A chill had run down Alex's spine when Victor had barged into Scout's office to inform the two women, just as they were going over the suspect files, that another victim had been found. This one was Peter Hurley, whom she was later told had not been found until recently because 'no one missed him' when he didn't show up for work. The young woman had sprung up immediately, quickly pulling back on her coat, and grabbing both her gun and her badge, the latter planted firmly into it's holster in her belt. She's been far more careful to carry it on her recently, given the recent attacks. In this, Alex is hardly alone. Some of the lab workers have been issued guns, as well, due to the concern for their safety as well as that of the officers. The drive to Hurley's apartment felt much too long- as though they were wasting valuable time. The Nightmare is unpredictable, after all- she wouldn't put it past this figure to go for a double homicide in one night. She just has an ominous feeling- then again, there's been that feeling ever since the killing began. Serial murderers in a town like Oakhedge tend to give Alex the impression of a horror movie.
She had been speaking with another officer when Victor calls out- saying that they have another message. The officer passes by Victor as he walks out.
Alex stands in front of the bloody message written on the wall- probably with the victim's blood, but samples have been taken just in case. They can't afford to make too many assumptions about this killer, after all. She doesn't think much of the Lonely, Lonely bit to be honest- it may very well be important, she knows, but the latter bit is what seems to dig into her skin and crawl around. We came so close before, could easily mean being close to someone, but she has a haunting suspicion that this isn't the case. No, it sounds a good deal more like attempted murder to her. But there had been no reports of murders happening around Hurley that might have indicated a previous attempt on his life- she's verified that already. That ominous feeling is coming back with a vengeance now- and the girl has always had rather good instincts.
Previous run ins. . .What reports have there been recently? she wonders, the answer just on the tip of her tongue. Another officer walks over to Alex. "Officer Pond? You said you wanted to speak to the person who found the body? She's standing over there. Says she lives in the apartment right below his, one floor down," the officer continues, but Alex remains rather distracted. This time, by what he's said- it triggers something that she ought to have remembered immediately upon seeing the message.
"One moment," she says, walking over to where Victor is, mind now moving a mile a minute.
"Victor. Someone in Ollie's apartment building was murdered recently, right?" she asks, the urgency in her voice making it clear that she knows the answer, but needs for someone else to speak it aloud. "Is he still back at the department? Who's with him? Roxie? Lana?"
Alex doesn't think that the message refers to Peter Hurley, but to a victim not yet killed. What if the person killed in Ollie's building hadn't been the intended victim? Or what if it had been a message in itself?