The rushing noise filled the city of Black Crest as the rapid pattering of the rain fell on Monday evening. The rain came unexpectedly, and there was no further warning for any storm coming from the weather forecast. Lucky for those citizens who came home early from work, they just had to settle in their homes waiting for their supper to be cooked. As for those who need to take an extra hour at work, the situation left them no choice but to travel home and take their risk waiting for the heavy traffic jam caused by the heavy rain.
In one unit of the apartment building, there lived a lady in her near thirties, wearing a milky-white satin nightgown with her velvety curls falling freely down to her waist. She was standing near the windowpane, her round gunmetal blue orbs fixed at the hazy lights reflected by the fogged glass window. She was wrapping her arms together in front of her chest due to the coldness of the weather.
For some time, she gradually drifted her gazes at the door and then back outside the window as if she was expecting someone. Then suddenly, her full rosy lips curved into a smile when a quick knock came to grab her attention. She left the window and strode towards the door with lips glistening beneath the dark room.
"I thought you couldn't come." Her voice was as sweet as honey as she grabbed the knob open. But the sweetness she felt didn't last for another second when she realized that the man standing before her wasn't the person she was expecting.
"W-What are you--" Her eyes which were once filled with bliss and sweetness had now turned into fear. She grabbed her strength to reach for the door and slap it to keep the man from entering. But the other party pushed the door just before she could close it, causing her to fall to the ground.
She tried to cry for help but then suppressed herself when the man grabbed a sharp tool from his thick black coat. Her lips dried and quivered, and her knees trembled as she saw its fine blade shine as it hit the minimal light from the outside.
"HEL-" Her shout was halfway turned into a groan as she felt the blade slipping right into her flesh. She lay on the cold hard ground. And the man was no longer there.
Her breath hitched and her sight began to blur the second scarlet liquid burst from her stomach. She pressed her hand on the wound to keep the blood from flowing.
She forced herself to stay conscious and grabbed her remaining strength to crawl towards the door. But her strength has already drained long before her blood-bathed hand reached for the knob. She has lost too much blood, causing her heart to stop beating and her lifeless body to lie alone on the blood-painted floor.
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It was 6:30 in the morning when the ray of sunlight passed through the window and gave Hyde Collins an early morning notice to prepare for work. Without any act of complaint, the young man got to his feet and climbed down from the bed. He couldn't believe he got up early after having difficulty sleeping due to the heavy rain last night.
He went straight to the bathroom for a quick bath before he headed downstairs for a cup of coffee and French toast for breakfast. He hasn't got that much since he just moved in the other day, perhaps he'll just go to the grocery store later after work.
After having his 'so-called' breakfast, the young returned to his room and began changing his clothes. He put on a three-fourth-sleeved navy-blue polo tucked into his black pants. He was busy fixing up the sleeve when he got a call from Flynn. He put the phone on the bed and turned on the loudspeaker so they could still talk even though he was preparing for work.
"How is it going?" Asked his friend from the other line.
"Still doing fine, haven't got any cases since everyone thought I'm a newbie." Hyde heard him cackle.
"Oh C'mon, didn't they know they're underestimating the wrong guy?" Hyde raised one corner of his mouth and shook his head.
"They can think whatever they want, I'd better do what I ought to do here," Hyde replied firmly. He must stay unbothered by what others think of him and just focus on the real reason why he's in this city.
"Oh, why'd you call, by the way?" Hyde asked to divert the conversation to another topic.
"Got any updates about what I asked you last time?" He grabbed his car key from the table and made sure that he locked the door before stepping downstairs. He knows that Uncle Roger might come over to check the entire house like he usually does, and Hyde couldn't afford to tell the old man about his real identity: it could only put the poor man into his mess. Nobody in Black Crest should know that the only son of the Philis family is alive.
"Hm, not yet. Don't worry, I'll call you once I'll get a more definite and reliable source. I just called to check on you." Hyde scoffed and shook his head. "I told you everything's fine. Gotta go, I still have headquarters to go, and probably a case to handle--I hope."
Flynn bade his friend goodbye before the call went off. Hyde threw the phone on the shotgun seat and took his black sedan out to the highway.
While driving towards the station, the detective suddenly received a call. It was the inspector, telling him to drive straight to the apartment. Hyde then searched the location on the car's GPS and abruptly turned the car in the opposite direction once he reached the intersection.
He parked the vehicle in line with the other authority vehicles and formally introduced himself to the police guarding the entrance of the building.
When Hyde arrived, he formally introduced himself to the police guarding the entrance before heading straight to the crime scene. The forensic team was examining every side and corner of the unit, and the stuttering shots of the camera were heard as well. He took time studying the scene.
The floor became a bleeding canvas, bearing witness to the tragedy that had unfolded. The cold and pale body of a woman in her white nightgown was lying on the floor bathed by her own blood. Her arm stretched towards the door, and her other hand pressed on her abdomen as if she was struggling to run with her stabbed wound.
"Detective Collins, you've arrived." Inspector Scott stood beside him together with a police officer.
"Such a wonderful scene to start the day, isn't it?" The inspector implied in sarcasm.
"I've been used to this for years. " Hyde replied taking his eyes off the body.
"Do you have any initial report, officer?"
"The victim is Nathalie Wayne, 28 years old, working as a hostess at The J@mz Bar. She was stabbed with a kitchen knife in the right lumber region of the abdomen. Based on the forensics, her estimated time of death was last night, around 10:30 pm to 12:00 midnight."
"How about the security footage, have you checked them?" Hyde asked.
"We already have our men there to get the footage, sir." Hyde nodded.
"Who found the body?"
"Ms. Danica Greene found her body and reported the situation earlier at seven. We suspect it was caused by personal disputes towards the victim." The officer reported.
"I would like to have the investigation report later at the station." The young man commanded.
"Yes, sir."
Hyde looked at the svelte woman who seemed to be the same age as the victim, with black semi-wavy hair with tips dyed with a complexion of blue over a pastel pink oversized shirt and shorts. She was being interrogated by the police.
"They've been together since middle school, so she might led us to the victim's errands." said the inspector.
"I'll just ask her at the station. I'll go find some evidence." Hyde responded.
"Fine by you, then." replied the inspector before he instructed someone to give a pair of vinyl gloves to the detective.
Hyde then began roaming around the apartment. There are no scratches on the knob, hence it was not forced open. However, there are traces of the victim resisting the culprit which was indicated by the traces of blood on the floor.
The body has been dispatched by the forensic team for the autopsy, the found evidence is also kept in the evidence bag and was also sent for thorough examination.
The investigation lasted until almost lunch, and Hyde drove to the headquarters to check the report he asked for earlier.
He sensed someone's presence surrounding him just as he was ready to depart. When he heard two footsteps approaching him, he made no action at all. His instincts caused him to act quickly to grab the person's wrist and bring them onto his back when he sensed them approaching from behind.
"Who are you, and why are you here?"