I woke up startled. Head was pounding like I had banged my head against the wall for hours. Spent all night at a local cops bar, drowning myself. My phone was ringing, but I didn’t answer it, I was still lost in my own thoughts. I looked at the clock, it said 4 am fuck, there’s nothing worse then having to go on a case feeling like shit, but I called back the chief. Told me to get my ass down The Ave, there had been another death. Great just what I need another fucking murder on the worst beat in town.
I put on my pants and glanced over to the night stand. Looking at a picture of my wife I scowled even worse. Fuck you dear but please make sure the check is on time. Yeah I fucking hate my ex wife, took everything but my pension, probably get that too. I walked over to my bathroom and washed the grit off my face. Locked my cheap motel room of apt, got in the car and drove over to the Ave. I took my gun out of my shoulder holster and put my bullets in while I drove. It wasn’t far but at this time of night, in this city and especially on The Ave crazy shit happens. I don’t mean some lunatics running crazy. I mean some fucked up shit. Teenagers, young adults, drug users crack whores, with their throats ripped out. Their faces a sheer mask of terror, and sometimes they had a look of peace, and that was hard to get used to. Completely scared the shit out of any of us old timers left. Thought we’d seen it all but when looking down on a dead boy with a smile on a face with noting left of his throat and little blood, it just completely makes you piss in your pants.
I thought about the recent cases I had been working on. Several months ago, a pro and her deadbeat husband were found dead, their baby was left at the neighbors door, There were no clues nothing. Just their throats ripped outs. The Wife was found nearby in an alley while the husband was found dead in the bed of their apartment. A quick checkup revealed the husband had been in jail numerous times for domestic violence. Some of the uniformed officers thought he had what was coming to him. Just what we fucking needed in The Ave, A fucking fake vampire vigilante. The wife’s death, ion contrast was almost neat and tender, like she accepted it and was at peace. I’m telling you that’s just something you never want to see. Who ever this guy is, he’s one sick bastard and I was going to take his ass down.
I got to the crime scene, and walked over to the body. Another detective, walked over to me and gave me the details they knew so far. Her name was Lily, she was 16 year old, a runaway and pro. No one knew who she really was. She never carried any id when she was collared by the uniformed. She kept running away from every home we placed her in, eventually falling under the radar again.
Her throat had been ripped out just like the others, This time , the fuck took her eyes. What the fuck. As usual there was no evidence in the dingy apartment hotel. There was no john, but her purse had a couple hundred in it. The fuck probably watched her for hours picking his right time. We don’t need this kind of shit in the City. So much for my vigilante theory. I fucking spent months trying to figure this guy out. Nothing ever made any sense. God if it wasn’t for my ex wife I could’ve been off the beat and in a comfortable warm and dry house and wouldn’t have to deal with this shit anymore.
After talking to the manager of the hotel, I got back in my car. I was about to put the key in my ignition when an electric chill went down my spine, beads of sweat instantly formed on my brow, as a cold and clammy hands grabbed my throat with a torn vice grip. I could feel nails digging into my skin. I could smell something rotted. I couldn’t move, I wanted to reach over and grab the fucker but my body wouldn’t move. His voice, so cold, lifeless making my heart pound until I thought my chest would burst, He told me hes ben watching me, he knows my demons, but nothing I’ve done would ever compare to what he would if I kept looking for him, I asked him what he wanted, He replied with anger in his voice… My Goddess. He squeezed harder and blackness came over me. Last thing I heard was him saying there are no innocents detective, just ask YOUR victims.
