Crimes Glass Vanity: A Takeover from Within

Crime across the city of Chicago had been showing a marked downturn. The smash and grabs using stolen cars had not happened for several months; even retail theft slowed considerably. Gang violent shootings weren't popping up on the news three or four times a day, leaving law enforcement agencies mystified and scratching their heads. And when gang activity was mentioned, the gangbangers responsible for the assaults were, surprisingly, brought in within a few days, being held accountable for their actions with no retaliation from their fellow members. People were breathing a sigh of relief. It actually seemed the city was finally turning the corner to a new time and day...until an accident caused by an early-morning ice storm brought new attention to the underworld situation: the crime lords' killings.The major crime figures in Chicago were being killed off, one after another, each the victim of a similar gruesome, violent act. Drugs, prostitution, extreme fetish entertainment--it didn't matter what they were involved with; they were all targeted nonetheless. With the strangest part of all--the crimes were all called in by a tipster or bodies were left out in a public space. Oddly, these people should have just disappeared without a trace, with a new leader running the show, the questions spoken in whispers had no answers given.When the police assistant pathologist noticed "similar" things out of place with several of the bodies, his inquires only triggered more questions instead of the much-needed answers for the detectives.From the very beginning, Det. Lt. Stephanie Anne Caldwell, lead detective assigned to the cases, had questions of her own, knowing these people were much too big to have their killers leave evidence that could be followed. And even stranger about the case was the shadowy figure Carl, who knew a lot about her, where she would be, maybe even whom she was talking to. Was he stalking her, or were there higher powers up line giving him his orders? How could he turn up when she least expected him but always when she needed him the most? What was his real reason for being here, not to mention helping her?There was a common thread linking all these killings, Stephanie thought, that went along with the reduced crime rate across the city, a link that she couldn't quite put her finger on. But when the answers finally began coming in, she and her detective partner, Alex Smith, were completely unprepared for where they would lead...or how high the final body count that she, and Carl, would leave along the wayside...

by Charles Hunter

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