We were sent to Boston to investigate the murder of Kenneth Bell, a computer programmer who was gunned down at a Wendy's drive-through. Two suspects, Remy Martinique and Tyrone Royce, were quickly apprehended by the Boston PD and placed in the custody of Detective Charlie Henderson. They were linked to the 4th Street Macumbas, a Jamaican drug posse. We quickly established that Macumba was a form of Santeria practiced in Brazil.

We questioned Det. Henderson about the circumstances of Bell's murder. We established that the two suspects had to be restrained during their arrest. Glassy-eyed, dazed, and with heightened aggression, they were apparently undergoing classic withdrawal symptoms, although testing ruled out cocaine, heroin, PCP, and marijuana. Both were requesting a lawyer. Henderson also revealed that Bell's murder was apparently a contract hit -- the Jamaicans walked calmly to his window, unloaded their guns, and walked back to their car.

At this point, Payne requested that he be allowed to question Royce. While he did so, Agent Ellis and myself checked the items that had been found in Bell's pockets. Most items were innocuous -- $21, keys, a wallet, a pack of Lifesavers -- but were contrasted by a bright pink rubber ball about the size of a quarter. As Ellis puzzled over why such an item was in Bell's possession, I checked the wallet. Inside was an ATM receipt, indicating that Bell had withdrawn $20 nine days ago. I also found a piece of paper which read "Suklavi's, 128 College Ave." This is apparently a Greek restaurant.

At this point, Ellis and myself watched Payne's interrogation of Royce. The suspect still appeared slightly withdrawn, and was generally uncooperative. Apparently, he was deathly afraid of whoever ordered the hit on Bell. Done with our interrogation, Det. Henderson returned Royce to his cell and we elected to question the other suspect. Mr. Martinique was allowed to believe that Royce had talked.

While Ellis and Payne interrogated Martinique, I went down to the garage and checked out Bell's Explorer. Nothing of import was found in the glove compartment, outside of a hastily scrawled note on the front cover of the owner's manual which referred to a company in New York, Cross & Associates. In the trunk, I found a briefcase, which contained several business-related contracts and letters, some of which indicated that Cross & Associates was an investment firm. They had no files on Kenneth Bell.

Also found was a highly curious letter, indicating that Bell was to meet someone, presumably the writer, at the usual time. It also indicated that the author suspected the involvement of a Q.V., and that there were several Locura in Boston. The letter was signed by an A.V. The letter was typewritten and bore no return address. The significance of "Q.V.," "A.V.," and "Locura" is yet to be determined, as are the circumstances of the meeting described.

I went up to join Ellis behind the one-way glass and showed him the letter I had found. Almost as soon as I arrived, Martinique drew some sort of symbol on a piece of paper and he held his hand over it, seizing Payne's. Anticipating a problem, Ellis ran into the interrogation room. The Jamaican began chanting and apparently growing stronger. Ellis hit Martinique with his pistol, and the man fell unconscious.

As Henderson took Martinique away, we theorized on what happened, in the context of voodoo activity. Ellis theorized that Remy was becoming a cheval -- opening himself to possession by a Loa. Payne was skeptical of this, maintaining that the entire affair was drug-related.

We called the Boston office of the DEA and requested a report on the Macumba gang. Then we headed out to Bell's suburban home. A fairly new set of tracks -- Payne identified them as boots -- led from the sidewalk, to the mailbox, and back to the sidewalk.

The office of Bell's home had been completely demolished. The computer was overturned and the monitor smashed, and books were strewn across the room. The books were mainly computer manuals and science-fiction novels. I checked these books for possible leads on the clues from the letter, while Ellis examined the computer. Finding the hard drive intact, he suggested we have it checked out by the DEA.

A car started up, and I looked out the window to see a woman, who had been using a snowblower a few houses up the street, get in and drive off. Ellis and myself rushed downstairs to join Payne, who was out checking the footprints and the mailbox. We attempted to pursue the woman, but found that the tires had been slashed. Nevertheless, we managed to get a license plate number -- 961-PRT6.