Chapter 6: A Lead

Gunther's office, now a crime scene.

The forensics team moved swiftly, cameras flashing as they documented every inch of the room. Investigators dusted for prints, bagging potential evidence while Gunther's lifeless body was zipped into a black bag.

Just as they were about to move him, a faint buzzing sound broke through the murmurs of the crime scene.

Dale's head snapped toward the source…the body.

"Hold on" he said as he walked towards the body being carried away.

He strode over, reaching into Gunther's pocket, and pulled out a phone. The screen lit up with a single notification:

"Sent" — from an unknown number.

"What did you find?"

Dale looked up as the Chief approached.

Chief Howard Bennett was a man who commanded respect the moment he stepped into a room. Standing at 6 feet tall with a sturdy build, he had the presence of someone who had seen it all and endured worse. His sharp, graying hair was always neatly combed back, a contrast to the deep lines etched into his weathered face, each one a testament to years spent chasing criminals and navigating the politics of law enforcement.

His piercing blue eyes missed nothing, scanning a crime scene or a suspect's face with the precision of a seasoned hunter. A deep, gravelly voice added weight to his words, making every order sound final. He dressed in crisp suits, preferring dark colors that matched the no-nonsense attitude he carried.

Despite his tough exterior, Chief Bennett wasn't just a man of authority, he was a man of principle. He believed in justice, even when the system made it difficult. Though he rarely showed emotion, those who worked under him knew he had their backs. Beneath the hardened shell was a man who had sacrificed more than he cared to admit for the city he swore to protect.

He walked towards Dale, his sharp gaze scanning the device in Dale's hand.

Wordlessly, Dale handed it over. The Chief slid on a pair of gloves and examined the phone, attempting to unlock it.

A password.

The Chief exhaled, handing it back. "Take this to Jack. He'll know what to do."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, already giving orders to the team.

Joe sauntered over, shaking his head. "Man, you just got us a case."

Dale smirked. "It's always fun investigating."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Joe muttered, before his eyes landed on the phone. "That Gunther's?"

"Yeah," Dale confirmed, slipping it into a ziploc bag. "I'm taking it to Jack to crack it open. I knew Gunther was never up to any good."

Joe nodded. "Alright, I'll meet you back at the station. We've got work to do."

Dale gave one last scan of the room, letting the details settle in his mind, then turned and walked out.

Next stop…Jack.

Dale got into his car and started the engine, pulling onto the dimly lit road toward Jack's place. His mind was busy piecing together the crime scene, but before he could fully immerse himself in thought, his phone rang through the car's Bluetooth.

He glanced at the screen. Jane.

With a deep sigh, he hesitated before finally answering.

"Hey," he muttered, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter, already regretting picking up.

"Hey, boo boo!" Jane's overly excited voice filled the car.

Dale clenched his jaw. "What do you want?"

Jane let out a dramatic sigh. "I don't like your tone. I haven't heard from you since last night, so I wanted to check up on my boo."

"Well, I'm fine," Dale said flatly. "And I'm kinda busy right now."

"Aww, alright, my boo boo. I know you love your work. I'll come over later and cook something special."

Dale exhaled sharply. "I'm not coming home tonight… I'm, uh, working."

A brief silence.

Then, in a playful, sultry tone, Jane purred, "Well, whenever you do come home, I'll still cook something special for you. And then, you can eat me after."

Dale's face twisted in disgust.

"I'll talk to you later. Bye."

He quickly ended the call before she could say anything else.

Shaking his head, he muttered to himself, "Where the hell did I meet this nutjob?"

He pressed down on the gas, eager to shift his focus back to something that actually mattered.

****************

Dale finally arrived at Jack's place, a quiet home in a peaceful neighborhood. He stepped onto the front porch and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" a female voice called out as footsteps approached from inside.

When the door opened, a petite woman stood before him. She had striking hazel eyes, her hair gathered into a messy bun, and she wore a casual outfit partially covered by an apron.

"Hi," Dale said, momentarily captivated by her gaze.

"That's my wife, bro," Jack's voice came from behind her as he descended the stairs.

Dale smirked. "Hey, man." The two men dapped each other .

"Honey, this is an old colleague, Dale," Jack said, nodding toward him.

"Nice to meet you, Dale," she said warmly.

"Nice to meet you too," he replied with a small smile.

"I'll be in the kitchen," she said before disappearing, leaving the two men alone.

Dale stepped inside, taking in the cozy atmosphere. "You've got a nice place," he said as Jack shut the door behind him.

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, man. We like it. So, what brings you here?"

Dale's expression grew serious. "Chief sent me. We've got a new case… a murder case."

Jack's brows furrowed. "Murder?"

Dale nodded. "Gunther's dead."

. "Gunther? No way."

Jack's face darkened with confusion.

"Gunther's dead?" he repeated, disbelief lacing his tone.

Dale nodded. "Yeah. Found in his office. Blunt force trauma, someone really wanted him gone."

Jack let out a low whistle, running a hand through his short hair. "Damn. I knew he had enemies, but I didn't think anyone would actually take him out."

Dale pulled out the phone from his jacket pocket and held it up. "This buzzed in his pocket. Last message was from an unknown number."

Jack's eyes locked onto the device. "You need me to crack it?"

"That's why I'm here."

Jack sighed and motioned for Dale to follow him into his home office. It was a small but well-organized space, filled with monitors, keyboards, and wires tangled in what only a tech expert could understand. He sat at his desk, flexed his fingers, and grabbed a USB cable.

"Let's see what secrets Gunther was keeping," Jack muttered as he plugged the phone into his system.

Dale leaned against the desk, arms crossed. "Think you can get in?"

Jack smirked. "You doubt me?"

The screen lit up with code, scrolling faster than Dale could follow. Jack's fingers flew across the keyboard, bypassing security protocols with ease. After a few minutes, a progress bar popped up.

"Give me a few more minutes," Jack said. "This thing's got some decent encryption."

Dale nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities. Gunther was well-connected, whatever was on that phone could blow this case wide open.

Gunther's phone password was finally cracked.

"Here you go," Jack said, handing the phone back to Dale.

Dale took it and immediately opened the messaging app. He scrolled to the recent text from the unknown number and tapped on it.

There was a receipt attached to the message. The only text accompanying it was: "Sent."

Dale opened the receipt, his eyes widening in shock.

"1.5 million dollars…" he muttered under his breath.

Jack, noticing Dale's reaction, leaned in. "What?"

Ignoring him, Dale continued scrolling through the chat.

Gunther had sent photos, pictures of young girls. They looked terrified, disheveled, and forced to pose for the camera. The messages confirmed the worst: Gunther had been trafficking them. And the unknown number had just purchased one.

Dale's stomach churned. He exited the chat and checked other messages. More receipts. More transactions. Large sums of money changing hands.

Jack, growing impatient, asked again, "What did you find, man?"

Dale exhaled sharply, gripping the phone tighter. "Gunther's worse than we thought."

Jack's face darkened. "How bad?"

Dale looked up, his expression grim. "He was selling young girls."

"What the…" Jack muttered, standing up and walking closer to get a look at the phone.

"Any clue where he kept them?" Jack asked.

"No, I'm still looking," Dale said, scrolling through more messages and images.

"This is messed up, man," Jack said, shaking his head.

Dale continued searching until he found something, a photo. It showed Gunther posing in front of an abandoned warehouse. The place looked run-down, isolated.

"This could be it," Dale said, narrowing his eyes at the image.

"You think that's where he kept them?" Jack asked.

"It's our best lead," Dale replied as he locked the phone. "I'm taking this back to the station."

"Alright, man," Jack said, walking him to the door.

"I'll hit you up later," Dale said, stepping out and heading back to his car.