They say people lie not only to others, but themselves. in a attempt to hide from the truth.

They say the truth causes more pain then it's worth, and lies are simply easier. before this ended, I thought they were wrong. god I wish they were wrong.   

The snow fell heavily outside on this cold December day, bitterly cold wind that would freeze you to the bone, being a reptile it was even worse. I sat as close to the heater as possible as I finished another shot of whiskey, rubbing my head trying to massage the headache away, though the screams of the drunks watching football didn't help.

Glancing at myself in the mirror across from me, you wouldn't think I was FBI, ragged clothes, drowning myself in alcohol. my proud crocodile features dulled from lack of care, dirt between my scales, color not the brilliant green like most. sometimes it felt like I was looking at someone else in the mirror, my phone going off snapped me from my trance, and woke up the headache that had started to dull. I sighed weakly and glanced at the caller ID, "Brian...."

My boss, and friend. normally he wouldn't call me on my day off, and let me drink in peace. part of me wanted to ignore it, to get back to my watered down whiskey till I have to call a cab to get home, and get ripped off by some anthro who can't speak a lick of english.

After all this was said and done, I wish I hadn't.

"Hello?" I say annoyed into the cellphone, I heard Brian breathing, he seemed nervous, almost hesitant, could just be the alcohol or me over-analyzing things.

"Rend, there's....something I need you to see. local P.D called it in this morning, I was nearby so I went to check on it...and..well you need to see this." He sounded anxious, maybe even afraid?

"It's my day off Bri-" I tried to get out but was cut off by him, "Rend, you need to see this. got a rookie heading over now to pick you up, see you in twenty." the phone clicked as he hung up, I had to admit it caught me off, Brian isn't the kind of guy who cuts you off mid-sentence or just hangs up on you.

I take a look outside and sigh to the wind and snow getting worse, as I toss some money on the counter for the bartender and walk out, "God damn." I say loudly as I wrap my jacket tighter around me, praying it would somehow make me warmer. thankfully the freezing cold snapped me out of my buzz, letting me pour over Brian's words, he was hesitating on even calling me, like he didn't want me to know.

I try and think about what it could mean, though the sound of a car horn snaped me back to reality, as I didn't even notice the car pulling up. the lack of a decent nights sleep was taking a toll on me as I got in the car, and was greeted by a hot cup of coffee that smelled like it had enough caffine to kill a elephant. "Brian said make it strong," said the anthro holding the cup.

She was a young, probably mid-twenties asiatic bear. quite lovely I thought as I took the cup, "Thanks." I say before taking a drink, having to cup my snout with my clawed hand to stop me from spitting it everywhere.

Forcing myself to swallow it before I cough, giving her a weary look, "If I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to kill me." I give her a toothy grin, taking a smaller sip, as I hear her chuckle with her soft voice.

"Brian said get it as strong as legally possible." she cocked a grin back at me as she said that, she seemed to be in a good mood. "So you are the legendary Rend Williams?"

And that killed the mood for me, these young recruits always want to be my partner, or try to impress me by showing their skills. last one wanted to impress me with his knowledge about his handgun, ended up shooting himself in the foot trying to pull it from the holster.

"Yes and look, I don't need or want a partner so-"

"Oh that's fine by me, I don't care much for drunks anyway." she shoots back. score, bear one, crocodile zero. finishing my drink and glancing over to her nametag, Olivia.

"So, Olivia, how long you been with the FBI?"

"Long enough to know when I'm being hit on." Score, bear two, crocodile zero. "Ouch," I fake being hurt. "And here I was about to give you a recommendation for promotion." I grin back playfully, getting a smirk from her. "Two months." she say's relaxing now.

"I must admit, you look different from all those pictures in the papers and on TV." she said while keeping her eyes on the road. I grin back, "That was a long time ago. besides, photoshop is much easier to use instead of make-up for us crocs." that gets her laughing.

"So what’s this call were going to? Brian didn't give me any details." I look around as the streets roll by, heading into the middle-class part of town. "Not sure myself, corpse for sure, at some apartments. no details on why it's getting such special treatment." Olivia said calmly, I was thankful. too often we get rookies who vomit at the sight of a corpse.

As we pull up I see the flashing lights of the police cruisers, as they set up barricades to keep the crowds out. getting out of the car into this god awful weather again, as I can't help but feel uneasy. like I knew what to expect. as we walked inside a chubby raccoon greeted us, I shook his hand. "Brian, mind telling me what were doing down here?" I murmured out as I take a look around, no signs of forced entry or struggle from a glance around.

Brian looked like a deer caught in headlights, clearly something was up, I knew that before he spoke. "Corpse, apparent suicide." he said as those words caught my attention, pushing past him as he tried to stop me. "Rend listen, this doesn't mean-" I growl letting him know to stay quiet as I see the corpse. young female lynx, probably barely over twenty, nude and hanging from a rope tied to the ceiling fan, clothes folded neatly on the bed nearby. "God damn it Brian it's the same killer!" I shout loudly as everyone inside stopped working and looked to us.

Brian growled. "Keep your god damn voice down." he said in a whisper while waving for everyone to keep working, before looking to the scene. "I admit, it's....unnerving how much this scene look's like...." he didn't finish and changed the subject. "But it doesn't mean we got a serial killer on the loose."

I growl louder and hiss. "Doesn't mean my ass! it's the exact same as Snow, down to the last fucking detail. I tried to warn you before, now this assholes gotten brave and done it again!" I shout again as some of the cops looked like they were about to try and intervene, but the look I gave them made them back off as Brian sighed.

"Look Rend, We'll have a officer drive you home, I shouldn’t have-" I shove my way past him, not letting him finish.

"Fuck you, I'll walk." he says bluntly as he start to leave. "This will only get worse." was all he said as he walked out into the cold snow.

Olivia was in a bit of shock, The Rend she remembered on the news always seemed so kind and humble. "What was that about?" she asked Brian who sighed. "About five years back Rend was married, one day he comes home from work and find's his wife Snow, nude, hanging from the ceiling fan by a rope....." he closed his eyes and sighed. "Clothes folded neatly on the bed. Rend swore up and down she wouldn't kill herself, someone had to stage it."

He walked over to the window and watched Rend stomp through the snow. "We spent three months going over that house. and we never found a single piece of evidence to suggest it was murder." he looked back to Olivia. "He....well you can see the outcome. he's angry at everyone, he has spent the last five years doing nothing but drinking and hunting for the killer. if he wasn't so talented I would of had to fire him, not to mention all the complaints." Olivia crossed her arms. "Complaints?" she said curiously, Brian nodding.

"Rend believe's it was someone Snow knew, that way they didn't have to force their way in. he stalked her co-workers, family, friends, hell even old high school boy-friends. they called the cops and he got arrested for harrassment, luckily they dropped the charges."

Olivia couldn't help but feel bad for him, but knowing they had a job to do as she looked to Brian. "Shall I start processing the scene?" Brian nodded to her as she and a few other agents got to work, going over everything with a fine tooth comb for any DNA, furs or other possible evidence.

After hours of evidence collecting, and analysing back at the lab they had nothing to show for it. all traces of fur at the scene were the victims or family members who were quickly ruled out as suspects, that along with no signs of forced entry into the house and no signs of struggle,

Olivia's paper was soon looking like it would be filed as a suicide. she just had to wait for the autopsy to finish.

Olivia leaned back in her chair enjoying her coffee with a sigh, wondering if Rend really could of been wrong about his wife's suicide. her train of thought was interrupted as Brian was walking rather fast toward her desk. "With me, now." he said as he walked past her without another word, as she quickly got up and followed him wondering what was up.

Getting in the elevator  she noticed Brian hit the basement button, where the morgue was. "What's up?"

Brian looked to her. "Kahsa found something."

Olivia blinked. "Kahsa?" Brian looked to the elevator doors, tapping his foot as the old elevator finally started moving. "Sorry, forgot your new here. Kahsa does our autopsy's."

Olivia was nervous now, not sure rather to be happy that they found something, or worried that they did and it's a sign there is a serial killer.

The old doors creaked as they finally opened, the two of them walked out, stepping into the chilly room as a white mouse was standing beside the corpse of the lynx girl. "Kahsa." Brian said shaking his hand, as did Olivia. "What did you find?"

Kahsa nodded. "Basic autopsy shows she did indeed die from asphyxia, but when I began examining her head I found this." he showed a part of her head he had shaved, a small cut on the side was now visible. "Anyone could of missed this, I was lucky to have found it." Olivia looked at the wound, as it looked like a blunt object had done it.

"What caused the wound?" she asked as Kahsa shook his head, "That I do not know. it was something blunt, and most interesting is a blow to this part of the head would render her unconscious but unharmed."

Olivia could tell by the look on Brian's face he didn't like where this was going, after a long silence she spoke. "Are you saying someone struck her here to knock her out, then hung her?" Kahsa shook his head. "I cannot tell you that, but from the colouration of the bruising, she received get this wound within' twenty minutes of dying. so all indications are yes, someone did murder her."