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11. the search

The detective did not feel the same as he exited the church, and approached where Munroe stood leaning on his car, taking a long drag from a cigarette, he felt lighter, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders and the world around him seemed to make more sense. He was relieved that the titan he had seen in the cave hadn't been just a figment of his exhausted imagination. Now that he knew the truth about Melanie's mother, and his suspicions about Father Solomon had been quelled, he was filled with a surge of perseverance, ready to see the investigation through, regardless of whatever would be thrown at him next.

"So what happened?" Munroe asked, in between a plume of smoke. The detective gestured towards the box, and took a thin cigarette, waiting for Munroe to light it. "Didn't take you to be the smoking type..." Munroe murmured, raising his eyebrows casually.

"I'm not." The detective said, before taking a long drag from the cigarette, hearing the end sizzle at the flame burned through paper and tobacco. It was true, it had been a long time since the detective had smoked, but he needed it now more than ever. He felt the nicotine rush to his head, clearing his mind so he could relate to Munroe everything Father Solomon had told him.

"Jesus Christ." Munroe said, uttering the name of a figure that lay outside of his own religious beliefs. "So Shaw's child is behind all this?" The detective nodded, blowing out another puff of smoke as the tobacco reached his stomach and began to make him feel sick.

"It would seem so." The detective said, quickly putting out the cigarette and throwing it aside.

"Should we arrest the Father?" Munroe asked, putting a hand on the holster of his firearm.

"No, not yet at least." The detective put a hand up to stop the constable. "We have more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Besides, Solomon isn't going anywhere."

"Sure thing, boss. So, what next?" Munroe asked, finishing his own cigarette.

"Let's see Erasmus." The detective suggested, motioning towards the car. "We should take his statement, and then we find Melanie." Munroe nodded, getting into the driver's seat and starting the engine.

***

Erasmus' cabin wasn't much to look at; it was old and clearly very bent out of shape, it's wood was splintering and it's paint had long since faded. If Munroe hadn't driven the detective there, he would have passed it by, assuming it was abandoned. He could see why Melanie chose to spend the majority of her time at the church rather than at home. The detective clenched his jaw, silently cursing Father Solomon in his head. Had the priest told him the truth earlier, Melanie would have been spared whatever fate she was now facing.

"Listen," the detective called Munroe closer, just before they exited the car. "I don't trust Erasmus. I think he knows a lot more than he lets on. All that talk about Solomon makes it seem like he was trying to get me off his back."

"I've known Erasmus for a long time, detective." Munroe said, barely glancing at the detective. "If there is anyone in this town that I am dead certain has nothing to do with this, it's him."

"I've seen many missing children cases," the detective reasoned, "odds are, the culprit is a parent. Don't let the fact that he leads your religious sermons blind-"

"Look I'm not defending him because of that," Munroe said, vehemently whipping around to face the detective. "I don't care about all that, hell I barely believe in his religion myself. I'm defending him because he's a good man and a true friend."

The detective said nothing, and there was a long moment of silence between the two of them. The detective trusted Munroe, but at the same time, he trusted himself more. And deep in his gut, he didn't feel right about Erasmus. He hoped he was wrong, but he couldn't risk coming into the investigation without an open mind, not when it was Melanie's life at stake.