The Curse Of Eden
Chapter 11- Old Tales

"Tell me." Adam said as he approached his team mates.

"Well, I wouldn't be very hopeful actually boss." Elliot noted with a sigh.

"We swiped the whole house in and out and we found nothing. There were no other finger prints besides yours and Collette's." Kristen got to the point.

"What do you mean there were none? That old lady said that someone tried to break in so there must be something we could replace." Adam replied in exasperation.

"Unfortunately boss," Elliot spoke, "we're back to square number one. There were no signs of forced entry except the one I attempted and nothing to prove that anyone was inside or outside the house except you and your wife."

Adam ran a frustrated hand through his hair, while the other rested on his side." Swipe the house again. More thoroughly this time." He found himself ordering.

"We did boss. Thrice." Kristen replied making him sigh. Adam was putting great hopes on the suspicion that maybe, just maybe E had finally slipped up and they'll finally be able to replace him and end this nightmare. But once again, he found himself running after a ghost.

"What about the box I brought you? Were you able to replace anything on the names?"

"Ah yes, now that was an interesting one." Elliot replied. He twirled in his chair to face the big screen behind him. He tapped on the keyboard and a couple of pictures appeared on the screen.

"We're suspecting that the names in the notebook belong to the cult members from thirteen years ago, based on what Collette remembers." He started. "Unfortunately, none of them where from our recent victim list. We found information on them in the system that dated to a very early dates like their names, birth place and date ecetra. But everything else was wiped out."

"What? They were deleted on purpose?" Adam spoke the fact.

"Looks like some high collars are involved in this and they intended deleting all important and recent details of the members." Kristen made a note.

"Try to see what you can replace guys. Take it to the extra mile."

"Consider it done boss." Elliot turned to his keyboard once again.

"Wait-" Adam suddenly stopped him, taking a step towards the screen. "Is that-"

"Yes. That's John Patrick. Collette's father." Ellitot confirmed.

Adam looked at the man staring back at him. Brunette hair, similar to that of Collette's but while her eyes were blue like her mother's, his were smoldering gray. His facial bones outlined his square face perfectly and a light stuble peppered his jaw line.

"He looks- normal." Adam whispered. "Sane and intellectual."

"They all do Adam." Kristen sighed. "They all do."

"Not until they decided to join that cult." Adam grinned his teeth together. The image of ten year old Collette, battered up and bruised all over wiped out any ounce of silent sympathy he has for any of the victims like he normally does. "Tell the others to meet me in the briefing room in ten minutes." He changed the subject as he left the tech room.

Kristen and Elliot shared glances before Elliot decided to break the silence.

"Do you think he saw?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"Oh shut up, he was more concentrated on the case than to notice us holding hands before he came." Kristen rolled her eyes.

"Well..he did ruin my moment." Elliot winked, making Kristen laugh at his silliness before going back to work.

"What's up boss." Avery said as she walked into the room along with Alex. Ken, Kristen and Elliot were already standing with Adam around the glass desk.

"Okay, so what I'm about to tell you will only be between us alright. It was upon Chief West's instructions to keep it discrete. We've been keeping this case successfully hidden from the people for quite some time now and if we made a wrong move we might risk exposing the fact that there is a crazy killer on the loose and the people will panic. It would be bad for the CBI and for our work." The detective spoke, addressing his team mates. "Now," he turned his attention towards the map sitting on his desk. The same map Collette used to figure out where E's next victim would be found.

"Collette found a pattern that can lead us to where the next victim will be found. It's not very solid but it's something that we can work with."

"Chief allowed us to work this on our own so that if our suspicions were wrong, we don't waste resources for nothing. And no one should know about this especially the feds. They're on the lookout for anything to hold against us." Ken added. "We suspect that the next victim will be placed at the fair in order to attract as many onlookers as possible." Adam noted. "Serial killers love a show, and we've been denying E that ever since he started his killings. He'll be searching for more crowded places with each victim."

"He's killing for a purpose and he would want everyone to know that." Alex said. "He's killing abusive fathers and believes he's doing good. He'll want everyone to know."

"The spring fair!" Elliot suddenly exclaimed.

"Yes. There will be a lot of people and a lot of TV covering the night. He'll get the show that he wants." Ken nodded.

"Sheesh.." Avery voiced as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Elliot and Kristen, I want you to keep track of all video footage we could get from surveillance cameras in that area in case we could replace anyone suspicious."

"The fair's tomorrow Adam, E has probably killed his next victim already." Ken suggested making Adam sigh.

"I knew that already but if we can't save him let's at least try to make him the last one."

"What about the names in Joh Patrick's notebook?" Ken asked.

"All their data have been erased from the system." Kristen answered. "Finding them will be hard, unless we go around knocking on all doors in the neighborhood searching for them."

"We can go ask around but that will cause questions to arise and people will talk." Avery commented, stressing on the last part.

"She's right." Adam agreed. "We can't risk that. Not right now at least. E has Iways been a step ahead and now that the roles have switched with us in the lead, I don't want word to get out and notify him."

"As much as I hate the fact that people are dying, but I sure as hell wish we do replace something tomorrow." Alex spoke more to herself than to her team mates.

"If we stayed on the lookout from the very beginning, we might actually catch him." Adam sighed with hope as he stared down at the fair's location on the map. The big, red circle stared back at him like it was ready to fight. He breathed in a mouthful before turning back to his team.

"Ken, Avery and Alex, you three will be watching the entrance and the back area. Alex and Avery take the entrance and Ken," he turned to his partner, "I'll send Max with you to the back area."

All three nodded their heads at their boss's orders.

"Elliot and Kristen, you two will have access to the surveillance cameras in the area. I'll get you a court warrant for that. You get me any small detail, anything you replace even if a rat crossed the road, you tell me." Adam spoke to his technical specialists. They too, nodded their heads.

"Yes sir." Elliot voiced. His eyes glanced towards Kristen briefly before turning back to his boss.

"Let's hope this works." Adam prayed to himself, yet the rest were able to hear him clearly.

They all infiltrated the room except for Ken who remained rooted to his spot.

Once the room was cleared of anyone except the two partners, Adam turned to the Korean man he trusts the most.

"Did you replace me what I asked for?"

"Was I ever one to slack?" Ken sent his partner a smirk to which Adam smiled and shook his head.

"Never my friend."

Ken reached for the tablet on the desk before opening it, showing a picture and a couple of documents open.

"Her name's Blake Jilles. She's a fifty three year old who used to work as a nurse at a charity hospital before retiring a year ago. She used to live in LA but cam back here to live in her parents' place when her husband died. She has an only son but he left to continue his culinary studies in Egypt. He wants to take on the Middle Eastern cuisine or something."

"And Blake remained in that house ever since right." Adam stated the fact. "Has she been on any medications recently?"

"Nothing other than her heart medication. Nothing suspicious came up in her background. For all I know, she's benn nothing but a lawful citizen." Ken shrugged. "Do you think maybe she knows about the Holers?"

"She's been living next to one." Adam answered. "I'm sure she's asked a question or two."

Adam ringed the old doorbell and it echoed against the worn out walls of the house.

He waited patiently for a minute or two before the door creaked open, revealing the tenant behind the door.

"I knew you'd be coming back soon detective." The elderly noted as she looked up at Adam.

"I need to ask you a couple of questions if that's okay with you."

"And I've been waiting seventeen years to answer them."