Chapter 43: A New Revelation
"They frequent old libraries, art exhibitions, and various other spots around Adelaide. One of the curators at an art exhibition mentioned it seems like they’re searching for a historical book filled with strange symbols," Jason replied.
"What historical book, and what kind of symbols?" Kate pressed.
"I'm not sure," Jason admitted.
"Could they be looking for the Rubaiyat?" Kate suggested, making Jason admire her intelligence yet again—he hadn’t considered that possibility.
"It’s quite possible," Jason agreed.
"They could be after the original Rubaiyat. When Clark saw the torn page with me, he rushed out of the university to tell Jim, urging him to relay the message to The Watchers. Considering both Jim and Clark are after a historical artifact, visiting libraries and exhibitions for a book with strange symbols, they’re likely after the Rubaiyat. The original copy is a well-known historical book filled with enigmatic symbols," Kate explained.
"I think you're right," Jason said.
"And what did you find out about The Watchers?" Kate inquired.
"Nothing... No one in Adelaide seems to know that name. The Watchers isn’t a registered cult or association—I checked. Whoever formed this group has managed to keep it a secret," Jason explained.
"How is it possible that no one knows about The Watchers?" Kate questioned, incredulous.
"It’s possible... But I’ve tapped Jim and Clark’s phones, and I’m confident we’ll uncover something about The Watchers and its members soon," Jason reassured her.
"Jason, we don’t have much time... If we find out about The Watchers, we might learn why the original copy of the Rubaiyat is so important and why the killer is using its quatrains and symbols to communicate with us—while a student and a shopkeeper are also searching for it," Kate stressed.
"I’m sure within a day or two, I’ll find something in Jim and Clark’s call records. No matter how careful they are, they’re bound to slip up and mention The Watchers, leading us to the cult and its members," Jason declared confidently.
"Okay... what else did you find out?" Kate asked.
"On the backside of Somerton Beach, there’s a tribe that’s been living there for hundreds of years... I’m considering reaching out to them for help," Jason revealed.
"What tribe, and what kind of help do you expect from them?" Kate asked, intrigued.
"Behind Somerton Beach, there’s a native tribe known as the Yarrabura, who’ve claimed a large piece of land as their territory," Jason explained. Kate's interest sharpened at the mention of the Yarrabura tribe.
"How do you think the people of this tribe could assist us?" Kate pressed further.
"Since the Yarrabura tribe owns the land behind Somerton Beach and often swims and fishes there, I thought someone might have witnessed the killer disposing of Ryder's body," Jason explained.
"But if someone did see something, why haven’t they contacted the police?" Kate pondered.
"The Yarrabura people are pretty conservative and tend to keep their distance from outsiders to protect their culture and knowledge... so maybe that’s why they haven’t reached out," Jason suggested.
"I find it hard to believe the Yarrabura would stay silent about witnessing such a horrific act just to preserve their culture and privacy," Kate remarked, her tone skeptical.
"I think we need to investigate and see if the tribe has any witnesses... We can’t rule out this possibility," Jason insisted. "If someone from the tribe did see the murder, it could be a major lead."
"I agree. Let’s meet the Yarrabura tribe, and I’ll go with you," Kate said. Ophelia had suggested meeting the tribe’s priest, and now Jason was proposing investigating the tribe itself, sparking Kate’s curiosity about this community.