by S. C. Stokes
“You’re welcome, Kasey. I actually have to run another errand for the chief, but if you head up to the fourth floor, he’s expecting you.”
“Alright, Kathleen. Thanks again,” Kasey replied as she headed for the elevator. She took it up to the fourth floor.
What was Chief West after? Would this be another warning? After all, she had been discovered at a murder scene and spent the night in interrogation with Bishop. She may have come up clean, but she had a suspicion that might not matter to the chief.
Or did this meeting have something to do with the rapidly spiraling murder case that was now tying up considerable station resources? Serial killers tended to attract negative press, their reign of terror highlighting the police’s inability to bring them to justice.
As of the moment, there were no actionable leads on the case. The sum total of the evidence they had collected may have detailed the victims at great length, but they provided little of value on the killer himself.
Kasey still struggled to understand the beast she had faced at Hudson road. She had wanted to tell Bishop about the encounter, but every time she played over the words in her head she sounded entirely crazy. Better to let Bishop see the beast for herself.
At least then Bishop won’t try to have me admitted.
Her mind turned to the victims. With two in the morgue and almost twenty women under guard in precincts across the city, the case had grown far beyond what Kasey had anticipated. Kasey herself was in danger. Staring at her profile in the manila folder had been a surreal experience. She had searched her memory for someone who would have the motive to want her dead but kept coming up blank. There was always John Ainsley who was still nursing his broken ribs but it didn’t make sense. If it was truly John wanting her dead, why target the other women?
Was it some bizarre mind game designed to torment her? If it is, it’s working. The Ainsley angle made little sense, though. Sure, they were rich but murder for a few broken ribs? It was a stretch and Kasey knew it.
The elevator chimed as the doors opened. Kasey made her way across the waiting room to Chief West’s office. The door was open, but she stopped nonetheless.
Mirroring Kathleen’s earlier approach, she knocked on the glass. “Chief West. Kathleen told me you wished to see me.”
“Ah Kasey, come on in.” Chief West motioned to the two chairs in front of his table.
A man already sat in the second chair. As Kasey entered the room, the man stood to meet her. He wore an expensive Italian suit, its pinstripe exaggerating his already considerable height. At a glance, he appeared to be in his 40s but on closer inspection, Kasey could see the gray roots in among his dyed blond hair. She supposed him to be in his late 50s.
The man extended his hand as he greeted her. “Kasey, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you.”
Kasey eyed the expensive suit and the man who wore it with skepticism and suspicion. “And yet I've heard nothing about you.”
Kasey shook his hand.
“Let me remedy that. My name is Arthur, Arthur Ainsley.”
Kasey visibly deflated. That could only mean…
“Yes. That's right, I'm John's father,” the man replied, clearly enjoying the effect his announcement had had on her.
She took one look at the man's smile and decided she liked him just as much as she liked his son. The smile had all the authenticity of a politician.
Her displeasure must've been visible as Arthur released her hand and said, “Oh come now, Kasey, I know you've had your disagreements with my son, but rest assured he has been dealt with. As soon as I learned what transpired, I put an end to it. I'm here in good faith, responding to the earnest outreach of Chief West, a man for whom I have the greatest respect.”
“Come now, Arthur, there is no need for such flagrant flattery,” the chief replied. “I appreciate you coming down here as I want to get to the bottom of this. Please, both of you, take a seat.”
Kasey sat down but immediately twisted to face Arthur. “What do you mean, when you found out? You've known for weeks. Your family practically drove me out of the OCME. You've made my life miserable.”
Arthur Ainsley raised both of his hands defensively. “ Don't confuse me with my son, or his actions. As far as I'm concerned, he acted out of line when he harassed you and has paid the price for it. I’ll not do my son the disservice of shielding him from the consequences of his actions.
“When I learned he was using our family's influence to inflict his revenge, I put a stop to it. Believe it or not, I had no idea anything had transpired until Chief West called me.
“John isn't proud of the fact you beat him six ways from Sunday. He certainly wasn't going to come cry to me about it.”
Kasey bristled as she weighed the man who sat beside her. He seemed genuine enough. His demeanor couldn't be more different to that of his son.
Chief West filled the awkward silence. “As I said before, Arthur, I appreciate you coming down here. Like I said on the phone, with the current situation continuing to develop, I didn't want John's vendetta dragging your family's name through the mud.”
“I appreciate it, chief. I give my assurance that John has nothing to do with these killings. It is simply an unfortunate coincidence that Miss Chase with whom he has a grudge seems to be caught up in the case herself. He will cease any and all action against Miss Chase, and we will lend our considerable resources to ensure the killer is brought to justice. If there is anything you need, simply name it.”
“I appreciate the thought, Arthur, but for the time being the Fighting Ninth is well equipped to deal with the task at hand. All I ask is that John give Kasey a wide berth so that we can keep her safe.”
“Consider it done,” Arthur replied.
Chief West turned his attention to Kasey. “And you, Miss Chase. You will remain on secondment to the Fighting Ninth until this serial killer has been caught. You are far safer here than you are at the OCME. When we have the killer in custody you will be free to return to your previous station should you so choose. Do you have any questions?”
The reference to her old job took Kasey off-balance. The OCME felt like it was a lifetime ago, and as hectic as working at the precinct was, Kasey was really enjoying being in the field. It felt like she was making a difference every day.
Kasey shook her head. “No, chief, none from me.”
“Very well, you’re excused. Stay close to Bishop until this is resolved.”
Kasey nodded and rose out of the chair. Without further word, she slipped quietly out of the chief’s office and made her way to the elevator. Despite all that was happening, she felt somehow lighter. With the threat of John Ainsley behind her, she felt like she was moving forward with her life.
Kasey mashed the call button on the elevator, and tapped her foot as she waited, eyes glued on the elevator’s floor readout.
Out of nowhere, an immense shadow appeared across the elevator doors.
Spinning she found Arthur Ainsley standing behind her. At over seven feet tall he cast an impressive shadow.
Kasey tried not to register her surprise but failed miserably. In the wake of the last few days, her nerves were frayed and she was far more jumpy than usual.
“Easy there, Arthur. The last Ainsley to sneak up on me like that was nursing a set of broken ribs moments later.”
Arthur smiled. “Fair point, Miss Chase. I'll keep that in mind.” He paused. Clearly, there was something he wished to say but was not.
The elevator dinged, and Kasey stepped through the opening doors.
“You know, Miss Chase, for a woman of your gifts, I'm surprised a few broken ribs was the extent of it,” Arthur Ainsley said as he joined her in the elevator.
Kasey eyed him. “Look, I'm going to be honest. If I knew the trouble he was going to cause me, I'd have probably hit him a few more times just for good measure.”
She chuckled at the thought and hit the button for the ground floor.
“Yes, p
recisely my point,” Arthur said. “After your incident with Mr Tesco, I'm surprised you didn't reduce him to cinders or blow him through a wall.”
Her heart stopped.
“How do you...” She caught herself just in time. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Oh, yes you do, Miss Chase. You almost blew that poor man through a wall. It took the ADI hours just to clean up the mess. What I can't work out, is why you didn't do the same to John when you had the chance?”
Kasey just stood there mute. What does Arthur Ainsley know about the ADI? Is there anything money can't buy?
“Oh... You didn't know…” Arthur laughed heartily. “A witch and a wizard right under each other's noses and neither of you even knew. That is hilarious.”
If Kasey had felt relief earlier, Arthur's revelation smashed it to pieces.
“You're wizards…” Kasey began. “I should have known. The ADI and their visit. That was you. You have friends on the Arcane Council.
Arthur’s smile disappeared as he loomed over her. “No, Miss Chase. I am the Arcane Council.”
Chapter Thirteen
Kasey stood, staring down the imposing figure of Arthur Ainsley.
The elevator shuddered to life, but Arthur swept a hand across the control panel.
“Forfyllan,” he muttered. His voice was quiet yet unyielding. The language was foreign to Kasey but its impact was clear. The elevator ground to a halt.
“Now, you listen to me, and you listen well, Miss Chase. When it comes to the Council, my voice is the only one that matters.”
“I don’t care about your council, Arthur,” Kasey retorted. “If I did, I would have registered. I want you, your son, and your Council out of my way, and out of my life!”
Arthur’s face creased with anger as he pointed at her. “Listen, you ungrateful little wretch, it doesn’t matter what you want. The Council governs all arcane matters in the Unites States. When a young witch uses her powers like a vigilante to hunt down criminals, those matters come across my desk. I was lenient once. But you should understand that there is a limit. The next time your name crosses my desk, and I think we both know that it will, you may not be so fortunate.”
“So what is it you want, Arthur? You didn’t come down here for that farce upstairs. You could have sent your goons. You want something. Something you couldn’t ask for in front of the Chief. What is it?”
Arthur composed himself. “Very perceptive, Miss Chase. This case you’re working, I think we both know your suspect is no ordinary killer.”
“I can’t disclose the details of an active investigation,” Kasey replied. “But as you heard from Chief West, we do suspect he is a serial killer, with all that entails.”
“That is not what I’m referring to, Miss Chase. Don’t play dumb with me. He’s a Werewolf. That particular detail could not have escaped your attention.”
“Wait, how could you know that?” Kasey demanded, her mind racing as she thought of the beast she had faced at Hudson Road.
“Because we have the hair sample your boss submitted to the FBI. When it didn’t register a match in the NYPD’s database, he called in the cavalry. Fortunately, we made it disappear before it could cause too much of a stir.”
“Why would you do that? That was the one piece of evidence we had on him.”
“Evidence, Miss Chase? What do you need the evidence for? To find him? Or convict him? Because if it is the former, let me help you. We’ve already analyzed the sample and determined that it belongs to Danilo Lelac, a Hungarian assassin of some repute. If it is the latter, I would advise you to wake up. There won’t be a trial for a Werewolf in central New York City. There will be no jail for Danilo Lelac. If you find him, you are to kill him.”
“What, are you insane? I can’t do that. If you haven’t noticed, I have half the NYPD in tow thanks to this Danilo. How am I meant to find him, let alone kill him, without the NYPD getting wind of it?”
“That, Kasey, would be your problem. I’m sure you’ll work it out. If not…well, best not to consider such unpleasantness so early in the day.” Arthur reached toward the buttons and muttered another incantation. “Abregdan.”
The elevator resumed its downward journey.
“What...But…” she stammered as she tried to voice her frustration. She was trapped and she knew it. Finding her words at last, she blurted, “Can you be any more help than that? Do you know what he looks like? Anything?”
“I thought you’d seen him, Kasey. He’s a damn Werewolf. One of nature’s greatest hunters blended with a human form. You won’t be able to miss him.”
Kasey exhaled audibly. “I don’t mean when he’s a Wolf. I’ve seen him in that form. I mean his human form. What does he look like when he’s not in his were-form? That would be useful to know.”
“Oh, I see,” Arthur said. “Unfortunately, we don’t know. The Golden Wolf of Hungary, while infamous, is still an unknown. No one who has seen him shift has survived to tell the tale. He is a ghost.”
The elevator slowed its descent.
Arthur extended his hand. “I wish you the best of luck, Kasey.”
Kasey reluctantly took the offered hand. Antagonizing such a powerful figure in the magical community simply came at too high a price.
As she shook it, a mist descended, clouding her vision. When it dispersed, Kasey was no longer in the elevator. Instead, she was towering over a city. Searching her surroundings, Kasey realized she was on the deck of an immense structure. At this height, the cars on the street below were barely visible, miniature ants crawling through the gridlocked city streets. Buildings and skyscrapers stretched as far as her eyes could see.
Kasey knew the skyline… New York City! She’d never seen the city from such a spectacular height. The building she stood on dominated those around it. She could make out the opulent Trump Tower to the west. It seemed almost miniature in comparison. Below her, she could see Central Park, nature’s bastion, built right in the heart of Manhattan. Moving across the deck, Kasey could see clear to the Statue of Liberty. The iconic landmark looked miniature at this distance.
From the majestic vista, Kasey knew she could only be in one building: 432 Park Avenue. The residential tower loomed over the city as one of the tallest residential structures in the world. Kasey had read about the building, but construction wasn’t due to complete for several months yet.
This vision is the future.
An explosion in the distance shook her from her reflections. She rushed to the platform’s edge, straining her eyes to search the city below.
Thick oily green smoke rose from the streets in a billowing cloud. Another chain of explosions followed. Kasey spun to see East Village in flames.
The mist descended once more and Kasey found herself back in the elevator, still clutching Arthur Ainsley’s outstretched hand. His face bore a confused expression, one eyebrow raised as he waited for her to relinquish his hand.
“Are you quite alright, Miss Chase?”
Kasey let go. “Ah...I’m sorry. Just feeling a little light headed.”
“Well, you best get back to work. Our lupine problem won’t solve itself.”
Kasey nodded. She was still trying to process her vision as Arthur Ainsley stepped out of the elevator and crossed the precinct’s lobby.
“Kasey!” a woman shouted.
The voice snapped Kasey from her reflections.
Homing in on the familiar voice, Kasey spotted her sister, Sarah. She was sitting on the black leather lounge of the lobby, bouncing her oldest son, Simeon, on her lap. The three-year-old giggled as he moved.
“Sarah!” Kasey called, racing across the lobby. “You have no idea how good it is to see you.”
“Your text had me worried,” Sarah replied as she took in Kasey’s war wounds. “What on Earth happened to your face? Kasey, what is going on?”
“Can we go somewhere to talk about it?” Kasey asked, desperate to get some fresh air.
“Sure. Have
you eaten breakfast yet?”
“No,” she said, feeling more and more like a train wreck with each passing moment, “but I could sure go for some. What did you have in mind?”
Sarah paused as she evaluated the options. “There is a cafe a few streets over. We can grab some takeout and head to the park. Can you spare the time out of the office?”
“Spare it. I need it. The job has almost killed me this week.” Kasey was tempted to add literally, but didn’t want to worry her sister. “I’m dying for some breakfast.”
“Awesome. Let’s go,” Sarah replied as she stood up. Catching Kasey’s eye, she smiled. “Want to hold Simeon?”
Kasey looked longingly at her nephew. The adorable little one shared his mother’s sandy hair and easy smile. It made Kasey’s heart melt.
“Sure!” Kasey exclaimed as she held out her arms. “Come here, my little man!”
Simeon’s hands raced out to meet her as he squealed, “Kae-”
Sarah chuckled. “We’ve been trying, but he still hasn’t got the hang of the ‘-sey’.”
“Aren’t you the cutest?” Kasey blurted, pulling him into a tight hug. “Boy you’ve certainly gotten heavier since I last saw you. Who’s a big boy?”
Simeon wrapped his arms around Kasey, giggling madly as she squeezed him tighter. Hearing him laugh smashed the tension she had been struggling under for days.
Oh, I’ve needed this. Despite being home to eight and a half million people, New York could feel like a lonely place at times.
Sarah grabbed the door and Kasey followed her out onto the bustling New York City Street.
Kasey’s stomach growled. “I could really go for a bagel and some coffee,”
“Then the cafe on St Mark’s Place will be perfect,” Sarah replied happily. “They do a mean bagel.”
