The Balance: Darkness Unchained (The Chaotic. Order Book 1) Read online

  "Detective I make it a habit to know when a client of mine is lying to me. While I can't say that you are, yet there is something your not telling me," John said detaching himself from her grip.

  "I'm sorry John I'm placing you under arrest," Catherine said spinning John around, and pulling out her cuffs in one swift motion. "You have the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney if you can't afford one, one can be provided for you," she continued as tears were forming in her sky blue eyes.

  The harsh white light of the neon blubs were meant to unnerve any suspect. The egg shell white walls was meant to blind the suspect causing minor headaches. All steps to ensure that who they thought was guilty would not have the upper hand in the interrogation room. The cold hard steel furniture was to ensure the moment the suspect sat down. He or she would never have a moment of comfort. John sat on a cold metal chair, hand cuffed to the metal table. Staring aimlessly at the one sided mirror. Unperturbed by all the

  legal means they were allowed to use against suspects. Catherine watched John for over three hours while the lab worked its magic. How she hoped that John had nothing to do with the murders. Yet she couldn't help but feel he was hiding something from her.

  "Hey Cat I have the identity of the woman," Tailer said sticking his head into the room. "You won't believe this," he said handing her the folder. "Are you sure about this," Catherine asked looking up from the folder.

  "Unfortunately," Tailer said shrugging his shoulders. "Her body shows no signs of decay. Even after a week of hanging in that warehouse. Even with the cold nights there still be signs of rigor mortis."

  "What about the other victim," Catherine said unable to comprehend what Tailer was telling her. "All we can tell was that the body was difently male. Without a skull or anything else to go on hard to tell who the man was. There was so much damage to the bones its hard to get a cause of death from them," Tailer said peering at John through the glass. "So do you think he had something to do with it?"

  "I don't know but I tend to find out," Catherine said closing the door behind her. As she entered the interrogation room, John didn't move a inch yet she felt his eyes on her. Setting down the case file before him Catherine paced the room trying to gather her thoughts, and unnerve him at the same time.

  "We know what you did John," Catherine said stabbing the file with her finger. John arched an eyebrow yet remained silent. "How could you do such a thing to that poor woman," she said shaking her head. "What kind of animal are you that would devour a man in such a manner," at this John sat straighter in his chair. Smirking to herself thinking that she had struck a nerve. However John's attention was elsewhere which infuriated her. "Hey," slamming her hands onto the table.

  "Be quite!" John growled his eyes darting back and forth looking for something that wasn't there. With his hands bound John could not reach the talisman that sat in his coat pocket. "Reach into my coat in the inside pocket there's a talisman. A triangle within a circle," John whispered straining to hear something.

  "John I don't think you realize how serious this is," Catherine sighed turning her back to him.

  "No its you that does not understand the danger your in," John said matter-of-fact. "Now do as I ask and I might be able to save the life's of everyone here," Catherine saw the fear in his eyes from the reflection in the mirror.

  "Your serious," Catherine said over her shoulder.

  "Deadly," John said letting out a breath. Screams chilled her blood as they filtered through the door. Catherine reached for her gun as she inched towards the door. "That will only piss it off even more then it already is, and get yourself killed in the process," John said from behind her. The chains of his cuffs scrapped along the table as he pulled at them.

  "Fine but your not leaving my sight," Catherine said reaching into her pocket. Pulling out a small steel key as the cuffs fell to the table. Blood curdling screams turn her blood to ice. Reaching into his pocket pulling out a palm sized talisman. The sounds of desk overturning, footsteps dashing off for safety. Pressing his ear to the door John listened for something that she could not hear.

  "Stay behind me once it sees this," John said holding up the talisman. "It will only see me. Don't provoke it, it will be raving mad as it is," he said inching the door open.

  "What is it," Catherine whispered behind him.

  "If you say there was a male there then it can only mean on thing. A Zoroastrian hellhound," John said peering down the hallway.

  "A what," Catherine asked gripping her pistol tighter.

  "A very old, very powerful demon dog," John said pressing his back to he wall.

  "But why would it come here," Catherine asked her head on a swivel.

  "Because you disturbed its master's home," John said looking over at her. "These things are so unpredictable and very hard to kill. Very few would call one of these things to this plane. It has to be a very powerful witch, or he or she has made a pack with one of their demon's. Or their master has sent the beast to protect its investment," John said ducking behind a file cabinet. Catherine knelt beside him cold sweat ran down her back. Catherine watched as he pulled out a small pouch that hung around his neck.

  "What are you doing," Catherine asked eyeing the green dust in the palm of his hand.

  "This will make the creature visible," John said blowing the dust into the air. Muttering a few words that Catherine could not understand.

  "Have you done this before," Catherine asked grabbing him by the arm.

  "A few years ago I ran in to a pack of hellhounds not as vicious as this one, yet it wasn't a walk in the park either," John said quickly peering around the metal cabinet. To see if the powder had any affect on the beast. John held his breath as the creature's massive backside blocked his veiw of the bullpen. Gripping tighter to the talisman as he left the safety of the shadows to face the fiendish hound.

  "Hey mutt," its massive head swung around. It's red eyes flared with heat of the underworld as it view the talisman in John's outstretched hand. Drool hung precariously on it elongated snout, its three inch claws were splattered with blood of its victims. "Now be a good boy and sit," snarling revealing its yellow stained razor sharp teeth. Tilting his head a smirk graced his lips at the thought the hound would be offended at getting it's sex wrong.

  "Now be a good girl and sit," the hound eyed him then the talisman unable to wiggle out of its hold. With a thud jarring her teeth Catherine forced herself to peer around the cabinet. Catherine's hand clutched her mouth to keep her from gagging on the foul sulfur stench. "Now that's a good girl," Catherine wondered if John was out of his mind talking to the beast as if it was a pet. Reaching into his coat pulling out a small box of red hots.

  As the small box flew through the air, catching it in its maw. Its arm think tail wagging causing overturned furniture to be sent flying into the wall. Blood stained papers drifted in the air as the hound panted weary of the talisman. "Now I think you had enough fun for one day. It's time for you to return from whince you came," John said whispering the ancient invocation. The hound whined before bounding off towards the window. Catherine vomited as she watched the beast entered the portal. Hellish screams of the damned, tortured souls crying out for mercy. John never let go of the thing that kept that realm from spilling out into the police station.

  "Are you alright," John asked brushing her chestnut hair behind her ear. Catherine gave a weak nodded for her voice seemed to have left her.

  "Arrest that man!" The captain screamed from his busted out office. As John rose he was met with the barrel of a guns pointed at his head. His muscle's tenses ready to spring into action if the need arose.

  "Lower your guns," Catherine said from behind him. "He's my suspect," John winced as the metal cuffs pinched his wrist. Led back to the very room that he had just escaped from. His arms throbbed painfully from their unnatural position. His hands were going numb as the cuffs cut off his circulation.

  "Hey I
'm talking to you!" Screamed a middle aged man John flinched as his spital sprayed his face. "I asked who are you working for," his liver spotted brow wrinkling in his anger. John watched as the vein in his forehead wondering if it was a second away from exploding. A faint knock came on the door as a bandage uniform officer held open the door. As a mid thirties woman wearing a pin stripped suit walked into the interrogation room. Setting down her briefcase on the table smiling at John before narrowing her gaze at the police captain.

  "Are you alright John," she asked her auburn hair bouncing along her shoulders. John nodded while shifting his weight so she could see how painfully tight the cuffs were. Patting his shoulder, "Remove the cuffs from my client. If you weren't so blind then you have noticed that they have cut off the flow of blood to his hand's."

  "Who the hell are you," the captain growled.

  "I'm Sarah McDonald his attorney," she said giving him a sinful smile. His head snapped towards Catherine looking for answer's. "Come know captain do you honestly think, I wouldn't know when one of my clients was in your custody," Sarah said leaning on the table. "Now I won't say it again release my client, or I'll have your badge for holding him against his will," her hazel eyes danced with devilish glee.

  "The man is charged with the death's of seven people , and those that died in this very station," his crooked finger stabbing the table.

  " Right and your own detective here has already proven he wasn't in the state that the time of said murders, " Sarah said glancing over at Catherine. "So unless you have some other trump up charge's then me and my client are walking out of here," she said her hand resting on her briefcase while the captain chewed his lip.

  "Fine but don't leave the city we still have questions or you," the captain said glaring down at John.

  "Then you can talk to me when that time comes," Sarah said said helping John to stand. Pulling out a small key from her pocket Catherine avoided looking John in the eye. She didn't want this to happened not after he had save her and her fellow officers from that beast. After seeing that thing Catherine began to doubt everything she knew about the world. Never did she believe that things that go bump in the night were real. Nor did she think hell was real, sure she has seen the evil of man numerous times. Yet what she had just witnessed would stay with her until her dying days. "Let's get you home," Sarah said ushering John out of the door.

  "I want every piece of evidence we have looked at again. Call that couple he said he was with at the time. I have a few string's I can pull over at the D.A.," the captain said from the doorway as he watched the two leave.

  "Captain I think we have the wrong guy," Catherine hoped. "Why would he save us if he was in league with whoever is behind the murders. Why not just let the beast kill us then walk out of here."

  "Do as I order you to Detective," the captain snapped.

  Days passed as the captain dug into John Adams background. Catherine sat at her desk as he ranted about something she had lost interest in. They were no closer to finding out who was behind the gruesome murders. She was just grateful no one else had met the same fate. Catherine stared at the empty desk of her partner. It was not like Maricus not to report in. Flipping open her phone scrolling through her contact list until she reached Maricus's number. As the pen twirled between her fingers Catherine grew worried as the phone continued to ring. Slamming her phone closed as it went to voicemail for the sixteenth time.

  "Hey Cat," Tailer whispered in her ear. Startling her peering over her shoulder holding his hands up. "We need to talk," Tailer eyed the crowed. "Somewhere more private," he quickly added. Looking to the crowd judging that she wouldn't be missed. Following Tailer out into the hall, looking over his shoulder to ensure they were truly alone.

  "What is it Tailer," Catherine said leaning against the wall.

  "I thought you would want to know the D.A. is about to come down on your friend," he said softly. "It seems Captain Dollson finally managed to get a search warrant for his home," Catherine dreaded this moment. So far she hasn't been able to dissuaded Dollson that John wasn't their man. "Thanks Tailer you best get back before the captain sees you," Catherine said running her hand down his arm. She knew the risk he was taking bringing this to her. Catherine didn't want Tailer to loose his job for what she was about to do. Catherine watched as Tailer departed down the hall, pulling out her phone and the yellow sticky note from her pocket. Walking into the file room hitting send Catherine couldn't believe what she was about to do.

  "Hello this is the office of Sarah McDonald how can I help you," said a high pitched secretary. "Yes this is Detective Halford I need to speak to Sarah about her client John Adams," Catherine whispered eyeing the door.

  "One moment," the secretary said hitting a few buttons before the phone began to ring again. Her body grew tense as the seconds ticked by. Sure that at any moment someone was about to walk through the door.

  "Hello this is Sarah McDonald how can I help you Detective Halford," Sarah's honey tone voice came over the line.

  "Listen I don't have much time, but you needed to get over to John's place before we get there," Catherine whispered as the sounds of footsteps were approaching. Quickly pocketing her phone as the door inched open. Dollson's slim form shadowing the doorway.

  "There you are Detective I want you there leading the search of his home," Dollson said arching an eyebrow wondering why she was in the file room. "What are you doing in here anyways?"

  "Just filing my vacation request forms you know H.R. loves to lose these things," Catherine said offhandedly pushing the file door closed. "Well don't dawdle I want this done with," Dollson said walking back to his office. Listening to the captain's fading footsteps pulling out her phone.

  "I can give thirty to forty five minutes at most," Catherine said wondering if Sarah was still on the line.

  "I understand Detective," Sarah said before the line went dead.

  Chapter Three

  Catherine sat in her car looking in her rear view mirror at the other five police cars behind her. A gray sedan sat in John's driveway. Grabbing her coat stepping out into the cold. Car doors closed as their occupants readied themselves for the task ahead. Catherine turned in time to see a slick silver BMW parked behind the row of cars. Biting her lip knowing the D.A. came in person. Catherine wondered if Sarah had prepared John for this.

  "So this is the place," said the D.A. looking over at Catherine. Turning back towards the house as the shop's door opened. Sarah walked towards them dressed in black slacks, a cream tone silk shirt, and a black navy style peacoat.

  "It would appear that harassing my client is a hobby for you Detective," Sarah said from the sidewalk. "So what is it this time," she said eyeing the row of cars.

  "We have a warrant to search John Adams property," Catherine said handing over the warrant. As Sarah quickly read through the papers a wicked smirk formed on her lips. Officers and Detective's stepped on to the sidewalk ready to carry out their orders. Sarah's hand shot out stilling their advance.

  "If you take one step on my clients property I'll have you all arrested. For trespassing, breaking and entering, and wrongful search and seizure," Sarah said matter-of-fact. "Nathan I can't believe you would fall for this!" Handing the warrant back to Catherine.

  "Move aside Sarah I assure you everything is legal," Nathan said stepping onto the curb.

  "No its not even your own Detective's can see that. Just by looking at the paltry evidence against my client," Sarah said staring Nathan down. "Now I suggest that you leave before you jeopardize your reelection chances. How would the public like to hear the man they voted for. To hold up the law violating my clients rights in this witch hunt," Sarah said pointing her finger at him. Nathan's eyes darted to the house, then to her, then to the crowd that was forming. Pushing his hands into his pockets so no one would see him balling them in anger. "However I'm willing to make a deal Nathan. With all this attention it is bad for my clients business. So I'm willing to let this Detective," she said nodding
to Catherine. "To enter John's home to look for," tilting her head back tapping her chin. "Animal cruelty," she nearly chuckled at the thought. "Or we can continue this conversation down at the courthouse."

  "Fine Sarah," Nathan growled turning to Catherine. "I want detailed records on everything you find."

  "Only to what pertains in the warrant," Sarah was quick to put in. Waving off the officer's Catherine listened to the mumbled cruse, that were coming from Nathan as he walked back to his car. "Well do hurry up Detective you have already wasted enough of my clients time and money," Sarah said before turning back to the house. Entering the shop Catherine hoped to see John. Yet she was met with Sarah standing at the counter waiting for her. Switching on the video camera moving around the entrance room. Detailing every item that was displayed in the glass cases. Then moving onto the adjoining room. Catherine wondered how the D.A., would find five minutes of video of nothing but moldy old books enjoyable. Pushing pass the curtain, stepping over the salt line. Catherine could smell his lingering scent, she fought the urge to ask where he was. With Sarah so close behind her Catherine moved up into his living courtiers. Catherine's breath was taken away by the spender of John's bedroom. A forty six inch flat screen TV hanged on the wall in front of his canopy bed. Black spider lace ran from the crown of canopy to the finials. Hand carved engravings wrapped around the four post that held the canopy aloft. Black satin curtains were tied loosely to the oiled stained walnut post. As the camera centered on the headboard there in the center. Three beings stood in a triangle, the top appeared to have rays of light coming off his body. While the lower left corner seemed to have scales superimposed over it. Yet the last seemed to be like none of the other two. While the other two seemed to be shadowed in light, the third figure seemed to be made of shadow. Her heart jumped to her throat as she heard John's shower door closed.