Back at the police station, Michael shut himself in his office and got to work attempting to identify the Jane Doe found on the train tracks. He started by examining the few possessions bagged at the crime scene – a wallet containing some cash and credit cards but no ID, a set of house keys, and of course the perplexing watch. A search through missing persons files and databases yielded no leads, so Michael decided to have a forensic artist produce a facial reconstruction in hopes of jogging someone's memory.
In the meantime, he focused his efforts on the watch. Upon closer inspection under magnifying lenses, the etched runes appeared Norse in origin. He photographed them and sent the images to a colleague who specialized in ancient languages and cultures, hoping for a translation. Then Michael turned to the more conventional leads – questioning any regular commuters who took that train line, searching through recent business deals and personal disputes.
One name kept coming up - Jeremy Walsh. According to neighbors and coworkers, Jeremy had a serious grudge against his former boss whom he blamed for an incident that cost him his job about a year ago. The two had been at each other's throats ever since. When Michael went to pay Jeremy a visit, he found the man in a foul mood, still holding onto resentment.
"I'm not surprised you're here asking about that son of a bitch," Jeremy spat, taking a swig from his beer bottle. "I hope whoever did him in made it painful. Bastard deserved everything he got after what he did to me."
Michael pressed for details of the past dispute. Jeremy relayed how a mistake on one of his projects led to a costly delay for the company. His boss threw him under the bus and made him the scapegoat, ensuring Jeremy's termination. The supervisor got off scot-free while Jeremy's career and reputation were ruined.
"We butted heads constantly after that. I'd run into the prick around town and he'd rub it in my face, like he was untouchable. All while I struggled to find stable work," Jeremy said bitterly. "I'm no killer but whoever did this, I owe them a drink."
Jeremy claimed to have been home alone drinking all night, but as an angry and volatile man, he fit the profile of the killerMichael suspected. However, Michael's instincts told him there were missing pieces to this story that Jeremy wasn't sharing. He made a note to dig deeper into the history between the two men and check Jeremy's alibi thoroughly.
Next, Michael spoke to Elijah Rodriguez, the victim's business partner at his nationwide logistics firm. Elijah feigned shock at the news but seemed oddly evasive during questioning. He grew flustered when pressed for details about any recent troubles between the victim and clients or other associates. Michael sensed Elijah wasn't being entirely truthful and decided he warranted closer scrutiny as well.
As the sun began to set, Michael decided to call it a day. But the troubled pasts of Jeremy and Elijah continued to plague his thoughts. Something didn't add up about their reactions. And with no ID on the victim yet, Michael felt far from solving this perplexing case. He went home frustrated, hoping tomorrow would bring new answers – and that the brutal killer wasn't already targeting their next victim.