The White Death

Chapter l

Ding

The elevator doors opened.

Detective John Walker hastily made his way through the police station to his desk.

"Hey John" a firm hand clasped his shoulder.

Walker looked up at Gordon. "Good morning Commissioner, how's the drive today? Ice can be a bitch to dive on, especially this time of year."

Gordon smiled and shrugged, taking a sip of his black coffee "Well you know how it is, what can you really expect from the drive anyways." He continued to make his way to the office but turned around.

"And John"

Walker looked up from the pile of paperwork at his desk "Yes?"

Gordon scratched behind his head "There's something we need to discuss. In my office please."

"Sure I'll be right there Commissioner." He hastily shuffled papers together.

Is it about my last case? No, that went fine. Maybe I'm getting laid off... But why would he lay me off, I have the most case solves than the rest of the squad.

Walker made his way to the office and shut the door behind him. The Commissioner looked concerned. "Please take a seat."

Walker did so.

There was a moment of awkward silence while the Commissioner searched through a case file. He opened it and layed it in front of Walker.

"This is Nina Silton." Gordon passed him pictures of a mangled body hanging from a tree. "She was found dead approximately at 7:45 last night."

Isn't that a sight

"Do we have a lead yet?" Walker looked up.

"We have had three other murders similar to this in the past month." He pulled out three other files and layed them out chronologically.

"April 1st, Jackson Danes age 39 was found by his wife. Cause of death, trauma to head. At the autopsy they found 17 stab wounds."

"Geeze" Walker thumbed through the file looking at the photos.

Gordon opened the next file. "April 6th Olivia Ibara age 19. She was reported missing for three days before they found the body in a park. My guess is the perp dumped her after the smell started getting bad. But you never know with these sickos."

"Cause of death?"

"Consistent with drowning. She was found with water in her lungs."

Walker picked up the autopsy report. "How do they know it was the same suspect?"

Gordon picked through the photos and slid one to Walker "Because of this."

Initials were carved into her left palm. JD.

Walker studied the picture for a moment. "You think JD means Jackson Danes?"

"All the victims have the previous vic's initials carved into the left palm, excluding Jackon Danes." Gordon passed him three similar photographs of left hands.

"Some kind of calling card?"

"That's what I was thinking."

Walker opened the third victim's file. "April 11th, Henry Evans, age 74."

"Poor bastard didn't even have a chance. He was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer a month before." Gordon walked over to the coffee maker and started to brew a second pot. "Listen John, I'm sure you're well aware that our department has not been thriving." He chuckled "God help us. But we need this solve. Gotham needs this resolved before it becomes high profile, which I have a feeling it will."

"Don't worry Commissioner" Walker stood up to level with Gordon. "I'll catch the son of a bitch."