Chapter 16 Bars #2
She finally looks at me, eyes tired. “You don’t get it.
You think this is normal but it’s not. Every case I’ve worked on, there was something.
A thread the killer forgot to cut. But this one?
There’s nothing. And I’m telling you now, it’s not gonna be easy for you.
” She glances at the other officers in the room before her eyes fall back on me.
“They’re tired. Burnt out. We’ve tried everything. Nothing.”
“Then you search again,” I say simply. “And if you don’t find anything you search again. And again. And again. How do you think I solved every case I’ve worked on? I didn’t whine. I didn’t stop. I searched. Because that’s the job.”
“We’ve done that,” she bites back. “We went to the club more than once. We spoke to every eyewitness. We followed every lead. Still nothing. Even with what little we got, it led us nowhere.” She sighs hard.
“So I’m not asking you. I’m telling you.
This is the hardest case you’ll ever get and that’s if you solve it. ”
I lean back, arms crossed, sipping my coffee.
“I’ve never taken a case I didn’t solve.
America. Haiti. Colombia. Countries with bloodier streets and smarter killers than here.
All those criminals are behind bars now.
And you’re trying to tell me that a little case in Jamaica will be my undoing?
” I pause, meeting her eyes. “Do you even realize who you’re talking to, Officer Rachel? ”
She sighs again, rubbing her temples. “Okay, Detective. When are you taking over this case?”
“Anytime you’re ready.”
She doesn’t hesitate. She slides the entire folder across the table. “I’m ready now. I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep in weeks.”
“Word.” I lean in, opening the case file. I start reading.
A few pages in, I furrow my brow. “This shooting happened in October and Carlos Perez is still missing?”
Rachel nods. “Yes. Presumed dead, and we’re getting new cases almost every week. We’re overwhelmed. Just last week, a Don from Flankers was shot and killed in Spanish Town around 2AM residents only heard the shots.”
“No eyewitnesses?” I ask.
“Some. But useless,” she replies, handing me another file.
I flip through it. Then pause. Something catches my eye. “Let me guess, black pullover and face covered?” I say.
She nods. “Every time.”
I nod slowly, thoughts aligning. “What if it’s the same person or the same group behind all of this? The shooting in Constant Spring, the Don in Spanish Town… both eyewitnesses describe the same look.”
Rachel raises a brow. “You’re a genius.”
I smirk. “I know. And I’m going to take my time with these two cases. I’ll go deeper. Look for patterns.”
She chuckles. “Okay, Detective.”
Just then, we hear a loud noise outside someone arguing. A woman’s voice. I ignore it. I stay focused. “Adonis,” I mutter, reading the name from the file. I spin my chair and close my eyes for a moment.
“Why would you drive all the way from St. James to Spanish Town at 2AM? What was your motive? Who is your killer? Did they expect you?” I speak out loud, thinking.
I buzz Rachel again. “Yes, sir?”
“Find everything you can on this Adonis person,” I say, handing her the file.
“Right away.” She heads out. I’m still turning over questions in my mind when she returns minutes later.
“We’re working on that, but we just got a new report. A woman says seven persons were shot, five confirmed dead.”
My eyes narrow. “When was this?”
“She says yesterday.”
“And she’s just showing up now?”
Rachel nods. “Weird but yeah.” Spanish Town again. Seems like our killer never left.
“Get her,” I say.
Three minutes later, Rachel returns with a woman. She’s slow, limping slightly, and nervous. Rachel locks the door behind her. “Good morning, Officer,” the woman greets softly.
“Morning. Have a seat,” I reply, offering a kind nod.
“I’m Detective Mario. Can I have your name and your statement?”
She nods quickly. “Mi name is Lisa… and mi did inna the yard when the gunman shot up the youth dem. Mi never see everything, cause mi did deh round the back a wash, but mi see when him a run down Danny and kill him in front mi.”
I nod, scribbling notes. “Describe him,” I ask.
“Mi couldn’t see him face, him cover everything. But him did tall.” Useless description. Completely covered? Typical.
“Was he alone?” She nods. “And he took out all of them by himself?” She nods again.
Ruthless. Efficient. Brave. This wasn’t just a regular shooter.
“Was he wearing a hoodie and ski mask?” I ask.
“Yeah. Him did inna dat.”
Bingo. Same M.O.
“Yuh know of him?” she asks, eyes narrowing.
“No. But I believe he’s the same man responsible for the other two cases. And he’s smart. Careful. He plans this.”
She nods slowly. “Him know wah him a do.”
“Did he touch anything? Leave any prints?”
She shakes her head. “No sir. Him did have on gloves.”
I put a hand to my chin. Wow. Just wow. “Why did you report it today?”
“Mi did get shot inna mi foot, and mi did deh hospital. Mi fraid fi come out late… so when daylight come, mi reach here.”
I nod. “You said seven persons shot. You told me five dead. That’s six. Who’s the seventh?”
“Lorie… the girl weh work a the bar. She did deh talk to him.”
My brow arches. “Is she dead?”
“No sir. She get shot inna her foot, and har head lick but she alive.”
Good. “Where is she now?”
“Hospitalized.”
I nod. “I need to speak to her as soon as she’s stable. She might be our missing link.”
I close the file slowly. Whoever this killer is, he’s good. Scary good. But I’m better. And I’m going to find this bastard and lock him behind bars once and for all!