Hunted by the Moon

✰Caitlin✰ The precinct was dead. Not literally, of course, but in a place where crime and chaos usually ruled, tonight was eerily quiet. The hum of the fluorescent lights above me filled the silence, and Stanley sat across from me, spinning a pen between his fingers, while his boots rested on the desk. The distant sound of a typewriter clicking away from one of the admin staff was the only sign of life beyond our hushed conversation. "We need to find this guy,” Stanley muttered before he let out a massive sigh. “He is too clean,” he added, and I couldn’t help but nod in agreement. "I agree…and why the media started calling him The Streetlight Butcher…only they would know,” I said with a huff of annoyance. However, before we could get into it, the door swung open, and in walked a man who instantly commanded attention. He was tall, dressed in a tailored dark suit that fit him perfectly. His dark brown hair was elegantly styled, but it was his eyes that caught me off guard – intense, observant, and the strangest colour of honey. There was something about him, something that made my breath catch in my throat. A presence that sent a jolt of awareness through me. I leaned forward slightly, as I hoped to get a better look without being obvious. He didn’t see me since his gaze was locked straight ahead. He moved with controlled confidence, his steps silent yet assured, like a predator stalking into its domain. Before I could say anything, the Chief’s office door creaked open, and Burke himself stepped out. His sharp eyes landed on the man instantly, and without hesitation, he gestured for him to follow. "Fox, get in here!" Fox. The name bounced around in my head as the man disappeared into the office. The door shut behind him, and I frowned. I wasn’t sure why, but my gut told me this man wasn’t just another wealthy executive dropping by for some trivial business. "Who was that?" I asked Stanley, who looked at me as if I had suddenly grown another head. "Are you serious?” he questioned, and I shrugged. “Are you seriously telling me that you don’t know who Trenton Fox is?" his tone dripped with disbelief, and I once again shrugged. “I mean…should I?” Stanley immediately chuckled as he shook his head. "Trenton Fox is a billionaire, Caitlin. He owns Fox Enterprises, the biggest insurance firm in the country," he explained, and I slowly nodded. I had heard of Fox Enterprises, but I rarely paid any attention to the business politics of the world. Still, my eyes drifted back to the closed office door. I couldn’t help but wonder what the fancy Mr. Billionaire was doing all the way downtown at the precinct. But before I could ask anything more, Stanley pushed his chair back and stood up. “Going somewhere?” I asked as I leaned back in my seat. “I need some coffee…even if it is s**t…do you want a cup?” he asked, but I shook my head. I wasn’t a big coffee drinker and the coffee at the precinct was disgusting. Stanley headed out to get some coffee and I leaned back in my seat. Just then, the phone on my desk rang. I hurriedly picked it up as my mind shifted into work mode. “Detective Jenkins,” I said as I answered the call. “We just received a frantic call from someone who has found a body down by the river,” “Where exactly?” I asked as I stood up. The dispatcher gave me the location and after a few minutes of giving me some more information, she hung up. “Stanely,” I called out as I grabbed my phone and keys from the drawer. Stanely returned and when he spotted me, he groaned. "What?" he asked. "We have a body by the river. Let’s go," I said, and I heard him curse as he dumped the coffee into the nearest trash can. However, as we turned to leave, the Chief’s office door opened. Trenton Fox stepped out, and his expression was unreadable. He surprised me when his gaze locked onto mine, and for a second, I felt something electric shoot through me. The Chief was blabbering on about something, but Trenton’s eyes held mine, unwavering and intense. The air between us felt thick, charged with something unspoken. But there was no time for distractions. “What’s going on?” the Chief questioned as he looked over at me and Stanely. “Going somewhere?” “A body was found at the river," I answered as I mentally shook off whatever strange hold Trenton had on me. And as soon as the words left my mouth, Trenton stiffened. His jaw clenched, and without a word, he turned and strode out of the precinct, moving fast, like he had somewhere to be. I narrowed my eyes, something about his reaction felt strange to me, but again – there was no time for me to wonder or question it. “All right. Go…and keep me updated,” the Chief ordered before he went back to his office. I followed Stanley out the door, our unmarked car was parked at the curb, and we climbed in. I didn’t waste another second as I flipped on the sirens as Stanley pulled onto the street. “Do you think Trenton Fox has something to do with this?" Stanley asked, his voice laced with curiosity. I frowned as I glanced over at him. “Why would you ask me that?” “Did you see his reaction? He looked spooked,” Stanley pointed out, and I couldn’t help but agree with him. Trenton’s reaction had been questionable. As we sped through the city, my mind churned. I didn’t believe in coincidences and the fact that Trenton Fox showed up at the station right before a body was reported felt too convenient. But I had no proof – yet. Eventually, the riverbank came into view, lit by flashing emergency lights. Officers were already securing the scene, yellow tape sectioning off the area. As we stepped out of the car, the sharp scent of damp earth and blood filled the air. A uniformed officer approached us. "Detectives, the body’s over here," he said. Stanley and I exchanged a glance before we followed him to the water’s edge. My stomach tightened as I took in the sight. A man, probably in his early twenties, face pale and still, lay half-submerged in the reeds. His clothes were soaked, but there were no obvious wounds. I crouched down and studied his features. “Any ID on him?" I asked. "We haven’t found anything yet,” the officer replied. I sighed as I scanned the area. The river was a perfect dumping ground, but something about this felt deliberate. Too clean. Not that it was much of a surprise. The Streetlight Butcher favoured dumping their victims into the river. It didn’t take long before someone called it in. Still, as I got to my feet, my gut told me that there was still a lot more to come. I shuddered as I glanced around. Movement in the distance caught my eye, but before I could investigate it, Stanely called me over.