Aleksander parked the Koenigsegg Gemera smoothly outside the Farrell household. Wednesday and Enid followed closely as they stepped up to the front door. Aleksander rang the bell, and the door swung open to reveal Will Farrell [1]— his coal-black hair sharp against striking pale green eyes, a handsome face that held both charm and tension.
Will was Mark Farrell's brother, the man accused and under suspicion.The moment Will saw Aleksander, Wednesday, and Enid, his expression shifted from surprise to guarded suspicion, even flickering with anger. "You're from the Investigating Agency?" he asked sharply, feeling tricked.
Aleksander stayed calm. Without hesitation, he let his eyes flicker briefly with a subtle shimmer of his power. Will blinked, unsettled.
Aleksander pulled out a crisp letter of authority, stamped from Lisbon, and laid it on the table. "We've also been working with Wednesday Investigating Agency," he said, nodding toward her. "She has psychic powers. If you still have doubts, you can verify us on The California Bureau of Investigation website. We're listed as official solvers of this case."
Intrigued, Will quickly pulled out his phone and queried the site. His eyes scanned their names, finding not only Aleksander's but also Wednesday's, noted as prime solvers of the investigation.
His defensive stance softened, and he stepped aside."Alright, come in," Will said, motioning them inside.
Once seated, Will got straight to the point. "This case is complicated. New evidence points toward shapeshifters being involved."
He glanced at Enid and Wednesday. "It's something none of us expected."
Enid frowned. "If they have doubts, why keep your brother locked up?"
Will's jaw tightened. "The sheriff here has a history with Mark. They've clashed before—personally. This case gave the sheriff a chance to use his authority against Mark. He's convinced Mark hired a shapeshifter hitman to kill Emily. There are whispers about Mark's rocky marriage, and that's feeding suspicion."
Wednesday's voice cut in, deadpan as always. "But the new murder clearly doesn't fit the sheriff's theory. This looks more like a serial killer's pattern, not a hitman's job."
Although Mark's alibi seemed solid—his phone location and traffic cameras placing him at his brother's house—the complexity of the case raised serious doubts. The local authorities suspected a shapeshifter, meaning the real killer could have taken Mark's form to commit the murder.Because shapeshifting is unknown and highly unusual, the sheriff and investigators struggled to verify Mark's true innocence immediately. This created suspicion that they might be dealing with an accomplice or a highly sophisticated cover-up.
The sheriff petitioned the court for an extension of Mark's detention to allow in-depth forensic analysis, including advanced biometrics, DNA testing from the crime scene, and verification of the shapeshifter theory. Additionally, law enforcement needed time to cross-check travel records, witness statements, and surveillance beyond just phone data and traffic cameras, to rule out any possibility of Mark secretly slipping away.
The court granted this extension, citing the extraordinary complexity and potential threat to public safety, thus legally allowing Mark to be held in interrogation for more than four days while investigations continued.
Will nodded, a mix of frustration and reluctant hope in his eyes. "Exactly. I told Mark about the latest developments. Despite everything, he wants to find the real killer. He still cared for his wife, even with their problems."The room fell quiet for a moment, tension balanced between distrust, hope, and the complexity of the case ahead.
Aleksander looked at Will intently. "Did something go missing from Mark's house? Or did anything happen to him recently?"
Will frowned, thinking. "A week before the murder, Mark was attacked during a mugging."
Aleksander turned to Wednesday and Enid. "That's important. The shapeshifter likely did it. Demonic shapeshifters usually need physical contact or something personal—like clothes or an item—to complete their transformation."
The room fell quiet for a moment, tension balanced between distrust, hope, and the complexity of the case ahead.
Aleksander leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "What about the new murder victim?" he asked.
Will didn't hesitate. "That one happened just two days ago—Emily Garrett was tortured before she was killed. The security footage shows her boyfriend, Zack Warren, arriving at the house around the time of her death. But just like Mark, Zack wasn't actually there—he was with his sister, Rebecca Warren."
Aleksander hummed thoughtfully, muttering, "So the killer has a pattern. He takes the form of the victim's lover, then kills them. And he's targeting women."
Wednesday spoke up, voice steady. "We need to see the crime scene. Especially Emily Warren's, if that's possible."Will nodded. "I'll arrange it."
Will led them up the driveway to Zack Warren's house, which stood quiet and heavily sealed off with police tape.
Aleksander spoke up confidently, "I already asked Grace to get us a permit. We're cleared to enter."
Wednesday and Enid exchanged a quick glance and stepped forward, but before they could reach the door, a sharp voice cut through the silence.
"Who's there? This area is sealed off by the police!" someone shouted from outside the house.
They stopped and turned toward the voice.
A tall man, about 6'4", with broad, muscular shoulders stepped forward. His shaggy brown hair fell slightly over his forehead; his light green eyes sharp and wary. He wore a plaid shirt, jeans, and boots, his clean-shaven face.
Beside him stood another man, slightly shorter at 6'1", equally muscular. His dark blond hair was cropped short, and his green eyes had a striking, handsome quality. He wore a dark leather jacket over a flannel shirt, paired with jeans and black boots.
Next to them was a woman with long, straight blonde hair and light blue-green eyes, slim and of average height. Her gaze was cautious but curious as she surveyed the group.
Will spotted the woman immediately. "Rebecca, it's me—Will Farrell. I hired a detective agency and came here about my brother's case."
Rebecca Warren, sister of fellow murder suspect Zack Warren, stepped forward, recognition flashing in her eyes. "So your case is linked to my brother's too."
Will nodded, then gestured toward Aleksander, Wednesday, and Enid. "Yeah, they wanted to see the newest crime scene."
Rebecca's surprise was clear when she realized the detectives were so young. The tall, muscular man beside her spoke up, skeptical. "There are kids?"
Will's tone hardened. "They're certified members of the Detective Agency. They've solved multiple cases— including the famous Susie Salmon case. That one was tough; even seasoned detectives couldn't find any leads. These kids uncovered connections no one else saw. They even found evidence of other murders that slipped past everyone else. I'm not foolish enough to hire unproven kids."
The two men exchanged looks, visibly impressed. Rebecca shook off her shock and said, "That's great. We could use all the help we can get. Dean here is a detective himself. He came to assist me with my brother's case."
[1] Brother of Murder Suspect Mark Farrell