Bloody Seven of Spades 1: Life and Death

Levi refused to wake up and procrastinated as long as he could.Whenever he was about to regain consciousness, he would burrow his head deeper into the bed and fall asleep again.At this moment, he would rather sleep than wake up.

However, after all, he couldn't bear the unbearable thirst and full bladder, so he had to succumb to the inescapable reality.He opened his eyes.

"Fuck," he cursed into the empty bedroom.

The room was quiet, and most of the windows were covered with curtains, making it very dark.Levi's brain throbbed so badly that he felt the room was spinning just lying down; when he sat up with one arm propped up, the contents of his stomach shook violently like a bucket of water.He retched, and quickly clenched his fist to cover his mouth with the back of his hand.

The bedside alarm clock said it was 11:04.Next to the clock was a glass of water, some ibuprofen, and a note:

Come back around 4:[-].Take care of yourself.

—— Si

Regarding the situation of going home last night, Levi could only vaguely remember something.He remembered that he was helped into the elevator by the concierge, it was so embarrassing, he couldn't bear to recall it.Stanton waited for him at the door, furious and unsure of what to do—Levi rarely used alcohol to numb himself.After this, Levi's memory is fragmented, but Stanton must have helped him undress and put him to bed.No matter how angry he was, he would never leave Levi alone.

Levi gulped down half a glass of water, downed a handful of ibuprofen, and drank the rest.Fortunately, he didn't have to go to work today - of course, if that was the case, he wouldn't have gone out to wander last night.For this serial murder case, he and Martin have been on the same axis for more than a week. Sheriff Wen forced them to stop working for a day today to recharge their batteries.In his recharging plan, there was no option to "get drunk" at first, but this at least allowed him to relax his mind for a while.

After finally getting out of bed, Levi suppressed his stomach discomfort and slowly moved into the bathroom.After emptying it out, he turned on the shower and turned the water to a warmer, more comfortable setting.Standing under the stream of water, he pressed one hand against the tiled wall and closed his eyes tightly.

Only then did he remember that he had kissed Dominic Russo.

Suddenly opened his eyes. "Oh My God."

They kissed last night, and it wasn't the kind of boo-boo that a friend would joke about.They embraced each other, their bodies were pressed together, their lips and teeth were fighting...

He took the initiative.And Dominique pushed him away.

He also recalled that at that time he would not refuse to sleep with Dominic.If Dominique's character had been unreliable, Levy would have been in a different situation this morning.

Did he tell Stanton about it?Is a drunk kiss counted as cheating?Well, it really is.At least, that's how Levy would feel if Stanton was in his place.

"Fuck." Levi muttered.He looked up into the current, as if that would wash away what he had done.

Then again, how could he do such a thing?Drunken gaffes are not an excuse.It can't be because Dominic is handsome, brave, listens attentively to his speech, and has excellent detective skills...

No.Come on, he didn't like Dominic Russo.This is too ridiculous, and super embarrassing, okay?Even before he lashes out at Dominic, he shakes out all the things that took him months to confess to Stanton.How does this make him face Dominic in the future?

Levi threw away all the thoughts in his head and concentrated on dealing with this moment.He showered, dressed, and plodded to the kitchen; he made himself a mug of black coffee with two shots of espresso, and ate a few mouthfuls of dry toast.

The problem now is that he has nothing to do for the rest of the day. He can only obediently get over the hangover at home, thinking about what happened last night, and waiting for Stanton to come back with fear.They would have a big fight, a big fight.This time, Levi was undoubtedly the one who was wronged.

Stanton, as usual, piled the incoming letters on the breakfast table.On top was a handwritten cursive set of wedding invitations from one of Stanton's business associates.

It's really majestic.

Levi picked up the stack of thick creamy white cards and fanned them out.The couple had been notified of the wedding date months in advance to allow time, discussed it and decided to attend.Obviously, he could just fill it out and send it out, but Stanton wanted to leave the reply blank for Levi to see.He was letting Levi decide whether they should go or not.

Levi hesitated for a moment, then found a pen in the kitchen utility drawer.Whether or not he had misbehaved last night, he had no intention of letting go of his relationship with Stanton.Not yet.

Under the signature of "Mr. Stanton Barclay and Mr. Levi Abrams", Levy checked the box "Confirmed Attendance".He put the return receipt card in the small matching envelope, and as he folded the flap, it occurred to him that he hadn't sent his grandparents an anniversary card yet.

What a rough morning.

Levi growled unwillingly and returned to the master bedroom.He bought the greeting cards and wrote his wishes a few days ago, and now he just needs to write the address on the envelope and put the card in.But he still has to call his grandparents to apologize.

He was looking for stamps in the bedside cabinet, but for a long time he found only empty letter paper, which shows how muddled his life was.A cursory search of Stanton's nightstand and the kitchen was fruitless.The hangover was so severe that he gave up the idea of ​​going out, but the next place he could think of looking was Stanton's study.

Since Stanton was not at home, he was reluctant to go there, but this was mainly because of his own fear of entering the private sphere.Stanton himself had no problem with Levy visiting his study, and often told him so.So when Levi entered this elegantly furnished room, although he was a little uncomfortable, he didn't feel guilty at all.

Stanton had a huge walnut desk, and the things inside were so neatly organized that Levi found the stamp book in seconds.He tore off a card to send to his grandparents, and when he closed the drawer and was about to turn around to leave, his eyes were attracted by the neatly arranged letters and something at the bottom of the folder.

How could Stanton have something with the University of Las Vegas logo on it?

Levi pulled out the stack of books without messing with the papers on it.Now, guilt came, but he still couldn't stop.

He held his breath.The document isn't just from the University of Las Vegas -- it's from the school's William S. Boyd School of Law.And it's obviously a school admission brochure.

He opened the booklet and flipped through the contents, and the guilt was quickly replaced by anger that followed.Inside was a folded letter; Levi could imagine his mother's tone of reproach, but he took it out and unfolded it anyway.It was written by the dean of the law school.

The first few paragraphs were ordinary pleasantries, the kind of rhetoric used between two wealthy white men.Levi skimmed along, seeing the last few lines along the way.

On behalf of myself and our college, I would like to express my most sincere thanks to you for your generous donation to the Werner-Rogers Library, which will definitely greatly help the education and training of future scholars.It has been a great honor to join forces with the prestigious Barclay family and we look forward to seeing your family build a strong presence at the College in the years to come.

Bile welled up in my throat, but it had nothing to do with the hangover.The dean didn't write what he was actually saying—how could he put it on paper—but Levi knew Stanton, and he read between the lines.

Levi remained calm, folded the letter methodically, put it back in the booklet, placed the stack of documents in the middle of Stanton's desk, and left the room.

He still has hours to pack.

***

When Stanton came home, Levi was sitting in the living room with his suitcase and backpack at his feet.He's still hungover, so in addition to a stomach full of sadness, anxiety, and indecision, there's also a cracking headache that makes him want to throw up at any moment.

Stanton walked into the room, his eyes still fixed on the phone in his hand.Wearing his work suit and tie hanging loosely around his neck, he looked so handsome and approachable that Levi almost dropped everything and pulled him into his arms.

"Hey," Stanton said, "how are you—"

He raised his head and saw Levi's luggage, his face turned pale.He put the phone on the table next to him without looking at it, but the phone slid down and fell to the ground.He didn't bother.

"Levy," he said, "don't do that."

Levi stood up, sitting alone made him feel unsafe, uncomfortable. "I went into your study today to look for stamps, and saw that you have a brochure from the University of Las Vegas Law School, and there is a letter from the dean in it."

"What do you mean you 'saw'?" Stanton's face regained some color. "I didn't put it on the face casually. Did you go through my things?"

"Yes," Levi said, "I was wrong, I apologize. But I can't pretend not to see." He took a shaky breath. "How much did you donate to get me admitted? How much are you willing to pay for that beautiful vision?"

"It's not that—"

"tell me!"

The muscles in Stanton's jaw tightened. "$300 million."

Suddenly, in shock and pain, Levi doubled over.Stanton hated his police career so much that he was willing to gamble $300 million to convince Levy to change careers?

"Know how I feel every time you do something like that?" he said. "It's like selling yourself, Stanton. Like if you pile up your money high enough, sooner or later I'll do what you want."

"How could I think that," Stanton said, eyes widening in frustration, "that's not what I meant."

"You never meant it that way. Every time I said I was upset or uncomfortable, you just apologized—and then within a few months you did it all over again." The more Levy spoke, the more melancholy he breathed. accelerate. "Why can't you listen to me? Why don't you take it easy?"

Stanton approached, but stopped when he saw Levi take a step backwards. "Don't care about it? How can you say it? I love you more than everything in this world."

"I know you love me. But you don't respect me. At least, not in the way I need respect."

Stanton was expressionless, he didn't understand.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't like it when you order for me, and I don't like it when you call my parents and talk in front of them like I'm a disobedient kid who needs you to take care of me ? How many times do I have to tell you, I don't fucking want to be a lawyer?" Levi's voice grew louder, and finally roared, making Stanton wince.He changed into a calmer tone and continued: "You may love me, but at the same time you also believe that you are doing it for my own good and I am ignorant. I cannot accept it."

"Maybe, if you could just keep talking to me instead of hiding every time our conversation got nasty, I wouldn't have to f*cking shit about you," Stanton growled, "Half You leave me alone all the time, and let me guess what you want."

"You're right." Levi said simply.

The anger on Stanton's face disappeared, replaced by pure shock.

"I have avoided talking to you." Levi puffed himself up; his heart was pounding in his chest, and his hands were shaking. "I don't want to get married, and I don't want kids—not now, maybe never. I'm going to be a policeman forever. I don't think we'll be happy together."

He felt his stomach churning, burning like a bleeding stomach ulcer.Stanton just stared at him.

"I'm clearly not what you need as a partner," Levy said. "Wouldn't it be nice if we just go our separate ways? It's better than trying to change each other and destroying all the good memories between you and me Nothing but resentment?"

"Do you have someone else?" Stanton asked.

The unexpected questioning caught Levi completely off guard, and he couldn't control his reaction.Whatever expression flashed across his face made Stanton turn his face away and squeeze his eyes shut.

"You might as well just say it's because of that," he muttered.

Levi shook his head, the sudden change of topic made him feel confused.He didn't want Stanton to think he left him because of another man, but he couldn't lie about what happened last night either. "It's not what you think. I... I did kiss another guy last night, when I was drunk, and I admit that maybe my feelings for him were not that pure. But that only developed a few days ago, It's nothing to do with our situation. I'm not leaving because of that."

"Probably not," said Stanton bitterly, "but then you'd have another family to go to, wouldn't you?"

"No! God, no, that's not what we're talking about now."

It didn't work, Stanton wouldn't believe him.Levi could already see it in his face.The timing was terrible, and Stanton would never believe the real reason for their disastrous breakup.

"I'm going to stay in a hotel. After a few days when you and I calm down, I'll come back and get the rest of the things."

Tears glistened in Stanton's blue eyes. "Levy, please don't leave. Don't run away."

"I didn't escape this time." Levi swung his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed the tow bar of the suitcase.Just as he reached the door, Stanton blocked his way.

"What can I say to make you stay? What do you want to hear from me?" he asked.

Yes, there is such a word.Levy really wanted to stay in his heart.The relationship with a man that has been maintained for three full years cannot be broken up just by walking out of this door.If he felt that there was a real possibility that the relationship between him and Stanton could continue, he would drop the bag without saying a word and do his best to realize this vision.If he believed Stanton could accept him for who he was, he was willing to compromise.

"Say you can marry a guy who's a cop and live happily ever after," Levy said.

Stanton gasped as if to say something.He paused, then closed his mouth and pursed his lips tightly.

Levi kissed his tear-wet cheek and left without a word.

***

He originally planned to go directly to the hotel.He had already booked a relatively cheap room in the old town, which was close enough to the police station, so it wasn't a hassle to go back and forth.That would force him to get out of his Honda Civic, which had been frozen in the garage for two years.

Levi threw the luggage in the trunk and sat in the driver's seat.He buckled up, put the key in the ignition—and banged his head on the steering wheel with a dry howl.

He left on his own initiative, but it was too heart-wrenching. The pain made him feel like his throat was swollen and he was about to suffocate. He didn't know if he could still drive.

His whole life would change from then on.No one who loved him was waiting at home for his return.There were no more nights to lie next to and mornings to wake up with Stanton.No more lazy breakfast hours and weekends out, no more cuddling Netflix.They can no longer have sex together.

He also had to find a new place to live and sort out the common possessions he had lived with Stanton for the past two years, which was a painful ordeal.And then...and then everyone knows.It's going to be in the social pages of the newspapers, it's going to be on the gossip blogs—heck, the fact that they're breaking up might affect Stanton's stock price.

Levi lay on the steering wheel for a few minutes, then shook his head, swallowed back the suppressed crying, and tried to regain his reason.Finally, he sat up straight, wiped under his eyes with the heels of his palms, and reached for his phone.

"Hey," Martin answered the phone, "how is your rest?"

"I broke up with Stanton." Levi said bluntly.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then she said, "Come here quickly."

"I don't want to bother—"

"Come on, come to my house. You go in first, I just picked up Mikaela from softball practice; we're going to pick up Simon from tennis practice, and the three of us get groceries on the way .When you arrive, you may have to wait for us for fifteen to twenty minutes."

"Okay." He already felt calmer. "Thanks."

"See you."

He fumbled in the glove box and found a pack of fast food tissues from an unknown date.He blew his nose, wiped his face dry, and made sure he was conscious before driving.Because the battery was low, the engine could barely start, the tires were flat, and the red light on the dashboard was flashing, but he still managed to reach his destination.

Martin, her husband Antoine, and their two teenage daughters live in the Sunrise Manor area in the northeast of the city.The 10-minute drive had calmed Levy further, so by the time he got there, he was less devastated.

It was a comfortable-looking southwestern-style American bungalow. He parked his car on the curb in front of the house and gave way to the garage so that Martin could drive in when he came back.He opened the door with the spare key and went straight to the kitchen.

The walls inside the house are painted bright and colorful, and the furniture style is unassuming. Although they are not complete sets, they have a harmonious aesthetic feeling.In the kitchen, Martin's penchant for roosters shows in prints on cookie jars and dish towels.Levi pulled the jug always full of fresh lemonade from the fridge and poured himself a glass.

Instead of sitting alone in the house, he walked out the glass door into the backyard.The small yard is fenced, planted with desert herbs, and there is a climbing game stand, which the two girls played when they were young.They don't play now, and the bats, mitts, footballs and other sports equipment scattered in the yard are their current interests.

Sitting on one of the beach chairs, Levy sips lemonade and finds peace in contemplating the little details that make a house a home.Nine years ago, when he fled New Jersey because he couldn't bear to live in a place where he felt so vulnerable, he didn't have such a strong attachment to Las Vegas.He was promoted to detective almost at the same time as Martin, but she was older—she didn't start until after her youngest daughters had started school.A feud between New Yorkers and New Jerseyans, coupled with their zero tolerance for misbehavior, made them instant friends.His affection for her was closer than that of his own sister.

As Martin had predicted, she arrived home in twenty minutes.He entered the house to greet her and help her pack her shopping.

"Hi, Mr. Levi." Michaela and Simon greeted him successively.He told the girls to call him by his first name, but Martin insisted that the girls add the honorific title.

"Hey, hello. How's school?"

The two winked exaggeratedly and wailed in disgust.Levi smiled.

Martin didn't ask him about the breakup, and he didn't offer to bring it up.After arranging all the newly purchased daily necessities, Simon and Michaela begged him to "show them some hands", and every time he came, the two girls did this.He's not very good at getting along with kids, but he also has Krav Krav Krav krav krav krav lavia - which most kids are overwhelmed with.

"I can't say, your mother may need someone to help her make dinner." He said, looking at Martin.

She waved her hand. "Go ahead and take them outside. I've had a rough week and I'm going to make a big meal."

Levy followed Simon and Mikaela to the backyard, and he showed them a few tricks to resist being grabbed by the wrist or shirt-in case the two young girls are unlucky to use it someday.According to the urgency of the situation, he divides the tricks into two levels: one is to deal with those who are overly rude but not very vicious, and the other is to deal with real threats.

After Simon successfully broke free from his restraint, he asked, "When you counterattack, what part are you going to aim at?"

"Eyes, throat, crotch!" the girls said in unison.

"Correct answer. If someone wants to hurt you, especially if they are bigger and stronger, you must hit them in the vitals with all your strength. Never mind fair competition. Use your teeth, nails-even if necessary Put a key in their eyes. Teach them a lesson, and see if they dare to touch you."

Both of these girls are excellent students, with great enthusiasm for learning, and they take this matter seriously while having fun.Levy has been persuading Martin to send his daughter to a regular school to learn Krav Krav Kravka formally, but they are both in a state of exercise and school, and they can't spare time.

When the sun was about to set, Antoine, who was coming home from get off work, greeted them back to the house.He was lean and slightly taller than Levi, making Martin look even smaller.Antoine spoke slowly, but he smiled unambiguously. He had kind eyes, and crow's feet always appeared at the corners of his eyes.

"Hey, Levi," he said, shaking his hand, "I'm sorry about what happened to you and Stanton."

"Thanks for caring."

"Would you like some beer?"

"Actually, I'm kind of hungover," Levy admits. "I think I might as well drink lemonade."

Antoine pinched his shoulder and didn't ask any more questions.

Five people sat around the kitchen table holding hands. "Lord," said Antoine, bowing his head, "thank you for the food we are about to eat, and may you bless our loved ones who are not with us tonight. Amen."

Whenever Levy came to the Valcourt's for dinner, the Catholic family always prayed before eating, and he was able to watch with pleasure.

Dinner consisted of grilled fish, spicy Haitian pickles, spinach, rice and beans, all cooked with care and devoured.Martin and Antoine chat lightly, discussing the girls' friendship and Antoine's day's work - he works as a manager of a casino hotel.Levy hardly said a word, but listened attentively, and the happy family atmosphere put him in a mood that he couldn't find anywhere else.

After eating, he stood up to help Simon and Michaela clear the table, Martin said: "My dear, sit on the chair for me with your skinny butt."

He sighed and obeyed.She never let him clean.

Not long after, while Antoine was taking the daughters to meet their friends and participate in the famous Friday night fun of young boys and girls in the current season, Martin talked to Levi about the real reason for his visit.

"I'm going to make some coffee," she said, standing up from the table, "Do you want low coffee?"

He looked at her with horror on his face. "That joke was taken too far, Martin."

She laughed and went to the single-cup coffee maker on the counter.When she came back, she held two cups of hot coffee, put one of them in front of Levi, and asked, "Tell me, what's going on?"

He told the whole story of the sad incident, stopping to take a sip of coffee every time he got choked up.After she finished speaking, she shook her head in bewilderment.

"I didn't even know there was something wrong with your relationship."

He shrugged. "That's something I didn't want to mention before."

"You know, you can spend the night here tonight if you want."

"I've already booked the hotel. Thank you anyway." He held the mug, loosened his fingers, and finally mustered up the courage to ask the question that was lingering in his mind: "Do you think it's right for me to do this?"

Martin leaned back in the chair, thought for a while before answering: "Only you can know the answer to this question. But if you want to hear my opinion... If you and Stanton have different plans for the future, no matter what If you can't agree, then yes, I think you made the right choice. Love alone is not enough to keep a marriage alive. Trust me."

"I kissed Dominic last night," Levy said, though he had planned not to mention it.

The other party was dumbfounded. "Dominique Russo?"

"How many Dominiques do you know?"

"But—how could this happen?"

"I went to a nightclub where he was a bartender and got really drunk."

Martin suddenly became furious, and was about to stand up, when Levi realized that his speech had misunderstood her, so he quickly grabbed her hand.

"I didn't make it clear," he said, "I was drunk and yelled at him, and he rejected me."

"Oh." She calmed down her anger and sat back in her seat. "Well, that's what he's like."

"Yeah." Levi let go of her hand and picked up the mug again. "But in this way, Stanton thought I left him because of Dominique."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course not. I kissed when I was drunk and sick. The whole thing is ridiculous...Dominic doesn't like me anyway."

Martin sneered.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to say?"

"He definitely has a crush on you."

"No, he did not--"

"He probably wouldn't think of a drunk who already had a boyfriend," she said, "and that's not his fault. But you? He's into you. You don't feel it, do you?" Because you get flustered when you meet him, especially this past week."

Levy tensed up in anger.He didn't panic in front of Dominic.He's just more wary of... big, strong men, anyone with a brain knows that.It's Dominique's head that's so disturbing—no, not disturbing, more like—

Oh my God.

Martin smiled even more smugly now.Fortunately, at this time, the mobile phones of the two rang at the same time, and Levi was rescued.

It was an urgent call to the scene of a crime in Winchester. "We're not on call tonight," she said, looking at the text, "which means—"

The second text message came shortly after, from Sheriff Wen, with only three letters on it: SOS.

Levy froze for a moment, then realized that "SOS" was short for "Seven of Spades"[2].

"Impossible," he said. "The 'Seven of Spades' guarantees no hands for five days. It's only the fourth day."

Even if he said it himself, Levi knew how ridiculous it was, but he still felt that the whole thing... was wrong.

Martin looked at him in disbelief and said, "Well, we can't take a serial killer too seriously, we'd better check."

***

The crime scene was in a suburban home similar in style to the Martin family.As soon as Levi walked into the living room, he knew that this was not the work of "Seven of Spades".

The victim lay in the middle of the living room with hands and feet spread out, and was stabbed in multiple places in the abdomen.Blood soaked the carpet and spattered the furniture.She fought desperately - tables and chairs were kicked over the floor, her clothes were torn, and her hands and arms were bruised from the resistance.Unfortunately, the resistance was unsuccessful.

The stabbing, the victim's resistance...that's not the modus operandi of "Seven of Spades".The only thing that can be related to the "Seven of Spades" is the card that fell on the victim's body.

Her wedding ring came loose in protest and slipped to her fingertips.There is no shade difference at the root of the fingers caused by sun exposure, but there is a clear skin color contrast under the shoulder straps of the suspender dress she is wearing.The photos hanging on the wall have not been changed for many years, her hairstyle has changed, and there are crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.There is a mobile phone a few steps away, the broken screen looks like someone stepped on it.

"The murderer was the husband," Levy said.

"I didn't run away, my husband killed me," Martin said, "what is this, when I first entered the crime scene?"

[1] Winchester, a satellite city around Las Vegas

[2] The original text of "Seven of Spades" is: SevenofSpades.