Insane - Who Are You To Judge? (Gripping Psychological Thriller)

Chapter 39 - Harry

It never gets easier. Every time Harry goes to a new one of their crime scenes the memories leap across the room like gazelles in the Sahara. But he grins and bears it, because he knows that with every scene he witnesses, he is one step closer to finding them. He will find them.

Harry and James have been working on different cases for the last few months – after the tips from the public all hit dead ends and new information on the previous case didn't surface. But they're back together for this one.

As Harry enters the house, he is hit by the bricks of death. You'd think that, being a homicide detective, Harry would be immune to the stench by now. Still, every time he is greeted by the familiar scent, it invades his lungs, suffocating him and rendering him paralysed for a few moments before the oxygen can fight it off and he can function again.

The first feature apart from the limp bodies that catches Harry's eye is the spinning wheel carved into the dining table.

As he creeps down the hall, cuddling his soft toy close to his chest, the first thing he sees is the silhouette of a bear carved into the wooden post.

He then draws his attention to the surroundings and the Grimm quotes on the walls.

His eyes are blurred by tears, but he can just about make out the words written on the blinding white walls in thick dark blood.

And finally, he sees them. Lying almost peacefully. Their eyes are all shut and they are in delicate positions. Although the condition of their bodies tells something different, the expressions on their faces make Harry think that they went softly. That they felt little pain.

His knees buckle when he lays his eyes upon them. He's scared by them. He doesn't want to go to them. They don't look like the loving people he knew. He doesn't want to confirm what he already knows to be true. He doesn't want them to be gone.

"Harry," James calls him out of his trance and shakes his shoulder. "Mate, what are you thinking?"

"Oh I was just, um," Harry scrambles for a response, "I was just examining the patterns and drawing parallels between their other cases."

"Oh right, good shout." James applauds Harry's train of thought. "Good news, forensics found fingerprints."

Harry's face lights up with James's words. "Are you kidding?" he asks in disbelief.

"This is definitely not something I would joke about." James's tone is serious now.

This has never happened before. GR is always so careful, there has never been a shred of evidence in fifteen years. It makes Harry wonder, though, why now?

"Hey," James jolts him back into the present again. "Be happy. We've finally got a break!" he exclaims through gritted teeth. "Tonight, we're going out and celebrating, okay? Drinks are on you." He then trots off in the other direction before Harry can object.

"I'll meet you back at the station," Harry calls to James, who is gathering another lot of statements from the neighbours, so that they can cross-reference them with his. James waves his hand in Harry's direction as acknowledgement, and Harry exits.

Harry hops in his car and at the T-junction where the station is to the left, Harry turns right.

He didn't lie, exactly, Harry is going back to the police station and will meet James there – he's just taking a little detour first. He's got someone to see.