Chapter 65 - Ty
TY
Istood next to my sleek black car, eyes glued to the glowing screen of my phone, oblivious to the world around me.
Dead people can’t tell tales. Keep that in mind, Alpha.
Fucking Castro. Before I could throw the phone in anger at the bastard’s words, movement from the house ahead caught my attention. A uniformed police officer emerged from the entrance, his footsteps thumping on the sidewalk as he steadily approached.
He gracefully ducked under the tape. “Alpha Keller, sir?” he inquired, a hint of authority in his voice.
The scorching sun beat down on the back of my neck as I listened to the police officer attempt to update me on the situation. Behind him, a black gurney was being carried from the house, a black body bag strapped to it, and the paramedics wheeled it to the waiting ambulance.
It seemed like time slowed as I tracked its path.
The bitter taste of betrayal filled my mouth.
It had been her all along. I’d never had such a strong desire to be proven wrong.
It was difficult to accept that someone from my own pack could commit such a heinous act, but I knew Nico wasn’t wrong.
He’d shown me the emails from Castro. She’d been the traitor all along, and Castro had tied up the loose string.
Dead men, or women in this case, told no tales.
Cecily Banks. She’d been right under our fucking noses the whole time.
I’d known she’d a nasty side to her, a jealous streak a mile wide.
That jealous, nasty streak had only worsened after I matched with Liza, but I never would’ve imagined that Cecily would join forces with the likes of Castro.
My mind moved through the scenarios that had confused us, like when Liza had been photographed outside the farmer’s market.
With Castro in hiding, we’d come to the obvious conclusion that he had someone inside Presley Acres working for him.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed Cecily to be the culprit.
My damn mind was reeling over the whole fucking ordeal.
I tried to focus on what the officer was saying to me, but the cacophony of thoughts raging in my head drowned him out.
If Cecily had been Castro’s mole, who had killed her?
Would Castro have risked coming into town to tie up loose ends, or did he have someone else on speed dial ready to do his dirty work?
Who could it be? Now that Cecily’s betrayal had been uncovered, no one in the pack was above suspicion.
I was so lost in thought that I hadn’t noticed Officer Hayes, a young shifter who worked for the local police, join us.
He reached forward to shake my hand. “Alpha Keller, once we’ve finished gathering evidence, you’ll be free to begin your search of the residence.
” His words snapped me back to reality, making me realize how little attention I’d been paying.
With everything going on, I couldn’t afford to be distracted. I had to stay alert.
I nodded in understanding. As the alpha, I had the right to conduct my own investigation because Cecily was part of my pack. A conniving, traitorous bitch, but still technically under my charge. She might not have done right by me and my mate, but I’d fulfill my obligation to her.
I offered him a strained smile. “Thanks, Hayes.”
My phone rang, and when I checked the screen, Dad’s name popped up. “Excuse me.” I held up a finger and moved away to answer the call. “Dad, what’s up?”
“Ty, what the hell is going on? Nico just told me he discovered emails and texts between Cecily and Castro. That they’re pretty incriminating.
” Dad’s voice was laced with anger and concern.
“Now I’m hearing Cecily’s dead. Possibly murdered.
Is she truly… gone?” He was quiet for a brief moment, then cleared his throat. “Any sightings of Castro?”
I stared at the asphalt and rubbed the tight muscles in my neck.
“It’s true, and the texts and emails aren’t the worst of it.
It looks like Cecily was working for Castro.
No sightings of him in person that I’ve heard of, but from what we can gather, she was the one that left his scavenger hunt clues, took photos of Liza, essentially doing his dirty work for him here in town.
” I bit those last words out, pissed at myself for having not seen what seemed obvious now.
“Son of a…” he muttered under his breath. “I’m on my way.”
“Thanks, Dad. See you soon.” I ended the call and stepped back to the officer, who was waiting quietly. “My father is on his way and will join me shortly.”
He nodded. “Very well, Alpha Keller. We’ll let you know when we’re finished in the house.”
“Thank you.” I smiled weakly.
I stood, leaning against my car, sunglasses on, and watched as the police traipsed in and out of Cecily’s house.
Some chatted casually, others spoke into their radios or wrote on their notepads.
As I observed the activity, it became clear that there was a distinct lack of anything substantial for the police to find.
I found myself impatient to gain entry to conduct my own search.
Finally, Hayes approached me again. I removed my sunglasses. “Hayes, how did you get on?”
“Alpha Keller.” His frustration rolled off him.
“To be honest, sir, it would be easier to tell you what we haven’t found.
Her phone isn’t in the residence. No fibers.
No latent prints, bodily fluids, or hairs apart from Ms. Banks’s own.
” He glanced over at the house before returning his gaze to mine.
“Maybe once the autopsy is complete, we’ll have something, but for the moment, that’s all I can tell you.
We’ve concluded our investigation, so I can pass the property off to you. ”
I shook his hand. “Thank you. If I come across anything, I’ll let you know.”
I watched as he strolled to his vehicle.
The sound of doors slamming shut echoed through the empty street, followed by the low rumble of engines when the police cruisers pulled away.
As the last cars vanished, the neighbors emerged and stared at the crime scene, clustering into small groups.
They whispered to each other in low murmurs beyond my range of hearing.
Every so often, they’d cast looks in my direction.
I waited until Dad showed up before going inside the house. When he eventually arrived and got out of his car, his face was a portrait of barely contained fury. He glanced at the yellow tape surrounding Cecily’s house and shook his head. “This is not a good look for the pack, Ty.”
“Tell me about it.” I gestured toward the neighbors who had stopped talking and were now looking at us.
I could only imagine what they were assuming had happened that would require the pack alpha and the retired alpha, and how fast wild rumors would travel through Presley Acres.
“Let’s go inside and see what we can find. ”
We entered the house, which was a testament to Cecily’s taste for luxury.
The floors, made of polished marble, shone under our feet, and expensive artwork adorned the walls.
The appearance of the place was misleading.
It was so innocuous, it was hard to believe a traitor had lived here, but I couldn’t deny the incriminating evidence.
“I’m assuming you’ve already seen the exchanges Nico found?” Dad asked as we methodically searched through drawers and closets.
“I saw them.” I scanned the contents of a dresser drawer I’d spilled open. “The police mentioned that they didn’t find Cecily’s phone. We should look for it. She was never off that thing.”
“Agreed.” Dad continued to search, his movements methodical and precise.
Despite our best efforts, we came up empty-handed. Frustration gnawed at my insides like a hungry beast. Just as we were about to give up, I vaguely remembered the police mentioning the housekeeper, Mrs. Griffiths. My instincts told me that speaking to her was crucial.
“The police said Cecily’s housekeeper was the one who found her. We need to talk with her.” Hopefully, she hadn’t gone far after the cops had questioned her.
Dad nodded in agreement, and we went to the backyard to the guest house. On our approach, I could see movement behind the curtains.
I knocked on the door. At first, I wasn’t sure whoever was inside would answer, so I knocked again, louder.
Eventually, a middle-aged woman with a trembling lower lip—I assumed she was the housekeeper—answered the door.
Recognition flashed in her eyes as she caught sight of her alpha.
I could tell she was shaken by the day’s events.
Who wouldn’t be on edge after finding their employer dead?
“Alpha Keller, Beta Keller,” she greeted us, her voice quivering. “I have shared all the information I have with the police.”
As her eyes darted between the two of us, I sensed her pulse quicken to a subtle staccato beat. She was lying, or at least holding back from telling the full truth.
“Please, Mrs. Griffiths.” I rested my hand briefly on her shoulder and looked directly into her eyes to convey the urgency in my voice.
“We need you to be honest with us if we want to find out what happened to Cecily. You have to tell us everything, so we can catch her killer. I understand you’re trying to protect your employer, your friend, but by doing so, you are also protecting her killer.
Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?
Not just today but in recent weeks? Anything you share will help.
” And then to emphasize, “We need to make sure there are no secrets, not if we want to learn the truth.”
The woman looked nervous, and she hesitated for a moment, but she finally spoke. “Cecily received deliveries every week.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What kind of deliveries?”