The Seven Deadly Sins: Demon of Pride

"This has been more than difficult on all of us," Eva looked around the room at her all male team, "But, we have solved tougher things before, so I know we can do this."
Clearing her throat she walked over to the white board the guys helped her set up. Writing down clues, people involved, and places relevant to the case, she sighed and turned back to the group.

"Okay, so let's back track," she pointed to Andy, "What did we find out on our first day around the city?"
"Monroe had an argument with Ty in the lobby of his condo building. After that, Ty left for work at around 4:30 am as usual, but never arrived. He was positioned as though he were begging for mercy."

"Ok, well one thing I just realized I never asked or found out," she looked at CC, "What did you find out?"
Clearing his throat, the young man walked to the front of the room where the board was located and grabbed a marker himself.
"Ok, while Eva and Andy were off gathering facts, I discovered a few things myself."

*A few weeks ago*

CC got out of the car and walked over to the young police officer standing on the side of the church. She had blocked off the alley way, and looked nervous.
"Good morning," he took out his badge and flashed it, "I am Detective Coma of the LA Private Detective Agency. We got a call yesterday morning about a murder here."
The young woman looked up at the man nervously.
"Sorry for the sudden nerves," she rubbed her arms as though she were cold, "I am fresh out of the academy, and this is my first crime scene case. I wish I was still a beat cop."
Smiling, he ducked under the tape and made his way to a massive blood pool in a duvet in the middle of the alley way.
"So, the picture I received this this morning via email had Tyler Durrant's throat slit. This is an awful lot of blood; the man had to have bled out within minutes."
CC walked around the area and spotted a latex glove on the ground, covered in what looked like caked on blood and tissue. Entering Ashley's number into the phone, he turned to holler out to Andy and Eva, but the two were no where to be found.
"Yo, this is Purdy,"
"Hey man, is there any way you could get down here really quick. And bring Pitts too, please."
"Sure thing; see you in a minute."
Hanging up, a loud bang sounded from the direction of Monroe's Family Diner; CC now knew exactly where Eva and Andy headed. Praying silently for his two friends, he ducked back under the caution tape to wait for Ash and Jake.

A few minutes later, a black Mustang pulled up in front of the cathedral. Ashley motioned for Jake to follow him after they both had grabbed their equipment.
"Ok, Coma, what do we have here?"
Waving them over past the yellow tape, CC pointed the glove out to the two gentlemen.
"Last I checked, a bloodied glove can be considered evidence."
Sticking his tongue out, Ashley walked over and bent down by the glove; it was absolutely saturated with this poor man's DNA. Frowning, he turned to Jake.
"Hey man, think you can snag this after I take a picture?"
"Yea," the taller man mumbled, still half asleep.

*back at the meeting*

"So, in looking back, the latex allergy was discovered by Jinxx then told me," he had written the chain of evidence on the board and sat back down.
"Yea, and later on when you two were still out and about," Ashley pointed to Andy and Eva respectfully, "Jinxx, myself, and Jake discovered that Durrant wasn't the most faithful bastard and slept with your ex boyfriend's sister. Later on, his wife found out but didn't have anything to do with the killing; is that right CC?"
The entire group turned to look at the seasoned detective whose mouth was full of chips.
Nodding, he crunched the crispy snacks and took a swig of his rum and coke.
"Yea, that is correct."
Eva stared at the board with the jumble of information a few minutes longer. Within an instant her eyes got wide and she turned around suddenly, slamming her palms on the table.
"The Hooded Man is someone that we wouldn't expect, and we can all rule ourselves out because we were finishing the Mayor's case." she wrote names down on the board.
"Okay, so who wouldn't we expect to be a culprit?"
"I guess the mayor would be one," Andy shrugged a bit as Eva wrote down his suggestion.
"The young cop from the crime scene," CC froze to remember her name, "Officer Ramirez I believe. Fresh out of the academy and was very shakey around the blood pool."
"Celeste," Ashley cleared his throat, "She had a lot of angst against her ex lover. If she didn't kill him, she had to have helped."
" I'm still saying Leslie," Jinxx leaned back in his chair, beer in hand, "She might be on the special protections list, but that wouldn't have stopped her from committing a crime like this."
The guys were all calm for a few minutes more as Jake jerked to a sudden realization.
"Chief Rodney Davis."
"Now why do you think that, Jake?"
Eva leaned back on one leg, crossing her arms as she gazed at the young lab tech.
"The glove had his DNA on it."
Each person in the room looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Why didn't you say something in the first place?" Eva asked, annoyed as his tardiness to supply leads.
"Because he walked me through what he did and admitted he had touched the glove, not thinking it was indeed evidence."
"And you think otherwise?" Andy leaned forward and clasped both hands, narrow eyes looking at the lab tech.
Eva sat back as the men bickered among themselves a few minutes more. This couldn't have been orchestrated by one person and one person alone.

Evangeline's phone started to ring; it was the office. Frowning, she slid over to answer button.
"Chief Brookes,"
Her face fell solemn and worried, then frowned with slight anger.
"Okay, so who discovered her?"
She took out a pad of paper to write information down as the group of young men just looked at her, confused.
"Her mother? Oh, I am so sorry for Mrs. Louis. Yes, Lorna I will. Thanks."
Getting off her phone she looked at the group of gentlemen looking at her for a clue in.
"Leslie Durrant has been killed, and in a similar manner."
"Well, there goes my guess," Jinxx threw his hand in the air as Andy and Jake rolled their eyes.
"So I guess the three of us should get back to the office?" Jake pointed to himself, Ash and Jinxx.
"Please, if it isn't took much trouble?"
Eva looked at CC who was practically falling asleep.
"You go home, Coma." she patted her friend lightly on the shoulder, "You have done good work; you can still have your night off."
Smiling, the detective thanked you and left right then.
"Andy, I guess you and I should get over to Leslie's parents house..."
"Wait a second," Andy jumped up and gazed as the female chief, "You are saying she was found at..."
"Yea, Andy; she was found dead in her daughter's room."
Shoulders slumping, the young man just looked down at the table littered with beer cans and chip bags.
"Sorry to make everyone work over night," Eva pouted, "Dinner tomorrow night, my treat."
Forcing smiles, the group of three left, leaving Andy and Eva alone.

"I can't believe she is dead, E," Andy stood in disbelief as he held the trash bag open for Eva to throw away the empty cans and trash, "I mean, in her daughter's room, though? That seems really harsh. How old is she, like 3? 4?"
"Yea, babe, this is going to tough." She gathered the last bit of trash and tossed it in the bag. Reaching for the rag she had placed on the hutch behind her, she found Andy's hand instead.
"I'm worried, Evangeline," Andy squeeze her hand and brought her in for a most needed hug, "I don't want this to go awry and one of us..."
"I know, baby, I know," she spoke softly and buried her face into the nape of his neck.
"I love you, Eva,"
"I love you, too, Andy. Now let's go get this over with."

Notes

Sorry I have been gone for so long; writers block for this particular story was hellish and now I have broke the writers block hopefully for good. Comments, questions, concerns and love are welcome :)