Murder On The Waterway: The Case Of The Kanaima Demon

Chapter Twenty Seven

As the night deepened and the moon's glow took on a blood-red hue, my senses sharpened, giving me a surreal awareness of the world around me. The air was charged with a palpable tension, and my skin seemed to vibrate with life akin to a thriving organism. I couldn't help but fixate on this heightened state of being acutely aware of every detail.

Through the car window, I watched the wind play with the black corn stalks in the nearby field. Each stem danced to the whims of the breeze, moisture clinging to them tenaciously. In my heightened state, I could almost hear their whispers of resilience. In reality, it was the vents of the car blowing air across my arms, but the sensation felt electrifying. My heart raced, blood coursing rapidly through my veins, and for a fleeting moment, I felt like I was on an exhilarating journey of the senses.

As I revelled in this newfound sensory awareness, I couldn't help but notice the foreboding presence of the blood moon, which cast an eerie glow over the landscape. The moon was already tormenting me, and I knew I had to maintain my composure. In the dimly lit car, my partner Michael and I remained silent, each lost in our thoughts, as we drove to Limehouse. The sight of Upper North Street filled me with a sense of déjà vu, and the flashing blue lights in the distance served as a stark reminder that we were once again running late to save someone.

Though unspoken, we both understood the dire situation. The Kanaima demon that inhabited Jack, controlled by its master, Emily Fulton, had us firmly in its grip. We were mere pawns in a deadly game, waiting for the moment we would be thrust into the line of fire. The safety of two to three hundred innocent children was at stake, and we had no choice but to tread carefully, as the Kanaima could switch between Jack and the demon within seconds, a formidable adversary. Jack's ability to maintain partial control over his transformation revealed he was far from a helpless victim.

If Jack had been coerced by his master to commit these gruesome murders, he would have shown signs of confusion and struggle upon returning to his human form. Instead, the transition was as effortless as removing a mask, a disturbing testament to the duality of his nature.

Michael parked the car near the grey stone bollards, just before the faded blue bridge that loomed over the water. Frustration boiled over, and he slapped his hands against the steering wheel, his cheeks flushed with anger. His rapidly speeding up heartbeat mirrored our shared apprehension, and we both dreaded what awaited us.

As we stared at the ominous night sky, my thoughts wandered to Skip and my genuine family, mysterious figures who roamed the world, embracing their supernatural natures under the moon's glow. The idea of living off the grid, hidden and safe, held a certain allure, and I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever find them. But for now, we faced another gruesome murder along the waterway.

"This is an ungodly mess we've stumbled into," Michael muttered, unclipping his seatbelt and taking a last moment to compose himself.

"Indeed," I agreed. "Our priority is to neutralise the Kanaima, keep Jack alive for answers, and possibly hold him accountable for these murders. I just wish there were established case laws for the supernatural. Our options are that or he gets eliminated."

"Elimination might be the most effective way to neutralise this threat—a Trojan unit or getting up close to ripping out its throat," Michael suggested, his voice heavy with resignation.

"But how would I justify or report that? An 'eye for an eye' may sound good in theory, but the consequences..." I trailed off, considering the ramifications of our actions. In the heat of the moment, with the moon's influence coursing through me, I cared little about the consequences. All I wanted was for the killings to stop.

"I have a feeling our ADI Locke may be more receptive than we initially thought," Michael remarked.

"I have to admit, there's something different about him lately," I said, pondering Locke's recent behaviour. "He vanishes frequently, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, there are only so many meetings one man can endure in a day," Michael observed as we prepared to exit the car.

This time, I didn't need to strain to sense the world around me. The scents rushed toward me in a chaotic symphony—blood, toxins, aged dust, and the brewery about four hundred feet from the bridge. These odours intertwined with a medley of aftershaves and perfumes. Among the crowd, a passerby, a non-official onlooker, stood out—a lady in her late forties straining to see over the cordon.

The body before us was only two days old, one of the freshest we had encountered. The initial cordon were swarmed by onlookers, testing the patience of the high-visibility-clad personnel. The sun was setting, and my eyes struggled to adapt, giving me glimpses of dark red that forced me to take refuge behind Michael.

Dread hung heavy in the damp evening air, and my senses were overwhelmed. It was then that I heard their voices, the voices of the ghosts. Rachel Darnley, Tracey Kent, Annabelle Kumar, Michelle Walters, Ross Walters, Mildred, and Mr Kumar, all in various stages of decay, had gathered by the bridge's edge. Their presence sent a shiver down my spine, adding to the chaos that threatened to engulf me.

They were a haunting reminder, tipping the scales, and my unease deepened as I realised they had increased in number since our last encounter. I had no way of knowing which of my ghosts would be next—Donna Armitage, Brian Thistle, or Emily Blake.

I couldn't bring myself to tell Michael, who was already on edge. It was ironic that I was teetering on the edge of unravelling while dealing with the supernatural. But as we faced another murder, and the moon cast its evil glow, my fears were far from unfounded.

"Hotel Tango despatch, has anyone reached our on-call pathologist?" Michael inquired, pacing the pavement. His footsteps resonated, creating echoes, and his frustration was palpable despite his attempts to conceal it.

"So far, we've had no success," came the reply. "She hasn't acknowledged the call either. We'll keep trying."

My fear was justified, and I felt a growing sense of foreboding. The world receded as I contemplated the pros and cons of the situation. Elena was in danger, and my instincts told me that an upgrade to an 'I' call was warranted.

"Yes, please upgrade the call. It may be linked to our current assignment," I affirmed, my voice trembling with the weight of our choices.

As the moon rose higher in the sky, my body felt ablaze, and my claws threatened to emerge. The only way to save Elena lay in the body of Emily Fulton, which had been grotesquely displayed. I was the one person who could witness the scene without succumbing to the red haze in my vision. To uncover the clues hidden within Emily's remains, I had to tread on thin ice with every passing minute.

The crowd and cordon needed to be expanded, allowing me to access the body and investigate the gruesome scroll left at the scene. My partner, Michael, had the crucial task of maintaining order and ensuring my safety.

"Are you certain about this, mate?" Michael inquired.

"With how things have been going, we can't be certain about anything," I replied. "Look at the state of the body this time. We haven't even considered the scroll. I might reach it if I try hard enough. Your job is to keep the area clear while I investigate."

"What? Up there?" Michael's disbelief was clear.

"Don't worry about that," I reassured him. "Comfort Natasha, while we await the London Fire Brigade. She seems to be quite stressed."

Michael nodded and went to console Natasha, who was occupied with her radio. It was time to turn my attention to the dreadful scene before me, ready to unravel the secrets concealed within the grotesque display of Emily Fulton's body. The demons lurked nearby, and the moon's influence intensified with each passing moment. Time was of the essence, and I needed to uncover the truth hidden within the savage remains.