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“Hold on,” I called out, drawing the attention of the other officers. I pointed at the prints. “Did anyone notice these?”
They exchanged glances before shaking their heads. It seemed my arrival had triggered a shift in their approach to the case.
I traced the outlines of the prints with gloved hands, my mind racing. The footprints were too wide to be human, and the shape was bizarre. It dawned on me that the killer might be employing some form of disguise—a costume to change their appearance.
I scribbled my observations in my notebook, determined to connect the dots later. The puzzle pieces weren’t falling into place, and I could sense the threads of a mystery weaving together.
Back at the police station, I filled in the missing spaces on the case file board.
As I worked, questions and theories flowed through my mind like a relentless current. The Mayor’s refusal to exhume the bodies, the peculiar footprints, the resistance from the tight-knit community—all pieces of a puzzle that demanded my full attention
“We need to consider the possibility that the killer is disguising themselves. The footprints at the basketball court were unusual—too wide for a human,” I explained, laying out my findings.
The officers leaned in, their curiosity piqued.
“We’ll need to be vigilant and open-minded. This killer is elusive, and we can’t afford to rule out any possibilities,” I emphasized, my gaze sweeping across the room.
The collaboration was starting to pay off. The officers shared their insights, filling in the gaps in my knowledge of Harmony Grove’s intricate social dynamics. It was a delicate dance, but we were making progress.
The puzzle was far from complete, but with each passing moment, we were closing in on the elusive truth that lay hidden within the heart of the town.
Irritation gnawed at me as I exited the meeting room. My suggestion of a curfew met with resistance from Sheriff Callum. I believed it was the sensible thing to do, a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of Harmony Grove’s residents. Yet, the sheriff insisted that I take the matter up with the Mayor.
I stormed towards Mayor Alexei’s office, my steps echoing through the quiet corridors of the police station. The air was thick with tension, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that time was slipping through our fingers.
Upon reaching the Mayor’s office, I was met with an unexpected obstacle—he was in a meeting. The receptionist informed me that it might take a while, and my impatience simmered beneath the surface. Waiting wasn’t something I excelled at, especially when lives were potentially at stake.
Despite my internal protests, I settled into a chair outside the Mayor’s office. The reception area was eerily silent, the occasional distant murmur from the meeting room only adding to the building tension.
My mind buzzed with thoughts of the ongoing investigation, the peculiar footprints, and the resistance I faced in implementing necessary precautions. Harmony Grove appeared to be a town with secrets, and it seemed like every step forward unveiled a new layer of complexity.
As I waited, my gaze wandered to the framed pictures on the wall—smiling faces of a community seemingly untouched by the darkness that now loomed over it. How quickly the illusion of safety could crumble.
Minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity. I tapped my fingers impatiently, my mind restless with the urgency of the situation. The receptionist shot me sympathetic glances as if she sensed the weight of responsibility pressing down on my shoulders.
Finally, the door to the Mayor’s office creaked open, and Mayor Alexei emerged, his expression unreadable. He glanced at me, an eyebrow raised in inquiry.
CHAPTER 5 | CURFEW
ALEXEI’S POV
“Mayor, we need to declare a curfew. It’s the best way to ensure the safety of the residents,” Agent Evelyn asserted, wasting no time as she shut the door after her, and my heart skipped a beat. I was preparing to leave here after speaking to the government officials all afternoon; I could feel a headache brewing already.
I wasn’t prepared to deal with this woman, at least not now. I looked in her direction, and I noticed she was wearing her hair down today. Her usual frown sat pretty on her face. She would look better if she managed to smile, but that seems like a strange concept to her.
I sighed, feeling a swell of frustration rise within me. “Agent Evelyn, I understand your concerns, but we can’t disrupt the town with a curfew without proper cause. We need evidence, concretereasons.”
Declaring a curfew meant banning vampires from walking at night; everyone knew vampires function better at night, and limiting that opportunity would only make the vampire council angry. Some vampires don’t even have the ability to function during the day because of how lethal the sun is to them. Unlike me, being pure blood, the sun had no effect on me.
“You can’t be serious right now,” she replied through gritted teeth, but I remained unfazed. She had no idea that there was no way in the seven heavens that a curfew would be possible in Harmony Grove. Aside from making the council angry, it also meant cowering in fear and waiting for whatever it was to come and kill us all.
“I’m afraid I have no time for jokes, Special Agent Evelyn,” I replied with a tight-lipped smile, hoping she would get the cue and go back to the police department. I still have lots of ground to cover regarding my sister, and standing here and listening to her whining isn’t helping matters.
A surge of annoyance flashed across her features. Did she not grasp the complexity of the situation? Lives were at stake, and her insistence on immediate action was hindering a measured response. If Harmony Grove was filled with humans, it would make more sense to declare a curfew, but it wouldn’t work in a town also filled with nocturnals.
“I don’t need more evidence, Mayor. We’re dealing with an experienced killer here, and from the look of things, he is just getting started. A curfew is the sensible thing to do. I would not put the lives of other people at risk because you don’t have concrete evidence. Who knows if we will wake up to our next body tomorrow morning, which could be prevented?” she argued, her voice firm.
I regarded her with a measured gaze, contemplating her words. “Agent, I can’t simply impose restrictions without a valid reason. Ifyou have proof or a substantial lead, then we can revisit the issue. I’m the Mayor here, and I make the final decisions regarding my people. If you have a problem with it, take it up with your director. The sheriff and the others are capable enough to handle this, and your director just offered to send someone to assist them.”
