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“Cipher is looking into it. We stopped investigating him after he was apprehended. We assumed it ended with Magnus. Now I am not so sure.”
I could feel his frustration through the bond. “Hey, it isn’t your fault.”
Daryn shook his head. “Yes, it is. I let Magnus’ betrayal distract me, but Cage was always in it for himself. He is behind this hybrid insurgence. He has to be.”
“How?” I asked.
“I don’t know yet, but I plan to find out.”
Cipher’s voice echoed around the stone walls. “There has been another murder.”
CHAPTER 16
Daryn drove from the prison after ordering Cipher to investigate its security systems to discover how Cage escaped and who assisted him. Nobody wanted to believe it was an inside job, but the reality was that Cage could not have escaped without it.
I stared out the window as the trees blurred by. Daryn had said we were going to an office building, and I could tell by his demeanor this wasn’t just another hybrid kill.
I sat in the car, with the leather seat cool against my skin as the city streets passed by in a blur of neon lights and quiet darkness. It was late, and the city had settled into a different kind of rhythm. Most businesses had closed their doors for the night, leaving behind a serene calmness that I found comforting.
The streets were nearly empty, except for the occasional late-night wanderer, seeking solace in the city’s embrace after the bars had closed. Most were on their way to the lone late-night restaurant, a warm and welcoming beacon amidst the quiet streets. A place where the townspeople gathered after a night of revelry, and laughter over plates of comfort food and cups of steaming coffee.
I blinked when the vehicle came to a stop in a parking lot in front of an office building. It was well known in town and while most were mundane run businesses, supernaturals also rented office space.
“The murder occurred here?” I asked as I exited the vehicle.
Daryn nodded. “While Alaric’s family has an entire floor in this building, it is some of their... mundane businesses.”
“Who owns it now that Amalie and Alaric’s marriage was nullified, and Lana isn’t his biological daughter?”
“Alaric had a cousin named Ronson. He hasn’t lived in Spirit Falls for twenty years and was the black sheep of the family. Nobody knows why, but we suspected that he didn’t buy into his father’s plans for his future. Alaric’s uncle was a hard man. Even more so than Alaric’s father. While Ronson inherited Alaric’s half of the real estate, the business Alaric had with Jacob is solely his now.”
We exited the vehicle to the towering office building nestled close to downtown. It was late, and the city lights glistened like distant stars against the night sky. Floodlights illuminated the path ahead, casting a reassuring glow that guided late workers to their vehicles after hours.
My heart pounded in rhythm with the click of my bootheels on the pavement. The evening breeze tousled my hair, and I took a moment to adjust the thin jacket Daryn had provided me, a shield against the chilly night air.
As I approached, the floodlights created a halo effect around me, a subtle spotlight highlighting my path. The building’s architecture was sleek and modern, a reflection of the opportunities it held for all but the dead man inside. Daryn opened the front door to the building before we entered.
Stepping into the lobby of the grand office building, I found myself surrounded by a world of elegance and sophistication. The vast expanse of marble floors gleamed beneath my heels, theircool surface a comforting contrast to the warmth of the outside world. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a soft, flattering glow that bathed everything in a welcoming light.
The walls were adorned with tasteful artwork, each piece telling its own unique story. It was a space that exuded confidence and success, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride as I walked further into the lobby.
The lobby was quiet this time of night, but I assumed it would be alive with the gentle hum of conversation during the daylight hours. Women over forty, like myself, moving with purpose, their tailored suits and elegant dresses speaking volumes about their determination and sophistication.
In the center of the lobby, a massive flower arrangement stood tall and proud, a burst of color amidst the monochrome elegance. The elevator doors beckoned, and I joined Daryn, waiting patiently for our ascent.
They chimed before they opened and Daryn pressed the button for our desired floor. As the elevator began its ascent, my heart stuttered, knowing what lay ahead.
Exiting the elevator on the designated floor, I found myself in a spacious corridor that led to a large, seemingly deserted office. The reception area was eerily empty, as if the very air held its breath in anticipation of something unusual. Daryn nodded to the security guard stationed at his desk by the elevator as we passed. It was clear the guard was no ordinary human; he belonged to the supernatural community. His recognition of Daryn and the unspoken acknowledgment of the urgency of our mission sent a shiver down my spine. He had likely been the one to report the murder that had brought us here.
Walking further down the corridor, we passed several doors, each bearing the name of an occupant. The hushed aura of this place, with its secrets and mysteries, made me wonder what kind of business transpired here.
I stopped when Daryn paused at the only open door. The room beyond was bathed in cold, sterile light, the scene inside surreal and unsettling. A lifeless body lay sprawled on the floor, the very essence of chaos and tragedy.
I took a deep breath, the scent of tension and uncertainty thick in the air, and followed Daryn into the room. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken questions, and as we approached the lifeless man, I knew that we were stepping into a situation where his death held the key to unraveling the truth. This was a place where the supernatural and the mundane collided, and I was determined to find this man’s killer.
“Who is he?” I asked as I knelt by the body.
Daryn immediately went to the man’s desk and began searching through his papers. “His name is Darwin Smith, and he has worked at Asten Mergers for fifteen years. He worked for Alaric and Jacob, and is a low-level warlock, but he is ruthless with acquisitions. He made Alaric and Jacob a lot of money.”
