“When my men cut the girls down, they found dozens of fish wires attached to the victims’ shoulders, necks, and arms. Further analysis of your office showed there was a contraption over here.” Detective White headed over to the area behind my desk. “There was a box nailed to the floor that worked by remote control. The wire was attached to the box. Someone worked the remote to have the girls move on their own. It wasn’t meant to be done in front of actual people as they walked by. So close, anybody could’ve realized that the girls were attached to wires--that is, if they could get over the initial shock of dead bodies moving in front of them.”
“So someone wants us to think there is big magic happening around us?”
“Exactly.” He returned to the window and took a puff of his cigarette. “This person has access to the security room. The entire recording area was in disarray. There were tapes that didn’t record new footage and just replayed the same feed over and over. Therefore the guards watching the cameras never noticed anything strange. During that time, the killer must’ve carried the bodies to the area, hooked them up, set the box in your office, and fixed the cameras to return back to normal. Whoever did this took serious time learning the camera process, the servants’ schedule--and I’m not just talking about the girls who passed away. This person learned all of their schedules so they can move through the house unnoticed. I can’t find any unusual people walking the hallways. Everything seems in order.”
It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I needed answers. No one else could die, not here. I couldn’t deal with being the cause of another person’s death due to not finding this killer.
“Who do you think could’ve done this?”
Detective White flicked his cigarette’s ash out the window. “I’ve been going through scenarios all night. No one was in the house doing anything suspicious.”
I didn’t want to ask, but I did. “Earlier, you thought my brother and grandma may have had something to do with this mess, along with Dayanara and Reece. Have they been canceled out as suspects?”
“Pretty much. Your brother painted the entire time before the girls moved in the house as well as once they were found. Your grandma argued with the police officers outside the house about Reece and Dayanara being arrested.”
“Wait a minute. The girls’ deaths occurred while the cops were in front of the castle?”
“Yes. The police and I were outside the entire time.”
Dear God. This guy is getting ballsy. If he can do this while cops are near, what will he do when they’re not around? How much further will they go?
“What do you think I should do now?” I asked.
“I would suggest evacuating the property and going somewhere else. Unless you’re unable to?”
“No. We can definitely leave. Is there any good news to this situation?”
“Well, these three victims were not cut in anyway. The killer for some reason didn’t cut their vaginas.”
“Oh god. I forgot to tell you. My grandma cut the first two victim’s vaginas.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yes. She did it for a spell to allow the women’s spirits to have peace or something. I’ll have her explain it to you.”
The short man pulled out his notebook and wrote several things on it.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this sooner. What else do you have on this case?”
“There are other parts about this situation.” He put the notebook away, slung the cigarette in his finished coffee, and waved smoke out the window. “I have other questions in my head about the victims. I’ve been putting together a report of all the women. I gave one to the detective in charge, but as you’ve asked me, I also placed one on your desk.”
“Is there anything similar about these women? Any person they all dealt with?”
“Well, the obvious person is Hex. He invited them all to the property. I am still unclear on the reason why they were guests here.” He walked over to my desk and picked up a thick stack of papers.
“He usually invites them to work on some project that pops up in his head,” I said. “My brother tends to start projects and drop them, then the next month or so get excited about something else and invites more people. Meanwhile the earlier guests are hanging around the property waiting to begin.”
“Maybe if I knew the name of the projects and what the goals were, this could help me and the police somehow.”
“I’ll have you interview him sometime today. I would like to be present.”
“That sounds good.” He raised the stack of papers in the air. “Either way, this is the report on the victims.”
I didn’t relish the idea of reading about the lives of dead girls for the rest of the day. Especially with Elle leaving. My plane was scheduled to carry her away in five hours. Ideas popped into my head—a surprise dinner for her before she left, a small gift to say goodbye, a sappy letter about how we would be good together and to beg her not to wait on us.