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The shrill ring of a cell phone bleated twice through the still house before an older, half-dressed man entered the kitchen and retrieved the chirping device.
"Hello...?"
A pleasant, cheerful voice replied.
"Good morning, I'm looking for Officer Edward Ruiz. Is he available?"
"This is he. Speaking?"
"Just an old friend, calling to remind you that..."
The speaker paused momentarily, continuing on in a low, frantic whisper.
"It's a lovely day to do some pruning in the garden."

On the other end of the line, the caller grinned as he heard the phone slip from Edward's fingers, waiting several seconds before speaking again.
"Mr. Ruiz, are you still there?"
The answer came as a guttural, husky growl.
"Affirmative."
"Beautiful. I suppose the evening news will be the judge of your success...You know what must be done."
"I know what must be done..."

The phone clicked dead in Edward's hand as he turned cold, blank eyes to the massive butcher's knife resting on the kitchen counter. He picked it up and turned it over, examining the wicked gleam of the metal, then slid the blade inside his shirt sleeve as he walked slowly back upstairs. Barely a minute later, an anonymous call about a triple homicide at the Ruiz residence was phoned into 911 Dispatch.