The Cursed Town

[07]

Jane and Y/n returned to the police station, there was a news van parked outside.

They both knew to expect early arrivals when a press conference is held. Some people like to get there early and do a little report inside the van on what is taking place, and others just arrive later.

They walked through the station, and Jane noticed something that she hadn't this morning when she and Y/n arrived. Maybe it was because they were both tired, or maybe she simply didn't see it at the time, but there was a board hanging on the wall opposite the desk. And pinned to the board was a poster with a little boy and the words STILL UNSOLVED - MILO PABLO

She didn't stop to read the poster or the other things that were pinned to the board, she followed Y/n up to the operations room where they knew Fischer was.

She hadn't heard of the name before but she planned on asking Fischer about it.

Y/n knocked on the door and Fischer called them to come in from the other side. Y/n pushed open the door and Fischer was sat at the table with some paper in front of her.

"I was hoping you both would join me at the press conference." Fischer spoke.

"You want us to reassure the town that we'll find this guy?" Y/n asked, and Fischer nodded.

"Are you ok with that?"

Jane had forgotten about things that had happened in the news back home, Her father was on the front page of every newspaper, and the main story on every news channel,

"I won't answer questions about anything that isn't related to the case" Fischer reassured her, aware of the things in the news.

But Jane veered off-topic,

" Who is Milo Pablo?" She asked.

Fischer looked up at her, 'Milo Pablo?' She asked. Jane stared at her, she knew Fischer knew and she wanted to know,

'Milo Pablo...he died many years ago,' Fischer replied.

"How?" Jane asked, "There's a poster downstairs that says 'still unsolved.' "

Y/n knew Jane was onto something if it was related to the current case he didn't know, but he knew she wasn't going to stop pressing Fischer for details until she had her answers.

Fischer had been in this line of work for 20+ years. Starting as an officer before moving up, and up until she finally became Commissioner Aurora Fischer.

She and her husband both worked full time, and she struggled to balance family life and work-life, but being a commissioner would involve all of her attention, even if Sandpoint was a small town and nothing happened often, but she was in charge of keeping her community safe.

Sandpoint had been a low crime town until 1987 and she finally realised how much harder her job would become.

"Milo Pablo...he was 9-years-old when he went missing during the summer of 1987." Fischer began, she sat at the table, Y/n and Jane sat down too as they listened to the story of Milo Pablo.

"He was out playing and when he didn't come home his mother called the police. He had been playing at the park with his brother who had gotten distracted by something and then he realised that Milo was gone. The entire town went out looking for him, worried that he had gotten lost somewhere, or he had hurt himself of something like that"

"A few hours into the search and a man with his dog found Milo's body in the field behind the park. At first, it was assumed that he had fallen and hit his head, but the autopsy report showed he had been strangled."

Jane felt her heart stop, Milo's case was so similar to the most recent cases with the victim left strangled and left to be found.

"His mother was heartbroken, as any mother would be, and she couldn't understand why someone would want to kill her son. The town was scared, someone among them or someone passing by had killed this little boy and nobody knew who. There was no DNA left on the body and we had no suspects. Eventually, the case became cold. Milo's family moved away, nobody could blame them. And that was it."

Jane was stumped, there was something about this case that was getting at her and she didn't know what it was. Her brain was jumbled as she tried to figure it out.

Fischer picked up her paper and asked that Y/n and Jane join her in the press conference. They both agreed and followed her downstairs,

Officer Quinny was sitting at the desk looking outside at the small crowd of reporters and cameramen,

Jane glanced at the poster of Milo Pablo on her way out. She still could not think what was linking the case, but she knew it was such a small detail otherwise she would have remembered.

Fischer pushed open the doors and the clicking of the cameras was all the three could hear.

Jane and Y/n stood behind Fischer,

"Today" Fischer spoke, "We have discovered the bodies of the two most recent missing boys, Liam and Alfie Harleson. Some Of you may know them, some Of you don't, but I am making a promise to the families Of all the victims that we will find who is responsible for these awful murders. I am joined by Detectives Y/n L/n and Jane Banner from the New York City Police Department, and together we will find this killer. Any questions?"

One of the reporters shot her hand up eagerly, and Fischer motioned for her to speak,

"You have brought in these two detectives from New York City, does that mean you are not confident that you along with the detectives here could not solve this case?" She asked.

Fischer cleared her throat, "I have brought in these two detectives to assist me on this case, I could solve it with or without their help, but how long will it be before another family is targeted?"

Jane glanced at Y/n, he was looking at her too, neither of them liked Fischer's response to that question. Another reason why they both hated press conferences,

"How sure are you that you will catch the killer?" The reporter asked. "I cannot share details about the case at this moment, but I believe the killer knows we are on to him." Fischer replied.

Another report put up his hand and spoke, "I have a question for Detective Banner."

Jane stared at the reporter. Fischer looked at Jane and smiled a little, but it wasn't much of a reassuring smile.

Jane looked at Y/n but he didn't look too pleased about it either.

"Go ahead." Jane spoke, her voice dry.

"Are you confident that you can solve the case, given the recent sentencing of your father and the current headlines in New York City?" The reporter asked.

That lit a fire under the other reporters, and they all began shouting questions out and the cameras were flashing even more.

"That is all." Fischer exclaimed, and she ushered Y/n and Jane back into the police station and closed the door behind her.

"I knew that would happen"

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First chapter for the year 2023🤡🎉🍾🥂

Happy reading✌🏻✌🏻

Blue~