5th October, 2015.

09:00 AM.

Ian McNeil looked around his cramped office in disgust. It was pathetic really, how a grown man at 6’2 was supposed to fit in there comfortably. It was a small office, with a square-shaped wooden table and three chairs, one behind the table, and two right in front of it. A ceiling fan in moderate condition blew gently with a squeaking noise. He would have turned it off, but the cramped nature of the room made the air thick.

The room had one window, which showed the parking lot as its sole view, and a door so small he had to bend his head slightly any time he entered or left the office. The little space not taken up by him or the furniture was filled with stacks of paper.

Detective Ian McNeil, the best! Paperwork! That was what he had been reduced to.

He looked out from the open door, to the corridor in the police precinct, Well, that’s probably the best this piece of shit town could afford, he thought.

He had grown past this, and had not worked his ass off in New York only to get forgotten in this sleepy little place.

He walked over to his window and watched as the heavy wind outside made the trees sway back and forth. People were rushing to their offices, so the impending rain wouldn’t meet them on the way.

He had always been better than Atwood. He did grow up there and attended a local high school, but he had something most people simply did not – ambition. He had always been fascinated by true crime, and had a sharp, analytical mind which made him believe he would stand out from the rest. The only reason he had ever hesitated to leave was Alyson, his Ally, the only woman he had ever loved. He felt his heart clench in his chest as he thought about her.

She was by far the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, with a beautiful oval face, and deep green eyes so intelligent it seemed as though she was staring into one’s very soul. She had a fiery temper, and vibrant red hair which matched her personality. They complimented each other in every way, and the time they were together, though short, was the time he felt most complete.

They planned a lot of things, from visiting the crypts in Egypt, to touring the coasts of Australia together. Now as he thought of it, it seemed ridiculous. They had a plan – go to college, move in together, get married, have kids. No complications, no surprises.

Her parents dying a week to their high school graduation put a cruel halt to their plans. She was left to care for her then ten-year-old sister, a thin girl who was quite mean spirited. After graduation, she chose to stay back instead of going to college. They broke up and went their separate ways. He tried to justify his decision of leaving her. Afterall, he was just looking out for himself. But deep down, he knew he didn’t stay back because he had his whole life ahead of him, and couldn't handle her baggage.

Immediately after graduation, he went to NYU and majored in criminology. His focus and determination made him the best in his year, and he went to police school soon after. He was hungry, and his supervisor recognized it, so she took him under her tutelage. He excelled at physical trainings, and took half the time to solve cases as it took others.

After graduation from the police academy, he began climbing the ladder in his profession. What took people three years to achieve, he did in one year; the levels people reached after five years, he reached in three. At just 26 years of age, he became a detective in the police force in New York.

All of this was before the Gutiérrez case, where he made a huge mistake, which cost him his growing career. Because of that, he was deployed away from New York, on an ‘official assignment’, which was just code for career stagnation. With what little connections he had, he was able to influence his choice of deployment to Atwood, the little known city in California where he had grown up.

He did that primarily because it was his hometown, the place he grew up, and the sense of familiarity was comforting. He would never have admitted it, but a little part of his mind knew he did it because of Alyson.

From his office he watched as it started to drizzle, and cops ran into the building. He knew most of them, as they were cops when he was a kid, and would probably still be cops here when he got reinstated in New York.

He heard a knock on his open door and turned around.
It was Suarez, a middle-aged, obese junior detective who had a permanent sneer on his face. It was no secret to Ian that he was disliked in the precinct, with self-righteous, comfortable cops who had never made sacrifices thinking he was too cocky for his job. He did not care what their opinions of him were, as long as they accorded him respect.

“Detective McNeil,” Suarez said as he came into the office.

“What is it?” Ian asked.

“We just received a call. A young woman’s body was found washed up on the lake,” he said with distaste.

Well this town just got a lot more interesting, Ian thought.

*****

Same Day, 09:45 AM.

The lake was filled with law enforcement agents, forensic analysts, and gossip mongering citizens. The cops had done a good job of ensuring everyone stayed behind the police line, but the excitement was extremely palpable in the air. It certainly wasn’t every day a town like this witnessed a murder.

Ian walked over to the body and examined it. It was that of a young lady, between the ages of 17 – 25 by his estimation. She had long blonde hair, but her facial features were not easily recognizable because of the damage to her face. She was clearly beaten up pretty badly. He took a closer look at her neck. Amidst the bruises, there was a thin line that ran around her neck, which seemed like she was strangled with a narrow rope. A combination of her injuries, and the fact that she had been in the water for some time did not make for a pretty sight.

It had begun to rain heavily by then, but that did not discourage the citizens, who kept having to be pushed back by cops. Apparently, it was someone well known. He looked around the lake and tried to make out what he could remember. It was not often visited by people because it was known for its unpredictability. The area around it was marshy, and mud stuck to his shoes and the bottom of his pants.

He walked towards the water. The water seemed black and swayed dangerously, like it knew exactly how the young woman had died and was seeking vengeance. The lake was a wide one, and expanded at about 500 acres, with a shoreline that ran approximately 10 miles, and the sky was a bleak, stormy grey. If a murder had not occurred, the view would have been beautiful.

It was a fairly deep lake, so the body should have disappeared in it, but it was probably brought back because of the heavy current. As she had been in the water, he was sure most of the forensic evidence would have disappeared, but they would have to work with what they had. He shivered slightly from the cold.

Based on his previous experiences, he knew the evidence found at a scene may hold the missing clue that could crack a case wide open. He walked towards the spectators, at a distance close enough to hear them, but far enough not to be noticed. He pretended to study some footprints in the mud as he listened.

“–Bethany girl. With the way she was going I’m not surprised this happened,” A flabby woman said to her much shorter friend.

“She was pretty bad but still. She was just 17. So young.” The shorter one yelled, to be heard over the rain.

“She had her whole life ahead of her.”

“But it is pretty exciting don’t you think? A murder at Atwood! Who would have thought.” The short one was giddy with excitement.

“Do you think the scandal would invite the press? Are we finally going to become popular?” the fat one asked. Ian found the conversation disturbing. It was not a normal thing to be heard when a young woman’s body had just been found.

“Most likely. But what if the murderer is still out there?” the shorter one feigned shock, but it was obvious she was enjoying the conversation.

“Oh heavens forbid,” the fat one rebuked, as she hastily did a sign of the cross.

“Who do you think killed her though?”

“With the way she was hated, rocket science would be easier to figure out. That’s why we say don’t bite off more than you can chew right?” the fat one replied as they both laughed.

Ian got up, and walked slightly forward to listen in on another conversation. The pounding rain made it extremely difficult, but years of experience had sharpened his senses.

“Poor child. I wonder how her sister would feel.” An older woman wondered loudly.

“Exactly, Bridget. Bad luck seems to follow that one around doesn’t it? Maybe she’s due for a spiritual cleansing because this is not normal.”

“I would hate to be her relative,” the older woman concurred.

“You can’t hate it, because you’d probably be dead by now,” the other one replied maliciously.

It was apparent the deceased and her sister were not well liked in the community. He moved on, his yellow raincoat sticking to his clothes because of the rain.

“Would they even be able to afford the funeral services?” One man asked the other.

“Oh come on, the little slut should have certainly made enough from selling her body all over town. I bet you one of her jilted lovers did it.”

Ian had heard enough, and walked back to where the body lay, deep in thought. He liked a challenge, and this was one puzzle he was eager to solve. For the first time in weeks, the adrenalin flowed through his body, and his mind perked up. 

The analysts, after collecting samples from the body and taking photos of the crime scene, began placing the body up in a body bag.

“Bethany!” he heard someone scream as she crossed the police line. He could recognize that voice anywhere.

“That’s my sister,” Alyson screamed as she ran crying toward the body, despite the pounding rain.

He caught her by the waist, and prevented her from reaching the body.
She began to struggle against his hold, “Let me go.”

He led her away from the crowd, so she would not unwittingly tamper with the evidence, “Control yourself.”

People began to take videos as he dragged the still hysterical Alyson away.

So the dead girl was Alyson’s younger sister, he thought.

What the hell had happened while he was away?