There's Been Another One

Thursday- 10pm- Home

"There's been another one," Freddie announced to his Dad in the kitchen.

Matthew stopped chopping the veg immediately and froze for a second as he sighed under his breath. He was afraid of this.

It wasn't stopping.

Each night there had been a new gruesome murder case, and each night the police were no nearer to catching anyone. The whole town was petrified.

Matthew put down the knife and bent down to his son's height.

"I need you to be a grown up and go comfort your sister while I finish up here, okay?" he asked kindly.

"Okay Dad!" Freddie chimed, part of his obvious fear extinguished by the chance to prove himself mature.

Five minutes later, Freddie was back.

"Oh no, is Daisy really upset?" Matthew asked, with a concerned frown.

"Dad. There's been another one."

Matthew was rooted to the spot in a trance of terror, broken only by the distant ringing of a phone.

He stumbled over and grabbed it from its base, clicking answer and placing it to his ear in dread.

"Hello?"

"Matthew, it's Frank. Listen mate, I'm sure you've seen the news. We need you to come in."

"Frank, I can't. You know I can't. C'mon I still have three weeks of compassionate leave left, and I have the kids to take care of!" Matthew pleaded to his boss at the Serious Crimes Division.

"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't have to Matt, believe me. I'm sorry about Hannah, I really am, but you've seen how serious this shit is! We need all the help we can get on this one, and that means all hands on deck."

"But what am I sup...," Matthew started to argue, but he knew it would be in vain. "Text me the address, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thanks mate, let's catch this bastard, then you can take all the time off you need. You have my word."

Matthew hung up the phone and placed it down on the table slowly, pointlessly buying himself as much time as he could before he had to tell the kids.

"Daisy, get in here please!" he called.

Daisy pottered in nervously, sensing the tone in her Dad's voice. It was the tone he always used before he had to leave.

"I need you two to be very brave for me, okay? I'm going to take you round to Mrs Patterson's for a few hours while I pop out."

"But Dad, you said we had to stay safe, together!" Daisy sobbed.

"I know, I know, come here," Matthew said softly, pulling his daughter into a tight hug. "I'll be back before you know it, I promise. Daddy has to go a catch a bad person, okay?"

"Okay," she snivelled.

"Take care of her Freddie," Matthew said, before leading his kids out into the danger of the night.