Dead Souls Volume Three (Parts 27 to 39)

by Amy Cross

  “Is something on your mind?”

  “No, just...” She paused. “I'm not used to this.”

  “Used to what?” he asked, running a thumb across the erect nipple of her left breast. “Me?”

  “This,” she said again. “All of it. Not being alone. Not waking up and immediately feeling scared about the day ahead. Not always worrying about my brother. Not -” She felt a shiver pass through her body as Benjamin continued to stroke her breast, and she responded by pressing herself more firmly against him. “I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I'm not used to being happy, or to actually feeling as if the day might pass without some kind of catastrophe striking. It's so rare for there to be peace in this house. In fact, I don't think I've ever known it before. Maybe I'm just scared that it can't possibly last.”

  He stared at her for a moment, before finally allowing himself to smile.

  “Did anyone ever tell you,” he continued finally, “that there's something about your eyes that just... I don't know, did anyone ever tell you that they light up a room.”

  “How sweet,” she replied. “I'll try to remember that next time there's a power-cut, it could come in handy. Now relax and let me show you what my mouth can do.” With that, she began to slide down under the sheets.

  As Benjamin lay back and felt her kissing her way toward his crotch, he failed to notice that a small amount of blood was smeared on her right hand.

  III

  “Ladies and gentleman!” Quill called out as he stood in the crowded cantina. “Please, I understand that you must have many concerns, but I can only address those if you lower your voices and allow me to be heard! This meeting must not descend into chaos!”

  He waited as a reluctant, shuffling silence fell, accompanied by a few whispers and the sound of glasses being set down on wooden tables.

  “As you all know,” he continued, “part of a human body was found this morning in the town square. Search teams are scouring the area, looking for the rest of that body, and until something is found I think it would be pointless to speculate as to the identity of the victim. Nevertheless -”

  “It's Evangeline Mediaci,” said a voice nearby. “Everyone knows. She's the only one who's missing.”

  “Nevertheless, until a body is found -”

  “We all know it's her!” Eva Shaw called out. “Why can't you just admit it?”

  “There are certain procedures that have to be followed,” Quill replied. “Assumptions are sometimes the enemy of logic.”

  “Do you know who did it yet?” asked another local.

  “Leads are being pursued.”

  “It was them,” Emma Lowndes said, standing in the far corner. “Everyone knows it was the Le Comptes!”

  “They're getting out of hand,” Eva added. “How many more people have to die? Are you actually going to do something about all of this?”

  “Please,” Quill continued, “you must listen to me. I'm waiting for confirmation from Doctor Lassiter, but at the moment I don't believe that the Le Comptes are responsible for this particular death. Based on the nature of the injuries, and the probability that the latest incident is connected to the death of Inspector Oliver Tarud, I'm fairly confident that the killer is, in fact, most likely someone from the town. I know that's probably difficult for you all to believe, but the killer is human.”

  “No way!” a voice called out.

  “Or,” Quill added, “someone who wanted it to seem that way.” He paused, waiting until the level of chatter had died down again. “It might interest you to learn that I have some very good leads regarding Inspector Tarud's death, and I believe that by the end of the day I might very well have reached the point at which I can make an arrest. I will be working methodically, and according to a strict set of rules, but I hope none of you will misinterpret my methods as a failure to act.”

  “You're not a police officer,” Eva Shaw replied. “You don't have the right to arrest anyone.”

  “I'm a judge,” he told her, “and I most certainly can make an arrest. According to the statutes of the region, I can also hold an impromptu trial and hand out whatever punishment I see fit. I'm not a fan of a system that drags these things out and fills the pockets of lawyers, I believe that justice should be delivered as swiftly as the crime itself. I have no intention of involving the Le Compte family in my investigation unless I feel that they might be useful. This is a matter for the town, and it will be resolved as such.”

  “You don't know what it's like around here,” Eva Shaw continued. “With all due respect, you're an outsider. You only arrived, what, a few days ago?”

  “I know more about Thaxos than you might imagine,” Quill replied, “and about the Le Comptes, too. I have a certain degree of history with that family, or at least with one member, so I can assure you that I know what I'm getting myself into. I came here to investigate the death of Inspector Tarud, and I'm quite certain that this latest death is linked. As for a motive, I cannot say as yet, but -”

  “Ask Jennifer Kazakos,” Emma called out suddenly.

  Quill turned to her.

  “Everyone knows what she's up to,” Emma continued, with a hint of disgust in her voice. “Everyone knows how she makes a little extra money on the side. She's a whore. We all used to see her, sneaking into Tarud's place late at night. No-one wants to say it out loud, no-one wants to disrespect the dead, but I'll say it. If you're looking for whoever killed Oliver Tarud, you need to start by finding out what Jennifer Kazakos was doing on the night he died.”

  “You shouldn't say things like that,” hissed someone standing nearby.

  “It's the truth,” she continued, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on Quill. “You're wasting your time here. Go and talk to that slut.”

  “And indeed, I shall,” Quill replied, with a faint smile. “Thank you so much for providing this most valuable information. It certainly fits with a few other things that I've been hearing.”

  “But why would she want to kill Evangeline?” asked another voice.

  “Maybe Evangeline knew something,” added someone else.

  “Patience, please,” Quill continued. “As I said, by tonight, I should have more information for you. I shall pin a notice on the door of this establishment when I'm ready to call another meeting, but for now, I would like to remind you that we still can't be certain as to the identity of the dead girl.”

  “Yes,” said another voice suddenly, “we can.”

  Everyone turned to see that Doctor Lassiter had arrived.

  “It's Evangeline,” he said, clearly struggling to contain his emotion. “She was found a few minutes ago in the olive grove.”

  ***

  “It's always the olive grove,” Kate said as she stood at the store's main window and looked out across the courtyard. “They should just get rid of that place. Tarud, Evangeline, Melissa Corvey...”

  “Who?” Jennifer asked as she stacked tins on one of the nearby shelves.

  “No-one you know,” Kate replied, turning to her.

  “Everyone knows everyone on Thaxos, unless...” Jennifer paused. “Right. I guess you're talking about someone from the future, huh? Must be -” Before she could finish, she knocked the box of cans, sending the contents crashing to the floor. “Damn it!” she hissed, crouching to start picking them up.

  “You seem nervous,” Kate replied, grabbing a couple of cans that had rolled her way. “Is something wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I heard you going out last night.”

  “Me? No, I slept like a baby.”

  “Are you sure?” Kate asked, setting a few more cans on the shelf. “I could have sworn -”

  “I was asleep,” Jennifer said firmly. “I had a couple of glasses of wine and then I went straight to sleep.”

  Kate watched for a moment as Jennifer continued to gather cans from the floor. “I was in bed,” she said finally, “and I heard you going downstairs, and then I heard you going out the front door. I heard yo
u coming back a short while later too. I'm sorry, but I wasn't imagining it.”

  “Must've been a dream.”

  “No, I -”

  “What are you trying to get at?” Jennifer snapped, as if she was on the verge of losing control. “Seriously, are you trying to insinuate that I was somehow up to something?”

  “Of course not. I just figured that if you were up and about, you might have spotted something. Maybe you could help track down whoever killed Evangeline.”

  “I don't know a goddamn thing about it,” Jennifer replied. “Whatever you thought you heard during the night, it wasn't me. I was in bed the whole time, and if you don't believe me... Well, that's your choice. Jesus Christ, for someone who doesn't pay any rent, you sure as hell make a few accusations, don't you?” She sighed as she put some more cans on the shelf. “Maybe you should take a couple of hours off. Sorry, I just want to work alone for a while.”

  “But -”

  “Please?”

  Kate paused for a moment. “Sure. I was going to try to find Edgar anyway, I need to talk to him about something important. This new judge who arrived on the island a couple of days ago seems to be -”

  “Great,” Jennifer replied, interrupting her. “Sounds like you've got a plan. Have fun up at the big spooky mansion.”

  “Actually,” Kate continued, “I don't think he'll be up there. He should be with Estella, but if I'm right, he's somewhere else entirely.” She headed to the door.

  “And maybe you should think about moving out,” Jennifer added.

  Kate turned to her.

  “This was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement, remember?” Jennifer continued. “The truth is, I don't need help around the place. It's been fun, Kate, but it can't last forever. No offense, but I'd like you to start looking for somewhere else. I'm sure you won't have too much trouble. If you get really stuck, go take a room at the mansion.”

  “But -” Pausing, Kate realized that there was no point arguing with her. “Of course,” she said finally. “Give me a few days and I'm sure I can find somewhere.”

  “It's nothing personal,” Jennifer continued with a sigh, as she got back to work. “I just don't work too well with other people, that's all. I need my space. This was fun while it lasted, Kate, but you obviously don't think too much of me, and I don't have to take that garbage in my own home.”

  “I never meant to -”

  “Excuse me, I've got things to do.”

  As Jennifer headed through to the back room, Kate took a deep breath. She'd known for a few days that Jennifer was becoming increasingly jumpy, but now it was clear that something was seriously wrong. Figuring that she could get to the bottom of things later, she headed out the door, determined to find Edgar.

  ***

  “I knew you'd be here,” she said a couple of hours later, having made her way up to the stone circle on the north side of the island, and having then headed down into the chamber. “Edgar, have you been home at all since last night, or have you just been out here the whole time?”

  “I'm busy,” he said firmly, clearly in no mood for conversation as he continued to study the freshly-carved image on one of the wooden panels.

  “I get that,” she continued, heading over to him, “but -” Stopping suddenly, she saw the image. “Edgar, did you do that?”

  “Why would I?”

  “I have no idea, that's why I'm asking.”

  He turned to her, and from the slightly frantic look in his eyes it was clear that he was lost in his work. “Did you do it?” he asked.

  “Me?”

  “I've been trying to work out who could possibly be responsible,” he continued, “and then it occurred to me that you claim to have seen these panels in the future, which means that you might be able to recreate them. Kate, if you're trying to trick me -”

  “I'm not trying to trick you,” she said firmly. “Edgar, seriously, do you still not trust me?”

  “I...” He stared at her for a moment, before turning back to the wooden panel. “I just can't work out who else might be responsible. There's no-one on Thaxos who knows anything about the things I experienced during the war. Even Madeline and Nixon don't know enough to create this image. There's no-one I've spoken to about the things I saw, not in this level of detail.” He glanced at her. “Except you, it would seem, many years in the future.”

  “What about Estella?”

  “How would she know?”

  “Maybe you told her?”

  “I've told her nothing of importance about the war.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it's in the past, and because it's none of her business.” He reached out and ran his fingers across the carved wood. “It's no-one's business, except the people who were there. The things that happened in the war should stay there. There's no point dragging all that misery into the light now.”

  “So who does that leave?” she asked. “Who else is there who could possibly be responsible?”

  “No-one.”

  “But Edgar -”

  “That's the point!” he shouted, turning to her again. “There's no-one, Kate! It's all in the past, it's over with, it's not supposed to ever...” His voice trailed off for a moment, as if he was genuinely struggling to keep control. “Someone's taunting me. I don't know who or why, but this is a game. Someone wants me to understand that they know what happened during the war, but the coward refuses to show his face. I will find him, though, and he'll be lucky if he has a face by the time I'm finished with him.”

  “This has really got to you, hasn't it?”

  “I don't like being kept in the dark!”

  “There must be someone,” she continued. “Edgar, if you're right, someone from your past is trying to get your attention. Isn't there anyone you think it could be?”

  “Everyone from my past is either dead or long gone,” he replied. “Certainly all my enemies are rotting in the ground.”

  “There's a new man on the island,” she told him. “A judge from the mainland, is it possible -”

  “Don't be ridiculous,” he snapped. “A judge from the mainland? This isn't the work of a human, Kate. Something far more powerful is after me.”

  “But this judge -”

  “Don't bother me with such things,” he replied. “I have far more important things to do.”

  “I came to see how you're doing,” she continued, “and to ask for your help.” She waited for him to reply, before realizing that he seemed to be muttering to himself as he examined the carving more closely. For a moment, she felt as if he was losing his mind. “Edgar, did you hear what I said?”

  “I have no time,” he replied. “I'm busy.”

  “But -”

  “I'm busy,” he said firmly. “I heard you, there's a new judge on Thaxos, but none of that matters right now. Some people from the town came and asked for my help a week ago and I gave it to them, but that was before I realized what was happening. Now... Now they'll just have to deal with their own problems for a while. I can't be expected to tear myself away from important work just so I can mop up their little spillages. Things that happen down in the town are of no interest to me whatsoever.”

  “A girl from the town was murdered,” Kate replied. “Her name was Evangeline Mediaci.”

  “I don't know the names of everyone who lives down there.”

  “He's tying it to the death of Inspector Tarud.”

  “Who is?”

  “The judge, Edgar.” She sighed, trying to hide her exasperation. “Are you even listening to me?”

  “Not particularly,” he continued, turning and walking away from the wooden panel before stopping and looking back at it, as if he hoped to gain a new perspective.

  Kate waited for him to say something, but she could tell that he was lost in his own thoughts, and that getting any sensible words out of him would be a tall order.

  “You should take a break,” she said eventually.

  “Later.”


  “No, now.”

  “Later.”

  “Edgar -”

  “Don't presume to tell me what to do!” he snarled, turning to her. “I will not leave this chamber until I know exactly what is happening! Even if it takes a hundred years, or a thousand, I will know the truth!”

  “You're starting to worry me,” she continued. “Edgar, you're in danger of losing your grip here. Maybe this is exactly what this person wants you to do. Whoever he is, he's toying with you, he's deliberately trying to push you over the edge and, frankly, it looks like it's working!”

  “I will find out who is behind this,” he said firmly. “I will destroy him!”

  “Even if it costs you your own sanity?”

  “Such things do not concern me. My mind is not weak, like the mind of a human. Do you have any idea how much it takes to break a vampire? Trust me, I am in no danger. I just need to avoid frivolous distractions and stay focused. The answer will soon become clear.”

  “How long are you willing to wait?” she asked.

  “For as long as it takes.”

  “Days? Weeks?”

  He paused for a moment. “As long as it takes. I will not leave this chamber until I know the truth, but when I do... Whoever is trying to play me for a fool will regret their actions. By the time I'm finished with them, they will know the true meaning of pain. There will be blood, and broken bones, but the greatest pain will come when I tear into his mind and peel back the layers one by one.”

  “And what about everyone else?”

  “Who are you talking about?”

  “Estella needs you, Madeleine -”

  “They can look after themselves.”

  “No,” she replied, “Edgar, you can't just abandon them when something else gets your attention.”

  “I'm sure they'll understand. Madeleine is spending all her time with Benjamin, and as for Estella...” He paused. “You and her seem to get along well enough. If she needs comforting, I'm sure you can manage.”