Silent Evidence ~ Spencer Reid

Evelyn stepped out of her car, pulling her coat tighter as she made her way up the steps to the forensic center. She let out a slow breath, rolling her shoulders before pushing through the front doors.

Approaching the receptionist's desk, she offered a small smile. "I'm Dr. Bennett. I'm here to meet with Dr. Moore."

The receptionist, a woman with dark-rimmed glasses and a tightly wound bun, returned the smile as she typed something into her computer. "Of course, Dr. Bennett." She reached into a drawer, pulling out a keycard and handing it over. "This will give you access to the lab. Dr. Moore is just finishing up a meeting. He'll be with you shortly."

Evelyn nodded, slipping the keycard into her pocket. "Thank you."

As she moved deeper into the building, her footsteps echoed in the long, sterile hallway. The more she walked, the heavier the air felt. Maybe it was just the weight of the case pressing against her, a silent reminder that time was slipping away.

She spotted the conference room up ahead, its glass panel offering a clear view of Dr. Moore inside. He was engaged in quiet discussion with a few colleagues, papers spread out before them, the edges curling slightly from use. Slowing her pace, Evelyn took a seat on the bench outside, tapping her fingers absently against her knee.

Her mind drifted to the case. The last crime scene had made one thing clear, a full skeletal examination was necessary. The Card Killer was getting bolder. More deliberate. And they were running out of time. If there was any overlooked detail, any fracture or marking that could bring clarity, they had to find it.

A few minutes later, the conference room door creaked open, and Dr. Moore stepped out. He was older than she'd expected, with silver-streaked hair and a sharp gaze that flicked over her.

"Dr. Bennett?" he asked, adjusting the files in his hands.

Evelyn stood, offering a firm handshake. "Yes. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." His grip was steady, his nod polite. "I need to wrap up a few details, but the lab is just down that hall, take a left, last set of doors at the end. Go ahead and get settled. I'll be right behind you."

"Perfect. Thank you."

She turned, making her way down the dim corridor.

The further she walked, the quieter the building became. The low murmur of conversation and the occasional rustle of paper faded, swallowed by the hum of the overhead ventilation.

Her thoughts circled back to the case, looping the same unanswered questions. Every victim had been left with a signature, a ripped playing card, each number climbing higher. The pattern was there, but the meaning remained just out of reach, slipping through their fingers like smoke. If they could just find one more connection, one more thread tying it all together—

Bang.

The sound cut through the silence like a sharp blade. Evelyn froze mid-step, her breath catching in her throat. The distant hum of ventilation still droned overhead, the fluorescent lights above casting a pale glow on the linoleum floor, but everything else had gone still.

Her pulse picked up, thudding against her ribs as she turned her head toward the far end of the hall. Nothing. Just an empty stretch of corridor, sterile white walls stretching endlessly in both directions.

Had she imagined it?

The building wasn't busy at this hour, but it wasn't abandoned either. Technicians, security, late-night staff finishing up their shifts, there were still people here. People who would have heard that too.