Shadow In The Night

3

In our small town of Falcon Hill, Kentucky, life was peaceful and still. It is not common for our police department to receive calls pertaining to horrific murders. Today is the day our reputation for being a safe and quiet town shattered.

The normal white lower-class house, now known as a 'house of horrors' in his mind. Not because there had been a massacre or a series of killings over time. This house, a house of horrors, named because of the brutal act of murder by the hands of a man who must have a large amount of rage inside of him. Enough rage to stab a woman to death countless times, while also bashing her body with something like a bat. Items, taken from her own home, left at the scene of a gruesome crime.

When Detective Dawson Evans stepped out of his car onto the paved driveway, he immediately sensed a gloomy aura hanging above the ghastly abode despite the sun shining in the cloudless sky.

He looked up to the heavens and asked god how a man so cruel could walk this earth? Cruel enough to murder an innocent mother all the while letting a four-year-old little girl witness the scene.

His heart went out to the little girl, who probably did not know what was going on. A sweet little girl, most likely waiting in her mother's room while the scent of rotting bones filled the air.

What monster could murder somebody while knowing there is a child who will be left behind? Scarred for life and haunted by memories of their parental figure, bloody and beaten, left to rot like roadkill.

What kind of bastard has it in their heart to murder in general? Being a homicide detective for seven years, he still has not figured out the answer to that question. He solves crimes, he analyzes evidence and figures out why somebody committed a crime.

But he will never understand the mind of a killer and how they can watch a life be taken before their eyes willingly, then be okay with it. How they take pleasure in killing.

Since stepping into the car and stepping out, the chills which crept up his spine has not gone away. In that moment, he made a promise to himself to do everything he can to catch this killer. To serve justice and to give a sense of peace to the child who has suffered an unspeakable trauma.

"Good morning, Detective Evans."

A woman, pale face and shaky hands. Blonde hair up in a ponytail. A local officer of our local police department. In total, we only had around twenty-two officers.

"Hello, Officer Hallock. Not a great way to start off the day." Helen Hallock, a woman of gentleness. She smiled but there was nothing happy about it.

She shook her head and glanced back at the building containing shadows and sorrow.

"You can say that again. When I got the call, the woman was hysterical. Could barely understand her at first."

Dawson glanced over to where Helen's partner was talking to a woman. He nodded over to her. "Is that the witness?"

"Yep. Her name is Amanda Stone. She said she was going over to Bonnie's house for lunch. Rang the doorbell and the daughter, Norah, told her to come inside. She said when she opened the door Norah was covered in blood. Then she found Bonnie dead in her bed."

Dawson ran his hand over his face. He already had that dreadful feeling that this case would be a rough one. "Is Amanda the only witness we have? I know the daughter was the witness to the actual crime. But we can't expect a four-year-old to give much details."

"As far as we know, she is the only reliable witness. We found an address book in Bonnie's house. Called her mother, Susan, to pick up Norah from Amanda's house and told her to bring her to the station to talk to Cindy."