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.

Thecasewentcold.Tenyearsofdustgatheredoverthoseforty-ninenames.

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.

Noseniordetectivejumped.

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,neverleavinghissi