Dark Keys of Uncomplacency

Chapter 18: Mental Breakthrough

Jenson persisted to stare dead into Heinrich's eyes, as if the answer to this sick, sick riddle was written out on Heinrich's forehead. How does one prove to a crazy individual that he is crazy? Not just a psycho killer but a musician and cryptologist by practice. The bloody notes that Heinrich had transcribed were beginning to dry, just like Jenson's reservoir of patience and creative thought.

"They can't be stopped, you know", Heinrich said, breaking the silence. He balled the hand with the bitemark into a fist and winced with pain. "And even if you could stop them, would you, knowing these creatures roam the earth?".

Jenson struggled to multi-task. This was the longest he had interacted with any criminal let alone the most notorious one in the city's history. He played out the events of the past few months for some crucial detail. "W-where's your proof?" he stuttered. "All I see is a trail of dead people—innocent people—in your wake. There is no Cedric! And this old woman you speak of—this is nonsense—you must see that!"

Heinrich shifted a little on the piano stool. He inched forward and glanced around Jenson at the front door, as if Cedric was about to respond by kicking in the door. "Oh I wouldn't say that if I were you. Better to stay on their good side. I have for all of these years and it's kept me alive. They've granted my passage to America, where I've helped aspiring composers—"

"To their deaths!"

Heinrich sighed and grimaced like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "Only the Samodiva".

Jenson was finding less and less reasons to keep this man alive. Killer or not, he was an accomplice to murder and that was enough to hang in this city—especially for this case. "Alright Mr. Schröder, I'll play along". He eased up on the trigger some to relax his hand muscles. "Did Cedric mention who his next target was? Which femme fatale is next on his list?"

Heinrich's eyes went from wandering left and right to pointing back at Jenson. "He hasn't told me who was next. As you know, a particularly resourceful monster fled Baltimore before he could get to it".

"The Lyndhurst girl", Jenson muttered.

"Precisely. It's gotten him troubled in a way I've never seen before. The very murder of Mrs. Sherman was a surprise to me. Cedric didn't allow me the time to get over here before he—well, you know".

"So you think he means to track down this monster before resuming the cleansing of Baltimore?"

Heinrich closed his eyes as he processed his response. His thoughts fell back on the naked body of the younger Lyndhurst girl; her crimson hair flowing every which way and handless arms at her sides. "Officer Morris, I haven't the faintest idea. My hat's off to whoever does".

THAT'S IT! Jenson wanted to scream in triumph for discovering a path of sound logic that would prove to Heinirich that he himself was Cedric. He kept his composure by taking a settling breath in and asking, "What was that last statement?". He made sure to act like he hadn't been paying attention.

Heinrich sighed with a slight frustration. "All I'm saying is that the man is tactically cold and very secretive—even with me. I don't presume to know even half of what there is to know about Cedric. It takes an equally cold individual to understand him and—".

"Who does that belong to? Mr. Sherman, I presume?". Jenson pointed towards the front atrium with his chin. The rest of the house was dark, but the candlelight carried towards the table that Jenson was pointing at like a spotlight on a dim-lit stage. Enter stage right: a black silk top hat.