He had never felt this way on the battlefield. Certainly there was fear. Only a

fool would not fear death while bombs and bullets were whirling all around like

lethal snow. But his nerves had always held.

 

That had allowed him to do his job as a soldier.

 

That had allowed him to survive.

 

He could not solve this case if his nerves would not hold.

 

He drew several long breaths and withdrew his hands and stared down at the

pictures.

 

Victims of a serial killer usually had something in common. The killers picked

their victims based on shared characteristics, at least in the person’s demented

mind.

 

Young. Professional. Female. Three characteristics.

 

And national security. A fourth characteristic.

 

Lots of things were classified back then, just like today, Puller knew. If the

Feds had stonewalled a homicide investigation, the work the women did must have

been really important. But they had to work somewhere. The problem was that the