Prologue
“And how many does this make now?”
“The third in as many days,” Detective Sloan answers. “Not including the others we’ve found littered throughout the city. Won’t know how long the bodies have been there either until we get the autopsy reports back.”
“Damn it,” James sighs, shaking his head. “Are we getting any closer? Any leads on where these tip-offs might be coming from?”
“Not yet sir, but I have Clark cross referencing the cases as we speak.”
James stares at the map that marks where the bodies were found with little red thumbtacks, as well as photos and notes on any and all possible clues from each scene.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,” he mutters to himself.
“Sir?”
“Something feels off about all of this.”
“Serial killings are never easy to deal with.”
“No, it’s not that …” he trails off, his brow furrowing as he steps closer to the map, leaning in to examine the pinned information more closely. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I swear something feels familiar about all of this.”
“Don’t tell me you’re a serial killer in your spare time,” Sloan jokes, with a humorless laugh.
James doesn’t answer as he continues to stare at the map, and Sloan clears his throat uncomfortably.
“Sir, I have some of the reports,” Officer Clark says excitedly as he enters the room in a flurry, his arms laden with various papers. “You’re not going to believe what I’ve just found out.”
“Ah, just in time,” Sloan says, relief crashing over him as he claps a welcoming hand on against Clark’s shoulder. “Show us what you’ve got.”
Clark freezes, suddenly noticing that the Commander is in the room with them.
“Sir?”
“Go ahead, the Commander should hear whatever you have to say as well.”
Clark clears his throat nervously before stepping over to the table in the center of the room to spread out the files in his arms.
“Um, as I was saying, sir,” Clark starts again, hands shaking as he moves to open several of the files to point to them, “I think I found something interesting, possibly important. Look at these case files. They match the most recent string of killings almost toperfection.”
“Hmm,” Detective Sloan says, his brow furrowing as he leans over the table to examine the papers.
“But then, look here, sir. Look at the dates,” Clark says excitedly, shuffling through the various files to point at each one. “These were carried out nearly a century go.”
“What are you trying to tell me, Clark?” Sloan sighs in exasperation.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I think whoever’s carrying out these new murders is following the same pattern. I think it could be a copycat killer. Maybe if we study what happened in the past, we could link something to these cases. I already—”
“Enough,” the Commander says, cutting Clark off. Turning away from the map full of pins. “There’s no way someone is doing that. How would even have the knowhow to carry out something like that.”
“Sir, if I could just have a little time to—”
“Absolutely not. Sloan, I expected better from your men.”
“My apologies, sir,” Sloan says, straightening his jacket uncomfortably.
“I want this boy on inventory until further notice. Is that understood?”
Sloan nods as James gives Clark a once over before storming out of the room. A few moments of tense silence fill the room.