Page 26 of Outrun The Devil
“I found two puncture wounds under the brand.” Flores turned the neck enough so that Olivia could inspect it for herself. Olivia leaned in closer, her eyes scanning the area. She reached out with a gloved hand and touched the skin around the two puncture wounds. They were small, but deep and precise, just like the other wounds they had found.
“Do you think it’s a bite mark?” Olivia asked Flores, looking up at her with a furrowed brow.
“I don’t think it’s any regular animal bite,” Flores replied, shaking her head. “It’s too precise, too calculated. Besides, we’ve already ruled out any known predators in the area.”
Olivia nodded, a thought forming in her mind. “What if it’s not a regular animal?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Flores raised an eyebrow at her, “What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” Olivia shook her head. “Thanks, Flores.”
The detective wasted no time leaving the lab and putting as much space as she could between herself and Flores.
Olivia's mind was consumed by a tumultuous mix of curiosity and apprehension. The questions that haunted her thoughts, the ones she dared not speak aloud, threatened to unravel her sense of reality. The very idea that she might not be alone in possessing a special ability weighed heavily on her mind.
The case she was working on, with its eerie connections and inexplicable occurrences, had shattered the boundaries of what she considered possible.
It had unearthed a hidden world lurking beneath the surface, a realm where extraordinary abilities may exist beyond her own. But to voice her doubts, to ask someone else if they believed in the same inexplicable phenomena, was to tread on dangerous ground.
Olivia's logical side warned her against such conversations. The risk of being dismissed as delusional or ridiculed loomed large, threatening to undermine her credibility and the progress she had made in the investigation. Doubts gnawed at her, leaving her torn between the desire for answers and the fear of exposing herself to skepticism and disbelief.
She knew she couldn't afford to lose her grip on reality, not when the stakes were so high. Instead, Olivia resolved to delve deeper into her thoughts, searching for clues and connections that might lead her closer to the truth. She would keep her questions to herself, guarding them like precious secrets until she had gathered enough evidence to support her theories.
The oppressive summer heat in Arizona clung to Olivia's skin like a suffocating shroud as she emerged from the bustling police precinct. The day had left her mind a web of uncertainties, and she longed for the whisper of a breeze to untangle the knots. Her gaze snagged on an unexpected sight: Nathan was caught in a hushed altercation with none other than Rachel Park.
Olivia's eyebrows furrowed as she watched them from a distance, hidden behind a corner. What were they arguing about?
Nathan's face was flushed with frustration, his voice sharp as he hissed, "Rachel, you need to stay out of this. It's not your place to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
Rachel, undeterred, met his gaze with an equally unwavering one. "Nathan, you might not trust me, but you know I can uncover things you'd never even thought to look for. And in this case, she is the key." Rachel pointed toward the precinct.
Who was Rachel referring to? Olivia leaned in closer in hopes that might help her hear better.
"I don't care what you think you know," Nathan retorted, his voice a low growl. "I don't need your help, and I certainly don't need you dragging Olivia into whatever mess you're trying to uncover."
Olivia's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name.
Rachel's eyes flashed with defiance and Olivia could have sworn she heard a growl. "Nathan, I've been investigating this for months. I have leads and sources. And I know you're connected somehow. So, if you're planning on keeping Olivia in the dark, you're fighting a losing battle."
Olivia's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of their conversation. Why did Rachel think Nathan was connected to whatever she was investigating? And what role did Olivia play in all of this?
Nathan's jaw clenched, his fists balling at his sides. "You don't know what you're getting into, Rachel. If you think I'm going to let you jeopardize this investigation, you're mistaken."
Rachel's expression remained unyielding. "I'll do whatever I have to do to get the truth, Nathan. Including getting closer to Olivia."
Olivia's heart pounded in her chest as Rachel's words hung in the air. What did Rachel mean by "getting closer" to her? And why did Olivia feel like she was being maneuvered into a chess game she had no control over?
Nathan appeared like a man trying to hold back a tide of emotions, his words caught between gritted teeth. Rachel, on the other hand, seemed a gust of wind too eager to unravel a tightly bound scroll. Her eyes blazed with a fervor matched only by the desert sun overhead.
Olivia's fingers itched to reach out and grasp the truth from the air, but she remained hidden in the shadows, a specter on the edge of the heated exchange. Beads of sweat gathered at her temple, a testament to the rising tension that mirrored the climbing temperature.
The sudden vibration in Olivia's pocket jolted her like a lightning strike. Her phone trembled against her thigh, startling her. The interruption caused both Nathan and Rachel to pause, their eyes flickering toward the direction of the sound. Olivia ducked and prayed they hadn’t seen her.
A hasty glance at her phone revealed a new text message. One she'd been waiting on at that.
Xavier Knight.
Club owner of The Hive, their last victim had gone to the club just hours before her death and Olivia wanted to cover all her bases and question the owner. Asking questions and seeing where they led was the only way to get to the bottom of any of this.