dog
Jason was taken aback, he subconsciously thought of the beginning of the "Cross Street Stalker" he had just watched.
In that beginning, the protagonist stepped into the killer's trap step by step just because he was looking for the landlord's lost dog.
Thinking of this, Jason said half-jokingly.
"You won't be my landlord?"
"Um."
"I am your landlord."
An affirmative answer came from the receiver, making Jason frown.
Such a coincidence
No!
Not a coincidence, but an arrangement!
It is very likely that when I stayed here, I arranged everything!
And the guy who arranged it all
Naturally, it was the guy who committed the murder according to the description in the book!
What the other party wants to do is not just to create a murder!
but...
Recreate the content of Cross Street Stalker!
Jason had a rough guess in his mind, but his brows frowned even tighter.
Because, he has no memory of how to live here.
He was here as soon as he appeared.
previous memory
absolutely not!
He doesn't even know the names of the cats and dogs raised by 'him'.
While Jason was thinking, the voice from the microphone continued.
"I want to meet and talk, is that okay?"
The other party asked.
"Can."
Jason gave an affirmative answer.
He wanted to know more, so he had no reason to say no.
And the landlord named 'John' came faster than expected.
Just five minutes after Jason put down the receiver, there was a knock on the door—
Boom, boom, boom!
"It's me, John."
The person who knocked on the door reported himself.
After Jason checked habitually, he opened the door.
This is a man who looks thin but full of strength. His face is quite handsome, but his beard is unshaven and his hair is very long. It grows to hang on the sides of his cheeks and shoulders, making him look decadent. The clothes on his body It was even simpler, a pair of jeans and off-white long sleeves, with some stains on them, which made the already decadent opponent look more lonely.
"Sorry, in order not to be seen by others, I had to do some redundant things."
The other party walked in directly, and after Jason closed the door, he pointed to the stain on his clothes.
Jason nodded noncommittally.
However, the eyes are still fixed on each other.
Jason could clearly feel the dangerous aura of this decadent, lonely, 'depressed' man in front of him.
In the 'City That Never Sleeps', Jason has seen many such people.
Each one is a well-known lone ranger.
Of course, he didn't have any contact with these people, he just met them when delivering the goods.
But this does not prevent Jason from keeping in mind the advice given to him by the 'old man': don't mess with such a person, you can't afford it, if you don't want yourself, including your relatives, friends, and subordinates, to be killed, then the old man Honestly stay away.
Would someone steal this guy's dog
Jason mourned for the other party from the bottom of his heart.
Obviously, this dog is very important to John in front of him.
Simply put, this is no longer a relationship that has not been messed with.
Rather... Immortal.
While Jason was looking at John, this John was also looking at Jason.
This was the first time he saw Jason.
Before, when Jason moved in, the administrator of the apartment had reported it to him, but he was not in the mood to pay attention to it at all.
He had never seen a writer like this.
He is close to two meters tall, with strong muscles, and his arms are thicker than ordinary people's thighs. He looks more like a wrestler than a writer.
When a writer holds a pen, he should be gentle.
Jason in front of him is holding a pen
It just makes people nervous and worried!
Because they were afraid that Jason would poke the pen into his body!
Is the pen the writer's weapon
John couldn't help but think of a famous saying.
At this time, he felt that this famous saying was quite reasonable.
Then, he silently took a step back.
Not only because he was worried that Jason would violently hurt others, but also because he had a keen sense of fatal danger in Jason.
This is the intuition given to him by his previous occupation.
An intuition that can never go wrong!
Jason and John just stood in the corridor of the foyer and looked at each other.
After more than ten seconds, the two moved together.
The two people began to move sideways, and moved to the sofa step by step. During this process, the eyes of the two never left each other. They stared at each other's eyes, and looked at each other's arms, legs and feet vigilantly. Even after standing next to the sofa, the two of them did not change their movements, and even unconsciously pinched the back of the sofa with their hands.
The sofa can be used not only for sitting, but also for swinging.
Of course, it can also be used as a shield.
Squeak, squeak!
Amid the friction between the legs of the sofa and the floor, Jason and John each dragged the sofa back.
The two didn't stop until they touched the wall behind them.
Then, they sat down on the sofa at the same time.
John's body bowed slightly, like a leopard charged up, it could explode at the slightest disturbance.
Jason, on the other hand, was much more normal, with his body sitting upright, his legs slightly apart, but his feet moved back slightly in the slippers, using the uppers of the slippers to cover the curved, buckled toes.
Jason promises that if he presses his toes hard, he can bounce up immediately,
When an accident happened, he could not only react immediately, but also complete an effective counterattack.
The two fell silent again.
Only the voice from the TV remained—
"According to reports, this time the murder took place in a remote alley. The poor lady had her arms cut off and hung upside down. The words were written on her body: boring, boring, not fun."
"Friends who have watched "Cross Street Stalker" must be familiar with this scene."
"However, this time it is no longer in the book, but in reality."
"Someone is imitating the killer in "Cross Street Stalker" and committing murder."
"Fortunately, we interviewed the author of this book..."
A mosaic image was broadcast on the TV, but this seemed to make people want to peep.
Then the analyzed pictures appeared one by one, and with the host's explanation, it made people suddenly feel a creepy feeling.
Thrills, fears.
After the combination of the two, the curiosity born is enough to attract people's attention.
Especially with the Jason interview inserted at the end.
Jason's voice did not come out, only a picture.
But this picture is still shaking up and down.
as if something happened
Then, as soon as the screen changed, he returned to the studio.
"We met with the writer of Cross Street Stalker, but the signal doesn't seem to be very good..."
The host continued.
Jason, on the other hand, was not interested in listening anymore.
He simply turned off the TV.
A bunch of guys for the ratings, what can't be made up
Even if the other party said that he killed someone, Jason would not be surprised.
After all, it is reasonable for a past author to take risks in order to gain attention.
"I've read your book."
After Jason turned off the TV, John suddenly spoke.
"how do you feel?"
Jason asked casually.
He wished to break the silence between the two.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to ask anything at all, let alone get some useful information.
"Description of the corpse, very good."
"Professional grade!"
"I wondered how you could write such a professional thing before, but now?"
John glanced at Jason again as he spoke, and didn't say any more.
Although he didn't say it, the meaning couldn't be more obvious.
"I'm a writer."
Jason emphasized.
Then, I added a sentence from the bottom of my heart: at least this is my identity.
"I'm also just a landlord."
"A guy who just lost his wife and then took away the most precious thing she left for me."
John also made an emphasis.
"Your wife?"
Jason asked just right.
"The disease took her life."
John said sadly.
"Feel sorry."
Jason said sincerely.
He could see that the man in front of him should love his wife very much.
Naturally, he also loves the pets left by his wife.
Hearing Jason's sincere apology, John seemed to start talking.
"After meeting my wife, I chose to retire. I hope to live a simple and peaceful life with my wife, but accidents always happen."
"The disease took her before."
"I can not do anything."
"Because I'm not a doctor."
"But now that someone has taken away the most precious thing she left me, I think I need to do something."
John said slowly.
"I believe you can do it."
Jason nodded.
"So, now we need to find the bastard who stole my dog - I'm worried about Daisy getting hurt, I don't want her getting hurt even a little bit."
John said, taking a deep breath.
Then, he continued: "Since he imitated everything in your book, he will naturally call you."
"Um."
Jason didn't refute.
Then, he asked curiously.
"How did you lose... her?"
Jason had wanted to say it.
But when the words came to his lips, he changed it to her.
Jason didn't mind respecting what the pet owner said, as long as the other party was not malicious.
"I went to see my wife this morning and Daisy was in the car and when I got back Daisy was gone and my car was broken into very professionally."
"No fingerprints, no footprints and other traces."
"Then, the imitation murder case of "Cross Street Stalker" came on the radio. I naturally thought of you as the author, and I am also your landlord."
John explained, looking at the only phone in the room.
He was waiting for the impersonator to call.
Then
He will send the other party to confess.
"imitate?"
"I don't think it's imitation."
Jason said after adjusting his sitting posture slightly.
Immediately, John's attention was attracted.
"Since I live here and you happen to have a dog, it's not a parody anymore."
"Instead..."
"Reappear!"
Jason emphasized his tone, and he looked at John without blinking.
"The other party wanted to reproduce what happened in "Cross Street Stalker", and what happened in it was synchronized. The protagonist was lured into the trap step by step by the killer, and the killer also killed innocent people at the same time. And now?"
"Your dog should be near the murder just now!"
As soon as Jason finished speaking, John stood up straight away, ready to walk out.
John couldn't wait to get his Daisy back.
But at this moment—
Jingle Bell!
the phone is ringing.
John paused, and he looked at the phone.
Jason picked up the receiver directly.
"Hello."
"How does it feel to regain attention?"
A deliberately changed voice appeared.
The other party suppressed that mischievous smile.
Both proud and full of sarcasm.
"not so good?"
Jason replied lightly, with a very calm tone.
And this kind of calm made the voice on the other side pause for a moment. The other party didn't seem to expect Jason to be so calm. The other party expected that Jason would feel angry even if he didn't show any anxiety.
but now
calm.
"Interesting! Interesting! So much fun!"
"This is the 'writer' I'm looking forward to!"
"Come, come, the game has begun!"
The other party let out a laugh mixed with excitement and panting, the kind that was hoarse but extremely excited.
After four or five seconds, the laughter stopped.
The other party's deliberately changed voice came again.
"Have you guessed where the dog is?"
"That… "
"Let's continue."
When the voice fell, the other side hung up.
Jason maintained his initial calm and hung up the phone.
As for the perverted behavior of the person on the other side of the receiver
Jason was not surprised.
How could such a thing be done if it is not abnormal.
only…
Such a 'pervert', why would he stare at him
Or to be more precise, there are so many excellent novels, why choose the novels of an author who is about to pass away
Just to get him noticed again
This idea appeared in Jason's heart, but Jason shook his head and denied it immediately.
He looked at John.
"Together?"
Jason asked.
He needs to go see the scene.
Although the police had already been there, and most of the valuable clues should have been collected, Jason still wanted to go there.
After all, he has an unusual way of searching.
He was also an unqualified 'detective'.
Thinking of his previous career as a 'detective', he immediately wanted to eat the pastries he had just baked.
"Can."
John didn't refuse.
Jason's performance gave him no reason to refuse.
Moreover, this matter also started because of Jason.
"I made some preparations, and the policemen who were watching here should be distracted."
When going out again, John told Jason.
And, as soon as he went out, he bent down directly.
Outside the apartment is a single-sided corridor, and through the cement fence on one side, you can directly see the street below.
At this moment, John is walking against this fence.
Then, when he turned his head to look at Jason, he realized that Jason had appeared by his side at some point.
quietly!
John's heart trembled.
He had tried his best to overestimate Jason, but at this moment, he realized that he still seemed to underestimate Jason.
At first glance, Jason was the kind of strong and fit candidate for a frontal assault, but at the moment he was as nimble as a cat... No, no, not a cat, but a strong leopard.
Maybe a rhino
John looked at Jason's strong figure and quickly changed the adjective.
Then, he looked at Jason's big pants, pajamas, and slippers.
John tried to remind Jason, but ended up saying nothing.
At this time, finding Daisy is the most important thing.
Jason and John go hand in hand.
The two easily arrived at the parking lot behind the apartment.
Parked here is an out-of-date vintage car.
Not a classic car.
It's a sedan with three-color stripes, but it looks more like a muscular sports car.
"The car is nice."
Jason commented.
He is a qualified 'postman' and knows a lot about cars.
Although he couldn't tell the brand of the car in front of him, he could tell that the car in front of him was not only well maintained, but also modified in many places.
For faster modification.
After Jason opened the passenger door and sat in, he confirmed this even more.
The front row remains the same, while all unnecessary things in the rear row are removed.
Including, the seat.
This is for weight loss.
However, just after Jason got in, the car tilted slightly.
Jason is bigger than he appears to be.
John glanced at his car with a bit of heartache, and then stepped on the accelerator.
hum!
Immediately, the whole car erupted with that characteristic roar, like a beast on land, rushing straight out with a roar.
Without further inquiries, John, who had already investigated clearly, drove straight to the scene of the murder: Olive Street.
Olive Street, located in the North District of Cherry City, is a street in the old city.
It used to be great here.
But with the passage of time and the migration of the rich, the South District replaced the North District, and Olive Street became a lot more dilapidated. Those shops that looked quite fashionable at the time now represent backwardness.
But the low-cost apartments provide cheap accommodation for many civilians and migrant workers.
The body was found in the alley between the apartments.
As described in the book, here is a narrow, dark alley.
Or even worse.
The sunlight was completely blocked by the apartments on both sides, and no light shone in, making the place not only dark, but also a little cold, and the residual bloody smell kept getting into the noses of those who approached it.
Jason saw the police cordon in the distance.
Several police officers were standing there, guarding the scene and blocking the approaching reporters.
These reporters buzzed around like flies that smelled of blood.
And those who live here are worried and fearful.
Jason believes that more police officers are investigating, asking for confessions, and at the same time appeasing the local residents.
He glanced at John.
"Daisy? Daisy?"
John shouted impatiently.
Unfortunately, no response was heard.
After John gave Jason a look, he immediately searched around.
He has also read the book "Cross Street Stalker", according to the description in the book, his dog should be near the murder scene.
And Jason
He slowly approached the murder scene.
Of course, the cordon was not crossed.
Standing behind the crowd, Jason looked over the cordon and looked inward, just like the reporters crowded around him.
However, compared to those reporters who poked their upper body in, wishing to get a closer look at the murder scene, Jason stood up straight.
He's tall, not crowded, and able to see what's inside.
A blue plastic sheet.
This wide blue plastic sheet not only surrounds the end, but also blocks everyone's sight, making people guess what's going on inside.
Jason subconsciously looked up at the apartments on both sides.
The eyes are blocked.
What about the heights
Then, Jason saw a few people poking around in the apartment. Judging from their attire, they should also be reporters, and their faces were filled with frustration.
Obviously, this blue plastic sheet should completely block all sight.
Of course, not everyone.
Except for the police, at least two people will not be blocked.
Whoever first found the scene of the crime would not.
besides…
Naturally, the murderer who arranged the crime scene would not.
The former should still be recording statements in the police station at this time, while the latter
Jason directly activated the death perception!
His eyes darted around.
Some murderers will return to the scene of their crime with a high probability.
Especially the kind of conceited people, even more so.
They are happy to see the futile busyness of the police, and they prefer to see the panic of the people around them.
Even, some clues will be created to confuse the investigators.
And in the phone call just now, judging from the words of the other party, it looks like this kind of person.
However, Jason looked around for a week, except for the police, he didn't see a single person who was infected with the same kind of dead air as the end, but the residual dead air was very clear.
Undoubtedly, the end of the alley was not the first crime scene.
The other party just used it as a stage for self-expression, and the real crime location was elsewhere.
And now what remains
It should be the place where John the dog is placed.
Jason walked along the remnants of lifelessness.
Soon, he walked from the murder scene to the next alley.
Different from the alley just now, the apartments on both sides of this alley are one high and one low, and the sunlight just shines from the lower side, reflecting on the walls and glass of one side of the apartment.
The reflected sunlight brightens the equally narrow space.
Under the light, the darkness suddenly dissipated.
It's only separated by the first floor, but it feels like being in two worlds.
The alley just now was full of panic.
It's full of afternoon comfort here.
Jason walking here did not hide his whereabouts, he walked openly in the eyes of everyone.
In the afternoon, a tall and muscular man whose muscles could not be completely covered even by his pajamas, wearing big pants and slippers, walking in the densely populated apartment area was undoubtedly conspicuous and eye-catching.
Many people stared at Jason, but no one went up.
Jason is tall and strong enough to scare most people off.
Therefore, Jason went quite smoothly to the end of the lifeless remnant: a cardboard box.
The cardboard box in front of him was stained with the remnants of the past, while inside the cardboard box was a more intense dead air.
Jason narrowed his eyes, and he guessed something in an instant.
And at this moment, John, who had searched the other side, came over. When he saw the cardboard box, he immediately passed Jason and rushed towards the cardboard box.
Standing in front of the cardboard box, this dejected man stretched out his hands slightly trembling, and slowly opened the cardboard box.
Inside the cardboard box, a puppy curled up inside.
There is no longer any breath.
"Daisy!"