The extravagant décor of an expensive French restaurant. The leaves on a park’s trees fluttering as the wind blew. A diamond ring in a velvet box, opened on one knee. A face concealed by a black hood. The flash of a gunshot. A puddle of blood. Swirling lights, red and blue. These images-no, memories-fly through my mind with the distorted quality only dreams can have before I snap my eyes open and wake up, covered in a light sheen of sweat. It is late at night. Out of habit, I reach through the dark towards my left. My hand grasps nothing but the cloth of a pillowcase. It feels cold. The other side of the bed is empty. I am alone in my apartment.

In the police station, my partner, Kat, sets a steaming cup on my desk.

“You brought coffee,” I observe.

“You look tired,” she says.

“I woke up in the middle of the night. Couldn’t get much sleep after that.”

“It’s not the nightmares again, is it?”

“I’ll be okay.”

“Kevin,” she says, and puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’m here for you if you need anything.”

I thank her and force a smile.

“Hey,” she says, “just reminding you, Homicide Division meets in less than an hour. Briefing on the Vigilante Killer investigation.”

“I’ll be there.”

I sit down in the chair next to Kat at the Homicide Division briefing. Other homicide detectives begin to fill the room. Once they have all found seats, Sergeant Connolly steps forward and takes his place at the front of the room. He begins his briefing, aided by information displayed on a large whiteboard.

“We don’t know much about the person we’re calling the Vigilante Killer,” he says, “but let’s go over the hard facts. In recent months there have been five murders. Ballistics reports have confirmed that all of the murders were committed using the same gun. All of the victims were people who had committed violent crimes.”

Kat speaks up. “Sergeant Connolly, it’s my understanding that some of the victims have never been convicted of a felony.”

“That’s the interesting thing, Detective O’Neill,” he replies, “the victims you speak of were linked through fingerprinting to recent open cases after they were killed. The perp must have known somehow.”

“Could he have been a witness to the crimes they were linked to?”

“That’s a real possibility, and perhaps a lead. We should work on identifying anyone who could have witnessed all of those crimes. Given the areas where they took place, I’ve got a theory that the killer seeks this kind of stuff out. He frequents high crime areas, and specifically looks for violent criminals.”

After going over some of the other details of the investigation, Sergeant Connolly ends the meeting. The department is grasping at straws. No one has any idea who the Vigilante Killer could be. This frustrates Kat greatly. For a few minutes, she rants about the shoddy police work being done. I sit quietly and listen. Eventually I turn around.

“Maybe it shouldn’t bother you that much.”

She looks at me like I’m crazy. “Why doesn’t it bother you?”

“I just think that maybe we should be focusing on the people who hurt innocents on a daily basis.”

“Kevin, this guy has no right to do what he’s doing. He’s not a cop. He’s not a judge. He’s not the law.”

I pause for a second. “Sometimes people are able to slip past the law.”

“We are a part of the best justice system in the world, Kevin.”

Unexpectedly, I feel my temper rise. “If the justice system is so great, why isn’t the guy who killed Laura in prison?”

Kat sighs and her face softens. “This is what this is about. Kevin, maybe you shouldn’t have come back to work so soon.” Her tone changes from mildly confrontational to sympathetic.

I ignore her implication that I am not ready to continue working. “Have I ever told you what happened the night Laura died?” I ask her. “I mean, I know you know what happened. But have I ever really explained it to you?”

“No,” Kat replies, “I chose not to ask. I figured you’d tell me when you were ready.”

“You know that Laura and I got engaged that night. It was in the police report. I gave a description of the ring so that the detectives could investigate whether anyone had pawned it.”

“I know.”

“Before that, we went to dinner. I took her out to the best restaurant around here. You know where I’m talking about. That French place near the park. Did you know that park was where I met her? After dinner, we went for a walk. Eventually we reached the park. It was empty. It looked beautiful, with just the two of us there. The only light came from the moon, and the only noise came from the leaves. There was a breeze and it made the leaves rustle. It might seem strange that I remember those things, but I do. I replay them every night, in my dreams.”

I paused for a second, and continued. “I proposed with a ring that had a magnificent diamond. Her name was engraved on the inside of the band. She loved it. Of course, she said yes. We hadn’t even started walking again when that guy came out of nowhere. He was wearing a hoodie, so I didn’t see his face. He pointed his gun at us and told us to give him all our money and valuables. I gave him my wallet. Laura handed over her entire bag. But he noticed that she was wearing the ring, the one I just slipped on her finger. He told her to give it to him, but she refused. I asked her to be smart and do what he said. But she wouldn’t do it. She said that he could take anything he wanted except for that. I guess she didn’t think he was serious, didn’t believe he’d really harm her. He shot her, and then he pointed the gun at me while he bent down and took the ring. He ran off, and I knelt next to her. Her blood was spreading through the ground into a puddle. I called an ambulance, but it was too late. Dead on arrival. But I guess you know that.”

“I can’t imagine how awful that must have been for you,” Kat offers. “Whoever did that is a monster.”

“Yes,” I say, “a monster who is still out on the streets.”

“Kevin, I can’t imagine how angry you must be. But we are first and foremost police officers, and it’s our responsibility to deal with criminals according to the law. And that’s how we need to deal with this vigilante guy as well.”

I think for a moment. “I know that’s the way we’re supposed to do things, but…”

“The way we’re supposed to do things,” she interrupts, “what have you always said that way was?”

“By the book,” I reply.

“Do you still believe that?”

“Yeah.”

She smiles. “I know you agree with me. You’re a good guy, and a good cop.”

I’m cruising along in the car through the area where the vigilante murders took place. I’m going to get some coffee for Kat, who’s doing a series of interviews related to the case. The radio comes on. There’s been a report of shots fired. All available units are asked to get to the scene as quickly as possible. I realize that it is only a few blocks away.

“Looks like we’ll be the first there,” Kat says. She radios in to confirm that we will be there shortly. I make a left and speed up. We pull up in front of one of the street’s dingy apartment buildings. We enter and call an elevator. I have my doubts about how well it will work, but there’s no time to take the stairs. Its single overhead light flickers as it slowly makes its way up. Before the doors open, Kat and I draw our weapons.

We leave the elevator and see that the empty corridor extends down both ways. We know that the shooting took place on this floor, but we don’t have an apartment number.

“Which side do we check first?” I whisper.

“Both.” She replies.

“What do you mean?”

“Split up. You get the left, I get the right.”

I shake my head. “No. It’s too dangerous.”

“This is faster. Backup hasn’t arrived-take too long and the shooter escapes. Is that what you want?”

“No.”

“Then start looking.”

I know that I should never enter a situation like this alone. Against my better judgment, I head down towards the last apartment on the left side. Kat goes the other way.

I put a hand on the doorknob and twist it. It is open. I may have chosen the right apartment. I enter, gun raised. I turn a corner around the entrance area into the small, dirty living room.

There, on the floor, I see someone lying face down on the floor. There are no gunshot wounds immediately visible, but it is obvious that this is where the shooting occurred. The blood is still spreading out into a pool around the body. The image is a grim reminder. 

Looking up, I see a figure starting to climb out the room’s open window onto an adjacent rooftop. I point my gun at him and bark an order for him to stop where he is. He complies, and turns around. He wears nothing to conceal his face. I am completely aware of what he looks like. Surprisingly nondescript – your average citizen.

I order him to put his hands where I can see them. He does, raising them up to shoulder height. The entire time, he maintains a blank look on his face. I let him know that I am arresting him on suspicion of murder.

He speaks. “Are you sure you want to take me in?”

“Shut up.” With one hand holding my gun, I use the other to take out my radio so I can tell Kat to get over here.

“I think you might have more interest in this guy than me,” he states, gesturing towards the dead body.

Confused, I refrain from using the radio.

“A thug,” the man continues, “just like the rest of them.”

I realize who he is. “You’re the Vigilante Killer.”

“I’ve heard that’s what they’re calling me.”

I raise the radio to my lips.

“Hold on,” he says, “why are they spending all this effort trying to find me? Why not people like him?”

Again, he gestures towards the victim. Although I have pretty much convinced myself that Kat is right about the killer, I still think, somewhere in the back of my mind, that he may have a point. I can’t allow that to control me. Again, I am about to use the radio when he speaks.

“Let me show you one thing. After that you can arrest me if you choose.”

I don’t answer. He reaches into his pocket, apparently taking my silence as permission.

He removes his hand from his pocket and glances at the small object he is holding.

“I’ve been keeping tabs on him for a while. I keep a close eye on all of them, you know.”

I know that I shouldn’t be engaging him, but a strange curiosity is getting the best of me. I tell myself that I will radio Kat later. But I’ve decided to let him show me whatever it is he’s holding.

“What is it?” I demand.

“He got this one after returning from the scene of a murder,” the vigilante says.

“Let me see it.”

He tosses me the object. I catch it in one hand. The other is still outstretched, pointing my gun at him. However, I lower the gun a bit after I open my closed fist and glance at what is inside.

It is a beautiful diamond ring. It looks familiar. At first, I don’t believe it. However, after I look at the inside of the ring, I have no doubts; I know exactly what it is.

“Go,” I blurt out. Letting him leave is a decision that I should not be making. But this is not a conscious choice. I’m not thinking at all.

“Changing your mind, just like that?” He seems almost confused.

I look up. “Get out.”

He realizes I am serious. He turns and climbs through the window. Running across the roof, he disappears into the night.

I finally use the radio and tell Kat where I am. A minute later, she bursts into the room and sees the dead body on the floor.

“Where’s the shooter?” She asks.

“He was gone once I got here,” I reply.

A good guy, and a good cop.

I hear sirens blaring through the open window, the sound of backup arriving to our location. As the rest of the squad cars get closer, I stare down into my hand at the ring and the name inside of it.