16. Splendor Knew More Than She Expected

Lady Kort became famous in the city. Her name became common in everyone's lips. People saw hope in her confidence. They believed she was tough to frighten the angel dust sellers and bust the killer of Marcos Mann and his father. It didn't take many days before she called me and my friends to the police station. Chris was also among us. Our parents urged us to comply with her. Kort asked questions relating our lives at the college with Marcos and the incident that happened, which forced Chris to threaten everyone with his pistol. We told everything to her, and she dismissed us. I didn't mention the necklace I saw in Ms. Gunday's house. Truly, I don't know why I didn't mention it to Kort.

The days passed, and people were still looking up to Kort for a positive development on the case. However, Kort was having trust issues in working closer to Officer K at the SPD station. She moved to Splendor's lab. She and Splendor were comfortable working closer. They were helping each other in cracking the case. Splendor was examining the bodies. As days passed, Kort was impatient for the results. Splendor was taking his time. To kill time, she took a walk and left Splendor doing his job. He didn't like to be disturbed, and he believed there was something odd in the bodies just as Mr. Mann assumed before he died. So, he tried by all means to have results that were going to conclude to his beliefs.

While Splendor was busy at the lab, the eight of us were partying behind Chris' house. We were in the garden, all drunk, celebrating Chris' freedom, not caring about our expulsion from the college. We knew our lives were taking a new turn, although we didn't know what was going to follow. When the party was at its peak, Kelvana intruded. No one saw him except me. I didn't think twice about going straight to him as he was slowly coming to us. I didn't even ask what he wanted, I just threw punches at him. The moment he fell down, Chris and Jeff saw what was happening. Jeff came running to us and held me. I tried to release Jeff's grip, screaming that Kelvana was an enemy. He was the reason we faced all the difficulties. If he didn't start from the beginning by framing Veronica, all those events that led us to prison would have been impossible. Instead of Chris to stop my fight with Kelvana, he went straight to kick him on the ground and dismantled his face with his fist. Jeff fast released me and went to stop Chris. He was telling us to stop because we were going to kill him, judging by our anger.

Chris stopped and told Kelvana to disappear. Kelvana's face was then red with blood. Jeff helped him to stand up. At that moment, he dropped a necklace similar to the one I saw in Ms. Gunday's house. I got confused. Before I even questioned Kelvana, the girls pulled me and Chris away from Kelvana while Jeff made sure he walked Kelvana out of the perimeter. We didn't know what Kelvana wanted, and no one bothered to ask.

After Kelvana left, many thoughts visited my mind. I didn't understand how Marcos' necklace reached Ms. Gunday's house and how come it was then with Kelvana unless if they had identical necklaces. To kill all those thoughts, I took a bottle of whiskey and poured it into my mouth. We drank as if it were our last night to live. While we were giving ourselves to whiskey, Kort was watching us from a distance. She envied our freedom and wished to join us. However, it was impossible because despite her being almost our age; she was a decorated officer in a task and we were just expelled college students waiting for her to set us free by proving that none of us killed Marcos. She admired us from a distance. Thereafter, she went back to the lab and found Splendor overly happy. She knew it was her breakthrough because the results were ready.

"Kort, we are too close to capture the devil and bury these corpses. Truly, I am getting bored by their presence," Splendor said.

"That's good news, Splendor. Please, let's hear the results," she calmly said.

"Sure. Marcos' body has contusions, meaning the killer tortured him before he killed him. It can be that the killer wanted information. The way his blood vessels are full of thrombus, he either suffered from thrombasthenia, which is an abnormality of platelets... in a simpler way, or the killer made sure he killed him with a method that made him not to bleed at all," Splendor reported his findings.

"Hmmm Splendor, I only learned how to aim with a gun. So please don't bomb me with these big science, whatever words," Kort laughed, her facial expression showing that she was deep in thoughts.

"It's enough. Your face spells everything to me. However, the big question is, where is Marcos' gall bladder? I didn't find it," Splendor shocked Kort.

"What… what about it, Splendor?" she asked with curiosity.

Splendor paused, gritting his teeth while focusing at Kort. He walked closer to Marcos' body, and Kort followed him.

"Talk Splendor…" she impatiently said.

"I believe the killer incised Marcos' gall bladder," he stated.

Kort's face suddenly changed from shock to a smile that mocked Splendor.

"It is a gall bladder, doc. It might have shrunk down when the victim died. I am guessing those are biological possibilities," she suggested.

"It's true, but let's first look at Mr. Mann's body," he spoke, pulling the body by its tray from the freezer. He added, "The devils are the only ones who can use the human gallbladder to resurrect their demons. Mr. Mann himself said it that the devil killed his son. He was right. Don't you think the killers killed him to stop him from speaking about the devils? Mr. Mann knew something."

Kort was in shock again. She didn't expect Splendor to know that much about the devils. He even knew the rituals of the devils. She realized Splendor was not an ordinary man. He had a history, and she had to explore it. At that moment, Kort understood why she was called to take the case from Officer K. Her task wasn't only to free Chris. There was more. She explored Splendor's knowledge, and he said everything to her. The tale of the devils wasn't just a story to thrill children, according to him. His mother made him believe the devils were real, and they ruled over the lands, which they then called their homes. Kort tried to debate with him, but he showed her a gift from her mom–the book of the secrets of the devils.

After seeing the book, Kort knew it was impossible to change Splendor's beliefs. The book was written in a language she didn't understand, but it was easy for Splendor. His mother did a half job by teaching Splendor to know more about the devils. It seemed his family had an agenda against the devils, which she was not aware of. For years, the genuine stories about the devils were tales to make people enjoy stories and forget that the devils once lived. For sure, the devils were back in the city. Kort couldn't believe Splendor had much knowledge. She saw it was better to leave the lab and get some fresh air. She didn't care that it was in the middle of the night. Before she left, Splendor told her that Mr Mann's last dialed number belonged to Officer K.