Chapter 72: The Thin Line

"We've never been friends, but I trust you won’t share this with anyone. I don’t want it to turn into gossip within the media or my circle," Kate said, her voice steady but guarded.

Jason didn’t answer right away. He just thought about how he'd always felt something more for Kate. He’d never dared to say it, though.

"It's not going to be like that," Jason finally assured her, his tone firm. "Professional rivalry is one thing, but throwing someone’s stuff out there for the world to see? That’s just wrong."

"Thanks," Kate said, nodding in appreciation, though her eyes immediately went back to her phone. Still no reply from Aussie. He was offline, as usual.

She leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes, trying to unwind from the chaos of the day. But something about it wasn’t sitting right with her. She opened her eyes and found Jason, buried in some file.

"Jason," she said, her voice quieter now.

"What was Jira talking about with that past incident? He said something about going to the police for help, but they turned him away, and people got hurt... What happened?"

Jason let out a slow sigh and briefly glanced at her before returning his attention to the paperwork in front of him.

"It’s a long story, and honestly, it doesn’t matter," he said, trying to brush it off. "Let's just focus on what’s in front of us."

But Kate wasn’t letting it go that easily. She leaned forward, her gaze steady.

"We’ve got time. Start talking," she said.

Jason met her eyes for a long moment, then exhaled deeply, knowing there was no getting around it now.

"Well, a few years back, when your dad was still active in his field, Jira came to my station," Jason began, his voice taking on a more reflective tone. "I had just joined the office a few weeks before that, so I was still getting the lay of the land. Anyway, Jira walks in and tells me he wants me to arrest a man."

Kate raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Arrest a man? For what?"

Jason shifted in his seat, his gaze moving from the file he was reading to meet Kate’s. "I asked him who the man was and what the grounds for the arrest were. He looked at me like I should already know the story. He tells me the guy’s living in their neighborhood and is using some ancient knowledge."

Kate frowned, curiosity piqued. "What kind of knowledge?"

Jason leaned forward, his hands resting on the table as he spoke, his voice low and intense.

"The people of Yarrabura—they have this legend. They believe in a Satan-like figure who can create dual personalities in a person. On one side, the person becomes a beast. They kill people, butcher their bodies... it’s like something out of a nightmare. But on the other side? They show up in society, acting like they’re pure, good-hearted, someone you'd never suspect of doing any harm. It’s like they live two completely different lives, but no one ever knows what’s really going on. They live with this duality as long as they’re alive."

Kate leaned in, her eyes wide, trying to digest what he was saying. "That sounds... insane. So, was this guy doing all of that?"

Jason nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. The people of Yarrabura were convinced this man was using that forbidden knowledge. They were demanding immediate action, saying he needed to be arrested before he did any more damage."

Kate's expression softened with empathy, but she couldn't help but ask, "And what did you do about it? You just... let him go?"

Jason’s face darkened, his hand gripping the edge of the table as he let out a frustrated breath. "I couldn’t just arrest him on the spot. I mean, I had only just joined the office a few weeks before all of this went down. I didn’t know the full history of what Jira was talking about, and there was no solid evidence to back up their claims. So, I did what I thought was right at the time. I told Jira I needed more information, more proof, before I could take action."

Kate’s eyes softened in understanding, but she could sense the weight of guilt in Jason’s voice. "And then?"