chapter 5: A voiceless caution

It was already autumn. Cassidy's morning was chill, but it obviously had nothing to do with the weather. She could not erase the latest message from her mind- They know you are getting closer! Tread carefully

She didn't know anything about her stalker, but she knew that she wanted her to be petrified and give up, it was somehow working, but she knew that she was not going to give up no matter what came her way, it was now or never!

After getting to the office, Mark walked by her as she was pouring coffee, "I take it you had a rough night." Mark said after seeing her tense posture

Cassidy shrugged first, "I'm just concerned with the minute progress in this case. Instead of finding answers, more questions keep piling up." She glanced at Reverend Solomon and Maureen's picture next to her phone. "Have you ever felt that we're chasing shadows?"

Mark poured himself a coffee, and took a long sip as if he was lost in deep thoughts.

"In this town? With all the piled secrets? From the start. Secrets is a way of this town; people protect the past like it is anchoring their life, and once you get involved and start unmasking, your life will always be at risk."

"I don't know why I have a hunch that this is not only about Solomon, Ruthie may have mentioned that this might be something, big…something deep, I can't wrap my head around what she meant by that." Cassie said her expression becoming more serious.

"I think Grace town has a dark history because people don't openly talk about it, but there's a pattern of …betrayal, violence, people like Solomon and others are tied to things that the rest of us only get to hear about through rumors and gossip." Mark said while leaning against the counter, looking down at his cup.

Cassidy's phone buzzed and broke the silence. She quickly glanced down and felt her heart sinking. Another message from the anonymous number.

"Just keep pushing, you'll surely end up like her."

She slightly trembled, her grip tightened on the phone. Her? Who did the person mean by her? Were they talking about Sarah? or were they referring to Maureen? Or another unidentified victim like the two? Her head was almost exploding.

Mark immediately noticed change in her expression. "Another message?"

Cassidy nodded in agreement. "Someone is really determined to make me concede and step down from this case. And they're getting bolder. But I didn't get this far just to give up. I wish to speak to Solomon again- even if it will be on his terms this time." Cassie said with a firm voice while meeting Mark's gaze. "Would you care to inform him that I'd like to meet him."

"Of course, Sheriff."

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The same evening, Cassidy was once again headed towards Grace town Baptist church. She could tell from the murmurs and movement going on in the church that their evening service had just ended, and the church members, stood in groups whispering greetings and blessing to each other.

At the further end of the steps, stood Reverend Solomon Hayes, exuding calm authority, a composed disposition, with his long hands clasped in front of him.

He saw her coming and sprung forward slowly with a faint smile on his lips. "To what do I owe this pleasure? Sherrif. "

"Reverend, I was hoping we could talk somewhere… I mean somewhere more discreet. I still have a lot of questions I believe you'd help me answer."

Solomon looked around and nodded. "I agree Sheriff, I think it's high time we have this conversation."

"This way please." He said, leading Cassidy to his office

Solomon's office was at the center of the church building. Small though modest, bookshelves made from pine tree lined the walls, on the bookshelves were old bibles, new ones, theological books and documents, pamphlets...books, more books. The atmosphere in the office was thick with silence, although, silent in a serene way.

Solomon directed her to a sit across his as he also sat behind his desk.

"So, sheriff what is it that you want to know?"

Without hesitating, Cassidy asked, "I saw your photo with Maureen Hughes, and people are claiming that she disappeared immediately after you left Grace town. Now is the time to come clean on what happened to her Solomon."

The veins on Solomon's neck became more visible, his gaze shifted and his eyes became darker in a scary way. "It happens that Maureen had some troubles, and she came to me for help, but it turned out that she wanted more than I could offer her, she seemed lost, and then she just disappeared one day."

"It so happens that the fingers are being pointed at you, Reverend! And don't you think it is just fair that way because you two were close."

"Sheriff, people will always talk, they say much, and my case is not different, considering the past that I had is less spotless. But I assure you that whatever happened to Maureen, I had no hand in it, I only tried leading her to God, but unfortunately, the world had other plans for her.

"Also, Reverend, someone is really hell bent on keeping your past concealed. They have been threatening me anonymously through phone messages, trying to make me drop the case, what do you know about that?" Cassie said leaning forward.

Solomon bit his lower lips; his expression became dark. "This town is not quite tolerant to outsiders, doesn't matter if you're doing your job, as long as you try to tamper with their secrets. And the people involved will always have a way of protecting themselves. But I assure Sheriff, I'm not behind those messages.

Cassidy just stared at her silently, her mind was racing and something convinced her that Solomon was not telling her the whole truth. "Then who is it if it is not you? Is there another person who has an interest of keeping the past concealed?"

"Can't tell, but I'd advise you to tread carefully. The people you're dealing with are a network of criminals who have secrets they'd do anything to protect. And they won't mind even if they kill have to kill many people, innocent people, to protect their secrets."

"I know, but I won't give them the satisfaction of making me drop the case, no matter what."

"Be careful, Sheriff. Sometimes the truth may be much destructive than the lies that we're already used to." Reverend Solomon said as his expression softened and his face was full of concern.

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When Cassidy was back in her office later that night organizing the case files on her desk, mark walked up, to her with a pale face.

"Cassie, we found something new."

''what?" Cassie asked in a worried voice

"A decaying body at the old cemetery, situated in the outskirts of town. A young girl, with the same signs of bludgeoning and restraint."

"Do you have an ID of the body; I mean who is she?"

"No ID yet. The forensic team is still on it. But given the state of the remains, there's a high possibility it could be… Maureen Hughes."

There was a long silence as Cassidy tried to take in the information. If the body is Maureen's, then it only meant one thing; she was murdered and her body disposed in Grace town cemetery, her disappearance was not a runaway case as people thought!

"Oh God! this clearly goes deeper than Solomon. "Cassie murmured. Tiny sweats started forming on her forehead. "Someone is behind all these deaths, and they've been covering them for all these years.

"And whoever they are, they are not stopping any time soon." Mark's expression was grim.

Cassidy leaned on the desk; her mind was racing. She was somehow right; there was a connection between Maureen's disappearance and Sarah's death… whoever the assassin was, they knew they were close, and Maureen's death was just a message to threaten her and make her drop the case, or she'd be the next victim.

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The following morning, Cassie went to the cemetery with the forensic team, they exhumed the body. The remains were fragile and decayed. The smell was stale. Although the body was in bad state; they could easily tell how she was killed. She had bruises on her wrists and ankles, just like Sarah's. the killer clearly had a pattern of torturing and killing their victims. Cassidy was devastated by the scene.

She was approached by a familiar figure as she was about to leave the scene. Billy Carr!

His face was hidden beneath the big round cap he wore. "Sheriff, thought that I'd drop by, heard you are looking into Maureen's murder."

Cassidy looked at him suspiciously, not knowing whether he was there to help with the case or act as a spy. "Billy, if there is anything you know concerning the case, now is the right time to tell me.

Billy looked around as if someone was watching him, his expression was etched with worry. He moved closer to a Cassidy. "Sheriff, I don't have much time, but I wanted you to know something. Solomon is not the only person you should be looking into, there's someone else…a family. The Langston family."

"The Langston family is among the most wealthy, affluent and powerful family in the town. Old blood. They control almost everything that happens in this town, directly or indirectly. Name it; the church, the education system, administration, government, judicial system, tax flow, businesses…I mean everything."

Langston family?! Could they be the hidden force keeping Grace town's deepest secrets concealed? Cassie's mind was racing once again with questions

"So, what's your shot here,Billy. Are you trying to say that they could be the ones behind Maureen's and Sarah's death?" Cassie asked in a whisper

"I'm trying to say that,everything bad that has happened in this town,they have always been involved. Solomon has always been their scapegoat, an easy target . If you want to end this,then you will be forced to take the bull by its horns and go after the real culprits."

Everything Billy told her just left her with more questions. She stood there contemplating on which question to ask next,but when she looked up. Billy was gone! Leaving her more curious than before.

Her chest tightened,she felt like she couldn't breathe properly. If all that Billy just told her was true,she knew she was in for it

She was not just facing a killer; she was up against an entire consortium,a legacy of corruption, and a powerful protege',who were willing to pull any strings,to remain in the shadows

She looked back at the cemetery,as she tried to fathom what she'd just got herself into!