Chapter 3: Mystery upon Mystery
1236 Words
It was the top of the morning for Ava. She had the sense of fulfilment that she got to save the kid last night and deliver her to her parents, hoping to keep an eye on her and her parents. She stared at her right hand side and saw the doll on the mini table beside the lampstand. Ava was about to get out of bed when she got another call – Jackson.
"Nothing good comes out from Jackson calling me in the morning," she muttered and picked up the call.
"You're needed," the short message she didn't want to hear.
"What is –" she halted when the phone beeped thrice. "Damn you, Jack." She cursed.
Ava was waiting outside the police station when Jackson pulled up in his car. She could tell from the grim look on his face that he had bad news.
"What's going on?" she asked as he got out of the car.
"We've got another one," he said, his voice low.
Ava's heart sank. "Where?"
"Down by the river. It's a young woman this time."
"Did you get any leads from the crime scene?"
"Not much," Jackson said with a frustrated sigh. "The killer is careful. There were no prints, no witnesses. We're working on getting surveillance footage from the area, but it's not looking good."
Ava nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. "I'll come with you to the crime scene. Maybe I can pick up something with my senses that you guys missed."
Jackson looked skeptical, but he didn't argue. "All right, but be careful. We don't know what we're dealing with here."
They drove in silence to the river, where a crowd had already gathered behind a line of police tape. Ava could feel the fear and tension in the air, like a physical weight pressing down on her.
Jackson led her to the edge of the water, where a young woman lay on the shore. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, her long blond hair fanned out around her head. Her face was peaceful, as though she was sleeping.
Ava knelt down beside her and reached out to touch her forehead. As soon as her fingers made contact, she felt a jolt of energy that made her gasp.
"What is it?" Jackson asked, his hand moving instinctively to his gun.
"This girl was killed by magic," Ava said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Dark magic."
Jackson's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
Ava nodded, still feeling the echoes of the dark energy in her fingertips. "I'm sure. We need to find out who's behind this and stop them before they strike again."
They spent the next several hours at the crime scene, searching for any clues or evidence that could lead them to the killer. Ava used her senses to try and pick up on any traces of magic, but the energy was too diffuse, too scattered to give her any real insight.
As the sun began to set, they finally packed up and headed back to the police station. Ava was exhausted, both physically and mentally. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time, that the killer was getting closer and closer to his next victim.
As they walked through the station, Ava caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the corner of her eye. She turned to look, but the person was already gone. She felt a chill run down her spine.
"Did you see that?" she asked Jackson.
"See what?" he said, looking around.
"Someone was watching us," Ava said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think it was the killer."
Ava took a deep breath and turned back to the group, her eyes scanning over them with a new sense of urgency. "We need to find out who's behind this. And fast," she said firmly. "I don't want to lose anyone else."
Jackson stepped forward, his expression grim. "Agreed. But we need to be careful. Whoever is behind this is powerful and has resources. They're not going to give up easily."
Ava nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. "We need to gather as much information as we can. Talk to anyone who might have seen or heard something. And we need to start looking for patterns or connections between the victims."
Elena raised her hand tentatively. "What can I do to help?"
Ava smiled at her. "You can start by using your magic to help us track down any leads. See if you can sense any dark energy or magic around the crime scenes."
Elena nodded, determination in her eyes. "I'll do my best."
Jackson cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "I'll start looking into the victims. Maybe we can find something in their past that can help us figure out why they were targeted."
Cassandra spoke up next, her voice low and steady. "I'll mobilize the pack. We'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious, and if we find anything, we'll let you know."
Ava looked at each of them in turn, feeling a sense of pride and gratitude. "Thank you. Let's get to work."
As the group dispersed, Ava made her way back to her apartment, her mind racing with possibilities. She couldn't shake the feeling that something big was coming, something that was going to put them all in danger.
As she walked into her living room, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a message from Liam.
"Hey, I've been doing some digging. I think I might have found something. Can we meet up?"
Ava felt a surge of hope. Maybe this was the break they had been looking for. She quickly typed back a response.
"Sure. How about the coffee shop on Elm Street in an hour?"
Liam responded almost immediately. "Sounds good. See you then."
Ava took a deep breath, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. She was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what it took.
As she walked out of her apartment building, she felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.
She glanced around, but there was no one in sight. Shaking her head, she pushed the feeling aside and made her way to the coffee shop.
As she walked in, Liam was already there, sitting at a table near the window. He stood up as she approached, a serious expression on his face.
"What did you find?" Ava asked, her voice low.
Liam hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I found a link between the victims. They all worked for the same company, a pharmaceutical company called Bellamy Pharmaceuticals."
Ava felt a jolt of surprise. "What kind of company is that?"
Liam shrugged. "They specialize in developing new drugs and treatments for rare diseases. But they're also known for being pretty ruthless when it comes to protecting their secrets."
Ava frowned, a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach. "Do you think they're involved in this somehow?"
Liam nodded. "It's possible. I did a little digging and found out that one of the victims, Sarah Reed, was working on a new drug that could have been a game-changer for the company. But she died before she could finish it."
"What drug?" Ava asked.
"I can't say, but it is tagged dangerous." Liam responded.
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