When Black Becomes Dark

His heart quickened and his nostrils flared as he caught the smell of blood from where he’d struck her temple. Nothing satisfied him as much as watching them cower as they begged for their lives.

Anticipation roared through him as he brought the clean blade towards her throat.

“Bitch” he screamed as her nail caught his cheeks under his eye. How dare she defy him, he thought as he moved the blade across her throat like butter.

He watched as her blood spurted on his face and clothes. A crimson splatter catching his eye as it landed on the wall. Pausing momentarily he admired his artwork before continuing his knife strokes until she was consumed by an endless black oblivion.

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April caught sight of another murder on her newsfeed. Was no one safe in this town anymore.

“Move it, break's over.” Her boss growled

Making her way to clean her tables after the lunch rush she noticed a small, non descript, black notebook sitting on one table.

Without thought she scooped it into her apron’s pocket, sure the owner would return to retrieve it when he realised he’d left it behind.

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Detective Feller studied the crime scene where forensics were combing the area.

“He’s good.” He grumbled to his partner. “Never leaves a trace of himself anywhere. That’s eight bodies and zero DNA!”

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Her shift finished for the day, April untied her apron realising the notebook still sat in its pocket. Opening the notebook she was sure there would be some clue as to its owner. Instead she found herself reading gibberish. She could make out some names of locations and vague descriptions but the rest was what looked like another language with random notes scrawled across the pages.

As she pondered the words the shrill alarm of her phone sounded reminding her she was going to be late for her class if she didn’t get a move on. Dropping the notebook into her bag she grabbed her keys and headed out.

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He’d been a damn fool leaving that notebook in the cafe…careless. Oh, well, little did it matter to him. He was sure no one would be able to decipher it anyway. He’s eye caught sight of her in the shop and he licked his lips in anticipation. Not long now and we’ll be together for our interlude.

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In class April’s hand reached for her laptop, landing on the small black notebook. Curiously she set it on her desk and began flipping through the pages as she pretended to listen to her professor. Something struck her as she read over each page again and again. It was written in code and breaking codes was something that came naturally to her. From youth spent with her military father.

The next hour of class was spent deciphering each excruciating piece of the puzzle and although she had barely made a dent in comprehending its contents she was beginning to see a common theme.

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Feller’s phone buzzed, it was the coroner. “We got him, he must of got clumsy this time because there’s blood under one of her finger nails, the bleach he used to clean it up didn’t do the job and I’ve managed to get us a sample. You hear me Feller? We’ve got enough for some DNA!”

“Good job Jack, good job. Now hopefully we can sink this sucker.” Feller’s optimism wasn’t running as high as his co-worker’s, he knew the DNA was only the starting point. They still had to catch this guy.

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Back home April fired up her laptop to search the news. A tiny thought had entered her mind as she’d driven home from class. A link between what she’d been reading in the notebook and the news article from this morning. The locations where the same. Article after news article, eight articles, eight locations of where the bodies had been found; all matching the locations in the notebook.

Blood rushed to her head as the reality of what she was reading hit her. This was no coincidence but she didn’t have enough to go to the police just yet. She had a long night ahead of her.

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He watched her through her window as she busied herself with her nighttime routine. Routine was where they all went wrong, so predictable, so easy to anticipate, so easy to capture them through their silly routines

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It had been another sleepless night going over the case and getting no where when Feller’s phoned dinged with a message. The message from his partner said they had a lead, woman named April who’d called the station earlier that morning. But it was what his partner sent next that really garnered his attention, an image of hand written notes most making no sense, followed by a second image written in neat, precise handwriting that explained exactly what the nonesense in the first image read.

He hit the call button. “Is this correct?” His voice carried over the phone in a high pitch portraying his building anxiety. “Tell me what I just saw is real?? Did this lady just send us the exact location of his next kill? Are we finally going to get this guy?”

“Its kosher. She found the notebook at the cafe where she works. She’s some law student who breaks codes in her spare time and stayed up last night cracking it. She’s due to meet us at the station later this morning after she’s finished her shift.” Feller could hear his partner’s smile through the phone. Hellelujiah, with this and the DNA they actually had a chance of nabbing this guy.

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After watching her last night he knew he’d chosen well. She was going to fit in nicely with his collection. He rose early to make his way to her house and watch her prepare for work, her routine of showering, breakfast and walking to work unchanged just as her early shift every Wednesday could be counted on. He hummed to himself as he kept his distance, today was the day when she would meet her destiny.

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April’s work morning flowed quickly, lucky for her it was only a short shift because she had her appointment with a Detective Feller after she finished. She wondered what he was like? Was he an old school guy who would he dismiss her findings as silly and inconsequential? Or would he see, like she did, that she had only just begun to uncover the code but given time she could decipher it all and they would have their killer.

Ten minutes before she was due to finish her manager called out to her. “April, I need you to deposit these takings at the bank for me.”

“But I have an appointment.” Her reply was flustered, why couldn’t he do it the lazy sod. He always left it to the last minute.

“No, I need this done today, money’s gotta be in the bank ready for wages tomorrow.” Seeing her expression he continued, “It’ll only take a minute and you can leave early to make up the time.” He’s tone sweeten.

“Okay, hand me the bag.” She grabbed the cash bag and shoved it into her handbag in a rush, heading out the door. She couldn’t be late for the detective.

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Her abrupt appearance startled him, she’d left early. Not to worry, he would move his plans forward, he was nothing if not flexible. He moved the car into position and got out just as she approached. In one swift movement he had jabbed the needle into her arm and moved her limp form through the open door into the car. She slumped down as he positioned her body to a realistic sleeping position. Threw her bag into the car and proceeded to drive away.

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Pacing the room Feller directed his anger towards his partner. “Where the hell is she? You said eleven, that was over an hour ago. What kind of game is this woman playing? Try calling her again.”

He watched as his partner’s thick fingers hit the numbers on the phone and listened as he once again left another message. “I don’t know Feller, she seemed legit when I spoke with her this morning, let’s just give her another few minutes.” He repeated.

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He’d heard her phone ring a few times while driving her to his remote cabin. Still unconscious in the back she hadn’t stirred. He grabbed her bag, riffling though in search on her phone, instead coming across the cash bag from the cafe.

What a haul, twenty thousand dollars!! What on earth was this girl doing with so much money on her. Oh well… didn’t matter, it was his now.

His eye caught something else lurking in the bottom of her hand bag underneath where the cash bag had been, the black cover of his notebook with some papers in her small tight handwriting tucked inside the cover. Clever little girl, he thought, too clever.

Well, it sure was his lucky day, he shoved the notebook into the car’s glove compartment and started scrolling through her phone to check her messages.

Three missed calls, all from the local sherif’s office. Replaying the messages he suddenly understood how close he’d come to having all his hard work undone.

How ironic that this victim was going to be the one to bring him down and here she was in his possession. If only she’d arranged to meet the detective earlier or deciphered enough of his code to realise this was the morning he’d planned to strike.

They would’ve caught him, he would have been in handcuffs right this minute in an interrogation room trying to explain the exquisite beauty of his work.

Chuckling to himself at his good fortune he disabled her phone and began the process of removing her unconscious body from the car.

It was time to dance.