6. Chapter 6 The Funeral

Chapter 6: The Funeral

EVELYN

I lace up my running shoes and head out into the cool night air. The town of Harmony Grove is quiet, almost too quiet, and the moonlight casts long shadows on the empty streets. Taking a walk is the only way I can clear my head right now, to make sense of the chaos that has taken over my life.

As I start my walk, I think about Alexei. The image of him, locked up and helpless, fuels my anger and determination. I have to find a way to clear his name. I have to.

The rhythm of my feet hitting the pavement is soothing, almost meditative. I push myself harder, trying to outrun my thoughts. But no matter how fast I go, they keep catching up.

After several miles, I slow down and head towards Ana's place. She's probably asleep, but I need her help. Alexei needs me to start piecing this puzzle together, and I can't do it alone.

I reach Ana's house and knock on the door. It takes a moment, but she finally answers, looking groggy and confused.

"Evelyn? What time is it?" she asks, rubbing her eyes.

"Late," I say, stepping inside. "But we need to talk. We need to start working this case privately. I don't think everyone at the sheriff's department can do justice to the case like we can. Their human forms will always be limiting. we can handle this with our powers."

Ana nods, her expression serious now. "Alright, let's get to work."

We set up a board in her living room, I grab a couple of sticky notes and start scribbling important details and sticking them to the board. It feels like we're in a crime drama, but this is all too real. We have a real killer to catch and stop before it gets worse.

"Who could be behind this?" Ana asks, staring at the board.

"Alexei has made a lot of enemies over the years," I say. "We need to figure out who would benefit the most from framing him."

We start listing names, people who have had run-ins with Alexei, rivals, and anyone who might have a motive. The list is longer than I'd like, but it's a start.

"Let's focus on those who have the means to pull something like this off," I say, highlighting a few names. "These are our top suspects."

Ana nods, adding more notes to the board. "We should also consider if someone from the inside is helping them. Someone who knows the system."

"Exactly," I say, feeling a surge of determination. "I need everyone to be thorough. We can't leave any stone unturned."

The pile of evidence grows as we piece together the possible connections and motives one piece at a time. It's slow, exhausting work, but we can't afford to stop.

"Do you think this will work?" Ana asks, glancing at me.

"We have to try," I say, my voice firm. "Alexei's life depends on it."

As night turns into morning, we finally take a step back and look at the board. It's a chaotic mess of lines and notes, but it's progress.

"We should get some rest," Ana says, yawning. "We'll need our strength to keep this up."

I nod, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in. "You're right. We'll continue later today since it is already morning."

We collapse onto the couch, the adrenaline finally wearing off. As I close my eyes, I can't help but feel a flicker of hope. We're getting closer to the truth. If we keep pushing, I know we will find all the facts.

Later that day, I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing. It's a text from Deputy Smith asking about the case. I ignore it for now. Ana and I need to focus on our private investigation.

We start by reviewing everything we went over earlier, making sure we didn't miss anything. Then, we start digging deeper into our top suspects, looking for any connections to the murders.

"Look at this," Ana says, pointing to a name on the list. "This guy had a major falling out with Alexei last year. He has the motive and the resources."

"Let's dig into his background," I say. "See if we can find any solid evidence."

As we sift through records and notes, I can feel us getting closer. Every piece of information brings us one step nearer to clearing Alexei's name.

Hours pass but we barely notice the time. We're consumed by the investigation, driven by the need to find the truth.

"Got something," Ana says, holding up a file. "This guy was seen with one of the victims a week before the murders."

"That's a strong lead," I say, feeling a surge of excitement. "We need to follow up on this."

We spend the rest of the day tracking down more information, connecting dots, and building our case. It's exhausting work, but it's paying off.

By the time evening rolls around, we have a solid list of suspects and potential motives. It's more than we had yesterday, and it feels like we're finally making progress.

"We need to be careful," Ana says as we pack up for the night. "If whoever did this finds out we're on to them, they might come after us."

"I know," I say, feeling a chill run down my spine. "But we can't stop now. Alexei needs us."

We part ways, promising to meet up again tomorrow to continue the investigation. As I head home, I can't help but feel a mix of hope and fear. We're getting closer, but the danger is also growing.

When I get home, I take a long shower, letting the hot water wash away the stress of the day. But my mind keeps racing, turning over everything we've discovered.

We'll find the truth , I tell myself. But right now, I need to head to the combined funeral.

The sun is low in the sky with the moon rising as I arrive at the cemetery. The air is heavy with grief and tension. Today, we bury six witches. All members of the coven, all brutally murdered. I adjust my hat and take a deep breath before stepping out of the car. I can feel eyes on me, cold and accusing.

Karla, the leader of the coven, stands near the graves, her expression stony. She doesn't greet me as I approach. I understand. I am the sheriff, and my now ex-fiancé, Alexei, is the prime suspect. Trusting me will be hard.

"Karla," I start, my voice steady. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

She nods but says nothing more. The ceremony proceeds in somber silence; the only sounds are the whispered prayers and the rustle of leaves in the wind. As each casket is lowered into the ground, the guilt of not being anywhere close to finding the killer hits me even harder.

After the last casket is lowered, Karla approaches me. "Come with me," she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.

She leads me to a group of children, their eyes red from crying. "These are the children of the murdered witches," she says, her voice cold. "They need to know who you are."

I kneel down to their level, trying to muster a reassuring smile. "Hi, I'm Evelyn. I'm the sheriff, and I'm working very hard to find out who did this to your parents."

A young girl, maybe eight years old, looks up at me with tear-filled eyes. "Will you catch them?"

"I promise," I say, my heart aching. "I will do everything I can."

Karla watches, her arms crossed. The children nod and shuffle away, leaving me alone with her. She leads me to the far end of the cemetery as the others spend their last minutes with their loved ones.

"You're not doing enough," she says bluntly once we are out of earshot.

"I'm doing everything I can," I respond, feeling defensive. "We're getting closer. The background checks are revealing more each day."

"It's not enough," Karla snaps. "The witches are losing faith in you. They think you're protecting Alexei."

"I need more time," I insist. "I'm getting closer. Just trust me a little longer."

Karla's eyes narrow. "Time is something we don't have much of, Evelyn. More witches could die."

I swallow hard, knowing she's right. "I know. I won't stop until I find who's responsible."

"See that you don't," she says, turning away.

I take one last look at the funeral before walking away. I make my way back to my car, the promise I made to those children echoing in my mind. The drive back home is quiet. My mind is occupied with other things.