The Devil's Bride (Book 1)

Chapter 31- Halfway to Hell

THIRD PERSON

~One Year Later~

"We've been searching for The Devil's Bride for one year now, without much information on her whereabouts. The police department has been running off little clues to who she is, and why exactly she has been continuing her spree of murders. As we approach winter and we continue to live through fall, we are on the constant lookout for the return of Persephone, the cold-blooded killer," he speaks in his loudest and angered voice as he addresses the crowd standing around him. He watches as the other police officers around him shuffle into the crowded space and take their stance around him. He lowers his voice and continues to speak, "I am afraid to say we have yet to confirm the whereabouts of one other member of our community. The location of Peter O'Brien still remains unknown, and his connection to the killer is somewhat debatable. We will discuss this in further detail at a later date when more evidence is presented," he finishes as he steps down from the podium, the crowd following his movement. As he veers towards the exit of the large room, someone stops him in his tracks. A woman with brown hair.

She pauses before speaking to him, her voice shaken and frazzled, "I'm really glad you're doing this for us, Detective Lockhart. It means a lot that you're looking for my best friend when I know he must be out there somewhere," she pauses but continues to pester with agony in her voice, "It's been hard this past year searching for him with nothing but misguided leads and false witnesses. Marie, my boss and close friend, has been too upset to even speak a word of that day. It's great to know you're still searching." She folds her arms and smiles gently to the police officer, and he smiles back at her with the same politeness she shows him. The crowd begins to dissipate and move towards the exits, a few stopping to chat with another police officer much like Reyna is.

He lifts his head and sighs, "I know you were close to him, Miss Swindell, but you can't continue to think that this killer is responsible for the death of your friend without evidence to support it," he pauses, fumbling with his pockets, "Most likely he disappeared to cover his connection with this killer and he will reappear later on, or if you do believe she is to blame, then he may be her prisoner." He stops himself, shaking his head and staring around at the other civilians who walked into this room and decided they were fit to find or locate this so called 'bride of the devil', but are moving only on small evidence. He continues to shake his head.

"Detective, I refuse to believe that this killer does not have a name, and I will find out her real name before anyone else does. I will discover who she is and I will bring her down," she raises her voice, charging out of the building. The luminescent streetlight on the pavement beside the local building shimmers in a puddle of light as Reyna stands by the pitch black road, thinking. The detective stands in the doorway with a creased frown now. She only stares down at the blank pavement below her feet.

The detective moves closer towards her, beginning to speak to her with a muffled voice, "May I join you? If it's not too much to ask." He stands beside her under the pool of light. "I guess I'm sorry for snapping like that to you. I get that it's been tough for you this past year, so I won't argue about that with you anymore." He bites his thin lips as she sighs, folding her arms once more. She bites her lip.

"You think I'd be prepared for something like this. I've seen movies where the wife runs away and the husband searches endlessly for her, and I've seen movies where someone is taken and the grieving begins, but I still can't believe he's gone," she admits, changing her attention towards him. He shifts his head towards Reyna, and a smile as wide as the moon escapes onto his face. "For all I know, he could be dead."

The detective freezes still and frowns. "He wouldn't want you to think he's dead, Rey. He'd want you to continue searching for him and he'd hope that you would forever care for him."