The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 801: [THE SHADOW WITHIN] (X)

LEWIS had been driving through the city since before sunrise, moving from one district to another with no actual destination in mind. The streets were quiet when he started, but by midmorning, traffic built and the city fell into its usual rhythm.

It did little to ease the pressure sitting at the back of his mind. Today marked the sixteenth day since the third body had been found. If Dr. Stevens’ calculation was correct, then another victim would surface before the day ended. The problem was that they were no closer to stopping it than they had been days ago.

The lack of progress had already begun to wear on the department. The chief had not said much directly, but Lewis could tell from the tone of their last conversation that his patience was running thin.

They had narrowed their focus to three men inside Greyhaven’s psychiatric department, but even then, nothing felt certain. There was no concrete evidence tying any of them to the murders. Everything they had so far rested on patterns, timing, and their own gut feel. They had looked into every part of the three men’s lives that they could access, hoping something would connect them to the victims in a way that could hold up under scrutiny. But nothing had.

What they did find was a set of financial issues that, at first glance, seemed worth looking into.

Caleb Morton had a growing amount of personal debt tied to failed investments. Over the past two years, he had put money into several small ventures that never returned a profit, leaving him with loans he was still trying to pay off. Victor Hale’s situation was different. He had no large debts on record, but his financial statements showed consistent transfers to an account that did not match any known expense or service. The transactions were regular and carefully spaced, which suggested an ongoing obligation rather than random spending. Ethan Wright had a history of short-term loans taken from private lenders, the kind that came with high interest and strict repayment timelines. None of it was illegal on its own, but it pointed to someone who was constantly trying to stay ahead of what he owed.

Under normal circumstances, those details would have drawn more attention. Money problems could be a motive, especially if someone was being paid to do something they otherwise would not. Lewis had considered that angle early on, but Stevens had dismissed it just as quickly.

According to him, the pattern of the killings did not support a financial motive. The level of planning, the choice of victims, and the consistency of the method all pointed to someone who was acting with purpose rather than for payment. If money had been involved, there would have been easier ways to get it. The structure behind the crimes suggested something else entirely.

Still, the information stayed in the back of Lewis’s mind. It proved nothing, but it did not help clear any of them either.

Over the past few days, Stevens had taken it upon himself to observe the three men more closely inside the hospital. Since all of them continued their regular duties, it gave him the opportunity to watch their behavior without interference.

According to him, none of them acted in a way that was openly suspicious, but each showed small patterns that were difficult to ignore once noticed.

Morton kept to a strict routine that almost never changed. He came in at the same time every day, took breaks at the same hours, and always checked his work twice before leaving. If something interrupted his schedule, he would fix it fast, then go right back to his usual way of doing things.

Hale paid close attention to people in a way that felt different from normal curiosity. In meetings or casual talks, he looked at others longer than most people would, like he was studying them.

Wright mostly worked alone. Stevens noticed he often stayed at the building well after his shift ended. Even when there was nothing left for him to do, he would hang around near the hospital Terminals and sometimes look at files he did not need for his job.

None of these habits were enough to prove anything on their own. They were small things, and each one could be explained away as part of someone’s personality or the way they worked. But at the same time, they fit too well with the kind of person the profile described. Someone organized, controlled, and able to blend into a normal setting without standing out.

That was what made the situation difficult.

They had narrowed the field as much as they could with the information available, but they still had nothing solid to move forward with. No witness, no physical evidence, no obvious mistake from any of the three men.

If not for Stevens stepping in during discussions with the chief and reinforcing the direction of the investigation, Lewis was certain the case would have already been reassigned to another detective. From the outside, it looked like they were circling the same ground without making progress.

Lewis tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he slowed at an intersection.

If Stevens was right, then somewhere in the city, something was about to happen again. Maybe it had already happened without them knowing.

Then a call suddenly came in through the communication device mounted on the dashboard.

”Unit nearest to Carnelia Street, respond,” the dispatcher said in an urgent voice. ”We have a report of a violent incident in progress. Witness states an individual was seen dragging another person into an alley. Possible assault. Possible abduction.”

Lewis straightened in his seat. ”This is Detective Lewis,” he replied. ”I’m two blocks out.”

”Copy that. You’re the closest unit. Proceed to the scene. Paramedics have been dispatched and are en route.”

Lewis did not answer again. He had already turned the wheel of the car. It sped up hard as he pushed through the intersection, ignoring the usual pace of traffic. The engine strained as he picked up speed, cutting through a narrow street to avoid the main road. His eyes stayed fixed ahead, scanning every turn and corner as he followed the route in his head.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Someone had seen a person being dragged to an alley. That part stuck to his brain. For a moment, he wondered if this was the possible fourth victim.

But something about that did not sit right. The earlier killings had been controlled. They had taken place at night, away from attention of people, with the bodies discovered the following day. But this was happening in broad daylight, in a place where someone could easily notice.

It did not match.

Lewis exhaled sharply and pushed the thought aside. There was no time to analyze everything now. The important thing now was to save whoever this person being dragged in that alley.

He pressed harder on the accelerator.

Lewis pulled the car to a stop near the mouth of the alley the dispatcher had identified. He did not wait to shut the engine off properly before stepping out. The door slammed behind him as he hurried toward the narrow passage.

He slowed only enough to scan the ground and the walls as he entered. But he couldn’t see anything. There was no movement, no sound, and not even a trace of blood. The space was empty, as if nothing had happened there at all.

Lewis frowned and reached for his Terminal as he continued to run. While moving, he pulled up a quick map of the surrounding area and filtered for abandoned structures. If someone had dragged a victim, they would not stay in an open space for long.

A result appeared almost immediately.

An apartment building scheduled for demolition was located just east of the alley, less than a minute away on foot.

Lewis quickly turned and headed in that direction.

The building came into view as he rounded the corner. It stood behind a temporary barrier, its windows dark and its exterior marked with warning signs. The place had already been cleared out, which made it the kind of location someone could use without being seen.

He walked straight inside. The building was quiet, and the air smelled old. Lewis did not stop on the first floor. He went toward the ramp that led down to the parking area underground. That was the first place he thought of. If someone wanted to stay out of sight while doing a crime, especially during the day, they would pick a spot like that.

His footsteps echoed as he walked down. When he reached the bottom, he spotted someone standing a little ways ahead, their back turned to him. They wore a gray hoodie with the hood pulled up over their head.

Lewis did not look at the clothing first. His eyes went straight to the knife in their hand. And to the body lying on the ground near their feet.

The figure suddenly took off running. Their feet pounded against the concrete as they headed for the far end of the lot. It was like they sensed Lewis was there and did not wait to find out more. The emergency exit door swung open and banged shut behind them.

Lewis took a step as if to chase, but his movement stopped when he looked down at the man on the ground. The victim’s shirt had been cut open. A deep vertical slash ran along his torso. Blood spread beneath him, dark against the concrete. His chest rose unevenly as he struggled to breathe.

The man coughed, a weak sound that brought up blood, and tried to speak. ”Help...”

Lewis dropped to one knee beside him. ”You’re going to be alright,” he said, keeping his voice calm. ”Stay with me. Help is on the way.”

With one hand, he opened his Terminal once again.

”Dispatch, this is Detective Lewis,” he blurted out. ”I have the victim. Male, still alive, severe laceration to the torso, heavy blood loss. I’m at the underground parking level of the abandoned apartment building east of Carnelia Street. Advise paramedics to proceed directly inside.”

”Copy that,” the dispatcher replied. ”Medical team is almost on site.”

Lewis looked back at the man.

”Listen to me,” he said. ”You’re not alone. Just keep breathing. They’re almost here.”

The man’s eyes struggled to stay open, but he gave a weak nod.

Lewis stayed where he was, applying pressure as best as he could without worsening the injury. Every second felt longer than it should. Then, in the distance, he heard it. The sound of sirens.

The sound grew louder within moments, echoing through the structure above. It did not take long before quick footsteps followed. Two paramedics appeared at the entrance of the parking level, carrying a stretcher between them. They moved straight toward Lewis and the victim without hesitation.

”We’ve got him,” one of them said as they dropped to their knees and began their work.