Thread by @WriterWilke

Stormy Night: 1/20
Thunder cracks to the east. Local cops are streamin' in and out of the peep show here on 57th. Beat guys, not CSI. Just as likely to screw up my crime scene as not. But they've got a job to do. I'm sure they'll do their best.
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Stormy Night: 2/20
I've got a job to do too, to bad I have to wait for my new partner. Already ten minutes late. Haven't heard much about Agent Lance Popescu, but if this is how he does things... Let's just say I'm not sure how well we'll get along.
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Stormy Night: 3/20
The moon pokes out from behind the cloud cover, bright and silvery, but my eyes are still pulled to that corner window on the third floor. Splattered red, and enough of it to make things pretty clear. Someone died, horribly.
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Stormy Night: 4/20
A black car pulls up a few feet away--probably Popescu--but I can't pull my eyes away. It's a mess in there, can see that from here. The killer did a real job on the victim. I can almost hear the screams in my head, like echoes.
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Stormy Night: 5/20
Dark-haired guy in a dark suit gets out of the car. Yep, that's my partner. Chiseled jaw, young. He looks around and talks to one of the local cops. She points at me and he heads over. "You must be Dutch."
I look him over. "Yep."
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Stormy Night: 6/20
There's something in his eyes, the way the light glints. He's older than he looks.
He scoffs. "Bureau Chief said you didn't talk much. Whatever. Sorry I'm late, was grabbing a bite when I got the call."

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Stormy Night: 7/20
It's hard not laugh, the little blob of something in the corner of his mouth pretty much said that.
"Me too," I reply, trying to figure out his accent. Russian maybe? It's not too strong, so it's a little hard to tell.
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Stormy Night: 8/20
I'm curious how long it will take him to notice. What is that, ketchup? Raspberry jelly?
The thunder cracks again and a cold drop lands on my cheek. I glance at the sky, at the dark clouds blocking the stars. It's gonna storm, bad.
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Stormy Night: 9/20
A blueblood--Sgt. Teeter--comes up & tips his hat. "You, ah, Feds ready to head up?"
I give him a nod and shove off the car to follow.
Popescu glances up at the window. He doesn't bat an eye at the blood. That's interesting.
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Stormy Night: 10/20
"Female victim, age 24." Teeter says as we head over. "Whoever did this really did a number on her. Cut her up into little pieces. Coroner thinks some's missing too."
The street darkens as the moon slides back behind the clouds.
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Stormy Night: 11/20
"Got a name?" I ask.
"Teeter," the cop says over his shoulder.
I chuckle. "No. The dame."
"Oh. Sara Minski," Teeter says.
"Reminds me of a girl I once knew." Popescu says. "Sweet. Tasty too, if y'know what I'm sayin'"
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Stormy Night: 12/20
My new partner leans over and nudges me with his elbow, which I try to ignore. I'm starting to think I really do know what he means, unfortunately. Poor guy. He thinks he's hiding it, but it's painfully obvious.
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Stormy Night: 13/20
Seen Popescu's kind before, their predilections plain as day if you know what to look for. He's better at hiding it than most, but not good enough.
But that's not my focus here.
"What do you mean some's missing?" I ask the cop.
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Stormy Night: 14/20
"Dunno," Teeter says. "That's for you guys to figure out. Maybe he took souveniers. Or maybe he got hungry."
Popescu's face is like stone. He glances at the window again then licks the crimson blob from the corner of his mouth.
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Stormy Night: 15/20
Very interesting.
A few more drops land in a gentle pit-pat on my shoulder.
Popescu leans over. "So uh... What happened to you're old partner? You drive him away with your witty banter?"
A scoff slips out before I can catch it.
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Stormy Night: 16/20
"No," I say. "He got tired of the night shift. And the rain."
He leans back and looks me over again. "No kidding? Eh, me, I like the night. Prefer it actually. For me it's the mood."
Maybe he's not so bad. "Less people."
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Stormy Night: 17/20
Popescu nods. "Ah, you're one of those."
We move under the peep show's marquee and I give him the side eye. "One of what?"
He laughs. "One of those dark and mysterious types. You like the night, were probably a goth as a kid."
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Stormy Night: 18/20
"A goth? Nah, was never a fan of the Goths. Too much raping and pillaging for my tastes."
He looks at me, his eyebrows arched in surprise. "What? Was that a joke? So you do have a sense of humor under that hard-boiled exterior."
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Stormy Night: 19/20
Popescu pauses, foot on the first stair leaing up. "So, who says dame anyway? What, you grow up in the 20's?"
"No, not quite." I say. "Decidedly not the 1920's."
He shakes his head and continues up after the blueblood.
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Stormy Night: 20/20
"What's her name was again?" I call up to Officer Teeter.
He pulls a photo from his notebook and passes it down. "Uh, Sara. Sara Minski."
I nod to myself and smile. Mmm...Sara. Tasty indeed.
It's always nice to know their names.
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Stormy Night: 21/20
This #FlashFiction was inspired by Jasper Zhao's digital art piece "Something Happened..." Check out more from him here: artstation.com/artwork/N5oVGD
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