When Darkness Strikes | ls au

5. We Are Standing on The Edge

Twigs snap underneath Harry's pace and dry leaves stick to the sole of his boots as he walks. The woods swallow the echoes of his steps, slow and steady, careful in the asymmetrical, unknown grounds. Louis' moves faster as his noises resonate louder through the trees, much to Harry's dismay and slight amusement.

However, being in those haunting woods has never felt so relieving. After days filled with anxiety, they managed to have the needed search warrant in hands; quite literally. Harry grips the folder tighter as he steps over the thick, grown root of a tree. "Do you know how long Daniel has been living in this cabin?" Harry questions just to break the silence.

From the corner of his vision, he spots Louis shaking his head. "I can't tell for sure. My guess is since his last release from prison. He used to live in the city, but after all he's done to the people in this town, I guess he chose to stay secluded." He explains, stepping over rocks and logs to make their way.

Harry nods although Louis can't see it, and his skin spike with shivers at every momentary breeze that run past them. The trees look taller and denser now that he's standing next to them, stuck in between the puzzle of roots and branches that had fallen.

"We're getting closer." Louis reassures, as if reading his friend's mind.

The detective isn't wrong in his statement. In minutes, Harry finds himself approaching a path of beaten dirt and gravel, large enough for a vehicle to pass through; parallel marks of tires can confirm it. They continue the walk until the said cabin comes into view.

It's simple, but much to Harry's surprise, well kept and clean, from the outside, at least. The walls of the small structure are made of wood and the front porch holds stacks of logs and tools.

Daniel's vehicle is parked not far from the entrance, much to Harry's discontent. He was hoping to search through the property without having to face confrontation. Either way, his heart skips a couple beats at the creaking noises the porch's stairs makes under their feet, a soundtrack for his anxiety.

Louis looks nervous as well, stuffing his hands on his pockets and biting the insides of his cheeks for comfort. By the manner in which Louis also licks his lips every couple of seconds and breathes deeply, Harry can tell the detective wants to light up a cigarette and forget about the nerve-wracking job they have in front of them.

"I'll talk to him." Harry states, stepping up to the cabin's front door. Louis hesitates for a moment, but nods once he realizes it isn't worth arguing about.

So, the investigator finally knocks on the door, and the sounds are resonating everywhere. The knocks are firm and persistent, much like Harry's heartbeat. "Mr. Wilson! I'd like to have a word with you!" Harry shouts and waits for the sound of footsteps, along with the singing of keys from the inside.

He looks back at Louis for a moment, before the front door shifts and slowly swings open. The sight of Daniel's gelid blue eyes steals his voice for a brief second, but Harry quickly recovers.

"What are you doing in my property?" Daniel hisses, leaving the door parted behind him as he steps into the porch, almost too close from Harry's personal space. He glances at Louis over Harry's shoulder, and swallows the nothing in his throat.

"Hi, Mr. Wilson," The investigator greets. "We have a search warrant and we're allowed to be in here, for the time being." Harry explains, and as expected, the suspect stands in front of him with his arms crossed and a bitter expression on his features.

"When are you pricks going to leave me alone? I've done nothing to the girl, for fuck's sake!" He curses, lines of his age parting between his eyebrows.