Chapter Three: Who Dunnit?
1241 Words
The full moon neared, Hector's whereabouts remained unknown, and Makari's motives remained mysterious. While Rafe and the pack searched tirelessly, I focused on uncovering the truth behind Makari's return and his hunt for the Bloodring. If he's up to no good, I know I have to be prepared to confront him.
The closer I got to the town I once called home, memories flooded back. Drawn here, I knew this is where I had to start to figure out Makari's return and his plan.
This was where it happened, where I'd believed I'd lost him. I scanned the surroundings, hoping for some clue or someone who has one. That's when I ran into her: Kate, a former pack member.
“Luna, is that really you?” she exclaimed.
“Kate? It's been so long! How have you been? Where's the pack?” I fired off questions, unable to contain my curiosity.
“We've been managing. What brings you back? We thought we'd never see you again.”
In my mind, I thought, "I hadn't planned on returning; the memories were too painful." Aloud, I asked Kate, "I need answers. Have you heard anything about Makari since I left?"
She hesitated before speaking, “A few days after you left, he returned. It was like a miracle; we were all shocked.”
“How did it happen?” I asked.
“He told us he was on death's doorstep when he was rescued by a stranger. Makari rebuilt his life here, became our anchor. Then, one day, he vanished without a trace.”
Guilt washed over me. "I left him behind, thinking he was gone forever. I shouldn't have given up on him," “Do you know why he left?”
She shook her head, “I don’t, and we all don’t. But I've heard whispers in neighboring towns—he's searching for something called the Bloodring.”
Pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, but the mystery of why Makari wanted the Bloodring remained. Was it for the same reason as Rafe and I?
I was about to delve further, but my phone shattered the silence with its insistent ring. It was Rafe.
His voice crackled with urgency. "Liliana, where are you? Are you safe?"
Caught off guard, I replied, "Yes... Why? What's wrong?"
"Listen, I need you to meet me. Now," his tone was sharp, cutting through any lingering questions.
"But I'm out of town," I protested.
"Out of town? Since when? You know what….just get back here. I'll text you the address," he said, ending the call before I could respond.
His urgency left no room for questions. I had to set aside my investigation for now.
Arriving at the scene, I spotted Rafe and the pack.
“What happened? You sounded urgent on the phone.”
Rafe checked my body to ensure I wasn't hurt. His silence spoke volumes. “It's Makari. He's made his move, though not as I expected.”
“What did he do?” I pressed.
“Come, see for yourself.” Rafe led me toward a figure on the ground. My breath caught—it was Hector. The very Hector we'd been searching for.
“This doesn't make sense,” I stammered.
“What doesn't make sense? We know Makari killed him,” Rafe retorted.
“Think about it. Makari gave us until the full moon to find Hector. He wasn't after him; he was waiting for us to find him first,” I argued.
“You think that psycho would sit around waiting for us?” Rafe questioned.
“No, Makari wouldn't do this,” I insisted, trying to convince myself he hadn’t changed so drastically.
“He needs to find the Bloodring. He won’t learn its location if Hector's dead. So, how does this benefit him?” I pressed.
Rafe and the pack paused, mulling over the pieces of this puzzling situation. Then I continued, “This only means one thing: Makari didn't kill Hector.”
“Then who did?” Rafe asked.
“I don’t know, but whoever did sure as hell doesn’t want us to find the Bloodring,” I said as I looked at Hector's body.
"Well, it’s obvious something's off, but don't think for a second that being scared is an option. I need you guys to play smart. This is our city, and we control it," Rafe's authoritative gaze swept over the pack.
Listening to Rafe, I walked toward Hector's body, intrigued. The pack's eyes followed me, pausing their discussion as they watched. Hector's neck bore s***h marks, evidence of a werewolf's attack.
I leaned in, hoping for a clue. Rafe's question interrupted me, but I continued searching the outer pockets in vain. Desperate, I reached into the inner pocket, feeling something brush against my fingertips—a paper. Its date, a mere two days old, hinted at being one of Hector's last known locations. As I read, I straightened up.
"What's that?" a pack member asked.
"Anyone familiar with the name O'Connor's?" I queried.
"Yeah, yea, I think I've come across that name before, it’s a restaurant here in Fordwich," Rafe's beta replied.
"Would you mind taking us there?" I requested.
"Sure," came the simple response.
Entering the restaurant, it hummed with activity, perhaps more so than any other. Rafe and I surveyed the scene, wondering what had drawn Hector here before his demise. Making our way to the counter, where a female bartender stood.
"Hello, can I get two glasses of whiskey?" Rafe requested as we stood by the counter.
"For you, handsome, anything," the bartender replied, her tone laced with flirtation.
"Oh, really?" I muttered to myself, noting the interaction between her and Rafe.
Our glasses of whiskey were swiftly delivered, and with a charming smile, Rafe inquired, "What's your name?"
"Hmm, so what are the odds? I can't just give away my name without getting something in return. Care to make a deal?" she countered playfully.
"Playing games, huh? Alright, how about this: you tell me your name now, and I'll owe you one for later. Deal?" Rafe proposed, his tone suave and confident.
"My name's Alice," she replied with a warm smile.
"Alice, do you happen to keep track of people who come into this restaurant?" Rafe inquired.
"Depends on who you're looking for," Alice responded coyly.
Not wanting to linger on their flirtation, I interjected, "A man about 5’10, caramel skin, probably in a suit. He goes by the name Hector."
Alice glanced at us briefly before saying, "A few days back, there was a man in a suit sitting there with another guy. They were chatting until it turned into an argument."
"Who was this man?" I inquired.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Do you happen to overhear what they argued about?" Rafe pressed.
"No... I mean, it all happened so fast. Besides, who are you guys, and why are you asking so many questions?" Alice responded, her curiosity piqued.
Rafe maintained his calm demeanor. "Is there any way you could take a look at the reservations list and tell us who that was?"
"Look, handsome, as much as I would do anything for that pretty face, the reservations are out of my reach, sorry," Alice explained.
As Rafe persisted, I signaled it was time to go. Standing up, Alice slipped her number to him, whispering, "Call me." I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her flirtation.
- Writer
