Murder in Red

Chapter 5

Warnings: Brief mentions of abuse and death (it is a murder mystery) and suicidal ideation.

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Magnus's phone rings just as he hops out of his car. "Martinsson...I'm just about to -"

Kurt cuts the young man off, "Get back to the station quickly, Magnus, we've got another missing girl."

***

Maeve groaned as she came to, her head spinning as she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and her head and neck hurt. The young detective surveyed her surroundings, her heart sinking when she realized she was tied to a chair in some dank, dirty cellar with only one bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. A set of wooden stairs was off to her right, just a few feet ahead. Her eyes sweep over the rest of the room, looking for anything that might be an escape. She could only see a window in the far corner, though it was too high to climb up to. Maeve sighed heavily, muttering under her breath.

"You're an eejit, Maeve. An eejit...should have realized sooner."

A rattling sound catches her attention. "Conner, is that you? If you try and scare me, I swear I'll -"

"C-conner?" comes a timid voice. "I only know Donovan. Who's Connor"

Maeve could hear the all too familiar lilt in the woman's voice, her heart rising in her chest right before it plummeted into her stomach. "Another one? Fuck...erm, hello? I'm Maeve. What's your name?"

From a few feet away, a mane of red hair pops out from an alcove under the stairs. Maeve could see that the young girl's hands were tied to one of the pillars and that her face was streaked with dirt and tears - clearly, she had been there a while.

"I-I'm Esmi. Do you know what's going on?" her voice was trembling. "Donovan and I were so happy together and then he started yelling at me for every little thing. After one particular argument, he slapped me across the face...and the next thing I remember I was tied up down here. I don't know how long I've been here. When the lights went on, I thought I was saved. But," she hissed," it was only him bringing some company for me. Who are ya anyway?"

"Er, I...I'm part of the Guards in Ystad..."

The other young woman snorted. "Oh yeah, and I'm the bloody president of Ireland. At least the Gardai back home know not to get caught by homicidal eejits! Now I will never see my home or family again."

A loud, creaking sound broke through the conversation, followed by a succession of more squeaking floorboards. Maeve swore under her breath when she saw a pair of black boots descending, knowing that their owner would soon be appearing.

"No, my darling, Esmi, you will not be leaving anytime soon. I am afraid that you were simply a means to an end and you will still have to die, however, not as dramatically as I had planned." Connor smirks at Maeve. "It will be your death, my love. That will be dramatic.

"I'm the one you wanted, Connor, can't you let her go? This charade is over and it's just between you and me. Leave her out of it. Please!"

The man laughed bitterly. "Ah, I do like hearing you beg, M. Just like old times... And I see you haven't lost that bleeding heart I loved so much." he looks between the two women thoughtfully. "Hm, maybe I will let her go free so that she can tell how you and I died together. Almost like Romeo and Juliet. It is quite romantic, don't you think?"

Maeve gave him a look of disgust. "I am NOT going to die and certainly not next to your psycho arse! I was right to dump you when I did. You were controlling throughout our entire relationship and when I finally got up the courage to go to the academy, I knew it was the right thing for the both of us. I wasn't going to be your puppet anymore and it scared you. You hit me, I remember that... I moved on but it seems you couldn't. It's a shame.

"How dare you!" Connor growled and rushed over to her. His face was inches from hers, screwed into a sneer, and put something cold and sharp to Maeve's neck. "You broke my heart! I had to get even with you and it looks like I will. You will get what you deserve and I will be right next to you, watching the life drain from your face. Don't worry though, I will join you soon enough in the afterlife."

Esmerelda watched this whole thing in shocked silence, her heart thudding. At some point during their exchange, she wondered if Donovan, or Connor, was distracted enough that she could escape. This wasn't her problem, it was a stupid "lovers' spat" that she had been unfairly dragged into it and all she wanted to do was leave. She pulls tentatively on her restraints at first, looking over at the other two to see if she'd been heard, then pulls harder but they won't budge. Connor's laugh startles the girl.

"Eheh, nice try, love. But you won't be going anywhere," he smirks, "at least not until you see our dear Maeve exit stage left. I want you to be there to witness the death scene and the mourning of a grief-stricken lover." He tilts his head to the side. "Do you hear that, ladies? I do believe that's the sound of an anonymous tip ringing through to the police station...if you'll excuse me." His laughter echoes ominously off the walls as he retreats back up the stairs, locking the door behind him with a clink.