The Final Crime
The cold bit at Detective Lucas Hargrove’s face as he stepped out of his unmarked police car. Snow crunched beneath his boots. The alleyway was narrow, shadowed by the looming brick walls of abandoned buildings, the kind of place where secrets festered.
The body lay in a crumpled heap near a dumpster, half-covered in a thin layer of snow. She was young—early twenties, maybe. Blonde hair fanned out against the frozen pavement, strands stiff with frost. Her lips were parted slightly, as if she had been mid-scream when her life was taken.
Lucas exhaled, his breath fogging in the frigid air. His partner, Detective Sarah Patel, arrived beside him, her dark eyes scanning the scene with quiet intensity.
"Same signature," she muttered.
Lucas nodded grimly. The Toronto Reaper. That was what the media had dubbed him—though Lucas hated giving monsters names. The killer had taken thirty-five lives in the past four years, each crime meticulously staged, each victim carefully selected.
He crouched beside the body, careful not to disturb the scene. Her hands were bound with zip ties, a detail consistent with previous victims. But what truly confirmed it was the small nylon fiber embedded in the wound on her neck—a fiber forensic techs had been struggling to trace for months.
Sarah pulled out her notebook. "No ID on her yet. Same MO—strangled post-mortem, no sexual assault, no robbery. Just like the others."
Lucas stood, his jaw tightening. This wasn’t just another case. This was the beginning of the end. The killer had made a mistake. And Lucas was going to make sure it was his last.
Chapter One: The Investigation Begins
The precinct was a storm of voices, ringing phones, and the distant hum of a coffee machine brewing the cheap, bitter fuel that kept the detectives running on sleepless nights.
Lucas sat at his desk, staring at the wall covered in crime scene photos, maps, and suspect lists. Thirty-five victims. Thirty-five lives stolen. And all they had to show for it were fragments of evidence—fibers, patterns, a few blurry security cam shots of a hooded figure.
Sarah dropped a folder onto his desk. “Just got this from forensics.”
Lucas opened it, his eyes narrowing. “They finally traced the fiber?”
“Kind of. It’s a specific type of nylon only used in high-end outdoor gear—expensive stuff. Think hikers, campers, survivalists.”
Lucas nodded, a flicker of hope stirring. “That narrows it down. If we cross-check purchases with known locations of the bodies, we might find a link.”
Sarah tapped her pen against her notebook. “Also, we got an anonymous tip. Someone claims they saw a man near the last crime scene about an hour before the body was found.”
Lucas sat up. “We have a name?”
She flipped a page. “Ethan Cross.”
He frowned. The name meant nothing to him—yet.
"Let's bring him in."
Chapter Two: The Killer’s Perspective
Ethan Cross watched the news with a small, knowing smile.
They were getting closer. He could feel it.
Sitting in his dimly lit apartment, he ran a finger along the edge of a small, silver locket—his latest trophy. It had belonged to the girl in the alley. He could still hear her last breath, still see the fear in her wide, blue eyes.
The thrill never faded.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, thinking about the detectives hunting him. He had followed their work closely, admired their dedication. But they were always one step behind.
Until now.
They had his name.
His smile widened.
Let the game begin.
Chapter Three: A Break in the Case
Ethan Cross.
Lucas leaned back in his chair, staring at the name on the whiteboard. It was just a name—one of dozens they had looked into. But something about it nagged at him.
Sarah was already digging. “Ethan Cross, twenty-five years old. No criminal record, but he fits the profile. Grew up in foster care after his parents died in a fire when he was seven. Moved around a lot. Dropped out of college. Works as a freelance web designer. No social media, no family ties.”
Lucas rubbed his jaw. “And the witness placed him near the last crime scene?”
Sarah nodded. “An elderly woman who was walking her dog around midnight. She saw a man standing near the alley, wearing a dark hoodie. She got a good enough look at him to pick his photo out of a lineup.”
Lucas exhaled. It wasn’t enough for an arrest, but it was enough for a conversation.
“Let’s bring him in.”
Chapter Four: The First Encounter
Ethan sat across from them in the dimly lit interrogation room, his expression calm, unreadable. He had the kind of face that wouldn’t stand out in a crowd—average height, dark hair, forgettable features. The perfect camouflage.
Lucas studied him, waiting for a reaction. “You know why you’re here?”
Ethan tilted his head slightly. “Not really. Something about a witness?”
Sarah folded her arms. “A woman saw you near an active crime scene. Late at night. Care to explain why you were there?”
Ethan shrugged. “I was walking home.”
“From where?”
“Bar. I go for walks at night sometimes.”
Lucas leaned forward. “You live in North York. That alley was in downtown Toronto.”
Ethan didn’t blink. “I like long walks.”
Lucas could feel it—something off about this guy. He was too calm, too careful with his words. But they didn’t have enough to hold him.
“Where were you the night before?” Sarah asked, changing tactics.
Ethan smiled faintly. “You don’t have anything on me, do you?”
Lucas clenched his jaw. Not yet.
“We’ll be in touch,” he said, standing.
Ethan’s smile widened. “I look forward to it.”
As they left the room, Lucas turned to Sarah. “We need to dig deeper. He’s hiding something.”
Sarah agreed. “Let’s find out what.”
Chapter Five: The Hunt for Ethan Cross
For the next 48 hours, Lucas and Sarah poured through Ethan’s past.
- No social media. No close friends.
- Frequent travel history—always near cities where murders had occurred.
- Paid cash for most things, avoiding digital footprints.
- A storage unit rented under a fake name.
Lucas’s pulse quickened. “We need a warrant for that unit.”
Hours later, they pried open the storage locker.
Inside, they found souvenirs—lockets, rings, bracelets. Each belonging to a victim.
And in the corner, a list.
A list of names.
Most were crossed out.
But the last name? Lucas Hargrove.
Lucas’s blood ran cold.
Ethan Cross wasn’t just killing at random anymore.
He had made it personal.
Now, the chase intensifies as Ethan Cross realizes the police are closing in. Let’s keep the tension high.
Chapter Six: The Trap
Lucas stared at his name on the list, the ink still fresh.
Sarah stood beside him, gripping her phone. “He’s hunting you.”
Lucas exhaled slowly. He had spent years chasing ghosts, but this was different. Ethan Cross wasn’t just running—he was playing.
They had enough for an arrest warrant. Within the hour, a SWAT team surrounded Ethan’s apartment. Lucas, clad in a bulletproof vest, waited outside as officers prepared for the breach.
3… 2… 1…
The door burst open.
Empty.
Ethan Cross was gone.
But on his kitchen counter, a note.
"Close, but not close enough. See you soon, Detective."
Lucas clenched his fists. This wasn’t just a chase anymore. This was a war.
Chapter Seven: The Chase Begins
Ethan knew they’d find the storage unit. He had planned for it.
Sitting in the back of a rented SUV, he smirked as he watched the news. The footage showed Lucas Hargrove outside his apartment, jaw tight, anger barely restrained.
Perfect.
He wasn’t done yet.
Lucas had spent years hunting him. Now, it was Ethan’s turn.
And he already knew his next move.
Chapter Eight: The Killer Strikes Back
It started with a phone call.
Lucas was back at the precinct when his phone rang. Unknown number.
He answered, expecting a tip, a lead—anything.
Instead, Ethan’s voice. Calm. Amused.
“Enjoying the game, Detective?”
Lucas shot to his feet. “Where are you?”
A soft chuckle. “So eager. I’ll make it easy for you.”
Then a muffled scream in the background.
Lucas’s chest tightened. “Who is that?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
The call ended.
Sarah was already moving. “We can trace the signal.”
But Lucas already knew—Ethan wasn’t just running.
He was setting the stage for the final act.
Chapter Nine: The Final Showdown
The warehouse was old, abandoned, and on the outskirts of the city—the perfect place for a trap.
Lucas and Sarah arrived with a tactical team, weapons drawn.
Inside, the flickering lights cast eerie shadows.
Then, a figure stepped out of the darkness.
Ethan.
He stood there, hands raised, that same eerie smirk on his face. But Lucas didn’t lower his weapon.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
Ethan’s smirk widened. “Who?”
Lucas stepped forward, finger on the trigger. “You took someone. Where is she?”
Ethan tilted his head. “You’ll find her. If you’re smart enough.”
Sarah’s radio crackled. “We found her! Basement, barely breathing.”
Lucas didn’t hesitate. He lunged, slamming Ethan against the wall.
“For thirty-five lives,” Lucas growled. “You don’t walk away from this.”
Ethan just laughed.
Low, chilling.
“I was never trying to walk away.”
Lucas frowned.
Then he saw it.
The detonator in Ethan’s hand.
A dead man’s switch.
“If I let go,” Ethan whispered, “we all go up in flames.”
Lucas’s mind raced. Ethan wanted to die—but he wanted to take them with him.
Not today.
With a single, precise move, Lucas shot him in the shoulder.
Ethan screamed, the detonator falling from his grasp. The tactical team swarmed in, securing him before he could make another move.
It was over.
After four years, The Toronto Reaper had finally been caught.
Epilogue: The Aftermath
The trial was swift. The evidence was overwhelming.
Ethan Cross was sentenced to life without parole.
As he was led away, he caught Lucas’s gaze and grinned one last time.
“This isn’t over,” he whispered.
Lucas didn’t flinch. Because for Ethan, it was.
The city could finally breathe again. The frozen trail had come to an end.
But for Lucas?
He knew there would always be another monster waiting in the dark.
And he would be ready.
1 comment:
love it, great for sleepin
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