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She sat at her office looking at the evidence for the umpteenth time. Something was missing and she didn't know what. What was the motive Steve Jones had in killing Aria Jordan? She checked his medical history and his psychological evaluation, he was in every way sane. She remember when she interrogated him and she was ninety nine percent sure he was innocent.

In her years of doing this job, she had picked up some signs that criminals gave unconsciously when they were interrogated. Only the best can stay away from this signs. They always avoided eye contact or were touching their hands or face. They sometimes stuttered or fondled with something. But Jones did neither.

But she couldn't be so sure. For all she knew he was a great actor.

But he wasn't. After reading his criminal record she got to know him better. Steve Jones was a short-tempered and violent person. He was the type of criminal who commits a crime on impulse or rage and not the methodical way this was committed. Except for his finger print on Aria's body and him being present there was nothing proving he killed her. The murder weapon, a knife, was missing which was the second most important piece in the puzzle. The first was his motive. Why would he kill her? Why was he stalking her?

But the biggest puzzle to Laura was that house. Why did Aria move to that house? Two months before she moved in, someone died in that house so why move in? The possibility of her not knowing was zero. It was on the news that Mrs Devina Rodrigo committed suicide there few days after paying for it. So why did Aria Jordan buy such a house when many would be scared? Was there something in that house that led to their death or was this all a coincidence?

He made a statement once during interrogation. "They framed me up." They asked him who but he insisted that they give him their word that he would leave town. She couldn't promise him that even if he was saying the truth so he kept his mouth shut.

There was a knock on my door. "Come in." Laura said without raising my head.

"Laura there is something I want you to see." It was her office manager, Chloe.

"What is it?" She pushed the document scattered on her desk to the side making space for whatever Chloe discovered.

"So I reran a search on Aria social and medical life. And after looking again I concluded what we all knew before. She was an introvert who had no time for any social life. She was married to her work and was a woman who followed the rules. But you were right before, everybody no matter how introverted has a hobby or activity to pass time."

"So where are you going with this?" Hitting her pen on the desk repeatedly, a habit she possessed showing she was irritated, annoyed or impatient. This case was the later.

Chloe smiled like Laura just told her she won the lottery. "So taking your advice I checked again and then I noticed she was once a member of a club or a society. Whatever they call theirselves."

"What club?"

"The Messengers."

That name was enough to send chill down her bone. "Christ!" Laura held her hands on her head as her elbow rested on the table, frustration and confusion was written all over her expression. But what people couldn't see was fear.

The Messengers was a name she have become well acquainted with. For the last few years, a case has always come up taking her back to them. The last one was someone very dear to her .

"You said once. What happened?" She said after a few seconds of recollection.

"Exactly seven months before her death she broke her membership. I don't know the reason but I'll look into that."

Seven months? Thanks to Laura's distinctive memory she could forget almost nothing.

"Chloe do you remember the date Aria reported someone was stalking her?"

"No I don't."

"But I do. March 17th. She said she noticed it for a week. A week from March 17th is March 10th.Aria was murdered on September 17th exactly seven months and one week."

Her eyes shone with revelation. "Laura you're a genius."

"No you're a genius. Now we need to get all the files on the cases of the Messengers. We missed them before I'm not missing them this time."

She nodded. Laura picked her jacket and her car keys. "You're going out?" She asked.

"Yes. If what we are saying is true then we are not dealing with a criminal with an over-heated temper. We are dealing with crafty and smart murderers. I need to go back to the crime scene. I can't shake off the feeling we forgot something."

She left her office and drove to the crime scene. What she told Chloe was true but that wasn't why she was here. She needed to be sure it was them. They always left it at the crime scene and she didn't see it among the items retrieve from the crime scene that means it was still there.

Reaching there she saw some officers still there. She came down from her car and walked up to one of them. "Who is in charge of this crime scene? I need to take a look."

He chuckled. "And I need to take nap but we don't always get what we want."

Seeing he didn't recognize her and how fresh and young he looked, the way he fiddled with his hands trying to appear confident, she knew he must be new. She kept a straight face. "Officer..." I looked as his name tag, "Hardy. I can see you're new here that's why I asked you to get your superior. I don't have time for this nonsense."

Just then a familiar face approached me. "If it's not my favorite prosecutor. Hey Hardy. Hope you aren't disturbing the Assistant DA." Saying that the officer looked frightened.

"Sorry ma'am I didn't know." He apologized.

"Because I'm a woman or because I'm a woman?" Laura asked antagonizing him the more.

"I'm sorry."

"Com'n Laura." Detective Chris Saint gave a deep chuckle. "Stop harassing the poor guy. Hardy go join the others let's wrap this place up. Today is Friday. I can't miss my wife's baking."

"Yes sir." And he hurriedly left.

"So to what do we owe this pleasure." Detective Saint said smiling. "You know you missed dinner last week. Maryann was livid."

She smiled remembering his wife. Maryann was one of the liveliest and nicest person she has ever meet. She was never out of energy. Her red hair even gave her look more personality.

"Tell her I'm sorry. I was caught up in work and I couldn't make it. I tried calling but I forgot. I'm really sorry."

He smiled. "We know. We just hope you weren't staying in a corner drowning yourself in alcohol and self pity."

Another thing she loved about the Saint's was how they always looked out for her. Sometimes it could be too much but it was always helpful.

"That I didn't do. I have too much on my plate for those anyway." Her hips swaying with professionalism and confidence as they walked towards the house, even though she felt neither.

The sight of the three bedroom bungalow made Laura's breath hitch in fear. The house was a beautiful one no doubt. It was designed by bricks and lovely flowers in front stretching till towards the back. But the memories, they were bad.

He nodded. "So you want to revisit the crime scene."

"Yes, I feel there is something here that I missed. I know you guys have checked it before but I just want to be sure."

"It's all yours, although I doubt you will find anything."

She nodded before she entered into the crime scene. She hated the feeling she got whenever she entered into a crime scene. Just knowing that few weeks ago, the victim lived here, made plans in this house was just to scary to dwell on. But that wasn't what frightened her. She knew coming in here will only make her nightmares worse. She couldn't remove the images that flashed in her head as she stepped inside. She made a mental promise to avoid that room at all cost.

She entered into the room where Aria was killed. The bloodstains were cleaned now and the place where the body was found was marked but she still remember how it looked from the pictures she had seen. She was on the floor, her head facing the ground and her legs were towards the door. She remember how her stomach was slit open, pouring the content of her stomach out. She don't know why they never considered it as a cultic activity.

She looked around searching for it. They wouldn't put it were it would be easily found but it would be close. Where was it?

Laura searched her pictures displayed on the wall. Aria Jordan was a beautiful woman. The dark long hair made her Hispanic features even more pronounced. She sure broke a lot of hearts with that face.

"Find anything?" Detective Saint asked making her remember he was still there.

"No." Not yet. After ten minutes she concluded that there was nothing. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. I guess there is nothing here."

"Don't apologize-"

He was still talking when her eyes caught something unusual. It was the window. Following her intuition, she walked towards it. That was when she noticed it was removed before. It looked like someone removed it but was unable to fix it perfectly. She tried to push it but it wouldn't move. Something was blocking it.

"Can someone please help me move this window?"

Chris gave her a confused look but came to help her. After a little push it moved. "Did you see anything?" She asked.

He looked shocked at first but quickly nodded. She immediately looked at what he saw and was satisfied by what she saw. It was a silver coin and a piece of paper. On the paper boldly written in red in what she assumed was blood, 'And by his stripes we are healed.'

She stood there not sure if she should be happy or sad that she was right because the coin that stared at her was identical to the one that lay in her office safe. No matter how she saw it she just knew one thing.

Steve Jones didn't kill Aria Jordan and if he didn't do it, she needed to find out who did.

Hope you enjoyed it!!!😄😍😍😄