Chapter 8: The Yfe Express…and Victoria
Vanessa and Isabel arrived at the Drummondville VIA rail station together thanks to a van owned by your favourite enemies. They walk to the booth to purchase tickets as people look at them (some of them knowing who Isabel was). They reach the booth and see a sign that reads: "Vanessa Beaudoin et Isabel Foster, s'il vous plaît identité avec photo présente" (Vanessa and Isabel please present photo I.D.) they grabbed their Canadian Passports and hand them to the officer. After a minute's inspection, an older lady hands the I.D.'s back, grabs a key, unlocks a desk drawer and hands them 2 first-class tickets to Toronto on the new high-speed rail. They walk to the platform and waited. Vanessa finds a brochure and starts reading about the high-speed rail.
"Oh wow look at this Isabel."
Isabel leans over to where Vanessa is pointing, reading a sentence in italics. Isabel's jaw drops, "320 kilometres an hour? Even with stops we will be in Toronto in 4 or 5 hours."
Vanessa nods in agreement, "Yup. We have to look out for 2 others on the way. Tina will be in Kingston and we know her so she will be easy. But in Cornwall, we are going to struggle to find Victoria Barden."
Isabel sighed, knowing Vanessa was right, "I know we are I hope we will get them on as soon as we get there."
A huge gust of wind comes from the east as a shiny train screeches to a halt. Vanessa and Isabel actually fell down on their bottoms. After a moment, they stand up and brush themselves off, Vanessa states the obvious, "It is here I guess you ready to get on."
Isabel nods, "Yes, but holy crap this thing is fast."
Vanessa giggles, "I know that this is going to be fun. The only faster way there is a plane."
Isabel shakes her head, "Check-In for Trudeau would be 2 hours before the flight, the flight is about an hour, then we would spend AT LEAST half an hour in baggage claim, followed by another 30-45 minutes on the Airport-Union train plus whatever wait time there is there. Ok, so it is about the same but this takes us right into union which is pretty much across the street from the hotel."
Vanessa interrupts, "Or we just use that P.A.T.H. thing Ida sent us a map for."
Isabel nods, "Ok so according to our ticket, we are going to car number 1 at the very front."
Vanessa gulps, "Oh goodness I hope this is not a train that makes you feel like you are going too fast."
Isabel shakes her head again, "No, the walls are thicker to prevent that sort of thing beyond the first minute of acceleration."
Vanessa felt assured, "Ok good."
As they reach the first car, a computerized voice speaks from a microphone by the door. "If you are a passenger for this car, please present your tickets for scanning to verify". Isabel and Vanessa hold out their ticket, unsure as to where the scan would come from. Suddenly an infrared beam shoots out, meeting their tickets. After a few moments, a bell goes off, and their door opens. They enter the car and see only 4 ergonomic seats. They see each person's name on sheets of papers, only the 4 going to Aaron's birthday will be passengers here. Isabel breathes a sigh of relief, "Ok this is good. That should make finding Victoria and Tina easier". Vanessa nods in agreement, "Yes it should"
A TV screen starts beeping, telling them they have 30 seconds to sit down and fasten their seatbelts. They sit down and buckle up, when the TV screen hits 0 they burst into speed. Vanessa was perplexed, "Wow ok this is so weird." Isabel states matter of factly, "And we are going to feel this every time that we stop to pick people up. We should be served lunch after we reach downtown Montreal." Vanessa did not know how to react to feeling glued to a seat (typical for high speeds), "Yes I know look at this, we are not even going to be able to see out the window." The train reaches a stable high speed of 320 km/h which makes things a little easier and making the view easier to take in mentally. Isabel can finally look out the window. Vanessa stared at Isabel, curiously.
"What are you looking for, Isabel?"
"I just want to look outside. I am leaving home."
"You have travelled to Toronto before."
"Yes I know that but not without the guys."
"And not by train, gotcha".
The train starts slowing down as Isabel reminds Vanessa, "I am always in the van or we fly."
They reach St. Hyacinthe stop, Vanessa whispers "1 stop down, 15 to go."
Isabel breathes a sigh of relief, "Good we are going to be getting someone soon."
"Actually it is 5 more stops until Victoria comes aboard. At least another hour."
"Still, it is not that bad."
"No, the regular train would take at least double that."
"I had a feeling about that but I like this train."
"It was a gift from France a few months ago. It can technically go faster than this but it may ruin the train tracks."
"Oh goodness."
A computer voice speaks, "Ladies we are about to start up again."
Vanessa laughed briefly at the technological marvels surrounding them. "Ok that is so cool."
They take their seats and strap in, this time knowing what the train can do. Isabel yawns, "I think I am going to take a nap."
Vanessa nods, "Yeah, we will be notified of the meal in Montreal. Or we could put a do not disturb sign on the door."
Isabel gave Vanessa a look of sympathy, "I want food but I am tired right now." Then she spots a book about their train and begins reading. After 2 minutes she speaks, "Club car, activate do not disturb protocol level 3" the computer voice from earlier says, "Level 3 protocol granted. Only the other passengers meant for this car and emergencies can breach this car without your permission. Pleasant dreams, ladies." They fall asleep.
Victoria got out of her friends car at Cornwall VIA rail station, "Thanks for the ride. I will be home in a few weeks." They hug and she walks towards the main entrance alone. It is a simple train station in your typical small town Canada. She walks to the desk and takes out her I.D. The man behind the counter types her name into the computer. There is a beeping noise from the computer:
"Is there something wrong?"
"Not at all, you are verified Ms. Barden but a passenger in your car turned the do not disturb protocol on so show your ticket to the camera by the door to get in. Here is your ticket." He hands her the ticket and shouts, "NEXT!"
She walks out to the platform and waits for the train to pull up. She wonders why the tracks are making such noise. Then a huge gust of wind blows as the train stops. Not even her 6 foot frame can keep her from falling down on her bottom. "Oh my that is so fast." She heads for the car at front that does not open. She takes out her ticket and shows it to the door. An infrared comes out of the camera to scan and after 10-15 seconds the door opens. She walks in on Isabel leaning up against the window and Vanessa jumping in surprise when she walked in.
"Sorry, I did not mean to scare you."
Isabel smiled, "It is ok I was just tired and that door scared me."
Vanessa steps in, "The whole train is scary."
Isabel looks confused, "Not really I am used to it now."
Victoria also looks confused, "Why, other than its security, what is so scary about this train?"
Vanessa's eyes open wide, "The pick up on this thing."
Victoria scratches her head, "Pick up?"
Vanessa chuckles, "When it starts moving. You will see it…sorry, feel it as soon as we start going again."
Victoria's eyes turn to a look of dread, "Oh god, is this the TGV train we got from France?"
Isabel nods, "Actually it is."
Victoria turns to use her trademark sarcasm, "Oh great this is going to be fun."
The countdown starts at 30, Victoria is confused. As Isabel and Vanessa are getting into their seats, Vanessa points at Victoria's seat and says, "Do not worry about it Victoria it is a good ride." Victoria follows the other 2 girls in sitting down and buckling up. The train kicks in and takes off in a second." After the train reaches cruising speed Victoria gets a folder out of her suitcase. She reads it, looks at them and puts it away. "We are going to the same place."
Isabel nods "Yes we are."
Victoria feels embarrassed "Sorry, I do not know much about Your Favourite Enemies."
Isabel nods "It is ok Victoria. We started out as 1 of many bands on MySpace. We became more accessible to our fans, treating them as siblings. We have thrived ever since."
Victoria raises her eyebrows, "Oh sweet."
Vanessa speaks up, "Only 3 more stops until Tina gets on but it will still be more than an hour before we reach her."
Victoria keeps her eyebrows raised, "Oh goodness I hope we will be there soon."
Vanessa looks around, "I am in no rush."
Isabel looks at both of them, "I am not either I just want to see Tina."
Victoria shrugged her shoulders, "I guess my Cult of Aaron status is on full display today."
Vanessa and Isabel, "Oh how is the cult doing anyways?"
Victoria tilts her head sideways, "How should I know? I only know Aaron directly. We do not have mutual friends. I would be a group to myself if Aaron did not have a group called Miscellaneous."
Isabel switched from laughter to diplomacy, "Yes I know what you mean. We want the yfe fanbase to co-exist peacefully with Aaron's non-yfe friends and family."
Victoria nods, "Yea I am not someone that is against that but I also got other stuff too." Victoria turns to Vanessa, "Are you yfe as well?" Vanessa nods, "Isabel is in the band I just live near the church that they turned into their headquarters."
Victoria was shocked, an indie rock band able to afford a church. The computer voice warns them that "The next stop is in Brockville."
Isabel turns to snarkiness, "Thank you for telling us."
The rest of this leg of their journey continued unabated.
Tina has just finished taking a bike ride from her home to the Kingston Via Rail Station. Due to Ontario's recent Environmental initiatives, the bike she took was actually a bixi (bike taxi) so all she had to do was drop it off at a bixi station and pay the very cheap fee.
"That will be an even $5"
Tina handed the man running the bixi station 3 $2 coins, "Keep the change"
"Thank you miss"
Tina made the short walk to the main terminal, it was very crowded (mostly with college kids), after a 20 minute wait in line, she reached the ticket counter. "This is my round-trip ticket to Toronto. And this is my I.D."
After punching her name into a computer, The lady behind the counter opened the cash register and hands her the cash value of her ticket back to her. "Ms. Wordell insisted on paying."
"Thank you so much, which platform do I go to?"
"Platform 1. You are going to the car at the very front and holding out your ticket to scan as someone inside put on the do not disturb protocol. Have a safe trip"
"Thank you. Have a nice day."
Tina adjusted her backpack and left the line-up to get to Platform 1. She was not even at the platform yet saw the train halt to a stop, "Wow that thing is fast, I guess I am on the French train." She walks over to the front car with her ticket already ready to show the infrared when she hears Isabel yelling "DISENGAGE LEVEL 3 DO NOT DISTURB PROTOCOL" Through the window, the infrared beam still scanned Tina's ticket anyway. But as she belonged there, the door opened while a computer voice spoke, "Sorry, I still have to scan."
"I was trying to prevent you from the hassle, sorry Tina."
"On no hassle at all. I am trying not to freak out that Aaron put us all on the Bullet Train."
Victoria raised her hand, "That was Japan, this was French."
"I stand corrected, I am Tina."
"Victoria, and as you already know these quite well…"
"I do."
A mass of hugs are exchanged, Victoria does not feel left out. Because she sees the countdown. "Ladies, I hate to break up this love fest but we need to put our seatbelts on again."
They all scramble to their seats with Vanessa turning to Isabel and asking, "When we reach cruising speed, do you want to call Ida or should I?"
"I will. I have the better Canada plan."
The train takes off, Tina screaming "HOLY SHIT!"
Victoria looks at her and screams, "IT WILL RETURN TO NORMAL IN A MINUTE!"
Sure enough, they adjusted to the acceleration and Isabel got out her phone and started dialling.
"Party line and Ida here, to whom am I speaking?"
"It is Isabel. Vanessa, Victoria, Tina and I are on board safely and are between Kingston and Napanee."
"Ok so with getting off the train and the P.A.T.H. you will be here in about 2 hours. How are you liking a train that goes 200 miles an hour?"
"Oh Jesus Christ it is fast. My skirt keeps blowing up; if there were a man here I would be in trouble."
"And did Tina get her money back?"
Tina overheard, and nodded
"Yes, she did."
"Ok, well I have to take this Skype notification. See you soon"
"Bye."
"Bye."
Isabel hung up as the train approached Napanee. Tina looked out of the window and sighed, "Better Ida than Aaron answering the phone."
Victoria gave her a look of confusion, "What makes you say that?"
Tina sighs, not expecting a follow-up question, "Well, he seems like he only talks to other people because he feels he has to, not because he wants to. The guy has no sense of tact, at all. He even belittles people who think that Victor from Storage Wars Texas is not as bad as he is supposed to be on Television."
Isabel chimes in, "I have to agree with Tina. For the last few years it is as if he is just going through the motions with people. On an unrelated topic I heard that they are going to do a Storage Wars: Montreal before they do 1 in Toronto."
Vanessa looks at Tina, then the rest of them, "I actually prefer Aaron this way. He is more complacent. That said, some of his little cult wish to harm yfe and no one knows why."
Everyone then turns their attention to Victoria again as the train takes off again, after they reach cruising speed, she finally indulges them. "He was a lot worse when we were together. I only forgave him when I found out it was a nasty heroin addiction that made him that bad."
Isabel nodded in sympathy, "We have forgiven Aaron for various things as well. Still, everyone has a breaking point."
Vanessa, "And with Aaron, I am close to mine."
Tina, "So am I."
Victoria, "Make that 3."
Isabel…shocked…could only shrug her shoulders and say, "Oh what the hell? Make that 4. Maybe we should sit him down and talk. Or does hell really have no fury like a woman scorn?"
They shared a laugh when they got a knock on their door, it was car service. Victoria tripped on what was Isabel's bag, "OW, I think I felt metal in your bag. Good thing this is not an airplane."
Isabel chuckled, "Sorry, I have to wear knee braces sometimes. I thought I would pack them just in case."
Victoria nodded and opened the door, "Drinks, anyone?"
All 4 simultaneously said, "Coffee, please." They laughed, and continued their very fast ride towards Toronto.
Chapter 9: Ida's first round of questioning
Isabel entered the interrogation room with Ida not even 2 steps behind her. Isabel sat down slowly, 1 tear going down her left cheek. "How can someone have such little compassion for a human life? To cut someone's head off…"
Ida looked up at the ceiling as if to some quick math in her head, "Nice little racquet you and the other enemies have. Between the music, endorsements, concerts, merchandising…then again, how many different crane jewels can a fan buy, honestly?"
Isabel chuckled in sarcasm, "I knew Aaron when we had only played 3 shows and only 1 e.p. released. I was the first member of the band to meet him in person; I was his main advocate for his comeback back in 2011. I am the LAST member of the band to want to harm him."
Ida sighed, "I know Isabel, I know. Not many make it a decade, knowing Aaron…or so I am told. I do believe that the chances of you being behind any of this is…not in the cards?"
Isabel jumped on that last word and smiled, "The Italian opera bird and Jess and I were playing cards in Chiara's room most of the night. I think other than my band; Insomnia is the only thing I have in common with your husband. But that does not make me any less sorry for what happened to you or anything or anyone else."
Ida nodded, whispering only "Thank you. So Chiara and Jess can vouch for you?"
"At least, I know Fabio, Catherine and Agnes were on the other side of the room playing Clue. Wow, what an Ironic game to be playing. Given the circumstances…"
Ida scowled, "Do not remind me. Just…just get me Vanessa, ok? My group of people to question is very yfe-heavy."
Isabel nodded, and even gave Ida a consolation hug before leaving. As she exited, Vanessa was an easy find. Vanessa, sensing her cue, stood up and walked towards the interrogation room but not before stopping right in front of Isabel.
"I do not know which is more nauseating. That speed train or this…"
"Thanks for comparing the deaths of 3 people and assorted other crimes to something as mundane as a train's movement. Vanessa, get your ass in here."
Vanessa, shocked at an unusually assertive Ida, resumed her walk towards the interrogation room. Ida wasted no time in her first question, "So, Aaron was making yet another move to be the Canadian street team leader. How much did that upset you? You were pretty much the first Yfe fan to ever exist, were you not?
"Yes but…"
"And you felt that position was yours even when Amy was working for the band, did you not?"
"Yes but…"
"So you realized that Aaron was not going away and you decided to get him out of the way in one of the more brutal ways imaginable?"
"Look, I agree that I wanted that position. I earned it even before Amy showed up. I will even admit that I am not a particularly close friend of Aaron's. I have really only stayed talking to him because a lot of other people offend him more. That was 1 of many things I was drowning my sorrows about with the Casanova wannabe and the poker lady."
Ida scratched her head, "Ok, I get that by poker lady you mean Sherry. But…Casanova wannabe?"
Vanessa sighed in frustration, "The tall guy in the Cmk who made me try some strange drink he invented at Jack's Backyard."
Ida snapped her fingers, "Charles?"
Vanessa nodded, "That would be him. Sherry, Charles and I were enjoying the private bar in the middle of the 19th floor (right above your room I think). Well…enjoying may be the wrong word but Charles was making drinks for us and he was lamenting as to how his 'friend' Damon cock blocked him just because Damon knows a few Russian words and phrases. He went on and on complaining that it was his destiny to fuck one of Aaron's hot friends, like Aaron wrote it in a book somewhere. Sherry and I kept trying to make small talk to stop his ranting. But he was too wasted to get the hint. Just as well, he was also too wasted to hit on me or Sherry. At least I understood Sherry's depression. She wanted a game of poker out of Aaron really badly and she felt stood up. None us could even fathom that Aaron was murdered. Anyways, I left the drinking games first. Roughly 2 hours before sunrise. I am still hung over, not to mention very sad."
Ida actually believed the hangover, "Get me Tamara. I will check out your story later."
Vanessa nodded, got up and exited the room. "Tamara?"
Tamara stood up and headed inside. Both exchanged blank glares, as if to ask "What are you hiding?" without using words. Tamara entered the room and sat down. Ida subconsciously decides to approach questioning Tamara with a gentler approach:
"It is a shame that the security protocols in Canadian banking prevented Aaron from wiring you the money to help your kid. He really did try, you know?"
"I regret saying anything to anyone, especially to Julie and Megan at the airport. I am not that kind of person. I even went back downstairs to where we had dinner to help clean up the place. I made an instant rapport with the janitor and picked up the trash with him as he has a kid with similar issues. I was down there from shortly after I dropped off my bags in my room until 4am because my brain still thinks it is 1am. Time zone differences, what can you do?"
"Is the Janitor the only one who can vouch for you?"
"No, Marcel came down almost as soon as I did and the DJ chick came down an hour later. She was mostly in and out though as she was taking hers AND Jason's DJ equipment."
"I may have to question Phoenix some more…"
"I doubt that. She arranged an elevator to be on service and she was wasting no time getting the equipment back upstairs. Then again, my conversations with the Janitor and Marcel were quite encompassing."
Ida nodded, having heard quite enough. "Ok Tamara, do you know who Tina is?"
Tamara nodded and walked out, signalling for Tina to come in. As with Tamara and Vanessa previously, they only glanced at each other as they walked past. Tina sat down; Ida stared at her with total indifference.
"Nobody more than me wants Aaron to get out more and make new friends. But since I married him, I have come to realize that he is pretty much the only person who is justified in pushing people away. But that is not good enough for you Yfe people, is it? Manipulate Aaron to be more outgoing or 'suppress' him, is that not the decree Alex and Jeff gave everyone back in 2008?"
Tina, to her credit, look confused, "I would not know anything about that. When it comes to political side of the band in relation to people with ties to Kingston, look only to Amy Smith."
Ida shook her head, clicking her teeth as if a Teacher scolding a student. "Everyone in Yfe is political; the only difference in Aaron is that at least he has the decency to admit it."
"My primary concern in this world is my kids. Followed by the rest of my family, THEN yfe. Oh I bet you would love it if I was the killer but I have very few skills in computers, the lack of strength to carry all of those weapons, and oh yeah, YOUR MOTHER IN-LAW IS 1 OF 2 PEOPLE WHO PLACE ME SEVERAL FLOORS AWAY."
Ida, to HER credit, was not impressed with Tina's screaming. "You and Lindsay?"
Tina nodded, "She was going up and down the same flight of stairs between the 11th and Twelfth floors. I knew it was for her Diabetes. She invited me to her room where we began discussing the differences in how each of us raised our kids. A younger woman was already in her room, but she has 1 of her own and is a stepmother to another. One of the Cmk, the shorter girl."
"Ok you and my mother in-law I understand, but Krystal?"
"You are going to have ask her that, not me."
"One of us will be sure to do just that. Now get me Megan."
"Right away."
Ida grabbed a Kleenex from her pocket and began dabbing the tears from her eyes. Tina's anger was apparently not entirely vented in that Interrogation room as less than 10 seconds later, Ida noticed several people pulling Tina and Megan away from each other. Ida heard Megan begin the screaming:
"And to think I was 1 of the few in the Cult who loved Yfe."
Tina shouted, "BULLSHIT YOU FUCKING TEMUJIN LOVER!"
Ida intervened, putting an arm around Megan and quietly leading her into the interrogation room. Megan sat down and pulled out a compact to see if her face was tarnished, "Can you believe that bitch?"
"Well she did have a point. If you are as deep into Temujin as Aaron said you were, you would have the same motive to kill Aaron that Karl did."
"For once, a ladies sense of vanity saves her."
"Come again?"
"I had spilled some of my Dinner on me and my outfit last night is so delicate that I am the only one I trust to wash it. Julie was bored so I asked her to come downstairs with me to the Hotel Laundry. We get down there; put the coins into the wash, when we were blindside by the rollerblader."
"You and Julie, blindsided by Corrine?"
"Correct. Turns out she was there for more than just to say hi too. She got out a Black and Red Sketchbook and showed us designs for her former Team's new clothing line. She had close to 100 ideas, and even to a non-derby girl like me, I found about 60 or so were great. By then, we heard staff freaking out that someone was killed."
"So you have at least 4 who can corroborate your tale. Ok Megan how is your Russian?"
"Non-existent. But at least 2 of the Russians speak English quite well. Which 1 am I getting?"
"Andrey."
"Ok, the director then. Should be easy enough as I do know the guy."
Megan walked out, happy that most of the Yfe contingent had been subduing Tina. "Andrey, Ida wanted me to get you."
Andrey nodded and stood up; he walked by Megan and slipped her a note that read, "You should be in 1 of my movies." as he reached the interrogation room. Andrey and Ida exchanged looks that indicated that they only liked the other for Aaron's sake.
"I am not going to lie to you Andrey, I hate scary movies. In fact, I hate your movies in particular because of how gory they are. Oh I concede that the story behind Philosophy of a Knife needed to be told, but I have enough nightmares as it is and do not wish to add them."
"Fair enough Ida, but as long as we are going to be blunt with each other: I do not really like you either. You softened Aaron, made him…normal. And as such a lot of his relationships have soured. I do not envy You, Holly and the other Aaron as we all have motives and opportunities to kill the man. But where I am concerned, I am not your killer."
"Well as far as I am concerned Mr. Iskanov, you are 1 of the prime suspects. A Horror movie director would have a great many ideas to kill someone so gruesomely."
"I was approaching 2 of Aaron's School friends to cast them in a future film. One was indifferent and stoic, the other was quite enthusiastic. Isaac criticized my use of the Chekhov's Gun trope (where an object seen early on in a story is used later), Adam, has quite a unique look about him. He must do his prison job quite well."
"You were with Isaac Tong and Adam Debideen."
"I was. I actually feel bad for speaking with them. They went to high school together and just wanted to catch up."
"Look on the bright side, interrogating them to vouch for you will be comparatively easy. Can you get me Jess Felix?"
"The Jersey girl? No problem."
Andrey exited with an encouraging smile on his face. He left and surveyed the crowd, taking a minute to find Jess. He then pointed at her, she nodded. He then heard her whisper, "I only hope Ryleigh is safe."
"I am sure she is, Jersey Girl." oblivious to Heather Stitt passing out pieces of paper and writing utensils. Jess entered the interrogation room with a worried look on her face.
"Oh what is the matter Jess? Worried that your on-again, off-again membership in yfe has finally come back to bite you in the ass?"
"Do you have any idea how resentful I am of those guys? I was sick while still in their employ and not a single one of them came to visit me. And when I Went back to Jersey, they talked to me less and less, especially after I got pregnant and had a kid."
Ida nodded, "I am aware of your falling out of favour with Your Favorite Enemies. All of the more reason to kill my husband to get back into their good graces, right?"
"I am incapable of hurting anyone. I was playing cards with the 2 singers. Isabel and that girl from Italy who just lost her husband."
Ida whispered, "Chiara…"
"Yes, what a nice name."
"I agree. And Isabel did vouch for you earlier. Still, 1 of us will question Chiara a little later when she is less numb from her husband's getting her head cut off."
"Understandable. May I go now?"
"Yes."
Jess and Ida left together, Heather came forward. "We have voted that we would like a break of 3 hours for lunch starting at 12." Ida reviewed the votes as the clock struck 12. Aaron and Holly were reading them behind Ida's shoulders. Holly responded first, "I could eat." Aaron nodded in agreement. Ida conceded defeat, "Ok, but we are ALL back here at 3 on the dot and everyone travel in groups of at least 5 people."
Everyone followed her directions as everyone filled 4 elevators to their respective rooms. Ida, Holly and Aaron L. got to their room and entered without any issues. Aaron looked to be pondering something, Holly noticed. "Penny for your thoughts, Aaron?"
Aaron opened a bottle of Black Label whiskey and poured himself a large glass with no Ice "Only that we should not discuss the case until we finish interrogating everyone."
Ida nodded, "I agree, but Aaron, you should really go easy on that stuff."
Aaron coldly replied, "I am. If I were going hard I would have had Jamieson's"
Suddenly they hear the crumpling of paper, followed by someone running away from their room. They walk to the front door and find an unmarked black envelope. Aaron grabs it and opens it with his fingers, a bottle of Nail polish slips out, hitting him in the foot. Ida grabs a facecloth, then the polish. "Fingerprints". Holly and Aaron nodded then Aaron read the letter aloud:
"You stupid detectives. He used to be ours, was he not? Ours and ours alone. We could use him, and that was fine, because no one else could. Now when I lie awake in bed, with you in my arms, I do so with the knowledge that he has been used by other groups of people. Lots of people. Sometimes 4 or all 5 of his groups a day. And I have had to watch it all like a cheap whore and pretend to like it when I see him with anyone, and you expect me not to care? Well I do care, I care enough to kill 3 people and place the blood on your hands. I care enough to give you a bottle of Nail polish that while mine, has also been used by every other female…and to be honest…every other male Aaron has ever known. Because I love Aaron, and I always will, and I will always return to the one I love"
Ida seemed genuinely disturbed, "I think we are dealing with a bonafide sociopath."
Aaron nodded, "And It is cleverly non-specific. Either a Yfe person is going after the Cult…"
Holly interrupted, "…Or a Cult of Aaron person is going after Yfe."
Ida had to separate the 2 of them from coming to blows, "This is just what the killer wants. Come on, we should go through the list of everyone we have not questioned and divide them as best we can before the killer divides us."
