Chapter 5 : anonymous

Samantha and Jake spent the next few days poring over every piece of evidence they had gathered so far, looking for any connections or patterns they may have missed. They spoke to witnesses again, combed through surveillance footage, and even consulted with experts in various fields to try and identify the symbol carved into the victim's chest.

Despite their best efforts, the case was still a maze of dead ends and unanswered questions. Samantha was beginning to feel frustrated and discouraged, but she refused to give up. She knew that somewhere out there, there was a clue or piece of information that could break the case wide open.

One afternoon, Samantha received a call from an anonymous tipster claiming to have information on the case. She arranged to meet the tipster in a secluded park on the outskirts of town, bringing Jake with her for backup.

As they waited at the designated spot, Samantha's nerves were on edge. She didn't know who this tipster was or what their intentions were, and the eerie silence of the park only added to her unease.

Finally, a figure emerged from the trees, walking slowly towards them. As they got closer, Samantha saw that it was a woman, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a hood that obscured her face.

"I have information about the symbol," the woman said in a low voice, holding out a piece of paper. "But it comes at a cost."

Samantha and Jake exchanged a look. They had dealt with informants before, but this one seemed different - more ominous, somehow.

"What kind of cost?" Samantha asked, warily.

"Your silence," the woman said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You will take this information and use it to solve the case, but you will not reveal where you got it. You will keep my identity a secret, or face the consequences."

Samantha's mind raced. She didn't like the sound of this, but if the information was good, it could be the break they needed to crack the case.

"Fine," she said, taking the paper. "But we need to know if this is legit. How do we know you're not just feeding us a load of crap?"

The woman paused for a moment, then lifted her hood, revealing her face. Samantha gasped in shock - it was the victim's sister, whom they had interviewed in the early days of the investigation.

"I've been following you," the woman said, her eyes intense. "Watching your every move. I know that you're the only ones who can solve this case. But I also know that you're getting too close to the truth - and that's dangerous."

Samantha felt a chill run down her spine. The woman's words were cryptic and unsettling, but she couldn't deny the feeling that they were onto something.

"What's the information?" she asked, her voice low.

The woman leaned in closer, her eyes glittering with intensity. "The symbol," she said. "It's an ancient rune, used in a ritual to summon a powerful entity. But it requires a sacrifice - a life, given willingly. That's what the killer is after, Samantha. He's trying to summon this entity, and he's willing to kill as many people as it takes to do it."

Samantha felt a surge of adrenaline. This was it - the break they had been waiting for. She thanked the woman, promising to keep her identity a secret, and rushed back to the precinct with Jake.

As they reviewed the information, Samantha's mind raced. They now had a motive for the killings - the summoning of some dark entity, using an ancient and powerful ritual. But who was behind it? And how could they stop them before it was too late?

To be continued...