QR Code Murders: On the Streets

“Chief, she’s just a kid,” Kelly’s voice clanged at the end. “She tied the QR Codes to graffiti across town. She’s no pro but she could be a big boost for us.”

Chief Tilling Cormac, fifty six, ran his hand over his salt and pepper waves.

“Alright, Jergensen. Get her a vest at least. This is still Wilmington.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want you to wear this,” Kim said.

“I’m not wearing that,” Yawquisha replied.

“Okay my boss wants you to wear this so therefore you’re wearing it.” The two women stood in the bathroom stall of a deli. Yawquisha strapped the vest on and heard the velcro make that classic swish sound.

“There. Don’t you feel safe like me, now?”

Yawquisha rolled her eyes and smirked.

On the road, Yawquisha was once again glued to her smartphone. She understood a breakthrough in the case of the rapper slain just the night before.

“His rap name was Young Hooded One but his real name was Tylavius Butler. He was nineteen. Same story. Bicep tat. you saw it at the scene. I just hope we can literally find the writing on the wall to connect his murder with the others. How many suspects do we have?”

“Ungh-huh, young lady. I ask the questions.”

“Do you want to solve these lost lives or what? How did I even get in this car? Shouldn’t I be at home?”

“Now you pelt me with questions. Okay, okay. We have a few leads and some POI but no solid suspects or witnesses. That’s why you’re with me to get information out of the locals. You're in this car because you’re going to have a better understanding of law enforcement and replace me one day.”

“Oh, no. I’m incognito. I’d like to stay that way.”

“You say that now, but once you get some stars on your shoulders….”

“Is that what you want?”

“Again with the questions…okay…yeah, sure in about fifteen years I should be off the streets and taking press questions. Maybe you could be a reporter if you don’t want to be a cop.”

“I like my station just fine. I’m under the radar and stealth. I make good bank off of my work online so there’s no issue there.”

“True.”

The car rolled up to the scene where yellow police tape tangled in the wind like dandelions.

“I want you to stay back a bit,” Kim instructed.

Yawquisha nodded her head in agreement.

Then, Kim leapt forward and knocked Yawwuisha down. A crack from a pistol broke the peace of the daylight hours. She fired back and then looked at Yawquisha. Not a scratch.

“I’ve got a 10-71. No victims on East Eleventh Street. Suspect still on foot headed west.”

“Copy.”

Kim brought them both to their feet.

“That could have come in handy, no?”

Yawquisha caught her breath.

“Goddamnit! The same place and we didn’t get him. At least it probably was the same. You know ‘return to the scene of the crime’ and all that. It’s true.”

Yawquisha shrugged.

“C’mon. we might be able to catch the son of a bitch.”

Back on the road the taste of carbon remained on Kim’s tongue. Her firearm had not been hot in close to three years. Ever since her promotion, she’d been on desk duty and filling out paperwork. Now, with this latest string of hits, she was ready and raring to keep on the streets. Yawquisha looked out the window. Kim drove quickly but cautiously.

“He probably ducked into one of these alleys or apartments. I’m betting he probably has a traphouse to hide in just in case something like this happened.”

Yawquisha typed furiously on her phone. She posted the yellow tape and the back of Kim’s figure perfectly aligned and firing with the right stance. She obscured her face to keep her anonymous as much as she could as well.

“Alright. We lost the bastard. Note that in your vlog tonight.”