Chapter 1: A Bizarre Nightmare

She should be the last person on his mind. But lately, thoughts of Violet seemed to be creeping back into Don's mind. He had put her from his mind the day she had walked out of his life, and he had been quite happy about that.

Lately though, Don had begun wondering how she was doing, where she was, and he couldn't figure out why. When she had left him five years ago, he hadn't given her a second thought. They had married young, and both realized what a terrible mistake that was.

He remembered the day they had met. He had been twenty-three at the time, and she was twenty-one. He had just finished his rookie days, and she had begun them only two years earlier. He had looked into her eyes that day and thought that he was completely lost.

They had married only eight months later, and then split up five months after that. She had walked out of his life, because she thought that he was so consumed with his work that she didn't matter. What she didn't know was that she had mattered; he just couldn't get out of work.

Don got up and went for a coffee and a slice of pizza, he knew that would entice Danny.

"Hey, man. What's up?", Danny greeted him.

" Hey. Nothing much. Looking through some old cases and trying to figure out the latest one we're working on", Don replied.

" Oh yeah, the guy who kills couples in their cars and then sets them on fire. How's that going by the way?", Danny asked.

" Not good. This person is good. I swear he lives in gloves", Don replied, taking a bite out of his pizza.

" There must be something. Hair samples, fingerprints anywhere. What's used to cause the fire?", Danny asked.

" Regular old gas. And a match. That's all. This person is simple, uses everyday stuff. There's nothing unique about it other than the method of killing for the couple", Don answered.

" What do you mean?", Danny asked, adding, " I'm still on my other case. Mac hasn't yet put this on the high priority list yet."

" Well, he always shoots the guy first. Always three, in the chest. Then, he moves onto the girl, and stabs her four times. This guy is a sick bastard", Don replied.

" No doubt. So, there's no suspect at all?", Danny asked.

" No. But then again, Stell can't find any prints or DNA samples at all. As I said, this person lives in gloves. And he wears shower caps or something. I suppose the hair would've been burnt, but any saliva or whatnot should still be there, but there's nothing", Don answered.

" Well, I'm not quite sure what to tell you about that one", Danny replied.

" There have been three couples killed so far. And no suspect at all. I'm at a loss now of what to do now. Mac wants me to keep working on it, especially since this guy could kill again at any moment", Don paused to check the vibrating of his cell phone, then added, " There's been another murder. Another couple has been killed. I got to go."

" Ok. Go, it's alright, I got it", Danny said. Don got up from the table and left, it would be another extremely long afternoon.

When he got to the crime scene, he saw a young woman, a detective, standing there with her back to him, talking to Mac. At first, he thought it was Angell, but then he realized that she wasn't there anymore.

He walked up to her and Mac, and said, " Another one, I see."

The woman turned around and he thought that maybe he was in a dream.

" Don?", she sounded surprised.

" Violet?", Don sounded just as surprised.

" Detective Flack?", Stella said.

Both of them turned at the same time and replied, " Yes?"

Stella looked dismayed and shocked. The woman who had turned out to also be an NYPD detective from Queens, was also a Flack? She didn't think Don had any sisters, and they didn't look anything alike. She wondered just who this Violet woman was.

Don and Violet just looked at each other. Then she turned her eyes away and murmured, " I think she meant you."

Don looked at the woman who had walked out of his life five years ago, and swore he was dreaming, maybe even having one of his bizarre nightmares. She looked more grown up, tougher somehow, and yet, still as beautiful as ever.

Don looked up at Stella, who was looking at him quizzically, then replied, " Yes?"

Stella shook her head and replied, " It's the same guy, Don. Girl was stabbed four times, guy was shot three times in the chest."

Don swore under his breath. He didn't like that anymore than the fact that his estranged wife was right beside him. And he hated the way his body reacted to her presence, completely betraying the last five years of utter self-confidence.

Violet kept her gaze down. The last thing she had expected this morning was running into her estranged husband. After she had left, neither of them had ever filed for divorce, which she though was strange, but Don had never liked doing things the simple way.

And what she hated worse was the fact that her pulse quickened just being near him again. He had so obviously changed from the boyish, young man she had married to a tough, hard man who apparently had only grown more handsome over the years. She could tell he was more muscled, with broader shoulders and a wider chest.

This was the guy she had given up on after only five months of marriage. No doubt he was a lady-killer, he had been when they were together, when he was only twenty-three. She didn't like the thought of having to work with him on a case. Her worst fears were just starting to come true.