1970 - Killer Spouse

Ch 3: Put your head on my shoulder

Emma and her team huddled around the conference room table, pouring over stacks of files and photographs. The room was thick with the smell of coffee and the palpable tension of minds working overtime. Detective Paulson, her seasoned partner, was leading the discussion.

"We've got three victims, all within a ten-mile radius," Paulson said, pointing to a map on the wall. "Each one shows signs of restraint, and the wounds are identical. This guy is precise. But one thing for sure they all had strangled to death and their bodies got drilled a lot by someone" As he points at the paper of the question mark. Thus they have no idea who would be the killer.

Emma rubbed her temples, exhaustion creeping in from hours of intense scrutiny. "We've combed through all the known associates and potential witnesses. Nothing concrete so far."

Paulson nodded grimly. "We're missing something, a link that ties these victims together."

Emma sighed and pushed her chair back. "I need a break. Can I get a few minutes, Captain?" As she stared at captain Reynolds with a nervous smile

Captain Reynolds, standing by the window with his arms crossed as he giving a sharp strict gaze that sounded like in hell he would never agree for it but he must be in a good mood, he let out a puff out of his cigarette as he nodded. "Make it quick, Stewart. We need all hands on deck."

Emma sigh in relief as she grabbed her coat and stepped out of the building, heading across the street to the cozy little café she frequented. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted her as she walked in. She made her way to the counter and waited for someone to take her order.

To her surprise, the waiter who approached was none other than Alex, the same man she had run into earlier that morning. His eyes widened in recognition, and a smile spread across his face.

"Can I take your order?"

Emma looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. It was Alex, the same man she had run into that morning. He seemed equally surprised, his eyes lighting up with recognition.

"Emma, right?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Emma chuckled, feeling a bit of her stress melt away. "Yes, and you're Alex. Small world, isn't it?"

"What are you doing here?"

"It's my cafe anyway" Alex replied, his grin widening. "What can I get for you?"

"Wait is it yours? And I'll have a black coffee, please," Emma said, returning his smile.

As Alex nods with a chuckles and starts to grains the coffee beans while chitchatting with her "yeah.. my grandpa is the one who usually runs this that's why you never seen me around here. He has a small operation he's going through so meanwhile I'm handing his business" he replied while making the coffee as Emma nods with an amused expression "I see.. I hope he'll be alright.." she told with a concerned expression as Alex let out a hum in response.

He prepared her order, they chatted about each others life and the coincidence of meeting again. "I'm glad we ran into each other again," Alex said as he handed her the coffee. When Alex handed her the coffee, their fingers brushed slightly, and they both felt a spark of connection once again.

"Maybe we should exchange telephone numbers, just in case?" Alex suggested, pulling out a pen and a notepad.

Emma laughed and wrote down her telephone number, handing it to him. "I'd like that."

They talked for a while longer, the minutes slipping by unnoticed. Emma found herself genuinely enjoying the conversation, feeling a rare sense of relaxation. But a glance at the clock made her heart skip a beat.

"I have to get back," she said, standing up hastily. "I've spent more time here than I should have." As she told and wore her coat

Alex's smile faltered, but he nodded understandingly. "Of course. It was great seeing you again, Emma."

"Likewise," she replied, giving him a quick wave as she rushed out of the café and back to the office.

When Emma arrived back at the office, Captain Reynolds was waiting for her. His stern expression told her she was in trouble. "Stewart, you're late again," he said, his voice edged with frustration. "You can't keep disappearing in the middle of an important case. Consider this your final warning."

"Yes, sir. I understand," Emma replied, feeling a pang of guilt. She returned to her desk and tried to refocus on the case, pushing thoughts of Alex to the back of her mind.

————

As Emma hurried back to her office, Alex watched her go, his expression shifting from warmth to something colder as his lips twitches a bit in annoyance. He turn up the radio and He turned, as headed to the "staff only" room at the back of the café. Inside, the atmosphere was starkly different from the welcoming ambiance outside.

The room was dimly lit, with walls lined with shelves that held various tools and items. But what stood out were the bloodstained clothes and personal effects of the missing and murdered victims, carefully hidden away from prying eyes.

Alex's face was impassive as he closed the door behind him. He walked over to a workbench and picked up a power drill, his demeanor now cold and calculating. The charming smile he had worn moments ago was gone, replaced by the chilling mask of a predator planning his next move.

Alex picked up the driller, his expression hardening. He had a job to do, and no amount of charming encounters would distract him from his purpose. As he prepared for his next move, his thoughts briefly flickered to Emma.

"Too close, indeed," he murmured to himself, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Alex approached a man tied to a chair, his hands bound with tape. The man's eyes were wide with fear as he struggled against his restraints. His steps slow and deliberate. He held the driller in one hand, a psychotic smile playing on his lips. "And now, the real game begins," he said, his voice dripping with menace.

The man's screams were muffled by the tape over his mouth, and the chilling sound of the driller echoed through the room as Alex's smile widened, the darkness within him fully unleashed. Only on the "staff room" filled with the sound of man's agony while on the dining area of cafe played loudly by new song of "Put Your Head On My Shoulders by Paul Anka."

Emma had unknowingly stepped into the orbit of a dangerous man, and the threads of their fates were now tightly intertwined. The café, a seemingly innocuous place of comfort, hid a sinister secret, one that would soon bring Emma closer to the darkness she was desperately trying to uncover.