Page 14 of Dark Souls

“Okay. So, we know what time he arrived,” Archer said, flicking to the inside footage of the bar area and fast-forwarding to the same time. We watched as the man ordered a drink and moved to sit in a far corner booth, completely inconspicuous. “I suppose the fact he was alone is a red flag.”

“Hey! Don’t knock it. I used to go to clubs alone all the time before Sienna. Just to blow off some steam.” Raiden chuckled, a devilish look on his face.

“Yeah, and that never caused trouble.” Archer scoffed.

I ignored their conversation, solely focused on watching the mysterious man as he sat alone and studied everyone around him with a cold detachment. Archer fast-forwarded again until he stood up from his booth and made his way back to the bar, standing right beside me. The man’s face was blank, devoid of any emotion, but his eyes were fixed on the criminal beside me as if his glare alone could bury him. My stomach fluttered. Contained rage. Without a shadow of a doubt, this was my killer.

I watched our interaction play out, remembering how I put him in his place and told him to stay out of it. A flicker of something closely resembling surprise mixed with pride appeared on his face before I moved my attention back to Eddie and then we left together. My fingers tapped against my thigh as I studied his reaction. His jaw tensed. His eyes narrowed as he stared down at his drink. He seemed to be having an inner battle with himself. Then he lifted his glass, downing the remainder of the alcohol and slamming it back on the bar before leaving. My heart thundered.

“Looks like you were on to something,” Archer said, taking screenshots of the footage and time-lapse. I tried not to get too excited and let the praise get my hopes up. Returning to the outside CCTV, he was seen looking in both directions down the street, clearly searching for something or someone, then lifted his hood once more and stalked off in the same direction of the alleyway, where I was acting out my scene with Eddie Hughes.

I stood up straight as Archer swivelled in his chair to face Raiden and me with an arched eyebrow. “Well, it doesn’t incriminate him, but it’s worth digging into and bringing him in for questioning.”

“And how soon can you do that?”

“Few hours, depending on his location. Hopefully, he is local to New York, so it shouldn’t be difficult. Thanks, Ilaria. Leave it with us.”

My eyebrows pulled in tightly as I moved my gaze to Raiden. “I want to be here when you question him.”

Raiden lifted his hand to rub his jaw, but he held my gaze with understanding. He knew I was too involved in this to let it go. “Fine. But you stay behind the glass. Archer will question him, and I’ll be there as muscle in case he is supernatural and dangerous.”

“Deal.” I nodded.

Archer stuck to his word. Four hours later, I was standing behind the mirrored glass and scrutinising the fear-stricken face of Harry Gould. A twenty-three-year-old New Yorker who came from a wealthy family who had made millions in the stock markets. Dressed in a designer polo, sand-coloured chinos, and brown loafers, he looked much more in keeping with his affluent upbringing than he had been last night. His brown eyes darted around the minimalistic room as he rubbed his clammy hands together in his lap. He was extremely nervous. Which also didn’t fit with the profile of my stalker. Unless this was all an impressive act of innocence.

Archer and Raiden entered the room. The fear in his eyes heightened when he took in the size and threatening nature of my uncle.

“Harry Gould?” Archer asked, pulling out a chair opposite him and giving the man a warm smile. “Thank you for your time. We have a few questions we would like to ask you about the night of the 12th of October and your whereabouts.”

Harry’s eyes swept over to Raiden standing protectively behind Archer’s chair as he swallowed thickly a few times before they returned to the good cop. “Is this about the drugs? Because if it is, it was my first time taking molly and I didn’t even enjoy it. The guy who sold it to us didn’t tell us his name, but I can find out for you from a friend of mine. I’m willing to cooperate. Just please don’t tell my father. I need to keep this out of the media or he’ll fucking disown me.”

Archer tilted his head slightly and exchanged a look with Raiden. I frowned. That seemed too genuine.

“Well, I am glad you are willing to be transparent with us. But no, this is not about the drugs. This is about Eddie Hughes.”

“Eddie who?” Harry baulked, his perfectly sculptured face twisting with confusion.

“Or Sylvester Graidern?”

Harry started shaking his head, squeezing his hands together. “I don’t know who they are. Am I under arrest? Do I need a lawyer? I think I need a lawyer.” He started trembling uncontrollably. Damn, this guy was good. Or he was innocent. Which meant I was being played.

“That won’t be necessary right now. We just wanted to have a friendly chat. Ask a few questions and you’ll be free to go.”

“Okay…” Harry eyed Archer warily.

“Talk us through that night. Where were you?”

“Umm.” He rubbed his sweaty forehead under his blonde hair. “It was my mate’s birthday so we were out celebrating. We met up at Viper’s, had drinks and danced a bit, then left and headed to the strip club, Missy’s, where we got the drugs off some guy that Ned knew. After, we got cabs down to Lolo’s Club and stayed there until it closed. I got home at about 5am.”

“And you were with your friends the entire night? Did you venture anywhere alone at all?”

He shook his head. He lifted his gaze to the mirrored window behind Archer and I looked deep into his eyes. Eyes that held none of that cruel danger I’d seen last night.

What the fuck is this about? I’m going to fucking kill Ned if he has got us involved in some dodgy shit again. Why the hell do I listen to that loser?

My body bristled as I read his mind. This wasn’t the same guy. I knocked on the glass window, drawing Raiden’s attention as Archer continued to pointlessly question the man about the dive bar, which he swore he would never be seen dead in. Raiden and Archer excused themselves and came straight to me.

“He is human,” Raiden said, with a hint of judgment in his tone. He thought I was wasting his time on something I had got completely wrong. “And innocent, if you ask me.”

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