Shadow

01

Ohm was experiencing an excruciating headache when he arrived at the crime scene. He hadn't known what a good night's sleep was for weeks and anyone could tell his diet consisting of stale coffee and cold pizza wasn't doing much better for his health.

He felt a chill go through his spine and tugged the edges of his jacket to close it a little more, preventing the morning breeze from making him to feel cold.

Pressing nose's bridge between his thumb and forefinger, he reached the door of the mansion which had two young guards watching whoever entered, trying to keep the curious far from the crime scene. A relatively difficult task considering who the victim was.

Norman Attayut, 46 ​​years old, single, one of the biggest billionaires in the city. In other words, a big name who should have at least a hundred people with a hidden list wanting to eat his liver for breakfast. That's if you only considered his mogul competitors and didn't think about ex-girlfriends and employees furious at the inhumane treatment he was famous for directing his entire staff.

"Earth calling Ohm! Earth calling Ohm!", the mocking voice penetrated the detective's skull making his brain throb with redoubled force.

"Oh Boun! Not so loud so early!", Ohm grumbled, frowning.

"Early for whom, you asshole!", Boun scoffed. "I've been here since 4 am when that guy's maid", said the blonde pointing his thumb at his back towards the stairs and continued with "...heard a strange noise coming from the master bedroom and decided to check, but that's when she found her boss body lying in the pool of his own blood!", he complained, crossing his arms in front of his chest and lowering his head in consternation as he remembered the image he had seen in the suite occupied by Norman.

The taller man sighed. "Do I want to see this?", Ohm asked knowing full well the answer.

"It's not like you have an alternative, buddy!", Boun shrugged as he put his hands in his pants pockets. For a 30 years old man he looked too tired. Working for the police didn't make anything any easier or simpler, especially when they were now dealing with the mysterious case of a serial killer who seemed to choose as victims men rich enough to hire good bodyguards to protect themselves from just that kind of situation. However, the guy kept doing a "clean-up" throughout the city.

It began to spread around the city, especially on social media, that the guy was "doing justice" in the midst of high society, given that his targets were always subjects with shady business. In Norman's case, his captivating personality seemed to have been enough to make the rich man's name appear on the serial killer's list.

********

Arriving in the main room of the mansion, the young detectives had already put on gloves, mask and boots, but nothing could lessen the death smell hovering in the room. The team of coroners had already been inspecting and photographing the place for almost an hour, but as usual, the prognosis was pessimistic, given that the modus operandi had been repeated and there was no evidence of who could be the author of the crime.

The security cameras were turned off hours before the incident, considering the doctor's estimated time for the businessman's death, and none of the house servants or the driver seemed willing to open their mouths either. As with every other case they had credited this serial killer with, it looked like he committed his insane acts and disappeared like a…

"Shadow.", Boun seemed to have extracted the word directly from Ohm's brain.

"Don't call him that, Boun! You know these guys get even more excited when they receive that kind of name!", Ohm scolded his friend and work mate.

"But it's real, man! No matter how we analyze these cases, this guy always leaves without any traces behind! We won't be able to catch the culprit this way!", Boun said feeling defeated. He felt like kicking something because his stomach churned at the horror scenes that were left behind after the "Shadow" passed, but at the same time, the guys being killed weren't exactly the type to inspire the most human empathy.