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**The Butcher's Blade**
** Chapter 16**
The call came in just after dawn, the kind that sends a shiver down your spine before you even know the details. Another murder, another scene of horror left in MIDNIGHT's wake. This time, the victims were Edwin Myles and his grandmother, Olivia Myles.
The crime scene was a modest suburban home, its cheerful exterior belying the nightmare within. As I approached, the street was already swarming with officers and forensic teams, their faces grim and focused. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood, a smell that clung to the back of my throat.
Mrs. Dorothy "O" Reilly, a longtime friend of Olivia's, had been the one to discover the scene. She stood on the sidewalk, wrapped in a blanket, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. I made a mental note to speak with her later, once she had calmed down.
Inside, the house was eerily silent, save for the soft murmurs of the investigators. The living room was untouched, a stark contrast to the carnage in the kitchen. Edwin Myles had been hacked to pieces, his body a grotesque puzzle of flesh and bone. The brutality of the attack was staggering, each wound precise yet savage, as if the killer had wielded the knife with the skill of a surgeon.
Olivia Myles lay nearby, her frail body riddled with stab wounds. Unlike Edwin, her death seemed more frenzied, the marks of a killer who had lost themselves in the act. The scene was a testament to MIDNIGHT's cold, calculated violence, a chilling reminder of the killer's capacity for cruelty.
The forensic team was still trying to determine the type of knife used. The cuts were clean, almost surgical, suggesting a fillet knife, but they couldn't be certain. All they knew was that it had been a knife, wielded with deadly precision.
As I surveyed the scene, my eyes were drawn to a message scrawled on the kitchen wall in blood: "MIDNIGHT." The name was a taunt, a signature left by the killer to ensure we knew exactly who was responsible. It was a chilling reminder of the twisted sense of justice that drove MIDNIGHT's actions.
I couldn't help but think about the dark secrets that had been hidden behind the walls of this home. Edwin Myles was known to the police, a child molester whose crimes had been repeatedly swept under the rug by his grandmother. Olivia had used her influence and resources to bail him out time and again, making excuses for his heinous acts.
I stepped outside, needing a moment to clear my head. The sun was rising, casting long shadows across the street. Mrs. Reilly was still there, her expression a mix of grief and confusion. I approached her gently, knowing that her memories might hold the key to understanding why Edwin and Olivia had been targeted.
"Mrs. Reilly," I began softly, "I'm Detective Ethan Cross. I know this is difficult, but can you tell me anything about Edwin and Olivia? Anything unusual in the days leading up to this?"
She nodded slowly, her voice trembling. "Olivia mentioned receiving strange phone calls, but she thought it was just pranksters. Edwin... well, he had his troubles, but Olivia always stood by him. She believed he could change."
Her words hung in the air, adding another layer of complexity to the case. It seemed MIDNIGHT's twisted sense of justice had caught up with Edwin and Olivia, punishing them for their past sins.
As I returned to the scene, I felt the weight of the investigation pressing down on me. MIDNIGHT was escalating, their actions more brutal and unpredictable. I needed to find a pattern, a clue that would lead me to the killer before more lives were lost.
With a heavy heart, I turned back to the task at hand, determined to unravel the twisted motives behind these heinous acts. The path was fraught with danger, but I was resolved to see it through, no matter the cost.
ns 15.158.61.16da2
