"He doesn't have a pattern. Never leaves any evidence. Always works alone and has a plan. This man is almost impossible to catch, but NYPD is our doing everything we can to arrest him."
"Miss Brown! Miss Brown!" One of the hundred reporters called out as he held out a small microphone.
"Yes?" She responded formally behind the podium.
"But we've heard rumors that he's not alone. Is is true that this man is working for someone?" The young man questioned through the ocean of people.
"We aren't sure. He's always by himself when he commits crimes, but that does not imply anything," the officer answered.
The chief of NYPD announced that there was only time for one more question. So one of the reporters took advantage of the opportunity.
"Miss Brown, if the criminal is watching this now, what would you say to him?" The room fell silent and it didn't take Officer Brown that long to answer. She knew what she'd exactly say, but this was on the news. She had to keep it formal and appropriate.
"That he's no longer going to be on the streets. He's gonna be behind bars before he knows it. And as long as I'm breathing I promise this city I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."
Click*
"Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this answer?" My boss questioned the officers in the room along with me beside him. They all were in rows of metal chairs still staring at me; not really sure of an answer.
The room was so quiet you could hear a penny drop on the tile. The chief turned to me with disappointed eyes. "Miss Brown, you have made a promise you cannot keep," the older man explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I'm just trying to do my job," I defended as my coworkers watched us with unreadable expressions.
"Brown, I am not giving the city false hope," he began to look straight ahead at the rest, "we cannot catch this criminal. Not yet at least."
"So you're just going to give up and let him murder people!" I sternly spat as I stood from the metal chair. My boss rubbed his eyes in frustration.
"Brown, tell me your plan on arresting him. Cause it seems like you're just gonna go up to him and suggest that he gets into the cop car. He's a very clever man, not some dipshit kid," Chief Hopper explained slightly frustrated.
Suddenly a bus had hit me and I stared blankly at my coworkers. I couldn't find any words to say. I didn't even have a plan or anything. His case file is empty. If an officer were to take his file, they would not be able to start. There are no leads, no evidence, and his locations are scattered at random.
"Fine. I'll give you three months to arrest him. If he isn't behind bars by then, you're fired and I won't ever want to see you again."
"But chief-"
"You put this upon yourself Brown. You made a promise to the people. Now keep that promise."
My eyes met with some of the officers in the room; hoping that someone would offer to help me arrest this unknown man.
"Yes sir," I mumbled as my eyes traveled down to the tile.
"Everyone is dismissed," Hopper alerted the rest of the officers who were waiting impatiently to go home to their families.
After the door was completely shut Hopper leaned against the wooden desk with his arms crossed. "Brown, you're one of my best, but if you don't catch this guy I really do mean that you'd have to turn in your badge after three months."
"Don't worry," I started as I began to walk towards the door, "you're not going to lose me. That man will be sorry once he sees me," I assured once I approached the exit.
The chief turned around and shook his head. "We don't know what we're dealing with Brown. Be careful."
I nodded as I made my way out of the door. There is no way in hell I'm giving up my badge. That criminal is going to regret everything that he's ever done. But I'm not sure how I'm going to do this.
I must admit that he basically is impossible to catch. By time we get a call the man has fled the scene before the witness even hung up the phone.
It's almost like he wants someone to witness it and they'll call the police. It's like he finds it funny that he steals drugs or alcohol from a store. Who the hell knows?
To be frankly honest, all of NYPD has attempted of course to arrest him. No one has ever seen his face and it wasn't because it was covered or blocked. But because no one has ever become face to face with him.
I was going to be the first.
This criminal infuriates me to a point where I had to buy a punching bag and box every night to blow off steam. Sometimes I do convince myself I do have anger issues and it's hard to control my anger, but that's what my my cigarettes are for. I made my way downtown of the not-so-busy streets of New York.
We all know the reason why they're almost empty.
My small apartment wasn't that far from the station. About a couple of blocks. Usually I stop into my favorite bar on the way home to visit my best friend as she works behind the counter. Tonight the dive bar wasn't really crowded; only a few tables were taken and a couple of seats at the bar. Some type of rap music was playing in the background as most of the people were dancing.
My best friend gave me a worried look as I sat down in front of her on a creaky barstool. I buried my face in my hands as she prepared my usual.
"Are you still determined to arrest that guy?" She questioned in a slightly annoyed tone.
I removed my hands slowly and watched her poor the rum in after the club soda. "Hello to you too. Be a cop for a day and see how stressful it is."
"I told you to never go to the academy. You could have got a job here and would've probably met a man who wouldn't leave after you sleep with him. I met Caleb here and we've been dating for almost a year now."
"First of all Sads, I do not sleep around," I defended myself tiredly as she added the lime juice and sugar, "second of all, no offense, but I do not want to be stuck in this musty place my whole life when I could be doing other relevant things than help people get drunk and forget their problems."
She raised an eyebrow at me as she finished it off with 3 mint leaves. "Fighting crime and shooting guns is your thing. Not mine."
The redhead slid the drink towards me and then crossed her arms. "Millie, I'm really worried about you. Take some time off, take a vacation, do something else than boxing and eating microwaved meals."
I took a long sip of my drink. "What's wrong with my frozen dinners?" I playfully gasped.
"This isn't a joke. All you've been doing is your job and searching for this guy. Haven't you ever thought about settling down with a man? Finding love?" My best friend hissed.
"Finding love and having kids is your thing. Not mine." I mocked in her voice.
"It's official that I hate you now," she muttered half-jokingly as she cleaned up empty glasses that were beside me.
"You love me," I pushed before I took another sip of my mojito.
"Don't tell me you're gonna be one of those super old moms," my best friend fretted.
I placed the half empty drink on the counter. "Not planning on it," I mentioned.
"You're almost in your mid twenties! By time you find a man, get married, get pregnant, you're gonna be like 60!"
"Doesn't have to be in that order," I smirked as I swirled my drink slightly so the sugar wouldn't completely sink down to the bottom.
"If your mother was here and heard that I think you wouldn't be alive right now." Sadie uttered.
I glared at the bartender in front of me. "You and I both know she never gave two fucks about me. It was all about Greg and how perfect he and their kids were. I was just a stupid mistake from her first marriage."
"Has she called?" The red head hesitantly questioned under her breath as she started to make another customer's order.
I scoffed. "Last year she did."
"I think you should give her a call, Millie," my best friend suggested, "it might make you feel better."
I chugged down the rest of the minty rum and placed the drink down in one swift motion. "I don't want to interrupt her time with Greg. Besides I have a criminal to arrest."
My body turned around and I slid off the barstool, then reaching for a five dollar bill in my back pocket. "Keep the change Sads," I muttered as I placed the paper on the counter.
"Hey Mills." My best friend caught my attention before I walked away. "Don't stay up too late."
I chuckled softly at her comment and shook my head. "No promises Sink."
I knew I should have been in bed by now and listened to my best friend, but I felt like I was actually getting somewhere with this case.
Or maybe it's just the effects from the small amount of weed I had just smoked making me think I'm going to arrest this guy.
I sat there putting the locations of the crimes and times as if they were puzzles or some type of coordinates on the city map until I heard a sudden gush of wind blow through my bedroom window. Suspiciously I grabbed a candlestick holder from my desk since my guns were locked in my nightstand and it was the only thing I could use.
I don't remember it being open earlier so I slowly entered my bedroom like I would if I was searching a house at a crime scene. My feet light. My head pounding. My adrenaline kicking in. And my anxiety was shooting through the roof.
Damn I think I need more than just a few hits.
I got startled for nothing as I revealed my full body in the room. And a wave of relief washed over me as I realized there was no one here. I walked over to my nightstand and switched on the lamp, but noticed there was a small note placed atop of my dresser.
For now I ignored the piece of paper and stuck my head out of the window. But only to see the fire escape and empty streets. I quickly backed away and locked the window; double checking that no one could open it.
I placed the candlestick holder beside the crippled note on the dresser. The writing was messy and I immediately knew the person was uneducated by the way they wrote their letters. How some were oddly shaped and some of their S looked like fives.
You need me and I need you.
Meet me at the empty warehouse on sixth street at midnight tomorrow. Come alone and don't be late. I'll know if you tell or bring anyone. Don't be stupid.
~the one you want the most.
I jumped at the sound of two knocks at my front door and quickly stuffed the note in my underwear drawer and then retrieved the key from under my thongs that I never wear.
Only when I was dating my ex boyfriend. That was in the past now.
I unlocked the drawer in my nightstand and loaded my gun. As I walked towards the door I turned the safety off and cracked the door barely open.
I started to gasp for air as I realized it was just my insane best friend coming to share a beer with me after her shift. Her thumb was moving rapidly across her phone as she held a case of beers in her other hand.
Without looking up she raised an eyebrow. "Put the gun away, I'm not some murderer."
I switched the safe back on and took out the case of bullets. I unhooked the chain and opened the door. Then locked my gun away as she plopped herself on the worn out couch.
"Did you lock the door?" I asked worriedly as I reached for beer from the case on the coffee table.
Sadie glanced up from her phone. "Alright, where's the cocaine? In your pocket?"
"I'm sorry, it's just I've been kind of busy tonight."
The red head placed her phone face down on the couch beside her. "You're sweating. Have you been watching porn? Are you doing drugs?"
"Okay now you're being childish," I scoffed as I popped open a beer bottle.
"Again, Millie I'm worried about you. This criminal has some effect on you. It looks like you haven't been sleeping, his case file is on your desk behind us I know you've been staring at it all night, you haven't been eating or cleaning. Just leave it alone."
I took a small sip of the bitter alcohol. "I can't."
"The fuck? Why not? Just tell chief that you can't do it," Sadie mentioned as if it was the easiest thing to do.
"If I don't have that guy in custody in 3 months. My career is over."
The red head shrugged as she retrieved her phone after it buzzed several times. "Maybe its a sign. That you should get a safe job and settle down with a guy. For fuck's sake you don't even talk to your family anymore."
"Why'd you even come here Sads? To put me down and remind me of my fucked family? So you can convince me to quit my job? Get me so wasted you can take advantage of me?" I rambled angrily as I took a long sip. The disgusting sensation filled my body as I stood up from the arm chair and walked to the kitchen to retrieve a cigarette.
"I came here because I'm scared for you." Sadie admitted. "Remember when we were nine my dad got shot because he was trying to chase down that man that stole goods from the grocery store? He almost died. I don't want to lose you Millie."
I took a long drag of my cigarette and released the smoke into the air. "If I die, it'll probably be for the better. An anchor would be out of your life. All I am is a cop bum who smokes cigarettes all day and tries to solve unsolvable cases."
"Don't talk like that. At least you're helping the city." The red head muttered before she chugged half of her beer down.
"I think we should go clubbing tonight." I randomly suggested even though going to crazy bars and dancing wasn't my thing. I had to get out.
To convince myself that note isn't real.
"You have work tomorrow." Sadie reminded me.
"My career is already gone. I'm never gonna find him anyways, let alone put him behind bars." I laughed as I continued to smoke my cigarette.
"Let's go!" Sadie yelled a bit too loud; earning a bang through the wall from the old man next to me.
We both laughed hysterically and couldn't wait to get out the front door. "Maybe you'll find someone mysterious," my best friend guessed and you could clearly tell she was buzzed.
"I'm not that lucky," I huffed as I put out my cigarette in the ashtray.
If only Millie knew who was on her fire escape. How he listened to every single word. Never missed one. A smirk grew across his face as he knew exactly where they were headed.
Please do not judge my writing. Know that I do not ship them in real life. Feedback is appreciated. See you next chapter.
