Silent Jack

The Unseen Witness

A white-colored SUV van was driving on the highway, and inside it, Sheriff Sarah and her assistant Noah Smith were lost in their discussion. Both of them were so absorbed that they didn't even realize it had started raining, and the rain was setting the stage for a thunderstorm.

"So, from what I've read, the Harris family was found in a pretty gruesome state... The details are no doubt chilling," Sarah said in a low voice as she carefully bypassed a nearby car.

"Yes, it's one of the most disturbing cases I've come across... They were butchered beyond recognition," Noah said, looking at the photo of Ethan Harris's dead brother, who was one of the victims.

"It is strange that the police couldn't find any evidence at the crime scene... The sheriff, Paul, who investigated the murders, stated that his team didn't even find a single fingerprint of any unknown person," Noah said.

He had read the case file of the Harris family murder that happened fifteen years ago and was now commenting on the statements of the sheriff who investigated the case along with his team.

"The whole scene was a nightmare... but yes, the question of how the police ended up with nothing—not even a lead—is the strangest thing in this case," Sheriff Sarah said, nodding her head in agreement.

She was about two kilometers away from the hospital, but the rain had significantly slowed the speed of her SUV.

"And what about the foster son of Ethan Harris, who was found in a dug hole?" Sarah asked.

"The police record clearly states that when they found Jack, his mental condition was so poor that, on the court's orders, he was sent to a mental asylum, and to this day, he is still in that asylum and hasn't regained his mental health," Noah said.

"That's the frustrating part... The killer left no traces—no fingerprints, no DNA... The crime scene was meticulously cleaned... It was as if the killer came, murdered eight people, and then vanished into thin air... How is this even possible?" Sarah said in a serious tone and then added, "And the only person who could provide any information to the police and guide them about the killer was found in a catatonic state."

"When Jack wasn't able to describe what happened to the Harris family and how he ended up in a dug hole a few kilometers away from the crime scene, the court ordered an assessment of his mental health. A team of psychiatrists declared him mentally unfit and sent him here to St. Senan," Noah repeated the information he had read in the old case file of the Harris family murder case.

"Yesterday, I called St. Senan and talked with Dr. Reily, who has been treating Jack for a long time, and he told me that Jack Nolan, the foster son of Ethan Harris, hasn't spoken a word since he was brought here," Noah told Sarah, revealing new information she wasn't aware of before.

"What are you saying?" Sarah asked in shock.

"Jack Nolan, also known as Silent Jack, hasn't spoken even a single word in the past fifteen years, and no doctor at St. Senan has been able to break his silence," Noah said calmly.

"How is this possible?" Sarah asked in amazement.

"Are you telling me that the doctors at St. Senan haven't been able to make any headway and get Jack to say something?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, Dr. Reily told me this," Noah said, looking at the giant building of St. Senan Psychiatric Hospital, which was only a few meters away from their car.

"Let's get inside and meet the dean," Sarah said, parking the car in the hospital's parking area.

"This case is much more complicated and twisted than I thought," Sarah said as she got out of the car. She was wearing a long raincoat to avoid getting wet.