Chapter 2: Clues found near death

POLICE STATION

LIEUTENANT'S OFFICE

"I guess I'll give it a try, but I'm not someone who can force him to help me. Heavens, Dad, why did you delegate your position as lieutenant to me when you retired?" Shina said to herself as she leafed through the data Robert had sent her to review.

As Shina looked at the data, she realized one thing: the killer targets wealthy people, but afterward, there is no information about the victim as if it had been erased from everywhere.

But then the door to her office rang.

"Come in," said Shina as she continued to browse the data.

"I see you're busy, lieutenant," said the guy who had entered Shina's office, but she was surprised because she recognized the voice of that guy.

"Nico? What are you doing here?" says Shina surprised because she didn't expect him to come.

Nico explains to Shina that he came to help her with the serial killer case and that Nahir will also help them from the computer thanks to her access to all the city's cameras and information also thanks to her uncle's contacts.

Shina becomes happy and thanks him for his help. As time passed, Shina showed him all the files and data they had on the corpses, and also told him what she discovered.

"So he kills people with money, but then the information about those victims disappears as if they never existed, right?" says Nico as he looks at some photos of the victims.

"Yes, it's weird, but so far it's the only thing I noticed," says Shina as she sits at her desk, but then Robert arrives at her office and is surprised to see Nico, who greets him.

"What's going on, Robert?" asks Shina as she sees Robert handing her something.

"This is the information on yesterday's corpses," replies Robert as he sits in the chair in front of Shina.

"Thank you, Robert, but tell me, were they able to find—" Shina didn't finish speaking because Nico said something that interrupted her, but he didn't say it to her or to Robert, who were looking at him, and they saw him take out his phone and call his sister putting her on speaker.

"What's up, brother?" Nahir said as she was heard on the computer.

"Nahir, I need you to look up the name Calahan Alarcón," says Nico as he signals to Shina to pass him a map she had of the city where the murder locations were also marked.

"I already found it, brother. Here it says Calahan Alarcón is a businessman and billionaire born in Brooklyn, but now he lives in New York," says Nahir, surprising Robert with the great ease and speed with which she found the information.

"Thanks, Nahir. Now tell me, will this guy have a party or an inauguration or something like that?" Nico asks as he looks at Shina, who already understood why they were investigating that person.

"Let me see… yes, he will have an event at a venue near the Statue of Liberty," Nahir replies, to which Nico marks the place on the map and then shows it to Shina.

"Thanks, Nahir, and one thing, could you find a way for both Shina and me to get into the event anyway?" says Nico as he sees how surprised Robert is by what he said.

"Alright, I'll take care of it. See you later, brother," Nahir says, ending the call.

"Well, now do you want to explain what all that was?" says Robert as he looks at Nico, who sat in the chair next to the investigation.

"Well, let's say I found the next victim of the killer," says Nico, surprising Robert except for Shina, who knew that beforehand when she saw him call his sister, but before Robert could say anything, Nico interrupted him.

"Calahan Alarcón, as my sister said, is a businessman and billionaire. If we take into account what you said, lieutenant, the killer will murder Mr. Calahan following the order," says Nico, looking with a smile at both of them who were surprised at how he deduced that just by hearing Shina's theory about the murders.

"What order?" asks Shina as she places the map on her desk besides sitting in her chair staring at Nico intently.

"The order of the billionaires in New York. So far, there have been three billionaires killed since this serial killer started in two thousand eight," says Nico before standing up and pointing something out on the map.

"Forensic doctor Robert William, remember who the people were who died in the year two thousand eleven, two thousand twelve, and two thousand thirteen in this same place," says Nico pointing to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of New York.

"Yes, I remember. Those people were… it can't be," says Robert as he opens his eyes wide with realization.

"That's right. Harry Lastrón, a billionaire, was murdered in two thousand eleven, then Joanna Madison, a foreigner and billionaire by her father's descent, was found murdered and raped in two thousand twelve, and finally Marcos Dominick, a billionaire and businessman, was murdered in two thousand thirteen," says Nico as he shows the photos to the lieutenant and Robert.

"After that, no other billionaire was murdered in New York for one simple reason: this killer waited for Calahan to return from abroad to kill him," Nico adds before sitting back down.

"Goodness, I don't think even our best detectives would have discovered that," says Robert as he sits down.

"See, Robert, I told you I needed Nico to help me," says Shina with a smile.

"Leaving that aside, lieutenant, my sister managed to get us into the event, so it's better if you have elegant clothes for tonight," says Nico with a smile as he looks at Shina.

"Since it's an event with security, surely some undercover police officers will also be there, right?" says Robert as he gets up to leave.

"Most likely. Alright, Nico, I'll pick you up at eight," says Shina as she looks at Nico, who also gets up.

"Alright, see you later, lieutenant," says Nico as he leaves.

"I don't care if I have to risk an innocent person because I'm going to find you wherever you are. The game has just begun, killer," says Nico to himself as he leaves the police station, but as he left, he felt as if someone were watching him from afar.

And that was true; a hooded person was watching him from the top of a building.

"I see you've come back for revenge, Nicolas Schneider. Alright, I'll have fun with you after killing Mr. Calahan, hehe," said that person before disappearing as if nothing from the building.

Thanks to Nico, the lieutenant knows who the next target of the serial killer will be, who now also knows that Nicolas Schneider, the son of the detective he killed, has returned to the game to catch him and avenge what he did.