Shadows of Deceit | MilkLove AU

Ch6: Hot and Cold

The air hung heavy with an unsettling quiet as the police arrived at the abandoned chapel, their footsteps echoing against the cracked stone floor. Detective Pat pushed through the creaking door, her heart racing in sync with the pulse of her unease. An anonymous tip had led them here, and the atmosphere felt charged with foreboding. The remnants of stained glass flickered in the dim light, casting eerie patterns across the walls.

"Detective," a uniformed officer called, breaking her reverie. He gestured toward the altar, and Pat's heart sank as she approached. The body of Captain Pasu lay face up, his expression frozen in an eerie calm, marred only by the brutal wound to his head. It was execution style—clean, precise.

Pat's eyes scanned the area, searching for any signs of a struggle, but the chapel was disturbingly immaculate. No overturned furniture, no traces of a fight. It felt staged, a cruel tableau crafted with sinister intent. The only detail that stood out amidst the horror was a solitary lily, its white petals stark against the dark wood of the altar, placed delicately beside the Captain's body.

She knelt, studying the flower. It was a symbol of purity, yet here it felt grotesque. The air was thick with an unsettling silence, broken only by the distant sound of police radios crackling to life. Shadows danced in the corners, and the flickering light from the stained glass painted ghostly figures on the walls. Who had done this? And why here, in this forgotten place of worship?

Suddenly, a sound echoed behind her—a soft scuffle, the whisper of fabric against stone. Pat's heart raced as she spun around, her instincts screaming that she wasn't alone. But the chapel remained still, the shadows betraying nothing.

The sharp trill of an alarm clock sliced through the room. Pat shot up in bed, heart pounding, the remnants of the dream clinging to her like a heavy fog. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the chilling images that still danced in her mind.

Just as she began to calm her racing heart, her phone rang, the screen lighting up with Pan's name. "Good morning!" Pan's voice was warm and inviting, a welcome reprieve from the cold nightmare that lingered in her mind.

"Morning," Pat replied, attempting to shake off the remnants of her dream.

"Everything okay?" Pan's tone shifted, concern lacing her words.

"It's just a bad dream," Pat reassured her, though the unease still coiled in her stomach.

"Bad dream, huh? I didn't realize having a goodnight kiss could cause bad dreams!" Pan teased, her playful tone lightening the mood.

Pat felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "Maybe it was a bad kiss," she shot back, trying to reclaim some of the banter.

"Just so you know," Pan said, feigning hurt, "I was deemed the best kisser of the year!"

Pat laughed a genuine sound that cut through the tension. "Is that so? I'll have to see the award for myself. Maybe it's just one of those participation trophies."

"Participation? Oh, you wound me!" Pan exclaimed dramatically. "I'll have you know my lips have been scientifically proven to be the best in the business."