Secrets in the Footage

"Quit dragging this out and just tell me everything," Kate demanded, her frustration evident in her voice.

Jason leaned in, lowering his voice slightly. "Alright, listen carefully... Two years ago, an exclusive event called 'Meet and Greet with Me' was held in Adelaide. It was a high-profile gathering designed to bring together successful individuals from various industries, allowing the public a rare opportunity to interact with them. The event featured keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking sessions, drawing a massive crowd."

Kate furrowed her brows, recalling the media buzz surrounding the event. "Yeah, I remember hearing about that. It was a pretty big deal."

Jason nodded. "Exactly. Now, to make sure the speakers stood out from the general attendees, the event organizers provided them with custom polo shirts. Each speaker wore a red polo shirt, embroidered with the official event logo on the back. Along with that, every shirt had a unique serial number printed beneath the logo—an identification code assigned to each speaker."

Kate’s eyes sharpened with intrigue. "Are you saying the guy who attacked Juan was wearing one of those shirts?"

Jason smirked. "Bingo. The attacker had on a red polo shirt, which means we might be able to trace him using the serial number."

Kate’s mind worked fast, processing the implications. "That’s a solid lead, but Jason, we can’t jump to conclusions. Just because this guy attacked Juan doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the killer. It’s possible he had a personal vendetta—something unrelated to the murders. What makes you so sure this man is our guy?"

Jason exhaled and leaned forward. "Because he wasn’t just wearing the red polo shirt, Kate. He was holding a book. And not just any book—it had an image of Baphomet on the cover."

Kate’s stomach tightened. "Baphomet? As in the symbol associated with Satanism?"

Jason nodded grimly. "Yes. And here’s the kicker—I'm positive it’s the same book another man was holding when he met Ryder outside an art gallery just a few weeks before his murder."

He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and scrolled quickly through his saved files. Finding what he needed, he handed the phone to Kate. "Watch this video closely. Pay attention to the details."

Kate pressed play. The footage showed a masked man lurking in the shadows of the Montana Club before making his move. He approached Juan from behind, delivering a swift and precise strike to the back of his neck. Juan staggered forward, struggling to regain his footing, but the attacker leaned in close, whispered something, then disappeared into the night.

Kate set the phone down, exhaling sharply. "According to Juan, this guy is the killer. And he’s a doctor?"

Jason nodded. "If Juan’s telling the truth, then yes. Which means we need to track down everyone from that event who fits that description."

Kate drummed her fingers on the desk. "Last night, I went through Sasha Paul’s emails. I found something disturbing—an anonymous email threatening her. The sender was furious over her outspoken posts against Satanism. It piqued my interest, so I checked Ryder’s emails too. Turns out, he received the exact same message, word for word, on the same day. Both emails came from the same IP address."

Jason's eyes sharpened. "Where did the IP trace back to?"

Kate held his gaze. "'Let’s Celebrate.' The biggest event planning company in Adelaide."

Jason sat up straight. "Wait a minute—'Let’s Celebrate' was the company that organized the 'Meet and Greet with Me' event."

Kate nodded. "Exactly. Which means our suspect could be someone from the event’s organizing team... or one of the speakers."

Jason processed this for a moment before leaning in again. "Alright, let’s think this through logically. What if the killer is more deeply connected to this than we initially thought?"

Kate met his eyes. "Let me lay out a theory, and you tell me if it holds water."

Jason gestured for her to continue.

Kate took a breath. "The masked man who attacked Juan at the Montana Club was probably someone from his past—an ex-associate from the Ascendants of Pathway cult. Two years ago, Juan walked away from the cult, cutting all ties. Around the same time, Ryder and Sasha left as well. But unlike Juan, who went silent, Ryder and Sasha became vocal critics of Satanism, actively speaking out against it in public forums and online."

Jason listened intently, nodding as she spoke.

"This attacker has been keeping tabs on them ever since. He’s been monitoring their social media, reading their posts, tracking their whereabouts. When Ryder and Sasha refused to back down and continued exposing the cult, he saw them as a threat. First, he sent them warnings—the emails. When they ignored those, he decided to act. Ryder was the first target, then Sasha."

Jason folded his arms. "So where does Juan fit into this? Why attack him but not kill him?"

Kate’s expression darkened. "Because Juan’s betrayal was different. He didn’t speak out, but he still left the cult. That alone made him a traitor in their eyes. The attacker didn’t necessarily want him dead—at least not yet. He just wanted to send a message. A warning to keep quiet."

Jason exhaled. "And Juan got a threatening email before the attack, too?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. That’s why I went through all three of their emails—Sasha’s, Ryder’s, and Juan’s. I knew they were connected. Once I analyzed the patterns and compared them with the surveillance footage, the pieces started falling into place."

Jason leaned back, a slow smile forming. "I’ve gotta say, Kate, you have a hell of a talent for connecting dots. You ever consider a career as a detective?"

Kate smirked. "I’ll take that as a compliment."