Chapter Five.

Chapter 5)

(The Snow Times; News Flash of the Morning.

Head news anchor of the paramount news network in the country, Dalia Barrows, adjusted her round glasses and stared straight at the viewers as she began to read again.

“And now, the breaking news of today. CEO of Diamond Empire and also one of the wealthiest men in the world, Williams Herringbone, has at this time been declared missing. His custom made Tesla car was found in the early hours of the morning, parked haphazardly on Avenue bridge in the heart of Frostone. There are no signs of struggle or crash. It was found by college athlete, Fred Lindon during his usual morning jog around the blocks, and he immediately called the city police to take care of the situation. Friends and family members have been contacted, his office called up, but no one has seen or heard from him since 8 p.m. last night.”

A brief pause here.

“ Williams Herringbone is an extremely private person, and very little is known about his life outside the world of business and money.

A beloved philanthropist and a foremost figure of the European country, He has donated billions of pounds to both domestic and foreign needs, created various profitable business firms and industries that has taken the country to greater heights abroad, and more.

He is the third of five siblings of the prominent Herringbone family, a household spoken of with the same awe and reverence as that of the royal family. His fiancé, socialite and activist, Alicia McAllister, is distraught about his disappearance, and is calling on the general public to help her find her heart-throb. His mother, Elizabeth Herringbone, has been off the social circle for over a decade. All attempts to contact her has proved futile.

We at the Snow times have our best investigators on the case, and are working hand in hand with the police to get to locate his whereabouts. We will make sure to update you our viewers with every bit of information that comes in.”

She smiled glumly.

“I remain Dalia Barrows, and that’s it for the news at 8. Thank you.”

She pulled off her microphone and stood up, the cameramen and stage guide already rushing off to their other duties.

Dalia got a few nods and calls of approval as she walked out of the newsroom, but was barely out of the door when her Personal Assistant came running over.

“You’re not supposed to run in this building, Megan. Boss’s orders.”

“You’ll…you’ll be sent…sent flying by the time you…you hear what I know.” Megan panted, taking in deep puffs of air.

Dalia’s curiosity went off the roof. She took Megan’s hand and pulled her into the women’s room down the hall.

“Check the stalls.” said Megan, resting herself on the pouf in front of the mirror cabinet.

Dalia gave her a pointed look but complied anyway. There was no one else in the room. She hurried back and bolted the door before facing Megan.

“Out with it now. The suspense must be hurting your lips already.”

Her assistant didn’t smile at the joke.

“I was able to speak to some buddies of mine who hang out around the bridge axis.” She paused. “One works at the Carmolette.”

“Go on.” Dalia prompted, her skin tingling in anticipation. This was definitely something huge.

“Apparently, Williams was there last night, the last place anyone saw him till now. He sent off his bodyguards and went in alone. That was around seven. Forty minutes later he left to go to the bathroom, and never returned. He simply disappeared.”

Dalia frowned. “Maybe your friend didn’t see him leave.”

“Mindy is not my friend. We just live in the same building, and no, Williams never left. Her eyes were on him the entire time he was in the restaurant and she practically waited for him to get out from the restroom.”

“Why?”

“Have you seen the man? I don’t mean in pictures or on TV. The real, breathing form of him. He is a walking attraction. Extremely Hot, rich, intelligently smart and brooding.”

Dalia nodded, not at all concerned with that. “Is that all?”

“Not even close.” Said Megan. “A body was found in the restaurant’s alley this morning.”

“A body?”

“A dead body. The police have said nothing about who the person is, but with Williams missing …” Megan trailed off, looking at her to fill up the space.

Excitement bubbled up in Dalia’s stomach as she put the pieces of the mystery together. “ Have you told anyone else this?”

“No, just you.”

“Let’s keep it that way until we find out all the details.” Dalia knew just the right person for the job.

††††††††††

(The Snow Times; News flash of the afternoon.

Dalia Barrows was back in front of the camera. But different from the last time, now there was a strained air to the smile on her face.

“The entire country of Snowville has been in a buzz since morning when CEO of Diamond Empire, Williams Herringbone was declared missing. As at this time his whereabouts is still a mystery as the police, who have been on high alert, have been unable to find him.

He was seen last night, at eight to be precise, walking into five star bar and restaurant, The Carmolette, but seemed to disappear into thin air from there. Sources from the bar have confirmed that he had ordered just a glass of water, and so that rules out drunk driving or food poisoning. He also left a hefty tip at his table before leaving.

His car, the one discovered on Avenue bridge, has been searched by the FCP forensic unit for DNA elements. We are still waiting on whatever clue possible to come in from the labs at the police headquarters.”

She paused and glanced to the left, her lips pinched in thought. She hesitated for about a minute before scrolling across the screen on her board.

“The following news reel may be found uncomfortable by certain viewers, so we advise some level of discretion.”

A deep intake of breath here.

“The custom made Tesla belonging to the billionaire was not the only puzzling discovery made by the Frostone city police this morning.

A lifeless body was at the early hours of the morning found in the back alley of the Carmolette. The police have not been generous with the details, but we at Snow News were persistent enough to get some information on who the person is.

The victim is Vaughn Del Aviv, the younger brother to Lucius Del Aviv, owner of XY corp. Lucius has over the years been associated with crimes involving drug trafficking, murder, mobster gangs, fraud, violence and dangerous dealings across Europe. The FBI and CIA have yet been able to tie him down with any of the many charges, hence his freedom to do his business as he sees fit.

The victim having such close ties with someone of Lucius’s caliber has brought up concerns in the police department, as Lucius is fabled for his coldness and cruelty to his enemies. His brother dying in such a violent and questionable way would surely draw his devilish attention to our fine city. The pressure can never be any higher on the backs of those tasked with finding out how such tragedy happened and why.

Nothing is yet to be known about how the victim died, but sources close to the police have pointed to Homicide as a possible explanation.”

She paused again.

“I am Dalia Barrows, bringing you the news at noon, and saying thank you to our viewers worldwide. Stay tuned for more information that will be coming your way as the day progresses.”

††††††††

Lucius’s face was emotionless as he gazed down at the lifeless body of his brother. His only brother. This was their first encounter in three years.

Funny enough, he felt no ache in his chest, no longing or regret. Not even guilt. There were no tears misting his eyes. Lucius wasn’t sad.

He was simply angry. A fury so hot and bubbling rushed through his veins as his eyes found the slit across Vaughn’s thick neck.

Someone had murdered his brother. Someone had dared to do that to him. Whoever that person was had been brave enough to attack his family. If such news got out Lucius’s street cred of destruction was as good as gone.

“Have you cleaned the body?” His voice was calm and as chilly as a winter morning.

Though his words were quiet, they seemed to echo against the marble walls of the room. And what a strange room it was. No furniture of any kind stood anywhere. A single chandelier hung down from the ceiling and vast paintings covered the walls. Gold trinkets adorned every other free space. Items of rare rubies, pearls and diamonds from all over the world.

At the centre of the room was some sort of altar. There was nothing special about it. It was just a cuboid slab of white stone. Upon it was the body bag and its content.

The man in the lab coat kneeling beside it was shaking even as he answered.

“Yes, I have. I was about to put it in the freezer when your boys…when you invited me to bring him here.”

Lucius said nothing. Where Vaughn was big and burly and loud, Lucius was subtle and slick as a snake. Quiet but deadly.

 He was slender and toned in the black double-breasted coat he had on. With his curly brown hair, thick brows and sharp chin, he had a certain attractive feel to his face. His palms were hidden in the coat’s side pockets.

“You can go.” He whispered.

The doctor looked up in unbelief. “What?...I can…I can go, sir?”

No reply.

“Thank you, sir. Thank you.” He crawled along the floor a few paces, just to put some space between himself and the cold man, before scrambling to his feet and sprinting towards the door.

The doctor was barely gone a minute before a loud gun shot, and a follow up scream of pain was heard. He had been lucky enough to make it out of the room alive.

“Chester.” called Henry, his gaze still on the altar.

“Yes, boss.”

The man known simply as Chester came into the light for the first time. His features were mostly still hidden thanks to the skull mask he had over his face and the black suite he had on. Even so, his looming height and muscular frame was frightening.

“Go to Frostone and bring the person who killed my brother here.”

“Alive or dead, boss?”

“Alive.” Lucius’s face was still blank, but a fire burned behind his hazel eyes. “I’ll take care of him or her myself.” He turned around and started out, his movement measured and light.

“Ok, boss.” And the figure melted back into the shadows.

Chester had never failed his master before, so the task was as good as completed. By midnight tonight, whoever dared to kill Vaughn Del Aviv would wish he or she had never been born. Lucius would make sure of that.