Sarah Benadine is Dead

Chapter XXI, Part III

The house on Quarry Street was a disaster. Much like the library, the place had been torn to pieces. The front door barely hung on its hinges. Three windows were smashed. Lance Benadine was dead in the kitchen. And somehow, no one had heard or seen a thing.

One small detail was noticed by Clifford Dent at the scene and no one else. The coroner would see it eventually, and a note would be made of it. If the man was doing his job right, a connection would even be made. In fairness, it would matter little if one was made or not; there would be next to nothing the normal police would be able to do about. Either way, on Lance Benadine's right hand there was a dark black 'x' shape. One to match his daughter's. No matter what was done to it, it would not come off.

There was one more troubling fact that was picked up on by the whole police force. Jackie Gordon, employee of Stewart Walker and classmate of Sarah Benadine, was gone.