Not Your Normal Murder Mystery

NICO

Absolutely no one that likes Mondays.

No one with a sensible brain likes Monday, and that was a fact.

And I was no different to this. Something about Mondays just made me want to strangle someone. Maybe Jason and his annoyingly optimistic ass. Yeah, maybe I will strangle my cousin today. That sounds good to me.

After almost throwing my phone for the obnoxiously stupid alarm that decided to wake me up, I got up and took a nice shower. After that I dressed up for work. There wasn't really any dress code there, just something that wasn't ridiculously inappropriate.

The fact some people needed to be told that was just plain stupid.

Ignoring how some people are just born stupid, I wore black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt with a peace sign designed on it (one of my favourites) and put on my black biker jacket on as I left for work on my Harley.

"Hey Nico." Piper greeted him as he entered the CHB building. "Good morning. I am going to get some coffee, want some?"

"Morning." I greeted back. "And yeah, I could really use a nice coffee."

She smiled and then a mischievous look came on her face, "You know, a new medic has come today."

I raised my brow, "So?"

"Well, he's a very handsome one. And around your age too." She replied with a mischievous grin. "Maybe you should go and welcome him. Afterall, you are the great Niccolo Di Angelo, the best detective in the system. It would make him feel more comfortable."

I looked at her suspiciously, "Firstly, don't call me that. And secondly, are you trying to set me up with someone I don't even know?"

"Oh no, no." replied Piper with an innocent look that I was definitely not buying. "Why would I ever do that? I am just trying make the newbie feel comfortable in the new environment."

"Right." I replied, not believing a word she said. "How about you go get us some coffee? I don't think I come here to flirt. Unlike you and Jason, I am a professional."

Piper rolled her kaleidoscope eyes, "We're professionals too you know."

I snorted, "Of course you are."

After our short talk I walked to my office when a girl with bright pink hair came in front of me. Of course I knew her, who didn't? Lavinia's hair was literally screaming "Hey! I am here! Notice me!". I didn't really talk to her much; she was too overbearing energetic for my health.

"Hey Nico! Reyna is asking for you!" she told him before popping a bubble gum. "Nice earrings, are they new?"

I decided not to answer that, instead I just left for Reyna's office. Reyna is the head of the department. Chiron, the director of CHB had appointed her last year, and since then she had been working way too hard. I liked Reyna, and even though she was my boss we were good friends outside work.

Her office was plain and simple. With beige walls and many trophies arranges on a shelf. All of her paperwork was arranged properly, unlike the previous head whose paperwork was usually all over the place.

Today Reyna was looking at a report with a frown while wearing a navy blue pinstripe suit. I knocked on her door.

"Nico, come in." she told me with a smile, though I could tell that she was stressed about something. What could have possibly happened to get her to be so worried?

"Hey Rey." I greeted her. "What's wrong?"

"There was a murder reported today." She told me.

I frowned, "Is it that bad?"

"The details aren't necessarily as bad." She replied. "But the murder... its too similar to a previous cold case. You remember the 06 case?"

Of course I remembered the 06 case. It had been the case which had taken Bianca from me and got me interested in this profession in the first place.

The case had been bad, with five homicides and one attempted murder. No one knew what had happened. The court had ruled one person guilty, but that person had been in no condition to even defend himself. That decision had just been one so they could just get over that case.

Everyone knew that there was something much more than what they knew. The department still considers it to be a cold case. If only I could have figured out what.

"Of course I remember it." I replied, trying to swallow down the feeling of dread.

Reyna gave me a sympathetic look before her serious expression took over. "Think murder looks like the person is trying to copy the murders. I don't want you to be involved into this, I know there are some personal feeling involved with this case. But I am afraid you are best we have."

I nodded, "Yeah. Its fine, no need to worry. Can I have the file?"

She nodded, "Yeah, just hold on, let me get it."

She then got up and started to go through the properly arranged files.

"Where was this murder committed by the way?" I asked her.

"In a high school at Puerto Rico." She replied with distain.

Puerto Rico was Reyna's home before she shifted to California to be away from her abusive father. It was a hard subject for her and she hated the place.

She walked over to me with a black folder and handed it to me. I flipped the pages to study the file.

Name: Naomi Hunter

Age: 16

Ethnicity: Cuban

Cause of death: Blunt force trauma

"Blunt force trauma?" I muttered to myself. That's a first, 06 case had nothing to do with blunt force trauma. Usually it was bleeding to death.

Now it may seem like an insignificant difference, but it's a difference and I am somewhat concerned what this difference might indicate? Is the previous killer trying to confuse him by changing his memo to confuse them or was it someone else copying the murders?

"I'll take the case, Rey." I told her closing the folder. Maybe it was just my curiosity, maybe it was just my teenage self inside me that had never really moved on from his older sister's murder and just wanted answers. Perhaps it was unhealthy, but I have never really been the most health conscious person anyways.

"Then I suppose you should go pick your team." She replied with a smile. "Oh, and can you take the new medic with you? He needs to get experienced in the new environment and I can't think of anyone better than you to show him how the system works here."

"Alright then Rey." I agreed. I didn't really see how I was the best person to get someone used to CHB, I am not exactly the most sociable person in the unit. But if Reyna thinks I should be the one doing this, then there must be a reason.

Somehow, Reyna was always right about everything. And I had no doubts that if she is giving me something to do, she has a good reason to do it.