The six of them all stared at different parts of the room. No one seemed to be able to look the others in the eyes, but the feeling in the room had changed from one of anxiety and mistrust to understanding and mutual dedication. They were all here for a common purpose the only way they were going to accomplish it was to trust each other and work together.
"Let's go to work," said James. The request seemed to be exactly the words everyone needed to hear. Taking the initiative, Jessalee, opened a file and pulled several photocopied reports and passed them around the table.
"What you're looking at everyone is the blood analysis taken from Tarista and Devonia while they were unconscious. Judging from their appearance when we booked them, we weren't taking any chances. Point one. There are four different blood specimens on them and none of it belongs to them."
"You said earlier you knew one of the specimens belonged to your sister," stated James.
"That's right," replied Jessalee.
"How did you know that? All the evidence from her crime scene was destroyed in the fire."
"I understand, but she is my sister. I swabbed myself and ran a DNA test. It matches me. It's Valerie. The other three belong to, Amanda Carlyle, Hermann Kritzler, and Julie Jackson."
Hearing Julie's name suddenly made all of it real for James. She really was dead. Now he would never have a last chance to tell her that he never stopped loving her. James swallowed and tried to put thoughts of Julie out of his mind for the moment. "But no evidence of Kirkland's blood?"
"None," said Jessalee as Shelton and Summers breathed a sigh of relief.
"Since we are laying all of our cards here on the table. I have to tell you guys, I don't know what's true and what I might have imagined for the last two days. But when Agent Summers and I went to Kirkland's house, we found someone had ransacked it, obviously looking for something. We found writing on the wall in blood in one room and an occult painting in his living room. It also had writing on it."
Stasya looked up from her report. "What was the painting Inspector?"
"The Witches Sabbath by Goya," said Summers. "On the back of it there was writing in Russian, that read, 'The place where Angels will not tread' and the writing in the bedroom was also in Russian it said 'Julie Jackson burns in hell,' so I think we can safely assume that it was Tarista and Devonia who trashed Kirkland's house and murdered Julie," said Summers.
"Any idea what they could have been looking for Stasya?" asked Paige.
Stasya considered all that she had heard and shook her head. None of it seemed to make any sense.
"Anything else, Tom?" asked Shelton.
"Yes, I got a missed call on my cell phone. It came from Kirkland's house phone. It was a girl who left a message."
"What did she say?"
"She said, 'Kirkland isn't dead' and then hung up."
"Was it one of them?" asked Paige, referring to Tarista and Devonia.
James thought for a moment and said no. "I don't think so. To be honest, I thought it was Julie."
"Why would you think that?" asked Stasya.
"Because it sounded identical to her."
"Do you still have this recording?" asked Stasya.
James nodded as he clutched his cell phone tightly in his pocket, just to reassure himself he still had it.
"May I listen to it?" asked Stasya looking directly into James' eyes. "What do you fear Inspector? That it was her last phone call before she was brutally murdered?"
"That's a bit excessive don't you think?" Summers said, showing her irritation towards Stasya's lack of consideration for James' feelings.
"Forgive me if I am too blunt, Agent Summers, but no one can help the Inspector understand what truly happened to Julie except for me. Only I know the true voice of Tarista or Devonia."
Paige looked up directly at Stasya. "That's not true. I will never forget the sound of their voices, ever."
Shelton reached over and patted James on the shoulder. "Come on Tommy, we gotta know for sure. If those two are the ones who killed Julie, then at least we have them in custody already. You won't have to wonder anymore."
James returned her affection with his own pat on her shoulder and retrieved the phone from his pocket.
Stasya stood up and crossed to him. "Stand up Inspector and give me your hands a moment." James did as she requested and rose from his chair.
Slowly he placed his hands inside Stasya's hands. She smiled at him and told him it would be okay. She closed her eyes and nodded several times. The others watched her with James quietly from their seats.
"Very good, now please let me hear the message," she said as James handed her the phone.
His hands shook, as he suddenly felt nervous. "You have to press one and it will automatically go to my voicemail."
"It's okay Inspector James, I have a cell phone myself," she said smiling as she pressed the number 1 and listened to the dial. Pressing the phone to her ear, Stasya could hear the sound of the voice on the other end. Her eyes squinted as she replayed the message again. She then became very quiet as she pressed the stop button and handed James back the phone.
"The girl on the phone, her name is Zoë. She's your daughter."
END OF BOOK ONE