It Always Comes Back

Almost there

Bravin and Kate highlighted from the taxi and stood in front of the "Designated News." This was the company that John had worked for almost a year before he was murdered. John was a researcher and a writer, but one day he came across something that wasn't meant to be found, and that was the beginning of the bad days he encountered throughout the season. He didn't know that it would be his final task as a researcher in the company—it was his death certificate.

"Here we go," Bravin said.

"Please be cool when you get in there. Don't be stubborn as you always are," Kate requested.

"I promise I will be," Bravin assured Kate.

Inside the building, Bravin and Kate were met with stares. The newsroom was bustling with activity, but a palpable tension lingered in the air. The memory of John’s death was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

Bravin approached the reception desk, where a young woman was typing furiously on her computer.

"Excuse me, we're here to see Mr. Thompson," Bravin said.

The receptionist looked up, her eyes widening slightly. "Mr. Thompson is in a meeting right now. Can I help you with something?"

"It's about John, John Miller. We need to speak to Mr. Thompson," Bravin insisted.

Kate placed a calming hand on Bravin's arm. "Please, it's really important. We're trying to find out what happened to our friend."

The receptionist hesitated before picking up the phone. After a brief conversation, she nodded. "You can go in. He's expecting you."

They entered the house and Thompson was sitting on his desk and reading a piece of paper on his hand and a pen on his other hand.

As Bravin and Kate entered the office. they sat and talked with Thompson for quite a while and were given a file and they left with it.

***

Elsewhere in the city, Bruce and Beatrice arrived at a grim scene. Another body had been found, and the similarities to John's murder were too striking to ignore.

"Hey, come and look at this," Kate called to Bruce, lifting the victim's shirt and pointing at a peculiar mark on the body. "You see this? You remember this?"

"No, I don't," Bruce replied, his brow furrowing. "What is it?"

"This is similar to our last victim's cause of death," she explained.

"So, basically what you're saying is that these murders are from the same killer?" he asked.

"Exactly," she concluded.

***

A Few Months Ago

John was sitting with Abraham in a small, dimly lit café. Abraham leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper.

"There’s a story going around," Abraham said. "Some powerful people hired killers to take out Bernard, our boss. The idea was to make it look like an accident so that his son could take over the company."

John’s eyes widened. "Who are these people?"

Abraham glanced around nervously. "I don’t know all the details, but I’ve heard Christopher’s name mentioned. He’s got connections, dangerous ones."

John knew Christopher. He was a ruthless businessman who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. The more John thought about it, the more it made sense. But he needed proof.

As John dug deeper, the threats began. Phone calls in the middle of the night, shadowy figures following him. But he couldn’t stop. The truth had to come out.

***

Present

Bravin and Kate were inside the house, searching for Alvin. They had been following leads for days, but no one seemed willing to talk. Frustration was mounting as they hit dead end after dead end.

"Why is everyone so tight-lipped?" Bravin muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"Maybe they're scared," Kate suggested. "Or maybe they don’t know anything."

"Or they know too much," Bravin countered.

Their search for Alvin led them to a dilapidated house on the outskirts of town. The place looked abandoned, but they had no other leads. They cautiously approached the door and knocked.

An elderly woman answered, her eyes wary. "What do you want?"

"We're looking for Alvin," Bravin said. "Is he here?"

The woman shook her head. "He doesn’t live here anymore. Haven’t seen him in months."

Disappointed, Bravin and Kate thanked her and left. As they walked away, Kate couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.

***

Bruce and Beatrice were poring over the crime scene photos when they received a tip about a potential suspect. They hurried to the location, a seedy motel on the edge of town.

Inside, they found a man fitting the description they had been given. He was nervous, fidgety, and hiding something.

"What's your name?" Bruce asked.

"Leonard," the man replied, his eyes darting around the room.

"Leonard, do you know anything about the recent murders in the area?" Beatrice asked.

Leonard hesitated before shaking his head. "No, I don't know anything."

Bruce leaned in closer. "We know you're lying, Leonard. We can help you, but you need to tell us what you know."

Leonard’s eyes filled with fear. "I don’t know names, but I’ve heard things. There’s a guy, Christopher, he’s behind it all. He’s got people working for him, dangerous people."

Bruce and Beatrice exchanged a glance. They were getting closer, but they still needed more evidence.

***

Meanwhile, Bravin and Kate decided to regroup and rethink their strategy. They returned to their base, where Bruce and Beatrice were already waiting.

"Anything new?" Bravin asked.

"Actually, yes," Beatrice replied. "We’ve got another lead. There’s a man named Leonard who knows something about Christopher."

"Great," Bravin said. "We need to move quickly. If Christopher finds out we’re onto him, we’re all in danger."

As they discussed their next steps, Kate couldn’t help but admire Bravin’s determination. She had fallen for him, but she didn’t know how to tell him. His stubborn nature and single-minded focus made it difficult to get close to him.

***

A Few Months Ago

John’s investigation led him to Christopher, a man with a reputation for ruthlessness. Christopher was furious when he discovered John was digging into his affairs. He wanted John gone and sent George to find Kennedy, a private investigator who had worked with him for quite some time.

Kennedy was a seasoned investigator, known for his discretion and effectiveness. When George approached him, Kennedy was hesitant. He had retired from the job, tired of the constant danger and moral compromises.

But George was persuasive. "Look, Kennedy, we need your help. John’s onto something big, and if he exposes it, we’re all in trouble. You need to stop him."

Kennedy reluctantly agreed. He met with John under the pretence of helping him, but his real mission was to derail the investigation.

***

Present.

One evening, as they were leaving yet another dead-end interview, Kate turned to Bravin. "I think there’s something more to this than just a series of murders. I think John’s investigation uncovered something huge, and now we’re stuck in the middle of it."

Bravin nodded. "I think you’re right. But we can’t back down. We owe it to John, and to all the other victims, to find out the truth."

Kate looked at Bravin, her admiration for him growing even more. She had fallen for him, but the timing was all wrong. They were in the middle of a dangerous investigation, and she didn’t want to complicate things.

***

Bruce and Beatrice’s investigation led them to a hidden office in an old warehouse. Inside, they found files and documents that seemed to corroborate John’s findings.

"Look at this," Beatrice said, holding up a document. "This is proof that Christopher was involved in Bernard’s murder. John was right."

Bruce’s eyes widened as he read the document. "This is it. This is what we’ve been looking for."

They quickly gathered all the evidence they could find and left the warehouse. They knew they had to be careful. If anyone found out what they had discovered, they would be in grave danger.

***

A Few Months Ago

John and Kennedy worked together, uncovering more and more evidence. They were getting closer to exposing the truth, but the danger was escalating. One night, as John was heading home, he noticed a car following him. Panic set in, and he tried to lose the car, but it was no use.

He called Kennedy. "I’m being followed. I think they know."

"Stay calm," Kennedy replied. "Get to a safe place and lay low. I’ll see what I can do."

But John never made it. The car cornered him, and before he could react, he was attacked. The last thing he remembered was the pain, the darkness closing in around him.

***

Present

Bravin and Kate’s investigation led them to an old factory on the outskirts of town. They had received an anonymous tip that something important was hidden there. They approached the building cautiously, their senses on high alert.

Inside, they found a hidden room filled with documents and files. It looked like someone had been using the factory as a makeshift office. As they sifted through the papers, they found notes and records that seemed to corroborate John’s findings.

"Look at this," Kate said, holding up a document. "This is proof that Christopher was involved in Bernard’s murder. John was right."

Bravin’s eyes widened as he read the document. "This is it. This is what we’ve been looking for."

They quickly gathered all the evidence they could find and left the factory. They knew they had to be careful. If anyone found out what they had discovered, they would be dead within seconds.