Chapter 12 Your Stamina Is Really Poor

After switching to sneakers, Harper's steps felt way lighter, but she still couldn't keep up with Isabella and me.

We'd walk for a bit, then stop so she could catch her breath before moving on.

"You know, Ms. Anderson," I said during one such break. "For someone who solves crimes for a living, you seem remarkably out of shape."

Harper rolled her eyes, her chest heaving slightly. "Paperwork doesn't exactly lend itself to physical fitness, Detective," she retorted, her voice breathless.

I just smiled and let it go.

As we climbed higher, the scenery got more and more stunning. Dense forests, clear streams, weirdly shaped rocks, and the rolling mountains in the distance made for a picture-perfect view.

"Wow! It's gorgeous!" Isabella exclaimed, all excited. "This place is like a paradise!"

I took a deep breath, soaking in the fresh air, and felt my mood lift.

Even Harper cracked a rare smile and said, "Yeah, the air here is so fresh, way better than in the city."

We kept climbing and finally made it to the top.

Standing at the summit, we could see everything around us. The rolling mountains stretched out to the horizon, looking absolutely majestic.

"It's so beautiful!" Isabella jumped up, super excited. "I've never seen anything like this!"

Nature's beauty always has a way of making you feel refreshed and forget all your worries.

"Alright, let's find a spot to rest," I suggested.

We found a flat rock, sat down, and pulled out the food and water we brought for lunch.

Harper opened her travel bag and pulled out all sorts of snacks and drinks, leaving Isabella and me speechless.

"Isabella, are you here for a picnic?" I teased. "With all this stuff, are you planning to stay here for a few days?"

"None of your business! I do what I want!" Isabella shot back.

I shrugged and let it go, munching on bread and sipping bottled water with Isabella.

After lunch, we lay on the rock, soaking up the sun, admiring the beautiful scenery, and enjoying some rare downtime.

The warm sunlight felt amazing, and the mountain breeze, with its hint of coolness, was super refreshing. I half-closed my eyes, looking at the rolling mountains in the distance, but my mind drifted back to the case.

The name Hecate stuck in my head like a spell.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Isabella waved her hand in front of my face, snapping me out of it.

I snapped back to reality and smiled, "Nothing."

"Don't let it consume you, James," Harper said softly. "We'll figure it out. Just give it time."

I sighed, "I know, I know. It's just… there's something about this case, something that feels… off."

As if on cue, Harper chimed in from the back seat. "You're right. There's something strange about this Hecate character. It's like he just… appeared out of thin air."

"Exactly," I agreed, my brow furrowing. "And that name… it's like I've heard it before, but I can't quite place it."

We chatted for a bit, and the vibe got way more relaxed. Isabella started sharing funny stories from her childhood, making Harper and me laugh like crazy. Even Harper loosened up and joined in on the jokes and banter.

Before we knew it, the sun started to set, and it got chilly at the summit.

"We should head down," I said, checking the time.

"So soon?" Isabella pouted. "I still want to hang out a bit longer."

"It's getting dark, and the mountain path is tricky. We should head down early," Harper agreed.

We packed up our stuff and started making our way down the mountain.

The descent was tougher than the climb because of the steep path and loose rocks, making it easy to slip.

Just as we were about to reach the bottom, I suddenly heard a faint sound.

I stopped in my tracks, looking around alertly.

"What's wrong?" Isabella and Harper stopped too, looking at me confused.

I signaled for them to be quiet and listened carefully.

I held my breath, focusing all my attention on figuring out where the sound was coming from.

"It seems to be coming from over there," I said, pointing towards the forest.

"Should we check it out?" Isabella asked.

I nodded, and we cautiously made our way towards the sound.

We carefully navigated through the dense forest, pushing aside branches, slowly getting closer to the source of the sound.

Finally, we saw a cave.

The entrance was small and covered by thick branches, making it hard to notice unless you looked closely.

Signaling Isabella and Harper to stay put, I entered the pitch-black cave alone, feeling my way along the walls as I moved forward.

Suddenly, I felt something soft under my foot.

I quickly crouched down, feeling around with my hands, and a chill ran through my body.

It was a corpse!

I quickly pulled out my phone, my thumb swiftly sliding across the screen to turn on the flashlight.

A beam of light cut through the darkness, illuminating a small area ahead. On the ground lay a woman.

She was motionless, her face pale as paper, eyes closed like she was in a deep sleep.

She wore a red dress, the bright color stark against the dim cave, like a poppy blooming in the darkness.

Her slender fingers weakly held a withered red rose, the edges of the petals blackened, as if tainted by death.

My gaze followed her arm down to her chest.

There, a dagger was deeply embedded, the hilt buried in flesh, with only the blade sticking out, reflecting a cold light.

The dark red blood had already coagulated, forming a bizarre black flower on her chest, spreading out, staining her dress, and soaking into the surrounding soil.

Seeing this, a chill ran from my feet to my head, and I gasped, my heart feeling like it was gripped by an invisible hand, nearly stopping.