They arrived at the station, a calm, cold wind brushing against their faces as they stepped out of the car. The sun had fully risen by now, casting long shadows over the quiet streets. Alex and Mark moved with purpose, the weight of the case hanging heavily on their shoulders.
As they pushed through the station's doors, they were greeted by the familiar hum of activity. The usual noise of phones ringing, papers shuffling, and colleagues talking in hushed tones filled the air. Without exchanging a word, they made their way down the hallway, their steps echoing softly against the tiled floor. The tension in the building was palpable; everyone knew the gravity of the case they were working on.
When they reached Mrs. Carter's office, Alex knocked briskly before opening the door. Mrs. Carter, the head of the forensics team, looked up from her paperwork. Her sharp eyes quickly took in their expressions, and she set her pen down.
"Welcome back, gentlemen," she said, her voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of urgency. "What have you got for me?"
Mark handed over the evidence bag containing the blood samples and the sketch. "We need a full analysis on the blood," he said, his voice clipped with the exhaustion of the past few days. "And this is the sketch we've got."
Mrs. Carter nodded, her face impassive as she examined the contents of the bag. "Understood. I'll have my team get on it right away. Anything else?"
Alex hesitated, glancing at Mark before speaking. His voice was measured, but there was a hint of unease. "About the sketch—we're not confident enough to release it to the media. The witness is a young boy who was half-asleep, suffering from insomnia. If this sketch is off, even by a little, we could end up chasing the wrong leads. Worse, it might push the killer to go underground or escalate."
Mrs. Carter's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered this. "You're right to be cautious," she replied after a moment. "A false lead could set us back significantly. We'll keep it internal, but I'll make sure everyone on the team is aware of it."
"Thank you," Alex said, a slight tension easing from his shoulders. "We'll need to know as soon as the blood analysis is done, and if you can identify the victims, that could help us piece this together.
"I'll keep you informed," Mrs. Carter assured them.
"I'd like to start by speaking with the families of the previous victims," Alex said, the resolve in his voice belying the dread he felt at the task. "There might be something we missed, something that connects them."
Mrs. Carter nodded, her expression sympathetic but firm. "I'll see what I can arrange, but don't expect too much. These families are grieving, and reopening those wounds might not yield the results you hope for."
"I understand," Alex replied, though he knew he had to try. Every detail mattered in a case like this.
Mark shifted slightly, sensing the conversation was drawing to a close. "We'll be ready for anything, ma'am," he said.
Mrs. Carter offered a tight smile. "Good. We'll need to be."
As Alex and Mark left the office, they walked side by side down the corridor, the earlier tension still lingering between them.
"So, where to now?" Mark asked, his tone lighter but still carrying the weight of the morning.
"I'm starving," Alex admitted with a dry chuckle. "I need to get some breakfast before I lose it."
Mark grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Mind if I join? Or are you still mad about last time?"
Alex stopped, looked Mark in the eye, and deadpanned, "Yeah, I do mind," holding the serious tone just long enough to make Mark blink in surprise. Then he broke into a smile, and they both laughed, the tension easing a little more.
"Alright, alright. I'll take that as a yes," Mark said, shaking his head with a grin.
"But after that, I'm heading to my mom's place. Haven't seen her since summer."
Mark nodded, understanding. "Good call. I'll probably hang around here, see if there's anything else I can do."
Alex nodded, appreciating the support. "Let's get going, then. We've got a long day ahead."
The two detectives walked out of the station, their minds already turning to the next steps. The city was waking up around them, but they knew the darkness they were chasing was still out there, lurking, waiting for them to catch up.