Chapter 32: Threads of Deception

"This isn't just a simple murder case; we're dealing with a psychopath with a twisted mind," Kate said, her tone serious.

"Neither you nor I can catch him working alone. He knows how to hide behind layers of deception," Jason replied, the weight of her words sinking in.

"You're right," he conceded. "Where do you suggest we start?" Urgency laced his voice. "We’ve already wasted too much time, and our bosses are demanding immediate results."

"First, we need to outline the case, detailing everything we know about the victim and the murderer," Kate proposed.

"Solid plan," Jason agreed, his admiration for her clarity not lost on him.

Kate pulled a notebook and pen from her handbag, setting them on the table as she began. "The case began when a couple discovered a dead body on Somerton Beach."

"We investigated the couple and found no link to the victim, so we stopped bothering them," Jason added.

"Right. And we discovered three symbols around the victim's belly button representing life, death, and continuity," Jason continued, detailing his findings.

"There were no fingerprints on the body; the killer had deliberately burned them before the murder. Plus, we found a torn page of the Rubaiyat in the victim's coat pocket, with those same three symbols and some quatrains in Persian," he said, pride creeping into his voice as he laid out the details.

"The killer left that page as a means of communication with us," Kate explained, her eyes steady as she shared her deductions. "From the English translation of the quatrains, I concluded that he derives pleasure from murdering innocent people and views his hideout as a paradise. Those symbols suggest he’s likely to strike again, driven by the thrill he gets from it."

Jason listened, his mind racing. He couldn’t glean such insights from the Rubaiyat and symbols himself. Before he could respond, Kate raised her hand to pause him.

"On the torn page, the first symbol is a twisted serpent inside a circle. The second is a star with its points facing down, and each point has an eye emitting fire. The third symbol shows a figure with a goat's head on a human body," she continued, frustration creeping into her voice. "I’ve searched everywhere for their meanings—countless books and the internet—but I’m coming up empty."

"I believe those symbols are linked to the killer’s motive for targeting innocent people," Kate concluded.

"Why do you think he’ll strike again soon?" Jason asked, his interest piqued.

"Because the circle of continuity suggests he’s trapped in a brutal cycle of seeking pleasure through murder," she replied. "As investigators, we often form hypotheses, and they frequently prove accurate."

"If your hypothesis is right, we could be in serious trouble," Jason remarked, concern flooding his expression.

"Yes, it’s a possibility," Kate admitted.

"When the sister of the deceased man reached out to us, we learned his name was Ryder," Jason explained, pulling out a piece of paper. He showed it to Kate. "Look at this."

Kate examined the paper, reading aloud the words written in Ryder's handwriting: "Mad-man."

"Do you know who Jonathan and Pauline are?" Kate asked, her expression grave.

"No. We checked our database, but there were no murder cases registered under those names," Jason replied.

"You couldn't find those names because you were looking in the wrong direction. If you’d checked the database for accidental deaths, you would have found them," Kate clarified.

"What are you saying?" Jason asked, confusion flickering across his face.

"Jonathan and Pauline were my parents," Kate revealed, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a whirlwind of emotions. "They died two years ago in what I thought was a car accident. But I've recently learned their deaths weren't accidental. They were the first victims of the killer who murdered Ryder."

Jason was taken aback. "How can you be sure?"

"A few days ago, the killer came to my house. He hypnotized me, claiming no one could catch him. He threatened me to abandon the case if I wanted to stay alive. When I snapped out of it, I found this paper on my wall," she said, showing Jason a picture.

Jason studied the photo, his heart pounding as Kate continued. "The killer drew a symbol of a murderer chasing a victim, followed by the circle of continuity, and then wrote a quatrain from the Rubaiyat." She displayed the English translation. "This time, the message was clear: tomorrow will be no different from today or yesterday."

Kate recounted how she discovered a paper in her late father’s belongings, one that bore the same symbols. She explained how police found a similar paper on the wreckage of her parents’ car after it hit a large rock.

"You're suggesting that the murders of your parents and Ryder are part of a pattern," Jason summarized, trying to wrap his head around the implications.

"Exactly. The killer picks a victim, sends a warning, then draws those symbols afterward to indicate he’ll strike again soon."

"Yes," Kate confirmed, her eyes sharp.

"He must have already picked his next target, likely someone ignoring a warning, just like my parents and Ryder did," Kate added, frustration evident.

"Hmm... and the pieces of the Rubaiyat are his way of communicating," Jason mused.

"Yes," Kate said.

"This bastard is a real psychopath," Jason seethed. "He knows exactly what he’s doing and is probably laughing at us because we still haven’t caught him. But Kate, why did he come to you? Why not to me or anyone else involved?"

"I want to be clear: I have no connection to this killer. I don’t know who he is," Kate asserted, her voice rising. "If I had known him, I would have turned him in. I don’t get why he visited me."

Her anger was palpable, and Jason found himself captivated by her strength. It was hard to resist wanting to reach out, but he reminded himself that she was engaged to Dr. Samel. "Maybe he thinks you’re smarter than the police and that he could have a conversation with you," he suggested cautiously.

"I know what you were doing," she shot back, still heated.

"I was just asking," Jason replied defensively, but inside, he was already wrestling with his feelings.

"Kate, I apologize for doubting you. Let’s refocus on the case," Jason said, raising his hands in a gesture of truce.

"Your idea to make the killer's warning letter public is proactive. It could save lives," Jason continued. "But I’ll need to talk to Commissioner Bob first."

"Go ahead," Kate replied, her tone softening slightly.

"Alright, but regarding identifying the next target, we’re still in the dark about how the killer chooses his victims," Jason added.

"I know there must be criteria; we just need to figure it out," Kate said, determination returning to her voice.

"Then you should focus on that," Jason encouraged.

"I will. But I have two urgent tasks for you," Kate said, looking intently at him.

"And what are those tasks?" he asked.

"While I was translating the Rubaiyat, I met two individuals, Clark and Jim. Clark, a student at Flinders University, was in a panic, mentioning a torn page from the original Rubaiyat and urging Jim, the pawnshop owner, to inform The Watchers. Jim looked just as frightened," Kate explained.

"I need you to gather information on Clark, Jim, and The Watchers. Their reactions suggest the original Rubaiyat holds some significant meaning, and we need to understand why," she instructed.

"Alright, I’ll get on it," Jason affirmed.

"One more thing—did you manage to get the CCTV footage from Cafe Brunelli?" Kate asked.

"Yes, we have it. I’ll send it over to you," Jason replied.

"Have you seen this book anywhere?" he asked, swiping through his phone to show her a photo of Ryder speaking with a hooded figure.

Kate took the phone, examining the image. "No, I haven't seen it," she said, her brow furrowing.

"Notice how the symbols on the book's cover match those on the torn page of the Rubaiyat?" Jason pointed out.

"Yeah, I see it," Kate affirmed.

"This guy could be the killer," she speculated, lowering her voice.

"I agree. It's a possibility," Jason acknowledged.

"It means Ryder might have known his killer and was aware this man was responsible for Jonathan and Pauline’s deaths—and was about to kill again. That’s why the killer targeted him," Jason theorized.

"Possible," Kate agreed, but Jason could see the concern etched on her face.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"Nothing," Kate replied quickly, then shifted topics. "Do you know what this symbol is? Have you ever seen anything like it?" She pointed to the goat-headed figure.

Jason’s pulse quickened. The figure was disturbingly familiar. "No, I’m not familiar with it," he said, but his mind was racing back to the nightmare that had unfolded the night before.

"Kate, you can talk to me. What’s bothering you?" he urged, carefully avoiding mentioning her bruises, hoping she would open up.

"This case is weighing on me, and the killer's motives are twisted," Kate admitted, her voice flat.

"I should get going... I need to hit the library and research these symbols. They might lead us to the killer," Kate announced, her determination renewed.

"Alright, I’ll get back to work too," Jason replied, falling in step beside her as they left the cafe. Together, they walked to their cars, and Jason felt a rush of gratitude for the time they’d spent talking. He was inspired by her determination and intelligence, but deep down, he knew he could only admire her from afar—she was engaged to someone esle.