The Whisperer

ng through the heavy clouds above. A row of old, crumbling buildings lined the narrow

standing around with grim faces. As Lucas approached,

re not going to like

woman lay on the ground, her body positioned in a chillingly deliberate manner, just like the f

scene that caught Lucas's

new

r when he was a child, a kind woman who always had a smile for him and his mo

ugh his thoughts. "I'm sorry. I

de her, his hands trembling as he lifted her cold, st

hen picked it u

r, Detective? You're get

s signed, as before, by The Whisperer. But it w

ng about your mo

Ramirez being there the day his mother was killed. She had been a witness,

voice was gent

ing people connected to my past," he said, his voice rough. "F

nd on his shoulder. "But you need to keep your head c

was already too deep. The Whisperer wasn't just killing

reeling from the morning's events. Dr. Elena Marlowe looked up from

en a ghost," she said, h

handing her the note. "I need you to

g against his. She unfolded it and read

the last one," she remarked, glan

umorless laugh. "

through the wall," Elena replied, her tone sof

, his voice barely above a whisper. "

but she didn't say anything,

never talked about it. I always thought she was too scared, or maybe she just didn't wa

She set the note down carefully and crossed her arms, studying him.

't know. But The Whisperer is targeting people from my past. It's l

isperer for a while now. I've seen the patterns, the psychological tactics. He's tryin

urprised. "You've bee

y. "And I knew you'd be at the center of it. I

him to keep his guard up. But he knew he cou

But no secrets, Elena. If you

ing a small smile. "Now,

tos spread out across the table in front of him. He stared at

ty official who had crossed paths with his mother. Mrs. Ramire

urder had been classified as a robbery gone wrong, but he had never belie

hose loose ends

at her smiling face. "What did you know?" he

his thoughts. He glanced at the screen

you're still missing the bigger

was toying with him, dangling clues just out of reach. Bu

There had to be something he was missing, some piece of

it hi

among the old case notes, was a name he had overlooked. A man who had been seen

ircled in red:

t acquaintance of his mother,someone she had known through he

el knew som

s number. "Mark, I think I've got some

cross the worn wooden floors. Lucas sat at the corner table, nu

eat across from him, his expression

ike it," Lucas replied,

Frank asked, leaning forward. "This c

my past, Frank. First Welles, now Mrs. Ramirez. He's d

about Mrs. Ramirez. I'm sorry,

tight with anger. "None of them do. But The Whisp

gently. "You're too close to this, Lucas. I don't wan

harply. "This is

e already obsessed, and we both know where that leads. You ne

coiling inside him. "I can't just

it cloud your judgment. You're a damn good

ng. Frank was right, but he couldn't stop now.

and he picked it up, his heart

Detective. You won

spine. The Whisperer was tauntin

fear gnawing at his insides. "I need your hel

"We will, Lucas. But you need to ke

ahead. The Whisperer had given him a

anding up. "Let's catc