Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem ( Elysia and Tarquin) novel Chapter 811

Axel's call came through like this,

"You've seen the news? Yeah, it's pretty much the same deal. Last night, someone broke into the precinct, took down the night shift officers, grabbed the keys, and went straight for those traffickers. Took them out right there.

The guy's bold, skilled, and his way of killing? Professional and brutal.

Some of the victims were gutted, others had their eyes gouged out, and some were even drained of blood...

The coroner said the murder weapon is almost identical to what was used on Declan. And I’ve seen the surveillance footage; the perp's build and the way he moves are spitting images of Keith. I'm sure it's him! But he covered his tracks well, no evidence to pin it on him directly."

Axel also raised a question,

"I checked, those traffickers had no known ties to Keith. No clue why he'd target them. But with that bloody message he left behind, the internet's buzzing, calling the killer a 'vigilante,' saying he's taking out the trash for the public good."

Tarquin, wrapped in his bathrobe, stood on his private deck, his expression unreadable.

Keith committing murder wasn’t about public service; he wasn’t one to play the hero!

But that message he left in blood, 'Those who harm children will pay,' was clearly a warning to child abusers.

Taking out those traffickers was about vengeance, and a form of punishment!

Keith, what are you really about?

After a moment of reflection, Tarquin asked Axel, "Any progress on the little girl's case?"

"…It’s tough, not much to go on. We're still searching."

"Speed it up!"

After hanging up, Tarquin thought about lighting up a cigarette but then remembered Elysia. She hated the smell of smoke, and he didn't want to upset her.

Back in the bedroom, Elysia had just ended a call with Blossom.

Seeing him return from the deck, she immediately asked, "Did you hear about those traffickers being killed?"

"Yeah, saw the news online."

Tarquin climbed into bed, pulling her close,

"Was it Blossom’s call that woke you, or was it me?"

"I woke up on my own, right when Blossom called. And, um, I overheard you talking about the traffickers last night…"

Elysia, unaware it was Keith's doing, added,

"Though killing is wrong, it's somewhat satisfying in this case. It's like karma for those who do evil. Hopefully, this serves as a warning to others to do good instead of evil."

Tarquin simply hummed in response,

"Considering there's no known connection between the killer and the traffickers, what do you think his motive was?"

Elysia speculated,

"Either he saw the public outcry online and appointed himself a vigilante or he's just someone who loves children to an extreme, couldn't stand the crimes of the traffickers, and felt compelled to act."

It had to be the latter; couldn't stand not acting.

After a moment, Tarquin exhaled deeply, trying to steer Elysia away from the grim subject,

"Let's move on from this, no need to dwell on it any longer."

Elysia had been down since the news broke, and Tarquin felt for her.

"Yeah, you go on with your day. I'll stay home with the kids."