Chapter 6- No Elevator?
1635 Words
I wanted to punch him in the gut like I did to Malcolm. Girls’ lives were on the line, and they teased as if this was a gothic movie or some folklore playing out in real life.
“Dr. Castillian, this is a serious matter. I’d appreciate it if you'd treat it as such.”
The other side of his lips lifted as if he had found my response revealing and interesting.
“Of course, Detective Kilton. I was serious. It’s called a vampire snake.” He practically spat the words out. “Very unique bite, but unmistakable. Rare even. Not much research has been developed on them and, for good reason, they are not to be trusted. But it seems you have several loose in this city. Very concerning.” He practically whispered the last sentence to himself.
“Well, I believe the perp is using it as a calling card, a way to put his signature on a crime.”
Again, he rubbed his eyes. “Well, the issue is you have several. Look at the length between the two punctures, they are different.”
“And that’s bad because…”
“I’m assuming your victims are coming back confused with little memory of what their experience was? As if they were under a variation of narcotic.”
I scrutinized him. “Yes.”
“That is the vampire.”
“Vampire snake.”
“Yes, if you prefer to see it that way.”
Malcolm entered the office, stopping quickly.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were in a meeting.”
Dr. Castilian stood. “No, no. I believe we have finished, for now.”
He brought out his hand. I grasped it and was surprised how cold it was. “Thank you for your help and knowledge you provided us with, Dr. Castillian.”
“Anytime.”
Malcolm watched him leave. “You about ready?”
“Yes. I’ll meet you out there.”
I grabbed my phone and texted Steve.
Hey Steve, thanks for sending Dr. Covin Castillian my way. What do you know about him?
Send.
I exited my office and watched the tall man walk towards the back of the building towards the alleyway door. Watching his departing figure, I had to accept that he was handsome - okay, more than handsome. No one deserved the right to be as confident, smart, and sexy as he was. Though I did notice he left his glasses on a side desk. I walked over and picked them up, curious by that behavior.
Malcolm was waiting in the car.
“Garrett Shard was very cooperative in letting us set this meeting up.”
“That’s good,” I still had my suspicions.
My thoughts turned to what Dr. Castillion said. Was the perp using the vampire snakes to disorient their victims? They would be easy to manipulate.
We were taken to a corner office away from the bustle of the restaurant.
Garrett Shard, the owner of Albetos, waited for us by his receptionist. He was shorter with a black suit. His brown hair was slicked back. But, similar to the man the previous night, his skin had a palish glint to it.
“Detectives, welcome. I have informed my staff and assistants to be in complete cooperation.”
Malcolm said, “Thank you, and thank you for your time.”
“Of course. The security room is right here.”
We followed him to the left to a room full of monitors and a security guard.
“As you can see, we have twenty-four hour surveillance and security to monitor everything going on in the restaurant.” Garrett Shard offered a smile in my direction. “The videos are at your disposal.”
I stepped forward. The security guard moved out of the way.
“We will check in an hour. Unfortunately, that is when we open for our dinner hours. So, my security will need to get back to his job.”
“That is plenty of time,” Malcolm said.
We went to the security cameras. I said, “They went to Albetos, according to the roommate, on September 30th.”
Malcolm, with a few clicks, found the video footage of September 30th.
We saw three girls of college age we quickly identified as Sara, Brittney, and roommate standing in the line. They were seated at the bar. An hour passed and the roommate left. The same man from the previous night we saw with the two women approached the girls. They conversed for a moment in easy conversation before the girls abruptly stood up and departed with the man.. They walked to the hallway. I switched the camera, but the man was no longer with the girls. It was just them. They pause in front of something the camera did not show, then walk forward out of sight of the camera into disappearance. .
“Is there no camera that shows that elevator?”
“I don’t see any.”
“Rewind.”
We watched it again. “Don’t they seem… robotic to you? Like look at Brittney, she entered the restaurant with a hop to every step and the way her arms swung.” I moved the camera forward. “Now look. Totally different.”
Malcolm shrugged. “I’ll get Garrett Shard.”
I re-watched the interaction between Brittney and the man. There was a brief transition when she was smiling, the man stared straight at her, then her smile faded. Her face turned to stone, she rose with Sara and they disappeared. It was as if she was hypnotized.
It took ten minutes before Garrett and Malcolm entered. Malcolm appeared more at ease than when we had first entered.
“Where does that hallway end?” I asked, showing him where Sara and Brittney paused and disappeared into.
“To the back alley.”
Garrett took control and showed us the back alley where Sara and Brittney exited onto the street. A white limo pulled up, they got in, and it disappeared. There was no license plate.
Garrett Shard glanced at me surprised. “They were kidn*pped?”
“Yes. What about the elevator in that same hallway? I never saw a back door.”
“Detective here,” he pointed to Malcolm, who had not moved from his earlier spot, “asked me the same question. I showed him. A wall opens to the alleyway. There is an exit sign.”
“No, there was an elevator.”
“You mean metal doors that lead to the outside. I know my own building, Detective Kilton.”
“I saw an elevator behind a wall, Garrett Shard.”
Malcolm stepped forward. “Adira, I investigated it. It is a door to the back alley.”
“I want to see this.”
Malcolm said, “Our time is up, they are open for business. I investigated it. It is a door to the back alley.”
I said, “Last question for now. Who is that man?”
I pointed to the man on the screen that was talking with Brittney and Sara.
He shrugged. “I have never seen him in my life. I don’t know.”
“Can I have a copy of this recording?”
“Of course.” Garrett paused. His hesitation made me look at him.
When we looked eye to eye, I froze. I couldn’t turn away. He held my gaze, and I felt a melodic feeling sweep over me. I felt my body sway. A voice entered my head telling me that he was innocent and there was no elevator, only a back door. It repeated again and again, I felt myself believing him. Yet, something deep inside of me knew this was not real. This voice in my head was not mine, but an intruder.
He stopped, but I was so confused by what had happened I said nothing.
Garrett Shard went to the computer and clicked some buttons. He handed me a USB.
“Let me know if you need anything else, detectives.”
I nodded, and Malcolm followed me out.
When we entered the car, I turned to Malcolm.
“Did you see that?”
“What?”
“He’s lying. Something weird happened in that room.”
“I didn’t notice anything. Everything checked out. Brittney and Sara left the restaurant through the back door and got into a limo.”
“But what about that elevator?”
“What elevator?”
I stared at him.
“The one we saw last night.”
“I investigated it. It is a door to the back alley.”
I leaned back in my chair. Malcolm started the engine. I could still feel remnants of his voice meddling in my head.
At the precinct, I escaped back to my office. Inside, lying on my desk, was a little square box. Who got into my locked office? I opened the box and it was a necklace. The chain and necklace appeared to be silver, it glittered in the light of my office. The chain held a circular metal piece with a symbol in the middle. The top of the symbol was circular, blending into what looked like a rugged T shape.
A little note was laid beside the box.
A gift for your time. A totem of luck and protection.
Dr. Covin Castillian
I wasn’t a jewelry person, but the necklace enticed me. It made me smile to think that a handsome man had brought me a gift. I placed the necklace around my neck.
My phone buzzed. A text from Steven.
I never sent anyone to you. I don’t know Dr. Covin Castillian. In fact, looking him up in our database, there is no Dr. Covin Castillian.
- Writer
