Signs of Murder

Chapter 3

The precinct's air was thick with tension. Officers moved frantically between desks, answering calls, reviewing evidence, chasing ghosts in a case that was spiraling out of control. Kaito Mori sat at his desk, staring at the crime scene photos spread out before him.

Five bodies. Five warnings. And now, a symbol.

Reina Takagi entered the room, her expression grim. She tossed a file onto the desk. "Found something on the symbol."

Kaito picked it up, flipping through the documents. The spiral mark wasn't random. It was old—centuries old.

"The Blood Spiral," Reina continued. "It's been associated with secret societies, assassins, and even ancient cults. But nothing concrete. The last recorded use of the symbol in a murder was over forty years ago—until now."

Kaito exhaled slowly. "So why bring it back? What's the connection?"

Reina shook her head. "I don't know. But this isn't just about killing. This is a statement. The killer wants us to see this."

Kaito leaned back, rubbing his temples. The pieces were falling into place, but the picture wasn't clear yet. There had to be a link between the victims. Something the killer saw that they hadn't.

Then his phone buzzed.

A new message. Unknown number.

He opened it.

"Detective Mori, you're looking in the wrong place. The next body drops in six hours. Find the connection before it's too late."

Kaito's blood ran cold.

This wasn't just a murder spree anymore.

This was a game.

And the killer was playing directly with him.

To Be Continued...