Page 46 of Outrun The Devil
But would he laugh if she told him vampires existed? Or that their perp is a werewolf?
She took a deep breath, Olivia had to take the chance because she was going to combust. There had to be someone else she trusted who knew, relying on Xavier would be the death of her.
“Nathan, I know this may sound crazy, but hear me out. The puncture wounds, the precise incisions, the rune symbol - they are all indicative of a vampire attack. And the puncture wounds hidden beneath the symbol suggest that the attacker was a werewolf.” Olivia spoke slowly, watching Nathan's expression for any sign of disbelief or ridicule. But to her surprise, he nodded slowly, his face serious and contemplative.
“I know,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I've seen these before, Olivia. I didn't want to believe it at first, but the evidence is there. There are things in this world that we can't explain with science or reason. And there are forces out there that are beyond our control.” His eyes lingered on her longer than they should have.
Olivia felt a wave of relief wash over her. Finally, someone who understood what she was going through, who didn't think she was crazy. But her eyebrows knitted together. How did he know and not bother to share that kind of information with her? And why did she feel relief that of all people, it was Nathan who knew of the supernatural world? Would she have felt that way if it came from Patel? Or anyone else for that matter?
Olivia opened her mouth to say something but then closed it, Nathan’s stare burned through her.
“Later,” he said as if he sensed her curiosity about the supernatural and Nathan's knowledge of it. His head subtly nodded toward the others, indicating that it wasn't the appropriate moment for such a discussion. Olivia's gaze swept over everyone, silently contemplating how many others had arrived at the same realization as Nathan yet remained tight-lipped about it.
Detective Patel stepped through the yellow tape and joined them, her dark hair pulled back. The sun was already burning in the sky as early as it was and sweat trickled down Olivia's forehead as she felt waves of guilt crash over her, feeling partly responsible for the delay in finding the missing girl.
Patel spoke grimly, “We finally have a positive ID on our victim.” Olivia knew that no matter how hard they'd worked, there had been barely twelve hours from when they received those images to when they found her body. That is what he wanted.
And now they needed to find this guy.
“We've got something over here,” a voice belonging to one of the forensics technicians pierced through the air, jolting Olivia's attention. Her eyes snapped in the direction of the voice, her gaze searching intently for the source amidst the bustling crime scene.
Her heart pounded in her chest as both Nathan and Olivia swiftly made their way back to where the victim's lifeless body still lay. Their footsteps quickened, matching the urgency that pulsed through their veins. Thoughts raced through Olivia's mind, a whirlwind of possibilities and potential breakthroughs, as she anticipated what the forensic tech had discovered. The weight of the case hung heavy in the air, and every second felt like an eternity as they closed in on the new lead.
“What have you got?” She fought to keep her tone steady, masking the impatience that bubbled beneath the surface. The air crackled with suspense, hanging between them like a taut wire, as she awaited his response.
“It’s a note, to you,” he looked at her, her eyes finding the piece of paper held in his gloved hand. The tech passed her a glove and she slipped it on before taking the note from him.
I expected more from you, Detective Collins.
Nathan furrowed his brow, his expression a mix of confusion and concern. His voice carried a hint of disbelief as he uttered his observation. Olivia could see the wheels turning in his mind, trying to make sense of the situation.
She studied his face, searching for any trace of understanding. The gravity of his words settled upon her, igniting a flicker of anger deep within her chest. But she pushed it down, refusing to let it consume her. Instead, she maintained a calm facade, her features betraying a mix of determination and frustration.
“He's deliberately taunting me,” Olivia finally spoke, her voice tinged with a touch of disbelief. Her eyes bore into the distance, her mind racing to unravel the motives behind such a cruel act. The weight of the situation settled upon her shoulders, urging her to find the strength to face this new challenge head-on.
“But why you? You aren't the only one working this case,” Nathan questioned, his brows furrowing with genuine confusion.
Olivia's mind raced, searching for answers. Why indeed? What made her the target of such a taunt? She couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that there was something more to it.
Her instincts prickled with unease, questioning if she had been too quick to trust Xavier. Doubt seeped into her thoughts, casting shadows on the once-solid ground of her convictions.
Perhaps she had been too trusting, too willing to believe in his innocence. The seeds of suspicion took root, growing with each passing moment, as Olivia's mind grappled with the unsettling possibility that Xavier might be involved after all.
Giving the note back to the tech so that he could bag it, Olivia continued to bombard herself with questions that didn’t have answers.
“Make sure we compare this handwriting with any we might have in the system for previous cases.”
If he’s taunting now then he’s taunted before. Olivia was determined to make this the smoking gun, the thing that would lead to the killer’s demise.
Olivia's gaze shifted toward the back uniformed officers beyond the yellow tape, narrowing in on a figure she recognized—Rachel Park from The Phoenix Gazette. Ms. Park had a camera bag slung over her shoulder that bobbed as she marched past police officers, ever closer to Olivia with an expression of determination set firmly on her face. She ducked under the yellow tape, ignoring its purpose, and kept walking until she stood within a few feet of the detective.
As Rachel scanned the area, Olivia felt a prickling annoyance rise in her chest. It seemed Ms. Park was completely oblivious to the severity of this crime scene and the boundaries everyone else was expected to observe.
Olivia's eyes narrowed as Rachel approached her, her hackles rising at the invasive nature of the journalist's presence. She knew that Rachel was always on the lookout for a story, but this was a step too far. The crime scene was still active and the victim's body had yet to be removed. Rachel's blatant disregard for the protocol was unacceptable.
“What are you doing here, Rachel?” Olivia's tone was curt, her voice laced with irritation. She had no patience for the journalist's antics, not when it came to a case as sensitive as this.
Rachel didn't seem phased by Olivia's tone, flashing her a tight-lipped smile instead. “I heard about the missing girl and I thought I'd come down and see if there was any new information.”