American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop

"The victim's name was Mildred Youngs, 68 years old, a widow who lived alone," the young detective said as he led Jack and Rossi into the house. "We found 17 sets of fingerprints in the house, most of which belong to various drifters. According to the neighbors, this kind-hearted old lady would offer food and shelter to anyone who helped with chores or yard work."

Just then, Jack's phone rang. It was Emily, calling to inform him that another murder had occurred in Rockford. Hotchner, Reid, and Emily were on their way to the scene. According to the first local detective to arrive, the method matched that of the suspect they were tracking.

After hanging up, Jack was about to go back inside when he noticed a mark carved into the trunk of a cherry tree outside the house.

"Hey, where's the nearest railroad?" Jack called out.

The young detective poked his head out of the house. "Just follow this road in that direction, and you'll see it."

Jack relayed the information Emily had just given him to Rossi, then nodded toward the direction the detective indicated. He pointed to the mark on the tree. "Shall we check it out? Bet we'll find another drifter camp."

The three of them followed the path for about fifteen minutes before discovering an abandoned camp under a railway bridge.

"Remember this?" Rossi pointed to a symbol—a cross with two eyes drawn on either side—and asked Jack.

"This means the area is safe, no cops around, right?" Jack recalled the knowledge he had picked up from those "bos."

"How do you guys know what these symbols mean?" The young detective was puzzled.

Jack and Rossi exchanged knowing smiles. "A little alcohol, tobacco, and a curry meal in exchange for some 'education.'"

"Look at this," Jack said, finding a drawing of a cat along with an address beneath it.

"718 Maple Street—that's the address of the victim's house," the young detective said, his eyes lighting up.

"The cat represents a kind old lady, and the letter 'T' indicates that anyone willing to work for her would receive food and shelter," Jack explained.

The young detective finally understood. "So, even if a stranger arrived here, they could decode these symbols and know that Mildred Youngs' house was open to drifters."

At that moment, Jack's phone rang again. It was Emily.

"We've just been to the crime scene. The killer's method is consistent with previous cases, and he once again draped his clothes over the male victim. However, this time the victims were a Latino couple," Emily reported.

"Not only that," Reid added from the background, "the killer left a newspaper by the bodies. The paper covered the Modesto family massacre, and the headline referred to the 'Highway 99 Killer.'"

Rossi's face grew grim. "The killer doesn't care about the victim's race, and now he's mocking us. He thinks we've misunderstood his means of transportation."

"Challenging the police suggests he has a self-destructive streak," Emily noted. "But that also means his methods may become increasingly erratic. It wouldn't surprise me if the 'Goldilocks' killer decided to sleep in someone's bed again tonight."

Another call came in—this time from Garcia back at the Sacramento Police Department. Jack switched to a three-way call.

"The Modesto Police found a lead," Garcia said. "Jewelry stolen from a Sacramento victim's home was pawned at a shop in Modesto. They just sent you a surveillance image. The shopkeeper described the man as about 5'8" (173 cm), slim, under 40 years old, and Latino, with a rash near his mouth—just like our profile predicted."

Jack opened the email on his phone. The photo showed a man wearing a baseball cap that obscured most of his face.

After hanging up, Jack called Garcia again. "Hey, any progress on tracking the suspect's movements?"

"Yes," Garcia responded, her voice sluggish, lacking energy. "Your earlier hunch was correct. Every time the suspect committed a crime, it coincided with the local harvest season—apples in Tehachapi, tomatoes in Bakersfield, and pumpkins in Fresno.

Agent Banner has been working with ICE to compile lists of temporary farmworkers and state-subsidized migrant labor camps. Those camps have decent conditions but require strict registration for anyone who stays there.

Once I get those lists, I can track the movements of those people. It won't be long before we have a solid lead."

"Great work, Garcia. Looks like we'll identify the suspect and nail down his patterns soon. Cheer up, I'll make sure your office fridge is fully stocked when I get back."

After some light banter to lift Garcia's spirits, Jack received another call—this time from JJ. She and Jane Banner were on their way to meet a manager of one of the migrant labor camps, who was also an ICE official. The meeting was set to take place at an apple farm not far from their current location. Hotchner, Reid, and Emily were already en route.

By the afternoon, the BAU team gathered at the farm. Jane Banner led them to meet with an ICE official of Native American descent named Cesar.

After some brief introductions, JJ handed Cesar a blown-up image of the suspect.

"This image will be on the front page of major newspapers tomorrow. Does this man look familiar to you?"

"It's hard to say," Cesar said, frowning as he examined the photo before handing it back to JJ.

"Have you received any complaints in the camps you manage?" Reid asked.

"The suspect's mental state is unstable. He's prone to anger and violence, and he's addicted to cheap drugs," Reid explained.

Cesar shook his head. "Our camps are strictly managed. We follow a zero-tolerance policy, much like shelters in big cities. We wouldn't even allow someone with a drinking problem to stay, let alone tolerate drug use or violence."

"Who have you expelled recently?" Jane asked.

Cesar gave a wry smile. "Actually, we've had to expel a lot of people for minor infractions because the number of beds available falls far short of the demand."

While the meeting with Cesar wasn't entirely fruitless, it didn't provide much help either. Given that he and his few colleagues managed close to a million migrant workers from Mexico, the team could only offer their understanding.

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