From desk worker detective to Sergeant at Scotland Yard, Adelaide Gregson has come a long way from her days in Manhattan. When one consulting detective catches her eye, things get complicated. When a case now means life or death, will sentiment prov...
Clicking and tapping was all I could hear. All day long, the clicking of keys on the computer and the taping of fingers and feet of the more impatient people standing nearby. I had only been working as a detective in New York City for a few months. Unbeknownst to me, it was a lot of sitting and filling out paperwork. I mean, I was a detective for Christ sake! I didn't want to sit on my ass all day and punch info into a database. I wanted to be out in the field tracking down bad guys or something. It's not that I wasn't qualified either; I was extremely qualified. I had graduated top of my class at Columbia with a degree in Criminal Justice and Law.
"Hey Adelaide! Load these under cold cases will ya?" My boss said, dropping a huge stack of papers onto my already crowded desk.
"I'll get right on that." I said, annoyed. I was just waiting for my big break. For the day when I would finally be doing something important with my life. I wasn't a secretary, I was a detective. I could have been a doctor or lawyer, but no I decided to be a detective. I thought I would actually be helping people, not sharpening up my typing skills.
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I started reading through the cold cases when one of them stuck out to me. All murders, no obvious motive, all wake up, leave for work, never show, and are never heard from again. Until their body shows up of course. I knew these sounded familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint from where. I began digging through my pile of new cases I was loading into the database when I found it. Murder, no motive, no show for work. This one had just happened two days ago. I checked the timeline and each murder had taken place exactly two months apart.
I grabbed the five folders and marched into the head detective's office in my precinct.
"Adelaide hey, can I help you?" Mac Taylor asked me.
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"Ya, I was loading these and noticed something weird." I said. Detective Taylor looked interested, so I continued.
"So this is the body you found two days ago right?" I asked, laying the file on his desk. He nodded. I laid down the remaining files.
"These were in cold cases I was loading. Each exactly two months apart. All murders, with no clear motive. Just regular people who leave for work and never show up. All the bodies are found dumped with no severe bloody injuries. They each have a distinct set of small finger sized bruises on their necks." I said confidently.
"So what are you saying?" Taylor asked.
"I'm saying I think you have a serial killer on your hands." I state. Taylor reviews all his files and nods his head.
"Well Adelaide I think you're right, good catch. How did we miss this?" He asked.
"Well there's no visible connection between the vics. Different genders, races, jobs, just all different walks of life. The only thing we know is something happened between when they leave their house and when they are supposed to arrive at work. Considering they all live in the city we have to think of transportation: taxi? subway?" I start spilling out ideas.
"Perfect, I'll get in touch with families or spouses. See if maybe we've got a connection there. But, like you said, big city, lots of people take taxis and the subway." Taylor said.
"I know but..." I stopped and looked through the files again.
"Holy shit." I mumbled, re-checking the files.
"What?" Taylor asked.
"They all live on the same freakin street." I said, almost annoyed that I noticed this and I've been sitting behind a computer for the last few months while these idiots have been out in the field.
"Dammit." Taylor said placing his hand on his temple.
—
A few weeks later Taylor and my boss had solved MY case and I was still cooped up behind a computer. I was furious. The next day my boss approached my desk. I knew I'd finally gotten my big break.
"Gregson, you have a minute?" He asked.
"Of course." you replied, optimistically.
"Mac told me it was you who figured out this whole case. Good catch. For the past few months I've been looking for someone who would fit in in a... different precinct. After I found out you solved us this case, I recommended you for the job. You're well traveled and adaptable. You also speak multiple languages and are overlooked here. I just heard back this morning and they'd love to have you. If you'll accept." He said.
"Where?" I asked.
"Scotland Yard, London." He said casually.
"London? London, England?" I asked confused.
"Yes, you'll be working with DI Greg Lestrade." He explained.
"As long as you can guarantee that I won't be logging in cases in a computer all day. I'll be out in the field actually being a detective." I said, insensitively.
"He assures you that there is never a dull moment at Scotland Yard. I believe you spent a year abroad there during college so I think you'll fit right back in." He said.
"I guess I'm moving to London then... again." I said with a smile.
