Tomas had a headache, probably due to that weird attack he encountered yesterday. He didn’t drink so much he would get hangover from that. Rubbing his temples he stood up.
He walked to kitchen to get water and painkiller, noticed Andreea smoking in balcony wearing barely nothing. Damn. She had the same serene expression as she always had.
– You truly are Finnish, she quickly looked at him and turned her eyes away.
– Finnish swede, Tomas corrects her and gets the water.
– Whatever. Running around buck naked.
– That’s the way, he lets out a low groan and opens the water bottle, swallows the pill and rinses it with water.
Andreea smirks and this time she gives him a full scan.
– If you ever get fed up with this work, you could do porn. She turns back to look outside.
– Another lonely job I’ve heard.
– Could be, she blows steam from her nostrils.
– Hope I wasn’t too rough? Tomas notices visible bruises around Andreea’s wrists.
She shakes her head but doesn’t look back at him.
– How are you feeling?
– Better. Massive headache though. You?
– Trying to sort things in my head still. Get some more rest, she says. – I already let the police know we are postponing Bruni’s interrogation.
_____________________
Detective Segreto leads Detective Zampa in to see Vitale.
After some polite hand shaking and giving Segreto the heads up that he had pastry crumbs on his chin and shirt, Vitale says, "So...Klausenburg?" He grins. "Pietronella "Van Helsing" Zampa?"
"Ha ha." She smirks. "Just some lunatic involved with Runa Hersog. High profile until it wasn't. He was a lovely man. Slicing up men and women and drinking their blood."
"So, he wasn't a real vampire?" Segreto chuckles.
Detective Zampa rolls her eyes. "ANYWAY, it seems I can't leave you gentlemen - using the term loosely - alone for a minute before you drive a fellow Detective to murder? What the hell happened here? The briefing I got sounded insane. I mean...Bruni?" She frowns.
"We think she got into something for money and it kept spiraling deeper, but we're still sorting out the details. Heard about the Special Agents?"
Detective Zampa nods. She purses her lips remembering Chief Trevisan's words, then looks at Segreto. "I'm sorry - can we have the room for a moment?"
"Uh...sure?" He glances at Vitale, shrugs, and mutters, "I'll go grab a coffee," as he leaves.
 |
"Sorry about our friend there, but he's not invited to the party." Detective Zampa winks and Vitale feels himself pull back a bit.
Then she says with a flourish, "Congratulations. Welcome to Divisione investigazioni speciali e tattiche."
"Special investigations and tactics?" He frowns a bit. "I've never heard of it."
"I know." She smiles. "Chief Trevisan gets to single out a few of us to take the lead on some...more interesting cases. I understand that you were under a microscope over the last few months thanks to your friend, Bruni."
He winces a bit and she refrains from associating him with her that way anymore.
"In the course of that time, and your efforts in the Villanueva Case, he thought you'd be ideal for this."
"I see. I really don't know what any of this is getting to."
"That her? Villanueva?" She motions to the board.
He turns to look. "Yes."
"Well..." she reaches down to her bag and pulls a plastic bag out of it. She pulls a book from the bag and holds it up. "I'll trade you - information about your ritualistic markings...for a book written by a female killer who thought she had magic powers?"
Detective Vitale puffs out a breath and lets his eyes go wide.
"I know. A bit of a change from drug rings and murders, huh?" She hands him the book. "Your case was completely off my radar until recently." She motions at the door. "Detective Segreto's report and the fingerprints and the woman that came up from them. The one who died in the Civitella San Paolo fire. That's my case."
"Danuta Szymańska..." he looks down, finds her photo, and hands it to Zampa.
Detective Zampa studies the photo, then looks up. "So...this is the ghost that killed your witness? My dead body from months ago? She's in that book. I guess there were a bunch of these people in a cult of some kind. I'll get the reports over to you, but that fire was no accident. It was some of the most complex arson work we've seen."
"So...our witness was killed by a burnt up woman who's been dead for months. Oh...who still has fingerprints clean enough to ID her." He looks at the book. "And I get quietly shuffled into a department no one knows about." He sighs.
"Fun way to start a new job, hmmm?" She laughs. "Next stop, Chief Trevisan. He asked me to have you...drop by."
_______________
"You f^cking monster," the low voice said as a small trap opened in the door of the high security floor in the basement level.
Chelsea glanced up at yet another angry face as the tray of food came sliding in. Kicked in, the force sending a lot of the food flying off the tray and onto the floor.
Chelsea laughed as a line from the book her Father used to read to her all the time came to mind vividly. Humorously.
________
“But it’s no use now,” thought poor Alice, “to pretend to be two people! Why, there’s hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!”
________
Chelsea Bruni laughed, then fell silent. Elke Giacomina...the White Death...had made promises and deals. Magical deals. Strong magic it seemed. That's what it felt like when the redhead woman sliced Chelsea's hand and dropped in Elke's blood mixture.
Her guts had rolled around in her body and her eyes went crossed before she fell to the floor shaking. A deal with a Devil in white. In return for her contacts in the department, Direzione Investigativa Antimafia, and the Arma dei Carabinieri, she would be given certain gifts that played off of her natural abilities.
A special treats now and then.
Delightful trips and funds to draw on that made life very nice indeed.
But...where was she now? This wasn't supposed to happen.
______________
"Good morning Detective Vitale." Detective Zampa glances at the cot. "Saving on rent by living here?"
Vitale smiles. "My wife is traveling. Didn't see the point of heading home last night. Are you still up for making the tour today?"
"Wouldn't miss it. Are we going to be able to get inside the two locations?"
"Three locations. There was another situation that matches the ritual symbols reported a few days ago. Going to be a busy day. We should have access to them all. There are lock-boxes - I have the codes."
"Well then, we better get going. Coffee? We can hit the shop downstairs on the way out."
He wrinkles his nose. "We'll take a stroll down to LUNA, then head out."
"Ah...and man of discriminating tastes." She laughs.
Detective Zampa feels her stomach flutter and head spin a bit as she looks down to the beach. Villa Morelli looms behind them as she winces and moves back to the wall a bit more.
"We questioned the people on the beach at the time, neighbors, and then combed the entire area, but nothing was found. A few partials that didn't amount to anything, really. No way up here, so they had to come around the front, but no one saw--" He stops and looks back at her. "You ok?"
"I don't like heights. I think that's all it is." She switches gears. "Was Bruni here during that sweep?"
Vitale nods. "She ran lead. I didn't get here until about an hour later. I was called here, but was out of the City."
"So...she could have tampered with evidence then. Having people search one way while she hid things? Took things?" Again, Vitale nods. "Can we move on to the Villanueva residence now? I want to follow up on the camera's used to capture Bruni yelling at Villanueva. Track back to that secret room as well."
The two detectives spend a long time at the Villanueva residence.
Vitale slips to the side every now and then checking on his wife's return trip, then dives back into the familiar space and checks it yet again.
"HERE!" Vitale is startled by Zampa's shout.
"What the hell? What is it?"
"Did your people follow this?" She uses a little pointer after taking photos. "This cord. It's not like the others. There's a little...splitter. See? At its end under this board." Can you take me to this wall outside?" Vitale heads for the door at a jog. "This way."
________________________________________
Outside, they see a spot in the wall that has clearly been patched.
Detective Zampa points with the pointer. "Bet the cord came out here.
Routed to another recorder or device. Where is the spot where your
witness said he saw Szymańska?"
He points. "Right off the main road - down there. So...there's an outside recorder or feed split off from the main camera feed. That could be recording or broadcasting blackmail material back to the people who put the splitter in. Maintenance records for the equipment...who was out here...."
"I'd like to talk to the people who were assigned to search here at the deep level as well. Find out why they missed that...little detail."
__________________
"That's amazing! I mean...wow. What the hell is it even - Special investigations and tactics division?" Angela pours him a whiskey and hands it to him, happy to be back home. "It sounds dangerous."
"Remember the show X-Files? Well, it feels like that, really." He laughs and sips. "But, they want us to disprove anything that could be a...disruption to public safety and secure feelings. Make people feel safe and sound when the stranger items pop up."
"Like your symbols killings all over the place? Crazy burnt witnesses?" She frowns.
"Exactly." He moves to her and pulls her close. "But...after the fact when things are done. Following up at scenes. And, a better pay, more benefits, more time off." He smiles at her. "To relax...with you." He runs his hands over her.
"Relax, huh? Some parts of you feel more relaxed than others, Angelo..." She giggles and kisses him.
_______________
Sargent Petri pulls Detective Segreto outside for a moment.
"Full gear? Did I miss something?" Segreto nods with his head. "Or, just feeling like you need a little more protection?" He chuckles.
Petri doesn't laugh. "Did Detective Vitale fly the coop? I heard he's over in DIST now."
Segreto looks at this as confirmation for what he's heard as well.
"Nothing official has come down as far as I know. I hope it's true,
though. He works harder than any of us."
Petri shrugs. "Sure. Especially if he might go in the Hole with his partner if he doesn't, huh? Makes working hard worth it."
Segreto doesn't like the tone. "You have something to say, Petri?" He stares.
Petri gets the message. "No, Sir."
"Good. Move along." He watches Petri go and makes a note to follow up with Vitale ASAP.
After talking to Sargent Petri, Detective Segreto calls Vitale.
"Hmmm...well, this could be a sign that there is more here in the department than we're aware of." He thinks. "Detective Segreto, can you be point person on this? Let Chief Trevisan know? We may want to increase the lockdown on Bruni until we can speak with Petri and his team."
"Agreed. I'll go to the Chief right now."
"Marco...be careful. Ok?"
Detective Segreto smiles. "I will...Angelo." Detective Segreto hangs up and pockets his phone feeling like he's made a real friend in Angelo Vitale. Now...to see the Chief.
___________
Elke Giacomina listens as "her little secret" tells her what happened with the agents after the other officers arrived.
"Afterward Isabella was taken to Ospedale di Santa Maria. Her red hair had gone blonde and her face looked...." He swallows and shakes her head. "The hospital said they'd run tox screens to find out how she died."
"Go on." Elke knew what Isabella's plan had been. No need to beat that dead horse. She's furious that these two foreigners were constantly in the way. Olivia's doing, perhaps. "The agents - what happened with them?"
"They looked VERY rattled." He smiles. "Very short with each other. Confused. Did not like being questioned about the situation. The Chief stepped in after some time and they were allowed to leave, but you could tell they were visibly shaken. I'm working on finding out where they are staying, but they keep splitting up and slipping away. I doubt they are anywhere in this area."
Elke narrows her eyes and thinks. "Try and find out why they are here. What they want. They can't have my little Bruni, but perhaps they are after something else we can give them. Get them to f^ck off back home." She taps her finger on her chair, then smiles. "And maybe if they are rattled, we keep things uncomfortable for their stay."
Secrets 01
Detective Segreto slips out of the station before his partner can join him. He switches off his phone and heads to his car. Danuta Szymańska was a mystery he had to know more about. He drives out of the city and into the more rural countryside.
He slams the car to a stop before hitting a bunch of sheep. Waiting, he thinks through the landscape of the cases. The symbols. A dead woman's prints at the scene of the crime. Bruni being a dirty cop.
He chuckles to himself and mutters, "Mmm...bet she's a really dirty cop. This little---"
The car behind him beeps and he drives on.
_______
The house isn't anything special. Just the opposite. It almost looks like it's trying hard to blend in with the landscape.
Segreto moves through the small gate and up to the front door. He bangs on it with his fist and waits.
"What? Who is it?" The voice sounds old. An old woman? An accent.
"This is Detective Marco Segreto. Can I have a word with you about Danuta Szymańska?"
"She's not here."
"Please, open the door." There is a silence, then the sound of locks being disengaged, then the door opens slowly.
Secrets 02
Detective Segreto stares as the old woman opens the door. She looks like a dried fig. Her skin is brown and wrinkles cascade over it. Her right eye is gray with melted, scarred skin covering half of it, and the right side of her face burned. He tries not to look shocked.
"Thank you. I wanted to speak to you about Danuta Szymańska. She lived here, yes?" T
he old woman smiles.
"Madame, I need you to answer my questions here, or we can go to the station. I think you'd be more comfortable here."
"Do you?" Her tone is mocking. "The little man is drowning in a pond and he doesn't even know it. Fighting for air." Her smile widens.
Detective Segreto feels himself getting angry and hot. "Would you mind if I came in and looked around?" He looks over the small woman's head.
On the wall by the door there are symbols that look like the ones found at the crime scenes. He reaches for his phone. "I just need to--"
"Leave. You need to leave...Detective Segreto. Before it's too late." She grins.
Detective Segreto pinches the iPhone buttons several times taking photos blind, then holds the phone up and takes a few more before the old woman slams the door.
He pulls at his shirt and makes his way back to the car.
The heat he felt seemed...wrong.
He checks the photos he took.
He mutters, "Old woman tit - great. Wrinkled...hand? Chin...with hairs...lovely..." He starts to cool down a bit. "Bingo! A bit of the wall....another bit...."
He was so focused on the wall that he didn’t notice the tall human
shadow in the background of the photo.
_____________________
Danuta Szymańska stares at the white haired woman as she climbs into the taxi and drives off.
Bad news. Good news. The White Death.
Danuta was starting to wonder if Elke Giacomina was earning her moniker by being death for everyone around her. Her little redhead minion Isabella failed miserably with her task. Bad news for Isabella, but good news for Danuta. One less witch to share the wealth. The handsy Spanish guy, too. Bumbler. It was like watching children play spy.
"Poor little Isabella and her bullshit mind games and elemental spells. Especially trying to use them on the likes of those two...detectives? Agents? Whatever the hell."
Danuta picks up the ax Elke gave her. "Let's just call them meat. What I wouldn't give to play some games with the two of them. Smart and pretty little models. I bet I could work some magic with them. Powerful sex magic." She laughs and eyes the ax lovingly until Elke's words come back to her. _________
"Leave the Agents. I need you to focus on getting our police friends on the inside organized. They've made it very difficult to get to her. We're going to have to...think bigger, Danuta. And you are going to have to curb your antics. Olivia's people are getting harder to find and we need Bruni's contacts to assist us." Elke had left for the taxi after that.
_________
"Bruni's contacts." Danuta snarls. "The only thing keeping her alive." She slashes at the air with the ax. She smiles. She said leave the agents, but that doesn't mean I can't pay a little visit to Vitale's lovely wife."
Another slash at the air with the ax.
____________________
Elke Giacomina addresses the small group before her. She is happy to be holding court again.
The assembled group is primarily female, but male witches are also present. She has no bias.
A pale woman calls out, "How many of the b!tche’s locks are left, Morte Bianca? How may we help to free you?"
Elke sighs. "Sadly, we are not sure about the number. Isabella -rest well - thought that only five remained. However our detained ally had a source that put the number at seven or eight."
Murmurs of hate echoed around the small room as the twelve or so people talked among themselves.
"However," Elke continued, "we may have revised numbers once we free her from her police detainers. Once she is able to meet with her contacts again."
Danuta Szymańska stays close, acting as Elke's bodyguard. Her eyes scan the group.
Another woman stands. "And...who's to say that the number isn't higher? And....what will you do once the locks are gone? Leave us to our own devices while you go to face this Olivia Moore? Our Coven is small. We are trying to grow again. If this is your plan, perhaps picking a new High Priestess to lead us?"
Danuta moves forward wearing the mask she loves. The Spectre.
Elke stands. "And...perhaps you are that leader? Perhaps you feel...that you can best me? Bring us further than I have? Return from the flames...as I have?" She stares at the woman. "Perhaps we should see if you, too, can return from being burned alive...as I have?"
The woman drops to the floor - prostate.
"Morte Bianca....I beg your forgiveness. I didn't mean to--" The woman's tongue goes numb in her mouth.
"Shhhhh......" Elke stares at the group.
__________________
Angela moves down the busy street and heads down a small street towards Madame Rosetti's home.
When she rounds the corner, she sees that another client is already there, so she stops and leans against the wall to give them some space.
"Here to see the witch?"
Angela is startled by the voice that comes from behind her. She turns and sees a tall blonde standing there smiling.
"Witch?"
The blonde grins. "Madame Rosetti. The witch. The one with all the shitty love charms and bad advice." She chuckles. "You don't look like you need love charms, so you must be here for the bad advice."
Angela doesn't like this big blonde or her smile. "Excuse me," she mutters as she makes her way back out to the busy main street.
"I hope Angelo and those two hot officers have as much good street sense as you do, Angela!" Danuta Szymańska smiles.
Angela turns, but the woman is gone. But...where? There isn't a spot to go between her and Madame Rosetti.
The woman just...vanished into thin air.
No comments:
Post a Comment