He had spent the rest of the previous day tracking the number. It had taken a long time and a million records, but eventually he had done it.

He had traced the number back to an iPhone 6s, owned by one Sanjay Edwards. The murder victim from yesterday. It was too close to be a coincidence. As it hadn't been commited by the spider killer, Dacanery hoped the assassin or murderer had left a calling card of some kind that was recognisable and could be traced easily.

His phone rang, and he saw the caller ID. Detective Stevens. May as well find out why he's calling, Dacanery supposed.

"Detective Stevens?" He asked into the phone after picking it up.

"Speaking." Answered a firm voice. "Regarding the murder from yesterday there has been a calling card. From the assassin we've been trying to find recently."

"Right."

"I only told you." The other detective said drily. "Because you seem to know more than the rest of us on the assassin."

Damn. How to phrase it so Stevens would understand? "I don't know much more, but the briefing I had had planned was for the day the first murder happened."

"Fine." Well, that had seemed to do the trick.

"Well I have to go..." Dacanery trailed off.

"Ok, goodbye."

"Bye." Dacanery said before hanging up.

Well he had the calling card then. Time to visit the black bull, where the assassin was said to feature.

The drive took one and a half hour. The silence was so different to the hectic atmosphere of the station, trying to find the spider killer.

He scanned the scene once he entered the bar, sweeping the decor for hidden exits and entrances, likely suspects to who would be the assassin.

His eyes followed the course of the bar, till they reached a lone figure. In a smart suit. A shadow was cast over his face, rendering his identifying features near invisible. But Dacanery could see the snake tattoo peeking over the man's suit, the green head just above the collar, the demon red tongue glistening in the dim light like poison. He knew that if the man looked up, and his face was bathed in light, he would see the assassin's neat brown hair, smoky eyes and the scar just beneath his ear would also be visible.

The man looked up, his face bathed with the light Dacanery had predicted. And every identifying feature Dacanery had named was outlined on the man's face.

Dacanery walked over to the table. It was just the man there, no other people. He sat down, and the man's eyes narrowed, partly in distaste and partly in suspicion, mistrust and knowledge. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again. He thought for a few more seconds before deciding to speak.

"Why are you here?" He asked. The accent was nothing like the burly cockney accent Dacanery was expecting. It wasn't exactly posh, but someone who was born low and dragged themselves up from the gutter.

"Mr McAllister? I think you know why I'm here." The guy was Snake McAllister, a master assassin. Not as good as the spider killer, but then nothing could beat a supernatural monster, as he was now seeming to be. A serial killer with murders in the double digits, he had famously risen up from the gutter to become one of the best paid freelance assassins. Dacanery judged the man to be in around his thirties, early to mid thirties. But if only little was known about how to contact him, even less was known about his past. Nobody in the police force could work out a way to find out how he contacted the people he killed for. If they had, the police force would have probably already caught him. The police had trouble finding his history and creating a file on him, but at least it was easier to create a file on a human than the spider killer. And Dacanery would teacher have had to hunt down a hundred Snake McAllisters in this world than take down even one spider killer. But luck never smiled on him, did it?

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand why a detective would want me."

"Mr McAllister, I place you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent.

"You can't do that." The assassin protested.

"Actually, I can. I'm a detective."

Snake glared. "So you came here thinking you were going to play the big cop and catch me easily weren't you?"

"On the contrary the police force knew you would put up a fight, so sent their best."

"You aren't that police officer Dacanery, are you?"

"Detective Dacanery, actually."

"Well, I don't have a choice with you then, do I?"

"Not at all."

"Well that's just perfect." Snake said before holding his hands out.

Dacanery raised an eyebrow. "Are you really going to just hadn't yourself over?"

"May as well." The assassin shrugged. "You'll catch me anyway. And this way I don't get charged with assaulting a police detective."

"If only other criminals realised that." Dacanery remarked before cuffing the man and leading him to the police car Dacanery had chosen for this time.

"Why did you murder that man yesterday?" Dacanery asked once the door was shut.

"A job." Came the reply. Dacanery sensed he would get no more out of the criminal, at least not until he was in an interrogation room.

As soon as he reached the station he took the assassin to an interrogation room. He sat the man down in the chair at the other side of the table, and debated the effect of sitting down, but decided against it in the end. Depending on how the cards played he could always sit down later.

He pressed the record button. God knew he needed some evidence for this case.

"The day is 7th June 2010. Interrogating the suspect is Detective Dacanery. Can the suspect please state his name, age, address and occupation."

"Well, technically I can..."

"Please state the aforementioned details."

"But you already know my name."

"State it for the record." Dacanery said through gritted teeth.

"Hold your horses detective. I'm Snake McAllister. Happy now?"

"Simply delighted. Now please state your age, address and occupation."

"34, number 23, Robinwood road. I'm currently unemployed, and looking for a job."

More like trained assassin Dacanery thought, but didn't comment. Snake looked around.

"Why is it only you holding the interrogation? Do you not trust your team? Or are there so few police staff in the force that they can only have one detective in interogations?"

"The other detectives are working on other aspects of the investigation. It's one of the largest and most serious investigations in the country."

Snake appeared to ponder this. "I'm that important then, am I?"

"We are looking for the spider killer, MrMcAllister."

"Hmm. And why am I here?"

"Because there was a call about a traitor yesterday, and your calling card was left. You also said it was for a job."

"I may have."

"Now-"

"Do you not trust the detectives? Is that why they aren't here?"

"You killed a person who knew of a traitor in the force, Mr McAllister, that traitor could be anyone."

"But not you?"

"I think if know if I was a traitor to the force."

"The lies we tell other people are nothing compared to the lies we tell ourselves."

Dacanery glared at the assassin. "Cut the deviating. Philosophical discussions are never held in interview rooms. Now. Were you at the domain of Sanjay Edwards at 4pm, yesterday?"

"Why not just spit it out? We both know what you want to say."

"Why did you murder Mr Edwards in his home yesterday?"

"Innocent till proven. You don't have me for anything. No evidence detective."

Dacanery leaned on the table, Hsi hands splayed.

"Mr McAlister. You have yourself under a delusion that what you say matters. Mr Edwards wisely installed CCTV in his house." The assassin paled. They did have CCTV footage from Mr Edwards' house, but it was only enough to prove Snake was lurking outside the house. But let the criminal think what his mind presumed. "I also have evidence from seven other cases, which is enough to get you a life sentence already. This interrogation is just for show. Don't think you can fool anyone into thinking it is anything else."

"Then why are you recording this, if it isn't needed."

"Because if you tell me who you were working for, and even anything that will lead the investigation towards the spider killer, I can get you a reduced sentence."

"What about Mr Edwards?"

"What about him? The past belongs to the past, so in the past it should stay."

Snake gave a spy smile. "A crooked cop, eh? And Dacanery no less. Why shouldn't I tell anyone else about this?"

"Because it'll be your word against mine, and who's going to believe the word of an assassin against the word of a respected detective? And if you tell anyone, I can make sure you receive a life sentence for sure."

"Well, doesn't leave me with much choice does it? I suppose we have a deal, you and I."

Well, that had been an interesting way to spend the last hour. Or was it two? Dacanery still wasn't sure on timings. Time seemed to slow down in the investigation room.

The murder of Sanjay Edwards, it turns out, had been a job for the spider killer. But as well as solving the mystery, Dacanery also had to work out how to get Snake a reduced sentence, solve the mystery, and keep it from Brooks and Stevens without them winding up suspicious.

Dacanery now knew what the number on Brooks' phone was for. It was either a contact for the spider killer, or the spider killer himself. Snake hadn't been sure on it.

Dacanery reached his office, and walked in, immediately frowning. Everything was neat and normal and in its place. The window hadn't been forced, but the door was unlocked. And he's just spent the last few hours out of his office, arresting and interrogating Snake. Anyone could have come in, he supposed. He neared the desk, and the note set upon it. It could have been left haphazardly, just an extra piece of paper to be forgotten about. But the angle it was set at... Made sure it would always been seen. No matter what. Whoever left this wanted Dacanery to notice this. He highly doubted that there would be any evidence around it, and with what evidence could be collected, what kind of guarantee did he have that it wouldn't be destroyed like the DNA doctor Grigaru was working on?

He knelt so he could read the note. Even if there was no useful evidence to speak of, the note was still evidence, and should not be touched by anyone who was not a forensic scientist. The crime scene protocols were firmly embedded in Dacanery's mind and conciousness.

Detective Dacanery.

I know you aren't foolish but are strong willed, so heed my warning well. Abandon your investigation, or die.

Yep, I'm going to leave your story there folks. I'm evil, aren't I?

What do you think Dacanery will do? Abandon the investigation, or continue?

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year To All, and the suchlike.