I looked around. “Anderson definitely died here. I think this place was created just for him.”
The guy shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would they kill someone here, then meticulously clean the crime scene, as if they were never here, just to leave all this proof?” He gestured towards the display table. “It doesn’t add up.”
Agent Becket looked away from the table for the first time. “It’s a message. Varon’s letting us know that we won’t find anything he doesn’t want us to find.” He rubbed the underside of his chin. “What I don’t understand is what allthismeans. Yes, it’s a party. We’re celebrating Anderson’s death. But why the bird? And why make the tongue the centrepiece? It has a light shining onto it.”
I swallowed hard. “Do you know the story of Princess Philomena?”
Agent Becket stared at me, shaking his head.
I took a few steadying breaths, trying to force the vomit back down. “Princess Philomena’s sister married a king named Tereus and went to live with him in Thrace. Five years later, King Tereus escorted Philomena to Thrace to visit her sister. But during the journey, King Tereus couldn’t control his lust for Philomena and raped her. He told her not to speak of it, but she was adamant in telling her sister of his sins. So, the king cut Philomena’s tongue out to keep her quiet. But she found a way to tell her sister, and they got revenge on King Tereus, taking something from him that he cared about most—his family, his son. Philomena and her sister fled before the king’s rage, and prayed to the gods to help them, so the gods turned Philomena into a nightingale before Tereus could kill her. A forever silent nightingale.”
Agent Becket was quiet for a moment, eyes fixed on the table. “So, this all is for you? He knew you’d understand all this?”
I nodded. Grayson always enjoyed leaving secret little messages to me that only I would understand. At least that hasn’t changed.
“It’s a warning to you. To stay quiet.”
“And a promise to kill me, if I hurt his family,” I added numbly.
“Damn,” the other agent swore. “Weren’t you like…lovers?”
I laughed bitterly, phantom claws ripping at my chest, cleaving it open. “No, not really, if he’s threatening to cut my tongue out for talking to you.” But a desperate, twisted side of me relished at the secret message. He was threatening me, but he was communicating with me. In our secret little language of codes and stories.
I hated the way my stomach fluttered at the thought. And not only that, but he’d also cut out Anderson’s tongue and left it for me.
I pressed my palms over my eyes, shaking the thought out of my head. No, I was insanely delusional. It had nothing to do with that last night. It had nothing to do with the promise Grayson made when Anderson insulted me in his office. I was a stupid fool for thinking that he still cared. Henevercared. I’d been a mere pawn in his chess game. A naïve, thoughtless little pawn. Easily sacrificed once I’d fulfilled my purpose.
“Get back to work, Taylor,” Agent Becket ordered, and the agent backed away immediately, an apologetic smile on his face.
Becket clasped his hand around my arm, steering me out of the room. “This was all foryou,” he whispered against my ear.
I fought the tears back. “We’ve already established that,” I countered bitterly.
Becket pushed me into another dusty storage room, looking around to make sure we were alone before gripping my shoulders tight. “Ava, he left that message foryou.”
I stared at him, confused as to what he was getting at.
“He knows you’re working with us. He must’ve been watching you. He knows and he’s threatening you to stay quiet. To stop.”
I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. An onslaught of polar-opposite emotions washed through me. He’s been watching me. He’s watching. He’s been with me this whole time.
But he wasn’t here to come get me; to swoop me up into his arms. No, he was here to make sure I kept quiet. To kill me if I didn’t.
“I think it’s best if you lay low for a while. I’m taking you home.”
“No!” I objected fiercely. “You promised. You promised I’d get to make him suffer!”
Becket gripped my shoulders tighter. “Ava, listen. You need to go home. Let him think you heeded his warning. Let him think you’ve chickened out and moved on. Let him think he has won. Give him the opportunity to drop his guard.”
I stared intensely at Becket, considering his words. It made sense. We would never be able to catch Grayson if his guard was up.
I relented. “Only if you keep me in the loop. Only if you let me be there when you take him down. Ineedto be there. Don’t screw me on this, Becket. Don’t leave me behind.” I jabbed my finger into his chest as the desperation made my voice break.
Becket’s eyes softened and I had to look away at the pity there. “I won’t. You have my word,” he promised.
We made our way back up to the apartment, but I decided to sit outside the door and wait for Agent Becket to finish up. I couldn’t make myself go back inside, just to be confronted with all thenothingness.
“Ava,” a voice, vaguely familiar, made me jump.
