Chapter 1

The decaying muck that sucked at Detective Sergeant Franklin Martin's shoes and the rotting garbage smell were not what upset him.Strangely, the seagulls were the ones who really got to him.The scavengers wheeled above his head and screamed, fought, and swooped, just like the animal who had used this as a personal dump. 

They were at home in the decaying, decaying trash.

In order to get a better look at Clinton 's battered body, he moved.Franklin 's worst fears were confirmed by the young homeless teenager's disappearance two weeks earlier.He had been taken, looked like he had been tortured, and then beaten to death.That should never happen to anyone, especially a 16-year-old.Both Clinton 's life and death had been difficult.Franklin deliberately focused because he was overwhelmed by guilt over being late.Leaving as trash for the gulls and rats said little about the value of a life.However, it revealed a lot about the perpetrators.Clinton had been left out in the open, where the workers at the dump would find him, and had not been buried or hidden in garbage bags.The person who left him there was aware that the police would be called and that word would spread.

By this time, the other street kids would have heard about it.This was, in and of itself, a warning.Except that it lacked simplicity and purity.Clinton 's homicide was an unmistakable message of force, utter control and all out heartlessness.Franklin stood up straight, his rage now so cold.Michael , his partner, who had been silent up until this point, inquired,

"Yes, he is it."Franklin exhaled deeply and turned to mentally scan the scene of the crime.He did not discuss this aspect of his work as a police officer.He referred to it as reading the scene and feeling the emotions.He discovered things that others missed because of his family's sixth sense, or intuition.The majority of police officers detested what they dubbed the "CSI effect," in which a "hero" detective enters a case and simply stands there and looks for a crucial clue.Scientists, forensic photographers, and fingerprint technicians, to name a few, conducted crime scene investigation under the watchful and meticulous supervision of the Officer in Charge Detective.They didn't like it, but Franklin would occasionally pick up one thing that put him on the right path, making him seem even stranger.This explains his sarcastic moniker, Sherlock.

He took another deep breath of rage and struggled to maintain control so that he could ignore the rage and take in both what he could see and, more importantly, what he couldn't.He remained low to the ground and looked through the trash.He then straightened, scanned from a different angle, and moved further around the body.He looked to the right of the body, about two meters away, as he sorted through feelings of fear, despair, and rage.The trash had a wheel sticking out of it.Michael , check that wheel to see if it belongs to Clinton 's bike.'

Michael carefully raised the edge of a cardboard box and peered underneath as he climbed over the garbage and took a pen out of his pocket.You have it.Sherlock, how the hell do you do that?

Franklin turned away from him and resumed scanning.Here, Clinton hadn't died.He tried, but his senses were now numb, to locate anything else that might have belonged to Clinton .

Once more, the gulls screamed for his attention.He turned away and viciously kicked a nearby bucket.He bent down, picked a can, took careful aim, and fired it at a group of seagulls, scattering them and sending them flying back into the air.Seagulls!Bloody seagulls disgust me.

Michael didn't say anything.He was sufficiently familiar with the anger, feeling of inadequacy, and feeling like he was late.You have a mess on your hands right now.'

"Yes, similar to the animal who conveyed his message here.So, God, I'll find you, you scumbag.You just made it your own.'He took a long sigh.He continued, "I want you so badly, I can smell you."

"No, all I can smell is your hand."His partner's humor, as usual, was inappropriate and not funny, but it sometimes helped at a crime scene.redirected him toward his intended activity.And what was his purpose in life?He was destined to assist these youngsters in rebuilding their lives.This demonstrated precisely how powerful the people he was attempting to defend were.Street children, vulnerable children who had no one to trust, were being used by someone to support their business.They were drawn into a game in which they first became "family," forming a loyalty and dedication to the gang life until they became disposable and died.He knew nothing after two weeks of searching for Clinton .He was now actually Jack-shit.He realized, as he looked at his hand, that he was fine with having filth on his hand if it meant that it fueled his rage.He had a desire to feel.A lot of his cases were viewed through a logic and deduction lens.This time, he needed to feel.He wanted the stench to make his stomach heave.He wanted to scream at the inhumanity of the kidnapping and the agony of the beating.In addition, he wanted to express his sorrow for the intelligent, alone child who had entered the hornet's nest and been stung to death.

"You are putting her in the lion's den!"Franklin Martin was aware that Lukewould not back down when he saw him in the face.

It is not a lion's den.Avoid being overly dramatic.The only thing I want from her is to volunteer to go to camp.

"To find a clue about Clinton 's death!You believe that a camp full of at-risk children will know how Clinton got there.'

'Dislike… '

'I know precisely everything it's like.Will you direct her to which children to approach?What is their criminal background?Describe the kind of abuse they've endured.What about their mental profile?So she'll know exactly how to approach them?”Luke Turned down the volume. ''You, Detective Sergeant Martin, are obsessed like every other cop who makes detective,' he stabbed Franklin in the chest with each word.You ruin not only your own life but also the lives of those around you!'

Lukewas getting to Franklin .In addition to that, Johnson 's neighbor's assertion contained some truth.And whose life did you ruin as a police officer?'

"Have at it!Will you both stop it?'They both turned as a result of Johnson 's tone.Remember that this is my life and my decision?I've always had my decisions made for me, first by my father and then by my husband, but that stopped when I divorced him.Now, no one else makes my decisions for me.I'm leaving.'She demonstrated that she would not be argued with by standing with her hands on her hips.

Franklin needed to laugh.When Johnson was a vulnerable, confused, and being stalked woman, he had met her.Presently, remaining in Johnson 's kitchen, she actually didn't cook a lot however she sure had superiority in certainty.

Even though he had missed Clinton , he had arrived in time to meet her.However, Lukewas correct in one respect: she was innocent.Johnson , these individuals are violent; I don't want you to take any chances.'

"I thought you were making dinner for us."Johnson pointed to the food bowls that were scattered across her bench.However, Franklin had not anticipated Johnny, her neighbor, to be present, nor had he anticipated the ex-undercover cop's overreaction.Franklin was relieved to move away from Johnny's accusations and turned back toward the bench.Like every one of the men in his family from the old nation of Croatia, he had appreciated arranging this dinner for Johnson .His family was made up of Croatian and Maori people, so he had a lot of favorite dishes.Tonight's menu was good enough to wow the girl he cared about, but nothing particularly extravagant.

"Johnny, would you like to stay and eat with us?" I asked.Johnson inquired.

Franklin was relieved to see Lukebegin to reject the idea.Luke Would be at their first dinner together, he had no idea.

"Will you be talking about your plan to volunteer at the camp?"

Johnson made a stride towards him. 'It is not The Camp, Johnny.Youth with a bright future.Teens who are at risk of self-harm get help from them.I think volunteering is a great idea, and even better if I learn something about Clinton .'Franklin became irrational when she touched Johnny's arm with her hand.Why don't you continue?'

Franklin held his breath as he gave Luke A glance.

"Yea, okay, I'll stay."I would like to learn more about this arrogant plan of his.Thanks.’Lukecaught Franklin 's eye, and the smug expression on Johnny's face almost convinced Franklin to hit him.Franklin returned to the meals.He was stopped by the realization that he would be playing right into Johnny's hands in front of Johnson .He could only hope that the neighbor who used to be a cop was easily irritable.