Corrupted

Chapter 23

Next thing I know, Brenn called for an office meeting. The meeting consisted of Kroos, a couple of police officers who were apparently on the case and myself while he elaborated his sudden brainstorm,

"After some extensive research, the analysis team was able to determinate some aspects of our killer's personality. In the written report, our man is described as being a narcissistic psychopath. These kinds like to acclaim praise for their work; not a job well done will go unappreaciated. So what I suggest we do is extract the satisfaction he has gained from his accomplishment and plant it on someone else. To put it in simple words, want to catch a killer? Provoke a killer."

"Would you care to explain even further?" I asked.

"The reconstructive work in the village has come to an end, so the mayor is throwing a festival to celebrate the war's end and the village's rebirth. I say we share the news of catching the killer, and share a false picture we for sure know won't resemble him; thus igniting the fire deep within him. He will be forced to expose himself."

"But Brenn," Kroos intergected, "aren't we putting the life of many girls in danger, Emily included? You're releasing a furious mass murderer in a crowd of not less than twenty girls that resemble the victim's profile. Don't you think he will be provoked enough to actually kill?"

"Oh, I know he will," Brenn calmly replied, "that's why we're going door to door to collect all the ladies who bare a resemblance to the victims, so we can keep them safe at the police station, Emily included of course." 

"Oh no, no way," I retorted, "I'm going with you. I'm not going to stay here, Brenn."

"Don't argue," he simply cut me off authoritivaly.

I kept my mouth shut this time, knowing that in my head I was going to be there. 

Since no one else found any loophole in Brenn's theory, they immediately started their preparations. The festival was due in two days, and in the meantime, I stayed at the station, wandered around, talked to a couple of workers and bored myself to death in Brenn's office. I wasn't told any further details about the plan and wasn't allowed to discuss it. Someone was surely being awefully protective. 

Two days have gone by, early risers finished the last-minute touch-ups. You could hear the joyful screams of children hallowing in the crowded walls of the town. Women took it to their account to prepare and serve delicious traditional plates, and men bragged their muscle off, or so I've been told because I was forbidden, along with about thirty other girls, from leaving the permisses. Already 6 pm, the blasting parade music echoed, and it was time for Brenn and their team to set out on their mission. Before leaving, Brenn leaned to me to kiss me, but I refused to kiss him back trying to show my displeasure, but it looked like that didn't even affect him. He knew me well enough to know that I'll forgive him after all of this was over and that the slightest touch of him dissipated all of my anger into nothing. 

At 6:15 pm, Brenn and his team left the station. At 6:20 pm, I was already executing my escape plan. Since few of the officers stayed at the station, it was easy enough for me to sneak out of the window. Easy, I thought; I expected a little more challenge. I made my way through the loud crowd of masked people, but I wasn't dumb enough to go out without at least covering myself with Brenn's jacket and hat. It was a lame attempt to hide parts of my figure that bore a resemblance to my sister, but I couldn't deny that I was somehow a bit scared of being his next target. According to what Brenn had told us, the killer was going to attempt a public murder. 

I spotted Brenn and his backup a few feet away from me, so I made sure to stay behind them without exposing myself. 

He was only a few feet away from me, when I heard him let out a long loud sigh, "I'm a trained police officer, Emily Levi, what were you actually expecting?"