The calm before the storm
Jiang xi sat in his attic, lost in thoughts of someone, or something. He stroked the outer layers of the diary, slowly like he was petting it, then placed it aside, carefully like he was holding a feather, afraid that he might ruin it. After putting the diary aside he sat motionless in his chair, staring into oblivion, his expressions changing every second. It seemed he was being haunted by what he read.
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, his phone rang and he picked it up. It was a call from his headquarters.
The caller said: "Detective jiang, looks like you have to abandon your little vacation, we have bit of a situation here"
Jiang xi said coldly, "sir, I'm not in mood for any jokes right now, so without dragging it, just tell me what the matter is?"
The officer said," Adam reed is on the run, he escaped last night by tricking his fellow inmates and the prison guard, we're trying to track his trail, but I'm afraid I have to disturb you for this one."
Jiang xi :" what does that have anything to do with me, are you that incompetent that you cannot track a prisoner who escaped and you need my help for these things, do I look that free that I will look for some random escapee."
The officer: "looks like you don't remember him, he's not just a random prisoner, he's the one you captured after putting much efforts, the only person who kept you up all night."
Jiang xi: "I've simply captured too many criminals, general, do you expect me to remember all of them?"
Officer said, " No, No, you are indeed right, you can't remember that many, but you should remember this one."
Jiang xi : " Don't drag it, I'm not in mood just tell me the case name."
Officer after hesitating for a while said "The echo string case".
Jiang xi became silent after hearing the name, after a while he said in a low voice," then you should've said that first, why drag so much time" irritated he said, "any movements from him or he just ran away."
Officer: " well, he might have gone to you since you discovered him before he killed his last two victims, other than that we have no information about where he is, and what he's doing."
Jiang xi:"okay, tell me immediately if something happens, we can't let him run loose."
The call disconnected and now jiang xi started searching his old files, and took out the file in question, he flipped pages, scanning every detail so he doesn't miss anything this time.
Case summary- over the course of two months, eight victims were found dead in different cities. All strangled with the same type of silver violin string, and each victim was positioned as if they were playing an invisible instrument, hands delicately posed in air. Each body had a note left behind, handwritten and addressed to "The conductor"
There were no visible link between the victims, no witnesses and only clue: classical music playing near each crime scene(no source ever found). The police were stumped, but jiang xi, at that time only a rising forensic profiler was the one who noticed that each victim had performed in the same orchestra during a charity event 11 years prior. They were a group of 11, 8 dead, 3 alive. He connected the dots between a traumatic incident during that event and Adam reed, a forgotten backup violinist who had been humiliated and fired afterwards without any mistakes. Just as he was about to catch him, jiang xi almost became his victim, but he played dead with the help of a paralytic drug, and so was able to catch him before more lives were lost. Adam has always despised him since then, always telling his inmates that if he ever got the chance he will surely kill him. But as he was sentenced to life imprisonment, he couldn't meet him. But now he escaped and had an opportunity to kill jiang xi.
Hearing about this case alone hurts his head, now he has two problems at hand, first he has to chase the strange girl, second he has to catch Adam reed again, god knows what he might do this time. He was striding here n there with the file in his hands when he heard knocking at the bookstore, someone knocked twice and left. He left the file on his desk, went out to check the door, his pupils shrank by what he saw. The handles of the door were bound by the same silver violin string, a note hanging through them. He took out the note unfolded it, the contents of the note" To my muse", made him further enraged, looks like Adam was there a moment ago, so he might still be somewhere close, but the sun has already set and the alley looked pretty dark. Jiang xi didn't think further, grabbed his coat and went out. He had no idea where he was going but his legs took him to an abandoned crime scene, the very building where he catched Adam.
Somehow he felt that he might've come here first if he escaped, jiang xi had put his blood and tears on this case, trying to understand what Adam felt and why he did what he did, so he could guess about where his heart aligned. As he came closer to the building the contents of the diary came to his mind and his eyes became dark, focused and cold. He entered the building, and not after long he came face to face with Adam reed, he had the kind of face one would pass by without a second glance. Neat, pale, quiet, but his eyes always lingered too long, like he was reading you, piece by piece, his smile, almost maniacal.
He saw jiang xi and gave the same smile he used before killing his pray.
Adam:"you're finally here detective! "He exclaimed" Do you have any idea how much I waited for you "
Jiang xi: "what do you want? "
Adam: "we're not beating around the bush, I see. But seriously detective you hurt my feelings, can I not just want to meet you. We know each other well don't we? "
Jiang xi didn't say anything just looked at him with raging eyes.
Adam: "wo, wo.. Detective, looks like you're gonna kill me with your eyes, I'm almost afraid. "
Jiang xi said, in anger, " Don't spew shit!, just surrender yourself, if you don't wanna die a terrible death. "
Adam :"and who's gonna kill me?you? Your officers? Or court? "
Jiang xi: "you know very well what I can do or not. I suggest you don't try your luck"
Adam: " Do you know detective, at first I thought if I kill all my so called friends then I could die in peace, I wouldn't have even care about a death sentence, but, but, but, you detective, the man who never failed any cases, you came and ruined everything. Everything, I was just about to kill those two and I would've been done. But you came in between. "
Jiang xi: " You can't just kill people the way you please, I know they wronged you, but you could've done better, only fools go down the path you chose "
Adam: " You still give your wisdom, I see, but what to do I already chose that path, and now that you blocked my path, I no longer want to continue but I can't rest unless I kill you. "
Jiang xi: " I dare you to try"
Adam: "oh, don't worry, I won't strangle you, and too bad you can't play dead again, cause I'll make sure every part of your body is in pieces. Only then I can stop my maddening rage. So what do you say detective, will you help me?. "
Jiang xi: " I see, you've become more delusional past few months. Spouting nonsense again, what kill me? Try then. "
With that they charged at each other, Adam swinging a knife at Jiang xi, and he dodge his aims like a skilled warrior.
Meanwhile
Rhea was staying at an abandoned cottage, sitting beside fire, she held her phone which was about to die and she saw a new chapter. She thought' is he catching up to me, does he already know where I am, if that's the case I will have to move out', but it looked like she was worrying for nothing instead she dropped her phone after reading the chapter name.
Chapter 43- (the case that never died) , place: the abandoned case scene where Jiang xi catched Adam, he and adam were fighting, fighting for death. Adam with a knife and Jiang xi with nothing. At last Adam was successful in giving him a fetal blow, making him loose his stance and fall on his knees. Adam started laughing and saying ...
She didn't read further or couldn't read cause the battery finally died, it was a miracle that her phone didn't died the moment she entered and helped her a lot. But before she could think anything.
she started running again- not from fear, but toward it. Not to hide, but to find him. ....