The next morning, I dragged myself into the precinct, bleary-eyed and desperately in need of caffeine. Jenkins, looking far too chipper for someone who'd been up half the night, was already at his desk, clutching a steaming mug of coffee and grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
"Morning, Kan! You look like you wrestled with a bear and lost," Jenkins quipped, handing me a fresh cup of coffee.
"Thanks, Jenkins. Your sympathy is overwhelming," I replied, taking a grateful sip.
Harper was already in his office, barking orders over the phone. He waved us in as we approached, his expression a mix of frustration and determination.
"We've got a lead," Harper said, hanging up the phone. "Our suspect from last night finally cracked. She gave us the name of her contact—someone known only as 'The Puzzler.'"
Jenkins raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? 'The Puzzler'? What is this, a Batman comic?"
Harper sighed. "I wish it were that simple. The Puzzler is apparently some kind of mastermind in the underground puzzle community. We need to track them down and see if they're connected to our killer."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "An underground puzzle community? Do they have secret handshakes and puzzle rings?"
"Maybe they meet in dark alleys and trade Sudoku secrets," Jenkins added, grinning.
"Focus, you two," Harper snapped, though I could see the hint of a smile. "We need to dig deeper. Kan, Jenkins, you're on this. And take Alex with you—he seems to have a knack for this puzzle stuff."
Alex, who had been eavesdropping from the doorway, practically skipped into the room. "You mean it? I'm in?"
"Yes, Alex, you're in," Harper said, clearly regretting his decision already. "Just don't get in the way."
As we headed out, Jenkins filled Alex in on the plan. "So, Alex, what do you know about this Puzzler character?"
Alex's eyes lit up. "I've heard of them. They're like a legend in the puzzle world—supposedly unbeatable. If they're involved, this case just got a whole lot more interesting."
We spent the next few hours scouring the internet and making calls, trying to find any information on The Puzzler. Jenkins, ever the comedian, decided to break the tension with a few choice puns.
"What do you call a puzzle piece that's always late?" Jenkins asked, grinning.
"I don't know, what?" Alex replied, barely looking up from his laptop.
"A procrastinator!" Jenkins said, laughing at his own joke.
I groaned. "Jenkins, please. We're trying to solve a murder here."
"Hey, laughter is the best medicine," Jenkins retorted. "Besides, you love my jokes."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," I muttered, though I couldn't help but smile.
Finally, Alex found a lead—a message board frequented by puzzle enthusiasts, with multiple mentions of The Puzzler. One user claimed to have met them at a local café that hosted weekly puzzle nights.
"That's our next stop," I said, grabbing my coat. "Let's go meet The Puzzler."
The café was quaint and cozy, filled with people hunched over various puzzles and board games. Jenkins immediately zeroed in on the coffee bar, ordering a triple espresso. "Gotta keep my energy up," he explained, winking.
We approached a group of people at the back of the café, where a lively discussion about a particularly difficult jigsaw puzzle was underway. Alex, ever the enthusiastic amateur detective, introduced us.
"Hi, I'm Alex, and these are Detectives Kan and Jenkins. We're looking for someone known as The Puzzler."
The group fell silent, exchanging wary glances. Finally, an older woman with a mane of white hair spoke up. "The Puzzler doesn't like strangers. Why are you looking for them?"
Jenkins stepped forward, his charm dialed up to eleven. "We're trying to solve a series of crimes that might be connected to their puzzles. We just want to ask a few questions."
The woman eyed us skeptically but nodded. "Fine. I'll tell them you're here. Wait at that table."
As we waited, Jenkins couldn't resist another joke. "What do you call a puzzle that's been stepped on?"
I sighed, knowing I was about to hear another pun. "What?"
"A piece of the action!" Jenkins said, laughing.
Alex groaned. "That's terrible, Jenkins."
"Yeah, but it got you to smile," Jenkins replied, still grinning.
After a few minutes, the woman returned, accompanied by a slender figure dressed in all black. They wore a mask that covered their lower face, adding to the air of mystery.
"You're looking for me," The Puzzler said, their voice smooth and confident.
Jenkins leaned in, trying to appear nonchalant. "Nice to meet you. We're investigating a series of crimes involving puzzles. We think you might have some information."
The Puzzler's eyes narrowed. "I don't involve myself in criminal activities. I create puzzles for the love of the craft, not for harming others."
Alex quickly jumped in. "We believe someone is using your puzzles to taunt us. If you help us, we can stop them."
The Puzzler considered this, then nodded slowly. "I don't condone using puzzles for violence. I'll help you, but only because I want this person stopped."
We spent the next hour discussing the details of the case, with The Puzzler providing valuable insights. They pointed out subtle patterns and connections we'd missed, giving us a new perspective on the clues.
"You're looking for someone with a deep knowledge of puzzles and a twisted sense of humor," The Puzzler concluded. "They're playing a game with you, but they're leaving a trail. Follow the patterns."
As we left the café, Jenkins couldn't resist one last joke. "You know, Kan, if this detective thing doesn't work out, we could always become professional puzzlers."
I laughed. "Sure, Jenkins. We'll call ourselves 'The Dynamic Duo of Detectives and Puzzles.'"
Alex grinned. "I'd join that team."
Back at the precinct, we reviewed The Puzzler's insights, piecing together a clearer picture of our suspect. With renewed determination and Jenkins' endless humor, we knew we were getting closer to solving the case.
Harper walked in, looking at our progress with a rare smile. "Good work, team. Let's bring this killer to justice."
As we dove back into the investigation, Jenkins leaned over to me. "You know, Kan, I think we're gonna crack this case."
I smiled, feeling more confident than ever. "Yeah, Jenkins. We've got this."
With our spirits high and a new sense of purpose, we continued our pursuit of the Jigsaw Killer, ready for whatever twisted puzzles lay ahead. And with Jenkins by my side, I knew we could handle anything.