Paterson, located between Morris Township and Newark to the north, was a short drive away. Jack's Hellcat, flashing its lights, got there in under 20 minutes.
"What's the situation?" Jack asked as he and JJ arrived at the scene, already cordoned off by police tape.
Hannah was crouched over the victim's body, examining the scene. Jubal stood nearby, while Aubrey was questioning witnesses, and Clay was rummaging through a nearby trash bin.
Jubal sighed. "The victim is Officer Amy Campbell. She was shot in the head at close range. She responded to a call about a homeless person lingering in the park. The call didn't come through 911 but was made to Paterson PD's non-emergency line."
Jack crouched beside Hannah. The victim was a Black woman, likely in her late thirties. She had collapsed beside a park bench.
"Sounds like a trap. How do we know it was Gabriel?" JJ asked.
Aubrey walked over and answered, "Because multiple witnesses said there was another officer in the park earlier. When shown six different photos, three witnesses identified Gabriel Clark.
"No one heard the gunshot, but shortly afterward, other witnesses saw a man dressed as a homeless person casually strolling out of the park."
Jack looked around the area. The bench was in a secluded spot along a riverside walking trail. It was just before 7 PM—likely during dinner hours when the park would've been quiet.
"The time and place were carefully chosen. Gabriel must've put in some effort to plan this."
"You're saying he intentionally picked the least crowded time and spot in the park?" Jubal nodded, agreeing with Jack's assessment.
Clay returned with an evidence bag in hand. "Found this in a nearby trash bin. It's an unregistered phone. I'd bet its number matches the one that called the station."
"I'll notify the ERT to comb through the evidence. Don't overlook the bench or the trash bin." Jubal made the call to Newark's FBI office as he spoke.
Standing up, Hannah glanced toward the park's clear, flowing river. "One of the local officers told me Amy Campbell was a mother of two."
"What's this guy's endgame? Is he venting emotions, or is there something more to it?" Clay asked, visibly puzzled.
Aubrey's phone chimed. He glanced at the screen and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe this will shed some light. Alice just found a post on Reddit—a statement Gabriel uploaded a little while ago."
Reddit, the American equivalent of an online forum like Tieba, often hosted discussions about social issues. Aubrey cast the video to a tablet, and the team huddled around to watch.
In the video, Gabriel Clark, wearing his Morris Township police uniform, spoke calmly:
"I am Officer Gabriel Clark of the Morris Township Police Department, and I have a brief statement to make. We live in a world of lies—fake news, false truths.
"Dirty deeds are whitewashed. Photos are doctored. Politicians twist facts. People love spreading baseless claims.
"You must realize that only the truth matters. Truth is the most important thing in life. I have always respected facts, but others haven't.
"I confess I've killed, and I continue to repent for it—because I will keep killing until they choose to reveal the truth."
The video cut off abruptly.
Jack frowned deeply. Damn riddlers. Why can't they ever just explain themselves clearly?
That Evening, Inside the Command Vehicle
The team ate a quick dinner before resuming their work.
Turning away from her computer, Hannah snatched the last slice of pizza from Aubrey's reluctant grasp. "The original video was uploaded yesterday morning. However, the Reddit post wasn't made until after Amy Campbell's murder tonight."
"Okay, so he planned everything ahead of time and executed it with precision. Any other findings? Do the victims share any commonalities?" Jubal asked, looking toward JJ, who was conducting background checks.
"Nothing stands out about the two state troopers yet. I'm expanding my search to include their relatives. However, today's victim, Amy Campbell, was a former Newark PD officer.
"She transferred to Paterson two months before Gabriel was sent from Newark to Morris Township." JJ handed Jubal a file.
Jubal frowned. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything. They might've worked together briefly, but targeting her specifically? That could be coincidental."
Hannah's eyes lit up with an idea. "What if we think in reverse? If Gabriel did target Amy Campbell deliberately, how would he have ensured she was the one to respond?"
"To confirm her patrol schedule and ensure she'd take the call, all he'd need is a police radio and some time to monitor communications," Jack said, supporting her hypothesis.
Jubal paused, mulling over their points, before picking up his phone. "We need to move up our meeting with Captain Peroni. We have to figure out what happened to Gabriel at Newark PD."
"Now? Won't it be too soon? I doubt they'll be honest during this chaos." JJ doubted the Newark PD captain, who had already been uncooperative, would open up under current circumstances.
Jubal smirked slyly. "That's the point. We don't need Captain Peroni to spill everything—just enough to gauge his attitude. Jack, care to join me?"
Jack agreed readily. Leaving the others to continue digging into the victims' backgrounds, he drove Jubal to one of Newark PD's precincts.
Newark, the largest port city in New Jersey, handled about 30% of the New York area's sea cargo traffic. It was a significant hub for automotive and lumber imports on the East Coast.
Despite its prominence as a port city, Newark itself was relatively small, with a population of under 300,000. Its police department couldn't compare to the size of NYPD, and the precinct Jack and Jubal visited employed only about 200 officers.
Captain Peroni, a white-haired man in his early fifties, greeted the FBI agents warmly in his office, projecting an air of friendliness.
When Jubal handed him a tablet with Gabriel's video statement, Peroni chuckled wryly after watching it. "Apologies, but I don't see how this concerns our department. We value fairness, but that doesn't mean everyone passes their probationary period."
"But we've reviewed Gabriel's probation report. The reasons listed for his dismissal seem vague. Can you clarify?" Jack, now a supervisory special agent, addressed Peroni formally.
"Of course. I wasn't trying to ruin the kid's chances of finding work elsewhere, and some things just aren't appropriate to include in official reports," Peroni said with a seemingly genuine smile.
"Gabriel Clark was rigid and overly meticulous, but his judgment was too black-and-white. You understand—this job requires flexibility."
"Yes, frontline officers need to be adaptable to avoid burnout," Jubal said, playing along.
Peroni's face lit up at the agreement. "Exactly, that's it."
(End of Chapter)
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