The cold wind swept through Ashwood as Lucas sat in his office, staring blankly at the evidence board. The photograph of the Brotherhood was pinned in the center, the faces of the seven boys haunting him. Four of them had already met a gruesome end. Michael Ward, though not part of the original photo, had been added to the list of victimsâhis involvement with the Brotherhood later in life making him a target.
The events of the previous night replayed in Lucas's mind like a broken record. Jacob Ward's final, chilling words echoed in his thoughts:
"You think you're getting close, but you don't understand. The Brotherhood... it's bigger than you think. It's not just the seven of them. It's the whole damn town. They'll come for you too."
Jacob had been a wreck when Lucas confronted him at the forest on the outskirts of town. The man reeked of fear, his trembling hands. Lucas had pushed him for answers, desperate to piece together the puzzle.
"You knew about the murders," Lucas had accused. "You knew they were coming for the others."
Jacob had laughed bitterly, the sound more like a sob. "Of course, I knew. But what could I do? They're always watching. Always listening."
Lucas had pressed harder, demanding names, detailsâanything that could help stop the bloodshed. But Jacob's paranoia ran deep, his eyes darting to the shadows as though the Brotherhood was lurking just out of sight.
"They killed Emily," Jacob had whispered, tears streaming down his face. "They said it was an accident, but it wasn't. And now they're cleaning up loose ends."
Lucas had tried to calm him, to get him to explain further. But Jacob's fear had spiraled into despair. Before Lucas could stop him, Jacob committed suicide.
The memory of Jacob's lifeless body slumped haunted Lucas now. It wasn't just the gruesome endâit was the hopelessness in Jacob's eyes, the weight of secrets too dangerous to carry. Lucas had seen many deaths in his career, but this one felt personal. Jacob had been a key to the mystery, and now that key was lost forever.
Lucas's focus was interrupted when Sheriff Cole entered, his expression grave.
"We got something," Cole said, tossing a folded piece of paper onto Lucas's desk.
"What is it?" Lucas asked, picking it up.
Cole leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Anonymous letter. Found it slipped under the station's door."
Lucas unfolded the paper. The handwriting was uneven, almost rushed, but the message was clear:
"The answers you seek are buried with Emily Hayes. Check her grave."
Lucas's pulse quickened. Emily HayesâMatthew Hayes's sisterâhad been the catalyst for the Brotherhood's unraveling. Her death years ago had left a permanent scar on the town, and her brother had vanished shortly after.
Lucas rose from his seat, his mind racing. "Do we have any record of her grave being disturbed?"
Cole shook his head. "None. As far as we know, she's been resting in peace all these years. But this... this changes things."
Lucas grabbed his coat. "We're checking it out."
The Ashwood cemetery was eerily quiet as Lucas and Cole made their way through the rows of tombstones. The moon cast long shadows, and the faint rustling of leaves only added to the tension.
Emily Hayes's grave was easy to find. It was marked by a modest headstone, her name and dates etched into the weathered stone.
"Here lies Emily Hayes," Lucas read aloud, his flashlight illuminating the inscription. "Beloved daughter. Taken too soon."
Cole stood nearby, his hand resting on his holstered gun. "What are you expecting to find, Lucas?"
"I don't know," Lucas admitted. "But someone wanted us here. Either they're leading us to something... or they're trying to waste our time."
Lucas knelt beside the grave, his flashlight scanning the ground for any signs of disturbance. The soil looked undisturbed, the grass growing evenly across the plot.
"Nothing," Lucas muttered, his frustration mounting.
Cole frowned. "So, it's a false lead?"
"Maybe," Lucas said, rising to his feet. But his instincts told him there was more to this. Whoever had sent the note had done so for a reason.
The next day, Lucas decided to follow up on another clue from the letter. If Emily Hayes's grave held no answers, perhaps the people closest to her did.
He started with Ryan Fischer, one of the three remaining members of the Brotherhood. Ryan's hardware store was quiet when Lucas arrived, the morning sun casting a pale light through the front windows.
Ryan was behind the counter, sorting through receipts. He looked up as Lucas entered, his expression wary.
"Detective Grey," Ryan said, his voice cautious. "What brings you here?"
"I have some questions about Emily Hayes," Lucas said, getting straight to the point.
Ryan's face tightened. "Emily? What about her?"
Lucas stepped closer. "Did you know her well? Before she disappeared?"
Ryan hesitated, his eyes darting toward the back room. "We all knew her. She was Matthew's sister. Sweet girl."
"But?" Lucas pressed.
Ryan sighed, running a hand through his thinning hair. "Look, I don't know what you're digging for, but I've told you everything I know. Emily's death... it messed all of us up. We were just kids. None of us expected it to end like that."
"End like what?" Lucas asked.
Ryan's eyes darkened. "You know the story. She died in the fire. It was a tragedy, but that's all it was."
Lucas didn't believe him. "And Matthew? What about him?"
Ryan shrugged. "Haven't seen him in years. He left town after the funeral and never came back."
Lucas studied Ryan's expression, searching for cracks in his facade. But Ryan's mask held firm.
"Thanks for your time," Lucas said finally, turning to leave.
Lucas returned to the station, his frustration mounting. The letter about Emily's grave had led nowhere, and Ryan Fischer's answers had been maddeningly vague.
He spread the evidence across his desk, trying to make sense of the tangled web. The Brotherhood, the murders, the symbol carved into each victim's skinâit all pointed to something larger, something deeply rooted in Ashwood's history.
But every lead he followed seemed to dissolve into nothingness.
Emma entered the room, carrying two cups of coffee. "Any luck?" she asked, setting one on his desk.
"Not yet," Lucas admitted, rubbing his temples. "I'm starting to think someone's playing games with me."
Emma sat across from him, her expression thoughtful. "What about Matthew Hayes? He's still out there, isn't he?"
Lucas nodded. "He is. But finding him won't be easy. He could be anywhere by now."
Emma leaned forward. "Do you think he's involved in the murders?"
Lucas hesitated. "I don't know. But I can't rule it out."
Just as Lucas was about to call it a night, his phone buzzed. It was Sheriff Cole.
"We've got something," Cole said, his voice urgent. "Meet me at the station."
Lucas grabbed his coat and headed out, his exhaustion replaced by a surge of adrenaline.
When he arrived, Cole was waiting with a manila envelope in hand.
"What is it?" Lucas asked.
Cole handed him the envelope. "We got a call from a man claiming to have information about the Brotherhood. He left this at the edge of town."
Lucas opened the envelope, his eyes widening as he scanned the contents. Inside were photographsâold, grainy images of the Brotherhood. But these weren't just the seven boys.
These photos showed adultsâmen in suits, standing in the shadows, their faces partially obscured.
"What the hell is this?" Lucas muttered.
Cole crossed his arms. "Looks like the Brotherhood wasn't just a group of boys. It was something much bigger. And I think it was Mathew Hayes who left us this."
Lucas's mind raced. The murders, the symbol, the Brotherhood's secretsâit was all connected.
But now, he had more questions than ever.
And time was running out.