Bless me, Father ((34))

[qualapec]

Brachen needed peace, he needed quiet. The noise in his head was steady, crackling like a busted radio and deafening in it's intensity. It reminded him of the voices of the angry mob, and that made the ring of mottled flesh around his neck itch.

He was on the hunt. He wouldn't have admitted it but he desperately wanted somecat to attack him, mug him, look at him wrong, or just give him a reason.

Father Murrow was just putting his copies of the Good Book away for the night. He'd saved 3 souls that night.

He heard footsteps and looked up to see a rather nervous looking cat approaching. He had his paws in his pockets, walked with anxious fervor but not looking like he was going anywhere. His gaze was planted firmly on the ground.

"Son," he greeted, reaching out to the tom as he passed. "Can I interest you in a book?"

Brachen glanced up, noticed the collar and growled, "Not that book."

"It'll save you from hellfire, son, if you let it."

Those words.

That phrase.

Brachen stopped, mind going clear with intent without logic or reason. He grabbed the knife hidden under his coat, and twirled it up. "Tell me. Do you think God will strike me down and keep me from killing you?"

Murrow barely comprehended what was happening. The tom had a knife, and he knew that it was a knife, but he couldn't find the frame of mind to process what that meant to him. "What?"

"Do you think God will strike me down if I kill you here? Do you think He'll protect you from me?"

Murrow thought about the question, shaking and shivering. He went with the answer that came naturally to him, a response drilled into him since kithood. "Yes."

Brachen grinned. "Wrong answer, Father."

The blood was pretty, and Brachen left the scene feeling refreshed.

((exit Brachen))

((enter Vala))

Dawn was just coming over the seaside, and Vala Tortoiseshell was taking notes over a dead body while other members of the force scuttled around investigating.

It was always the docks, wasn't it?

[victoriousscarf]

Sonya muttered darkly to himself, pulling the collar of his coat up higher as he approached. Damn, it was cold. He stopped, noticing Tortoiseshell already there. "It is always the docks, yes?" he said, shaking his head and glancing down at the body, taking in the appearance. He frowned. "We did not even solve the last spree of murders," he muttered, crouching down to get a closer look and glad he had not eaten breakfast that morning.

"It does not look like the same cat," he said, basing it off the other bodies he had seen. "Which means this might well be a new murderer." Hell.

[qualapec]

Vala nodded, bending down to get a closer look. "These cuts were made with a serrated blade, not a straight razor." She studied the blood, the mild bloating and pale appearance. "He's only been dead three or four hours." She'd actually never seen cuts quite like that before. It had created a weird wavy texture along the sides of the wounds...she couldn't think of a specific blade that she'd seen do that kind of damage.

She scowled. "What do we know about the priest? Any connections to the underground? I mean, he was either that or stupid to be hanging around the docks this late at night."

[victoriousscarf]

Sonya sighed, standing back up. He needed coffee. He needed so much coffee. "It had to be a priest," he muttered. "The press is going to love this one." He scowled at the thought. "We can look him up at the station, though I doubt he had connections to the underworld. This does not quite look the same as most of those killings. Generally, if they are left out in the open, it means they are leaving a message. This one... feels different though I am not sure how or why." He tilted his head, considering again.

[qualapec]

Vala felt a shiver go down her spine. "That's all we need..." She tiled her head. "I almost...the blade that these marks were made with? I've never seen anything like it. And the killer knew just where to cut - the aorta is slashed cleanly. If it wasn't for that I'd say it was a random killing."

[victoriousscarf]

"Just because the killer knew what they were doing, does not mean it was not a random killing," Sonya said. "It could well be a trained killer bored out of his mind, or finding an easy victim. I am not willing to say this was pre-planned quite yet. But..." he swallowed hard. "Yes, it looks like he knew exactly what he was doing. And I have no idea what sort of blade could make a cut like that either."

[qualapec]

"That's a scary thought." Vala didn't like to think of the idea of a bored, trained killer on the loose. "It would make sense, since the knife might be specialized and professionals love their hooks." As did serial killers, but she didn't want to even think about jinxing Felidae by saying THAT word out loud.

[victoriousscarf]

Sonya nodded. "Yes, it is scary, but one we need to consider." He sighed, looking around. "Hell..."

[qualapec]

"It's better to plan for the worst," she admitted. After a moment's thought, she added. "We could check antique shops."

[victoriousscarf]

Sonya blinked, blinked again. "What?"

[qualapec]

"Antique shops. They have knives imported from places like India- fancy things. An enthusiast might have gotten one from an antique shop." She shrugged. "Unless you have a better idea?"

[victoriousscarf]

He shook his head. "Alright, at this point, checking antique stores is the only place to start. Even if we only are able to ask them about what types of knifes might make wounds like this." He sighed again.

[qualapec]

Vala shook her head. "Murder with an abnormal weapon and antiquing. Not the best way to start off the week."

[victoriousscarf]

Sonya could not help but chuckle at that, though with very little mirth. "Not a fan of antique stores then?"

[qualapec]

"Nope. I like antiques just fine - I just don't like mixing fun with work."