Chapter 2: Made The Cut
Kincade continues to pore over the evidence, conducting interviews, and analyzing data in his pursuit of the Full Moon Strangler. His determination intensifies as the deadline looms closer, and he becomes more consumed by the case, neglecting his own well-being and sanity. Kincade begins to unravel the complex web of connections between the suspects, piecing together fragments of information to form a clearer picture of the killer's identity.
The drive to Emily’s place seemed like forever. Ramirez couldn’t get the sound of Emily’s voice out of her mind. She'd never heard her sound like that before—scared, saddened, angry. Emily was always so sly and witty. Ramirez loved that about her—that and other things. Emily had a way about her that allured anyone to give her anything she desired. It was a gift, and Ramirez fell for it every time.
Ramirez parked crookedly in front of Emily’s apartment building and caught the door as someone was coming out. Once she got to the apartment, she knocked hard. Inside the apartment, Emily sat at the kitchen table. She jumped when she heard the door but got up to answer it anyway. After looking through the peephole to see Ramirez standing there with her hand on her gun, she hurriedly unlocked the door and swung it open. She quickly threw her arms around the detective, who slowly returned the favor to comfort her. They both entered the kitchen, and Emily re-locked her door.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Ramirez asked as she took Emily’s crying face into her hands. Emily turned away, not wanting Ramirez to see her cry. She walked over to the kitchen sink to get a drink of water while she explained. “I was at Emerald’s trying to get a lead outta Kincade. Of course, I didn’t get anything, so I came home.”
“Did you take the Subway?” Ramirez asked.
“No, I walked.” Emily answered as she took a sip of her water.
“We talked about this, Em. You can’t just walk home late at night—”
“I know, Elena! Don’t scold me right now. Please.” Emily pleaded. Ramirez knew she was crossing a line.
“I’m sorry. Keep going.”
“I was walking, and next thing I know, someone grabs me by the face and pulls me into the alley.” Emily starts to shake as she recalls the incident. “I felt this tinge in my neck, and then next thing I know, I’m in bed with this nightgown on.” she finished.
“Do you remember anything like a voice, a smell, height, build?”
Emily starts to sob. “No.” Ramirez takes two steps toward Emily and pulls her into her arms. “We’ll have to call this in. Is that okay with you?”
“No! I don’t want anyone to know about this! If the press finds out, they'll have a field day. I’m not going to be the next victim in the headlines for that asshole!” Emily exclaimed.
“Em, there could be evidence left here by this guy. A fingerprint, a hair, or something. We need to do all we can to catch this son of a bitch.” Ramirez explains. Emily sits quietly for a second before agreeing.
“There was definitely someone here,” Kincade said as he and Ramirez stood in Emily's apartment. His keen eyes scanned the kitchen, noting the signs of disturbance. A chair was toppled over, and the curtains were drawn haphazardly. “Look at this,” he said, pointing to a faint scuff mark near the doorway. “Someone was dragged or forced through here.”
Ramirez felt her blood run cold. “Emily said she blacked out, but this doesn't look like a simple abduction. This was planned.” Kincade nodded, deep in thought. “The Full Moon Strangler is known for his precision. This isn't just a random attack. He's sending a message.” “What kind of message?” Ramirez asked, trying to keep her composure. Kincade crouched down to examine the scuff mark more closely. “He's playing with us, showing us he's in control. If he's taken an interest in Emily, it means she's either a target or knows something crucial.” Ramirez felt a surge of anger. “We need to keep her safe. I won’t let this psycho get away with this.”
Kincade stood up, his eyes intense. “We need to move fast. If he's targeting people connected to the case, then no one is safe. We need to find out who else might be in danger.”
Ramirez nodded. “I'll get a list of everyone Emily has been in contact with recently. We need to track down every lead before he strikes again.”
Kincade agreed. “Let's call in backup. We need all hands on deck for this one.”
To Be Continued...
Thanks for tuning in. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and can already see where I'm going to take the next.
See you next week.
コメント