Chapter 63: A Cold Reckoning

Jira took a seat.

Kate and Jason followed suit, settling into their chairs as they faced the serious expression on Jira's face. The air in the room felt heavy, thick with unspoken tension. Outside, the wind rustled the leaves of the trees, a distant reminder of the world beyond this small, contained space.

"Sir, we've come here hoping for some help from you and your people," Jason stated, getting straight to the point.

Jira gave a slight nod, though his eyes remained hard, unreadable.

"What kind of help?" he asked, his voice a low, steady drawl.

"Sir, you may have heard about the dead body found on Somerton Beach a few weeks back," Jason continued, his voice steady but with a note of urgency.

"Both of us are working on that case, trying to track down the killer. We came here hoping someone from your tribe may have seen something when the body was dumped."

"If anyone knows anything about this case, please encourage them to come forward and share it with us," Jason concluded, his gaze steady, but his words now tinged with a sense of quiet desperation.

Jira's eyes flicked to him, then to Kate. His expression remained impassive. "No one from the Yarrabura tribe has seen anything," he said firmly, his voice devoid of emotion.

It felt as though he hadn’t heard Jason's appeal at all, or worse, he simply wasn’t inclined to assist them. Kate exchanged a glance with Jason. She could see the frustration beginning to cloud his features, and she could feel the same rising heat in her own chest.

"Sir, please, just ask your people once more," Jason urged, his tone more insistent now. "I know many from your tribe frequent the beach, especially at night. There's a good chance someone might have seen something—anything—that could help us."

"I've already told you," Jira repeated, his voice a quiet, implacable command. "No one has seen anything."

Kate pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to snap. How can he be so sure? she thought.

"How can you be so certain?" she interjected, her voice now sharp with frustration. "At least listen to Jason. Ask your people to come forward, please. We need their help."

Jira’s cold gaze met hers. The intensity in his eyes sent a chill down her spine, but she held his stare, unwilling to back down. "No one has witnessed anything suspicious on the beach," he said again, his tone colder now, as if the conversation itself had become an irritation.

"And even if someone had seen something related to your murder investigation, I wouldn't allow my people to assist you."

The abruptness of his words sent a wave of surprise through both Kate and Jason. They hadn’t expected such harshness. Kate was momentarily stunned, the breath leaving her lungs in a short exhale. Jason’s jaw clenched, his frustration now palpable.

"How can you prevent your own people from helping the police?" Kate demanded, the confusion and growing anger evident in her voice.

"I can do this," Jira said, his voice quiet, but carrying the weight of finality. He stood up then, his posture straight and unwavering. "I am their leader. They listen to me. If I forbid them, they will obey. They know I do it for their own protection."

Kate’s frustration deepened, but she kept her words measured. Why was he acting like this? What was he hiding?

"I'm not sure why you're acting so coldly," Jason spoke up, his voice even, but edged with tension. "Perhaps you don’t understand the gravity of the situation.

There's a killer out there—someone capable of taking another life. We need to stop them before they strike again."

Jira’s expression flickered, but his gaze remained unwavering. He inhaled deeply as though preparing himself for something.

"I know there's a killer at large," Jira began, his voice low, heavy with an unspoken knowledge. "And I know something you don’t."

Kate’s brow furrowed, her attention snapping back to him. "What is that?"

Jira met her gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned forward, his voice becoming more urgent, more fervent. "I know that neither you, nor the police of this city, are capable of catching this killer."

The words hit Kate harder than she expected. How could he say that?

Jason stepped in quickly, his voice steady but with an edge of disbelief. "And why's that? You think we can’t handle it? What do you know that we don't?"

Jira’s lips tightened. "You wouldn’t understand. The killer has tapped into dark forces—forces you cannot even begin to comprehend."

Kate’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel a cold unease settle in the pit of her stomach.

"He has tapped into the hidden powers of the Rubaiyat," Jira continued, his tone becoming more urgent, his hands trembling slightly. "He has gained access to Baphomet."

The mention of Baphomet froze her for a moment. The name felt like something she shouldn’t be hearing, like it belonged in some occult mystery she wasn’t prepared for.

"Now, you won't be able to stop him," Jira’s voice dropped to a whisper, as though the weight of his words were too much to carry. "He will spread chaos. He will spill blood. And you will be helpless to stop it."

Jason looked at Kate, confusion and concern on his face. Kate’s throat tightened, but she fought to keep her voice steady.

"I don’t know what you're talking about," she said, though the chill creeping up her spine suggested she was starting to believe this wasn’t just about a murder.

"But I can promise you one thing: we’ll catch this killer. And justice will be served."

Jira’s eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking. His expression seemed almost sad, as if he were pitying her. "You’re in the dark, Kate Miller. You think you understand, but you don’t. The Rubaiyat’s power is not something you can face with just determination. And as for Baphomet… you have no idea what kind of evil you’re dealing with."

Kate’s frustration flared again, but this time, she managed to keep her composure. "You think I’m just going to take your word for it? We’ve dealt with plenty of criminals. If this killer has some hidden powers, we’ll find them, too."

Jira gave a low chuckle, but it was devoid of humor. "And why should we help you, when you and your kind turned a blind eye to our suffering? You let my people die and did nothing. Now you come here, asking for help? No. This is your battle now. You’ll face it alone."

Kate felt the tension in the room shift. Something had changed in Jira's demeanor—he was no longer speaking about the murder case. He was speaking from a place of deep, personal hurt.

Jason's voice cut through the silence. "What do you mean, Jira? What are you talking about?"

Jira looked at him, his eyes colder now. "Ask your partner," he said flatly. "She should know. And then leave. Take your case and go. You will not get help from us."

Kate opened her mouth to speak, but Jason placed a hand on her arm, subtly urging her to stop. He turned to Jira and gave a tight nod. "We'll leave," he said, his voice now more resigned. "But we’ll find the killer, whether you help us or not."

The two exchanged a look, and as they stood to leave, Kate couldn’t shake the feeling that they had just touched the surface of something much darker than a simple murder case. Jira’s words echoed in her mind, and though she still didn’t fully understand, one thing was clear: this case was far from ordinary.