Wildcard

In the sprawling urban landscape of Greater Manchester, where glass towers meet decaying alleyways, Detective Constable Ryan Shale, a young officer haunted by the unsolved murder of a child, encounters Jake Taberner, a mysterious blind busker with an unsettling ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead. When a new child victim is discovered with eerie similarities to Ryan's cold case, he is forced to confront his skepticism about the paranormal and reluctantly team up with Jake, whose 'cross-dimensional testimony' may be the only key to catching a ritualistic killer.

The air in the alley behind the unused metal fabricating plant was heavy with the smell of decay, a stark contrast to the warm spring evening.

Detective Constable Ryan Shale knelt beside the small body, his heart sinking with a familiar, chilling dread. A child. Another one. Bin bags and empty crates were piled against the crumbling brick walls, silent witnesses to the gruesome discovery. Streetlights flickered on, casting long, thin shadows that danced across the concrete.

The on-call pathologist, Lauren Hutchens, stood beside him, her face a mask of professional detachment, yet her eyes betrayed the shared burden of their work.

"Cause of death was asphyxiation consistent with one-handed strangulation," she stated, pointing out the bruises on the girl's neck. "Big hand span, bitten-down nails, and a lot of strength."

Ryan held his own hand over the markings, a cold realization dawning. "The distance between my thumb and index finger is the same."

Then, the pathologist delivered the detail that made Ryan's stomach clench.

"The amputation itself was executed with care... The arm's not here."

Just like Sarah Reed. The thought of the cold case that haunted him sent a shiver down his spine. A year to the day since she vanished, and now this. He glanced at the growing crowd of officers and the yellow tape cordoning off the scene. Somewhere, out there, a killer was operating with a disturbing ritual, and it felt sickeningly familiar.

Wildcard

Mystery Crime Detective Urban Paranormal