Storm Cadence Series ― Case One

Five: Storm Number Six Knew the Vic

Five: Storm Number Six Knew the Vic

THE BODY'S EYES ARE ALMOST completely white, blown wide open with fear. However, I get the feeling that it wasn't fear of the obvious, but fear of something else.

I have a pretty good idea of what the "something else" is.

The body's hand is reached out, index finger covered in crimson, and the word "Tsuki" written in front of it. I recognize the murder style, but is Three really the murderer? He always leaves the body and the name of the next victim written in the murdered person's blood, and if he didn't have another target then the murdered person's name was written instead.

I bend down next to the body. "Sovereigns, Tony. I almost didn't recognize you," I mutter. "'Jett Lane', I can't believe you were using that as your alias. You even dyed your hair brown, and those eyes you used to brag about, they're almost white now." I murmur, reaching out to touch him, but I stop myself. I shouldn't be doing this... I never thought that I would actually know the victim, let alone for it to be... I can't finish the thought because otherwise, I'm going to start bawling. Why? It's so hard to swallow. Why was it you?

I notice a piece of paper in Tony's pocket. I reach for it before realizing that I would get my prints all over it, so I pull out some white crime scene gloves that Adam had given us before. I put them on and take out the letter―ignoring how my hands are shaking―and unfold it. There are splotches of blood all over it, and I shove down the nausea that threatens to make me lose my coffee. I remember Adam saying that it's important to take pictures of evidence, and it doesn't look like this letter was found by anyone, so I should probably take a picture of it. I pull out my phone and manage to take the shot after at least a dozen tries (my hands were not shaking) before putting my phone back in my pocket and starting to read the letter.

MATT,

PLEASE DON'T WASTE TIME. DAVID CHAVEZ IS BEHIND EVERYTHING.

AND HE'S FRAMING THREE FOR EVERYTHING.

REALLY OBSESSED. CHAVEZ ISN'T GOING TO STOP ON HIS OWN.

THREE TARGETS.

NOT MUCH TIME.

EVERYONE IS IN DANGER.

REMEMBER TO BE CAREFUL. KEEP A LOOKOUT.

P.S.,

ON THE DAY I LEFT I TOLD YOU ABOUT MY OLDER SISTER.

NEVER DID GIVE YOU A NAME UNTIL NOW.

ESTHER ALLISON CASTOR.

ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S BEEN AWHILE,

SHE NEEDS TO KNOW THAT I LOVED HER.

ALLISON KEPT ME GOING (AND SO DID YOU).

NOW FIND MY KILLER, MATT.

-TONY ANGELO ☺️

I know without a doubt that Tony had written this letter, because only Tony Angelo would put a smiley face by his name in the last thing he would ever write. Tony has...had always had a special sixth sense. He's a- was a clairvoyant; a damn talented one too.

Now I know why Ms. Castor always looked so familiar, but it's too late... Tony is...dead. By the Sovereigns, Tony is dead. I'm suddenly hyperaware of the body barely two feet away from me. This body, this dead body, used to be the person I... I'd just talked to him a month ago and now he's lying here at my feet cold, pale, unmoving, bloody―