Of Lights and Shadows (Book 4)

50) The New World Awaits

The sun rose over a bustling city, bustling in a manner that was not customary. The city of New York had exploded in ways the Shadow had not even been able to achieve. Papers piled on top of each other in street venders and were quickly snatched up by greedy hands, eager to read the news of the night before. Legendary detective Dastardious Hollow escaped cell holding him in One Police Plaza at nine o'clock, an hour later the bodies of Detective Theodore Mulligan and his partner Felicity Jordan were found murdered at Miss Jordan's apartment.

'It is a complicated affair,' chief Forensic Scientist John Kingstains says. 'There are signs of a struggle inside the apartment, there's no doubt that one took place. That's nice and easy. But the bullets found inside Detective Jordan match themselves to Detective Mulligans gun, while the bullets in him (Mulligan) match Jordan's gun. The result seems to indicate that both shot each other. There is no sign of Hollow anywhere in the apartment, definitely no gun and no bullets that look to belong to him.'

While no bullets belonging to Dastardious were found at the scene, there is really no doubt in any of the police's minds who committed the murders. Hollow, who escaped the One Police Plaza just hours before the murders was sighted heading into, and coming out of the apartment block during the times of death.

Police are currently searching for a motive, but detective on the case, Devan Tsert says that a motive is hardly necessary.

'We all know Hollow was mad. Has been ever since his wife and daughter died -even though the official report says he's sane. I mean, all the proof that he's nuts is around you. If you ever met Hollow you'd know it's true. He doesn't need a motive to kill somebody, he'll commit murder just 'cause he feels like it.'

Dastardious Hollow is, as yet, currently missing. A warrant for his arrest has been issued with the order given to fire at first signs of malicious intent. It seems a bit extreme but Detective Tsert says, 'He's already gunned down five of our officers in his escape last, this time we won't give him a chance to kill anybody else. If he doesn't come quietly then we'll shoot first.'

Police are currently searching, but so far Hollow as not been found. Until Hollow is found, the cases involving him with Judge Tricker, and Frank Coldon, will remain as open even though both cases are solved. As for the Shadow case, it will be put on hold until all business involving the rampant detective is cleared up.

A witness has come forwards to recount how he drove Hollow to the Lake in his taxi, but when police arrived there was no sign. Any information regarding the whereabouts of Dastardious Hollow is to be given to the police as soon as possible.

Dutch put down the paper he was reading and sighed. It was a good article, the only one he had ever read before by Susan Mourner. He found it interesting how easily she could write about Dastardious. With the new information he held of Dastardious he would find it easy himself, but Susan was married to Silence and he imagined the articles would cause some sort of rift between them. Silence still believed Dastardious was a good man at heart.

Since the night before when they had parted company, Dutch had spent most of his time inside the apartment packing. He didn't have many things, so it didn't take him long. The rest of the time was spent watching TV, going out for food and to grab a paper. Now it was early morning.

In truth he didn't know what he was going to do. Dastardious had been his employer; he had things to do while he was with him and now that Dastardious was gone he didn't have a job. He had to work out what to do now, whether to stay in New York or disappear.

Dutch frowned and headed to the kitchen and searched through the cupboards. He couldn't be sure that he was really free. Dastardious had said until the Shadow case was solved, and in a way it had even though Alice was still out there somewhere. Could he safely walk out the door and leave the country without a horde of police tackling him and shipping him back to Australia? There had to be something of conformation to tell him how the deal was finished and that he was free. He cursed himself now that he hadn't made their agreement written down on paper. It had been built on trust, that's what they had agreed on, but now with the knowledge of Dastardious it had been foolish. The man had disappeared without even telling them where he had gone, left them hanging, where was the trust in that?