I Hunt Killers

G. William enters Gramma Dent’s house, and Jazz leads him to the kitchen table. G. William notes that Gramma Dent is getting worse, and he settles in to explain to Jazz the current situation with Jane Doe’s killer. G. William now, begrudgingly, agrees with Jazz that they have a serial killer on their hands because another victim surfaced with severed fingers: “All started when we turned up a recent case with the same finger-removal MO” (160). The victim’s name was Carla O’Donnelly, and she was a college student from the nearby state university. Though police could not determine any connection to Fiona Goodling, after she was smothered (the official cause of death), police noticed that the number of fingers missing had changed—an extra one was missing. Jazz offers an explanation immediately: “‘He’s counting,’ Jazz interrupted. It came to him like the original flash of insight that told him a serial killer had prospected Fiona Goodling, back when he only knew her as Jane Doe” (162). G. William agrees.

Jazz takes this as his chance to make another plea to join the investigation: “Jazz leaned forward. ‘You need me on this, G. William. I can help you. Let me see the report.