The Mysterious Cycle | #wattys2019

Chapter 11

Sometimes, you just have those phases in life when nothing works out for you. You crave for peace but the more you do so, the farther it goes away from you. Naomi was facing the worst situation a detective could ever face. She lost her husband, at least that's what she thinks based on the evidence, she has lost her inner peace and she has also lost her home now. And something tells me that it wasn't by accident.

As Naomi reached at the site of the 'accident', she was shocked. She couldn't believe what she saw. She had one safe place and that was also stolen away from her. And how? Such a huge house burned down to ashes. She made this house with Will. Yes it was hard at first, getting everything right and just the way they wanted it. But when they finally had it, it was a dream. They loved staying there and they made a lot of memories out there but it was all gone in a second.

The firefighting team reached at the site with the fire brigade trying their best extinguish the fire. But shockingly, Naomi didn't cry. It wasn't like she didn't want to. Of course she felt immense pain at the sight of what was left of her dream home. But she had faced so much in the past few days that she had no tears left. She wasn't scared anymore. If anything, she was now determined, more than ever to catch the person behind it. The worst part for her was, she didn't have Will beside her anymore. He always helped her get through the trauma and difficult phases. The city lost arguably the best detective in town. It wasn't easy. Not at all.

After the fire was extinguished, she was allowed to go in and take a look inside the house. She couldn't believe that she lost almost everything in a span of a few weeks. As she went in, she saw something carved on her home's walls.

It read-'You are next, Naomi.'

She wasn't shocked. She had expected something like this all along and she definitely knew it wasn't an accident. She knew who got it done but it made her realize how personal this case was. It wasn't a general case where you meet a psychopath who was just intent on destroying someone's life. Some random stranger. It was personal. Someone held a grudge against her and that was clear. It wasn't a normal case at all. It sort of gave her a hint. An important one, that someone has a beef with her and wants to settle the score.

It reminded her of all the things Will left for her, all the words he said in the things he left behind and everything he taught her.

The main thing that he taught her was to never lose your calm, never to panic and always a detective should be on his toes. There is absolutely no room for complacency. But the most important thing that he had told her was, never trust anyone, especially who is closer to you and knows things about you.

And now was the time when she was going to put them to use.

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The people in the precinct rushed to the site after a while.

Seb was the first one to approach her as she stood with her back towards him. He placed a hand on her shoulder which startled her.

She turned around in haste but relief flooded her face as she saw him.

"Thank god it's you. Don't know who'll come up to me and the next minute you know I'll be lying on the floor in a pool of blood." She let out a sarcastic, yet a sad laugh.

"Hey! C'mon. don't say so." He said and squeezed her shoulder in a reassuring way. It was Seb.

"Do you want me to get you something to eat? You must be tired." He asked and by that time, everyone gathered around her. She was the closest to him after Will of course.