The Ghost

chapter 6

Nathan and kate walked outside from the bar the victim visited the night of her murder. They did visit her father and found out about the bar . Both of them decided to visit the bar if any of them had noticed anything strange.

" what the hell was that guy going on about. It was exhausting to talk to him. The guy kept on saying about how she dumped him. "

nathan growled walking towards his car . All they did find in the bar was her ex boyfriend. Nathan tried asking him questions about the victim but all he kept on talking was that how she had dumped her.

Kate was not able to stop laughing from seeing nathan's expression. It was really amusing to watch nathan resisting himself from punching on his face.

" so do you think the guy did it . May be for revenge because she dumped him" kate asked leaning on the car.

Nathan thought for sometime and shook his head.

" No i dont think so. The guy we are searching for is more methodical and clinical. That guy is even able to hold his liquor. "

Kate nodded agreeing to his view. She was also sure about it. Still it was fun watching nathan look so pissed.  She had a slight smile on her lips.

" why are you smiling about. It was not funny . I almost punched him"
Nathan huffed and sat in his car.

" jealous boyfriends are a mess to deal  with" kate said entering the car. Nathan started the car and drove through the drive way.

" how would you know . I still remember you haven't dated since high school. All you did go was on a first date before breaking it of. "

" hey that is because i could feel all of them were telling lies from the start. It was always a gift of mine to figure out people. " kate said looking outside the window.

" that is why you are a good cop." Nathan was about to say something else but a call interrupted him. It was kate's cellphone. She answered the call.

" where"

" are you sure it is the same mo"

" text me the address . Do not touch anything before we reach there and also notify the department"

Kate disconnected the phone with a sullen look on her face. Nathan knew what the call was about and he knew that the case has become a lot more serious.

" another victim found dead in her apartment. Same mo , no witnesses . "

Nathan turned a right and started driving to the address.

"Seems like our guy is working fast. We have to catch this bastard " .

Kate nodded and rested her head closing her eyes for the rest of the way. Both of them had issues at hand and the silence felt comfortable.

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About 15 minutes later nathan and kate walked towards the spot of the next murder.

" killer has changed his settings . From the alley to an apartment. Our killer  is growing in confidence"
Nathan said looking at the apartment building. It was a lonely building surrounded by vacant plots.

" not much people around here . If i want to kill someone quietly perfect place for it to do so. No traffic cameras . No nosy neighbors"  kate said looking at the surroundings.

They walked inside the apartment but it was completely different from the outside. The interiors were quite colourful. Almost all of the things inside was pink in colour.

" whoa somebody liked pink a lot. What is with the hall and the furniture. " kate said looking at the furniture and the walls. The apartment was unusually clean.

Nathan walked further inside the apartment and found gary and his team with some police officers. Both of them showed their badges .

The crime scene was bloody just like the last time. Gary stood between the body and nathan. Gary saw them and nodded them to come in .

The scene of the crime scene this time was the bathroom of the apartment. The body of the victim was in the bathtub. The body was pooled in the tub along with the blood.

But to nathan's amusement the body was degrading . Clearly not a recent kill but there was no smell of the degrading flesh. Nathan looked closer and found out white powder like substances through out the body. The body was rubbed by it. And like his previous victim her eyes were missing forming to holes where her eyes should have been.

" so you noticed it. He is innovating . Making the presentation unique" gary said closely inspecting the body.

" i don't understand this is clearly old but the blood has not dried up and there is no smell. Clearly we will be covering our noses if it was this old."  Kate inspected the body by wearing the gloves gary offered her.

Nathan looked closely and soon realized what the white powder was . He was getting clearly amused . The killer was taunting them . The person is going beyond limits to make the murder unique.

" it's salt . Our killer used salt to cover up the smell. "

Nathan said standing upright and removing his gloves.

" salt? Why does he use salt"  kate asked still examining the body.

" salt has the capability to absorb pungent smell. So the smell of the degrading body was absorbed by the salt rubbed all over it. " gary said amused by the application. He dipped something in the blood that surrounding the body.

" the blood is fresh . It is not the same of that of the victim when she died. With a bit of anti coagulant in it. Whoever did this wanted the bloody crime scene.

Gary stood up and ordered the police man to tag the body and take samples. The three of them exited outside the bathroom.

Both of them started looking through the things in the apartment. After some searching something caught nathan's eye. It was a box usually someone would mistake it for a make up box . Kate saw nathan looking at the box and walked towards him .

" what is it . It is just a make up box right"

Nathan looked at the box and the all around the room. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the box again.

" do you see something different about this box . Everything in the room fits the person but not this box"

Kate looked around the room and her eyes widened. He was right , everything in the room was pink . Even the paint of the wall. So there was no way a person like that would own a  red make up box.

Nathan slowly opened the box and looked inside. He jumped back a little . Inside the box was a pair of eyeballs. It was stuffed inside the box with a neat printed note inside. And it said these words.

Second and a eerie smiley printed on it.

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