American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop

"There are no signs of forced entry between the front door and the sofa, which suggests the suspect likely used the gun to force the female victim to this spot. He may have said something like, 'Do as I say, and you won't get hurt.' He then had the victim sit on the sofa and shot her in the head. The fiancé's death, however, was likely unplanned—three shots to the chest, fired from a completely different angle.

I believe after the suspect killed the female victim, her fiancé came home, found her lying on the sofa, rushed over, and that's when the suspect, hiding nearby, struck again—bang, bang, bang!"

As Hotchner, Reid, and Jack entered the crime scene, wearing gloves and shoe covers, they were greeted by a strikingly beautiful female FBI agent, confidently discussing the case with her colleagues.

"Hannah?" Jack was surprised to see his girlfriend.

"You guys—" Hannah was equally taken aback, before spotting Angela following behind them.

Tim shrugged, "Jack and the others were just at the station for a seminar, so they thought they'd drop by."

Hannah gave Angela a quick hug and explained in a low voice, "Natalie Lane was a promising young actress. The District Attorney's office had a few theories and contacted our team directly, which is why I'm here. If I confirm their suspicions, I'll need to contact JJ, but it seems you've already arrived."

Jack moved into the living room, where the female victim lay on the sofa, dressed in casual clothes, her blonde hair and blue eyes giving her a sweet appearance. She looked no older than 20, with a small bullet wound on her forehead. On the floor in front of her, a young man, also about her age, lay dead with three gunshots to his chest. Blood oozed from his mouth and nose, his expression frozen in terror. However, the bloodstains on the carpet beneath him were minimal. A forensic technician rolled the body over, revealing no exit wounds from the bullets.

"A .22 caliber handgun. Even without a silencer, the neighbors probably didn't hear anything. This is a high-end neighborhood with houses spaced far apart," Jack noted, examining the wound on the victim's forehead. Small-caliber bullets like this one were common and relatively cheap.

Reid was already fully immersed in analyzing the scene, walking a circuit around the living room to observe the details.

"We found surveillance footage from the porch. The killer wore a motorcycle helmet and a racing jumpsuit, making it impossible to identify him," said John, who entered with Tim, holding a USB drive. He greeted Hannah with a nod of surprise.

The team split up to investigate, but found no significant new clues.

"It's clean—barely any evidence left behind. It feels like the work of a professional hitman. The DA suspects this case is connected to the other two, all involving a .22 caliber handgun, with a single fatal shot to the head," Hannah said with a serious expression, her demeanor completely professional.

"We're thinking the same thing," Angela nodded. "Producer Willie Merman and actress Chloe Harris were also killed in a similar fashion. I bet the tabloids will link these murders together and make a big deal out of it soon."

"What's the BAU's take on this?" Hannah asked, turning to Hotchner, who had remained quiet. As the leader, his opinion carried the most weight.

"First, we need to confirm whether there are any conflicts of interest between the victims or ties to local gangs. The .22 caliber is the preferred weapon for gang hitmen. If we rule that out, the killer is likely a 'fourth-type assassin.' I'll need to gather my team for further profiling."

John nudged Jack with his shoulder and whispered, "What's a 'fourth-type assassin'?"

Jack noticed Hannah perking up with curiosity and couldn't help but smile. He decided to explain loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"The first type is the political assassin, like those who kill for ideological reasons, such as Lincoln's assassin. The second type is the self-centered individual seeking attention or validation."

Before Jack could finish, Reid, ever eager to share his knowledge, jumped in to continue. "The third type is the psychopathic killer, the cold-blooded murderer who leaves gruesome scenes behind. The fourth type, which we're dealing with here, is a delusional individual. Once we understand the nature of the killer's delusion, we can get closer to identifying him."

Tim nodded, impressed by the new knowledge. "Okay, leave that to me and Angela. Give us half a day."

"Uh, guys, I think we've got a problem," Angela suddenly spoke up, staring out the front door. Everyone followed her gaze to see a crowd of reporters gathered beyond the police tape, cameras flashing as they snapped pictures in their direction.

Jack pulled out his sunglasses and slipped them on. "Looks like we'll need to deal with the press."

"On it," John replied without hesitation.

——

The next day, in the familiar Wilshire Police Station conference room, JJ stood at the podium, where Grey or Tim usually stood, presenting evidence on the screen.

Tim and Angela had confirmed there were no conflicts of interest between the three victims, nor any connections to gangs. The case had officially been handed over to BAU, as Hannah had plenty of other cases to handle.

"The first two victims, Willie Merman and Chloe Harris, were both killed in public spaces. Chloe was murdered while walking her dog at Santa Monica Beach—a daily routine for her. Willie Merman was killed outside a massage parlor he visited every Tuesday," JJ explained to the room filled with BAU agents and Wilshire detectives.

"The killer likely followed and studied the victims for some time before making a move. No witnesses, and the killer knew how to disappear quickly in broad daylight. Very careful," Rossi commented from his seat.

JJ continued, "There's already media coverage calling Natalie Lane's murder the most shocking Hollywood killing since Sharon Tate."

Sharon Tate had been a famous Hollywood actress in the 1960s, who was brutally murdered while pregnant by members of the Manson Family, a cult led by Charles Manson. The crime marked one of Hollywood's darkest moments before the end of its Golden Age and was seen as a blow to the counterculture movement.

In Jack's previous life, Quentin Tarantino had famously recreated this dark chapter in Hollywood history with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. Many people unfamiliar with the real events may not have fully understood the meaning behind the movie's ending, mistaking it for one of Tarantino's trademark brutal sequences.

While Natalie Lane's murder couldn't compare to the Tate case, such sensational headlines had already put Wilshire PD under the media's harsh spotlight.

As if on cue, Jack spotted a familiar figure entering the station.

"Hey there, guys, long time no see! Miss me?" Tyler Kelly, flashing her trademark bright smile, knocked playfully on the glass door, dressed in a stylish little dress.

Jack rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He stood up and approached her. "Tyler, now is not the time. We can't accept interviews, and you know that."

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