Bloody Instinct

9

The first stop on the murder tour was the location of the first victim. Kyle had brought Ethan and Sam to the exact spot. 

"Here we are. This was where the body was found. There isn't much to go on. The field guys picked this place clean. But they always miss something. I'm going to look around the surrounding area. You guys can start here. Good lick." Kyle waved and headed to another part of the woods.

Ethan closed his eyes and tried to invasion the murder. "Last week, it was raining heavily. If the murderer actually killed him here, it would've been hard to see. Especially from the freeway. The killer must have picked this spot because no one would be able to see the body going that fast." Ethan squatted and felt the ground. Noah would've picked a more secluded spot. He didn't want people to see his work until he was ready. If they were trying to imitate him, they were doing a terrible job at it.

"You think he was killed somewhere else?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. I think after the victim got something to eat, he was followed. After that, the killer took the victim to the real crime scene. Then, after killing them, they took the picture but didn't post it yet. Lastly, he moved the body here and then posted it. Making the cops think the murder took place here while also disposing of the body."

"Wow, that's impressive," Sam said. 

We could have done better. 

"I-I wonder if Kyle has found anything?" Ethan said. He needed to occupy his mind. Looking around the forest, a thought comes to him. "How do you think they got the body out here? I don't see any tire tracks."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe they teleported?"

"Sam."

"What? I was just trying to lighten the mood. They could've stopped somewhere uphill and brought it over."

"That's actually not a bad thought. Also, this area is too dense with trees. A car couldn't get through here. The rain would've made it hard to see. They would've had to have carried it somehow. We should go group back up with the detective." Ethan started walking towards Kyle. He could see him standing over something. Kyle's head turned in Ethan's direction as he approached.

"Hey, found anything? By that look on your face, I'd say you at least have some ideas," Kyle said, clicking his dirty blond hair out of his face.

"I think the victim was killed somewhere else and brought here. The crime scene would've been more...used if it was done here."

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked. The look on his face was a mix of curiosity and skepticism. 

"Well, when my brother...did his thing, he would do it somewhere more private. When I was disposing of the body, we would put the pieces somewhere inconspicuous. Like put it in a bin or something, bury it, or toss them. He wanted to make it hard for the police to find the bodies before he was ready to show them. If the killer is doing the same thing, then maybe it applies to these two murders. The question is, where are they doing the murders? Noah had a set of rules he made me follow. It's how we operated. The disposal was rule six. He'd used to make me clean everything up in ten minutes or less. If I didn't, he would hurt me. Sometimes he'd hurt me so bad I couldn't move for days." Ethan didn't want to relive these memories, but it felt good talking to someone about it.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. It must have been hell."

"You have no idea."

"Why didn't you run? Or go to the police?" 

Ethan laughed. "You don't think I tried? I might as well have been signing my own death certificate. Noah would've hunted me down. He was determined. Nothing was going to get in the way of his work. Not even me. The bullet in my shoulder proved that. Noah was always ready to kill me at any point. I thought that since I did what he said that he wouldn't do it."

"Hm, well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you made it out alive. Your brother was a monster. He killed a lot of people. I've been following the Snapshot serial killings for a long time. A couple of years. He may have done four with you, but his body count is worse than any of us thought."

That caught Ethan off guard. "What? He never talked about any others outside of Oakland."

"As I said, your brother was a monster. His kill count was at least in the double digits. How far? I don't know. I have some files, but I don't think you should see them. Not right now anyway."

The more Ethan thought about it, the more Kyle's words made sense. He wasn't in the right headspace for that. His mind was going a mile a minute. He'd only be making things worse if he learned the extent of his brother's ruthlessness. Besides, Kyle could be lying. Only one person would know Noah's kill count. Ethan didn't know if she'd even talk to him. It was worth a shot.

"Okay, I can hold off for now. I don't think I should hear that info right now anyway. What matters is this. Catching this killer."

Kyle studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Come look at these." Kyle pointed to some tracks in the dirt. "A car was out here recently. I know it wasn't one of ours. We normally park farther away to keep the integrity of the crime scene. This road is normally closed to the public. I think these could belong to the killer."

"Shouldn't these have disappeared by now? It's been a few days."

"Not exactly. The killer could have returned recently. This is all speculation. Where's Sam?"

"She stayed back. I kind of walked off. My mind was going to some dark places." 

"I won't ask. Let's go back for now," Kyle said, walking back to the car.

He thinks you're crazy. You know he wants to turn you in. You could kill him, little brother. No one would ever find him. 

"I'm not you. I don't just kill people because it's convenient. So, leave me alone. I won't do it. I'm not listening to you. I don't have to listen to you anymore. So, shut up." Ethan hurried after Kyle. He couldn't be left alone. His mind was the last thing he needed to be alone with. "Kyle, I think I need that number you mentioned. I need help."

"Sure, I got you." Kyle texted Ethan his Pycologhists number. "Her name is Kate. She's really good. Call her when you have the time. She'll fit you in. Tell her I sent you."

"Thanks, mate. I appreciate it. Really."

 "Don't mention it. We'll get you the help you need. I know this sounds cheesy, but you're not alone. No matter what demons you have, you can overcome them. Hell, if I can, you definitely can. We've all done things we're not proud of. What all that matters is what kind of person you choose to be now. Wanna know a secret?"

"What?"

"I use to steal—a lot. When I first moved to Oakland, I didn't have much. I was on my own. I had to make money somehow. A few pickpockets here, a home break-in there, and some GTA just for the hell of it. It all came crashing down when I got caught. If it weren't for my sister bailing me out of jail, who knows where I would be right now." Kevin smirked. "I was fortunate. However, I'm still coming to terms with my choices. I became a detective because I wanted to make something of myself. Something I could be proud of. You and your brother are two different people. He made the decisions that lead him to his fate. Now, it's your turn."

"Yeah, I know." Ethan smiled. He was told cops were the enemy. That they only wanted to put people like him away. Not Kyle, though. He was more of a brother than Noah ever was. Not that he'd ever admit it. 

"Come on. Admit it. You like me. No shame in it." 

"And you've ruined it. No wonder people don't like cops. You guys are annoying."

"Hey! Me being annoying has nothing to do with my work."

Ethan and Kyle shared a good laugh. One Ethan definitely needed. 

"Alright, I guess you're not that bad. Don't ruin it, though."

"No problems. "Mate."

"And now you're making fun of my accent. That's it, I hate you," Ethan laughed.