"Eleutheria Kaustos" from the book by seviL doG

Copyright © Gerard Valdez 2011

All rights reserved

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this manuscript may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any mechanical means ( electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without prior written permission of the copyright owner

Audrey sat patiently contemplating her approach to the problem at hand, as the news teams setup their cameras and the cosmetologist touched up her makeup. The deaths had been seemingly random and according to the police investigator, Chuck Jones, the leads were all dry. Something had to be done, or at least attempted.

The phone was ringing off the hook as Fesoj finally awoke from his deep trancelike slumber. The drugs worked as usual to induce their hidden agenda and whisked him away from the present. But, he felt her strong presence from within his trance and had to wake to take the call. “I’ll meet you at the main entrance to the War Memorial Building on old Park Boulevard.” He hung up as abruptly as he’d answered. Visions of darkness and running played over in his psyche. The pain was sharp in his back as he hit the ground breathless and crushed by the weight of the attacker. He could feel the knife twisting as he writhed in pain and struggled to view the assailant from peripheral vision. He could just make out the dirty blond hair under the ball cap and short glimpses of the gaunt features as the victims eyes glazed over and death whispered her name in his ear Je..i….

Chuck had taken this last ditch attempt by calling Fesoj. He’d gotten his name from some good informants that felt Fesoj could help Chuck with his case. The rest was destiny in the making.  

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“You two get in here!” called Pat from inside his office as he gestured for John and Audrey to come forward and in. “I’ve got your next assignment.” Audrey reached Pat’s office door first followed by John.  Both peered in quizzically then entered and sat down in the two old brown armchairs affronting Pat’s desk. Pat was busy reading and munching on some stale pretzels. Reaching out, with the bag in his hand, Pat offered, “You want some?” Both Audrey and John looked and answered in unison, “No thanks.” Audrey started in, “So, what ya got for us boss?” “Here”, Pat handed over a dossier full of notes, names and numbers. “What’s this?” questioned Audrey as she grasped the folder from his hand. “It’s all we got on this thing. The other guys didn’t want anything to do with it. I tried everyone else in the office and got the same response. That’s why it’s your next case.”

“So John and I get railroaded into this just because we were out doing our job? Why don’t we get a say in it?” Without even a pause Pat says, “Read it over, but keep this in mind. This could be your big break girly.” Pat had responded in as though he’d not heard a word from her mouth. Audrey kept calm and brushed off the fact that Pat had ignored her response, and for calling her girly. She’d actually come to like his derogatory use of “girly” towards her. It gave her a sense that he actually cared more about her than the rest of the reporters. They were all Mister or Miss, so she felt somewhat privileged that he’d given her a unique gender specific pundit which was more derived from her age than from her gender. She always looked far younger than the rest, and used it to her advantage. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. So John stays with me then, right?” “Sure does, you two make a good team. He’s the brains and you’re the mouth piece. So to speak”, he responded laughing deeply as he continued to chew on the stale pretzels.