Circus of Shadows: A Deadly Performance

Chapter 28: Secrets Unlocked

Detective Connie Black's last sweep of the trailer uncovered a locked drawer by the side of Mr Ortiz's bed. Once inside after locating the key taped under the side of his bed, she stumbled upon a set of newspaper clippings carefully preserved and dating back 17 years. These clippings were from an American newspaper named "The Circus Chronicle," known for its coverage for all circus related events.

The clippings told a deeply tragic and harrowing tale of tragedy and mystery that had unfolded 17 years ago. It was a story of a fire that had ravaged a touring circus, leaving devastation in its wake. The fire had claimed the lives of some of the performers, along with several of the circus animals, and left many of the villagers injured as they fled the scene whilst watching the evenings performance.

What was most chilling about the clippings was the mention of the missing child from the circus who was just 14 years old, a detail that hinted at foul play. The reports from "The Circus Chronicle"  had suggested that something sinister had occurred that night, but there was no concrete evidence that had ever been found to substantiate these claims.

The clippings revealed that the incident had been shrouded in mystery and darkness, with unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of the fire, the innocent lives lost and the disappearance of the young boy.

Then something caught Detective Black's eye a quote in the newspaper clippings that read. "We were all terrified, the heat and speed of the fire was intense, we were so lucky to escape. Although we weren't all that lucky which broke my heart. The tarot cards failed me that night as I didn't see it coming." Said Madame Hattie, the young circus fortune teller, who was one of the lucky few to escape the fire with her life intact.

The revelation that Madame Hattie was there, could fill in the missing pieces to this horrendous incident and how it involves Ralph and his unforeseen murder. Detective Black had become to know Madame Hattie quite well, she was eccentric but always grounded when asked for answers about the investigation. She knew that Madame Hattie was a close family friend of the Ortiz's and the picture of Madame Hattie with a young Ralph Ortiz, plus a mystery boy who was not identified as Marco, had proved that, and the connection had a long history. Imagining this would be a horrendous ordeal to relive the detective knew she had to open up old wounds.

To add further intrigue, and tragedy, there was another article reporting the death of the circus owner Mr Lorenzo Ortiz. He had been found dead in the river a couple of miles down the road from circus, the result of a horrific car crash that sent the car plunging through a barrier on a bridge. Tragically, Mr Lorenzo Ortiz had drowned in the river, and the circumstances of his death had raised even more questions than answers. Was this an act of guilt for causing the fire or simply a tragic loss of life.

As Connie read through the clippings, she realised that these events were connected to the past, the Carnival of Curiosity and Mr Ralph Ortiz himself. Detective Black was now questioning if Mr Lorenzo Ortiz was the father of Ralph and was the missing child Ralph or possibly Marco?

The mysteries of the past were slowly intertwining with the present, she couldn't help but wonder if there was a deeper connection between these incidents however hidden or obscured it might be.

Detective Black sent the clippings along with the deeds back to the office to be checked for prints and scanned for any further clues. She then had requested that they then were sent off to Harrison and Hyde solicitors as she wanted them to be examined for their authenticity. She had also requested that the legal content was analysed and a thorough report was conducted to see who the deeds of The Carnival of Curiosity belonged too.

Connie then reached out to Boden Mack, the young reporter who had impressed her when they met earlier at the Haven Herald, as it was he who Detective Black had to thank for this vital information. She wanted to let him know what she had uncovered in her second visit to the trailer of Mr Ortiz and the further assistance she required.

Detective Black wanted Boden to keep researching on the Ortiz and Lombardi family ties and the history that bound them. She wanted him to dig deeper into these old newspaper reports revealing the devastation of the fire and the car crash. She hoped that the resources Mr Mack had at his disposal at The Haven Herald with all the archives he could review that he would find more key revelations in this darkened time for the families. She had hoped like she had done before that he might have the tenacity to unearth something to help solve the case.

Connie had imposed that any findings on the Lombardi's or the Ortiz's that was new information, she knew about straight away.

As the shadows from the clear moonlit sky cast long dark shadows over the trailer courtyard. Detective Black looked over to Madame Hattie's trailer that was still all in darkness. Connie assumed she still was collecting Madame Felicity Fontaine, so would return first thing tomorrow to begin unravelling this tragic tale.