Lucifer's Apostles

Lucifer's Apostles Episode 21

Louise and Ned walked into the briefing room after being summoned by Tank, who cleared his throat and said, “I wish I could tell you all to go home and clear your heads. It will be difficult knowing two of our fellow officers have been killed. It makes it more important that we catch these animals before any more deaths occur. Pete was our mate and a family person through and through. He’s irreplaceable, but we must finish this case for him”. Tank knew that no one was irreplaceable. It was not something he could or would say today. “We have no leads on Samuel Beckett. Ned discovered that Destinee’s ex-husband might also be involved. I can’t think of his name off the top of my head”.

Ned said, “It’s Lucas Brady, aged thirty-two. He has deep brown hair cut into a mullet, brown eyes, and a long beard. Distinguishing features are numerous tattoos on his chest, arms, legs, back, and neck. A large spider web is visible on his neck. He’s unemployed and has been for the last three years. He has a problem with crystal methamphetamine and h****n. He was charged and convicted of assault occasioning bodily harm after breaking Destinee’s jaw. He was fined and put on a probationary bond”.

“Get someone to his residence and have the SPG there as well. We aren’t taking any more chances with this lot. Louise, you will need to change the profile on our suspects ASAP. I should never have rushed you before. You may be partially correct about the coven. There is a bigger picture here involving more individuals than we first assumed”. There is that word again, he thought to himself, then again, he believed half of the profiling involved assumption. “I noticed at the beach scene two days ago, and at the school today at least a part of a church was visible. The first victim was discovered inside an Anglican Church. Two days ago, a Uniting Church was in our line of sight. Today, a Catholic Church is situated next to the school. That makes me question the coven theory. It is aimed at religious beliefs in general”.

“I’ll get onto it”, Louise said. How had he figured that out so quickly, she asked herself? Trying to derail him was going to be more challenging than she thought.

“We know that Shahab Farahani was in the armed forces and then a part owner of a mechanical shop, Samuel Beckett owns a hardware store, and Lucas Brady is unemployed and a lowlife. What would Farahani and Beckett have in common with our drug-addicted friend, Mr Lucas? Deng, get a search warrant for all three men’s properties, and Farahani and Beckett’s workplaces”. Tank started walking as his mind ticked over.

He continued, “Mary, I want you to dig up anything you can on Satanic groups or cults in the state. You may need to go back twenty or thirty years”. Tank walked over to Ned and said, “Come for a walk with me”. This not only terrified Ned, but it had a similar effect on Louise. ‘Where is he taking Ned, and where did the Satanic thing come from?’

Ned stood up and walked with Tank across the squad room to Tank’s office, like a school kid and the principal. Tank ushered Ned in and shut the door. When they were seated, Tank asked, “Ned, how close is your relationship with Louise”?

“We’re good friends, nothing more. Why?” Ned asked in a shaky voice.

“I need you to do a task for me without her or anybody else knowing. Do you think that would be possible?” Tank asked him.

“No” was the only reply Tank got.

“It’s not anything about Louise. I didn’t want anybody else except you or me to know about it”, Tank said.

“I’m sorry, Tank. I tell Louise everything if she asks, and she will ask as soon as I walk into her den. I can give you the name of someone who can help you, and I won’t tell Louise that I gave it to you. Just in case she ever wants to work with her instead of me”. Ned was talking at a hundred miles an hour like he did when he talked to Louise. Tank nodded an acceptance of that idea. Ned jotted down a name and number on a piece of paper and said, “She’s a little bit of a hippy”.

He had written Kypoira Lewis-Green (pronounced Ky-like sky, poi-like boy, and ra-like car) on the piece of paper and a phone number. He might have guessed that her parents were also hippies with a name like that. He was beginning to like Ned and his quirkiness. Tank thanked him before Ned left his office to look for Louise. Picking up the piece of paper, Tank looked at it and thought, ‘Can you find our mole’?

When Ned came back to her den, Louise was waiting. She wanted to know everything Tank had said. He told her everything except for the part about Kypoira. That put Louise into full panic mode. What did Tank know about her, and why was he suspicious? “You should have said yes, so I knew what he wanted”, she scolded him. Louise had already messaged Ruby about Luke Brady. Now, Louise left her den and rang her once more. It took a while for Ruby to answer. “Hello again” she replied.

“It’s getting worse, Tank Dodge is a problem. He knows about Luke and the churches and is getting someone to check into Satanic groups and cults in New South Wales. Then he took Ned into his office and asked him questions about me”. Louise let all her anguish out.

“Our Master is assessing us”, Ruby said.

“Well, I wish he would assess us another time because my stress level is through the roof”, Louise sighed. “What do I do”?

“Settle down and relax”, Ruby said. She thought it would not be too challenging for Louise to be one of her sacrifices if things did not improve. She already had the notion that Tipsy might have to become one. “Luke and Sam are coming here as we speak. We will deal with them when they get here. No one will ever find them. Everything for our saviour Lucifer”.

“Everything for our saviour, Lucifer”, Louise repeated before Ruby hung up. Louise returned to Ned, “Hey, Pet, we’ve got some work to do. If you help me, I might let you sleep in my bed tonight”.

“Consider it done”, Ned said, feeling his whole body shiver. “Whatever you need”.

“That’s my pet, let’s get to work, shall we?” Louise got up and put her hand on his shoulder before kissing him on his cheek, “We need to work on a new profile”.

***

Maria had looked at the plate holding the chain to the floor when the first sign of daylight came through the skylight. She had been pulling on it all night to no avail. The bolts were no higher than they were yesterday.

She had counted three people who looked after her to date. Two women and the big man. He just stood at the door and stared at her breasts. The smallest one, Tipsy with a nasal voice, had bleached blonde hair and exceedingly long acrylic fingernails. The other woman also had blonde hair, which was slightly more natural. She was taller than Tipsy and a lot heavier. Tipsy was the nicer of the two. Keeping with her yet unfinished plan, Maria was friendly back to them. She even gave the big man a wink every time his eyes met hers, which was not that often. A new man walked into the room who looked strangely familiar.

“Hi”, she said, “have I seen you before”?

Snake smiled and said, “I met you at the gym one day”.

“That’s right, I remember you used the treadmill next to me. I thought you were nice”. She had a realisation and asked in a louder voice than usual, “You kidn*pped me”?

Snake was ready for all the questions they asked. Why me? How long were you watching me? “I am”, he said, “at the request of your ex-partner Christopher and his girlfriend Helena. That should make you happy. We’re not asking your parents for money. If ever you get the chance, you might ask Christopher and Helena why you were kidn*pped. I don’t know why, and I don’t care”. He had found it was a way to limit their questions if his opening remarks went as they had.

Maria stared at him, gobsmacked. She burst into tears and sobbed. The realisation of the situation she was in struck her. Her world came crashing down. She looked up at Tank through tears. “How much did he pay you. Chris hasn’t got money. I’m sure my father will pay you more”. It was a similar quotation to ones he had heard before. Suddenly, their parents had money once they realised there was no million-dollar ransom.

Snake looked at her. She was of Greek origin with olive skin, big brown eyes and brown hair. Maria’s nose was long and wide. “I’m sorry to tell you it isn’t about the money”, Snake said softly.

Maria composed herself the best she could. “You were such a nice guy, a little old for me, but our conversation attracted me to you. I had hoped you might have asked me for my phone number. My mother wanted to pay someone to kill Chris and Helena. I laughed when she told me. I wish she had asked someone like you to do it. I hope they rot in Hell”. Snake thought if there was a Hell, that is where they would be going.