Chapter 4

The rain returned that night.

Not as heavy as before, but steady enough to blur the city into something distant and unreal. Streetlights stretched across wet roads, turning everything into reflections.

Jason didn’t notice any of it.

His focus stayed on the board.

Photos. Notes. Lines connecting everything.

The stitching pattern was redrawn three times already.

And still—

It didn’t make sense.

“It’s not letters.”

Adam’s voice came from behind as he walked in, carrying a small paper bag.

Jason didn’t turn. “I know.”

Adam dropped the bag onto the desk. “Not numbers either.”

“I know that too.”

Adam exhaled. “Then what is it?”

Jason finally stepped back from the board.

His eyes were tired, but sharp.

“It’s structured.”

Adam raised a brow. “That doesn’t help.”

Jason pointed at the pattern.

“Look at the spacing again.”

Adam leaned in, squinting slightly.

“Okay… long, short, long… different lengths…”

Jason nodded.

“Not random.”

Adam tilted his head.

“…Morse code?”

Jason didn’t answer immediately.

Adam’s eyes widened slightly.

“Wait—don’t tell me—”

Jason walked past him toward the desk.

“It doesn’t fully match,” he said. “But it’s close.”

Adam followed him. “So the killer almost used Morse code?”

Jason picked up a pen, tapping it lightly against the table.

“Or changed it.”

Adam crossed his arms. “Why change it?”

Jason’s gaze shifted back to the board.

“To make sure not everyone can read it.”

Adam let out a quiet whistle. “So this guy wants to be understood… but only by certain people.”

Jason didn’t respond.

Because that part—

Was becoming clearer.

Before the silence could stretch further, a knock came from the door.

“Come in,” Jason said.

A junior officer stepped inside, looking slightly uneasy.

“Detectives… we’ve got another one.”

The room went still.

Adam straightened. “Already?”

The officer nodded.

“Same pattern.”

Jason didn’t waste a second.

“Location?”

“Old apartment complex. South district.”

Jason grabbed his coat.

“Let’s go.”

—

The building was older than the last place.

Worn down. Quiet.

The kind of place people forget exists.

Police lights flickered outside, casting shadows across cracked walls.

Jason and Adam walked in together.

This time—

No hesitation.

No warnings.

They already knew what they were about to see.

And still—

It wasn’t easier.

The room was small.

Dim.

And in the center—

Another teddy.

Bigger than before.

Cleaner.

Placed carefully on a chair.

Jason stopped.

Adam cursed under his breath.

“…This guy’s evolving.”

Jason stepped forward slowly.

The air felt wrong again.

Too still.

Too controlled.

He circled the scene carefully.

Observing.

Analyzing.

“This one’s different,” Adam said quietly.

Jason nodded.

“Yes.”

Adam frowned. “How?”

Jason pointed slightly.

“Position.”

Adam looked closer.

The teddy wasn’t just sitting.

It was angled.

Facing the door.

Facing—

Them.

“…Okay, that’s creepy,” Adam muttered.

Jason didn’t react.

His eyes moved to the stitching.

Again.

But this time—

There was more of it.

More patterns.

More detail.

“More complex,” Jason said.

Adam exhaled. “So he’s leveling up now?”

Jason crouched slightly, studying the stitches without touching them.

“No.”

A pause.

“He’s getting comfortable.”

Adam didn’t like that answer.

“What does that mean?”

Jason’s voice dropped.

“It means he’s not afraid anymore.”

Adam glanced around the room.

“…Or he never was.”

Jason stood up slowly.

That was also possible.

An officer approached them carefully.

“Detectives, there’s something else.”

Jason turned. “What?”

The officer swallowed.

“There was no sign of forced entry.”

Adam frowned. “Again?”

The officer nodded.

Jason’s expression didn’t change.

But his thoughts shifted quickly.

Same method.

Same control.

Same silence.

Adam ran a hand through his hair.

“So let me get this straight… he gets in, does all this, leaves a message, and walks out like nothing happened?”

Jason looked back at the teddy.

At the way it faced them.

At the deliberate placement.

“Yes.”

Adam shook his head slightly.

“…This guy really wants us to notice him.”

Jason’s voice was quiet.

“No.”

Adam glanced at him.

Jason’s eyes stayed locked on the scene.

“He wants me to notice.”

Adam went still.

“…You?”

Jason didn’t explain.

Because he didn’t fully understand it yet.

But the pattern—

The changes—

The escalation—

It wasn’t random.

It was directed.

And that realization…

Was far more dangerous than anything else.

Jason stepped back.

“We take everything. Photos, measurements, all of it.”

The officer nodded quickly.

Adam stayed where he was for a moment longer.

Staring at the teddy.

At the way it sat there.

Almost…

Waiting.

Then he turned, following Jason out.

“Well,” Adam said quietly, trying to sound normal, “two in two days. That’s not a great sign.”

Jason didn’t respond immediately.

Because his mind was already ahead.

Patterns.

Messages.

Intent.

“He’s speeding up,” Jason finally said.

Adam sighed. “Yeah. I figured.”

A pause.

Then—

“What happens when he stops playing and gets serious?”

Jason didn’t look at him.

Because the answer—

Was already there.

“He already is.”

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

Washing over the city.

But it wasn’t enough.

Nothing was enough.

Because somewhere out there—

The killer was already preparing the next piece.

And this time—

The message would be clearer.

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End of Chapter 4

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