Officer Cortez

Officers surrounded the house keeping a good distance as curious people neared them trying to see what was going on. A black car stopped than, everyone turned to look at the car. The driver’s door opened, and out went a woman of about 5’6” tall. Her black hair down, her sunglasses on covering the color of her eyes. Her lips thin, she closed the door and walked up to the officer at charge.1

She was wearing black jeans and a lose blue shirt. She took out her ID, showed it to the officer in charge and then passed without much of a word. She entered the house, the interior looked trashed. She raised her hand taking off her glasses and putting them on her head, her dark blue eyes begin to scan. Photos were broken all over the hallway; she kept walking down the hall until she entered the living room.2

The body was still on the floor, blood surrounding it. The living room was big, a chimney, two couches, a small bar, and a small table in the middle. She walked up to her boss. “Chief” she greeted dryly as she kept looking around.3

“Cortez” the Chief said back. His short hazel hair look messy, his brown eyes looked stern and tired.4

“What happened?” Officer Cortez asked as she looked at the body. It was a woman, her blue dress stain with blood, her face was dirty and she was unable to recognize the victim.5

“I called you to investigate this murder, the only cue we have is the gold key next to her,” the Chief said. Officer Cortez looked at the key. It looked familiar but she couldn’t place the familiarity from where she was standing. She took out a glove and put it on, walked to the key, knelt down and grabbed it. Her thoughts suddenly took her away from the crime scene to the time she used to live in the city, with all her friends.6

It was dark where I walked. Everything seemed normal but I knew something was off. I heard a scream then, one of despair. One that would hunt my every dream. Scared, I ran to my house.7

The following morning as I walked to my friend Chantell’s house I found a body. Curious I dare say I walked up to it. It was a woman no older than 20, right next to her was...8

“Cortez, are you listening?” the Chief said bringing her back from her memory.9

“Sorry Chief, I was analyzing things” Officer Cortez said.10

“Always the brain” the Chief said. Officer Cortez shrugged her shoulders. She was the only one of the Police Apartment that didn’t dress with a uniform. Many had criticizes her because of it, but none of the criticism had put her down.11

“I need the information of the girl before I begin to investigate” Officer Cortez said standing up. She put the key in a plastic bag and walked to the door.12

“You’ll have it on your desk today” the Chief said.13

Officer Cortez nodded and left. She walked out of the house and to her car, not stopping at all as she drove away. She put sunglasses back on covering her dark blue eyes once again and drove to her apartment where she was sure she had an exact replica of the gold key in her pocket. She parked her car, got off, and went directly to her apartment.14

The apartment looked empty, a couch in the living room, and a table in the dining room nothing more. Officer Cortez walked to her room, a bed on the far end and a drawer at the right. She walked to the drawer, open it, and took out the other key.15

‘I knew it was the same person, and now it has decided to attack once again’ Officer Cortez thought…16

She drove to the Police department shortly after stopping at her apartment. As she entered making every officer turned to look at her with curiosity as she walked to her office. On top of her desk was the information she had requested.17

She sat on her chair and looked at the name. Her eyes widen in surprise at seeing the name ‘Chantell Morris’. Officer Cortez closed her eyes briefly. She opened them and began to read the file of her once childhood friend.18

Mom didn’t want me to stay with Chantell because of an argument she had with Chantell’s mom. I didn’t understand and it frustrated me…still I had no choice but to obey mom.19

The following day Chantell’s mom was dead. No cue of her killer but a simple design on her right...20

“Cortez, can I come in?” the Chief said knocking and pocking his head inside. Officer Cortez nodded without looking up. “Any ideas?”21

“All the victims are connected somehow” Officer Cortez answered her eyes still scanning the file in her hands.22

“Victims? Connected?” the Chief asked confuse. Officer Cortez put down the file and nodded again.23

“Yes Chief, they are connected. You’ll have to excuse me, I must do this through before I report back to you” Officer Cortez said dryly.24

“Very well” the Chief said and left at once.25

‘I wonder’ Officer Cortez thought before she noticed something at her door. Something that caught her attention. She stood up, walked to the door, and on the floor laid a gold key just like the ones she had in her pocket...26

A week went by and Officer Cortez spent time in Chantell’s house time after time trying to figure who was Chantell’s killer. Officer Cortez entered the study, everything seemed in order. She walked to the desk and on top she found the diary Chantell seemed so found of.27

She didn’t want to show me what she wrote in her journal but I didn’t pressure her. I knew that whatever she wrote were things she didn’t want anyone to know about. Even if she trusted me it wasn’t enough to trust her every secret. Still I didn’t mind, I watch her writing...28

Officer Cortez heard the front door open and close before hearing steps walking down the hall. The door opened and Officer Cortez waited, gun ready in hand. The newcomer stopped at the door way. “Who are you?” Officer Cortez demanded.29

“My name is Steven Morris, uncle to Chantell” the man said, Cortez relax a little, still gun in hand.30

Mr. Morris looked to be about six feet tall, averaged build, buz cut black hair, brown eyes, cheek bones, and black moustache. He stayed in the door way as Officer Cortez put the diary in her bag.31

“What are you doing here? This house is restricted” Officer Cortez said calmly.32

“So I heard, I just came to see if it really was true” Mr. Morris said. Officer Cortez said nothing and looked out the window. Everything was calm, too calm for her liking.33

“Well I must leave and I advise the same to you. No one but officers are allowed to be here” Officer Cortez said. Mr. Morris nodded and walked out of the house. Officer Cortez behind him. She watch as he got on a tan car and drove away, she did the same driving to her apartment...34

Night had fallen and Officer Cortez prepared to leave to her house. She had discover little on the death of her once childhood friend. Steven Morris had gone to her a few times, but Cortez didn’t give any information up. Not even if the man was a family of Chantell. Her cell phone rang than. Officer Cortez took it out from her pocket.35

“Hello?” she answered calmly.36

“Soon it will be your turn” a voice came before the line went dead. Cortez looked at the number. Restricted.37

‘I think I know what to do’ Officer Cortez said to herself...38

A month went by and Officer Cortez had two suspects in mind. She was walking down the path to Chantell’s house when a car parked right behind hers. Cortez turned around to see who it was. The car was unfamiliar; the driver’s side door opened and out came someone with its face cover.39

Officer Cortez raised her gun and pointed at the stranger. “Stop right there” she coldly order. The person stopped and took out a gun of his own. Before Cortez could react the person had fired the gun hitting her on her right arm.40

“You are to slow sweetheart” a male’s voice came. Cortez didn’t move as the man approached her.41

“What do you want?” Officer Cortez asked as she hold her injured arm.42

“You know too much and must die” the man said stepping closer to her.43

“I don’t know who you are” Cortez said and stepped backwards. The man fired his gun hitting the ground right next to her in warning. “All I know is that each victim is connected somehow, and that you leave a gold key next to their bodies.”44

“Sadly I consider that too much information, and  many others will start to investigate, and I can’t allow that” the man said.45

“Well if you kill me you’ll be the first one they’ll look for” Officer Cortez said.46

“by than I will be faraway” the man said. Cortez chuckle than and looked pass the man making him turn around. She took the chance to take out her other gun and fire it hitting the man on the right leg.47

“Stay down, or else” Officer Cortez said. The man stayed on the ground knowing her was doom. Officer Cortez took out her cell phone with her injured arm and speed dial the Chief. “Chief I have the murder in the crime scene.”48

“I’ll be there in five” the Chief’s voice came before the line went dead.49

Officer Cortez kept her position, even when she heard the police arrived she didn’t looked away. The Chief went up to her ordering two officers to take care of the man. “Wait” Officer Cortez said than.50

“Not right now” the Chief said.51

“I want to see who is the one that killed my childhood friend’s family,” Officer Cortez said. She stepped forward and took out the mask off. Right in front of her stood the tan skin man that called himself uncle of Chantell. “I won’t ask why you did it but you will have to be charged to the seven kills you committed” Officer Cortez said.52

“Once I do, you’ll be next” Morris said. Cortez ignored him as a medic went up to her to treat her arm...53

That night as Officer Cortez looked for her keys in her bag she found her friend’s diary. Cortez raise it to the light, the pages coming slightly apart making an envelope fall to the floor. She looked down and grabbed it. She looked who it was address to.54

To: Chantell Morris
30892 N. Mexico
From: Steven Morris
52938 S.E.55

Officer Cortez flip the envelope and opened it. She took out the letter and begin to read it.56

‘Dear Chantell,57

I want to tell you before it is too late for me. I wanted to tell you before you were killed. I was or am the killer. I killed your four sisters, the stranger, and your mother. I killed your mother because I loved her and she married my brother instead. She should have of married me not him, I showed her love, kindness, and gifts. I gave my heart to her and she threw it away on brotherly love. I killed your sisters because they came from her and his “love” so they say. I hated them because they were their kids. I loved her and she threw it away. She deserved what she got, she begged me to. She looked so afraid of me when she saw me. She knew she was going to die.58

Now she can never taunt me again, never can she mock me for loving her. Her kids got what they deserved, they were reminders. They needed to die, to feel what I felt. The random woman was just for fun, needed to get some anger out. She didn’t even know it was coming. Well hopefully you read this before your next. I don’t want to kill you, I liked you the most. But you have to; you were made by their love. If you were mine you would be safe but your not. So watch your back I’m coming for you.59

Love,
Steven Morris
PS: I’m sorry it has to be this way.60

Cortez clenched her hand as she thought. ‘So she knew he was coming. She knew and didn’t tell anyone.’ Officer Cortez put the letter on her bed and exited the room. On the dinning you lay the three gold keys. Cortez sight and walked to the kitchen.61

Her cell phone ran and she looked at the number. Restricted.62

“Hello?” Cortez answered calmly.63

“You’re still next” a voice came before the line went dead. Cortez hanged up and walked to her room. The letter and diary were gone.