Luhadcursedthe"BeautySyer"tenthousandtimesover.Societywasalreadyshortonresources,andthislunatichadgoneandwipedoutsomeofitsbrightest,mostbeautifulyoungwomen.Topstudents,goodfamilies,fwlessfaces—gone.Ifevehemhadbeenspared,Luwould''''''''vetakenherhomeaedherlikeagoddess.
Ifheevergothishandsonthatbastard,hewouldn''''''''tshowmercy.Hell,ifhehadthece,hewouldpullthetriggerontheexeself.
Butafterthat,the"BeautySyer"vanished.
Luandhisteamtriedeverything,evenbaitinghimwiththeirmoststrikingfemaleofficers,butthekillerneverresurfaced.Thevictims''''''''families,friends,andcolleagues,hemknewwhothegirls''''''''stpanionshadbeen.Theyhadsimplylefthomeforschoolorworkandurned.
Atleastnomoreyoungwomehatmonster''''''''shands.Still,whilethekillerhadstoppedstealingsociety''''''''sbest,Luhadn''''''''tfoundawomanworthsettlingdownwithhimself.
Theonlythingthe"BeautySyer"hadeverlefthimwasReya.
***
Thatday,Luhadbeeothecrimese.
Therewasn''''''''tmuchlefttoiigate.Theseniordetectiveshadalreadydoheirwork.Thebodyjusthadn''''''''tbee,supposedlysohecould"gainexperience,""applyhisknowledge"and"tributetothecase."
Thetruthwaslessgmorous:theerwasstutraffic,sotheylefthimtheretobabysitthecorpse.
Thegroundwasamess,trampledwithfootprintsfromgawkingvilgers.EvenSherloeswould''''''''vebeenuselesshere.
Peoplelovedaspectacle.Deaththrilledthem.Theywhisperedinhushedtones,feigneddisgust,pretendedfear—thenraospreadwild,exaggeratedstories.
Lucrouched,siftingthroughdampleaves,whenashadowfelcrosshim.Hefigureditwasoheoldercops,anotherrookiehazingritual,thesametiredprankspasseddownthroughgeions.
Hepretetonotice,thensuddenlywhippedaroundwithaloudshout.
Nosenior
detectivejumped.
Buthedid.
Alittlegirl,maybeten,stoodthere.Skinny,tangledbckhair,naked,herskinstreakedwithdirtanddriedblood.Shelookedlesslikeachildthansomeferalthingdraggedoutofanightmare.
Herwideeyesstaredathim,eerilyclearyetcarryingastrange,ulingaura,likeawitch''''''''scrystalballglowingwithghostlylight.
Thatwasthemomenthissurprisearrived.
***
ThegirlwastemporarilypLu''''''''shomeasafosterchild.HenamedherReya.
Luwasn''''''''tgoodwithhewordhadslippedoutbecausethevictimatthecrimesehadbeencalledReya.
Aftersolong,hecouldnolongerrecallthatwoman''''''''sfullitdidn''''''''tmatter—nowhehadhisownReya.
Shewasn''''''''tasstrikingasthedeadReyahadbeen,butatleastshetrailedhimaroundlikealoyallittleshadow,neverleavinghisside.
Officially,Ludidn''''''''tmeettherequirementstofosteranorphan.Butthegirlrefusedtoletgoofhim—evenwhendoctorsexaminedher,orwhenpolienbathedandgedher,shegstubbornlytohisclothes.
Sinosuitablefamilycouldbefhtaway,andtheiigationintomissingchildrenrecordswasstillongoing,leavihLuseemedthemostpracticalchoice.Ifherrealparentseversurfaced,shewouldbeeasiertorecim.
SoLuandhischildhoodfriendMoxi—whowerealwaysmorelikeswornsiblingsthanlovers—pletedthefosterpaperworkasacohabitingcouple.Justlikethat,thetwoofthembecameReya''''''''stemporaryfosterparents.Yetthisso-called"temporary"stretchederthananyoneexpected.
Luwasabachelor,cluelessaboutraisingachild.Moxibeganvisitingstantly,whichsparkedgossipatfirst.Butafteryearspassedwithnohintofromahenosyneighborslosti.
Herfamilyhadbeenthrilledinthebeginning,imaginingtheirdaughterwouldfinallysettledownwithanoldfriend''''''''sson.Butfatewasn''''''''tontheirside.Afterafewfailedattempts,theygaveup.
Reya,atfirst,wasahandful.
Traumatizedb
ywhatevershehadehewoods,shehadlosthervoidckedevebasiclifeskills—notevenonparwithathree-year-old.Moxienrolledherinaspecialeducatiram,butwithiheteacherssentherback.
"Yourkidisperfeormal.Stopwastingourtime."
ItwasinthatsingleweekthatLuoticedhissedsurprise.
Thesy,dark-skinnedgirlhadgrownfairer,putonsomeweight.Herfeaturesremainedpin,butwhenshesmiled,herdimplesturadorable.
AdorableinawaythateerilyresembledthechildhoodphotoofthatotherReya—thevictim—hehadrievingmother''''''''shome.
Moxiadoredthegirl,spoilihgifts.Later,afteraluckystreakiockmarket,shethrewLuoutofthemasterbedroomandredecorateditintoafairytalesanctuary—hardwoodfloors,plushrugs,aprincessbed.Adreamfitforachildwhohadneverhadone.
Luxurynurturesbeauty.UnderMoxi''''''''scarefulhand,Reyablossomedintoagraceful,delicateyoungwoman.
Whenevershevisited,Moxiwouldughandsay,"LookhowourReyatur!Andwhosedoingwasthat?Mine!"
Lualwaysrolledhiseyes.Asifhehadn''''''''ttributedatall.
Butthetruthwas,withhisworkasahomicidecaptain,hecouldn''''''''ttributemucheveried.Hewasoftencalledawayinthedeadofnight,disappearingfordays,onlytostumblehome—exhausted,sweaty,sometimesevenstaihblood—beforecolpsingintobed.
Morethanonce,MoxisuggestedReyaelivewithherpermaly.
Lualwaysrefused.
"Ruiningmylifeisenough.I''''''''malreadyalostcause.Don''''''''tletherruinyourstoo."
Moxiknewwhathemeaillhopedshe''''''''dfimaledown,havealifeuntouchedbytheshadowsthatswallowedhisown.
Butshewasn''''''''tbuiltfornormalcy.
herofthemwas.