Page 8 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

I unfold it, my eyes scanning the headlines. “Mayor of Harmony Grove Accused of Murder: Six Dead in Brutal Killing Spree.” My heart skips a beat. “This can’t be happening,” I mutter. “How did this get out?”

Mark looks uncomfortable. “Someone leaked it. The press is all over it.”

I slump into my chair, feeling the weight of the entire thing on my shoulders. “It’s going to be harder to prove my innocence now.”

Ana steps forward, her face set with determination. “We’ll get through this. We just need to stay calm.”

But staying calm is impossible. Outside, I hear the commotion of the press gathering. Cameras flashing, reporters shouting questions.

I take a deep breath and stand up. “I guess I have to face them.”

Ana nods. “I’ll be right beside you. Or we can wait them out before returning home.”

We step out, and the noise hits me like a wave. Questions fly at me from all directions.

“Mr. Mayor, did you kill those women?”

“Are you stepping down?”

“What do you have to say about the allegations?”

I hold up a hand, trying to project calm. “I did not kill those women. This is a misunderstanding, and I will prove my innocence.”

The deputies usher me into the waiting car, and we drive off, the press still shouting behind us. The tension in the car is palpable. Now, with the rest of the town involved, the killer already has a perfect cover. It won’t be long before they start calling for my head on a platter.

“We need to find out who did this,” Ana says, her voice surprisingly calm. “And we need to do it fast.”

“I know,” I reply, staring out the window. “But where do we start?”

“We’ll go over everything again,” she says. “There has to be something we missed.”

“I don’t even have enough in my head for us to go over. What do you think? Even Karla can’t figure out what’s blocking my memories and I doubt other witches would want to help, since it’s their sisters dead and not vampires.”

As we drive, my mind races. Who would want to frame me? And why? The questions pile up, but the answers remain elusive. I can’t even think with my memory blank; whoever I pissed off this time has it all out for me.

Chapter 4: Solitary Confinement

EVELYN

I sit at my desk, staring at the pile of folders in front of me. The room is quiet, the air thick with tension. My deputies are all gathered, waiting for me to speak.

"We need to set up a task force," I say, breaking the silence. "This investigation is now our top priority."

Deputy Mark looks up, his expression serious. "What’s the plan, Sheriff?"

I take a deep breath. "We treat Alexei just like we treat everyone else. I don’t care if he’s the mayor or that he is my fiancé. We have the whole town watching us, and we need to work thoroughly and fast."

The deputies nod in agreement. "Understood," Mark says.

"We’ll start by examining every piece of evidence we’ve collected so far," I continue. "We need to look at this from every angle."

Deputy Lisa speaks up. "Do you think he had a partner? I mean, killing six people alone... it seems unlikely. I mean did the killer have a partner though, because I still find it hard to believe that Mayor Alexei killed all those women."

I nod. "Exactly. We need to consider the possibility that someone else did this and they had help. Now they are trying to frame Alexei for it."

The room falls silent again as we dive into the work. Photos, reports, witness statements—everything is scrutinized. But the more we look, the more questions arise.

After what feels like hours, I push back from my desk. "I need some air. Keep working on this. We need to find something."

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