Estes's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

Estes adjusted his round glasses and studied the grainy photograph pinned to his office wall. Las Calaveras sprawled before him like a sleeping beast, its towers hiding secrets in every shadow. He wanted to expose the crime families that poisoned this city from within. The newsroom buzzed with the hum of old equipment. A bulky television set flickered in the corner, its rabbit ears wrapped in aluminum foil. Vintage cameras lined the shelves, their leather cases cracked with age. The whole place had the feel of a frontier outpost mixed with modern machinery. Estes ran his finger along the edge of his desk and smiled. This was where he would do it—where he would gather evidence, write his stories, and publish the truth. The crime families thought they could hide forever, but he would drag their secrets into the light. One investigation at a time, he would show the city who really controlled its streets. His headquarters was ready. Now the real work could begin. He grabbed his coat and hat from the rack. The first lead wouldn't come from sitting behind a desk. Estes needed sources—people who saw things, heard things, knew things. He locked the office door and walked three blocks until he spotted what he was looking for. A phone booth stood on the corner, its glass panels reflecting the afternoon sun. Metal framing gleamed under the streetlights. Estes stepped inside and pulled the folding door shut. The booth smelled like cigarettes and old coins. He dropped a nickel into the slot and dialed the number he'd memorized. Anonymous calls meant no paper trail. The crime families couldn't trace what they couldn't see. The line rang twice before someone picked up. Estes spoke quickly and kept his voice low. He asked about shipments, about meetings, about names that appeared in police reports. The voice on the other end gave him three addresses and a warning. He thanked them and hung up. Through the glass panels, the city looked the same as always. But Estes knew better now. He had his first real lead, his headquarters ready, and a method to gather information safely. The investigation had officially begun.