Chapter three

Chapter Three

Enter the Beast 

Daniel walked down the street dressed in a dove gray fitted suit and tie with his hair was picture perfect. He was searching for the right place and the right people. He needed for his demons to fill. Hearing loud music from the clubs, he sauntered toward the bright red neon sign beckoning people off the sidewalk. People came spilling out, yelling and laughing. Most of them were obviously drunk, he knew this was going to be easy. 

“Just pick any fool off the street.” He thought to himself. 

He took his time and when he spotted the right one, he almost giggled like a child. Standing by the stairs, he saw three girls talking and laughing. One red-haired and two blonds and they were dressed for the evening. No one paid attention to the black wisp of smoke that hung in the alley between the parking lot and the building until it was ready.

 A bald man came out of the back door of the club. Drake was a bar tender back at the club, and he was pissed that his tips sucked that night, and he wasn’t going to be able to pay off the debt he had. He knew was that he had to pay Tony and soon. 

Tony would be looking for him bright and early in the morning, so he figured he should party tonight because it might be the last night, he would be alive.

Drake smiled at the girls and said something stupid in passing that brought out nervous giggles. He had turned toward his car when the black smoke had made its play. No one had paid attention as it overtook him. 

The demon found his home and took over finding out everything about the guy he could. An evil grin spreads across his face. He figured out that this human was called “Drake.” What kind of name was that? He tested his hands and found that he had some strength and there was some hidden desire that he could make use of. Looking up, he spotted the three girls talking and laughing. 

She had shoulder length red hair that fell in waves around her shoulders and a hunter green sleeveless top with matching tight jeans that left nothing to the imagination. 

“Hi. How are you ladies doing on this fine night?” All three of the girls giggled at his question.

“Doing just fine. Aren’t you that bar tender everyone calls Drake?” She asked as the girls giggled.

Within a few minutes, he had sweet-talked her into his car with a promise of a walk on the beach that was close by. Drake almost licked his lips as the pulled into the parking lot that leads toward the beach.

She was wearing the right clothes, and she even smells innocent, and that is what he needed. He could tell that her friends were not too sure about him, so he stuffed his hands in his pocket and pulled out his number so if they needed to get touch with her than all she should be well. Meanwhile, Drake fought the urge to rip them apart and play in their blood. 

It wasn’t long before they had ended up on Tybee Island beach. Drake felt like playing with her. “Would you look at the moon and stars tonight? The evening sky looks so clear and beautiful.” All Samantha could do was a blush a soft pink. She really wanted him to kiss her, but there was something off. She began to regret her decision about being out here with him on the beach. “Yes, it’s so relaxing, but it’s a shame we aren’t alone. Looks like there is a party going on over there.” Drake had wanted to take his time with her, but something told him that she was already spooked. He wasn’t having that. 

“Look, it’s getting late, and I have to work in the morning. Do you think you could drop me off by my car?” Samantha asked pulling at her shirt hem. 

“No” whispered Drake.

 “What do you mean, no?” demanded Samantha. She was getting pissed. “Who in the hell do you think you are telling me no?” 

“Fine, I will call a cab or an Uber.” Grabbing her heels that lay in the sand, she turned to stomp away. Drake stopped her with a wave of his hand. 

“What the hell? Why can’t I move?” 

All Drake could do was chuckle.” Oh, your stupid head of cattle. You can’t move because I command it so.” 

“Drake I don’t understand.” 

“Girl you are bait for a very important witch. It’s what you human’s call a real do-gooder.” Drake could see she was having trouble understanding what was going on. Samantha was petrified. She stared at Drake as he flashed black as night for a spilled-second.

 “What the hell!” 

“No, not yet.” Smirked Drake Snapping his fingers, Drake watched as Samantha dropped to the sand with a thud knocking the breath out of her. He took his time moving her around and making sure she didn’t make a sound.

Drake crawled along the side of Samantha, sniffing and growling like a wild dog. 

“What are going to do to me?” Samantha asked fear lacing her voice.

 “Why do you humans always have to know what is going to happen?” demanded Drake.

 In seconds Drake had in his hand a thin blade a brand he knew well. He pressed the knife to Samantha’s neck making small cuts and listening to her tiny screams. 

“Oh, this boring. Human why don’t give me more? I thought you wanted to be an actress, so where are the feelings?” asked Drake as he pounded on his chest. 

He watched as the tears ran down her face. And with a slow smile, he answered his own question. “No? Not up to it. I can understand that. No matter, it’s that time.” Drake had the gun in his hand and made sure he pointed the barrel at her head and fired. 

When nothing happened, Samantha struggled more and cried. Soon she lay dead with three bullets in her chest. The smoke still was drifting from the body when Daniel appeared behind him. Daniel loved to check out the handy work of all his demons.

“Excellent,” Daniel said. 

“Simple.” Replied Drake with a cool smile. 

Daniel started the chant that would banish Drake’s passenger. The human dropped with a sickening thud. Daniel watched as the black void jetted out of the human. Daniel knew that the human would know real evil had ridden him for a night, but he would never have a way to explain it.  

Daniel left him on the beach as a gift for the cops to find. He watched as the black smoke simply disappears into the night just like he had planned. By the time Daniel had made it down the beach, he had flipped open a silver pocket watch and inside sat a picture a blonde-haired boy that he had been waiting to take down. 

Daniel enjoyed hearing the lovely screams that came from one of the beach party mixed with the sirens of the incoming police. He knew that his work had just begun. He knew right about now Thomas Quinn would be getting the call about the dead body on the beach. Time to settle an old debt. 

Detective Thomas Quinn had gotten the call about another dead body, but he needed to wait until Pamela made it to the restaurant. He took off his coat and set it on the chair. While rolling up his sleeves, Thomas thought about his day so far as he loosened the blue striped tie that he had just bought. 

Their relationship hadn’t been that great for a while. The sex had been fair, but Thomas knew there was someone else in the world of Pam and that was Pam along with any guy who happened to be paying attention to her at any given time. He caught sight of his tattoo and began to trace his finger to trace it. Grandfather, I need your strength he thought.

Thomas remembered his mom taking him to get his first tattoo when he was eighteen years old. They had laughed all the way to the tattoo shop. She had reminded him what his grandfather had and that it was something he should get. She told him that it would be his lucky charm. It was one solitary arrow, and it was on his forearm. He traced his fingers on his forearm was the arrow. 

Hearing the tapping of her stilettos made him want to gag as she made her way toward their table. She was busy with the meeting, or dates. He never really understood what she did for a living but as of right now he didn’t care. 

“Darling, so nice to see you snuggle bunny.” She said in her thick country drawl as she bent down and kissed him on the check. 

“Well hello, Miss Connecticut I see you are still practicing that southern drawl of yours,” Thomas said motioning for her to sit down. 

“I see you are still in a foul mood today,” Pam replied taking a seat opposite of him and making herself comfortable. 

“I think we need to have a serious talk,” Thomas stated giving Pam a hard look. 

“You ready to pop the question already?” Pam giggled teasing Thomas. Thomas shifted uncomfortably as he realized Pam had no clue that after her betrayal his feelings had changed. 

Shaking his head, Thomas looked at the clock on the wall across from them. “Pam, there is never a good way to say this. It is past time we go our separate ways.” Thomas said glancing back at Pam and tapping his fingertips on the table. 

Pam sat silent stunned by his words. Shifting in her seat, she looked around trying to regain her composer. “Pam I am serious. You need to get your things out of my house today. Thomas replied staring into her eyes. He finally noticed that she wore way too much eye make up for someone so young. 

“I don’t know what you are talking about baby! I love you.” She screamed. Thomas just stared at her.

 “You love me? That’s rich. That is why you have been going around town telling everyone that we are engaged. Not to mention you have plans to move into my house and change it.” My Grandmother taught me one thing, and that is to never fight in Public. So, have dinner on me.” Thomas said as he tossed a few bills on the table and nodded his head in goodbye as he turned and left the drama behind him. 

“You love me, Thomas. You know you do.” Pam screamed, as the door was about to close behind Thomas, she threw a plate at him. When Thomas heard the plate crashing against the wall just inches away from other diners, he became angry. He turned around and told her to put her hands behind her back. He read her rights to her. That is what started the waterworks. 

“Baby, I’m sorry! Please don’t do this. I will pay for everything” she screamed with tears running down her cheeks. 

“It’s best you dry those fake tears of yours and get a grip,” Thomas whispered in Pam’s ear.

 “You are not fooling anyone with this garbage. And a night on the inside should help your mood.” He said nothing as the uniformed cops came through the restaurant doors. He gave the report to them on what to do with Pam once he left and he made sure he through some more bills on top of the hostess stand along with his business card for any more trouble than they might have by her and just walked right out of the restaurant. 

Thomas made his way to his car clutching his fists fighting down his anger as he left Pam behind him. Rolling his shoulders and loosening his fists Thomas had to focus on the case that awaited him. “Tybee Island it is. Shouldn’t take me too long to get there.” Thomas muttered as he settled into his car. The drive was a short one just like he thought. 

It was after 11 pm when he got there. “Damn, crowds of people still running the beach all around a dead body and not one person cared.” Thomas thought as he got out of his car and made his way toward a small crowd of uniform officers that hovered like flies around the corpse. 

Some people were still playing volleyball, not really caring about what was going on. Lights blazed around the crime scene in hopes that it would show any detail. But Thomas was having trouble getting through the crowds. 

“Hey, guys let’s get everyone behind the police tape.” Demanded Thomas.

Thomas waited and watched as the uniforms began moving people behind the tape. A few people wouldn’t move when they were asked, so they were hooked and booked. Thomas was drawn to the bald man, who was still sitting in the dry sand, just crying and repeating that he didn’t do it.

He watched as they put the gun into the evidence bag. One cop had pulled the bald guy off his butt to slap the cuffs on him. They read him his rights, and then the youngest cop asked him if he understood everything and the bald man squeaked out a “yes.” He had tears streaming down his face with a look of confusion in his eyes. 

Thomas stared at him as he was led to toward the car as the read him his rights. Something didn’t sit right with him as he watched the guy. He seemed hollow and broken with something added that he couldn’t put his finger on.

“Greyson, what do we have here?” 

Greyson was a uniform that had been first on the scene. 

“Hey Detective Quinn, we have a white female in her early twenty’s.”

Thomas ducked under the tape to take a closer look at the body. She was a true redhead. Her hair was long with big ringlets. She was dressed for the night out of fun that happened to be cut short. She wore a green top that was strapless and some tight-fitting jeans with holes at the knees. He could smell the faint smell of fresh strawberries.

“Who was the guy you hooked and booked?” asked Thomas. 

“That was Drake Owen. He says that he doesn’t even remember meeting the girl.”  

“Oh, that’s rich. I saw blood on his shirt.” Responded Thomas. 

“Sir they make them all sort of crazy now. She was shot three times in the chest at close range.”

He could still see the powder burns on her tank top. Her shoes were gone, and there was no purse, but there was a thin strap that hung on her wrist. She did have a stamp on her hand from one of the local clubs that happened to be not too far away from the beach. 

Thomas didn’t really pay attention to many of the bystanders but when a hand stuck out to grab him, his hand went straight to his gun out of pure habit. He whirled around ready to draw on whoever he needed to. Standing in front of him was a five-foot-three-inch older lady with long flowing white hair and piercing crystal blue eyes that he had ever seen. She just stared at for a second before she whispered, “You are the one.” Not understanding what the older lady was talking about, Thomas relaxed some because he felt no harm from her. He gently grasped her hands trying to show her some comfort, but he found how strong she was. 

“Ma’am, I don’t understand. Are you alright? Do you know the deceased?” 

The uniforms caught a glimpse of them and head straight for them. They stood on the sides of the older lady as they talked. 

“No. Where would you get that idea from? How could they not prepare you for what is coming?  It is a shame he picked one with so much innocence. That gives him more power.” She said.

“You are the one he wants.” The old lady demanded to be recognized. She put her right hand on his chest pushing him trying to make sure he understood what was about to happen. 

Thomas had seen something in the old lady’s eyes, and that told him something was coming. Thomas just simply stared at the old lady. He saw that her eyes were clear blue, and she seemed to understand much more than he did. He had been thinking that there had to be more to whatever was happening. 

“Be ready, or we will all die.” 

Thomas couldn’t have that. He had always wanted to protect everyone he had met, but lately, he felt like he was missing something, but he did know that he had to play it cool. Thomas was hoping the older lady just didn’t understand what she was saying. 

“I don’t understand Ma’am.”

“But you will, so get ready for hell.” Was the last thing she had said to him as they lead her away. 

They lead her to one of the EMS squads in the parking lot. The paramedics took their time checking her out and when they found nothing wrong with her, they gave her a ride back to her place. 

“Detective??” asked the EMT.

 “Yeah?” 

“The old lady said that I had to give you a message, or she wasn’t going anywhere.” Declared the EMT. 

“Ok let’s go.” Thomas took his time as he walked over to the old lady. “I have to get my head in the game.” Thomas thought. 

He felt responsible for the old lady. Thomas made sure the squad speeds off with her safely tucked inside before he scanned the beach for any small details. 

“There has to be something else, but he knew he was missing it because he was still on edge from his meeting with Pam was really bothering him, but he was distracted when he heard his new partner come rolling up in his old yellow truck. 

“Detective Quinn.” 

Justin was the young cop who had transferred from Jacksonville NC.  He was excited to be in Savannah, and he was going to make it the best learning experience he could, and it didn’t hurt putting some evil behind bars. He was dressed casually, but he meant business with his badge on his belt. His gun was nestled in his back holster just waiting to be used. Thomas a had little test for his new partner. He had some records from another state and had them piled up on his desk. When Justin had shown up, Thomas didn’t give him a minute to rest. 

“Nice to meet you Detective. I want you to look through these old case files and tell me if you see anything that looks like it started out of a Stephen King novel.” 

Justin had looked at the boxes while Thomas had grabbed his coat a walked over to the elevator and headed down to the evidence locker. He wanted to check a few things that seemed to pop out. Well wonderful he thought. Paperwork is always fun. It didn’t take long to come across a case file that held a person by the name Pete McDuffie. He had rap- sheet that read like a cheap novel. Justin had found more than one thing that really screamed at the rat. So, with file in hand, he hopped into the elevator knowing he needed to get to Thomas fast.  

More and more he thought that hood rat would be tied to some of these murders. Justin had hopped in his truck and made his way toward Ty bee Island. He followed the police tape until he parked and flashed his badge to get closer to the body. It wasn’t his first dead body, but it still unnerved him to see the young girl laying on the sand like discarded trash.

He waited until Thomas noticed him.  Looking up Thomas wasn’t surprised to see Justin there holding an old ratty file with a name already written on it. 

“Detective Cole what’s up?” asked Thomas.

“One Pete McDuffie. He was known for drugs, arson, and assault and maybe now  murder,” he wondered. 

Justin started to flip pages in his notebook to double check himself. “Not much more than we see here. She does have a stamp on her hand that gives us that right place to start, but if you look at her right hand, there is something that has been curved in it.” 

Justin hunted in his notebook that had seen better days because he had thought that he had seen that shape before. Thomas took his pen out to try pry open her hand and what started at him was a shape of an hourglass curved into her palm. It looked like it was done with a Ka-Bar that had been given out in the military. He knew that was the knife that happens to be issued to military personnel, but he had hoped there was some sort of fingerprints to tie the babbling idiot to the murder. Shaking his head in understanding as he noticed that there was a film on her forehead. Having been raised around Catholics, he knew when someone was given the last rights. 

Meanwhile, Thomas had made notes as the ME packed up the body. He stood there thinking silently. People were talking or crying but it all blended together, and Thomas couldn’t think, so he walked over to the dunes. There were no other footprints, but there was an earring, that didn’t match what the girl had on. Thomas picked it up and put it in the evidence bag that he pulled out of his pocket. 

Thomas felt something pull him toward the dunes, and he took his time getting there. He almost missed it, but someone had run a searchlight across it. That’s when he bent down when he found it. It was warm, and it had a film all over it. There was a smell of rotten eggs, and that is when he knew for a fact it was sulfur that covered it. He took his time to make more notes and scanning the scene for any, the object he was holding and the way some was killed. Something wasn’t right, and he was getting mad. He couldn’t put his finger on it. He hoped that something would help him stop whatever or whoever it was killing people. 

Thomas stood there for a second not really seeing Justin heading in his direction. But when he cast his shadow, Thomas came back rather fast. 

“Hey, Detective Cole. Why are you here?” 

“I found something freaky that I think you should take a look at,” He replied.

 “Really? That was fast.” 

“Yeah. Do you remember a Petey McDuffie?” asked Justin 

“Everyone knows that little toad.”

“Well I found his record, and on said record, he was arrested for assault and battery with a gun in the last five months. Oh, one more thing he has also been into the black arts.” Replied Justin. 

He watched as Thomas was digesting that bit of information. “Let’s pick up the little toad and have a chat with him.” 

“You got it.” 

“Can you ride with the ME and catch the report? Just throw it on my desk when you are done,” asked Thomas.

Justin just watched Thomas, and he could tell that he had something on his mind. Like he was making these deaths personal. 

“No problem.” 

Without another word, Thomas walked off only stopping one more time to speak to a uniform. Justin made sure the ME had bagged up the body and deposited her in the ambulance. Making a few notes on Pete’s case file just in knew that he was going to be in a for a wild ride. There was a serial killer on the loose, and they still didn’t have anything concrete. 

Justin knew that he would have to back to the drawing table. He needs to look at everything with a fresh pair of eyes. Something told him that he needed to keep an eye on Detective Quinn. Something wasn’t right. He knew he had to start with the first murder.

Thomas had finally made it back to the police department, as night fell, he knew what awaited him there. Files of unsolved cases littered his desk. Thomas knew he had to attack it with a set of fresh eyes, but that was going to be hard right now. He just couldn’t get out of his own head long enough. He had been having trouble ever since his partner had passed away and he was trying to shake it. His grandmother would tease him about being stuck in his head too long when he was younger. She often told Thomas that his mother used to do the same thing even though she denied it. He was getting things done, but he knew it was taking too much time. He was afraid that there was going to be another kill. There had been many times since Charlie’s death the Captain had tried to give him a new partner, but they either freaked out or said he was a big “asshole” as if that was some big secret. The best part was when they told Captain Black “Hell no.” Hearing their responses caused Thomas to smirk. 

If he were to have a new partner, they would need to be as good as Charlie had been. So far Thomas hadn’t met one that was yet. This time the Captain had enough with his wisecracks and put his foot down. 

“I’ve had enough of your smart mouth Thomas. This time you are getting a partner. I’ve got a new guy from Jacksonville, North Carolina named Justin Cole. His father is a big-time Secret Service agent. He is your new wingman. Get used to him.” Captain Black smacked Thomas on the chest with the file on Justin Cole. 

“Guess I can’t complain this time sir. Not without an ass kicking anyway.” Thomas replied with a frown crossing his face. 

“Now that’s more like it.” Said Captain