___The bright morning light cast an unforgiving glare over the crowded streets, a stark contrast to the darkness that lurked beneath. Saturday mornings like these often brought a sense of unease, as if the city's façade was on the verge of cracking open to reveal its deepest secrets. For me, this morning held a different kind of significance. I took my time sipping my coffee, reviewing the week's cases in my mind, searching for the one thread that had been nagging me. The routine was familiar, but the sense of anticipation was palpable. Little did I know, this Saturday was about to become a lot more interesting – and deadly.
After a quiet time talking to myself, the home phone pierced through the silence, bringing my drifted mind back to reality.
"Detective speaking," I said, my voice firm but weary. The voice on the other end was brief, conveying the bare essentials: a body had been found, and my presence was required at the scene. I jotted down the address, my mind already racing with possibilities. Another homicide, another investigation, another chance to uncover the truth.
"Jesus," I muttered to myself, stood up, and walked over to the phone with the weight of dread settling in. Another case, another victim, another puzzle to unravel. The phone's ringing seemed to grow louder, more insistent, as if demanding attention. I picked up, the familiar words "Detective speaking" already forming on my lips, but my tone was laced with a sense of resignation. What new horror was on the other end of the line?
"Detective speaking," I said, my voice firm but weary. The voice on the other end was brief, conveying the bare essentials: a body had been found, and my presence was required at the scene. I jotted down the address, my mind already racing with possibilities. Another homicide, another investigation, another chance to uncover the truth.
As I hung up the phone, a sense of detachment settled over me. I'd seen my fair share of death and destruction, but it never got any easier. The victim's family, the loved ones left behind – they were the ones I'd be thinking about, not just the case. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door, the cool morning air a stark contrast to the darkness that lay ahead. Time to get to work.
I arrived the scene ten minutes earlier than the rest of the detective, especially detective Hitchcock.
I took in the scene before me, my eyes scanning the area as I processed the information. "Cemetery gate, no grudge held but it has to be done... this is only the beginning," I repeated, my mind racing with possibilities. "Sounds like our killer wants to make a statement. What's the situation with the victim?"
I turned to the officer who had been briefing me. "Do we have an ID on the victim yet? Any witnesses or surveillance footage that might give us a lead on the killer?"
My gaze fell upon the body, and I could feel a sense of unease creeping in. This wasn't just a murder – it was a message. And I had a feeling that we were just starting to unravel the threads of a much larger and more complex case.
" All footage were wiped. The only thing we have is this." The officer replied, pointing to the written note on the dead body.
" Then, this is going to be one hell of a case. We're walking on thin ice trying to find a fallen pin in the river." I told him.
There's nothing literal about any of this, I was getting fed up with everything___ I let out a sigh and muttered ___" just little crumbs."
" Indeed Waller, maybe this case isn't for you."
I heard a familiar voice behind turning around to see Jason Hitchcock and his colleagues.
I turned to face Jason Hitchcock, my expression unreadable. "Ah, Jason. Right on cue. I see you're still as subtle as ever with your observations." My tone was laced with a hint of sarcasm, but I didn't bother hiding my annoyance.
I walked towards him, my eyes locked on his. "Just little crumbs, Jason. That's all we have. And I'll be damned if I let this case go cold because we can't seem to find the trail. You're welcome to join the investigation, but if you're here to undermine me, I'd rather you just stick to your desk job."
I stood tall, my shoulders squared, daring him to push me further. The tension between us was palpable, and I could sense the rest of the team watching our exchange with interest. "So, what's your brilliant insight, Jason? What do you think we're dealing with here?"
Jason's expression remained smug, but I could see a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "Oh, I'm not here to undermine you, Waller. I'm just stating the obvious. This case is a mess, and we all know you're not exactly known for your... persistence."
He paused, letting the unspoken words hang in the air. "But I'll give you credit, you've managed to stay on the force this long. Maybe you can actually crack this one."
I felt a surge of anger, but I kept my cool, my voice even. "Let's focus on the case, Jason. We can play the who's-the-best-detective later. What do you make of the note?"
I gestured to the body, my eyes never leaving Jason's face. "You've had time to review the scene, what's your take on it?"
The air was thick with tension as we stood there, waiting for the other to blink. But I wasn't going to back down. Not now, not ever.
Jason took a while examining the body for a while, and after a long minute of sighs and sniffs he finally broke the silence.
" Jeremy, get me a knife."
__ Jeremy brought out a knife and sliced open the stomach of the victimized body.__" Here we go, keep your eyes focused on me Waller maybe you'll learn a thing or two." He said as he chuckles.
He wore gloves before delving his hand into the stomach, irritated I was but this wasn't my first time seeing such act, but what was he doing.
" Jane Doe getting justice." He added before bringing his hand out, only to see a key.
__ " A key, what was a key doing in his belly?" I asked in horror.
" This is our third key in three months Waller, that why I told you, you ain't cut out for this, not your mom nd of case so get out before it's too late." Jason said handing over the key to Jeremy his assistant.
I wanted to say something but was unable to find the word.
" I got a message." I blurted out bluntly.
He turned slowly facing me then smiled and replied.
__" Waller Greene got a message? What a joke."
" I don't see myself to be a joker after everything I've seen coming back to this hell called a city." I said to him somewhat enraged.
Jason's smile faltered for a moment, and I saw a glimmer of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected me to push back like that. But then, his expression hardened, and he took a step closer to me.
"'Hell called a city'? You think you can just waltz back in here and play hero, Waller? You've been gone for years. You don't know what this city is like anymore. You don't know what we're dealing with."
His voice was low and menacing, and I could feel the tension between us building. Jeremy took a step back, his eyes darting between us, sensing the escalating situation.
"I know exactly what I'm dealing with, Jason," I said, my voice cold and even. "I'm dealing with a case that's getting more and more twisted by the minute. And I'm dealing with colleagues who seem more interested in tearing each other apart than solving it."
I took a step closer to Jason, my eyes locked on his. "So, what's your problem, Jason? Is it the case, or is it me?"
He smiled.
Turned and instructed his colleagues to move out.
" Now what? If you know the city better than me why not tell me what the letter meant, if you aren't going to answer my previous question."
I watched Jason's back as he walked away, his team following closely behind. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the area, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. It seemed like I was getting nowhere with him.
I turned my attention back to the scene, my eyes scanning the area for any details that might have been missed. The key, the note, the cryptic message – it all seemed to be leading somewhere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
I looked down at the note again, the words "Cemetery gate, no grudge held but it has to be done... this is only the beginning" etched in my memory. And then there was the message Jason had mentioned earlier – the one I supposedly had.
I turned to the officer who was watching me with a curious expression. "Jeremy, can you get me the call logs for the past hour? I want to see if we can track down who made the call to report the body."
I also wanted to see if there were any messages sent to me that I wasn't aware of. Jason's words had struck a chord, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this case than met the eye.
" It's time to think like a detective." I said to him with an angry face.
" Alright sir, anything else?" The officer said to me.
I don't know why he said that but all I could reply was.
" And get David Moore here." He nodded and left leaving me to swim down an ocean of anger and frustration.
I stood there for a moment, watching Jeremy hurry off to carry out my instructions. The sound of the police radio crackled in the distance, and the murmur of conversations from the other officers created a sense of background noise. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me.
As I stood there, my eyes wandered back to the body on the ground. The key, the note, Jason's condescending attitude – it all seemed to be circling around me, taunting me. I felt a surge of determination. I was going to solve this case, no matter what it took.
I began to replay the events in my mind, thinking about every detail, every word, every gesture. The more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that there was something I was missing. Something obvious.
I took another deep breath, pushing aside my emotions and focusing on the task at hand. It was time to think like a detective, to piece together the puzzle and uncover the truth. The question was, where to start?