Part 8

Adeline went to the gym in the police station early, she wanted to release the pent up aggression that she was feeling. She managed at 30 minute workout before she headed back to the locker room to change.

Detective Pierce was waiting for her as she left the locker room.

"Ma'am you said you wanted me" Pierce said following her.

"Yes I want you to buy me the nail varnish the killer uses" Adeline ordered walking into her office.

"Really ma'am?" Detective Pierce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, as fast as you can please" Adeline smiled getting on with her work.

Pierce re-entered the office with the varnish in hand.

"Thank you" Adeline smiled, examining the bottle "Red devil" Adeline read out "Do you have a man?" Adeline asked her.

"Er no ma'am" Detective Pierce replied, taking a seat opposite her as Adeline began painting her nails.

"You like Women don't you" Adeline commented looking up from her nails.

"Yes Ma'am I do" She nodded, shyly.

"Women are far less irritating than men, my life would be easier if I liked women" Adeline smiled at her and Pierce smiled back at the kind small talk "The neighbours heard a hairdryer in the early hours of the morning, he dried her nails" Adeline said, painting another nail. Both women froze when they heard a gunshot. Adeline and Pierce ran to the other office. One man was lying dead on the floor with a self inflicted gun shot wound and Detective Superintendent Conan was standing there looking at his body in shock. Adeline pulled him out of the office and sat him down, yelling out orders to the other detectives.

Adeline exited the office, heading towards the bathroom.

"Can we talk" Jack said catching up to her.

"I need to get washed up" she told him.

"I'll come with you" Jack said following her into the ladies bathroom "Dyer was having an affair with Olsen's wife. He just confessed to Conan. If your feeling guilty" he told her.

"I don't feel guilty. He didn't have to get into bed with me" Adeline said washing her hands.

"It's unclear whether Sam knew or not. How was he with you?" Jack asked.

"Fine, I've already told you this" She said drying her hands.

"Yes but the texts" he said watching her roll her eyes.

"It was two nights, I only called him the second time because I had a bad day" Adeline said moving to the full length mirror, checking her appearance. She saw a spot of blood and pulled her shirt open slightly, wiping it off with a paper towel.

"Do you have any idea of the effect that you have on men? On me. I would've left my wife, my kids, everything for you" he said, his hands going to her waist, moving her until her back hit the mirror. He cornered her looking down at her slightly open shirt.

"Don't make a mistake you'll regret" Addie said pushing him away.

"God. Just looking at you is killing me" Jack whispered as the door opened and Pierce walked in.

"Sorry ma'am, sir" She said awkwardly.

"Yes what is it?" Adeline asked, pushing herself off the wall, standing up straight.

"I need to use the bathroom" Pierce said awkwardly. Jack gave Adeline one final look before leaving.

Adeline looked down at her freshly painted nails. She hadn't painted her nails in years, she always had a tendency to pick it off when she was thinking or nervous.

"What if we scheduled a press conference?" Adeline suggested to her team.

"What for?" Detective Abbot asked.

"To draw him out. Start a conversation, we patronise him" Adeline suggested.

"Won't that just make him kill again?" Detective Taylor asked.

"Maybe not. I'm his type, I'm a well off career woman, I'm brunette, I'm going to call him a weak man. It will get him to speak to us or send us some kind of message" she said looking at their faces of doubt.

"I think its ballsy" Detective Abbot said making Adeline smile.

"It is. That's why I want to do it" She smiled.

Adeline knocked on Jack's office door, listening as he called her to enter.

"Sir" Adeline weakly smiled, entering his office.

"Addie, take a seat" he smiled watching as she sat down opposite him.

"Sir I want to try something unorthodox" Adeline said.

"Everything you do is unorthodox" he chuckled.

"I want to hold a press conference, just facts no questions. I want to lure the killer out" Adeline proposed.

"How would this press conference do that?" He asked.

"I will show myself off, call him a coward. It should make him angry, angry enough to get in touch" Adeline proposed.

"That's why your wearing his nail varnish" Jack noticed, looking at her freshly painted nails.

"I'm a career woman, calling him out on his insecurities. I'm hoping that it will encourage him to talk to us" Adeline said looking at her nails.

"This plan could go wrong. He could hurt you. He could hurt someone else. It's risky" Jack said, concern lacing his voice.

"I know. I'm prepared for all outcomes" Adeline said confidently, holding her head high.

"Do it" he nodded and Adeline headed towards his office door "Just be careful, Addie. Please" Jack pleaded.

"Aren't I always" Adeline threw him a smile over her shoulder before leaving his office.