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The very idea left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He secured the lid back in place, snapped the handles closed, and lifted the container out of the car. The weight of it always surprised him. The human body was a miraculous system. When he was finally free of the ticking clock that carried him closer to the end, he would do his part to learn more. He had much to accomplish yet.
The stairs leading up to the front of the house did not pose a problem. The steps descending to the basement always made him wary. They were steep and narrow and bent under the additional weight of the container he carried down. He would fix that in due time.
Setting the container on the ground, he looked over at the table he had set up against one of the concrete walls. Everything had been in place for a while, but he was compelled to go through the list of items again.
Two candles were lit, and he was about to light the third. A dagger lay hidden under the table until it was time for it to fulfill its purpose. The lines he had drawn on the wall in his own blood were starting to darken and fade. Now was the perfect moment to refresh them.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. A calm apathy replaced a split second of annoyance. He checked the message and allowed himself to smile. Everything was going according to plan.
“Three down,” he whispered to nobody. “Four to go.”
Five
Cassie’s eyes were open before her alarm went off. She felt the gaze of the boy in the corner of the room like a thorn in her skin but refused to look in his direction. Like most mornings, she anticipated his energy. Today was a new day, and that always replenished the positivity her evenings had drained from her. There was something about the sun shining in the sky, the heat in the air, the breeze amongst the trees. It felt like hope.
Maybe today would be the day.
When she picked out her clothes, Cassie tried channeling Magdalena. Her wardrobe was full of black and gray and navy, but she reached into the depths of her closet to produce a bright yellow blouse. Unlike most of her wardrobe, it was more revealing. The tips of her scars would be visible along the neckline. Cassie pulled it on over her head anyway.
Throughout the year, she was prone to wearing long sleeves and full-length pants. The heat seldom both
ered her, and her fingers were always as cold as icicles, even on the hottest of days. But today was a new day, and she was ready to start fresh. She wanted to start fresh.
She turned to Apollo and held her arms out wide. He meowed his approval.
The drive to work was uneventful, as was her arrival at the SCAD Museum of Art. She greeted Magdalena and Jason and Tonya on her way in. The museum seemed brighter, and the warmth of her coffee spread through her chest like the gentle touch of an old friend. Though she couldn’t help but tug up her shirt every few minutes, she felt powerful and beautiful and determined.
But she had about two hours of peace.
A knock on her office door startled her, but she forced her voice to steady as she yelled, “Come in!”
Jason entered, looking sheepish. “Sorry to bother you.”
“Oh, it’s okay.” Cassie’s voice was less steady. He hadn’t visited her in her office, though whenever they passed each other throughout the museum they would say hello and chat for a few minutes. Her heart started thumping against her ribs, but she couldn’t help the smile that spread over her face. “How are you?”
“I’m good. This a bad time? Do you have a few minutes?”
“No, not at all. What can I do for you?”
“Uh, it’s not for me. There’s a Detective Adelaide Harris here to see you.”
Cassie’s heart skipped a beat for a different reason this time. She looked beyond Jason and noticed a tall, lean woman standing behind him. She wore a taupe pantsuit that complemented her bronze skin. Her chestnut hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail, and she looked as though she never smiled while on the job.
Cassie didn’t know what to do.
Detective Harris stepped forward. “I apologize for bothering you at work, Ms. Quinn, but it couldn’t wait. Would you mind if we talked for a few minutes?”
“Uh, sure.” Cassie’s heart felt like it would burst out of her chest, but she kept the forced smile on her face. “Thank you, Jason. I’ll take it from here.”
“Let me know if you need anything.” He paused in the doorway, looking between the two women and, satisfied that Cassie didn’t need him at that moment, shut the door behind him
with a click.
Detective Harris held her hand out. “We haven’t met, but your reputation precedes you.”
Cassie firmly shook the other woman’s hand. The detective took a seat across from her. “In your line of work, I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”
