Serial killers always have a pattern, or something that eventually gets them caught. Some like to keep trophies - small things their victims once owned. A few develop a strong feeling for a specific appearance and make that appearance the signature look of their victims. Others have a location linked to their victims. It's a place where they can easily pick up their victims or just a place closer to their own house.

  Thus, Aaron’s first instinct was simple: find a pattern. He kept trying but the fourth or fifth victim always ruined the streak of similarities and then he had to find some something else that was common among all Star-Killer's victims. He had visited victim's families, his police friends and bartender again but still no luck. A few victims did have an identical look, similar occupations or apartments in same building but it was never enough that it could be called a pattern.

  Police hadn't been able to find Star-Killer for years. Aaron knew he wasn’t going to find him overnight either but it had been two months now! Star-Killer hadn't contacted him again and he had hit a dead end now. He kept thinking that he should get in the field as an investigator so he might have access to the knowledge of the case that wasn't public but he was still hesitant.

  He was sitting in his apartment with pictures, documents and his notes scattered everywhere. He was frustrated as he was watching another news report of Star-Killer. It felt like the killer was mocking him. He fell silent as the reporter announced that:

  "Yes, you have heard it right that forensics has found a note on the strip and police is keeping it private. Our reporters are trying to get as much as information we can, just keep in touch with us here on...."

  Aaron didn't listen to the next part. He had been obsessively keeping tabs on everything now but still nothing was coming up. Out of frustration, he scattered the pictures more for the third time, just so it could magically show any link to each other.

  When after an hour, he still got no luck, he got up and left the apartment. He had been looking for a house to buy for himself for a while now. Thus he went to meet a private seller. Aaron's parents had left him enough money to live comfortably without ever working and that's how he could afford a house and postponing his job wasn't affecting him financially.

  He met the private seller in a newly made house. He was given a cup of coffee to drink while he looked around the whole house. The private seller was telling Aaron that he himself has been living in the house for part five months after getting it built once which was supposed to mean that house has been used to practicality already and it would be perfect to buy. Just a business tactic.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  "I think this road is a bit too busy. I prefer 7th street more-" Aaron was cut off by the chatty private seller.

  "Yes. 7th street! I lived there but it wasn't a pleasant experience either. Do you know Star-Killer murdered a person there? It was terrible." Private seller said.

  "I thought you lived in an apartment before this house. There are no apartments in 7th street?" Aaron inquired. Like always, he couldn’t stop himself from digging.

  Private seller laughed and replied, "Well actually, I did live in an apartment but I change my place of living every six months. It's like a side business. Buy a place, set it up and sell it forward to another person. I get to enjoy living in different new houses all the time and I love this experience except for....." The man scowled, "When Star-Killer first showed up. My two houses sale went down because of him choosing to do his deeds in the same road."

  Aaron's eyes widened and he asked, "You have a lot of relations with people in this town which is amazing I could never do it so well. You must know everyone around. Are there any more private sellers in this town other than you?"

  The question was sudden but the flattering Aaron did worked like a charm and the private seller replied without finding it weird. "Why, Thank you and Yes, we have Mrs. Scotts and Mr Fairmaner. Mrs. Scotts is so beautiful. Poor woman is actually a widow. I wonder if she would ever move on and get married and-"

  Thank God, private seller's phone's rang to cut his loquacious talk. He excused and left Aaron alone in the room. Aaron had been dealing with too many talkative people nowadays, poor him.

  He stood there alone as he searched up on his phone. He knew his private seller was out of the town for past few months so he was safe but others, he needed to search. so he did and went first by Mrs Scotts but came to know that she only recently came in this field after her husband died thus she was safe too.

  The suspect fell on Mr. Fairmaner and as Aaron searched him up, the pattern finally made sense! Mr. Fairmaner had changed so many houses in past 20 years that it was hard counting them all. He was able to find every detail of where he lived at what time and God! It aligned so well! Eighteen years ago, during the original killings every murder Star-Killer did were on the streets Mr.Fairmaner lived.

  It was possible that Star-Killer kept changing his place of living to meet new people and to learn their schedule before taking them and then sending them to meet their maker. It made perfect sense given that no one gets too close to a person who lived only a few months before leaving thus, no one ever mentioned such a guy to police but he could have easily done his deed and just left. Could he be a suspect for changing house whenever a murder happened? Yes, but he has been changing them so frequently even before the Star-Killer ever came up. Thus, him changing house wasn't gonna get any special attention.

  Aaron walked out of the house while glaring at the picture of Mr. Fairmaner on his phone. He was taking quick steps with his fists clenched from being all fired up to finally find the Star-Killer, when suddenly he collided with a person. He apologized and continued to walk without looking at the man. The man grabbed his arm.

  The man spoke and Aaron's blood went cold. It was the voice of the same man that Aaron met in the restroom of the pub.

  "Why are you in such a rush? Aren't you gonna greet your friend Star-Killer, Aaron?"

  To Be Continues......