I.C. Night Terrors

[Ithica]

Faint light from the street lights poured in through the windows, offering enough light that Christine could see the stairs as she ran down them fleeing from her bedroom. Her heart was pounding as she scrambled to get out of her house. It didn't sound like anyone was following her but someone had been in her room and she wasn't going to slow down to check. As she ran down the hallway she pushed over everything that she could quickly grab, hoping to slow down the intruder.

She burst through the kitchen door and dashed towards the backdoor on the other side. Christine grabbed the doorknob and flung open the door as she was flung back into the kitchen and the door was slammed shut. Christine was thrown against her cupboards, bounced off the counter and landed on the floor.

From the floor she looked around the kitchen for her attacker and saw nothing. She slowly got up and continued to nervously look around until she saw the block on the counter that held the knives. She pulled out a large butcher knife and heard a hissing behind her. She turned around and screamed...

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Lilly Stoica huddled under her umbrella trying to keep a hold of her groceries and stay out of the afternoon rain as she walked home. She wasn't doing so well and that became very apparent as she heard the ripping of paper and the thud of her groceries hitting the sidewalk. "No, don't pick plastic." she sighed and rolled her eyes, "Go with paper. Save the environment." Lilly pulled her gray trench coat close and put her remaining bag of groceries under the nearest overhang. She set her umbrella over the remaining groceries and turned to the mess on the sidewalk.

She flipped her braided hair back to keep it from dragging on the ground as she tried to stop her groceries from making a run for it. As she was collecting the remaining escapees she bumped into a newspaper receptacle and noticed the headline of "third suspicious death". She got a newspaper and scooped up her oranges and got out of the rain. Taking cover under the overhang she opened up the newspaper and read,

Police found Christine Williams, 27, dead in her home early
this morning. At 12:00 am neighbors heard screaming coming
from the Williams' home and called the police. The police confirm
that this death is linked to the suspicious deaths of Sabine Aurelia,
22, and Madeline Ashley, 25, that occurred earlier this month but
Police are not giving details on the connection.
– Rachael Davis

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel O'Daugherty stood outside the home of one Christine Williams the latest in a string of strange deaths of young women. He stood outside and stretched out with his mind, taking a puff of his cigarette, he pondered. "No signs of forced entry, no signs of physical struggle, yet obvious signs of terror judging from the position of the bodies and the state they were found in." he went over these thoughts in his mind and suddenly his questing mind caught something, a presence, a presence he didnt entirely recognize but was undoubtedly malign. He had theories, several theories, but none that entirely fit. He cast away the butt of his cig and walked toward his car. He needed a drink and some time to mull things over, what better way to think then at a bar with a pint? He climbed into his car, a black crown victoria, and started the engine, immediately his speakers started blaring Dropkick Murphy's "Warriors Code" which he turned off. The music was distracting at the moment. Rolling down his window, he lit another cigarette and drove off.

 

[macmillian]

I stopped by the corner store a block from the Police Station to get my usual morning starter. Coffee, black, and a cherry danish and the latest editions of the morning papers. I didn't like the headline ...."" THIRD SUSPICIOUS DEATH"" Well that was going to make my day. I folded the newspapers up and picked up my coffee and danish and walked out to my car and drove to the station.

I pulled into my assigned spot, pulled my hat lower and put the papers under my raincoat, I walked in the rain to the stairs that led to my desk. I walked in the front door and was greeted by the desk sargent and a few other officers. I went through the door marked "Detectives" and made my way over to my desk in the back by the windows, about as far as I could get from the Captains office. I hung up my hat and coat an threw my suitcoat over the back of my chair and sat down.

I opened my coffee, unwrapped the danish and opened the paper to the headlined story. How do they get all this information before we are even able to sift through it and find out what was fact or fiction. Unfortunatley most people assumed what was in the newspapers was always correct. OHHHH what gulliable people we are.

I took a blank empty folder from my cabinet and placed it in the center of my besk and with a red marker wrote, "" # 3 "". I then cut out all the articles from the papers and put them inside the folder. The start of another case and another folder. The captain came out of his office and walked all the way over to my desk.

"Daniel O'Daugherty has been assigned to the Williams case and your his inside backup.........(pause)........that's inside. Clear???"

"Yes captain, very clear, inside. When will Danny boy be in or do I have to go out and find him to get the info so I can start." The captain lifted the papers and pointed at the folder

"Look's as if you already have!" He turned and went back to his office

Damn, the Captain was already pumped and it wasn't 8 o'clock yet. He'll be on my case all day. Answers. Answers. All he wants is answers, not questions or guesses. I thought as the captain returned to his office.

I took out the two other folders marked " # 1 & # 2 " and reread the contents of each. I finished my offee and went and got a second and returned to my desk. On the yellow legal pad I wrote #3 at the top and listed four items down. A/ Death--How? B/ Mental State? C/ Which room ? and D/ Any Forensics? .....

I sat there tapping my pen on the pad and trying to make sense out of the entire thing. I finished my second cup of coffee.

 

[ranajja]

At The Mariner

Judy Raines’ keys jingled on the coiled key-ring bracelet as she walked briskly toward the bar. She wasn’t afraid of the evening, or of this neighborhood, but common sense and experience kept her alert.

Judy ran The Mariner, one of the oldest establishments in town, a dark local bar, yet with its own charm and, perhaps, benevolent ghosts.

Judy wasn’t the owner, who himself rarely made an appearance, but she loved The Mariner and treated it as if it were her own. She considered her local clientele as family, and in all these years, Judy had never missed a day of opening up, or of running the last of the “last calls” out at closing.

As she opened the doors, she scooped up the mail and the evening paper that had been shoved through the mail slot in the door. “Mm-mm-mmm,” she said, shaking her head, “not another one.” She glanced through the story of the latest murder as she walked through the bar, turning on lights and sliding the “Closed” sign to “Open”. Hmmmm, Christine Williams, now that’s familiar—

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel had been going over the evidence in his mind "Only one shows signs of any attempt at struggle, strange burns in the bed rooms, and a recent upsurge in magick" He didnt like it, didnt like it one bit. He pulled up outside his pub of choice The Mariner good food, and guiness on tap, he hadnt had a good meal in awhile. Parking his car and getting out he entered the pub and sat at the bar.

 

[Ithica]

From across the street the occupant of a green Nova watched as Daniel walked into the pub. A few minutes later a well-dressed woman got out of the car and checked her appearance in the reflection of the window.

After she straightened her skirt and checked her shoulder length blonde hair, she walked towards the pub listening to the sound of her heels clicking against the pavement. She stepped into the bar and said "hi" to the bartender when she greeted her. She took a seat near Daniel and asked the bartender if she could get her a beer.

She took a look around at the other patrons and noticed six other people. There was a group of three semi-rowdy men, a couple in the corner, and a man at the bar by himself.

The single guy was trying to get the bartender's attention and said a few words to her. After the bartender walked away, he started staring at her, he was obviously drunk, and she turned to Daniel and asked if she could buy him a beer.

------------------------------------------------

Lilly's apartment was above the bookstore and that suited her nicely. When her grandfather ran the store, the attic had been used for storage but when she took over there didn't seem any point in keeping her apartment when there was enough space upstairs. The attic was small but it cleaned up nicely and it was great for drying herbs. Lilly was busy grinding herbs when her grandfather phoned.

"Lilliana, did you read the newspaper this morning?" came the question on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, I did. Another death. How's grandma?" She replied.

"She says that it is going to happen again in three days but she is doing good. It's time to do more than read books."

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel looked at the blonde who offered to buy him a beer, "Yes you may, on the condition that i buy the second round." he motioned to the barkeeper for the usual. "And a burger and fries Im starvin" he added "that I will pay for" he said laughing. he removed his pack of cigarettes and flipping open the top offered her one

 

[Ithica]

The woman smiled sweetly at Daniel and took a cigarette. After she lit the cigarette she said,

"My name is Rachael. I work for the Metro City Page. That's quite the case you're working on."

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel pulled out his zippo and lit his own cig. He puffed then took a sip of his beer. "How'd you know i was a cop?"

 

[Ithica]

Rachael grinned and took a sip of beer and replied,

"I have my ways and it isn't exactly a well kept secret who is a cop. Walk by a crime scene and all those cops standing there. You boys should be more careful if you want to keep that a secret. So, three deaths in one month, is it a serial killer? Do you have any suspects? What's the link between the women?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

"all the murders are similar, and the only link so far is the fact that the victims were young and female." he said smoking and drinking "Other then that, im not at liberty to say."

 

[Ithica]

"The more information that the public knows the safer they are. You'd be protecting the public by talking with me."

Rachael stopped hoping that would make him a little more cooperative then continued,

"How are the murders similar?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

"Police business lady, I cant reveal that information. I'd lose my badge." he said as his food arrived "And telling people the truth often simply frightens them, and panic is more deadly then any serial murdering spree"

 

[Ithica]

"So, what are you doing to stop this from happening again? If you are keeping the public in the dark, what is stopping the next murder? The public has a right to know what is going on so that they can take precautions. "

Rachael stopped and gave him a grin, hoping that she hadn't pushed to far and asked,

"What would you tell the public about what they should be doing to protect themselves? What about if someone has information that will help? How would they know that they have something usefull unless you let them in on what is going on?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel pondered this a moment. "I suppose i wouldnt." he said taking a long drag. "Truth be told the department doesnt know where to start, no signs of forced entry no signs of a truly physical struggle. It jus doesnt make sense, its unnatural." he said as his mind went back to his theories "yea its unnatural alright, but perfctly supernatural" he thought to himself.

 

[Screech]

It had been quite a long night for Jack Hauptmann, out on boarder patrol. There had been reports of murders in his hometown, and the sherriff's department didn't want anyone getting out of the state. What made everything harder was that they didn't have a description of the murderer, or even if they were after a man or woman.

Now, with his shift over, all Jack wanted was some deacent food in his belly, and so pulled up his car into the lot of The Mariner, a bar he had dropped into on occasion. Good food, good drink. Perfect.

Smoothing down his uniform, he stepped inside and up to the bar. Looked like the place had just opened, but was already starting to get going. Primarily, there was a woman asking alot of questions of a smoking man...

 

[macmillian]

I had read and reread the the reports, news articles and detective notes and still I was unable to get a real feel for the three murders. Looking for something to link them together was not very apparent. They were all women and they were also young lived alone and a few standard items. My stomach told me it was lunchtime and I looked at my watch witch confiremed my stomach's assement.

I got up from my desk and put on my suitcoat and rain coat, took my hat and logged out. I passed the desk sargent and threw him a wave as I exited the building. I got in my car and headed out to "The Mariner for lunch.
Since Danny Boy had not checked in as yet, I was hoping to maybe catch him there. It was a good place to go and think and unwind. It was taking forever to get there as I had to stop for every stop light across town.

There wasn't that many cars in the small parking lot, and so I parked up next to Danny Boys'. When I got out, I tossed my hat on the front seat and took of the raincoat and placed it over the back of the seat, closed and locked the doors.

 

[Ithica]

Rachael took a drink of beer and took the time to think what her next move was going to be. This source was tapped out for now, time to try something else.

Rachael sighed dramatically and frowned. "That's too bad." she said and put her card on the counter. "If you remember anything else please give me a call." Rachael turned to go but turned back and said, "That's kind of a weird interpretation...saying that it's unnatural." But she recognized the detective that walked in and decided that it would be better to catch him by himself and walked off to pay the bartender.

 

[macmillian]

Entering "The Mariner" , I saw Danny sitting at the far end of the bar and a well dressed Lady twords the center. Then I recognized who she was. A damned reporter, but a damed good looking one at that. Even for this old man. She was Rachel from the "Metro City Page" , not to shabby for an oldtimer.

I started walking towards the other end of the bar and I greeted the reporter,(it would do no good to antagonize the press) "HI Rachel! What's a woman like you doing in a place like this?" I gave her my best smile as I approached.

 

[Ithica]

"Waiting for you, darling." Rachael said as she turned around and grinned at the older detective. "So, where have they been hiding you. Not in some dank old office babysitting fresh green detectives, I hope."

 

[macmillian]

"Well to tell the truth Rachel" I replied, "They do have me behind a desk. Dull and I do mean D-U-L-L". I explained that my age and physical shape had taken me out of the field or they would not cover my medical. Do here I am, about to retire and needing my medical and pension, I take the desk job.

"How about you? Haven't seen you around since my last fiasco with the press. Foot in mouth disorder." I smiled back at her. "I come here for lunch, just to get out from behind that damn desk. And you?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel spied Detective Andrews entering and speaking with the reporter woman. "Bobby me lad!" he yelled over "Let me buy you a brew, we have things to discuss."

 

[Ithica]

Rachael tried to look interested as Detective Andrews went into his medical problems and made a mental note not to ask how he was doing. She leaned back against the bar and said, "They just don't know what to do with such a charming man. So that's crazy about those three women being murdered in their homes."

 

[macmillian]

Daniel spied Detective Andrews entering and speaking with the reporter woman. "Bobby me lad!" he yelled over "Let me buy you a brew, we have things to discuss."

"Danny Boy!" I called over to him, "be with you in a minute, after I finish talkin with this lovely creature!" Holding up one finger and then waved.

"Well Rachel, Looks like a cops convention. Got to go. See you later," and I handed her my card with my new number on it and on the back was written,"Call me later!" I raised my right hand to my forehead and gave her a mock salute and walked on to the end of the bar where Danny boy sat.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel attended to his guiness as Robert came and sat next to him "What are ya drinking my friend?" he asked