chapter word count: 336

noir heart: ten

The picture is, without a doubt, gruesome.

Clipped to a preliminary crime scene report – written by Aster, no surprise there – the lifeless eyes of Kozmotis Black stare off into the top left of the white frame, a choker of crimson adorning his neck and a wide patch of it where his gender-specific machinery used to be, that melts into the similarly coloured pool around him. Just by looking, it's classic Ripper work.

But as Jack leans on the wall between the door frame and the one-way mirror, leafing through the case report held against a blank paper pad between in his right finger and thumb, it feels off somehow. There's a niggling in his brain, telling him that something doesn't add up. Of course, the investigation is just beginning, so he's bound to be wary.

"Time of death?" he asks.

"M.E. says no more than twelve hours ago." Aster answers a little impatiently.

Jack grunts inaudibly as he glances down at a paragraph just below the picture – Witness described the time of Kozmotis Black's attack as around eight p.m. – further information gathering prevented by the witness becoming incoherent.

So that adds up.

"Fingerprints on the knife and hacksaw?"

"Still waiting, but we both know the Ripper leaves no evidence, so they'll come back-"

"-clean." Jack finishes for him. He sighs, still wondering if it's all worth it in the end. Getting too involved in a case cost him his marriage and his career prospects; he'll be damned if he does it again.

But as he twists to peer at the elegantly beautiful woman in the interview room, with her eyes remaining locked in the same place they were before, there's an uncontrollable urge in his heart.

So he takes a deep breath, picks up his coffee from the small shelf under the window to replace it with the folder, and then opens the door.

Her eyes immediately flick up to meet him, and for a second his breath catches.

jpbake: Damn right.
sara99: Haha, I think Ruffnut worrying about whether his mouth is going to be furry as hell is revenge enough. Also, your English is quite understandable.:)
maggietheawesome: Understatement indeed. I'm glad you're liking the drabbles! They're fun and quite relaxing.
miki fubuki: now you know :p
heartonfire: hehe. This Jack has shades of Danny Williams from Hawaii Five-0 too, specifically the repartee with Aster. Glad you liked the prank too :P
e-teens: Grand Theft Cookie!
kira: Ahahaha, hope it works. I also hope it doesn't backfire.