The Shadows of The Devil's Tragedy

Four

"We have to be more careful, Amelia. They suspect me. You're safe, I think, and I got Hartwell under my thumb for now. Fear I'm growin' too close to 'im too, though..." Matt mused, as he served up the lunch he had made.

"You're growing too close to 'im? Detective Blake asked me ta be his lady and I said yes." Amelia gave a cynical chuckle.

"Miles'd look good in a grave if I could ever bring myself to do it. 'Course, he's been spendin' too much time roun' me- I'd likely be a prime suspect." Matt said. "Besides, like I said, I'm growing unfortunately close to the man. So Gabe asked you if I'm the killer, but he doesn't think you could do it?"

"Yeah. Severe lack o' judgemen', if ya ask me."

"You got your eye on anyone?" Matthew asked, passing Amelia her plate and sitting down. Amelia nodded, knowing what he meant.

"'Ol Mike. Saw 'im feelin' up poor Ruby the other day. Poor lass. It'd be a relief for 'er if he was gone."

"I'll meet ya normal place at three, then."

~~~

Matthew was sitting alone at the bar, not paying much attention to the people around him. That is, until he overheard a certain conversation.

"We should take care o' those detectives. Sick of 'em stickin' their noses in everyone's business. Murk 'em, I say, Rob." A man said. His friend, a man Matt recognised as Robert Walters, nodded.

"I reckon we go after 'em tomorrow. Get the assholes out of 'ere." He took another swig of his drink. When he left the bar, Matt tailed him silently. He knew where the one who had first suggested the idea lived, but he had to track the other man home. After he'd seen the house, he committed the address to memory and left for his own home, laying in wait. After all, he decided, if anyone was to murk Miles Hartwell, it'd be him.

~~~

Amelia groaned against Gabe's lips as her phone rang shrilly. She rose up from her spot on his lap and answered the phone, Drew sighing in annoyance and sinking down on the couch.

"The Queen of England speaking," She started sarcastically, making Gabe shake his head in amusement. "How may I help you?"

"Melia?"

"Mattie?" She straightened up at his serious tone. "What's up?"

"These two men are gonna try ta kill Miles and Gabe." Matt's voice explained darkly from the other end of the line. "Most likely shank 'em or some'in'."

Amelia tensed up at the news. "Not if I shank 'em bastards first."

Gabe sat up straight at her sentence and whipped his head around to look at her.

~~~

Miles was laying in bed beside Matt, Matt holding him close.

"You know, I'd heard the men who got killed were gon' hurt ya soon. Try get you 'n Gabe outta here. Sick of you snoopin' around, they were." Matt murmured to him.

"Yeah? Heh. It's strange, Cooper. I think I'm sleeping with a killer and I have no desire to turn him in." Miles said.

"Well, Wishin' Well, if you dance with the devil, you gotta live with it when 'e sets you alight, hm?"

~~~

Matthew glanced up at the knock at his door. He sighed, putting the book he had been reading down, and went to open the door.

"Matt."

"Detective Hartwell. To what do I owe the honor?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"May I at least come in?" Miles said. There were bags under his soft brown eyes, as if he hadn't slept.

"Of course. Make yaself at 'ome, Wishin' well." Matt stood aside, letting the detective in and closing the door behind him. Said detective took a seat on the couch and removed his hat, running a hand over his face tiredly. Matt joined him, pressing a soft kiss to the detective's lips, before speaking.

"You look terrible, detective. 'Aven't seen anyone look this bad for a while, and ya know that's sayin' somethin', since I spend so much time down at the bar."

"Look, I'm... Worried. I don't know what to do. I know you're one of the killers. I'm leaning towards the shadow. But Gabe and I... we think Amelia is the Devil Incarnate. And we don't know what to do."

"What if we go out ta the bar tonight, love? Then tomorrow...ya can decide what to do. Ya know, ya'd look pretty in a grave if I 'ad the heart ta slit your throat. But I couldn't do that, could I? Not your pretty throat. I love ya, unfortunately." Matt pressed his lips to the detective's, and the detective kissed him back until Matt pulled away. "Save it for tonight, dearest."

~~~

"Melia?" Gabe spoke up after a moment of silence as he lay in Amelia's bed on his back, said girl on his chest.

"Tall, Dark and Handsome?" She traced her finger down his abs.

"You..." He took a deep breath and continued. "You're The Devil Incarnate, aren't ya?"

Amelia stopped tracing and lifted her head to look up at him with big puppy eyes. "You think I'm The Devil Incarnate?"

Gabe looked into her big doe eyes, knowing better than to trust the innocent look in them, and spoke quietly. "I know you're The Devil Incarnate."

She sat up and dropped the façade, giving him an almost psychotic smile. "How'd ya know, Handsome?"

Gabe shrugged as he sat up as well.

Amelia climbed in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Why?" Gabe asked, not making a move to hug her back. "Why do you kill?"

Amelia pulled back before reaching down, grabbing his hands and placing them at her waist, placing her hands on his shoulders.

She gave him a smirk. "It's called murder, baby. Ya just do it, and hope it doesn' come back ta bite ya. An' if it does, ya live with it."

"You know I can't let you walk away from this." Gabe told her firmly, gripping her waist tighter.

"Don't worry, Tall, Dark and Handsome, you're the one person I don't want ta kill." Her smirk widened as she fell back against the bed, pulling Gabe with her, and Gabe braced his forearms on either side of her head to keep from crushing her. "I love you jus' a little too much."

She caressed his cheek and pulled his head down to kiss him before pulling his white singlet off, laying back down.

Gabe stared down at the goddess-like women underneath him, her hair spread out on her pillow like a halo.

She's no goddess. She's a monster.