Page 7 of My Killer Blind Date

ME2026-05689, 1830 West Webster Avenue, Chicago; wooded area underneath overpass; Female/White, 25–35 years, Hair: Red.

Immediately, my heart starts thundering. The age is right. The hair color is right.

Zoe. A profound feeling of hope and dread squeezes me. This is what I want, right? Closure, even if it means looking at her corpse on my computer screen?

Fuck. Am I ready for this?

I click on the photo.

I feel my face contort in anticipation. I’ve looked at a lot of photos, and they’re awful.

The image takes a second to load, and suddenly – there it is.

She’s on her back. Her face is not the right color. Oh God, and her chest … It’s pretty much a gaping cavity.

It’s the wrong hair, though. Too orange.

Not Zoe. That’s what’s important. Not my friend.

I exhale. Lean back on the couch. Briefly close my eyes, as if that could cleanse me from these images.

It’s strange, trying to find the answers the police have been unable to find. Of course I want them. But if I find them, if I find her, it’s going to be devastating in a whole new way.

It’s not a stretch to assume the guy Zoe was meeting that night for a date had something to do with her disappearance. But, according to Detective Barnett, though they issued a legal order and pulled cell phone records, her text history yielded no leads. Her cell phone has also been off since that night, making it impossible to trace her location, which Barnett admitted was concerning, a word choice that nearly sent me. Concerning!? It’s proof of foul play!

I told them to look into the dating apps she was always on, but I couldn’t remember which one she favored. And there were just so many of them. I doubt they ever looked into it. Without a body to prove she’s dead, I feel like they’re not taking her disappearance seriously enough.

With a sigh, I push my food away – I’m no longer hungry anyway. I’d honestly love to go to bed right now, but Future Margot can sleep. Present Margot has to hustle. I focus back on my laptop.

My next stop is the Unclaimed Persons page. There are a few new entries.

Calvin Kuzemczak, 82, Male, White.

Martell Amoroso, 70, Male, Black.

I’ve been on this page enough times to have noticed that the list of unclaimed bodies are almost all men. It’s sad.

Then again, if they’re like Brian, Paul, Sean, etc … maybe not so sad.

Reddit is next. I scroll through the True Crime subreddit to see if any new entries about crime in Chicago catch my eye. Nothing new.

I click over to my Reddit thread next. Oooh – a few new comments. My original entry is four months old, but it still gets plenty of engagement.

A Serial Killer is Targeting North-Side Women in Chicago. Is Zoe Dawson the Third Victim?

Three women have now disappeared in the last year from various North Side neighborhoods. Kayleigh Aimes, Crystal Cole and Zoe Dawson. Only two bodies have been recovered so far, Kayleigh’s and Crystal’s, who were found on a north-side beach near Fort Sheridan. Both bodies appeared six months after their respective disappearances, and reports revealed their bodies were kept frozen prior to being dumped on the beach. Both bodies were missing a foot. Law enforcement has confirmed they were likely victims of the same individual, and unfortunately, the serial killer in question is still at large, with no leads. According to their families, both of these women led happy, stable lives. Kayleigh had a small business on Etsy making custom plushies for children. Crystal was a veterinary assistant at an animal shelter.

The woman I believe to be the third victim, Zoe Dawson, was a receptionist and up-and-coming artist. Why does she fit the pattern? First, there are almost exactly 6 months between each disappearance. It seems a body is dumped only when a new woman is kidnapped, and the timing of Zoe’s disappearance with Crystal’s body turning up on the beach can’t be ignored. Second, they all lived within a 5-mile radius of each other. No suspects have been identified in any of the three cases, but if the past timeline is predictive of the future, Zoe Dawson’s body will show up at the 6-month mark. Law enforcement is still treating Zoe Dawson’s case as a missing person, and hasn’t admitted any connection between her and the others … yet.

It hits me as I re-read this that the six months are up. If Zoe really is part of this string of murders, her body should show up on the beach any moment. I scan the new comments next.

onlythetruth5654 creepy but makes sense if the killer only has one deep freezer. I guess he could buy more freezers though, they’re not that expensive at Costco

_the_big_dickus sorry, this is the most far fetched loony toons bullshit I’ve read all day. sure, the two footless chicks might be connected. but the other chick’s not even proved dead. shit happens. stop going all conspiracy on unrelated things.

StarGazer8000 They all SEEMED happy. Come ON. We all know that abuse can happen under our noses, and we don’t even know it. My two cents? Their partners did them in. One of them copied the other to put people off the scent. Trust me with the partner angle – I’ve been there, and by the grace of God I was one of the lucky ones and escaped with my life. I hope those poor women’s spirits are at peace. Their suffering is over. #godbless

YourMamasWife I looooove true crime, this thread is super up my alley!! Isn’t it creepy, with the missing feet? What do you think the killer did with them? (omg, FOOT FETISH??) I remember being so shocked when these bodies showed up, because I literally live ten minutes from that beach! I hope they catch the serial killer!!!! And I hope the body of the 3rd woman shows up soon, for the sake of her family! Does anyone know if there’s a podcast about this case?