Half an hour after my arrival at the chapel I find myself concentrated with the notes in my notebook, it is strange for me that my coworkers and even the medical examiner have not yet arrived. The place is empty following my instructions; everything is silent except for the wind that moves the yellowed dead leaves of the fallen trees on the ground. I clear my throat trying to stay calm and not be disturbed by the smell of decomposition and dried blood that emanates from the body, no matter how many years one spends in this job, I'll never get used to it, I only learn to endure it. I pull my phone out of my pants pocket and dial Dylan.
-This is Dylan- I managed to hear on the other side of the line.
-Can you explain to me where the hell are you? - I spit out terribly annoyed.
-The operator sent us the wrong coordinates; we're on our way...-
-Hurry up I can't leave the body alone and that's it...- I manage to see a shadow out of the corner of my eye, I quickly turn around thinking of some curious teenager or tabloid journalist who is trying to get a photo of the body but the last rays of the sun of the afternoon that they slip through the clouds hit my face dazzling my sight and letting me see only a male figure pass by.
-Aeryne...- I come back to reality when I hear my partner on the other side of the line. I turn on feet observing the environment around me, suddenly the absolute calm that reigned a few seconds ago is overshadowed by the anxiety that invades me, my heart runs at kilometers per hour trying to get out of my chest as adrenaline pumps through all my body.
-Pay attention to what I am going to tell you... there is someone inside the chapel, it is not the father or any of the neighbors, I will try to find him, the evidence has been catalogued, the chain of custody is going to be compromised, but nobody is going to find out if you don't speak, you must arrive as quickly as possible- I re-enter the premises- fence the streets surrounding the Church- I walk through the corridors of the supposed house of God checking every place where a possible perpetrator may be hiding- any man of robust build, at least one meter 80 centimeters, over 30 years old, you arrest and identify him- the din of the bells reaches my ears- the evidence is in the flowerbed to the left of the victim in a hermetic bag , I have to go, take care- I hear the cries of my partner on the other end of the phone until I hang up the call.
I go through the rooms looking for the passageway where I used to play with my neighbor when I got bored of Sunday morning mass, at 5 years old all hiding places seem huge and accessible but with age I realize how small they can be. I arrive in front of the altar, where the cross is supposed to be, which is now on the head of a parishioner in the courtyard.
I walk between the benches looking for some clue as to where the individual might have entered, if there is one. I arrive in front of the altar and turn my steps to the right, the door of the sacristy is in front of me and next to it the small door is open, I never really knew why it was there, there is an access to the bell tower outside the church that it is much more comfortable for everyone.
I take a seat on the floor to open the small opening and enter it when the eerie silence that had formed is broken by the ringing of my phone.
-Detective Wolf, who am I talking to? - on the other side of the phone the sound of a short breath is heard- Hello, who am I talking to?-
-"The dead heretic is always better"- mutters a female voice on the other side of the line.
-Who are you? What's your name?-
-Each affirmation of words must be maintained with acts, when acts turn us into infidels, they become dangerous for the order of the world, suddenly infidelity becomes heresy, when ideals are betrayed...-
-What's your name? - I manage to articulate lifting my anatomy from the ground, the mixture of adrenaline and fear make my hands shake.
-I am fury, possessor of the only eyes that could see their true natures... and the only one that will maintain the order of nature!!-
The sound of a gunshot followed by a piercing scream is heard from the confessional. I run to the stairs and go up to the first floor where the enclosure is located. When I get to the room I open the door trying to have the holster of my 9 millimeter in attack position, I walk through the cabin until I reach an open window which allows the cool of winter to attack my bones, a female figure runs away at full speed through the roof, there's nothing I can do to catch her, I watch her leave trying to memorize everything I can.
I am led back into the room by the groans of a man I recognize as Thomas Western, a practicing Catholic who lives in the neighborhood, the men has a deep gunshot wound to his left thigh and at least half of his body with signs of trauma. High-degree burns. I fall to my knees next to his body and begin to put pressure on the wound trying to reduce the bleeding.
-Everything will be fine Thomas- I undo the knot of the navy blue scarf I'm wearing from my neck and put pressure on the wound with it.
-I...I'm so sorry- stammers the already pale man, the bullet must have hit one of the main arteries since the bleeding is so constant that it looks like one of those small tabletop waterfalls.
-Everything is fine- I pick up the landline phone on the confession table and dial the station- This is Detective Aeryne Wolf badge number 222106 here; I have a male gunshot wound in the San Bernardino church, the attacker is a woman late 20s, of unknown identity, she is on foot is extremely dangerous, do not intervene alone in his arrest, send units and an ambulance immediately- I drop the receiver and continue to apply pressure.
-I wanted to... do things right-he stammered
-And you have - I continue in my work trying not to finish ruining my clothes already stained with blood.
The hinges of the door are heard behind me, I turn to watch the paramedics enter their hands rest on my shoulders; another group of paramedics takes me out of the church to do a check-up.
-Doctor, please, I'm fine- I assure in a whisper, looking at my hands still stained with the victim's blood.
-She is not - my partner's voice can be heard I see him approaching us, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, his hands in the pockets of his classic black dress pants and an arrogant smile on his full lips - look doctor if she doesn't have a blow in the head that left her insane- the nurse laughs while and I look at him with a bad face. After a general check-up I get down the ambulance with the help of my partner.
-What did I tell you? Don't go alone- I rolled my eyes at her inopportune comments.
-Nothing happened to me Dylan, I also got a new clue to identify the murderers- I chatter victoriously.- The female suspect called me, I dance with my phone in front of his face- I'll give you the data.- Call me when you find something- I walk slowly towards my car.
-Where are you going?-
-Home for a good bubble bath- I see his crooked smile get lost among the blue uniforms thatguard the place.
YOU ARE READING
The Waterfall of Broken Dreams.
ActionThis story takes place at New Shire town. Aeryne Wolf a NewShire police officer gets involved in the investigation of a series of mercyless murders like she has never seen before. Slowly she ends up caught up in a web of lies that will let her to di...
