CARNAL

XXIV

filler
THE SHUT DOWN

In the dimly lit office, Siraj sat behind his mahogany desk, the intricate carvings on its surface barely visible under the weak glow of a table lamp. The tension in the room was palpable, and even the air seemed to thicken as he meticulously worked on laundering Don's money.

Siraj had done this countless times – filtering large sums of dirty cash through his legitimate businesses to make it untraceable. As the numbers flowed through his sophisticated network of offshore bank accounts, shell companies, and seemingly innocent transactions, Siraj reveled in the thrill of manipulating money and turning it into a virtually untraceable commodity. It was a dangerous game, but it had served him well over the months.

As he methodically typed on his computer, cross-referencing documents and account statements, Siraj's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock on his office door. His heartbeat quickened as he instinctively reached for the gun he kept in his desk drawer – an ever-present reminder of the risks that came with his line of work.

"Mijako?" Siraj called out tentatively, trying to mask his exhaustion. "Come in."

The door swung open and Mijako stepped into the room – her expression fraught with concern. Her eyes darted between Siraj and the financial spreadsheets displayed on his computer screen.

"We have trouble," she said urgently. "The police have just arrived at the bar up front. They're asking for you."

Siraj frowned as he closed his laptop, masking the incriminating evidence. "What do they want?"

"They're investigating Governor Will's death," Mijako explained breathlessly. "Apparently, there's new information that suggests someone here did it, some people are already talking, no one suspects you."

Siraj's mind raced with possibilities as he removed his reading glasses and strode across the room to don his tailored jacket. As he made his way to the bar downstairs, he couldn't help but wonder if this unexpected visit would bring his illicit empire crashing down around him.

Siraj sighed as he closed the door behind him, leaving the dimly lit office within the strip club. He adjusted his collar and began walking towards the bar where he was scheduled to meet with the detectives investigating Governor Will's death. As a seasoned pusher of people towards their untimely ends, Siraj never thought he would face a day like this. For the first time, one of his victims was being investigated, and it unnerved him.

As he walked past the seductive neon signs that lined the bar, Siraj's mind filled with memories of his past deeds. Governor Will was just one in an extensive list of targets he had executed flawlessly. Until now, luck had always favored him by shrouding each incident in secrecy.

Lost in thought, Siraj almost didn't notice as an old friend crossed his path.

"Siraj! Thought I'd find you around here," Detective Ray said with a smirk. "This place never gets old for you, does it?"

Siraj forced a strained laugh. "You know how it is, Ray. Just a bit of harmless fun."

Ray nodded as they walked towards the bar together. "Yeah, well, we've got bigger fish to fry tonight. Governor Will's case is getting more complex than we initially thought."

Siraj felt his heart race but kept a stoic face. "Oh? Tell me more," he replied with feigned curiosity.

"We found some inconsistencies in the evidence pointing towards foul play," Ray said as they entered the dimly lit bar. The smell of stale beer filled their nostrils while chatter buzzed over the sound system playing old rock tunes. "We need your expertise to help crack this thing open."

"And we're here to inform you that starting tomorrow night, this establishment is being temporarily shut down for investigation," declared the taller detective. His partner added gravely, "It seems the recent demise of Governor Wills has led us to explore certain connections."

The positive aspect was that he would have the opportunity to eliminate any traces of the money laundering activities he conducted for Mijako's father.

The weight of guilt and fear gnawed at Siraj's insides as they approached their booth occupied by two other detectives whom he knew well - Linda and Chris. They exchanged pleasantries before diving into the details of Governor Will's case.

His hands were shaking slightly, but Siraj tried his best to maintain composure. He knew that any signs of weakness could very well be the end of his long-standing career as a serial killer. As they discussed the convoluted web of evidence and lines of inquiry, Siraj couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal by his own handiwork unraveling before his eyes.

Every new revelation felt like a blade dancing dangerously close to his throat, threatening to expose him for the ruthless killer he was beneath the nonchalant façade.

As the group continued analyzing leads and piecing together possibilities, Siraj found himself torn between trying to steer them away from discovering his culpability and secretly yearning for an end to his destructive ways.

"Siraj, what do you think about this angle? The night of Will's death, there was an eyewitness who reported seeing a shadowy figure at the crime scene," Linda said, eyeing him carefully.

He kept his composure and thought quickly. "I see some merit in that lead. Still, it could've been anyone or just paranoia settling in. Let's not jump to conclusions."

The tense meeting stretched late into the night. By the time they ended their discussion and everyone began to leave, Siraj found himself more conflicted than ever before. The knowledge that his past actions were dangerously close to being revealed gnawed at him relentlessly.