“Alpha Keller.” His frustration rolled off him. “To be honest, sir, it would be easier to tell you what we haven’t found. Her phone isn’t in the residence. No fibers. No latent prints, bodily fluids, or hairs apart from Ms. Banks’s own.” He glanced over at the house before returning his gaze to mine. “Maybe once the autopsy is complete, we’ll have something, but for the moment, that’s all I can tell you. We’ve concluded our investigation, so I can pass the property off to you.”
I shook his hand. “Thank you. If I come across anything, I’ll let you know.”
I watched as he strolled to his vehicle. The sound of doors slamming shut echoed through the empty street, followed by the low rumble of engines when the police cruisers pulled away. As the last cars vanished, the neighbors emerged and stared at the crime scene, clustering into small groups. They whispered to each other in low murmurs beyond my range of hearing. Every so often, they’d cast looks in my direction.
I waited until Dad showed up before going inside the house. When he eventually arrived and got out of his car, his face was a portrait of barely contained fury. He glanced at the yellow tape surrounding Cecily’s house and shook his head. “This is not a good look for the pack, Ty.”
“Tell me about it.” I gestured toward the neighbors who had stopped talking and were now looking at us. I could only imagine what they were assuming had happened that would require the pack alpha and the retired alpha, and how fast wild rumors would travel through Presley Acres. “Let’s go inside and see what we can find.”
We entered the house, which was a testament to Cecily’s taste for luxury. The floors, made of polished marble, shone under our feet, and expensive artwork adorned the walls. The appearanceof the place was misleading. It was so innocuous, it was hard to believe a traitor had lived here, but I couldn’t deny the incriminating evidence.
“I’m assuming you’ve already seen the exchanges Nico found?” Dad asked as we methodically searched through drawers and closets.
“I saw them.” I scanned the contents of a dresser drawer I’d spilled open. “The police mentioned that they didn’t find Cecily’s phone. We should look for it. She was never off that thing.”
“Agreed.” Dad continued to search, his movements methodical and precise.
Despite our best efforts, we came up empty-handed. Frustration gnawed at my insides like a hungry beast. Just as we were about to give up, I vaguely remembered the police mentioning the housekeeper, Mrs. Griffiths. My instincts told me that speaking to her was crucial.
“The police said Cecily’s housekeeper was the one who found her. We need to talk with her.” Hopefully, she hadn’t gone far after the cops had questioned her.
Dad nodded in agreement, and we went to the backyard to the guest house. On our approach, I could see movement behind the curtains.
I knocked on the door. At first, I wasn’t sure whoever was inside would answer, so I knocked again, louder. Eventually, a middle-aged woman with a trembling lower lip—I assumed she was the housekeeper—answered the door. Recognition flashed in her eyes as she caught sight of her alpha. I could tell she was shaken by the day’s events. Who wouldn’t be on edge after finding their employer dead?
“Alpha Keller, Beta Keller,” she greeted us, her voice quivering. “I have shared all the information I have with the police.”
As her eyes darted between the two of us, I sensed her pulse quicken to a subtle staccato beat. She was lying, or at least holding back from telling the full truth.
“Please, Mrs. Griffiths.” I rested my hand briefly on her shoulder and looked directly into her eyes to convey the urgency in my voice. “We need you to be honest with us if we want to find out what happened to Cecily. You have to tell us everything, so we can catch her killer. I understand you’re trying to protect your employer, your friend, but by doing so, you are also protecting her killer. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary? Not just today but in recent weeks? Anything you share will help.” And then to emphasize, “We need to make sure there are no secrets, not if we want to learn the truth.”
The woman looked nervous, and she hesitated for a moment, but she finally spoke. “Cecily received deliveries every week.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What kind of deliveries?”
Her eyes darted between us. “The kind you’d expect someone to get from an admirer: exotic flowers, candy, expensive perfume. The packages were always accompanied by a note, though I never read them.”
“Who were the packages from?” Dad crossed his arms, and I held my breath, hoping she could tell us exactly what we needed to hear.
“I have no clue. There was no return address on the boxes, and Cecily never talked about them… at least not to me. I did find it strange that she did not express excitement or happiness over the lavish gifts, and instead always appeared annoyed.”
“Did she receive a package today?” I narrowed my eyes at the housekeeper, paying close attention to her physical responses. If she lied or withheld information, I’d pick up on it.
“Today wasn’t any different.” The housekeeper stood, clearly uneasy, her fingers fidgeting with a crumpled tissue. “Cecily received a box of bonbons this morning, and as usual, whateverwas in the note upset her, but it didn’t stop her eating the entire box while grumbling about men being frightened of commitment, and that they’re worthless pieces of shit. But then she started getting sick. She vomited several times, and when I tried to call for help, she stopped me and insisted she was fine.”
“Go on,” I said, hoping she’d divulge whatever she hadn’t told the police.
“But she wasn’t fine,” the housekeeper said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “She went to lie down, and I heard choking sounds coming from her room. I rushed in and found her convulsing on the bed. Her face was pale, her lips blue. I knew it wasn’t good. That’s when I called nine-one-one.”
Cold fury settled within me. I suspected the autopsy would reveal the cause of Cecily’s death, and I had a strong hunch it was the bonbons. Castro had killed her, poisoned her as a warning to our pack. I would have bet my life on it. It calmed one of my fears. Castro had managed this on his own, albeit from a distance. I wasn’t looking for another snake in the pack.
I grabbed Dad’s arm and pulled him to the side, out of earshot of the housekeeper. “Castro killed Cecily. There’s no doubt in my mind. The candy was poisoned.”
Dad nodded in agreement. “That sounds like something Castro would do, the sick fuck.”
I returned my attention to the housekeeper. “Thank you for telling us. For your honesty.”
“Actually.” She paused, her breath hitching as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a phone. “This is Cecily’s. I used it to call nine-one-one. I put it in my pocket after I called. Then, with everything that happened, I forgot about it until the police asked. I felt uneasy about giving it to them. Cecily always had such a tight grip on her private life, so I wanted to avoid getting in trouble for giving something away I shouldn’t have. Working for her was challenging. She wasn’t an easy employer.She instilled a healthy level of fear in me and held my job over my head most days. I didn’t want to cross her, even in death. But you’re right, Alpha, there should be no secrets.”
