Cold Case Chronicles: Beneath the Surface

Chapter 1

Jack Mercer adjusted his leather jacket as he stepped out of his car, rain misting down steadily over the deserted docks. The early call had brought him to the scene, though it wasn't typical for the DA's office to send personnel to a crime scene at this stage. However, Eleanor, his boss and head of the DA's office, had flagged this case as high priority, hinting at the potential involvement of powerful figures. That was enough to bring him down here personally.

Sarah Hall, Assistant District Attorney, was already at the scene, speaking quietly with Officer Lewis, one of the first responders. She looked over as Jack approached, her sharp gaze showing a hint of unease-an expression he rarely saw in her. "Eleanor sent you too?" she asked, her voice low, as if she didn't want the other officers to overhear.

"Thought it'd be worth a look," Jack replied, casting his gaze toward the body. The victim lay near the water's edge, dressed in surprisingly neat, though plain, clothes. No signs of struggle, no apparent cause of death-just an unsettling stillness that seemed to blanket the entire scene.

Officer Lewis approached, giving them a nod of acknowledgment. "You're both from the DA's office? Got word this might be more than an average case."

Jack nodded. "Right. Eleanor wanted us here, just in case. Heard there might be political connections."

Lewis grimaced slightly. "Might be. It's a strange one. No ID on the victim, and nothing on him that stands out... except this." He held out a small, worn notebook he had found tucked in the man's coat pocket. "Haven't opened it yet. Figured it'd be better for you to take a look first."

Jack took the notebook carefully, flipping it open to reveal tightly packed columns of numbers, names, and what looked like coded entries. Sarah leaned closer, her sharp eye catching details as she read over his shoulder.

"This looks like some kind of ledger," she murmured, her brow furrowing. "Maybe financial transactions. It's too organized to be casual. Whoever he was, he was keeping track of something significant."

Jack nodded slowly, scanning the cryptic entries. "If this is what it looks like, then it could point to money laundering or some other kind of organized financial scheme."

Sarah's gaze hardened as she looked at the victim. "Which means whoever killed him might've been trying to keep him quiet. And the way they left him here... it feels like a message."

As they spoke, the forensic team arrived, bringing additional lighting to the dreary scene. Jack and Sarah stepped aside as Dr. Louise Franklin, the coroner, knelt beside the body, her experienced gaze scanning every detail. Dr. Franklin was known for her meticulous work, and Jack trusted her instincts.

After a few moments, she straightened and gestured for them to approach. "No obvious signs of trauma-no gunshot wounds, no stabbings," she explained, her voice calm. "But there are faint bruises around his neck and wrists. Not deep enough to be immediately visible, but there."

Sarah crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "So he was restrained?"

Dr. Franklin nodded. "Likely. Whoever did this wanted it to appear natural. They were careful, maybe hoping to delay suspicion or make it look accidental."

Jack clenched his jaw. "Or they were hoping it would be dismissed altogether. Make it look like he just... ended up here."

The more they examined the scene, the clearer it became that this wasn't a random act of violence. It was too controlled, too deliberate. And the notebook in Jack's hands hinted at something far larger, something hidden beneath the surface.

He turned the notebook over, noticing a small insignia embossed on the back cover-a crest featuring an eagle's wing entwined with laurel leaves. He held it up, catching Sarah's attention.