Undying Devotion
Always too Late

Yawning, she leant back and stretched out her tired sore muscles. Her phone, which was still face down, buzzed against the tabletop. Picking it up she read the message that had come through:

Sorry hun,

Just woke up, this thing is killing me slowly.

Shannara felt a wave of relief rush through her as she finally received word from Masie. She messaged back that she was gonna swing by with some meds for her. Standing she grabbed her bag and motioned for Arion to follow. His adorable confused stare caused the corner of her mouth to creep into a smile.

“Good news?” He asked.

“Yeah, time for a break. I’m going to go see Masie, this could be a good time for you to slip away if you need to head home for a bit.” She informed.

“I’ll pass for now, honestly I’d rather see this through to the end.” He admitted. “You’re too important to me to lose, and this guy knows too much, he’s way too dangerous for both worlds.”

“I... I don’t want to be alone at home either.” She confessed pausing to look up at him. She wasn’t feeling fear, but there was definitely a sense of unease that was settling within. The thought of going home tonight, the idea of laying down in that bed, it didn’t sit right with her.

“I won’t leave you tonight, I promise.” His gaze was sincere as his eyes locked with hers.

Shannara nodded, little words were spoken as they made their exit from the station. It was surprising that in such a small amount of time, they had grown to have an understanding so deep of one another like none other, that no words need be spoken. A comfortable feeling that she could see herself growing fond of.

Getting into her car, she stopped as she heard her phone ring. Looking at the caller id, it was showing as an unknown number. Slightly taken aback, she stared at it for a moment, unsure she should answer.

Arion caught her unease, his eyes narrowing as his guard went up at the same time as hers.

She answered the call and wished she hadn’t.

The voice that greeted her was the one that she dreaded to hear the most.

“Well, hello detective.” his tone was flirtatious and cheerful.

She felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck as her whole body tensed. She immediately spun on her heels and headed back inside. She ran for her office where she had a tracking device already set up. She plugged it into the bottom of my phone, placed the device on the table, and clicked the speaker icon on her phone.

“You’re getting pretty confident now aren’t you?” She spoke in answer.

“Oh, don’t worry about me, you won’t be able to track this call. I’ve made sure if that.” He was certainly cocky in response.

“Then, why the sudden call?” She asked.

“We never got a chance to chat. You were too preoccupied with shooting me.” She was sure that if she could see him in the moment he would be pouting. His mocking only fueled her distaste for him. “I want to know why you have my devil?”

Her eyes widened. “A devil? I think you may be mistaken.”

The voice on the other end laughed. “I don’t think so.” His tone changed to something more deep and menacing. “You took MY devil, I worked hard to summon it and you stole it.”

She frowned. She wasn’t entirely sure how to answer, perhaps he was simply confused with the arrival of Arion to this realm and the timing of his ritual?

“No, your symbols were off, you did it wrong.” It was Arion who answered this time.

“Now now now, you can’t trick me like that. I’m sure you’ve figured out what I’m doing by now, you’re a smart one. One of the smartest in the business, if I do dare say so.” His tone was back to the sweet flirtatious mockery of earlier. “And yet, you still haven’t found one of my first victims.” He chuckled on the other side of the line. “Though, I must admit I was surprised that you found me with Trisha so quickly.” He paused for a moment. “You are certainly far exceeding my expectations. Well done, detective.” He cooped.

He was toying with her, his words turning her stomach, twisting it into knots. She wanted nothing more than to scream down the phone that she was going to find him. However, that would do no good in this situation. If he was being cocky maybe she could pry some information out of him. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“You say I’m missing a victim. Why don’t you put me to the test and give me a clue?” she teased.

He laughed, a menacing sound that gave her chills. “That would be too easy, wouldn’t it?”

“Is it greed, or envy?” she asked.

He made a shocked sound, though it was forced and heavily faked. “So you do know about the sins. Look at you go! And here I thought you were still one step behind me. Oh wait, you are!”

Arion had run downstairs to retrieve Jessie and Desmond. They came flying into the room as the killer was still talking. Jessie immediately took the initiative and began typing away on the computer working alongside the tracking device. Though it appeared as though the phone signal was bouncing off of several locations, never actually being able to be pinpointed.

“Oh my dear, I have envy in my sights. Greed was a handful, who knew someone who didn’t sin would put up such a fight? But, oh how fun it was to put an end to that man’s life.” he sighed heavily as though enjoying the memory. “Let me guess, you’ve made a list of all the goody two shoes of the town? I did that too. I went with an office building this time, the scene from the third floor is simply spectacular!" he emphasized the last word as though he were in a production. “I think that’s enough clues though. I’ll let you figure out the rest. bye now, Detective.” he abruptly hung up the line.

Everyone in the room was tense as they stared at each other. They had never expected that he would call, Let alone tell them exactly where they needed to go next. He was playing with them, toying with them. He was leading down a rabbit hole. But they had frazzled him, why else would he call? He was buying himself more time. He was right. They had made a list, and on it was a young man who was supposedly on leave right now, so no one would know he was missing. They had called many leads that could fit the profile of greed, all but this one gentleman had answered. Given that it was 1 a.m. in the morning already, they had all agreed that they would go door-knocking first thing in the morning, but they had never considered his workplace as the crime scene.

Shannara quickly texted Masie again, informing her of the change of plans. Without even speaking to one another, they all knew they were headed to this office building tonight.

“I’ll get the van ready” Jessie announced glumly to the group as they began to suit up.

Pulling up to the building, a large sign greeting them that read: Harrison construction. The CEO of the company was a 32-year-old man who made it a point to rally against all other construction businesses that were destroying nature reserves, parks, and other heritage-listed sites. Nobody had reported the man missing as he was apparently meant to be on holiday. His office on the small third-floor building was locked and had not been attended to in five weeks. The office building would open in around five hours, giving them plenty of time to assess the situation, document the crime scene and retrieve the body before anyone need see it.

Shannara was sure that a number of people who worked in the building would need severe counseling after they had learned that they had been working in the same building as their deceased boss.

The building had a security system that had been set up by the local police station. This made it very easy to be able to enter the building as they already knew the bypass codes. The elevator ride up to the third floor was filled with dreadful silence as nobody knew what to expect from this scene. The doors opened to a well-furnished waiting area, a small desk to one side where the assistant would likely sit. Large double doors waiting for them with the nameplate that read: Jason Harrison.

Jessie took the initiative, breaking open the lock on the door as the others waited. I didn’t take him long to unscrew the latch with a screwdriver and open the doors. Inside seemed completely normal. It appeared as though a man sat perfectly still staring out the window behind his desk.

Shannara called out to him, as was protocol. Her hand rested firmly at her hip over the small leather strap to her weapon, though she didn’t feel she would need it. Approaching the desk slowly forcing one foot in front of the other. She rounded the small wooden working space coming face-to-face with Jason. Her stomach sank as she saw the familiar, glistening, smooth, wax coating. If she didn’t know any better she’d think this man a wax figure that belonged in a museum. This was the victim that had been copied by Arion’s subordinate that had already been disposed of.

But this man’s body was different. She crouched down to study the details. His shirt was unbuttoned and opened. The wax had been used even on this man’s clothing, each crease and smooth line meticulous and deliberate. The coating on the man’s skin was much thicker than the copycat’s and on the surface, very intricate details of the business had been craved out onto his body. Reading the writings, the information was filled with bank account details, transfers, and bonuses to his employees. Even donations that he had made when he was only a young boy. Each entry on his skin was accompanied by a date. His entire life’s work and accomplishments embellished on his waxing skin.

The purpose of the wax was to allow the killer something that he could cave into that was easier than flesh. It was oddly beautiful as the writings were written in cursive handwriting, each important thing he had done frames with intricate details and stunning lines. It would have made a lovely tattoo, but it only proved to be a reminder of the fact that a good man had died.

Turning her attention away from the designs that had been etched into his body she followed his outstretched arm that was pointing out the window. The office space overlooked a beautiful park with stunning gardens. A park bench with a slogan ridden across its back read: Give back and you shall be embraced with.

Standing she let out a long sigh, releasing the air she had been holding in her lungs. The body was so heavily encased in wax that the room simply smelt stale. Sadly the man’s face had been disfigured, his nose had been surgically removed. “He’s sitting in a window for Christ’s sake, how did not body see this?”

“I don’t think you can see into offices from outside, windows are tinted.” Jessie was already beginning to process the scene, dusting for prints around the door to start.

It was Desmond who spoke up next taking her by surprise. “He was meant to be on holiday and wouldn’t have been reported missing for at least another seven days, probably more. Considering he had to come back, which he wouldn’t have, then be reported as missing.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that another person died, probably weeks ago.” She pointed out. “We’re always too late.” She added with a disgruntled groan.

No fingerprints. No DNA. No evidence that pointed toward their killer could be found. Just the body and its missing nose. As always, the scene was set in such a way that demonstrated that he had not a greedy bone in his body. His paychecks, we’re on his desk for all to see. He took home the same amount as everyone else at the company, actually less if you included all the bonuses he gave out to his staff. He was a good man and not one that deserved to die. Plastered on his walls were all his achievements. All his projects stopped and all his contributions to society. He was anything but a greedy man, and therefore the perfect sacrifice for their killer.

They began taping off the scene as the employees started to arrive and straight away interviews began. Needless to say, the office was closed for the day and likely for the foreseeable future, while the employees were sorted out and sent home.

after handing out a number of her cards Shannara was leant against her car waiting for the boys to finish up closing off the building with police tape. His brows were furrowed as she was lost in thought, contemplating the entire ordeal. Something wasn’t sitting right with her.

Pulling her phone out she looked over the text message Masie had sent her. Conveniently her phone had rung when she was on the urge of heading over, after she had told Masie of course. A chill ran down her spine as the worst thought came to mind. Masie was someone who wasn’t envious of anyone. Her lack of communication this past day had been concerning, and crime scene after crime scene had kept her away all day.

She would have called. Masie would have known how concerned she was with her health and would have called. If anything she would be reassuring her that she was fine and not to worry or bother coming over. But she wasn’t, instead she was rather platonic with her responses, as though not herself.

And... He had gotten all her details from her phone when he had been in her home the night before. Including her phone number and Masie’s address.

Her heart sank as she realized this was all a ploy to keep her busy, to keep her away. It was all too convenient. Why hadn’t she connected it sooner?

Jessie and Arion both approached her as his mouth dropped open and she looked up in horror.

Her voice was shaky. “We need to get to Masie and now!”

“No...” Jessie’s face drained off all color.

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