Nigkala Tales Pt. 21: Murder Mystery

When I overheard a phone call where the chief was explaining why he couldn't throw the book at me, I learned they knew I was innocent, and were trying to fabricate something that could stick. When I next saw Jack, I told him what I heard, but did not explain how I heard it. He told me that there was a lot of red tape being tossed in his way. I asked him to do his best. When I asked about the shoot, he told me they had completed most everything and would do the little that remained with me alone on the set. They would edit me into the scene in post-production. What finally broke me out was a live news segment where Muhtadi cleared me and named the actor that knocked my target out of the way.

The first day out I spent catching up on the news, and the team pulled together to film when the light was right, which would be in the evening. I did several takes, each slightly different, so that they would have a choice of clips to use for editing me into the scene. The next day I was on a plane.

Muhtadi made several appearances on the news, stating he was targeted because of his position. Two weeks later, someone managed to kill him. I spoke to my husband.

"Filipe, Someone killed Muhtadi, who played my father in the film. First they tried to frame me, and now they have silenced him. He advocated for more respect and freedom for women, and he was silenced. From what I read, there doesn't seem to be any effort being made to catch his killer."

"I know, but that part of the world has difficulty changing to a more modern outlook towards women."

"They tried to frame me as part of their fight."

"You survived, and were exonerated. Those who tried to use you failed."

"That's just it. They succeeded in their objective, even if they had to use a different way to do it."

"And you want to teach them a lesson. I know you."

"Yes. No. I don't know. I think there should be justice, and the one who is responsible should pay the price."

"I don't think it will be easy for you to do anything. You are here, and even if you were there, as a woman, they would not respect you."

"I know."

That night, when I spoke to Inanna, she told me there was a way.

"How can justice be served?"

"I am also a goddess of justice. It is not my main thing, but even so, I dabble. You are my priestess. I shall aid you. Go, and I will support you. Take your predator talisman."

"Then I need a plan, and that means research."

"Good hunting."

In the morning, I told Filipe, and he surprised me by suggesting I go as George Holt. It was a good idea, as he looks and sounds different from me, so no one will recognize me. I waited a few days to see what, if any, investigation was being held. There was none that I could see.

So I carefully prepared by removing all identifiable items and then dressing as George Holt, but in a local outfit. I brought three more sets of clothes, just in case. It took only five teleports before I was in the country. A sixth got me to the roof of a major hotel at just after dawn. Ensuring no one was about, and with a little wind power, I jumped off the back and landed. I scanned again, and was satisfied no one saw me. First thing I did was head to the gem market. On the way, I made a number of small gems, each worth a few hundred dollars. I sold them to several dealers, for less than they were worth, but it gave me a few thousand dollars; worth of the local currency. I went back to the hotel and booked a room for a week in cash.

For the rest of the morning, and into the afternoon, I watched the assorted news stations to learn what had been going on in the city since I had left. It wasn't good. Three more activists had died suspiciously, and no leads had turned up. That was too much of a coincidence. So, shortly before the police captain I had overheard was to leave his office for the day, I was nearby waiting for him. When he came out, I followed him. With the predator talisman's help, I followed him, and waited for him to be alone. This came when he was leaving a restaurant to get back in his car.

I whammied him to fall asleep just as he was getting in. He fell into the driver's seat, so I helped him into position, while unlocking the doors. I closed his door and entered the car on the other side. Then I started searching his mind for the conversation he had that I overheard. I wanted to know who scared him then. Lucky for me, they spoke every few days. While he didn't know a name, he knew where he hung out, and what he looked like. He also knew the name and appearance of a minion that was usually in the boss' orbit. I got all I could about them and their friends for later. It seemed that four of his officers were in on the corruption. I then left quietly when no one was looking. He woke ten minutes later and left, none the wiser.

I then made my way to the hangout. It was a men-only recreational palace, you know, where upright citizens got horizontal with ladies not their wives. Part of the palace was a bar/dining area for those waiting for an available lady. I just whammied my way in, then I made them leave me alone because I was waiting for a friend to finish. I slowly sipped a beer, and opened my mind to the thoughts of this place. I kept an eye out for thoughts of them, or even sight of them.

I spotted the minion, Jamal, when he came into the room in a hurry. I focused on him, and learned he was about to report to his boss. I caused the air to send me their words, even as I kept him mentally in focus. Once they were together, they spoke for a few minutes before Jamal left. In that time, I had gotten a fix on the boss, and I waited until he left, so I could follow him. I had to use a number of senses to do that, as he took precautions. It must have been near four in the morning when he got home. It was a fortress disguised as a wealthy home. He had some roving guards, but they were all outside. Inside, he relied on sensors and tripwires to alert him.

I studied the place and determined where he went to bed, then waited for him to fall asleep. That took almost an hour. While waiting, I studied all the alarms and sensors and determined where I could teleport in without being detected. When I finally entered, I whammied him and his wife to sleep. Now, it was time to explore this man's mind. Augmenting myself with the predator's hunting instincts, I entered his mind, seeking confirmation he was the one controlling the cop. Then I sought what he knew of any illegal activities. That's when I learned there was another above him. Still, I gathered what I could, then ported back to my hotel room, and went to sleep.

It took six more days before I reached the top of the chain. This man, Rafael, entered the country years earlier and worked his way up the ladder until he was the boss of this city. I learned the reason Muhtadi was killed was because Rafael made money by promoting the unrest. He lived in an enclosed compound in a rich part of town. The more I learned about him, the more I felt he was pure evil. Before I did anything, I sought counsel.

"Queen Inanna, I have found our prey. He is evil, and had the deed done. He controls an outfit dedicated to power and greed; and that encourages evil. What would you have me do?"

"Show me everything." So I did, from the cop to Rafael. "He and his are a blight on the land. His wife is in on it, but less so. You shall use her. They shall have a celebration and invite the most evil ones, when they arrive, you will surround the celebration with a wall of stone then unleash the predator as a lion within. When there is nothing alive within, remove the walls and leave a mystery."

"It shall be done."

I extended my stay at the hotel another week, then started working on a way to have a celebration at the compound. I went with a long-forgotten uncle Bertram leaving a large inheritance, and that my target needed to come to the office of a local lawyer to sign the paperwork. I gave directions to the office I had just rented. I also drew up some legal looking papers for him to read. They were just a prop, so I could whammie him. I also bought a small lockbox, and filled it with assorted emeralds, worth several million. While I waited for him to take the bait, I wrote everything up, so I could drop it off to a journalist.

Two days later, I sent his representative away, indicating he must come in person. The next day he showed up, with four bodyguards. "You this barrister, Johnson?"

Using my low George Holt voice, I answered, "Yes, I am Miles Johnson, Attorney at Law. And you are?"

"You know who I am."

"That may be, but I must verify it. Please, for the record, your name, sir."

"I am Rafael Beckworth."

"Thank you, sir. May I see some identification?" He pulled out a passport. I studied it a minute before saying, "Thank you, sir. Now that I have verified your identity, I am authorized to give you this letter and form." I handed over the letter I had written, and a form I had cribbed from the internet. While he was reading them, I stunned him, then the bodyguards in the room, using my whammie. I then did it again, but to sleep, with the guards first. With everyone sleeping, I worked on Rafael's mind to tell him he had received a large inheritance, and that he should celebrate. I instructed him who to invite, and what to think about the celebration. Lastly, I caused him to do all that, but not remember he was instructed to do so. Then I whammied both to slowly wake them, as I pulled up the box with the emeralds.

Pretending to have been talking, I said, "... and this is a sample of jewels in his vaults. As soon as you sign the document, I will hand this over."

"... Huh? Oh! Those are pretty. How much do you think is there?"

"These have been appraised at several million. The vault contains far more. It would not surprise me if the vault held over a thousand million. However, this form must be processed, and all the paperwork handled before you can access the vault. It will take at least a month."

"In that case, call me when I can see the vault."

"I shall."

"In that case, goodbye."

He departed, and I kept track of his preparations. I needed to extend my hotel stay another week, but eventually his party was on. The party started at dusk, but the ladies were scheduled an hour later. What he didn't know was that they were rescheduled for midnight. This would give me a two-hour plus window. I waited until half an hour after dusk to begin putting up the walls. Inanna was watching. I put the one in front of the main entrance up last. Each wall was twenty feet high, one-foot-thick, sheer rock. By this time, I was on the roof. I then used the talisman to summon a powerful lion, with Inanna's and my will for justice. It tore through everyone, and screams could be heard. At last, it was done. I went and removed the walls, then sought the box of emeralds. They were in his safe, so I used Alec's training to open it, and took a look at everything in there. I took the box, and other easily convertible valuables, but left the papers. I also left the safe open.

My next stop was the room of the local BBC journalist. I left a memory stick and a card saying 'Corruption Exposed'. This had a single text file with all my notes, and I had wiped my prints from them before I ported back to the hotel. There I stood in the shower until I began to feel clean.

"Do not be concerned, daughter, they deserved it, and more, for the evil they have done."

"I don't disagree. But like I said when we first met, I do not care to kill, not even by proxy. I will when it is needed, you know that, but it is not in my nature."

"I know it is little consolation, but the one who killed Muhtadi was there, and is now dead."

"That is good to know. But all the evil they have done. The corruption they spawned."

"For a time, it has been pruned, and what they find when they look will be plenty of evidence to bring down many others. For a year or two, the culture will freely move forward before it has to contend with the older ways. It may be that they will keep the advances, if they fight for it. But it is their choice, not yours. Sleep, and be at peace."

My last memory was of standing in the shower. I woke to a woman in my bed eating me out. I was about to say something when Inanna said, "Enjoy my gift." So I kept quiet and enjoyed her.

Later that day, I sold off the emeralds and other items for cash, and then I went to a lawyer to set up a trust fund for the families of those killed by this evil man. I put all that cash in the trust. Once the families were taken care of, the rest would go to support their cause.

Once I left that office, I ducked into a back alley out of sight, and teleported, heading home. There, I ate, changed, and then teleported to Death Valley to meditate. I would run for an hour, walk for an hour, and then sit for an hour. Then I would do it again and again. As I did, I extended my life sense to see the hidden life all around me. Bret visited from time to time, and brought me food and water. I thanked him, and spoke with him about his learning for a time, and then I would again go for a run. Finally, I was able to put it behind me.

In addition to creating the trust, I also petitioned the producer to dedicate this film to Muhtadi. The next two months, I spent a lot of time talking with Filipe before I felt normal. I also spoke with Angel and Jewel, as they might get called upon to execute Inanna's justice. They decided to cheer me up by telling me Jewel got engaged. The man she found was happy to share her with Angel, or just watch the two of them. This definitely cheered me up. Finding out how that family would work out was going to be interesting.

But that is another story...