Sorry about the wait for Chapter 2, I'm hoping to be able to write more often with finals over with. So, without further ado, Chapter 2!
Norman Jayden
Sunday, April 12, 2012
4:00 a.m.
161 East 77th Street (Victim's Apartment)
Norman pulled up to Tyler's apartment after eating breakfast and leaving the small diner on 73rd Street. The apartment complex was just what he expected, run down and very slummy looking. Jayden entered the building, and was immediately greeted with a welcoming "Hello" from the man behind the counter, who he guessed was the graveyard shift door man.
"Hello", Jayden says, walking up to the counter, "I'm looking for Tyler Barns, he's a good friend of mine."
"Oh, I'm sorry Mr…."
"Jayden. Norman Jayden"
"Well, Mr. Jayden, I'm terribly sorry, but Mr. Barns is not home, nor are you on his guest list," the doorman said.
"Guest list?" Norman thought to himself, "What rundown slum has a guest lists, or a door man for that matter…?" Norman knew he would have to make something good up.
"Well can't you make an exception this once? I left my laptop in his apartment, and I need it ASAP. I have a meeting in 3 hours." Norman said, attempting to guilt-trip the door man.
"Oh, why didn't you say so? Go on ahead! Here." The door man said, handing him a key to room 4B.
"Thank you sir, you're a life saver!" Jayden said, which he didn't mean. What he really meant to say was, "Wow. You are gullible.", but that wasn't a good idea at the time.
Jayden made his way up to the apartment, put the key into the door, and opened it. He began to search the apartment for any clues that may help his investigation. He found a laptop, which he knew would be easy to sneak out.
"Damn! It's password protected."
Jayden also found a photo of the victim and a girl, who could be anything from his girlfriend to his sister. He was betting on the former.
"What the hell?"
Norman noticed a crack, or rather a missing piece of glass, in the corner of the frame. He stuck his pinkie finger in under the glass and lifted up, and the glass popped out of the frame. He lifted the picture out, and behind it was a note, folded in half and half again. Jayden unfolded the note, which read, "Talent is something rare and beautiful and precious, and it must not be allowed to go to waste."
"Hm….a George Selden quote. Much less grim than the others...the others...wait…..oh my god! This is the paper that was supposed to be on the body….unless…..he wasn't the target! And that also means the killer was here before me! ARI, comment, Tyler Barns may not be the target of this murder. I believe it is the women in this picture. I have an idea. ARI, do a facial recognition scan on this photo"
Jayden scanned the photo using ARI, and two names popped up. One was expected, Tyler Barns, student extraordinaire. But the other he never saw coming. The other name - was Amanda Blake.