Chapter Seven
The alleyway was abuzz with activity, the morning sun casting an eerie glow over the crime scene. The sound of cameras clicking filled the air as forensic photographers documented every angle of the gruesome discovery.
Detective Conan and detective Julia had just arrived at the scene at that time after leaving Lex's place. No sooner had they alighted from their car than a van pulled up at the crime scene.
A man in his mid-forties with a weathered face and a stern expression stepped down from the van, with a blank expression on his face.
He stood around six feet tall, with a sturdy build and broad shoulders. His hair is dark brown, cropped short, and unkempt.
A scar above his left eyebrow told a story of its own. His imposing physique, clad in a mix of leather and chainmail armor, exuded an aura of quiet confidence.
Upon sighting the threatening figure of the man and his dressing, Detective Conan's instincts kicked in, his hand instinctively reaching for his pistol as he eyed the newcomer with a mix of curiosity and caution. "Hey, easy there, Conan, he's a friend," a familiar voice called out from behind, calming the detective's nerves.
"Cap." He called in short as he turned to face a man who looked like he was in his late thirties, he had a smile on his face.
Captain Lewis, a man in his late thirties with a warm smile, approached the trio, his eyes locked on the unknown man.
"Conan, meet Griswold, I can't really disclose much about him but he and his team will be taking over the investigation from here." The captain said simply, as if what he said wasn't really something much.
"He?" Detective Conan asked, sizing the man up with eyes with a confused look. What was his captain saying? Why would a man who wasn't even a police officer take over a case? Especially this kind of case?
"See, detective Conan, you and I both know that these deaths were not caused by a human, this is above your pay grade." Captain Lewis said.
"But this was done by an animal, wasn't it?" Conan asked in confusion.
Griswold chuckled at his words as if there was something he knew and the detective didn't. This only made the detective mad, he knew there was something else to this.
"Ah, young detective," Griswold said, "there are forces at play here that you can't even begin to comprehend. Like your captain said, leave this to us." Griswold said with a small laugh.
"Us? And who are the 'us'?" he demanded, his eyes locked on Griswold's enigmatic smile.
Captain Lewis's stern gaze silenced him, but Conan's mind refused to back down. He shot a glance at Julia, her eyes mirroring his confusion.
"He and his crew will be handling the case, that's all." the captain said with a tone of finality.
Captain Lewis and Griswold stepped away from the scene, speaking in private.
"I have to report this to the Venators immediately." Griswold told the captain.
"I understand, but do you really think this was done by a werewolf?" Lewis asked with an unsure voice. "It's been decades since a werewolf has shown up in Stardom. It might have been a wild animal or something."
"I know a werewolf attack when I see one. And with those pictures I saw, those dead gangsters, they definitely got themselves into something they couldn't handle." Griswold said.
The air was electric with tension as Lewis dropped a bombshell. "There was a witness report that the gang attacked a kid before they were found dead." Griswold's eyes snapped towards the captain, his face a picture of shock.
"What are you saying? Why didn't you tell me that before?"
"I didn't feel it was necessary. The kid is just a normal and ordinary kid, and he's been interrogated." The captain answered.
The captain's response was measured, but Griswold's agitation was palpable. "Werewolves don't wear their true nature on their sleeves. They're the ones who appear the most innocent, the most harmless." His eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing the darkness. "I need every scrap of information about that kid, immediately."
With that, Griswold strode off towards the shrouded bodies,
He got to the bodies where they were laid, yet to be taken to the morgue and squatted beside the first one. He removed the clothes from the face of the body and upon seeing a gushed out throat, he shook his head. "Thus is definitely a werewolf." He said, looking at the other bodies. The slash marks, the cuts - they all pointed to a werewolf. But what was weird was that the cuts were deeper than usual.
"That's weird." He muttered.
"Here," he heard Captain Lewis' voice behind him and looked back to see him pointing a paper towards him.
He took the piece of paper from him, standing up from his squatting position. "That contains everything known about the kid. I still don't see anything that connects him with the killings except the fact that he was beaten up by them a few minutes before their deaths." The captain said.
"It's not your job to think whether he's connected or not, leave that to us," Griswold simply said as he walked to the bus he brought.
As Griswold drove off, Detective Conan and detective Julia walked over to the captain immediately.
"Cap, what was that all about?" Conan asked immediately as they got to him.
Lewis sighed and turned back, "Just drop it, will you? Like you've heard Conan, this is way above your pay grade. There are things you don't know and shouldn't know." Lewis said.
"You just can't tell us that and expect us to give up and act as if it's nothing." Detective Julia chipped in.
"Exactly, one old man can't just walk in and take over a case like it's a case of a missing cat. This is a delicate case. Who really is he?" Conan asked.
"That old man? Trust me, with all your years of training and being in the police work, will take you out in a minute."