Page 1 of Cat and Mouse

Chapter 1 - Elizabeth

My phone rings, piercing the silence of my small apartment. I groan, my hand fumbling for the device on the nightstand. The clock reads 3:47 a.m.

Who the hell is calling at this hour?

I squint at the screen. It's Captain Harris. Great. This can only mean one thing.

"Detective Kane," I answer, my voice rough with sleep.

"Elizabeth, there's been another murder," Captain Harris says, his tone grim and urgent. "You need to get down here. Now."

Fuck!

I sit up, already throwing off the covers. "Where?"

"An alley off East 92nd Street. Looks like the Phantom again."

My blood runs cold. The Phantom. The serial killer who's been haunting my nightmares for the past year. "I'm on my way, sir," I say, ending the call and jumping out of bed.

I pull on my jeans and a black T-shirt, then strap on my shoulder holster. My gun feels heavy as I tuck it in. I grab my badge and keys, throwing on my leather jacket as I head out the door.

The streets of New York are eerily quiet at this hour as the city that never sleeps takes a brief, uneasy nap. My mind races as I drive to the scene, replaying the details of the Phantom'sprevious killings, all brutal, all meticulously planned. He's taunting us, leaving breadcrumbs, daring us to catch him.

When I arrive, the scene is already swarming with blue and red lights. I flash my badge at the uniformed officer blocking the entrance to the alley.

"Detective Kane, NYPD."

He nods, lifting the tape. "Captain's waiting for you inside."

I step under the tape and into the alley. The stench of blood and decay hits me immediately. I steel myself, forcing my stomach to stay put. I've seen worse. Much worse.

Captain Harris is standing over the body, his face ashen. "Elizabeth," he says, nodding in greeting.

"What do we have?" I ask, kneeling beside the corpse. It's a young woman, her face a mask of terror. Deep slashes crisscross her chest, forming the Phantom's signature.

"Same as the others," Harris says, his voice tight. "No witnesses, no evidence left behind."

I grit my teeth, anger bubbling up inside me.

"Look at the cuts. It must have taken time for him to carve them out." Harris points them out.

I study the slashes. "He's taunting us, showing us how easily he can kill and get away with it."

Harris nods. "He knows we're close. Wants to remind us who's in control."

I look at the victim's lifeless eyes, feeling a surge of determination. "Not for long."

Harris claps a hand on my shoulder. "I know you're tired, Elizabeth. But we need you on this. You're the best we've got."

I straighten up, meeting his gaze. "Of course, sir.I won't stop until he's behind bars. Or dead."

As I turn back to the body, I feel a familiar chill run down my spine. The Phantom is out there, somewhere in the city. And I'm going to find him, no matter what it takes.

Harris looks at me, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. "I'm gonna talk to the other officers. Make sure everything's squared away."

I nod and return my focus to the body. "Got it."

Just then, the coroner arrives, dressed in a hazmat suit. He's taller than me with the bluest eyes I've ever seen. I don't recognize him. Must be new.

---