Chapter 7

"Don't worry, I traced it in time. I got where it's coming from, and you won't believe it when I tell you..." said officer Burcham, as Detective Cardoso's hopes were just suddenly brought back up.

"Where? Where is it coming from?" questioned Cardoso, taking a few steps closer to Tristan.

"Well, it's...three blocks away on 84 Street." Said Tristan, with a bit of hesitation.

"That close? Is he crazy calling us from that close?" questioned Cardoso.

"Crazy, or maybe just deceiving. What should we do?" asked Todd, who was taking in everything.

"You two will come with me and the Chief and we'll go check it out. Have Nikolai stay at the phone in case he calls back, and tell him to call me if anything happens."

Todd nodded and left to give Chris Nikolai the news. Tristan readied himself as Detective Cardoso went to Chief Gonzalez's office to tell him of what just happened.

"The bastard called us? He's got balls, I have to admit." Blurted the Chief.

"Yeah," retorted Cardoso. "And Tristan traced the line to three blocks away. We're going to go check it out now."

"Alright." Said Chief Gonzalez, as he stood from his chair walked around to the other side of his desk to stand beside Cardoso. "Let's go bag us a serial killer."

Cardoso and Gonzalez both turned and exited the room, the other two officers now following them as the four walked towards the stairs, out of the police station.

After Thomas retrieved his cloak, he moved over to the window and hurried down the fire escape of his second-story apartment, his cape fluttering behind him as he ran down the stairs. When he reached the sidewalk, he glanced in either direction, observing that the closest person was not for at least a half a mile away. It was almost 10:30 now, as Thomas began walking casually down the sidewalk; his knife cleverly sheathed within the cloak as his hands were tucked in the pockets at his side. He looked up to the sky for a moment, the stars well hidden by the brightness of the city lights. It was nearly impossible to see a star in anywhere of New York City; it was just too bright.

What a glorious sight these people are missing out on. Such a travesty it is, when you cannot even see the beauty of the stars.

Julia Hendrix lived, as did all the other victims, in the vicinity of Central Park. However, unlike the other victims, Thomas was once very familiar with Julia, to say the least. The only one of his six selected targets, Julia was the only person whom Thomas had a close relationship with, or even knew for that matter. And he knew exactly where she lived. It was no more than a mile away from his own apartment.

It didn't take long before he reached the apartment, and saw that the lights were on inside.

Perfect. I don't have to do much searching tonight.

As he approached the doorway, and under the light of the lamp above it, he whispered, "Forgive me Julia, but it is my mission."

The police car rushed through the streets, Chief Gonzalez in the driver seat with Cardoso in the passengers seat, and Todd and Tristan in the back. It took no more than 5 minutes to reach the apartment that the phone call came from. They parked several yards away from the actual building, however, as to avoid suspicion. And quietly, the four exited the car and slowly walked over to the door.

"Which one is it?" whispered Gonzalez over to Tristan.

"Room 23 on the second floor."

Gonzalez scaled the side of the building with his eyes, noticing that one room in particular, along the fire escape, had its window open. He commanded Tristan and Todd to climb the stairs of the escape up to this room, as him and Cardoso went through the inside. The two instantly obeyed and began slowly walking up the stairs, as the Chief now approached the door. With his left hand (his right hand holding a pistol already), he turned the doorknob slowly and pushed in as soft as he could.

Darkness filled the hallway, and the two entered from the outside, closing the door only slightly behind them, leaving it less than halfway open. Gonzalez looked over the room listing, seeing that in room 23 lived a man by the name of Thomas Liddell. The two men ascended the stairs slowly now, trying their best to avoid making any creaking sounds on the wood. And as they successfully reached the second floor, Gonzalez led the way to room 23. Detective Cardoso stood back, as Cardoso counted. And when he reached three, he kicked open the door.

Knock, knock, knock

The soft pounding on the door startled Julia slightly, as she had not expected any visitors so late at night. She became a bit worried, to say the least. She put down the book she was reading upon the light stand beside the couch and stood up, walking slowly to the door. She folded over the front of her nightgown and tied it, for she was nearly nude underneath, wearing just underwear and a bra. She looked through the peephole in the doorway, to spot an oddly dressed man in black outside, wearing an unusual top hat. The man was standing there casually, looking down at the ground, as if trying to avoid eye contact before he even saw her.

Julia called out to the man from behind the door, still looking at him through the hole. "Hello?"

The man's head jerked up suddenly, as he looked up to where the sound came from. He responded almost immediately, his voice mesmerizing. "Miss Julia Hendrix?"

"Yes, who is this? Do I know you?" responded Julia, her voice hinting with a bit of fear.

"I'd hope so. Remember back several years ago, Julia, in Central Park when you met a man named Thomas Liddell."

Julia sounded shocked suddenly. "I remember Tommy. He helped me out a bit by lending me some money, and I told him I was going to pay him back, but he refused to accept it."

The man nodded on the other side of the doorway as he continued, "Correct. And do you remember what happened next?"

Julia thought, and hesitantly responded. "Yes. We became very intimate, to say the least. I became very attached to him, but he didn't seem to have any interest in me outside of sex. And then one day, he just...disappeared. I never heard from him again, or heard of his name for a very long time. No one did. Until about a year ago, I heard on the news that police had found his body washed up in the Hudson River."

"Yes, that is partially true Julia. He did disappear, but he did not die, I can assure you."

"How do you know that?" questioned Julia, the conversation now piquing her interest.

"Because I am he, Julia. I am Thomas Liddell."

Julia paused momentarily, before she shouted back, almost surprised. "How do I know it's you?"

"Need I show my face to you? Because I know you are looking through that hole in the doorway, looking at me right now." Thomas said, as he slowly took off his top hat with his right hand and held it at his side. He looked up into where the hole was, revealing a handsome, pale face. Gentle blue eyes, soft, pale lips and short black hair. His only flaw was a scar upon his left cheek, stretching from the corner of his lips to almost his temple.

Julia gasped softly behind the doorway, as she whispered to herself. "Dear God, it is you."

She hurriedly unlocked the door and pulled it open, and standing on the other end was a smiling Thomas. Julia rushed out of the house and into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"What happened to you? Why did you disappear all of a sudden that day?"

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, my dear. But I had to leave. I cannot tell you for what reason, but trust me when I say this. I never wanted to leave you, I simply had no choice."

Julia smiled and stepped back now, "Come in, come in." As she walked back into her house. Thomas followed slowly behind her, and closed the door once he stepped over the threshold. Julia didn't hesitate with questions. "How are you? What have you been up to? Life's treating you good?"

Thomas smiled and responded, "I'm having the best time of my life."

As the Chief kicked down the door, he gave way to a room in total darkness, all except for the light penetrating through the open window. Standing outside the window now was the silhouette of Tristan, and behind him Todd. The two officers entered from the fire escape, as Gonzalez and Cardoso entered from the hallway. Detective Cardoso searched for the light and immediately flipped it on, revealing a horrid sight.

Scattered all over the floor were pictures, books and other sorts of paper. And all over the walls were like photos and writing in what at first appeared to be red paint. But the smell finally came to them; whatever was written on the walls was written in blood. They were all phrases used by Jack the Ripper, Cardoso claimed. Or supposedly used by him. All of them were verbatim, that is, written exactly as Jack had written them, with spelling mistakes and all. The two that stood out most were "Catch me when you can Mishter Lusk" and "I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled."

The photos were of dead bodies, but not just any bodies. They were of the bodies of the victims in this "Jack the Ripper" case. And they all appeared to have been taken by a Polaroid camera. The first to notice the list of names on the wall was Todd. He read the names to the other three, who now stood close to him. And as Cardoso noticed the fifth name, Julia Hendrix, he froze. His eyes widened as he stared at the name, before he finally spoke.

"I know who the killer is. The clues, the next victim, everything. Son of a bitch...I know who he is."