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

    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