Chapter 12
.
The Pine Valley Police Department, along with detective Fredo, searched the Sunset Club for evidence. They went to the backroom to check the security feed, but it had been shut down, and no guards were stationed here. Sheriff Hayward spoke to one of her deputies, who had been moonlighting as a security guard. He claimed that JR Chandler approached him, claiming he was relieving him and he could join the party. Supposedly even Reggie allowed this, Gary was going to talk to both of those men as soon as possible. In the meantime he saw an envelope in this back room, it seemed that the killer was sending him a message, so he took the envelope. Inside was a page torn from a book, possibly an art book. It was a portrait of a man hanging, his bowels falling apart. There was also another picture, it seemed to be a prenatal sonogram. There was something typed on the back. It read "Submitting the offspring, swallowed in flames, baptismal immolation, another soul claimed." That seemed to be a rather dark image for a prenatal sonogram. The sonogram itself seemed to be over a year old, the typing was relatively new. Detective Fredo went outside to look for Reggie, but he wasn't here. Reggie had been acting nervous all night, after the fire alarm, and word spread about Greenlee's death, he seems to have fled. What was he so afraid of, and did they come for him? The police looked, but would be unable to find Reggie this night. Not would they be able to find JR. JR's wife Amanda was actually relieved he was gone, the police suspected he was abusive towards her. The images in the envelope did seem to have religious overtones, so Gary decided to ask father Clarence about them.
.
Fredo: Father, can you help me on something?
Clarence: I can try.
Fredo: I think the killer might have sent me a message. Do you know this picture?
Clarence: Yes I do. This man is Judas Iscariot. The Bible actually gives two accounts of Judas' death. In one he hanged himself out of guilt. In the other, he bought a field with his thirty pieces of silver, where his bowels ruptured and fell out. I forget the name of the artist who painted this portrait, but he felt that one death was too good for the man who betrayed Christ. I think this book might be from the local library, I've checked it out a few times.
Fredo: And this sonogram, has a message on the back.
Clarence: So I see. This isn't from the Bible, it's from "Paradise Lost" by John Milton. It references Moloch. Moloch was an ancient Caananite dirty, largely associated with human sacrifice, particularly the sacrifice on infants. The book of Leviticus specifically tells the Israelites not to worship Moloch. However, so little is actually known about Moloch that many scholars believe the word does not refer to any specific pagan god, but rather the ritual of human sacrifice.
Fredo: Am I correct in assuming that if one of your parishioners told you she was pregnant you would be unable to tell me?
Clarence: You would be correct. You are certain this is from the killer?
Fredo: I'm not 100% certain no. But I think whoever convinced JR to shut down the security wanted me to get this message.
Clarence: I'm just an armchair detective here but, I think the killer views their victims as traitors, and they want their victims to suffer before they die. But that's just my opinion.
Fredo: I think you're right.
.
Gary spoke with all of the suspects from the club. Kendall said that when the alarm went off she found Bianca and Maggie and got them out, Bianca and Maggie backed up this version. Krystal and David said they found Marissa and made sure she got out, Marissa backed up this version of events. Anna said she saw David go to find Marissa, but she was also busy helping to evacuate the building. Jackson, Carlos, Zack, and father Clarence all said they were at various parts of the club when the fire alarm went off. In all the confusion none of them were certain where everyone else was. Anna said she was the last person in the club, she didn't see Greenlee or Erica, but perhaps one or both of them were passed out from the alcohol, and someone could have been hiding somewhere, waiting for the right moment to murder Greenlee. Erica Kane was brought to the hospital. The doctors said she would be okay, but with a massive hangover in her immediate future. Gary Fredo was allowed to question her, but the doctors asked him to keep it brief.
.
Fredo: I remind you that you have the right to speak with an attorney before you answer any questions.
Erica: I'm certain my husband would prefer that. But I will speak to you.
Fredo: Did you shoot and kill Greenlee Smythe?
Erica: I honestly don't know.
Fredo: You don't know if you murdered someone?
Erica: I have almost no memory of last night. But maybe I did. Michael raped my daughter, Greenlee helped him cover it up.
Fredo: So did Ryan Lavery.
Erica; Yes, and they're all dead now. Are you going to arrest me now?
Fredo: At the moment I have no evidence you killed anyone, but I plan to keep looking. My advice is to enjoy this time with your family, while you can.