Chapter 23: A Needle In A Haystack
“Lenah, I’m heading to the backyard,” Jira called out.
“Have they arrived?” Lenah emerged from her bedroom.
“Not yet, but they should be here any minute,” Jira replied, buttoning up his block-printed shirt and placing a hat on his head.
“You go to the backyard, and I’ll bring coffee and meat pies for everyone,” Lenah offered.
Jira nodded and stepped outside, making his way to the backyard where a few chairs were arranged around a round table. Taking a seat, he glanced at the towering pine trees surrounding his home before closing his eyes briefly. He contemplated retiring and nominating a successor, but he knew ‘The Watchers’ needed him, especially with a dangerous killer on the loose. Leaving them wasn’t an option.
A few minutes later, Albert and Jim arrived, heading straight to the backyard where Jira was waiting.
“Hello,” Albert greeted as he took a seat.
“I was waiting for you guys,” Jira said, standing up.
“Jim made me late. I left my office on time, but he took his sweet time,” Albert explained.
“I’m not a businessman like you. I have to run my small shop to support my family,” Jim replied seriously.
“You could have a business too if you’d agreed to my proposal,” Albert countered.
“Let’s save that argument for later. We need to focus on why we’re here,” Jira interjected.
“Right, no time to waste,” Jim agreed.
“So, what have you found out about the dead man at Somerton Beach?” Jira asked.
“His name is Ryder. He ran a small export and import business. He had one sister and was about to marry his girlfriend. He went missing a week ago, and then the police found his body,” Albert explained.
“Ryder's sister identified him, and the police searched his house,” Albert continued.
“What else did you discover about Ryder?” Jira inquired.
“While digging into his background, I found out he used to frequent the 'Out of This World Exhibition,' where art from all over was showcased. One of the curators mentioned he was a regular and a big fan of art, but he wasn't happy with the exhibition’s recent focus on Satanism. He even voiced his displeasure to the manager,” Albert elaborated.
“Why wasn’t Ryder cool with that theme?” Jim asked.
“People have different tastes. Some find Satanic art intriguing,” Jim added.
Albert, a businessman in Adelaide with extensive contacts, had no trouble gathering information about Ryder.
“According to the curator, Ryder had a heated argument with them. He was convinced that displaying certain items could mislead people and lead them down a dangerous path. He stormed out without buying anything,” Albert relayed.
“Why did Ryder care so much about Satanism?” Jim asked, curious.
Jira remained silent, listening intently.
“I found it odd too. Sure, many people are against Satanism, but not everyone is so vocal about it,” Albert remarked.
“I kept digging into Ryder's past, hoping to find something that explained his strong feelings. After a lot of work, I found a membership card in Ryder’s name, and it shed light on everything,” Albert revealed.
“What membership card?” Jim asked.
“A few years ago, when Ryder graduated and was job hunting, he joined a cult,” Albert explained.
“During his unemployment and depression, he sought distraction and ended up with the 'Pathway of Ascendants' cult. You both know about that cult and what they stand for,” Albert said, glancing at Jim and Jira, who nodded in recognition.
“When he joined, Ryder probably thought they were involved in social reform. But soon he realized they promoted Satanism and worshiped Satan. Members were even required to sacrifice a newborn baby to show their devotion. When Ryder was asked to do that, he left the cult immediately,” Albert revealed.
“So, someone from the Pathway of Ascendants killed Ryder,” Jira said after a long silence, stating his opinion.
“How can you be sure?” Jim questioned.
“Because Ryder left the cult. He would never commit such heinous acts to prove his loyalty to Satan. Plus, he condemned the Satanic art at the exhibition, making his stance clear,” Jira explained.
“But that doesn’t prove a cult member killed him. These groups don’t act so openly. If they’d killed Ryder, they wouldn’t have left his body so exposed,” Albert countered.
“I get that, but this picture tells me a cult member is behind it,” Jira asserted, placing a photo on the table.
The photo showed Ryder speaking to someone wearing a hood and holding a book.
“Where did you get this?” Jira asked Albert.
“The person I hired to look into Ryder found it in the CCTV footage from the exhibition,” Albert replied.
“Look at that book,” Jira said, pointing. “You must have seen it before, Albert.”
Albert examined the printed photo closely. After a moment, he said, “This book is a guide for members of the Pathway of Ascendants. I remember seeing it years ago when we were investigating the Rubaiyat and learned about the cult.”
“Yes, that’s the same book. If that guy is holding it, he’s definitely a cult member because these are only given to those who have made their sacrifices,” Jira affirmed.
“When Ryder confronted the exhibition manager, this hooded man must have overheard. He followed Ryder, likely wanting to discuss their differing views on Satanism. Ryder, knowing the cult’s beliefs, might have offended him, leading to his abduction and murder,” Jira elaborated.
“So our killer isn’t just a cult member; he likely has an original copy of the Rubaiyat. He might be twisting its poetry to justify his killings of those who oppose Satanism,” Albert concluded.
“Yeah, it seems that way,” Jira agreed.
“It’s all so bizarre,” Jim remarked.
“Albert, you need to get the guest list from the Satanism exhibition. We need to identify those who’ve attended all the sessions. Only those truly devoted to Satan would keep coming back,” Jira instructed.
“Got it, I’ll take care of it,” Albert said, nodding.
“Jim, I asked you to find out about the woman who had the photocopy of the original page from the Rubaiyat. What did you find?” Jira turned to Jim.
“Her name is Kate Miller... a well-known investigative journalist at Global News Network,” Jim revealed.
“Are you talking about Kate Miller, Jonathan Miller’s daughter?” Albert asked, connecting the dots.
“Yeah, she’s Jonathan Miller’s daughter,” Jim confirmed.
Albert glanced at Jira and said, “Jonathan’s daughter has followed in her father’s footsteps and become a top investigator in Australia. I should have guessed it. If anyone has crucial evidence and is outpacing the police, it’s her.”
“Jira, should we talk to Kate? She must have gathered a lot of information about the killer,” Albert suggested.
“No, we’re not involving her. Her father and the police didn’t believe us and let our men die. We’ll follow our path and protect the Rubaiyat as we were tasked,” Jira declared firmly.
“You can’t blame Jonathan Miller, Jira,” Albert said, looking at him.
“You know that Jonathan started investigating the Pathway of Ascendants after getting a random tip, and that tip was from me. If he hadn’t died in that car accident, he would have exposed the cult and put an end to their activities,” Albert said.
“We’re not talking to Kate,” Jira repeated loudly.
“Let’s get one thing straight, Albert. We’re not involving Kate, and we’re not bringing in the police or the media to solve this case.”
“We don’t have time to waste trying to convince them. We can find the killer on our own,” Jira asserted. Just then, Lenah arrived in the backyard, carrying a large tray of coffee and meat pies.
Lenah set the tray down and said, “Jim, I made meat pies for you. I know you like them.”
“Thanks, Lenah. You’re the reason I came here. Otherwise, I’d never come to see this grumpy old man,” Jim joked, adding a touch of humor.
“I know,” Lenah replied with a smile.
“Jira, I’m heading to the market for groceries, then I’ll visit Kirra. She just had a baby girl,” Lenah announced before leaving the backyard.
“No worries, take your time, darling,” Jira said to her.
“Jira, I was thinking. Over the past hundred years, if we look at all the killers who claimed to receive messages to kill innocents based on the Rubaiyat, they’ve all followed a similar pattern,” Jim said, taking a sip of coffee.
“What pattern?” Jira asked.
“All the killers had the original Rubaiyat, tried to stay hidden, targeted victims who openly expressed hatred for Satanism, mutilated their bodies, drew Satanic symbols on the victims, and then left them in public. The killer we’re after is following that same pattern,” Jim explained.
“I remember, in 1867, a killer in the USA followed that pattern and killed over ten people. Then, in 1922, a killer in Sri Lanka gained notoriety for the same reasons, butchering more than 12 before getting caught. And in 1955, a killer in Brazil did the same. Now, after almost sixty-seven years, we have a new killer who’s using that exact method,” Jim added.
“Yeah, you’re right. All the killers share that pattern, including this new one. But for the first time, this killer sent a page of the Rubaiyat along with the dead body. I think this one is even more dangerous than the ones before. He’s openly challenging us and the police, showing he doesn’t even care about hiding that he has the original book,” Jira said.
“What if he strikes again?” Albert asked, expressing concern. “All the killers from history killed many people.”
“I know he will. He has his reasons and justifications for his brutal acts,” Jira said grimly.
“And we have to catch him before he does,” Jim added.
“Jim, keep tabs on the police and Kate Miller. I want updates on their every move. And Albert, get me the list of all members of the Pathway of Ascendants cult who’ve joined since it started,” Jira instructed.
“Okay,” Jim acknowledged, rising from his chair.
Albert also stood up, said goodbye to Jira, and left the backyard.
Jira remained seated, lost in thought. The realization that Kate Miller was Jonathan Miller’s daughter stirred memories of days gone by. Jira recalled how he used to visit the neighborhood and talk with Jonathan, seeking treatment for his asthma from the healer of the Yarrabura tribe. Jonathan Miller was truly one of a kind, skilled at winning people over. Jira wondered if his daughter had inherited those same qualities.