"I'm going to take that vacation I need once this case is over." Max had come to this conclusion after everything that had happened today.
The owner of the music shop was so frightened that she covered her mouth and nodded vigorously.
Jane looked at Larry in shock. She hadn't expected him to say something like that. One had to be careful—any word could be misinterpreted, the media would twist the story, and that made the police investigation much more difficult.
That was the very reason Jack's special unit had been formed, handling the most brutal murder cases—cases that could shift the entire atmosphere of a city.
A police officer knocked on the door and handed Larry a photograph along with Anna's toothbrush. Even if the deceased had already been identified, they still had to compare them to be absolutely certain there was no mistake.
"Did you find anything else at Amber's house?"
The officer shook his head.
"All agents are tied up. We helped collect the few belongings left. If you can contact her family, have them come and pick them up."
After that, the man left. Both Larry's and Jane's phones buzzed at the same time. Each of them had received an email: a logistics update and the case file.
Larry skimmed through it quickly without saying a word.
Jane was still trying to process what Larry had just said.
Who would be next?
"You're saying this killer is planning to murder again?" Jane finally asked, pushing aside all other thoughts.
"Yes, it's very likely."
After saying that, Larry continued: "From Victim A, Amber, to Victim B, Anna, the killer's methods have improved significantly. And considering how long he's stayed inactive, the chances of him striking again are very high!"
"But with our large-scale investigation and search, isn't he afraid of getting caught?"
Larry shook his head and looked at Jane, who seemed confused. This case was nothing like the Death Judge one. "Right now you're running a census, not conducting a criminal investigation. The pedestrian street is a key security zone, with plenty of police patrols every single day, right?"
"Yes… you're right. We don't have any leads or know who the killer is, but we have to do something! At the very least, we should be able to stop him before he kills again, don't you think?"
Perhaps because both victims so far were women, Jane was taking the investigation more personally. The waiting, the uncertainty, was terrifying—more unbearable even than the previous family massacre.
"Stop him before he commits another crime?" Larry shook his head and replied with a trace of irony: "We can't. There's very little we can do. All we can do is move forward carefully and not miss a single detail in the investigation."
Jane glared at him with frustration, as if he didn't care at all about the victims. Suddenly, she turned and looked him straight in the eyes: "This job has completely consumed you. Don't you even look at yourself? In the face of such cruelty, you're completely indifferent!"
Larry stepped closer to her and, making sure no one else could hear, asked coldly: "What do you expect me to do? Tell me—should I join you in your feeling of helplessness? We're agents. Our emotions aren't supposed to surface."
"I told you the first time we met—you're not cut out for this job. I know you could excel elsewhere, so why come here?"
Jane froze for a moment. "You're twisting my words. A serial killer like this, acting with impunity—do you really think the smartest thing to do is wait until he kills again just so we can catch him? Do you hear yourself?"
Larry shook his head. "We all give our best in every case. We're professionals. But anger, complaints, and impulsiveness don't help the case move forward at all."
"This profession exposes you to the darkest side of society every single day. If you're still clinging to innocent notions of good and justice, then you're not meant for this line of work." Without paying further attention to Jane, who was visibly upset, Larry walked out of the massage parlor.
Jane was too emotional. Larry had noticed that about her from the very beginning. Beauty wasn't a flaw, but clinging to cases they would eventually have to abandon was harmful—both to her and to the work.
Such exaggerated emotional reactions could easily lead to serious mistakes on the job. Larry's words always carried the intention of encouraging her, of trying to shift her mindset.
…
When he stepped outside, the sky was already darkening.
"Let's wrap it up. You can all go home and rest. Tomorrow will be a very important day for the investigation, and I need everyone at full strength." Larry got into his car and drove away from those streets.
But his mind was elsewhere—on his next victim.
Yes, he would kill again.
His show was only beginning. There was still so much left to do. It was only a matter of time before the next phase of his plan began.
Unfortunately, this case was draining too much of his time and energy. If he didn't want to be discovered, he would have to act faster.