A loud bang roused Detective Caswell from her frozen sleep. She was sitting in a chair and her hands were behind her back, bound with ice. She was also in a freezer. A man in a black ski mask was staring at her.

“Who are you?” It was hard to move her mouth to speak.

“I think you know.”

Caswell did know, it was the icicle killer.

“I must admit Detective Caswell you are good at what you do,” he said flipping through the case file. “Let me see, what is correct? Yes, I’m a male, the murder weapon is correct, and I kill for a noble cause.”

“Stop stalling, what do you want?”

“I want to know what the birds on your bracelet mean.”

“What?”

“You heard me,” he said in a dark tone.

“Why should I tell you?” She was cold, sore, irritable, and not about to give in to this murderer.

“Detective Caswell, you’re not in a position to negotiate, especially when hypothermia is close to setting in,” he said with an amused glint in his eyes.

The killer glanced at his watch, “actually, hold that thought. Perhaps you’ll be more willing to talk with company.”

The killer left her alone in the cold.

Meanwhile, Stevenson pulled into the parking lot of the Ice Sculpting Exhibition. He was worried about Caswell after the cell phone cut out. After stopping by her apartment he saw the note and fought traffic to the exhibition.

“Kelly?” He called out, “Are you here?”

He walked into the ice castle and picked up the white rose, identical to the ones in the bouquet from Kelly’s apartment. A blinding pain exploded at the back of his head and he fell to the ground. The icicle killer dropped the chunk of ice and dragged Stevenson out of the ice castle.

It was all too easy, the killer thought, taking Stevenson’s gun.

Caswell’s breathing was becoming ragged in the freezer. She saw the killer lead Stevenson in with freezer, with a gun pointed at his back and a line of blood streamed down his neck. The killer kicked Stevenson to the ground.

“What do the birds represent Detective Caswell?”

“The swan represents truth, the dove peace, the snow owl knowledge, the duck endurance, the phoenix power, and the eagle is justice.”

Stevenson looked at her in shock.

The killer kept his eyes on her. “Where did you get the bracelet from?”

“My parents gave it to me,” Caswell said softly, “shortly before they were murdered.”

The killer walked closer to her and asked, “Murdered?”

Caswell didn’t answer.

The killer pointed the gun at Stevenson.

“Yes, murdered,” her eyes filled with tears, “I don’t know why. . .someone also tried to kill me.”

“How?”

“I was thrown into a frozen lake. I got caught under the ice, but someone pulled me out. Ii was dead for three minutes until the paramedics came and revived me. I don’t know who tried to kill me or who saved me.”

Caswell started to cough and she fell unconscious from the strain. When she woke up, she was wrapped in a blanket being held by Stevenson.

“I don’t like the cold,” she mumbled.

“Thank god you’re all right,” he said holding her close.

A door creaked open and Montgomery entered holding a gun.

“Montgomery? Boss, what are you doing here?” Stevenson asked.

“You called me here.”

“Why do you have your gun out?”

Montgomery pointed the gun at Stevenson and Caswell, but before he could answer a chunk of ice hit him on the back of his head. The icicle killer handed Kelly an icicle.

“Kill him.”

She looked to him in shock and confusion. “What?”

“He killed your parents. Each person I killed was in connection with him. Stevenson discovered it recently and was going to expose him to the FBI,” he said looking to Stevenson. “Though, he did not know about the connection to your parents.”

“I’m not going to kill anybody,” she said.

“Justice Detective,” the killer said looking into her eyes. “Each one of the virtues on your bracelet are things that Montgomery no longer possesses. Kill him and there will be justice.”

“No,” she said shaking her head.

“Look out!” Stevenson yelled as Montgomery pulled out a concealed handgun.

Montgomery aimed at Caswell, but the icicle killer blocked the bullet and fell onto Caswell. Stevenson fought with Montgomery. A shot rang out and Montgomery fell dead. Stevenson moved the killer off of Caswell. The killer was still alive and had an icicle in his chest.

“Call for an ambulance,” she said.

“It’s too late for that,” the killer said.

His blue eyes were as cold as ice as he stared at the icicle.

“Please, what’s your name?” Caswell met his eyes.

“My name is frozen among the ice, only to melt away as time passes. Don’t cry for my death. Your tears will only freeze and will be a cold reminder of death. Besides a death by ice is only fitting for me.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He drew his last breath and died in the cold, near the warmth of Detectives Kelly Caswell and Darren Stevenson. His death being a cold reminder that a person’s past never truly goes away.

Author’s Note: Transcription complete…::shivers and rushes off to get a blanket::