Page 5 of Cat and Mouse

I nod, my jaw set. "I won't let him get away. We'll figure this out."

Harris sighs. "Let's go over the report. Every detail matters now."

We head back to my office and spread out the crime scene photos and notes. I recount everything Lorenzo said, every interaction we had.

"He knew a lot about the victim," I say, pointing to my notes. "He mentioned the cuts being precise, almost surgical. And he gave me this paste for the smell."

Harris frowns. "Paste? Let's get it analyzed. Could be a clue."

I nod, making a note. "He also had a slight accent. Italian, maybe."

Harris's eyes narrow. "Italian? That's a lead. We can check any recent arrivals or known associates."

We continue piecing together the information, the puzzle slowly forming. It's infuriating, knowing I was so close to the Phantom, yet he slipped through my fingers.

"Alright," Harris says finally. "We have a direction. Let's see if we can get anything from the mall's security footage. And Kane, stay sharp. No more slipups."

I nod, feeling the weight of his words. "Understood, sir. I'll head to the mall, see what I can find."

Harris claps my shoulder. "We'll get him, Kane. Just stay focused."

As he leaves my office, my mind is already racing with possibilities. The Phantom is out there, and he's more cunning than we ever imagined. But I won't let him win. Not this time.

I head to my car, determined to follow every lead, every clue.

This ends now.

Chapter 2 - Leo

"Six bodies, and they're not even close to catching me. Such lazy police," I tell my father, savoring the words.

My father stares back at me with eyes as blue as mine. "I will have to agree with you on that, son!"

I lift my glass to my lips and take a sip of the rich whiskey, groaning when it hits my tongue. "Cazzo,that's good."

"I know. Only the best to celebrate," he says as he pours himself a drink, chuckling.

Then I watch as he pours a bit to the ground and whispers the familiar words, "Per il mio dolce."For my sweet.He does this every single time before he takes his first drink of the night. It is to honor my dearly departed mother.

I don't know much about her other than that she died giving birth to me. Also, she was a perfect angel, and I have her hair.

God!I wish I had met her. The way my father talks about her…

It's such a shame that I never got to see her, to see the woman who has my father nearly composing poems for her.

She must have been a goddess.

"You've earned yourself quite the reputation," my father says as he takes a sip of his own drink.

I grin, leaning back. "I like the name they gave me. Phantom. Much better than what the Mafia men called me.Butcherjust makes me sound like a brute."

He laughs, a deep, throaty sound. "Youarea brute."

"Never. Would a brute dress the way I do?" I say, gesturing to my Armani suit.

He shakes his head, smiling. "Touché."

I look around his office. This is where we regroup, talk, plot. This is where he gives me assignments and I give him reports. The dark wood paneling, the heavy drapes, the scent of old leather—it's our sanctuary.

---