Run, Chief, Run

Previous Chapters:

A truck driver had an unfortunate encounter with the mysterious Lilith. She killed three men the year before while Greg was dealing with the hag. Now she is back with a vengeance and Wolf Bend Chief Greg Harsen is called to the scene by FBI Agent David Harkins, a man who really dislikes him. What Greg finds awakens him to the realization that more bad things are coming for him and his little town. Further, Harkins managed to wrangle him into Task Force Ash, which was created to capture the killer.

A county wide call-out for a jail riot interrupted the hunt for Lilith. At the riot, Greg finds out that Jenny's violent ex-husband, Lenny Benslow, has escaped from the jail. They race to his cabin, but Greg's beloved wife had been taken. Through good investigation techniques, they may have found the bad guys' hideout. A shootout ensues, with Jesse getting shot while they rescue Jenny. When Greg went after Lenny to finish him, Sheriff Watson convinced him to take the felon back into custody. Batty Betty Benslow was taken into custody for assisting with Lenny's escape.

Greg thought he was in for a rest, but another Lilith victim, 'Satin Shorts' had been found revealing new clues. Then Greg and Jesse found Lilith's lair, getting closer to the killer. Then Greg had a meeting in the alley with Lilith where he barely escaped with his life. At the same time, the taskforce has been getting nowhere. Finally, Lilith revealed herself as Officer Katie Kelsey when she killed FBI Agent Kenneth Lee.

New Chapter:

A shiver ran up and down Greg’s spine when he saw the farthest curtain blowing in the breeze. Okay, that’s a little too much like before. But unlike before, he had Jesse with him. At Greg’s request, his officer went over and shut the window. 

The library had always been an integral part of Greg’s research technique. Even in Chicago, he had often visited the city libraries. Not that the internet didn’t provide tons of good information, but libraries held the most valuable nuggets. Old books, microfiche, and reference materials that the world wide web often lacked.  

The librarian, Carson, came over and laid a book on the table in front of Greg titled Fallen Angels And Other Dark Spirits Of The Underworld by Marsha Plackman. He studied the book while Jesse looked for any information on Lilith’s tattoo on the microfiche. Greg spent a half hour in the book, but didn’t find anything that seemed to relate. I’m getting nowhere. 

Jesse came rushing in. “I found it!”

“Found what?” Greg closed the Plackman book. 

“The tattoo. It was on an old film sheet from the 30’s. It’s the sign of a succubus.” Jesse was beaming with pride at his discovery. 

Greg frowned. “A succubus? What the hell is that?”

Jesse shrugged. “I haven’t a clue, but I have Carson looking now for any related books.”

“Nice work, Jesse.” A couple of minutes later, librarian Carson brought over a stack of books concerning succubus and similar ilk.

Soon Greg and Jesse were reading everything they could find about female spirits called succubus. They were different legends about the evil female spirits, from the stealing of men’s souls to keeping men as their sex slaves. All of the different tales involved the element of sex.

“Holy shit.” Jesse shoved an open book under Greg’s face. Annotated at the top of the page was Hunting the Succubus by Alexander Harper, revealing its name and author. Jesse pointed at a word. The one word caused Greg to gasp. Lilith. 

Greg read the chapter twice. It stated that succubus are beautiful supernatural entities who need intercourse to survive. They were said to be very seductive enchantresses, who could confuse and befuddle men with their kiss and scent. 

The book advised that in true form, while still beautiful in appearance, they could produce claws, serpentine tails, and even wings. One succubus was said to have bespelled pope Sylvester II (999-1003) and was reported to have helped him ascend to great power.

Lilith was annotated as one of the oldest succubus from the time of Adam, having dwelled in the Garden of Eden. She was said to be one of the original queens of the demons. Her sister spirits were named Eiseth, Agrat, and Naamah. 

“Go out in your car and search for this . . . Alexander Harper. Here’s his photo on the back cover. Find him and get me a phone number.” Greg handed his officer the book.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Jesse started for the door. 

“I need better than that, Jesse. Find that man.” Greg grabbed another book and started searching through it. 

After more than an hour, he had learned a few more things. Succubus could not be harmed by the normal weapons of man. They could be exorcized away, for a while, but once they targeted a human male, they eventually got what they wanted. The creatures did not like religious symbols. 

Some succubus just couple with their lovers one time, while others stay with their enchanted men for years, satiating them with lust until the human male eventually passes. That seems to be a theme, so why did Lilith switch to killing her lovers? This library always leads me to more questions. 

Jesse came back in, holding a sheet of paper. “Had to jump through hoops, Boss, but I got his number through the publisher. They were reluctant until I told them we’re working a multiple homicide and they looked you up on the internet.” 

Greg grabbed the sheet, which had a number bearing a California area code. He went to the library hardline and dialed the number. After about nine rings someone picked up.”Hello?”

“Alexander Harper?” I hope it is.

“Yes. Who’s this? Do you have any idea what time i—”

“Lilith.” That should garner his attention. 

“What . . . what did you say?”

“I said Lilith. I’m the Chief of Police in a small town over in Washington state and we are dealing with a string of murders.” 

“A string of murders?” The line went silent for a half a minute. “What does that have to do with Lilith?”

That long pause meant he knows the answer to his own question. “All of the victims are men. I believe the killer’s your succubus, Lilith, that you mentioned in your book.”

“First off, she isn’t my succubus. Now what makes you think you’re dealing with Lilith?”

He hasn’t hung up. He knows. “She bears the succubus tattoo. Her face changes almost statuesque. She has identified herself as Lilith. And . . .she can fly.”

“Shit.” 

“Shit's right. Your book doesn’t say anything about succubus killing their victims. So, why is Lilith? It doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it makes perfect sense. Did you notice that my book didn’t reveal much about her? That’s because she has left no witnesses. She kills her mates. Just like a black widow or praying mantis. The bible doesn’t reveal everything that happened in the beginning. Something happened in the holy garden. Something bad that made Lilith hate men. She’s been killing them ever since. I’ve found several strings of male deaths throughout the various centuries. Now I can’t prove it, but it looks like she’s responsible.”

Greg’s detective mind kicked into overdrive. “That seems like a huge stretch. How could you link serial murders across the span of centuries?” Seems implausible. 

“It was actually quite easy, because she left something behind.”

Now it was Greg who paused as it felt like his stomach fell into his shorts. “Ashes?”

“Damn, Chief, don’t tell me you have little piles of ashes at your murder scenes?” Harper’s voice was strained. 

“Yes, every single one.”

“Chests torn asunder, heart missing?”

“Yes . . . when we found bodies. Why didn’t you publish any of this? Because you lacked proof?” 

“Lacked proof? No, that had nothing to do with it. Nor did the fact that I have no idea what the ashes and missing hearts mean. You see, Lilith’s three sisters were destroyed during the Inquisition. Holy men slew them and returned them back to the pit. But not Lilith. There’s no history of her vanquishing. In fact, she murdered twelve puritans in the Maryland Colony, then just seemed to disappear.”

“So why didn’t you write about these findings then?”

“You’re dealing with the queen of the damned. She’s as old as mankind itself and has been killing for centuries. She is the epitome of evil and feeds off guilty lust. I simply didn’t want the likes of her coming after me.”

“Okay. So how can I stop her? Any advice?”

“Are you a religious man, Chief?”

“Not particularly.”

“Then you can’t stop her. You need to stay as far away from Lilith as you possibly can.” 

Stay away from her? That isn’t possible. “So you have no advice?” Greg shook his head. 

“Yes. Run, Chief, run.”