ANA:
Two weeks. It's been two weeks since that night.
Since I saw him.
Since I shot him.
Two weeks of wrestling with myself, trying to convince myself I'd done the right thing. After all, he'd been playing me the whole time. I bet he knew it was a Romano who killed my mother, yet he acted as if he was helping me. And I was foolish enough to believe him—to trust a devil.
But now that I know the truth, I'll make him pay for everything he's done to me.
"Lucas Romano was a prominent businessman in Boston," David said as we combed through an old file. After that video, I'd had to tell David about it... Though I kept certain parts to myself. For two decades, I'd clung to the hope my mother was still alive. Maybe she'd just left me. Maybe she didn't want me.
But I'd been wrong about everything. She hadn't left me. She was killed. And now, I needed to uncover exactly what happened to her.
Turning the pages, David continued, "He worked with the Winston Group until the Romanos took over the diamond trade, building an empire from it. Later, Lucas was found guilty of smuggling diamonds and was arrested—that marked the fall of the Winston Group, and it's when your father stepped in to take over the company."
My heart pounded. "Also, St. Joseph, the mayor of Larksville at the time, was arrested as Lucas's ally," David added.
"So Aurora's father... was Lucas Romano?" I muttered, piecing it together. "And he killed my mother? Which makes Lucas, the Devil's—Benny's father!"
"You're right, A," David confirmed, his expression dark. "We thought he had some other motive, but now we understand."
What other motive? "What else does it say?" I urged.
David flipped the page. "Lucas never got a trial. He was sentenced to death, but he committed suicide after a year. Reports claim his family died in a fire."
"Clearly, they didn't all die that night," I muttered.
As we discussed the important notes further, suddenly, David's assistant Cole, rushed into the room, breathless. "Sir!"
David and I exchanged a tense look. "What now?" David asked, his voice edged with impatience.
"We found a body near Edenfell Forest!"
It was none other than Leo Hudson.
David and I arrived at the morgue, where his body had been brought for examination. David nodded to the Diener to pull back the sheet, and the moment it lifted, I couldn't help but gasp at the sight.
Leo's hands were severed, his body covered in acid burns. His face was a horror of melted skin, as if acid and fire had conspired to erase his identity. David quickly gestured for the Diener to cover him again, and the sheet was pulled back over his ruined form.
"Do you think the Devil did this, too?" I asked, uncertainty thick in my voice.
David shrugged as we left the morgue. "It's hard to imagine anyone else, A." He sighed, looking troubled. "I feel like he's gearing up for something... something like a war."
"A war? What kind of war?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm sure that night wasn't the end of it. He's back, and with everything he's done recently, I believe he has a much larger motive this time." David dropped heavily into his chair, a fire of determination in his eyes. "And this time, I'm going to catch him."
Just then, the door flew open, and my father stormed in, his gaze fixed on David, not even acknowledging me. His face was tense, unimpressed. "Three murders in seven weeks, and you haven't solved a single one? What exactly are you doing?"
David shot up, caught off guard by my father's sudden arrival. "Mr. Brown, I—"
"Mayor Brown, Detective David," my father corrected sharply. His tone was icy, his presence almost menacing. I hadn't seen him this furious in a long time, and I knew this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. He strolled in, taking the seat next to mine as he continued. "I thought you were good at your job, good enough for this position. But now...," he paused, his voice cold, "I might have to rethink that."
"Mayor Brown," David said carefully, "I understand your frustration. But we need more time. The Larksville PD is working directly with the Boston police on this case, and it's complicated. Every lead is... delicate, and we need to proceed carefully—"
"I don't care what's complicated," my father cut him off. "I've lost two close friends and my shareholders of Alpha Group. I won't stand by idly."
He stood up, leaning close to David, his eyes fierce. "You have one week to find the culprit, Detective, or I'll find someone more competent to do it."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving the room as abruptly as he'd entered, like a storm passing through in a blink.
David looked stressed, tension lining his face. I tried to reassure him, but my words barely seemed to touch him.
With a steely look, he turned to me, determination flaring in his eyes. "I'll find that bastard, A. And this time, I'll be more than ready."
"Maybe I can help you."
He frowned, looking at me, "You?"
I nod with a smirk. "Yeah... Only I can help you find him."