Gabriel sat up in his seat on their arrival at the chapel. Everything looked ordinary with the exception of about ten sheriff vehicles, the corner's van, and a band of yellow tape that surrounded the little church shaped structure. What the fuck, he whispered.
Construction on the site had just been completed last month. He'd saw it as a way to tap into the booming Las Vegas wedding business that never died. He'd built it on the outskirt of the major compound to give the guest a feeling of privacy. The sight consisted of the chapel, a pool and four bungalow type suites that the couples could use as part of one of their six wedding packages. He'd flown in full grown palm trees and was pleased on his visit last week that they'd taken root and were looking health. The whole area was built to resemble an oasis of calm and serenity but today there was nothing calm. Lights flashed on top of cars, deputies walked the grounds with dogs sniffing for clues. Some people wore white jump suits while their feet were in disposable shoe covers and hands were stuffed into powder blue gloves that carried clear plastic bags.
"It's bad Gabriel, the sheriff called me just as the staff meeting was ending and well I'll have to see it to believe what he told me," he said opening his door.
Gabriel stepped out of the door after Drake had opened it and adjusted his clothes. He didn't know what to expect but he was thankful that there were no news crews on the premises or his project would be dead without every getting life breathed into it.
He walked beside Drake as they approached the entrance to the chapel and were waved through by a deputy that was standing at the entrance. Stepping into the space it felt foreign. That made him feel guarded and out of place since Gabriel had spent the better part of the last six months at this sight working from a trailer and then from the office once it was completed. They were booked solid for weddings through to the end of the year. The LGBTQ community had really embraced what he was offering. Once inside the chapel another officer pointed to the French doors that led out to the pool, Sheriff Sawyers out there.
Drake opened the doors and stepped through first as he always did when protecting Gabriel. He gasp in shock and that was rare he was not shocked easily.
Gabriel held his hand to his mouth at the sight before them his eyes stretch wide. "Oh my god," he moaned. At the end of the pool area someone had erected three crosses in a mock display of the crucifixion. Hanging from them were Robbie, Cade and he assumed the third man to be the client that they were seen leaving with last night.
Gabriel turned and puked into a nearby bush the crazy part of the whole thing is that they were nailed to the crosses upside down and their throats had been slit, blood oozed down the crosses and pooled in the sand beneath.
"Are they nailed or am I seeing things?" Gabriel asked clearing his throat
"Those would be nails Sheriff Sawyer said coming behind them. Both men jumped and turn to look at him.
"I'm pretty sure when you built your pretend church that hanging this type of crucifix was not in the design plans. But I must say it speaks volumes in ways that I can't quite articulate."
Glaring Gabriel turned back to the scene and tried to gather his thoughts. The scene had him shook to the core. There was no denying who would be behind something like this. It was clear as far as he was concerned is was some gay bashing psychopath or a group of the same. The crosses must have weighed a ton and then add the bodies it should have taken a crane to erect them. Gabriel turned to Sawyer, this is a hate crime plain and simple and you most definitely need to get the feds involved.
"Look Boy, I tried to tell you when you opened this thing that it was not wanted in this place. I voted against it, I put up billboards and gathered together a group of likeminded individuals but you still won the city council's approval. Maybe you should have listened to me."
