Page 33 of Beneath the Light of the Moon

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A LITTLE WHILE later, his cool skin seeped through your gloved fingers, the dead body a perfect host for your next clue.

Deftly, your hands slipped the key fob from a clear plastic bag to its final resting place. An idea you’d decided on long ago, your mind feeling a bit devious. A small incision in the man’s stomach—made by your own hand—barely leaked any crimson since his heart was still. Steady fingers probed the handmade wound, prying it open wide enough for you to push the key fob in. A faint sucking noise told you it’d reached the inner layers of muscle and fat.

A gentle pat on Ivan’s stomach calmed the inner racing of your heart. Everything was coming to fruition, like you wanted.

Now, the dull sawing of thread feeding itself through flesh kept you company.

Stitch after stitch.

Suture after suture.

13

Eyes Everywhere

Mikko

“Look at this,” Mikko said, his hand running anxiously through his hair while Cristiano peered over his shoulder. “You can’t tell me this hasn’t been edited?”

“I mean the timestamp skipping thirteen minutes is…telling.” Cristiano leaned in, eyes squinting at the security footage of Mikko’s penthouse.

“It takes time and skill to do this, to splice it this clean.” While technology wasn’t his strong suit—he paid others for that—there was no denying the evidence in front of the two men. Sitting at his desk, he watched the surveillance back again and again, searching for clues or shadows or a hint of something the intruder left behind.

Nothing.

Heat flashed up his neck, his anger fresh despite the incident occurring yesterday. After discovering his keys and locket to be missing, he’d been fidgety and decided to put the energy to good use.

Which lead him to findingthis.

Mikko tolerated a lot but, this…this was crossing a line. Once he found the perpetrator, they’d face the wrath he and his men were known for.

“And you said the only thing missing was the locket and your keys despite the mess they left behind?” Cristiano asked.

Mikko nodded, unable to voice his emotions.

“Weird. Out of all the enemies we’ve made, that isn’t something I’d think they’d go for.”

“It’s more personal than the work we do…” Mikko trailed off.

“Which is concerning,” Cristiano filled in.

Mikko’s fingers had drummed the wooden surface of his desk, contemplating if he should call the security company again. They’d already told him there was nothing they could do. While they supplied the equipment, storage and deletion was in the owner’s domain, therefore, they had no access to it. He’d been sure to tell them how ridiculous that was before promptly hanging up.

Now one of his few safe havens felt tainted. Someone had been here, let themselves in, and became acquainted with his security measures enough to manipulate them to their advantage. If only his list of enemies wasn’t the length of the city’s population…

Cristiano straightened as a tired sigh slipped past Mikko’s lips. His back felt strained and ached from sitting at his desk all day again. The hour was getting late, and the screen was too bright compared to the rest of his room, but work had to be done.

“Well, no time to dwell on it now,” Mikko said, shuffling papers around on his desk, “these land acquisitions won’t win themselves.”

“Maybe not, but you look like you could use a night off…boss.”

Mikko waved his friend away, glaring at him for using that blasted word. “I’ll get a day off when I’m dead, yeah?” He couldn’t let these projects slip through his fingertips, the money and resources were too precious. Besides, a business—no matter how corrupt—had torun efficiently like all the others.

“Still, I have a feeling you need to get laid, you’ve been awfully—”

“My sex life isnotup for discussion tonight.” Mikko clicked out of the security footage, his annoyance flaring up each time he looked at it.