Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Closing the app, I fall asleep almost immediately.
And dream of him.
CHAPTER 4
Braxton
I stand over a body, admiring the killer’s handiwork. This is the sixth body in just as many months. Don’t get me wrong, in Manhattan, there are always murders, but we’ve got a serial killer on the loose. One who doesn’t seem to have a method of killing. It makes them dangerous because it seems like they’re experimenting. The only indication we have that all six murders were committed by the same person is the type of target, all being male, and the openness the body was left to be found. The killer wants to be noticed.
“Any cameras around here?” I ask the bouncer who found the body in the club’s alley and called it in two hours ago. It was right after Hope Ivanov was escorted out of the station by the famed Aleksandr Ivanov and Rya Monti. I knew there were deep ties running through the families, but that is a combination of disaster for any law enforcement to try and come down on, which is exactly why they haven’t.
“No cameras,” he says.
I sigh. How the fuck does this person evade cameras every time?
Photos are being taken of the crime scene, and I stare at the man’s bleeding eyes. Fucking hell. I’m guessing poison, maybe?
“Have we confirmed if he was in the club?”
The bouncer nods. “I had my boss look over the security footage, and he was one of the people registered for the night.”
“I want to see that list. And have the videos sent to the station,” I tell him. He nods again, swallowing as he stares down at the body. I imagine he doesn’t often see dead people firsthand.
Lucas walks over, dark circles under his eyes. We don’t usually work such long hours, but we’re doing overtime this evening, trying to figure out if this murder is linked to the one from the same night. Two people in three nights. The other victim had their throat slit, however.
It makes it trickier to track a killer when the methods aren’t consistent. Or it means we have more than one killer on the loose. Anything is fucking possible in this city.
“He’s been dead for about twelve hours. Until we get an autopsy, we can’t confirm how long before he died that he consumed the poison. Assuming that’s what this is,” Lucas says.
I look up at him. “What else do you think it could be?”
He shifts on his feet. “Well, that’s some demonic shit.”
My eyebrows raise in surprise. “You think we have a demon on our hands?” I turn back to the body. Now, wouldn’t that be something. I’ve never caught a demon before.
The man’s lying face down, most likely because he stumbled down the alley and then fell forward. I crouch next to him, then grab a nearby stick and use it to lift his hand.
Lucas looks away. We’re not supposed to move the body until forensics and photos are taken, and he doesn’t always agree with my methods of investigation, but if I see something that will be of use to the case, I’m not scared to skirt the rules. I study the body carefully and a muddied type of dirt on the victims’ nails grabs my attention. I lift his hand slowly and assess them closely. Beneath them is what looks like dirt… or clay.
We’re called for a murder on the very same night a renowned sculptor attends the same club with her friend. Now that is not a coincidence.
“Can I look at his profile again?” I demand of Lucas. He hands it to me, and I scan the page, spotting what I was looking for. He does sculpture as a hobby.
Immediately, I think of a little redheaded shortcake. I know it’s probably a coincidence, but it doesn’t make me any less intrigued. What if there’s a link between this body and the renowned sculpture artist Hope Ivanov? In this line of work especially one thing I’ve always done is follow my intuition.
It’s been a week since I’ve seen Hope, and to say she hasn’t left my mind would be an understatement. She’s become my obsession. More specifically, it’s very unfortunate for the little redheaded vixen we’ve trailed back the most recent victim to attending a lecture and class she was a guest host at. Granted, hundreds of people would’ve passed through those doors on the day, and the asshole could’ve pissed anyone off. He already had a record against him from his ex-girlfriend, who he used to hit. A stand-up guy. But one who fits the bill for our little serial killer.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t give me much evidence to pin against her since she was in custody close to the time of his death. Lucas has been backtracking his movements and anyone else he might’ve pissed off over the last few weeks, but my hunch says she’s somehow involved.