PAGES FULL OF US ☆ KIMCHAY SHORT STORIES COLLECTION

27. ☆1AM☆

— the city has been in mayhem for the past two months due to a series of brutal murders happening every Saturday approximately at 1 AM and the lead detective on the case Kimhan Theerapanyakul seems to be stuck at a dead end —

Glossary: ☆ MO — short, from the Latin "modus operandi" meaning — the way of operating, it's used to classify a killer's style of killing

☆ Jane Doe — used for females whose identity is unknown or is deliberately being hidden

The heavy rain just stopped. The humidity of the air was making the clothes stuck uncomfortably to the skin. The crime scene reeked with blood. The darkness of the night was hiding all the disturbing details of the murder from the untrained eyes of curious passers-by.

Detective Kimhan Theerapanyakul showed up at the scene 15 minutes after he was called. It was Saturday. He was waiting. It had become a routine now. Every Saturday night around 1 AM it happened. Another murder, another bloodshed, another innocent life taken.

Kimhan never knew where the killer would strike only when he would strike. Two months. One victim every week.

Kimhan's shoes were splashing the rainwater around the dirty wet ground as he was swiftly approaching the 8th victim of the '1 AM' killer.

The body lay cold, unmoving, and bloody under a white sheet. The wide pool of crimson red created around the body was enough of an indication for Kimhan to know that the killer was getting more confident and violent. The excitement and pleasure the killer could feel during the killings, was becoming his drug.

Kimhan knew one thing, if he wouldn't catch the killer before he becomes an addict one murder per week was bound to turn in two and then three...

"Detective," one of the police officers already at the scene greeted Kimhan.

"Night," Kimhan nodded, taking a cup of coffee from the officer. "So, what do we know so far?"

"Not much. His MO is getting too meticulous. The victim is Jane Doe. Age somewhere between 25 to 35, caucasian."

"Jane Doe?" Kim frowned, "what about her ID, cellphone or driving licence?"

The officer shook his head dismissively, "there's nothing on her that could be used to identify her...and when I say nothing, I mean nothing!" The officer crouched down to the body and pulled the bloody white sheet away.

"Shit!" Kimhan scrunched his nose in disgust and shoved the half-drunk cup of coffee in the hands of another officer walking by.

The officer was right, there was nothing that could really identify the victim. Her face was bludgeoned beyond recognition. Hair shaved off. Her mouth was open in an unusually grotesque way, frozen in place. From what Kimhan could see — all her teeth were gone so not even a dental register could really help with identification. Naturally, Kimhan's eyes went lower to the woman's fingers but even that was for nothing. The woman's fingers on both her hands and feet were cut off, leaving no chance for any fingerprints to be taken.

"He is really upping his game. Who found the body?"

"Young boy, a university student. He was walking home from a club."

"Where is he now?"

"He is waiting for you with another officer in the club. We have asked the club owner for some quiet room where you can talk to the witness."

"Fine, take me there," Kimhan threw one last glance at the victim and followed the officer inside the club.

The young boy, sitting on a chair in a storage room was shaking. He was watching his hands trembling, trying everything he could to stop their movement but it was as if they didn't belong to him, as if they belong to someone else, someone with a different mind, a different heart; a body that wasn't his own.

The creaking of a door startled him, his body twitched and he swiftly stood up, eyes falling on a young handsome man clothed in all black. Detective. That's what the officers were referring to him as.

"Nice to meet you, I'm the lead detective on the case, Kimhan Theerapanyakul. I heard that you were the one who found the body, is that correct?"

"Y-yes. That woman was..she was—"

"Yeah, yeah I know, it's awful," Kimhan nodded. "Would you be willing to answer a couple of questions?"

"Of course." Kimhan closed the door, "sit down please."

The boy sat back in his chair, nervously playing with his fingers. "Name?"

"Porchay Kittisawasd."

"Uhmm, what were you doing in this area at such an hour, Mr Kittisawasd?"

"I was going home from this club."

"You don't seem drunk."

"I don't like to drink."

"Is there anyone who can confirm that you were here in this club when the victim was murdered?"

Porchay raised his eyes, looking at Kimhan, "no."

Kimhan cocked an eyebrow, "so you are telling me that despite you not drinking, Mr Kittisawasd, you were partying alone from Friday night to early Saturday, here at this club. Is that what you are saying?"

"Yes."

"I'm afraid that you'll have to go with me to the police station, Mr Kittisawasd. There might be additional questions we would like to ask you."

"And what if I don't want to go?"

Kimhan hummed, "let me rephrase myself. You found the body but your alibi at the time of death isn't sufficient enough. That makes you a suspect in this case, Mr Kittisawasd. So, you either go willingly or I have to arrest you."

Porchay stood up and walked towards Kimhan. "Please, arrest me, detective," he whispered in Kimhan's ear, fingers wrapping around Kimhan's neck.

"Baby, what are you playing here today, hmm?" Kimhan grabbed Porchay's waist, pressing their bodies together.

Porchay rolled his eyes, "those stupid officers came sooner than I had expected."

"Well, your masterpiece is way more detailed this time than I had expected, too," Kimhan chuckled.

"You like it?"

"Perfect," Kimhan kissed Porchay roughly, groaning at the sweet moan coming from Porchay's lips.

"B-but you still didn't tell me why Saturdays and why 1 AM?"

Porchay smirked, "it's the day and time I first met you."

THE END