The Eye of the Beholder

Part 4

And then there were three. Another double homicide. Another painting. The same goddamn apartment complex. This painting wasn't abstract, though. It was an intricate painting of a rose. The paint was dripping down from its petals, and its color descended into darker shades of pink.

The two victims weren't stabbed this time. They were shot. Two in the chest, one in the head. This was the work of a professional. It's interesting how the style of this painting directly coincides with these murders. It was calculated, intricate, clearly pre-meditated. And yet, much like the painting, it bears some clear flaws.

The killer moved too quickly. They didn't stay to clean up their mess. Makes sense. These walls are thin, and even silencers can be loud. They left the window open. It was only the first floor, so when they landed it probably wouldn't have hurt too bad. It's almost like jumping a fence at that point.

The other guys think this is a totally different killer. They think that word went out about this killer-artist person and some other crazies got inspired. I disagree. This is the same person. They think that I'm on to them. At the last scene, they took their time. This one, they were running out of time. It's too convenient that it would be this radically different. Besides, they didn't care about noise last time. They're trying to cover themselves, make us think there are others out there to distract us from them. I'm close. I'm so fucking close that it burns.

That's not all, we looked into every one of the victims. We called family, friends, their dogs. Anything to find something that would connect them. It turns out that every one of the killer's victims were members of a Rosicrucian Lodge. This explains the rose painting. They're trying to tell us who they're targeting, but why? That's what's fucking with me. Why does it feel like they want to get caught? What's their endgame?