Page 84 of Sinful Palace

Didn’t want to send this online just in case. I got into the ME’s security files and watched the footage from this morning. You were right. Two bodies were brought in by some shady-looking dudes in black just after six this morning. When they unzipped the bags, I could see that one was a random drowned guy (no idea who), and the other was Stephen Rhoades.

They put him on a slab, took a load of photos, took some hair, fingernail and blood samples (I guess for DNA to test against family members to prove he was really there and really dead) and then they took him down to the crematorium. With the other guy, they did an autopsy and then sent him to the crematorium too. He’s the one they’re saying is actually Stephen in the official report.

I’m giving you a flash drive with the important parts of the footage, and I printed off a bunch of screenshots too.

PS. Burn everything after you’re done looking.

PPS. Fuck you for getting me into this. Don’t ask me for a favor ever again.

Beneath the note was the flash drive and the printed screenshots. I leafed through the pictures first, stomach heaving as a sour taste appeared in my mouth.

Even though Willow’s father was tall when he was alive, he looked small and fragile on the big silver morgue table. It was clear that he hadn’t drowned several days ago like the authorities were claiming.

His torso and legs were mottled with bruises, and there were two stab wounds on the right side of his neck. His lips had been sewn shut with thick black thread, and in the center of his chest, there was a symbol in the shape of the Order’s Eye of Providence. It had been burned right into the skin.

All of the injuries looked fresh. That meant he’d probably been beaten, stabbed, and branded only a few hours before these photos were taken. However, someone—most likely Q—wanted his demise to look like a suicide, and they also wanted it to look like it happened right after he vanished from the parade. Hence the drowned decoy body; some unfortunate soul who’d been dragged into the whole thing in order to cover up the murder. Probably a homeless person they figured no one would miss.

“Fuck,” I muttered, shaking my head.

“What is it?” Willow asked.

“Photos of your dad,” I said, glancing up at her.

“He’s definitely dead, isn’t he?” she said in a resigned tone.

I nodded. “Sorry.”

She closed her eyes for a few seconds and took a long, deep breath. Then she straightened her shoulders and looked me in the eye. “Can you show me?”

“I really don’t think you should look at this stuff.”

“Let me see. Please.”

I picked up the box and took it over to the bed. “You sure?”

She nodded. “I doubt it’s any worse than what I’m already picturing,” she said. Before I could reply, she held up a hand and went on. “I can tell it’s bad by the look on your face. Just let me see. Please. Otherwise it’ll drive me crazy.”

I relented and set the box down, watching her face carefully as she began to pick through the pictures.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, recoiling at the first close-ups.

“I’m sorry, Willow.”

She took another deep, shaky breath. “This was the Order, wasn’t it?”

“It certainly appears that way.”

“So Q lied to you when he said the body-drop at the parade was just a warning to stop him from going to the media.”

“Yeah, I’d say so. It was probably more like a warning that they were about to grab him. Something big and elaborate just to fuck with his head,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “Q clearly loves doing that. Loves making people feel weak and powerless compared to him.”

“That’s why Dad vanished into the crowd so fast. He knew it was coming. He was trying to run.”

“But they caught up with him eventually.”

She blinked rapidly, fending off more brimming tears. “It looks like they kept him and tortured him for days before they finally decided to kill him,” she said, tracing a fingertip over one of the photos. “Most of these bruises and cuts look fresh, but a few others look older. See?”

I looked closer. “You’re right. I didn’t even notice that.”

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