Alex stared at the blank page on the computer screen and sighed out of sheer frustration. He'd been sitting here for over two hours and he'd not written one single word. That was not a good thing, since he made his living as an author of best-selling mystery novels. He hadn't had a case of writer's block this severe in years.

To be honest, it wasn't really that big a deal since he only had one more chapter left to write, and his publisher wasn't expecting the book for another six months. It was just that he'd planned to finish it today so he would have plenty of time for any revisions he might need to make. Plus, he wanted to get started researching a new story idea.

His problem was that he just couldn't stop thinking about the vision he'd had. It had been fours days since he'd experienced that woman's death, and so far there hadn't been any proof that it wasn't merely a figment of his imagination. He'd been watching the news and reading the newspaper every day since the vision, but as of yet, there had been no mention of any murder that fit the description of the one he'd undergone. Despite the lack of evidence, he knew that his vision was real. There was a decapitated body out there somewhere just waiting to be discovered, and he had an inexplicable feeling that it wouldn't be the last. During his vision he'd seen that the killer's movements had a practiced air about them, giving him the indication that this wasn't the first time this guy had killed. He also had a feeling, which came from deep in his soul, that there were going to be more murders. And more murders meant more visions.

He turned his attention back to the computer screen. If he was going to be connected to the victims of a serial killer, then he needed to finish his novel so he would have the time to deal with it. He shook his head to clear it, and began to write. When he was working he usually became so caught up in the story he was telling that everything around him faded into the background, and this time was no different. Before he knew it, he was writing the last sentence. Just as he finished proofreading what he'd written to make sure that it wasn't incomprehensible gibberish, the phone rang.

Glancing at the caller I.D., he saw that it was his best friend. He picked up the phone and said, "Hey, Ariel. What's up?"

"Alex, are you watching the noon newscast on channel eleven?" Ariel asked brusquely.

"No, I was working," he responded uneasily.

"Well, you'd better turn it on," she said with urgency.

"Okay," he replied as he reached for the remote and turned on the T.V.

Even though he'd expected them sooner or later, the words spoken by the news anchor chilled him to the bone. "Thank you, Diane. That was Diane Simpson reporting live from Collin County. To recap, the decapitated body of an unidentified female was found early this morning in a wooded area next to Lake Lavon. A spokesman for the Collin County Sheriff's Department stated that every effort would be made to bring the murderer to justice."

"Alex, did you hear that? Your vision was right. What are you going to do?" Ariel asked in a rush of words.

Alex sighed in resignation. "There's only one thing I can do. I have to go to the Sheriff's Department and tell them what I know."

"Do you think they'll believe you?" Ariel asked worriedly.

"I doubt it, but I'll just have to convince them. This guy has to be stopped," Alex responded firmly, as if he could make himself believe it.

"What do you mean, he has to be stopped? Are you saying you think he's done this before?" Ariel asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"You're right, Alex. You've got to help them stop this guy. He's a monster!" Ariel said emphatically.

Alex couldn't help but smile. His best friend didn't even question how he knew all of this. She just took his word for it. Most people would think he was crazy, but not Ariel. No, she loved him unconditionally and simply accepted his gift without question. His eyes began to water, and with an emotion-filled voice he said, "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? You're the one who's been touched by God," Ariel insisted.

"That may be true, I don't know. What I do know is that you've been there with me every step of the way. You have been my rock. Not even my own sister has always been as supportive as you. From the very first time my gift manifested itself you never once doubted me. You unwaveringly believed in me and in my gift, and that is why I'm thanking you. If I haven't told you lately, I'll take care of that right now. I love you," he said with a slight tremble in his voice.

"Love you, too, Alex. Do you want me to go with you the Sheriff's Department?" she offered supportively.

"No, that's okay. I think this is something I need to handle myself," Alex demurred.

"Okay, if that's what you think is best. But you'd better let your sister and me know what happens. You hear me?" she demanded, though Alex could hear the concern in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am," he stated in a militaristic fashion. "I'm going to go right now, and when I'm finished I'll drop by the salon. Okay?"

"Just as long as you know who's boss, I'm satisfied," Ariel said with mock smugness.

"I'm hanging up now before you start telling me how to dress."

"Well, somebody needs to. All you ever wear is jeans and those awful Aggie t-shirts. With your atrocious fashion sense, I fail to understand how you can call yourself a gay man. I swear, if I didn't love you so much I'd call the fashion police and have them revoke your membership in the gay union. Boy, you'd better listen to me this time. If you want the investigators at the Sheriff's Department to take you seriously you'd better dress in a respectable manner," she finished gravely.

"Goodbye, Ariel," he said with a smile as he hung up the phone. How he chose to dress was a source of constant vexation for his best friend. He owned some nice clothes, but he just preferred jeans because they were comfortable. And he liked to wear his Aggie t-shirts because, like all graduates from Texas A&M University, he was proud of his alma mater. Ariel, however, wanted him to look like he'd just stepped off the cover of GQ magazine at all times, but in Alex's opinion, that was ridiculous. He spent most of his time at home in front of his computer writing, and wearing nice clothes would be a waste.

Yet, in this case, Ariel was right. Trying to convince the investigators at the Sheriff's Department to believe that he was a legitimate psychic, and not just some fraud, wasn't going to be easy. He should at least present himself in a reputable manner. Getting up from his desk chair, he left his office and walked to his bedroom. Opening his closet, he looked for just the right thing to wear. He finally decided to go business-causal. He chose a pair of black slacks and a maroon-striped, button-down shirt. He took a quick shower, got dressed, and left his apartment.

Zach ran his hand roughly through his hair, vexed. He wanted to pick up the computer screen and throw it in the wastebasket like the useless piece of garbage that it was. He'd been studying the old case files of the murders that occurred eleven years ago, hoping he would see something he hadn't noticed before, but it was proving to be an exercise in futility. Before they left the crime scene that morning, he and Sole had contacted their captain, Robert Fuller, and after consulting with the Collin County Sheriff he'd assigned them to head the joint task force that was being assembled to investigate the serial homicides.

The task force would be composed of Zach, Sole, Sgt. Chase Sullivan from the Criminal Investigation Section of the Sheriff's Department, one detective each from the police departments of the three largest cities in the county, and Ridge Fisher from the Medical Examiner's office. It was decided that the Collin County Sheriff's Department would serve as home base for the task force since the Sheriff's Department had jurisdiction throughout the entire county.

Looking across the desk he was using to the one adjoining it facing him, he saw Sole staring intently at the computer screen in front of her. Her brow was furrowed from deep concentration. Suddenly, she looked up at him and said, "I think I might have something."

"I hope so, because I've got nothing. What did you find?" he asked eagerly.

"I've been reviewing the FBI and Interpol databases, and it seems that our boy hasn't been idle these last eleven years. There have been similar homicides in ten other States and fourteen different countries."

"Were the murders that happened here the first ones, or were they merely a stop on this maniac's world tour?" Zach asked sarcastically.

"From what's in these reports, it appears that our little neck of the woods was the first vacation spot he visited," Sole quipped.

"Was it?" Zach stated, and paused a moment in thought before continuing. "Or maybe the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is his home."

Sole looked at him sharply. "Are you saying you think that after committing those six murders here eleven years ago, this monster decided he wanted to spread his sunshine in some exotic locales, and now that the novelty has worn off, he's chosen to return home and grace us with his presence once again?" she asked in disbelief.

"Maybe, I don't know," he stated pensively. Reaching down, he picked up a pen that was lying on the desk, placed one end in his mouth, and began to chew distractedly on the cap. "You know, there has always been something wonky about this case that I was never able to put my finger on."

"'Wonky'? Is that even a real word?" she asked teasingly.

Zach smiled slyly. "Yes, it is. It means that something is not quite right. That something out of the ordinary is going on."

"Is that right?" Sole asked with sarcastic disbelief. "I suppose if we were playing Scrabble™ I'd be able to look 'wonky' up in the dictionary and verify its existence?"

"Yes, of course," he replied, and his smile grew even wider.

Sole chuckled. "And what dictionary would that be, pray tell? Sluder's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language?"

"Exactly," he said smugly.

Sole's smile suddenly disappeared and her face took on a serious expression. "So, just to be clear, you think that there is something out of the ordinary about a serial killer who lops off his victims' heads? Come on, Zach, of course there's something not right here. A human being is committing heinous acts against other human beings. If that isn't out of the ordinary, I don't know what is."

"Sole, since I became a Texas Ranger I've worked on other serial murder cases, and I've never gotten this feeling before. There's something about this case that is different from all the other cases I've worked on. Eleven years ago I thought that I was just imagining things, but now that I've got those other cases to compare this one to, I know that I wasn't. It's just a feeling, but there's something about these homicides that doesn't fit the mold."

"Okay, Miss Marple," she teasingly called him by the name of the famous female sleuth, addressing him in the feminine as she sometimes did because she was aware of his bisexuality. "Tell me how these murders are different from the other serial killer cases you've investigated."

An expression of frustrated sadness appeared on Zach's face. "That's just it, Sole. I don't know. But I have a feeling that we're not going to be able to stop this guy until we do, and if we don't figure it out soon, there are going to be a lot more dead bodies out there."

"Zach, we will stop this guy. You gotta believe that," Sole assured him.

"I hope you're right, Sole. I really hope to God you're right," Zach said with a sigh.

Drawing his gaze away from his partner, he looked around the room. The CIS bullpen at the Collin County Sheriff's Department was awash in a sea of activity. Zach watched as the investigators and deputies scurried about in their pursuit of justice. A sudden movement caused his focus to shift to one investigator in particular, Chase Sullivan. He was striding toward Zach's borrowed desk at a fast clip. When he reached it, he perched himself on the edge.

"Well, we have an I.D. on our victim. Her name is Janet Donaldson. She's twenty-three years old, and she was a high school English teacher. She was reported missing twelve days ago," he said addressing both Zach and Sole.

"Who reported her missing?" Sole inquired.

Chase glanced at his notes before replying, "Her mother, a Mrs. Helen Donaldson."

"Has the mother already left the Medical Examiner's Office?" Zach asked.

"No, I don't think she's been informed yet. In this county it's the responsibility of the M.E.'s Office to notify family members due to the fact that they have personnel who are specially trained in grief counseling. Ridge promised to call and let us know as soon as she's been informed," Chase responded.

Zach's face expressed his confusion. "If she hasn't been notified, then how was the body positively identified?"

"Through her fingerprints. The McKinney Independent School District requires all its employees who have contact with students to be fingerprinted. The fingerprints are then run through the FBI database in order to prevent the hiring of a child-molesting pervert. Ridge put her prints into the computer and we got a match," Chase replied.

"Okay. Anything else?" Zach asked.

"Yeah. Here's Ridge's preliminary report, if you want to see it," the investigator replied, pulling the document out of his file.

"Yeah, thank you. We'd like to look that over," Zach said, holding out his hand out for the report.

"When is the autopsy scheduled?" Sole asked, chiming into the conversation.

"Ridge said that it's scheduled to begin in about thirty minutes," Chase stated.

Before Sole had a chance to respond, a deputy walked up to their desks and addressed them, "Excuse me, Sergeants. There's a man in reception who says that he has information about the murder of the woman who was found at Lake Lavon this morning. Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes, please show him to one of the interview rooms and we'll be right with him," Zach's reply was tinged with excitement.

"You got it," the deputy said as he touched the first two fingers of his right to hand to his forehead and gave Zach a salute before turning and walking away.

"Chase, I know that you'd probably like to be involved in this interview, but we should have a representative present at the autopsy. I hope you don't mind, but you are the logical choice. You were present at the scene, and you are acquainted with the personnel at the M.E.'s Office," Sole said, trying to be sensitive to the fact that Chase might be feeling a bit miffed that she and Zach had been put in charge of the task force.

"No, of course not. It's not my favorite thing in the world, but I know it has to be done," he said with sigh of resignation, hoping to cover up the excitement he was feeling. Even though he hated autopsies, the prospect of seeing Ridge again thrilled him to no end.

"Thanks," Sole said with a smile.

"No, problem," he said as walked away.

Alex followed the deputy into a small box of a room with a one-way mirror that was furnished with only a wooden table and hard, straight-back chairs. His escort turned to Alex and said, "Please have a seat. Sgts. Sluder and Ramos will be with you in a moment."

"Thank you, Deputy," he said as he pulled one of the chairs out from the table and sat down facing the door.

The deputy left the room, closing the door behind him. Now that he was alone, anxiety started to build within him. He drummed his fingers nervously on the table. How in the world was he going to convince these investigators that he'd had a vision about the murder, that he'd actually experienced the woman's death and saw her killer? He just knew they were going to think he was crazy and dismiss him as a kook. If the press found out about this it could damage him professionally. Who wanted to read a mystery novel written by someone who everyone thought was mentally unstable? He should leave now, before it was too late.

Yet, he couldn't. His beloved grandmother, who was now deceased, had accepted his psychic ability without hesitation. When he'd first told her, she said that he'd been touched by the hand of God and given a tremendous gift. She then impressed upon him the notion that with such a great gift came great responsibility. He'd always strived to use his gift for the good of humanity, and despite his fear of being publicly branded a nut, he was going to continue to do so.

The sound of the door opening startled him, causing him to jump in his seat. He looked in the direction of the door and saw a man and a woman enter the room. The woman was Hispanic and one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. But her beauty was nothing compared to that of the man standing next to her. He wasn't beautiful in a feminine sort of way, no, his beauty came from the masculinity that oozed from every pore of his body. Alex just couldn't stop staring at him.

The man was so fucking gorgeous that Alex felt like he'd been struck by lightening. He knew that was a cheesy cliché, but there was no other way to describe what was happening to him. He could actually feel electricity coursing along his synaptic pathways, charging through his entire body and going straight to his cock. He breathed a sigh of relief that the two investigators weren't able to see what was happening in his nether regions, thankful the table blocked the erection tenting his trousers from their view.

When the object of his sudden attack of lust opened his mouth and spoke, Alex almost came in his pants. The man's voice was like velvet. It was deep, warm, and dripping with sensuality. "I'm Sgt. Zach Sluder, and this is my partner Sgt. Soledad Ramos. We're Texas Rangers.

The last words the man spoke jolted Alex out of his sexual fog. Did he just say Texas Rangers? Glancing at the badges that were pinned to their shirts he saw that they were indeed Texas Rangers. He'd been so distracted by his nervousness and his reaction to the male Ranger that he'd failed to notice. What were they doing here? Texas Rangers were considered the cream of the crop in State law enforcement. He knew from research he'd done for a novel that the Texas Rangers were often compared to the F.B.I. of the United States and Scotland Yard of England. If they were here, it was a definite indication that his earlier feeling - that the murder he'd experienced in his vision was not the first, and would more than likely not be the last - had been dead on.

"Hi, I'm...uh... Alex Marshall," he stated nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Marshall," Sole said as she took a seat at the table across from Alex. Suddenly, a look of surprise passed over her face and she leaned across the table towards him. She then smiled brilliantly and asked in an excited voice, "Are you the Alex Marshall? The mystery writer?"

Alex smiled back at her. "Yes, I am. Have you read any of my books?"

"I most certainly have. I've read every single thing you've written. You are one Hell of a writer. When I start reading one of your books I have trouble putting it down until I've read the very last page. The way you set up a mystery is fantastic! In other mystery novels I've read, and believe me I read a lot of them, I can generally figure out who the murderer is before the end of the book, but not yours. The twists and turns in the plots of your books keep me on the edge of my seat the entire time. And I must say that I'm impressed with the amount of research you do for your books. I've not found one inaccuracy in your portrayal of a murder investigation performed by law enforcement officers," Sole said in a gush of enthusiasm.

Alex blushed, his face turning beet red. In a voice tinged with embarrassment, he replied sincerely, "Thank you, Sgt. Ramos. If you keep praising my work like that, I'm never going to be able to leave here because my head is going to be too big to get through the door. I appreciate your flattering praise, but I'm just an adequate writer at best."

"Please, call me Sole. Alex...I hope you don't mind if I call you by your first name?" She waited until she saw his nod of approval before she continued. "Alex, don't underestimate your talent as a writer. You are not merely adequate. You are, in my humble opinion, a truly exceptional writer. You need to learn to accept a compliment."

"Sole, I swear you sound like my sister, Tamara, and my best friend, Ariel. They're constantly getting on me about that. If three beautiful women are harping at me about the same thing, there must be something to it. I will endeavor to improve myself," he replied with a grin. "Do you have a favorite among my books? If you'll tell me what it is, I'll send you an autographed copy."

"Thank you, Alex. That's a most generous offer, but as a Texas Ranger I'm not allowed to accept gifts."

He smiled at her. "Give me a quarter."

Sole's expression was puzzled, but she reached into her jeans pocket and retrieved a quarter, anyway. Handing the coin to him, she asked, "Okay, here it is, but why do you need it?"

"You've just bought yourself an autographed copy of one of my books. So, which one is your favorite?"

She smiled her understanding. "Thank you, Alex," she said as she retrieved one of her business cards with her address on it and gave it to him. "Of course, my favorite is Murder Among the Bluebonnets because the heroine is a female Texas Ranger. You were on the money, by the way, in your characterization of her."

"Excuse me," Zach finally broke in, irritation clearly evident in his voice. "I hate to interrupt, but this is a law enforcement agency, not a meeting of the Mystery Novelist Appreciation Society."

Sole smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Zach."

"That's okay, but let's get down to business," Zach replied as he pulled out a chair and took a seat next to his partner. He placed the notepad he'd brought with him on the table and uncapped his pen in preparation to take notes. Looking Alex directly in the eyes he said, "The deputy indicated, Mr. Marshall, that you have some information about the woman whose body we found this morning. Would you care to tell us what it is?"

"Um...I sort of witnessed her murder," Alex responded hesitantly.

"You're telling us that you witnessed the murder, and you waited till now to report it?" Zach asked incredulously.

Alex swallowed hard. "Well, it was so far out of my experience that I wasn't sure if what I witnessed was real or not."

Zach could feel the agitation rising within him. "You were there, and you weren't sure if it really happened or not? My God! The woman's head was chopped off, and you didn't know if it was real? Come on! What's really going on here? If this is just a hoax, or some kind of publicity stunt to sell your novels, I can guarantee that it will not go well for you."

"Sgt. Sluder, you don't understand. I wasn't physically there," Alex started to explain.

Zach couldn't take it anymore. There was a serial killer on the loose and this idiot was wasting his time. He rose to his feet so quickly that he knocked his chair over. Ignoring it, he placed his palms on the table and leaned menacingly over Alex, demanding in a stern voice, "What in the Hell are you talking about? How could you witness a murder if you weren't there? Are you some kind of crazy..."

Sole stood and put her hand firmly on Zach's shoulder, effectively stopping his tirade before he said something he'd regret later. Seeing the look of shock and trepidation on Alex's face that was the result of her partner's censorious outburst, she smiled reassuringly, and said, "Alex, please forgive my partner's impatience. We were at the murder scene early this morning, and the sight that greeted us was not a very pleasant one. It's been a long day. He tends to take injustices of this nature very seriously, and he really wants to catch the killer as soon as possible." Then turning to Zach she said, "Let's take our seats and try this again, shall we?"

Zach gave her an irritated look, but he did as she asked. After he turned around, picked up his chair, and retook his seat, she sat back down as well. She then turned her attention to the man sitting across the table from them, and asked in a calm voice, "Alex, could you explain to us what you meant when you said that you weren't 'physically there'?"

Once again Alex swallowed hard. He rubbed his hands together in a nervous fashion, and then he responded, "I'll try, but I don't think you'll believe me. I wasn't physically present, but I was there. You see, since I was about thirteen years old I've been experiencing visions..."

"Visions?" Zach interrupted him again. "Are you telling us you're some kind of a psychic?" Zach's exasperation was evident in his voice.

"I guess you could call me that, but...," Alex began, but he was cut off once more.

"Oh, Hell! We don't have time for this bullshit! There's a sadistic killer out there somewhere, and you come in here spouting this nonsense!" Zach exclaimed angrily.

Sole placed her hand on top of her partner's and squeezed. Removing her hand she looked at him and asked, "Zach, why don't we just hear Alex out completely before we make any rash judgments, okay?" When Zach didn't reply, Sole said, "Alex, please continue."

Alex took a deep steadying breath. "I know this is hard to believe because even though it's been happening to me for years, I still have trouble believing it myself. However, that doesn't change the fact that I do have visions, and I had one about this particular murder."

Sole rubbed her chin in a pensive manner. "Alex, you said earlier that the reason you haven't come forward before now was that it 'was so far out of your experience'. What did you mean by that? You just stated that you've been having visions since you were thirteen. What was different about this one?"

Alex was chewing on his bottom lip anxiously. This was so hard, much harder than he'd thought it would be. And the reason for the increased difficulty, and his severe nervousness, was the man sitting across the table glaring at him with anger and suspicion. He looked directly at the Texas Ranger and their gazes caught and held.

He didn't understand why it bothered him so much, but it did. For some reason, he was desperate for Sgt. Zach Sluder of the Texas Rangers to not only believe him, but to approve of him, as well. This was so unlike him. He was not the kind of person who was so needy that he sought out the approval of others. The only affirmation he normally required was his own, and that of his family and close friends. Sgt. Sluder was unbelievably gorgeous, but so were a lot of other men. Yet, no other man had ever affected him this way. He just didn't understand it.

Tearing his gaze away from Zach's, he looked at Sole and replied, "Besides the fact that this was the first vision I've ever had that involved a murder, it was also the first time I actually experienced what was going on through the eyes of the victim."

"Are you saying that you were in this woman's body when she was murdered?" Sole asked, clearly fascinated by what Alex was telling her.

"Oh, brother! Sole, you aren't actually buying into this nonsense, are you?" Zach asked her in disbelief.

Sole frowned. "Alex, would you please excuse us? I need to speak with my partner outside for a moment. We'll be right back," she said as stood up. After motioning for Zach to join her, she left the room.

When Zach stepped out into the hall he was faced with an enraged partner. "Zach, what in the Hell do you think you're doing?" Sole asked in a voice laced with anger.

"Why are you asking me that question? Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?" Zach shot back.

Sole's annoyance was increasing exponentially. With an irritated sigh, she said, "No, I'm not the one being a jackass here--you are. You are being insufferably rude. I've never seen you like this before. What has gotten into you, Zach? Can't you see how difficult it was for Alex to come here and tell us about his visions? You're definitely not making it any easier for him."

Zach couldn't believe this. Sole was actually buying the crap that was spewing from Alex Marshall's lips. He didn't understand it. The man was a nut, albeit an extremely attractive nut, but a nut nonetheless. When he'd walked into the interview room and saw Alex, he'd felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Sitting at that table was the sexiest man he'd ever seen, and from the way Alex had been staring at him he'd sensed that maybe Alex thought he was pretty special as well. Then he had to go and ruin everything by opening his mouth and letting that psychic nonsense come out.

"Sole, you can't be telling me that you actually believe that garbage he's feeding us?" he asked.

"I don't know, yet," Sole replied with exaggerated calmness. "I don't have enough information to make an informed decision. You keep interrupting him before he can finish telling his story."

"Why do you need him to finish? Psychics are nothing but frauds, and you know it," he stated firmly.

"No, I don't. I'll admit that a lot of the so-called psychics are fakes, but there are some legitimate ones out there. There is even a branch of science that studies the phenomena, called parapsychology. I don't know if Alex is real or not. But that's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"The point is that it is obvious that this is not Alex's idea of a good time. You can tell he is having a difficult time admitting this to us. Besides, he is a talented writer and they're known to be a little eccentric," she said soothingly in an attempt to reason with her stubborn partner. "So, the least we can do is hear him out, and be nice about it. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, I guess so, but only if it doesn't take too long," he conceded reluctantly.

"Okay, then. Let's get back in there."

They walked into the interview room and sat back down at the table. Sole looked over at Alex and said apologetically, "Sorry about that. Now, where were we? Oh, yes. You were telling us that this was the first time you'd ever had a vision where you saw what was going on through the eyes of the victim. Please go on."

"Uh, yes. Usually in my visions I'm just an observer of what is happening, but this one was different. That's why I didn't come in right away. I wasn't sure if it was real or not. It's hard to explain, but I was in the victim's mind with her. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. One minute I was at my sister's hair salon getting my hair cut, and the next thing I knew, I was naked and running for my life," Alex stated as he rubbed his forehead in a distressed manner.

"Didn't you think it was strange that you were in a woman's body?" Sole questioned.

"At first, I wasn't aware that I wasn't myself. It wasn't until after I fell and ripped the upper part of my right arm on a tree limb that I discovered I was in a woman's body," Alex stated as he unconsciously reached for that spot on his own arm. He shook his head trying to shake off the bad memory.

Zach, who had been silent while Alex told his story, slowly and deliberately stood. As he began to walk around the table toward Alex, he pulled his handcuffs off his belt, and said, "The fact that the victim had a laceration on her right upper arm has not been released. The only way you could know that is if you're the killer." He roughly grasped Alex's arm and pulled him to his feet. "Alex Marshall, I am placing you under arrest for suspicion of murder. You have the right to remain silent...," Zach began as snapped the handcuffs around the mystery writer's wrists.