The Reaper Saga [Book 1-3]

CHAPTER 9 [EDITED]

VERMON

PRESENT

"Detective, glad to hear from you." Agent Alan said, welcoming both Aaron and me into his office. He was looking at the two of us smiling but I could tell that it was fake. Not surprising considering even Mr. Valentine was here with his security details.

I managed to not roll my eyes.

"Likewise." I nodded, not wanting to make a scene right now. Besides, Valentine had a keen eye on me for the most part. I didn't want to give him something to goad on but luck had it that he smiled, acknowledging my stare.

"Haven't seen you in a long while. Why don't you introduce us to your friend, young man?"

Young man?

Valentine looked only to be in his late twenties. Hell, even I looked older than him but of course, I didn't point that out. Instead, I forced myself to sound polite. "I apologize. This is my friend and partner, Aaron Jeller."

Aaron wasn't as subtle as me. He dropped a huge file on the table, shrugging. "Heard a lot of things about you, Mr. Valentine. Have to say, you have quite a reputation."

Valentine flashed him a smile. "Do I? Do tell, do tell."

If I didn't stop Aaron now, chances were he'd accuse Valentine outright of murder or trafficking people. So, snatching the file, I diverted the conversation toward Chief. "Gentlemen, let's talk about what's important right now. Like the case, Chief, what did you want to talk about? What about the body you found?"

Before Chief could open his mouth, Valentine quipped up. "I was hoping Vermon could enlighten us about that. Out of all the cases, he took this one. There's must be something interesting about it?"

I smiled, despite wanting to jump over the table to whack him in the face. As if he could read my mind, his smile brightened.

Fine, two could play the game.

"With all due respect Mr. Valentine, you are still one of the main suspects. Chief might spare you the details but I haven't ruled you out as an innocent yet. Also, you have made many enemies throughout the years, what to say that one of them just didn't stop caring about your reputation and finally shut that asylum down?"

"Oh? But I have an ally that can assure you Vermon that it's not me you're after. Why don't you ask Chief? We had dinner that night in a very public setting with others. You can ask anyone." Valentine insisted, giving me a lopsided smirk. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Aaron fidgeting in irritation. This man was out to get us, alright.

"Look, Mr. Val-"

Chief leaned forward with a harsh chuckle. "Gentlemen, if you'd step aside from your personals problems for the time around then it would do good for all of us. Detective, did you find anything?"

"Someone broke into Aaron's house last night and he said he saw the same warnings in his house that were in the sanatorium. We'd be looking for that after we finish this meeting." I took a deep breath, feeling the pressure of finding her dead coming back again. "I have sent some of my smaller sources to scout the area around the sanatorium. We are hoping something comes up from that."

I paused, waiting for Aaron to speak up warily. Say what may, he didn't bring up my obsession with the diary or the fact that I hid any evidence. Instead, he opened the file near him with a somber look. "We talked to a few people there. Found a good source out of it. They had good insight on what went through the night before but I'm not comfortable enough to say their name or what they said in front of him. Can I send the report later if that's ok?"