- Eric investigates the murder of Mark Winston, a student found shot dead at a house. At the scene, Eric notices the four gunshot wounds on Mark's chest appear to form the letter 'Z'.
- Earlier, Eric received a mysterious phone call from someone named George directing him to the house. Eric traces the call to a student named Mark at the local university.
- Eric discovers Mark's mother Martha was Eric's wife Catherine's childhood friend, and she was previously married to a man named Liam. Eric realizes they may be dealing with a serial killer leaving their signature by forming letters with gunshot wounds on the victims.
2. Chapter three/The Letter ‘Z’
Margery drove her Chevy back to White Field all alone. It’s almost
seventeen kilo meters from Saint Field. The air there stinks with human blood
and robberies. White Field is a fertilized land for notorious beasts. But, she
lived far from the city in a small house surrounded with lawyers and ex-
military. Her husband, Eric’s father, Gregory Mathews was in the army. He
died of a heart disease when Eric was nineteen years old.
The chicken pox began to heal after doctor Andrea consulted him again.
He’ll soon be able to play marbles with Mike and Jenny. Catherine read
stories of pirates and sea monsters to Ben at evening. He likes the way she
narrates them. He never knew his birth mom but he didn’t want to call her
his mommy. She was really upset and worried at the beginning about it. But
then, she realized he likes her as a step-mom.
Eric went through the pages, evidences and witness reports. His head
was heavy thinking through almost every point of possibilities who the
suspect would be. Another homicide will clearly depict a way to understand
who might really be. Catherine brought coffee and kept in on the table.
‘You should see Ridha. Ask some usual questions and lead to the incident
slowly. See if she had seen something strange’ Eric wasn’t thinking at all.
‘She didn’t see anything. If she did, she would’ve already told her mom
about that’ Catherine rose furious.
‘Do you recall anything suspicious when you went to the store last time?’
‘I don’t think Rick had a part. If that man went to their store and fired a shot,
he might only be a normal burglar. But, he shot a little kid just after that. That
means he is not. You must find William, his brother’
‘I know him. He used to sell marijuana to the boys behind the store. He was
caught once. He hadn’t sold anything yet, or that’s what I remember’
Catherine’s phone started ringing. It was anonymous number. ‘Hello’
‘Hey, is this Gregory house?’ A manly voice with a fake deep sound.
‘Yes, who is this?’
‘My name is George. I would like to speak with Mr. Gregory’
‘Honey’ holding the mic covered ‘it’s for you’
‘Hello, who is this?’ Eric took the phone.
‘House no.85, 42nd
street, I have a surprise for ya’
‘Who are you’ Eric said in a firm tone and turned the speaker on.
‘My name is George as I said to your darling. Now, come to the 42nd
street,
house no. 85 and look for the surprise’ The call ended.
They both stared at each other shocked. ‘Is it a threat?’ Catherine asked.
‘I’ve got to find out. You stay here shut the doors lock and there’s a gun in
the drawer just in case’ Eric took his badge and put on the uniform.
‘Wait where are you going? Don’t go there. It’d be a trap. Please honey’ She
was all worried. If he is the killer, then Eric would end up in there.
3. ‘No, I’m heading to the office. I’ll trace this number and find out the guy’ Eric
rushed out. Catherine locked the doors and took the gun from the drawer.
She went straight to Ben and sat next to him on the bed. He was asleep.
‘Sir, it’s a student. Name, Mark Winston, 23. He’s a student in Father
Jeremy, F J University’ Phil told Eric.
‘It’s where Farra takes classes’
‘You two, with me. Let’s find out what he got’ both Phil and John went with
him.
‘Hey, John. What do you think he’s got over there?’ Eric asked the officer
driving.
‘I can’t think a way how did he get your wife’s number. And also, he could
not be the killer. He has no past records. Or, if it’s the situation, then he might
be with the killer’
‘Yeah. That’s what I was thinking’ Phil said.
‘You boys ready to invade? This could be it’ Eric concluded.
They were in total silent until they arrived at 42nd
.
‘Keep it low, turn the lights off’ Said Erik.
They rolled down slowly to 84 and stopped there. Got out of the vehicle
moved swiftly towards 85th
door step. Phil stepped near the window and
leaned slightly. The music was playing and the fireplace was on. He turned
to the other side and saw a shoe laying on the floor. Suddenly a leg appeared
near the shoe. The man was laying down there too. He was trying to get up.
Phil can’t clear see the rest of the leg but that man fell down as he tried. Phil
signalled Eric to go inside. With a kick on the door knob, the door cracked
wide opened. John went straight to the music player and turned it off.
‘Clear’ Phil called out.
Eric was shocked at seeing Mark laying on his blood. He was shot on his
chest, four times. He breathed hardly. But the heart was still beating. It
slowed down and Mark exhaled his final breath.
The reports said he is probably shot just before the call. He is from a
wealthy family. His father, Winston, was an entrepreneur and his mother,
Martha, is a psychologist. Eric looked into his mother’s profile. She was his
wife’s childhood friend. Martha Angel. She was married to Liam before.
‘Phil, look for a Liam Ruth’ Eric said.
Martha was crying covering her head on Winston’s shoulder. Eric felt
deeply sorry for them. He went through the evidences. He was trying to find
a ‘Z’ somewhere in the pictures. Just while he turned the murder scene
photos, he looked carefully at the shot wounds at Mark. He was shot four
times. They could be drawn from shot to shot into a ‘Z’. ‘Oh, God. This is not
happening. He definitely is a serial killer’ Eric inhaled heavily. Scratched his
forehead violently. It can’t be Liam either.
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