Under the Cover of Darkness

Not a Pretty Face

The police arrived just as the paramedics were leaving. 

A 999 call was received by the emergency services at approximately 01:00am 1st November from a Mr Grove saying there had been a disturbance at number seven Walnut Tree Drive, South Kensington, London. Mr Grove requested the aid of the police and the ambulance services.

He was asked to stay on the line, but abruptly ended the call. The operator said she heard screaming in the background.

Susan Blanch sat in police interview room number five. She sat at a table nursing a cup of sweet tea being supported by a uniform police officer. Just staring into space, she still shook from the shock of what she saw at the Halloween party she threw at her house with her now deceased husband, Nigel Blanch.

The door to the interview room opened and in walked Detective Inspector Linda Jones and Detective Inspector Peter Carter. Upon seeing the two DI's, the uniform police officer left Mrs Blanch and took her place in the corner of the interview room.

"Would you like another cup of tea?" Asked DI Jones. Mrs Blanch shook her head.

The two detectives sat opposite her. "Now Mrs Blanch..." Began DI Jones.

"Susan. Please." She spoke in a croaky voice.

"Susan." Continued Jones. "You are not under arrest and so we do not advise you have a lawyer present. But if you wish, we won't object."

Susan again, shook her head.

"Also, you can leave whenever you want. OK?"

Susan nodded.

"Now Susan, we are trying to established what happened at your property between..." Carter took out his notebook, "...10pm on the 31st October and 1am on the 1st November."

Susan turned her head to face a blank wall and sighed.

"It was the most bizarre and scary thing I have ever seen in my life, and wish to never see again." Then turning back to face the two detectives. "Maybe I should have a glass of water."

Without being asked. The uniform police officer got up from her chair and left the interview room.

Susan looked down at her finger nails. Although she had been allowed to wash and get a change of clothes at the police station, there were still some dried blood under her nails.

The uniform police officer returned with the water. Susan took a sip then mumbled,"Where do I begin?"

"At the beginning?" Answered Carter.

Susan nodded.

"My husband, Nigel, loved amateur dramatics and every year he wanted to be the most scary one at our Halloween party. He went to all the theatre make-up shops to get the best products. But every year it wasn't good enough. Our guests would still recognize him.  So this year he went on the dark web."

"Just for make-up?" Asked Jones.

"He found an address just off Ludgate Hill." Continued Susan. "He said the shop was down a dark alleyway. The entrance to it was still being used as a toilet judging, he said, by the smell of urine."

"Mrs Blanch, Susan. Has this any relevance to what happened at your home. We currently have the people who attended your party divided into three categories. Walking wounded, like yourself with a bandaged arm for example. Those in hospital with multiple injuries and those in the mortuary."

"Oh! But it does have relevance. You see the make-up Nigel chose in that shop, changed him. I mean physically changed him. Nigel went as a zombie and a zombie he became. As the clock in our hallway struck midnight, Nigel started to growl and lash out. We all thought it was him being over dramatic. But when he started to bite people and drawing blood. That was going to far. People at the party tried to calm him down but all did was attack them. He had become a psychotic monster!" Susan took another drink of water.

Then continued. "In our house, Nigel was killing people! Steven Grove phoned for the police but Nigel soon was on him chewing his face off. I had to act quickly. And without thinking I grabbed the first thing I could from the kitchen."

Susan then took a deep breath. "And that is why when you came to the house my husband was lying on our living room floor with a meat cleaver buried in the top of his head!"