Secrets and Oaths✓

This Can't Be Happening Again

⚠️TW: Slightly graphic descriptions of crime scenes⚠️

I was brought out of a dead sleep by the sound of my phone blaring. There was no way it was time to get up. Groaning, I rolled over, grabbing the phone off my bedside table, blinking in the harsh light and seeing through mostly shut eyes that it was the precinct. Coughing to clear the sleep from my voice, I answered, "Hemlock."

"We need you to come in. We got a Jane Doe, Joe found her by the dumpster behind the bar when he was closing up."

"Shit. I'll be right there," I replied before hanging up and throwing the blankets off of me. Jimmy rolled over onto his back, eyes blinking as he woke up. "Go back to sleep. I'm getting called in. Please make sure Charlie is up and to school on time. I'll let you know when I'm on my way home." He grunted in reply before pulling the blankets up under his chin and rolled over, falling right back to sleep. Must be nice. I walked into our closet before shutting the door and flipping on the light. I made quick work of pulling on the first pair of jeans I could find, as well as a long sleeve shirt and my hoodie from college that still fit.

I quietly slipped into the hallway and down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible. Throwing on my shoes and a jacket, I grabbed my keys from the hook by the door and let myself out. It was still dark outside and most of the world was fast asleep, completely unaware of what was going on right now. This wasn't my first murder victim but my stomach would never be calm, no matter how many scenes I'll be at.

I pulled into the parking lot in front of Joe's Bar, it seemed like every cop in town was here. Recognizing me, the cop watching the entrance to the back alley lifted the police tape and waved me through. I nodded in thanks and walked over to where my partner, Walker Jones, was already standing, getting information from Joe. "What do we got?" I asked him.

"Jane Doe, in her mid-20s. Identification wasn't on her person so we'll need to run prints or through facial recognition to get a name." Walker told me. I turned to look at the body. She was stabbed multiple times in her torso and her neck had been slit. A cold feeling landed in the pit of my stomach, slowly spreading throughout my body as I took in the rest of the scene. This was too familiar, like a nightmare that haunted me for years. I just hoped I was wrong.

I was pulled from my horrifying thoughts by the arrival of Andy. "Morning Andy. Hell of a way to start your first week here." I said in greeting.

"You're not kidding. What happened?"

"We don't know much right now. Joe came out around 4am to throw away the trash after closing. Found her like this. ME gave a preliminary time of death at around 3am. We've already accounted Joe's prints, he said that he took her pulse to see if she was still alive as he called it in." I recounted.

"Has Joe given a statement yet?"

"Yeah, I had one of the first officers on the scene take it. After getting Joe's prints and a copy of his security camera footage, we sent him home."

"And you think he's clear?" Andy didn't know anyone really, having just moved there.

"No. Joe is a local. Been here his whole life. Plus he had no problem handing over the footage. He said the camera doesn't quite get the angle for where the body was found but it might've picked up the perp if they walked past it on the way in or out of the alley. Also, he gave us the footage from inside too, just in case."

"Detective, we got something." The ME called us over. There, barely noticeable on her right ankle, was the number 8. That cold feeling was back and it quickly spread to my chest and my head. This could not be happening. I nodded in agreement when the ME said he was going to take her and walked in a daze back to my car. Andy and Walker followed me, both clearly picking up that something had happened.

"Hemlock, are you ok?" Walker asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm going to run home, make sure Charlie is up and ready for school. I'll be at the station after that with coffee." That was all Walker needed to be dismissed. Andy didn't look that convinced.

"Are you sure you're ok to drive?" He asked, worry clear in his eyes.

"I'll be fine Andy. I'll see you at the station. How do you take your coffee?"

"Black with one cream and two sugars."

"I'll have that for you." With that said, I got in the driver's seat and turned the car on. Once I was out of the parking lot and heading towards my home, I pulled up the call options on my radio, dialing a number I hadn't needed to in years.

"Steve, it's Katherine Hemlock... Yeah hi. I'm going to need you to email me all of the files associated with Charles...Yeah I know... Well he never resurfaced... Yeah I think he might have followed us. We had a woman found this morning. Same M.O. as before. I gave you my work email right?... Yeah just send it there. Gotta keep this as professional as possible. I don't want him getting off on a mishandling of evidence... Yeah email me the files and if you could, collect all of the evidence and send somebody here with it?... Yeah I know it's a long drive, I did it with a grumpy preteen in the back. I'll send whoever you send home with some of my famous snicker-doodles... Thank you so much! I owe you so much more than snicker-doodles." I hung up and pulled into my driveway. This one was going to be emotionally exhausting.