14 Gravestone

"Really? Selia is on the loose and you spend your morning catching a pet?" Ambers contradicted, not the biggest fan of what the wise and agile detective did.

"Selia came back?" Delion slightly yelled, realizing that such an appearance only comes with murder.

Not exactly liking how a wild animal has been brought in the living room, the chief scolds. "No, but she's on the loose. Why are you running up and down the mountains in a time like this? You want your pay right?"

"Yes I want the pay but I also want Selia to pay for what she did. I told you, this has become personal." Delion slightly yelled but upon analysing Ambers words, he realizes what's going on here and urges. "Come pet the cat, it doesn't bite."

"That's no cat, that's a fucking mountan lion." Ambers expresses, taking a few steps back as sweat broke from her forehead.

"Well technically it's a bobcat. You're scared of them aren't you?" Such an opportunity to tease has never blessed Delion before so he has to use the situation although doesn't quite know how to properly tease.

"It's a wild animal! Who wouldn't be scared?" Ambers hollered, her scream scaring the cat and at the same time they woke Jingo up who is still a prisoner here.

Surprisingly still holding on to the tease, the detective utters. "Don't listen to her Jimmy, she's just scared."

Pissed off beyond the usual, which really says something because she has to deal with people all the time plus held a corpse on her hand before, the chief gives out an ear piercing loud whisper. "Jimmy? Really? Did you at least do anything useful this morning? People were murdered Delion!"

"Well I'm steps ahead, if everything goes right then Selia will be completely humiliated." The detective answers calmly, petting the bobcat in the same process.

What's tad heart warming about this sight here is that Delion actually completely tamed this wild animal.

There is no rope around Jimmy's neck and the feline actually looks... well purs, happily. It followed Delion for over 10 kilometers with no meat or rope aiding the pack like instinct.

"And how will you do that?" Questions the chief, hoping it has nothing to do with the bobcat.

Cutting directly to the case, Delion deciphers. "When I worked for royalty, a magician told me that ghosts are absolutely terrified of bobcats."

"I heard about that too." Jingo speaks out, shaking his wrist shackles and trying to get comfortable.

Hating the idea of having to be near a bobcat all the time, the chief gives a big sigh. "Oh god, I'm not surprised if we meet our graves soon."

One of the chief's word struck strong and the detective isn't focusing on the offensive part no, he is used to that considering the line of work. "Graves... we will leave Jimmy with Jingo here, you come with me."

...

"I don't think anyone here is rich enough to afford a gravestone." Delion states, pointing at the only piece of carved stone in the graveyard.

This graveyard was created about 30 years ago, before that people just buried corpses in random places. Well that or at least places they share any type of sentimental values with.

Narrowing it down, this hollers a prime fact, there are only around 40 people buried here and neither of them have gravestones, just a slim wooden plank bashed in the ground and set up straight.

That's the prime point, there aren't supposed to be grave stones here but yet one suddenly appeared overnight.

Chief Ambers would be informed about something like this although it does give such a feeling that only family members of the specific corpse beneath ground, are supposed to be informed. It does sound logical but the chief would still be told about such an act.

Hard to comprehend this and thinking that it won't be anything insane, well hoping it at least, she weighs in. "Guess someone finally bought a gravestone."

Critical about that, Delion fearlessly walks towards the grave and searches for any carved names on the stone.

Taking a second to check it, wanting to sigh but refusing to do so, for once hating that he's right, Delion points out. "This grave says, 'William Shakuster' can it be...?"

"It can't be! You said that William's corpse was stolen!" Ambers shouted but her tone forcing towards the lower as fear slowly but surely captivated her heart.

"I thought something like this might happen." Delion expressed, still hating that he proved it right.

He has seen similar scenes in Iron city. Corpses disappearing and then burried in a graveyard, it isn't really rare when it comes to murder. So Delion based this little trip to the graveyard on past investigations.

And therefore adds. "Selia doesn't fail to disappoint."

Walking away from the grave, fear almost leaving the big tough lady decapitated, mumbling following after. "Selia couldn't have done all of that! She wanted William dead!"

Still having it hard to put everything together, Delion utters. "And couldn't make me go ape shit, but she did it anyway. Whatever this lady is, I sensed her feeling sadness when we mentioned William's death."

Ambers walks away, crashed to the ground, sitting and trying to understand all of this while fear wouldn't let go, keeping the lady under a tight grip. She is speechless, doesn't understand this and for sure has grown a lot of hate for Selia.

While panic is overwhelming the good lady, Delion asks questions to himself and Ambers. "These murders hold a deep history. Why is Selia this way? Why is she hurt? Why is she so powerful? Why is she targeting people? This can't be random. We need to find out as much as we can, even after we beat this crazy lady."

Not answering any of those questions since she doesn't know how to, the lady asks. "Will we dig the grave to see if it's really William down there?"

Trying to be softer with the lady considering her current state, Delion deciphers. "No. I mean we can but it doesn't matter if William is or isn't here, it won't do us any good."

Moving to measures he didn't want to tackle at all, the detective pitches. "Now, we will go back to your house and start cutting off Jingo's fingers until that man talks. There is more to this William story."

...

Walking in her home, the stench of blood instantly captivates their noses. As if a sudden breath of air bashed on their faces.

Calmly walking in, they spot Jingo's body nailed to the wall.

One nail on the head, two on the chest.

Trying not to panic, having seen worse before, Delion walks forward and touches Jingo's neck, afterwards declaring. "He's dead."

Turning his gaze towards Ambers, the detective spots the lady pointing towards the wooden plank wall near Jingo's body.

Specifically pointing towards a handful of words, painted most likely with blood considering the boiling red colour and dripping characteristics.

"Jingo wasn't innocent"

Is what this gallon of blood spells and suddenly they see Jimmy, approaching closer towards the corpse.

Standing a meter away from the body, the bobcat starts hissing at it.