Chapter I

News Tragedies

It was a lovely summer day and the sun was up high shining down on the restless citizens of Los Angeles. The celebrities were showing off in their fancy convertibles, wind in their hair, leaving a trail of expensive perfume behind, they all rushed down the streets to wherever they were going. No tickets for speed rule breaking, because… time does mean money, doesn't it? And you can't exactly arrest a celeb for that… or do you?

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"Hey, Emma!"

"Hey boys!"

"So… you got anything for us? Maybe some fresh gossips, some inappropriate photographs of Julia Roberts?"

"Neah… just the usual…"

"Ah, damn… and I was in a very gossipy mood!"

"That's your general mood, Matt." She said rolling her beautiful blue eyes. She was wearing a very provocative pink top and some really tight jeans… somehow I think that the boys didn't come just for newspapers and hearing the latest gossips, don't you?

"Haha, busted!"

"Shut up David!" said Matt who was wearing his Justin Timberlake t-shirt that had a photo of Justin flashing out his unnaturally white teeth. Ah, the wonders of technology… "So, seriously now, you don't have anything at all? Something that might interest us in these boring days?"

Emma looked at them in a way words cannot describe; it was somewhere in between disgust and desire… one of those sick combinations we are all familiar with (and sometimes too familiar…). "Shouldn't you be in school?" the boys broke down in laughter. What else can you expect of some spoiled rich kids… or was that brats? "Ugh… anyway… if you're into murders and stuff like that, I have something that will keep your mommies up all night!" she said giving them that sexy evil grin of hers.

"Huh?" I think I saw a drop of sweat pouring down their forehead just then. Was it cause of the heat? The frightening news? Yes, you got it, definitely her grin!

"Here, read this, just the title, nothing else is required, trust me!" she said blinking an eye while handing them a newspaper.

"Psychopathic killer on the loose! – read more at page 3 – "

"What's it about?"

"You'll see… I don't want to spoil the surprise."

"Yeah, right… thanks anyway…" at least they got the grin, didn't they?

"C'mon, you'll like that! It's all spooky and stuff, makes me think of Stephen King books, only it's more scary than those, cause it's real and happening in our city." Stephen King, yeah, you go girl! Looks like there's more to her than looks, isn't it? Don't think the guys got what she's talking about though.

"Ok… bye-bye" Nope, they didn't… Surprised? Don't be!

"See you guys!"

The boys waved looking at her somewhere under her face… hmm, I think they like her new necklace, it's all shiny. Oh wait, guys and shiny jewelry don't go… then it must be her TOO pinkish top… or is it?

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On their way home, the two boys started reading the newspaper.

"Psychopathic killer on the loose!

Our undercover journalists managed to find out something that the LAPD was trying to keep away from the public's eye. It seems that a madman is running down on the Los Angeles streets killing well-known women that are involved in fur coats businesses.

The victims are chosen by following a pattern: if you read about some important fur-coat business woman today, she'll be surely dead in tomorrow's newspapers. Gives you the chills doesn't it? Well all you animal lovers out there have nothing to fear, for death will not pass your way as long as you stick to synthetic fur. This killer seems to know an awful lot about his victims: the hour when they're home and if they're alone; also, he picks them only from the important people, so you have to be a real somebody to reach his black list.

As for the killings themselves we haven't a lot of information. All we know for the time being is that they are killed in very cruel ways see photos no. 4.5 and 4.6 for an insight upon the crimes."

"Oh, man these photos are disgusting! Jeesh, the guy must be insane, eww!!"

"Yeah and what's worse is, like Emma said, it's happening in our town and can happen to our moms!"

"Man, stop it with the pessimism!"

"It's true Matt… I'm going home, I wanna tell mom about this."

"Well, careful not to freak her out."

"Ok, man. Peace out!"

"Later."

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Radios, TVs and newspapers were screaming about these crimes from morning to midnight. All you ever heard was "Seems like a madman is on the loose in the city of LA."; tension among the fur-loving women was so thick, you could cut it down with a knife. Some of them even threw their fur-coats or doubled the number of bodyguards. Fear was floating above the city.

"Ah, great… just what we needed! This stupid press is all over the place! GOD!!"

"Calm down, boss, we'll get to the middle of this!"

"Well you better! All of this is bad for our department. The citizens must feel safe at all means, you got that?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good! Now get to work and see that your further investigations don't reach the press!"

"Will do sir."