Uncharted killers

The rain drummed against the hood of my coat as I stepped out of the cruiser, the scent of damp asphalt mingling with something more sinister blood. The alley was dimly lit by a flickering streetlamp, casting erratic shadows over the crime scene. A pair of uniforms stood guard, their faces pale under the weak glow.

"Detective Randi," Officer Aceman greeted, shifting uncomfortably. "This one's... bad."

I didn't need the warning. The coppery scent in the air and the way the younger officer turned away told me everything. I crouched beside the body, the victim sprawled against the graffiti-tagged wall. A deep gash ran across his throat, the blood pooling thickly beneath him. His fingers were curled inward, frozen in death. But it wasn't just the brutality that sent a chill through me, it was the mark.

Etched into the victim's skin, just above the collarbone, was a crimson insignia. It was intricate, deliberate, a symbol I had seen many times before but wished I hadn't.

"The Crimson Mark," I muttered, my pulse quickening.

Aceman exhaled sharply. "So you recognize it?"

I did. And that was the problem.

Years ago, I'd encountered a similar case same brutality, same symbol but it had gone cold, no leads, no suspects. The insignia had been the only clue, and it had led nowhere. Now, here it was again, staring back at me like a ghost from the past.

"Get me everything on this victim," I ordered, standing up. "We need to know if he had any ties to organized crime, secret societies, anything."

Aceman nodded and moved away, but I stayed a moment longer, the rain washing the blood into the cracks of the pavement. The night air was thick with an uneasy stillness, as if the city itself was holding its breath. This wasn't just a murder it was a message.

And whoever sent it wanted me to see it.

The precinct was humming with the late-night energy of overworked officers and ringing phones. I planted myself at my desk, brushing away scattered case files to make room for the steaming cup of coffee I knew wouldn't last long. Aceman arrived moments later, a thick folder tucked under his arm.

"Victim's name is John Gerald, forty-two. Worked in finance, no criminal record," he said, placing the folder down. "But there's something odd."

I arched an eyebrow. "Go on."

"Two weeks ago, Gerald reported a break-in at his apartment. Nothing was stolen, but he told the responding officers that the intruder left behind a single object a card with the Crimson Mark drawn on it."

That sent a jolt through me. "Why wasn't this flagged earlier?"

Aceman shook his head. "It was dismissed as a prank. He refused protective custody, said he didn't have enemies. Guess he was wrong."

I flipped through the file, scanning crime scene photos. The precision of the wound, the placement of the mark it all pointed to a killer who wasn't just skilled, but methodical. The edges of the cut were so clean it looked almost surgical.

"This wasn't random," I murmured. " Gerald was chosen."

The memory of the previous case gnawed at me. A different city, a different victim, but the same mark. That case had ended in frustration, the leads drying up like ink on forgotten pages. I wouldn't let that happen again.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number I hadn't called in years.

"Detective Randi," the voice on the other end answered after three rings. "Didn't expect to hear from you."

"Yeah, well, I didn't expect to see the Crimson Mark again either."

A pause. Then, "Where?"

"Downtown alley. Victim was marked just like before."

"Damn," the voice sighed. "Meet me in an hour. Same place as last time."

(Click.)

I set the phone down, my gut tightening. This case was about to open old wounds, but I wasn't the type to look away. If the Crimson Mark was back, then so was I.

The meeting spot was an old diner on the outskirts of the city, one that smelled of burnt coffee and regret. I slid into a booth, nodding at the waitress who barely glanced up from her crossword puzzle. The jukebox hummed softly in the background, playing an old blues tune that made the place feel even more desolate.

A few minutes later, my contact arrived. Mark ex-cop, private investigator, and the only person who had been as obsessed with the Crimson Mark as I had. He looked older, wearier, but the sharpness in his eyes hadn't dulled.

"Randi," he said, taking a seat across from me. "Tell me everything."

I did. Every detail of the crime scene, Gerald's background, the break-in, the mark. He listened, his fingers tapping against the table in thought. His hands bore the scars of old cases, the kind that never really left you.

"This group," he said finally, "they're not like regular killers. They don't strike at random. Each victim means something."

I leaned in. "So what did Gerald mean to them?"

Mark exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "There's a pattern. The last time we investigated this, we found connections between the victims-loose ones, hard to pin down, but there. Gerald wasn't just a finance guy. Look deeper. See who he worked with. Who he pissed off."

It was good advice. I slid out of the booth, throwing a few bills on the table. "You still have your old files?"

Hale smirked. "Of course. I'll dig them up. You get to work on Gerald. And Randi?"

I turned back.

"Watch your back. If they know you're looking, they'll come for you next."

Back at the precinct, I dove into Gerald's past. It didn't take long to find the link. Five years ago, he was a financial consultant for a corporation called Redwell Industries a name that sent another chill through me. One of the previous victims had worked for them too.

Coincidence? I didn't believe in those.

I pulled up more records. Redwell had been investigated for fraud, embezzlement, and worse, but nothing had ever stuck. The deeper I dug, the more tangled the web became. It wasn't just Gerald. Other past victims had similar ties to companies with secrets, to groups that operated in the shadows.

The Crimson Mark wasn't just a symbol. It was a signature.

And I was starting to see the bigger picture.