I sat in stunned silence, my eyes fixed on the ambulance where Ben was being treated. The paramedics were working frantically to stabilize him, and I could see the worry etched on their faces. My mind was racing with thoughts of what could have happened, what might have been. Ben, my partner, my friend... he had to make it.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see a detective, her face somber. "Hey, we're going to get through this, okay?" she said gently. "We need to get your statement, but it can wait."
I nodded numbly, my eyes drifting back to Ben's ambulance. Please, just hold on, Ben. You're going to be okay. You have to be okay.The detective's expression turned serious as she watched the paramedics rush Ben into the hospital. "We'll get the best doctors on him," she said reassuringly. "Let's get you checked out too. You might have injuries you haven't noticed yet."
I shook my head, still fixated on Ben's stretcher disappearing through the hospital doors. "I'm fine," I said distractedly. "Just... tell me what happened back there. Was it the Eclipse?"
The detective's face hardened. "We're still piecing together the evidence, but it looks like multiple groups were involved. We'll need your statement to figure out what went down."
I took a deep breath, my mind racing with questions and fears. Devon's words echoed in my head: "The Eclipse is real." Now, it seemed, we were dealing with more than just speculation.
As the reality of the situation sunk in, I knew I had to focus. Ben needed me to be strong, and I had to get to the bottom of this. "Let's get started," I said firmly, meeting the detective's gaze. "I'll tell you everything."
PRESENT DAY.
Jeremy rushed back after an hour or so with a paper in his hand.
" What's this?" I asked collecting the paper from him.
His expression was more brighter than before.
" Sir, that's the call logs from yesterday till now and there's something interesting, the dead body right there is a man named Greg wanton.
Apparently Greg was into some shady dealings, and it seems like he was in deep with some bad people. The call logs show a lot of suspicious activity, with multiple calls to and from unknown numbers. But there's one number that keeps popping up, and it's registered to a shell company."
Jeremy's eyes were shining with excitement as he handed me a highlighted copy of the call log. "Look at this, sir. This number here, it's been calling Greg multiple times a day, and it seems like they're trying to hide their identity. But I think I can crack the code and get the real number behind the shell company."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the development. "Get to work on it, Jeremy. Let's see if we can uncover who was behind those calls and what they wanted with Greg."
Jeremy nodded in agreement.
A step closer, how intriguing.
Just then David walked over to the scene with a dark tone in his mode.
__" Is something wrong David?" Asking without looking at him.
" Yes there is," David replied, his voice low and serious. "I've been going through the security footage, and I think I found something that might interest you." He paused, glancing at Jeremy before focusing back on me. "It seems our victim had a confrontation with someone in the alleyway just a few hours before he was killed."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A confrontation? What kind of confrontation?" David's expression turned grim. "From what I can see on the footage, it looks like Greg was arguing with someone. The footage is grainy, but I managed to enhance it a bit. It seems like the conversation was getting heated, and then...well, it looks like Greg was pushed into the alleyway."
I leaned in, my mind racing with possibilities. "Get me the footage. I want to see it." David nodded, pulling out his phone. "I've already sent it to your email. You should be able to see it on your device."
I quickly pulled out my phone and accessed the email, opening the attachment to view the footage. The grainy video showed Greg arguing with a figure partially obscured by shadows. As the conversation escalated, the figure's gestures became more aggressive, and it was clear that Greg was getting increasingly agitated.
Just as it seemed like the situation was about to boil over, the figure gave Greg a hard push, sending him stumbling backward into the alleyway. The footage was shaky, but it was clear that the push was intentional.
I watched the footage several times, trying to make out any distinguishing features of the figure. Unfortunately, the video wasn't clear enough to reveal a face or any distinctive markings.
"David, can you try to enhance the footage further?" I asked, handing him my phone.
David nodded, taking the phone. "I'll see what I can do, but I have to warn you, the quality is pretty poor. It might be a stretch to get anything usable."
I turned to Jeremy, who was watching the scene unfold with interest. "Jeremy, see if you can dig up any information on Greg's known associates or enemies. Anyone who might have wanted him dead."
"On it, sir." Jeremy said and hurriedly left the scene.
"Given what I just witnessed, it seems like the killer is systematically eliminating anyone who isn't contributing enough to their agenda, almost like a hit list," I said, my voice low and serious.
David's expression turned grim as he nodded in agreement. "That would explain the lack of forced entry or struggle. The victim might have known the killer or at least didn't see them as a threat. If that's the case, then we need to find out who else might be on that list. We need to warn anyone who could be in danger."
I nodded, my mind racing with the implications. "Call Jeremy and tell him to see if he can dig up any information on Greg's associates, anyone who might be at risk. David, get in touch with forensics and see if they've found anything that could link to our killer."
As they sprang into action, I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. If we didn't act fast, the next name on that list might be the one that got called.
"And David?" I called out as he was about to dive back into his research. "Find out everything you can about Greg's financials, business dealings, the works. If there's a paper trail leading to our killer, I want to find it."
The city's underbelly had a way of buzzing with whispers, and it was only a matter of time before the word got out that I was poking my nose into the investigation. If the killer was as calculating as it seemed, they might already know I'm on the case – and that could make me a target.
I've been in this game long enough to know that the moment you start asking questions, you become a potential liability. The streets of this city can be unforgiving, and the higher you climb, the harder you fall.
I glanced around, my eyes scanning the crowded streets. Was someone watching me right now? Was I being followed? Paranoia might be a occupational hazard, but it didn't mean the danger wasn't real.
Time to take some precautions. I needed to get my team on high alert and make sure they were watching their backs. This investigation just got a whole lot more personal.
___I picked up my phone and dialed a number, waiting for my contact to pick up. "Vinnie, it's me. I need a favor. I need a secure location for my team to set up shop. Somewhere off the grid."
Vinnie's gravelly voice came through the line. "What's going on, detective? You sound like you're in the crosshairs."
"Let's just say we're getting close to something. I need a place to lay low for a while. Can you hook us up?"
Vinnie chuckled. "You're always getting into trouble, ain't ya? Alright, I got a place. It's not exactly luxurious, but it's safe. I'll send you the address. Just watch your back, detective."
I hung up the phone and turned to my team. "Alright, guys. We're moving to a new location. Vinnie's setting us up with a secure spot. Let's pack up and get out of here. We don't know how much longer we have before things get ugly."
As we began to gather our gear, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were running out of time. The killer was out there, and we were getting close. I could feel it in my bones.
Let's see if we can stay one step ahead of them.