The crime sent shockwaves through the magical government. Jason caught many of his coworkers staring at him with looks of sympathy and concern. But he wasn't sad anymore. There had been enough tears at the funeral. Now was the time for anger. His rage helped keep him determined, helped him keep things in perspective. The murderer was still on the loose and anyone could be the next victim. Jason was afraid his boss would tell him to take some time off or, worse yet, work on something other than the case. Therefore, it was a little surprising when Jason was told he had been put in charge of the investigation.
After looking over the evidence multiple times, Jason was almost certain that the attack had nothing to do with the British wizard that had styled himself Lord Voldemort. For one thing, the Dark Mark was carved crudly onto a wooden plank outside the door, not, as was the custom for Voldemort's followers, shining brightly in the sky above the scene of the crime. Second, the British Ministry of Magic was certain that Voldemort had met his end decades ago, along with almost all of his most loyal followers.
Even so, Jason had sent a message to the British Ministry informing them of the situation and asking if they knew anything of importance. He had also asked for any and all information on anyone they knew of who had connections to Voldemort; particularly if any of them had decided to take a trip to New York recently. Jason expected this would be a dead end, though. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that this wasn't the work of a Death Eater. He suspected the Dark Mark was merely there to mislead them, though if it was, it wasn't a very good effort.
But there was something else bothering Jason about the whole thing. Wolfric's parents had been covered in their own blood when he found them. There was no question it was a magical attack, so why hadn't the killer simply used a Killing Curse? Why did it look like there were signs of a struggle? Could the Dark Wizard have been careless enough to set off an alarm? But if he had, that would be even more reason to use a Killing Curse; he'd have to finish things quickly before they could escape.
The blood, the mess, the Dark Mark, and finally, the fact that the murderer stayed to duel Jason, all pointed to one thing. This was meant to be seen. It was meant to be known. It was meant to get a reaction.
Well, they'll get a reaction, all right. Jason thought grimly. And I'll make certain they get more than they bargained for.