CHAPTER ONE
Three days before my brother died, he told me he had found a door that shouldn't exist. Now, I'm standing in front of it and it is open.
This literally sounded like a metaphor to me or like advice in disguise. I should say a parable, but yapping about this won't show any result; it only brings up more questions and no answers. That is always the same result which happens when you try to question your existence and how you should and should not interact with the world.
It's just crazy how scientists use up all their time trying so hard to make fun out of it. Crazily, you won't believe that I am a lazy dude. I was a little happy about it, not until now my brother died. The frustration was turned on me.
Hmmm… what!! A cruel world. Screw you, universe. I hate you.
Well, no matter how I scream or shout, things are always going to be the same unless I request a change. And to request one, I had to work for it. Being a detective and a graduate of criminology, and also having a degree in psychology, was going to be the best so far. Since I don't have to make many sacrifices or do some maniac jobs, all I had to do was interrogate and break down cases.
There is no happiness that surpasses that of a detective; every win accounts for additional pride.
This I was contemplating until my phone rang. It was a murder case I was to solve. Yeah, I solve little cases. I haven't gotten around solving critical ones. I'm still the lowest-paid detective, but I spend most of it on girls, bets, and drinks.
And this was my first murder case, so it is kind of intriguing.
I am ready to wrap my head around it.
The murder happened at Black Ford Street. The report has it that several gunshots were heard from a neighbourhood. The officers arrived at the scene to find out all they could, but nothing was done. Most of the best detectives were out of town or completely working on a case.
Let me not be kleptomaniac about this, but the world today is a world of crime. People die every day, every single minute, every second you breathe or blink.
"For me, this case is really a walkover. It won't take a minute," I kept uttering to myself while I opened my car and moved on.
The car was a 1920 Toyota model, with an exhaust engine of 400 horsepower. Well yeah, I am a bit of a curious person and someone who likes to describe every situation I find myself in. It has been a habit; there isn't much I can do about it because it's just how life flows.
I gave out a cringe laugh.
It was a long ride, then finally I came to the place. It was a castle. At this time, castles were owned by prominent men.
I entered the building, had a drink of my shots, and proceeded to solving the case. Well, as I thought, it was going to be easy. And they had reports that there was a survivor, or so I heard from my radio after the police raided the scene.
All I had to do now was interrogate him.
But something seemed off.
Why was he left alive?
Because the other victims were brutally mutilated, but in his case it was different. He was rescued from a rope from being hanged. There were marks of beatings and cuts, and his right hand was cut off.
Maybe they ran when they noticed they had been alerted… or maybe they pitied him.
But to think of it, no serial killer would leave his identity at risk.
Or does he have a reason?
Well, I needed to carry on with the investigation.
We took cotton and rubbed on the knob of the door. I used alternate light sources to view hidden prints as I imagined the whole scene.
The first body was located at the door. That means he opened the door and was stabbed — four stab wounds: head, stomach, neck, and chest.
Due to his scream, another person rushed out but was immediately attacked and stabbed from the back.
Then the third person rushed out and was also stabbed. The pattern was the same — meaning a hired assassin.
But there was also a gunshot — not an exact hit.
A signal? A mistake?
Then the fourth person — hanged, wrist cut off, beaten — clearly interrogated.
Why leave him alive?
For information.
But now…
A call came in.
He died due to blood loss.
He said nothing.
Just kept mumbling.
And now the only lead is gone.
This case just got longer.