crucifyheaven

Detective Ian Wren thought he had escaped the ghosts of his past, but the murder of Eleanor Montgomery pulls him into a web of deceit that threatens to unravel Hollow’s Edge. Eleanor was more than a philanthropist—she was the keystone of the town’s power dynamics. Her death exposes dark secrets tied to the elusive Crimson Hour Society, a shadowy group with ties to corruption and betrayal.

As Ian investigates, he uncovers layers of lies, each piece revealing deeper connections between Hollow’s Edge’s elite and Eleanor’s tragic demise. But the closer Ian gets to the truth, the more dangerous the game becomes. With each passing hour, Ian faces threats, red herrings, and the ghosts of his unsolved case—forcing him to confront his own failure and unravel the darkness hiding in plain sight.

In a town where trust is fleeting and redemption comes at a price, Ian must uncover the truth before the Crimson Hour strikes again.

The Crimson Hour

Chapter 12: The Ledger's Secrets

Back at the Montgomery estate, the night pressed heavily against the windows, as if the storm clouds themselves conspired to keep the darkness trapped inside. Ian Wren sat in the study, his hands steady as he opened the leather-bound notebook they had recovered from the altar. Sheriff Evelyn Cross stood nearby, her posture rigid and alert. Clara Montgomery lingered by the doorway, her eyes darting nervously between Ian and the pages he was flipping through.

The notebook contained Eleanor's handwritten notes, but now, in the context of everything they had uncovered, the entries took on a more sinister tone. The text was fragmented, filled with cryptic phrases and references that hinted at a deeper, more disturbing truth about the Crimson Hour Society.

"The hour binds us to the shadows, but the price is blood. I tried to stop them, but the pact is too strong. Clara must never know."

"Victor has betrayed me, but he doesn't understand what he's done. The mayor grows reckless—his thirst for power will destroy us all. Margaret watches closely; she knows more than she lets on."

Ian's jaw tightened as he flipped through more pages, each entry painting a picture of a society built on sacrifice, secrecy, and corruption. The spiral symbol appeared again and again, sometimes accompanied by sketches that seemed to depict the society's rituals. One particularly detailed sketch showed the altar, with hooded figures surrounding it. But at the center of the circle was a disturbing image: a figure bound and kneeling, their face obscured, and the spiral symbol glowing above them.

"This wasn't just about controlling the town," Ian said, his voice steady but grim. "This was about control through fear. Eleanor knew too much, and they silenced her to protect themselves."

Evelyn leaned closer, her eyes narrowing as she read over Ian's shoulder. "Victor, Blackwell, Margaret—they're all in this together. But if Eleanor was trying to stop them, why didn't she go public? Why hide everything in this notebook?"

Ian shook his head. "Because she knew it wouldn't be enough. The society's reach is too deep. She must have been looking for something stronger—evidence that could take them down completely."

Clara stepped forward, her voice trembling as she spoke. "She told me she was protecting me. She said… she said they wanted me to join, but she wouldn't let it happen." Her eyes welled with tears. "She was trying to save me, wasn't she?"

Ian looked up, his expression softening. "I believe she was, Clara. But now, we need to make sure her sacrifice wasn't for nothing."

Evelyn straightened, her determination clear. "What's the next step, Ian? The society isn't going to stop. They'll come after us if we get too close."

Ian closed the notebook, his mind racing. "We need to find out more about this 'pact' Eleanor mentioned. Whatever it is, it's at the center of everything—the society, the sacrifices, the spiral symbol. If we can unravel that, we can expose them."

Clara hesitated, then spoke quietly. "There's a place… my mother used to go when she wanted to be alone. It's in the woods, deeper than where we found the ritual site. She said it was the only place she felt safe."

Ian's eyes narrowed. "Did she ever mention why?"

Clara nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "She said it was where the hour began."

The Ledger’s Secrets