NIGHT'S KNIGHT

1.

Hello” slurred a voice in darkness as soon as Mr. Smith closed the door of his apartment. He was startled. There was no one in his apartment. He had been living alone ever since his wife died. He looked for the switches frantically but a light caught his eye and then there was none. “Nice to meet you” and the light came again. When he looked carefully it wasn’t just any light but fire. He didn’t believe his eyes srunching his forehead he tried looking closely. The voice was of lesser interest now. “It’s fire”, the voice was starting to sound female now.

“Fire? What fire” there was a curiosity under lying the fear.

“Well... fire of death... fire of your death”

He was appalled, "W...Whhh... What?" His words were caught in his throat. Colour had drained out of his face.

"Beautiful... isn't it."

"Who? Who are you?" He said feeling aware of his earlier feelings.

"Hades...” She chuckled, “I like to burn people on regular bases. Guess what... it's your turn today." She smirked. He could feel it. He could feel it in his bones. His feet froze. "I hate having no challenge." She rolled her eyes and set him ablaze.

Rubbing her hands as if there was dust on her hands, she sat back and had a sip from the vine glass. The warmth was nice. It was soothing her. He shouted and yelled in agony. It would have been easier to burn in the fire of hell but when she sets someone ablaze it's….. beautiful. Beautifully horrible.

*********************************

Two officers crouched down examining the  dead body in the house on the 31st Adelaide street. It had been a rough morning. The body was not a sight for the soar eyes.

"Seems like third degree burns", said one of them examining.

"What do you think is the cause?"

"Who knows?"

"Jimin, back off man." Matthew scoffed seeing him flashing light on them.

"Calm down Matthew, he is just doing his job."

"Calm down...seriously it's a second murder in one night "

"Iris, did you find something?" Ronald asked ignoring Matthew and turning to Iris.

"If you call hearing, too much of KISS suspicious , THEN YES, I FIND HIM A PSYCHOPATH."

Avida chuckled in the corner, examining the burner, "No matchstick, no burning gas, there is no weapon here. I can't find anything.  Clean sweep. As if it is a perfect crime.”

“Don’t let Natliey here you.” Iris remarked.

"Did a phantom kill him?" mumbled Jimin.

"Why don't you concentrate on your click-flick, you asshat?"

"Such bitches" Iris mouthed avida and they both giggled turning away, as if it was an inside joke.

"What are they doing here?" Matthew snickered pointing at their not so favorite criminal psychologist.

"Brace..." Called out Ronald as if he was starting to turn into a headache. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Two murders in a night." Brace went straight to the point. "Do you think it's connected?"

"Brace, we're investigating."

"C'mon these murders have to be connected. It's the first time the murderer has killed twice in one night."

"I am not sure both the murders are connected. You are welcome to watch but we can't have any one interrupting in the investigation."

"As you say Ron. I will be a silent spectator."

"Chief..." All stood up at once as she entered.

"M.O. is fire." Ronald started to brief her.

Ignoring the stares and Ronald's briefing she crouches near the dead body. "Cause of death is strangulation. Time maybe around 3 at night. Ligature marks on wrist and feet. Burnt after death, he used the same old petrol. What is the age of victim?" She asked turning to the rest of the team.

"Mid twenties." Matthew fumbled.

"Hmm..." She hummed getting up then turned to look around the room. She walks to the music system which was clicking on and off and had escaped everyone's eyes easily. "What's his music taste like?" She asked an out of place question and all looked pretty surprised.

"KISS albums are here." Iris answered.

She clicked on the music system and slid out a CD of 'THE VAMPS'.

"Where is his phone?" She turned to her team. Scrolling through the playlist she found songs from Queens to Bohemian Rhapsody to The Beatles to KISS all old song. "This CD has been playing all night. The murderer left it."

"The murderer?" Brace asked suspiciously, "Why would the murderer leave a CD?"

She stood thoughtful but didn't answer for a while. "It's a serial killing. Contact with police department from Quebec." She ordered Ronald.

"Yes, chief."

"Do you think last night's murder is connected to this one?" Brace asked again but she marched away without replying.

All of them giggled and Brace rolled his eyes. He has met her quite a few times and every time she came to the crime scene he was left surprised by all that she use to say. She would stand far away usually for half an hour and monitor the crime scene and then march inside examine the crime scene and brief her team, give them commands and leave. She is excellently brainy and elegant yet edgy. She was beautiful with her short silver hair and light blue eyes. She wore a beautiful beige and green outfit with long black boots and a leather jacket. Not your typical detective look and yet so classic. Her sense of style could give models a run for their money.

At least, she could reply, he thought ‘So arrogant' he murmured to himself. She might be very smart but very rude, he thought.

He went down to take a look at the music system and wrote down the details. In the silence of the room he felt someone’s presence it wasn’t until Jimin asked him to leave so that they could seal the crime scene that feeling didn’t leave. It was like feeling a pair of eyes on his back without knowing whom they belonged to OR what were they.  Suspicious. Targeting.