Early Saturday Morning- approximately 2 a.m.

  12th and Holman

  The proposed site for the new Castleton Shopping Plaza

  James parks his Crown Victoria in almost the same spot where he'd parked it the night Evelyn and Officer Melbourne were both murdered. The only obstacles in his way are the long lengths of bright yellow police tape criss-crossing the area. Detective Mackey peers into the distance as he climbs out of his car. He is studying the tall building far off, the building where he believes the fatal shot was fired. Closing the driver's side door of the sedan, James makes up his mind to scope the building out. Departmental procedure be damned.

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  Mackey climbs the last step leading to the top floor of the building. Sliding apart a set of metal doors, James is greeted by an immense open space--possibly a storeroom. The solemn detective takes a deep breath, crossing to a pair of sliding glass doors on the opposite side of the enormous room. After a long period of careful study, James backs away from the glass doors. Another heavy sigh issues from his partially closed lips. There is no longer a doubt in Detective Mackey's mind that whoever killed Evelyn Reardon was hunkered down in this room.

  To Mackey's way of thinking, his view of the roof where Evelyn was murdered is perfect for such a shot. However, judging by the conditions within the room, an investigative team hasn't even been over the property. Talk about a lack of faith in his innocence.

  Spying a wooden chair nearby, James goes to it and sits down. He retrieves the microSD adapter, Rachel had slipped to him earlier that evening, from inside the pocket of his suit jacket. He utters yet another low sigh.

  "Well, I guess I'd better see what Rachel thought was so important that a washed up detective needed to see it," James grumbles.

  Ejecting his phone's card slot, James inserts the microSD card into his phone. Mounting the card, Mackey scrolls down and selects the video file which pops up.

  At first, Ned Andrew's face appears onscreen. Ned is seen adjusting the camera angle of his chosen recording device. He grins like an evil gremlin as he looks over one shoulder.

  "You ready, Babe?" Ned calls over his shoulder. "Let's go over this again. I want it perfect this time. I want it to look good. I know you can do better than that."

  "I...Please. Do we have to record it? I've told you...I won't tell anyone. I don't understand. Why do you need all of those recordings?"

  "Call it insurance, Babe," Ned responds, climbing down from a short ladder which is out of camera range. "Now...Lay back down on the bed."

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Ned...Please," the female voice pleads. "I'm in pain. I need to..."

  "Don't make me say it again. On the bed. Or I'll put you there myself. Don't make me do that."

  "Okay," comes the shaky feminine reply.

  As Ned moves out of the way, a woman comes into view of the camera. She removes her garter belt, which is around her left thigh. Ned ambles over to the woman, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her violently towards him. He kisses the woman forcefully, snaking one hand up to her breasts.

  James continues to watch, even when his stomach begins to clench. From the looks of things, there is definitely a crime going on here. And it has happened many times before.

  Ned forgets playing nice and yanks on the woman's skimpy costume, tearing one side away from her bosom. A tiny shocked gasp escapes the woman's lips and she briefly separates her face from Ned's. Detective Mackey's mouth falls open as he catches the smallest glimpse of the frightened woman's visage.

  "Oh my....! Melbourne!"

  Ned graduates to full-blown insanity. He grips the front of the shocked woman's clothes and violently shakes her. With a feral growl, he practically throws her onto the bed. Melbourne issues another frightened gasp as Ned clambers atop her. Francine is half off of the mattress and half on it when Ned begins to take off his pants. He removes his pants before repositioning Melbourne on the bed. Straddling the now sobbing female officer's waist, he begins to unbutton his shirt. Once his shirt is completely open, Ned runs both hands down Melbourne's exposed chest.

  "This...Is wonderful!" Ned whispers. "No matter how many times we do this. It always surprises me. You're certainly bigger than I'd originally imagined. It's that dumpy uniform. So much woman under so much junk. You're in the wrong profession, Francine. You are beautiful."

  "Please. I...I'm supposed to be getting home. Please. Chuck is expecting me. Please, Ned. I don't like doing this. Until now...I've never cheated on Chuck. Please, don't make me do this. I'm sorry. What do I have to do to..."

  "You're doing it, girl!" Ned says, bending forward and kissing Francine on her lips. "Don't worry, I won't leave any evidence for good ole Chuck to find. Hey! I've got a joke for you, Hon. How much wood...Can a woodchuck chuck...If a woodchuck could chuck wood? I guarantee you...Not as much as I can. Haha."

  Ned stops his evil laughing long enough to sneer in Melbourne's face. He forcefully kisses her again; before moving on to what he really wants to do. At this point, Mackey stops the video. He has seen enough. Melbourne.

  James climbs to his feet, nearly in a daze, shoving his phone deep into his suit jacket pocket. An expression of pure hatred transforms the detective's features. Blackmail. Whatever this Ned had on Melbourne, it must have been pretty damning. Why else would she agree to fug him onscreen again and again?

  Detective Mackey barely has time to process his own question before he is hit on the head from behind. James stumbles forward, and is hit a second time. Each time, there is a metallic twing in the air. A shovel? How strange.

  James collapses to the floor after the second strike to the back of his head and neck. The detective slams into the wooden chair he'd previously been sitting on, bearing it down to the floor with him. The chair topples onto its side only inches from James' face. Mackey blinks twice, as a feminine figure steps into view. And then, he passes out.

  Above Detective Mackey, Gabrielle smiles sardonically. She uses a high-heeled foot to kick his right hand, making sure he is truly unconscious. Shaking her head, Gabrielle rolls both eyes toward the ceiling. She crosses the giant room and retrieves a roll of duct tape from a hole behind a metal bookcase.

  "Oh, Mackey. You are so predictable. I knew you'd end up here sooner or later. All I had to do...Was wait."