Sebastian stood beside the carriage, coat buttoned high, eyes fixed on the paper sealed in evidence wrapping.
Raven's betrayer.
Julian leaned against a lamppost nearby, arms crossed.
"I don't like messages,"
he said.
"messages mean the killer wants attention."
"or fear,"
Sebastian replied.
Albert approached them, lowering his voice.
"Forensics confirmed it. torture before death. prolonged."
Julian grimaced.
"So this wasn't personal rage. It was deliberate."
Sebastian nodded.
"ritualistic."
They rode back to the department in silence.
inside, the building buzzed despite the hour. Clerks hurried. Officers whispered. Typewriters clacked like insects.
Sebastian laid the evidence on the table.
"no known gangs use ravens as symbols."
Albert frowned.
"but ravens appear in political circles. secret societies. old ones."
Julian straightened.
"You're telling me this might be bigger than a single murder."
Sebastian looked up.
"i'm saying this might not be the first."
The room fell quiet.
Julian exhaled slowly.
"great. exactly what I wanted to hear after choking on lunch."
Albert almost smiled.
Sebastian turned a page in the report.
"victim identification?"
"male. mid thirties,"
Albert said.
"name's Henry Watson. Clerk. Nothing remarkable on record."
Julian frowned.
"Clerks don't usually end up tortured in alleyways."
"unless,"
Sebastian said,
"they knew something."
a knock interrupted them.
A junior officer entered.
"sir blackwell. there's a reporter downstairs asking questions."
Julian stiffened.
"already?"
Sebastian closed the file.
"names?"
"Edwin Clarke."
Julian's jaw tightened. "that rat."
Sebastian stood. "I'll handle it."
Albert raised an eyebrow.
"alone?"
Sebastian nodded.
"yes."
downstairs, Edwin Clarke waited with a smile too sharp to be friendly.
"inspector blackwell," he said.
"another murder under your watch. London must be thrilled."
Sebastian met his gaze calmly. "you're obstructing an active investigation."
Clarke chuckled.
"I'm informing the public."
"with rumors."
"I mean, with questions," Clarke corrected.
"questions about power, lineage and protection."
Sebastian leaned closer.
"choose your words carefully."
Clarke's smile faltered just a little.
upstairs, Julian watched from the railing.
"…he's enjoying this," Julian muttered.
Margaret Hale stepped beside him, holding a stack of papers.
"clarke always does."
Julian glanced at her. "you work for him."
"for the press," she replied.
"not for his morals."
Julian hesitated.
"that article. the one being distributed."
Margaret sighed. "it'll spread regardless. but not everyone believes it."
Julian looked back at Sebastian below. "He doesn't deserve this."
Margaret studied Julian for a moment. "Neither of you do."
Somewhere in London, someone read the words Raven's betrayer and smiled.