re willing to stab innocent bank customers to death isn’t the only thing that hooked them in this far. Two people we’ve been able to see clear vulnerabilities in, despite the fact that they killed in cold blood. Vulnerabilities that suggest personality types. Scout’s choice to slit that boy’s wrists and the possibility that she’s a past cutter herself mean she’s likely lonely. Slender UNSUB’s choice to attack first with a surprise jab at full height suggests she feels physically insecure that she could land the next blow. They’re both clearly loyal to their cause, have trusted
someone
that this is their mission. What does that sound like to you?’
    â€˜The Manson Family,’ Porter said with a laugh.
    Saleda clicked her tongue. ‘You joke, but seriously, terrorist groups can be cult-like, too.’
    â€˜And their leaders can be sociopaths, pulling their puppet strings,’ Dodd said.

Twelve
    â€˜So, Scout and Slender UNSUB don’t show any signs of having any emotional attachment to each other that would suggest any sort of relationship outside of the group. Scout leaves her to fly solo even here when Slender gets in