Page 20 of Cat and Mouse

The lights from the city reflect off the lake, casting eerie glimmers on the water. I've got Detective Mark Walters right where I want him, spilling his guts about Elizabeth.

"We were working a drug raid," he says, his voice shaky but steady. "It went south. Our senior partner, Detective Tom Harrison, got injured. After that, she transferred to New York. Couldn't handle the memories."

I nod, absorbing the information. "And the scar? How did she get that?"

"That's... that's a long story," Walters says, taking a deep breath. "She got it during that raid. It was a setup. We walked right into an ambush. She got out, barely."

I lean closer, my eyes narrowing. "Tell me more. What happened before the raid? You said she changed after it, but what about before?"

Walters looks around, clearly uncomfortable. "There were problems. She and Harrison didn't get along. She filed a complaint asking to be reassigned, but it never went through. The raid happened before they could process it."

My mind races. Problems with her partner before the raid? Interesting. "What kind of problems?"

"They butted heads on everything," Walters says, his voice lowering. "Harrison was old school, rough around the edges. Elizabeth didn't take his crap. She stood up to him, which didn't sit well. He was pissed about the complaint, and it created a lot of tension."

"So, something happened before the raid," I say, more to myself than to Walters. "Something that made her want out."

He nods. "Yeah, something. I don't know the details, but she was adamant about the transfer."

I lean back, processing this new piece of the puzzle. "Good. Now here's what's going to happen. You're going to forget this ever happened. If you so much as think about going to the cops, I'll know. And I'll come back for you. Understand?"

Walters nods quickly. "Yeah. I understand."

"Good," I say, lowering the gun. "Now get out."

He scrambles out of the car, not looking back as he heads off. I watch him go, a smirk playing on my lips. This is just the beginning. Elizabeth Kane is going to be my next project, and I can't wait to dive deeper into her world.

I drive away from the lake, my mind racing with plans. I've got the information I need for now, but there's so much more to uncover. Elizabeth Kane, you're not going to know what hit you.

Back at my apartment, I dive into the files I have on Elizabeth. Her complaint against Harrison is in there, buried in the bureaucracy. She requested a transfer on grounds of harassment and professional disagreements. There's a note from her commanding officer, Captain Roberts, saying they would review it after the raid.

I lean back, piecing it together. Harrison was pissed about the complaint. Maybe he set up the raid, knowing it would go bad. Maybe he wanted to teach her a lesson. But he ended up injured, and she got that scar. Something happened, I just can't figure out what exactly.

Yes, Harrison was old school, but how old school? Sexist? Misogynistic?

I don't miss the irony of me, a serial killer, wanting to find out what makes immoral people that way.

According to my father, I was just happier when justice was being served, and I haven't killed a person who didn't deserve it.

Not yet, at least.

I open my laptop and start digging deeper. I find old news articles about the raid. Harrison is painted as a hero, Elizabeth as the rookie who helped. But there are hints, little mentions of internal strife in the department. I pull up the official reports, cross-referencing them with the complaint. It's all there, hidden in plain sight.

Something made her want out, and that raid was the climax of their conflict.

I pick up my phone and call Matteo. He answers on the second ring.

"Yeah, boss?"

"I need you to dig up everything you can on Detective Tom Harrison and Captain Roberts from Milwaukee. Focus on the months leading up to that raid."

"Got it," Matteo says. "Anything specific?"

"Anything that ties them to Elizabeth's complaint. I want to know why she wanted out."

"Understood. I'll get on it."

I hang up, staring at the screen. Elizabeth Kane, you're a mystery. But I'm getting closer. Whatever happened in Milwaukee, it left a mark on you. And I'm going to find out what it was.

---