10. Chapter 10 - The Press Conference

Chapter 10 - The Press Conference

Evelyn

I paced around the office while everyone stared at the pictures on the evidence board. We could only get a few from the crime scene of Alpha Mark's death, but we were able to get more than enough evidence with the new body. It still wasn't leading us anywhere; we were moving in circles now.

Just like we did with Alpha Mark's body, we cleaned up every trace of evidence of the murder, and now we are reviewing it internally. We couldn't afford to make mistakes, at least not now that we had plenty of attention on us. With the treaty hanging in the air, we have limited time.

"There's a problem, Sheriff." An deputy called in from the corner of the room, and it got my attention immediately. I turned to see him holding up a phone. I walked closer and took the device out of his hand to check what the fuss was about. Cold shivers ran down my spine as I read the online blog's content.

"Harmony grove's Serial Killer Returns. Another dead body found downtown, tortured and killed. The killer still remains unknown, and the picture of the body has been attached."

I scrolled down to see the attached picture, and I hissed slowly under my breath. I thought the supermarket assured us that nobody else knew that a body had been found there?! Tell me why I am looking straight at the victim I logged into records this morning?

"Ryan and Rodriguez, you are in charge of finding whoever runs this forsaken blog and finding out how they got the pictures. Go back downtown and find me some damn answers. I need everyone to play their best game today. We have to control the narrative before they control it for us. Get me some answers! Find the missing link, people! There should be something we are missing." I bellowed, and everyone scrambled around to get their assigned job done.

I sent a quick text to Alexei before going back to the evidence board. There has to be something that I am missing, and I am determined to find it and win this race against time. No one at the supermarket knew why the footage was corrupted. Somehow, it had been done remotely.

***

The press conference room buzzed as reporters shuffled to find seats. Cameras clicked and whirred, capturing the tense atmosphere. I stood at the podium, the microphones in front of me, awaiting the truth. The room fell silent as I took a deep breath, ready to address the rumors spreading like wildfire.

We have been trying to find the blog owner to get them to take down the post before it spread throughout the community. Still, the reporters surprised us by sharing it with even more people, and now we are left with no choice but to make them look like crazy, attention-seeking reporters, desperate to cause panic among the people.

I felt guilty doing this, lying through my teeth to these people. Still, we needed to control the narrative if we wanted the treaty to hold, especially after how much effort Alexei put into building a place like Harmony Grove.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for gathering here today," I began, my voice projecting through the room. "I'm Sheriff Evelyn Thompson, and I'm here to address the recent rumors circulating about Harmony Grove."

A sea of eager faces stared back at me, pens poised and cameras ready. I continued, "There have been claims of a serial killer in our town, with pictures circulating online. I want to be clear: there is no truth to these rumors. No murder has occurred in Harmony Grove and the pictures are doctored to fit the narrative they are trying to pedal. Yes, someone has died but we haven't finished our investigation to determine the cause of death.""

Questions immediately erupted from the crowd, voices clamoring for attention. I raised a hand to signal for silence. "I understand your concerns, but I assure you, Harmony Grove remains a safe and peaceful community. These rumors are nothing more than baseless speculation. We are working hard to find the perpetrators of this crime and you can rest assured that they will be duly dealt with."

A reporter in the front row thrust their hand in the air, and I nodded toward them to speak. "Sheriff Thompson, can you confirm that the pictures online are fake, or are you saying there was no incident at all?"

I maintained a stern expression. "I can confirm that the pictures circulating online are not related to any incident in Harmony Grove. They are fabricated, designed to spread fear and panic. No murder has occurred in Harmony Grove that we can confirm."

Another reporter said, "How can you be so sure, Sheriff? What steps are you taking to investigate these claims?"

I met their gaze, unwavering. "We take every claim seriously. However, our investigation has revealed no evidence of a murder. We are actively looking into the source of these false allegations, and rest assured, the truth will prevail."

The barrage of questions continued, but I addressed each with poise and confidence. "Harmony Grove is a town that thrives on harmony and unity. We will not let baseless rumors tear us apart. I ask the community to trust in our law enforcement and remain calm during this time. The intention of these blogs is to create fear amongst us and we will not let them succeed."

As the press conference neared its end, I concluded with a final statement. "In times like these, it's crucial for us to stand together. We will not let fear and misinformation divide us. Harmony Grove will remain a haven safe for all its residents. Thank you."

With that, I left the podium, the reporters still buzzing with questions. The room slowly emptied, and as I walked out, I knew the battle had just begun. Whoever had that blog up knew what they were doing and calling them a dirty liar meant we just invited war. I have no idea if we will be able to weather their storm when they come for us.

***

I walked down the stairs that led to Karla's house slowly. We had our weekly training today, but my head was everywhere. I excused myself from the work to be here, but I just needed to speak to someone who understood me. All of this was driving me crazy, and I just wanted to get a grip on it.

Whoever killed Alpha Mark was brilliant, but I am wiser; I wasn't the best student out of Quantico for nothing. I am a trained investigator, and in this deadly race against time, I will win.

Karla was seated in her usual position and some markings were already in place. I guessed they weren't for me because she would have waited otherwise. She continued playing with the crystal while I removed my shoes and placed my bag on the chair.

I slumped down on the floor, too exhausted to even concentrate on learning new things. I just wanted to clear my head, and my office wasn't doing that for me. If anything, it was doing a great job of choking me and reminding me that I wasn't doing my best.

Karla's eyes narrowed as she observed my worn-out state. "Evelyn, what's your plan? We need to find the killer and that missing talisman. This banshee doesn't mean well and we are all sitting on a time bomb."

I let out a deep sigh, my mind swirling with exhaustion. "I don't know yet, Karla. I'll come up with something, I promise. I have been up and running all day trying to find something that links the alpha and the new person that was killed but it feels like I'm running in an unending circle."

She sat down beside me, her expression showing concern. "I know you can do this love you are one of the smartest people I know. You just need to open your mind, let your spirit guide you."

I closed my eyes, trying to summon some energy from the depths of my weary body. "I know, Karla. But it feels like my spirit isn't even listening to me anymore."

But as I sat there, my mind buzzing with fatigue, an idea struck me like lightning. My eyes snapped open, and I shot up from the floor. "I've got it!" I exclaimed.

Karla looked at me, her eyebrows raised in anticipation. "Well, spit it out, Evelyn. What's your plan?"

I wasted no time. "I need to go back to my office. There might be something there that can lead us to the killer and the talisman. There's something we must have missed and now I'm going to find it."

Without waiting for Karla's response, I rushed out of the coven and went to my office. The night air was crisp, and my senses were on high alert. I couldn't afford any mistakes.

All the feelings of despair that filled me earlier were gone, and all that was left now was sheer determination to find the killer.