The detective

This is a map to where I live.  This note was accompanied by a roughly drawn map to a warehouse downtown.  I knew he was playing with me.  He knew I’d follow the map to where his latest victim, as he put it, ‘lived’.  I was going to catch this bastard.  I took the note to my partner and showed him the map.

            “Damn.  You know he won’t be there.”

            “I know,” I replied, “But he might be close by.  Watching us.”

            “Don’t count on it, he hasn’t been at the last five crime scenes.”

            “That we know of.”

            “C’mon man,” Dan looked at me incredulously.

            “He could’ve been there,” I said as I popped a chip from Dan’s lunch into my mouth.

            “Yeah, it’s probable.  But I don’t think the captain will let you detain everyone who flocks to the lights again.”

            “He sent something else this time,” I held up the lock of blonde hair that had been put in a little baggie, along with a small vial of blood.  And purposely ignored Dan’s comment, “Suppose it’s his blood or hers?”

            “Probably hers.  Let’s get this down to forensics.”

            “They won’t find anything man.”

            “We can check Chris, at least that?”

            “Fine Dan let’s check and when we’re done with that let’s go pick up that girl we all know is in the warehouse and check her mutilated body,” I threw pictures from the last five crime scenes down on Dan’s desk, “And when they find nothing again let’s find her parents and gather them with the other five girls’ parents and tell them that we can’t find anything because this bastard is smarter than us.  That sound like a good plan?”

            “Maybe you should take a vacation.”

But I had already walked away with the baggie of hair and blood towards forensics.  As I walked into the lab I realized that I still had the note and map tightly clutched in my left hand.  I stopped and stared at it for a few seconds.  A crazy thought flew into my head.  I could go there now, by myself.  Maybe the bastard is still there and maybe the girl is still alive.  I shook my head.  It was crazy and stupid.  I could get myself and others hurt.  But as I stood there I couldn’t help but think that it was the best way to go.  No one had even come over to me to get the baggie yet; they’d never notice if I left.  My partner would kill me.  But I just might end this killing spree once and for all.  I grabbed a piece of paper scrawled a hasty note, put the baggie on the table with the note and left.

            I followed the map to that damned warehouse and sat there staring for a few minutes wondering if I should call my partner or call for backup or something.  I shook my head and got out of the car.  I pulled my gun out and entered the building.

 

*Part two – http://gothiquefae.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/the-detective-finale/