Chapter 17 Countdown to Death

The photos and USB drive in the safe hit me like a ton of bricks.

I stared at Benjamin, this unassuming, middle-aged man, and all I could see was the monster who livestreamed murder for the world to see.

My brain was a mess, thoughts racing everywhere.

The two bodies in the cave, and this mysterious "Hecate"... how does it all connect?

Benjamin was slumped on the ground, looking empty, like a puppet with its strings cut.

His lips were moving, but no sound came out, just sweat pouring down his face.

"Benjamin." I took a deep breath, trying to keep it together. "Got anything to say?"

Benjamin just stared at me, not saying a word.

Isabella walked over and handed me the USB drive.

I took it, my heart pounding like crazy.

The USB drive had "The Tragedy of the Red Rose" engraved on it, and it felt like a knife twisting in my gut.

I took another deep breath and plugged the USB drive into the computer.

A folder popped up on the screen, named "Countdown to Death."

With shaky hands, I clicked on it. There was just one video file inside.

I clicked on the video, my fingers trembling.

The screen was pitch black, with only faint breathing and heartbeat sounds in the background.

A few seconds later, the screen lit up, showing a dimly lit room.

In the room, Elizabeth was tied to a chair, wearing a red dress, holding a bright red rose.

Her face was caked with makeup, but it couldn't hide the fear and despair in her eyes.

A guy in a clown mask stood in front of her, holding a shiny knife.

He didn't say a word, just traced the knife across Elizabeth's face.

Elizabeth screamed, struggling like crazy, but she was tied up tight, couldn't move an inch.

The guy let out a low, creepy laugh.

He pressed the knife to Elizabeth's neck and slowly said, "Ready to face death?"

Elizabeth shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face, blurring her vision.

"No, please." She cried. "Please, let me go."

The guy ignored her and slowly plunged the knife into her chest.

Blood spurted out, staining the bright red rose.

Elizabeth's eyes widened, her pupils dilating until they lost their light.

The video cut off suddenly.

My hand was shaking so bad, I could barely hold the mouse.

I couldn't believe I had just watched Elizabeth's murder with my own eyes!

My mind went blank, filled with nothing but rage and sorrow.

"Bastard!" I slammed my fist on the table, making a dull thud.

"James, calm down!" Isabella grabbed me. "We need to find the killer and make him pay!"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"You're right." I turned to Isabella. "We have to find him and bring him to justice!"

"Hecate," I muttered. "I'll find you and make you pay in blood!"

I quickly copied the video from the USB drive and handed it to Michael.

After watching the video, Michael's face went pale with rage.

"That bastard!" he growled through gritted teeth. "I'll make sure he pays!"

"Michael, I think this 'Hecate' might be Benjamin," I said.

"Benjamin?" Michael frowned. "What makes you think that?"

"The photos in the safe and this USB drive." I handed them over. "They link Benjamin to Elizabeth's death."

Michael examined the photos and USB drive, his expression growing darker by the second.

"Damn it!" he slammed his fist on the table. "That bastard had the nerve to kill so openly!"

"Michael, what do we do now?" Isabella asked.

"Arrest Benjamin, now!" Michael said without hesitation. "We can't let him slip away!"

We moved quickly and arrested Benjamin.

In the interrogation room, Benjamin confessed to everything.

He'd been obsessed with Elizabeth, driven to madness by her indifference. He'd planned the "Tragedy of the Red Rose" livestream, murdering her in cold blood for the world to see.

But when we questioned him about the man in the cave, Benjamin clammed up.

"Who was that man? Why did you kill him?" I pressed.

Benjamin shook his head, his eyes filled with a strange mix of fear and defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about. I've never seen that man before."

His answer left me puzzled. Could the male corpse in the cave be unrelated to Elizabeth's death?

Just then, Harper walked in with a report.

"I found some info on the male corpse," she said. "His name was Brandon Robinson, a former member of the 'Hecate' organization."

"'Hecate' organization?" I was shocked. "Could Benjamin be a member too?"

Harper nodded. "According to my investigation, Benjamin is indeed a member of 'Hecate,' and a core member at that."

"'Hecate' organization," I muttered, feeling a chill run down my spine.

I finally understood that Aiden's death, Mia's death, and Elizabeth's death were all connected to this mysterious 'Hecate' organization!

And now, I was their target too!

What kind of organization was 'Hecate'?

What were their goals?

I felt like I had fallen into a giant trap, surrounded by danger and the unknown.

"James, are you okay?" Isabella asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. We need to uncover the truth about 'Hecate' and bring them to justice!" I said firmly.

"Hecate..." I repeated the name, my mind buzzing.

A chill climbed up my spine, and I felt an unprecedented fear.

What kind of organization was this?

Aiden's death, Mia's death, Elizabeth's death, and now I was their target too.

I felt a sense of helplessness, like being caught in a giant spider web—the more I struggled, the deeper I sank.

Michael paced back and forth, his face pale with anger, chain-smoking and filling the office with smoke, making us cough.

He took a deep drag on his cigarette and then crushed it out forcefully. "Interrogate Benjamin immediately! I want to know everything about this 'Hecate'!"