Disinterred

Chapter Four - Officer Down

     The piercing sound of beeping machines of hospital equipment are like an alarm clock cutting through the noisy hallway.   He's coming to!  Someone get the doctor!  Dan, Dan can you here me?  Your in the hospital Dan!  It's me deputy Lockhart.  Do you remember anything?  Get back deputy.  All of you men get back!  Step back from my patient and let me do my job!  Nurse! Nurse! Yes doctor?  Get these men out of here now!  (Arguing between officers)  I understand fella's, but you heard the doctor, come on lets go now.  

     Now look, we have got a lot have questions that need immediate answers and we are not leaving this hospital until we get them.  I understand, but you and your men can wait in the waiting room until the doctor says that our patient is stable and has the ability to do that for you gentlemen.  So please go grab a bite to eat and sit down someone will be out to talk with you shortly.

      Lockhart, what the hell happen down there?  We went into the tunnels in the same location after finding the entrance to the tunnel system sheriff.  Neither me or detective Stevens knew just how big and complex the area was until we were already deep in there.  Well, the mayor and B.P.D. of already began chewing my ass about this.  

     They want to know why you took one of their detective's along with one of their K-9 units down into that tunnel system without letting anyone know about what you all were doing, where you were going, or how long you would be gone.  It was Stevens idea sheriff he insisted that we get back down there that night and see if we could locate this killer before he kills again.  You had better hope his brains aren't scrambled and that he will back up your story Deputy Lockhart, because someone's badge is going to be on the line here and it's not going to be mine.  Shit rolls down hill son not up.

     Sheriff, the doctor says you three can come in and speak with our patient now.  He is stable and is lucid enough to talk with you all now.  Hey, Lockhart how the hell are you?  I should be asking you that Dan, you gave us quite a scare.  Do you remember anything Dan?  I do.  After we split up I went down the tunnel at the fork on the left looking for McManus.  I kept going for quite a while when I suddenly heard a whimpering coming from a room to the left of the tunnel.  I went in checking the corners with my flash light.  

      I must admit at this point I was getting a little shook up.  I didn't see anything at first and then when I shined my flash light toward the ground I saw Aston.  He was whimpering and covered in something black, as well as wet.  I shined the light closer to my hand and realized it was blood.  He didn't appear to have any wounds on him so I took his leash and began to continue down the tunnel looking for McManus.

     Right about then I started to hear a sort of....well a shuffling noise.  It got louder and then louder the further I kept going.  Aston was very cautious and didn't seem to want to continue moving forward.  I kept moving forward and then I saw more blood.  Did you have your weapon out at this time detective?  Uh, what?  Did you have your weapon out?  Yes.  Of course my weapon had been out of my holster since I found Aston covered in blood.  

     What is this?  We were down there looking for a suspected serial killer who we had been trying to catch for the last year with no luck.  This was as close as we had come to finding him! Calm down detective.  Just tell us what happened.  Well, as we went further down the tunnel it started to be more brick then dirt.  It was all dirt so far.  It started opening up more and more.  What do you mean? 

     The brick tunnel entrance was tall enough to ride a horse through or pull a cannon through, while the entrance through the dirt tunnel was the same it was damp and had an odor to it that is hard to describe.  I started to see pieces of cannon balls and more rail lines.  Then I saw what looked like confederate uniforms, as well as boots and rifles.  The tunnel opened up to a big chamber or room and there was a series of doors.  The blood went right up to a door that was not locked.  I opened it and there was McManus.  He was lying in a pool of blood and looked like someone or something had beat the shit out of him.  It was dark in that room and then there was a loud noise an suddenly there was light.

     I don't remember much after that.  Something had struck me in the head and when I woke up I was laying on top of him.  Aston was still next to me, so I picked up McManus's body over my shoulders and went towards the light.  When I emerged I was no longer in the tunnels, but now in the woods.  I could hear the water which I assumed was the river and started to follow Aston.  I kept walking for a while when the flash lights started to come through the brush and shine on me.  

     That's when I must have passed out.  The flash lights you saw were us detective.  We heard the dog barking and went North a good mile before we found you.  You were covered in blood from head to toe.  You had a huge gash in your forehead, as well as well...What??  Well, a stab wound on your back.  It had gone through your love handle at a downward angle and cut your gun belt right off you.  That's why we were asking you about your weapon.

     Detective did you see anything else while you were down there?  Anything at all?  I thought I...I thought...What? What is it?  Well, I thought I saw a man standing over me wearing a Civil War hat and uniform but.  But?  It couldn't have been I had blood in my eyes and it was probably just from the head wound.  Detective the small town of Brookshire is located just thirty miles east of Natchez.  

     We had searchers looking for you and when they called us and told us they found a man with a badge and a dog covered in blood just twenty-five miles west of Brookhaven we figured you might be our guy.  Searchers?  Detective is that all you can remember?  Yes.  What do you mean searchers?  

     Detective you and officer McManus were missing for three days. Lockhart, couldn't relocate the entrance where you entered the tunnel system and you have no memory of, or way to show us where you came out.  Go home detective and get some rest.  Your wife is here to pick you up we will stop by if anything else comes up.