In a Dark World, Love’s Light Shines. Chap. 1

In a Dark World, Love’s Light Shines.

Chapter 1

Vicki looked at the clock and noticed it was 8:15pm. Sun should be setting soon” she tells herself. And with that knowledge, only one person comes to mind. Henry Fitzroy, who for the past year has been her partner, her friend and, well she wasn’t quite sure what else. She knew what she wanted him to be, but still couldn’t bring herself to admit it out loud. Not even to herself. Coreen has been hinting at the subject since the first time she saw Henry and Vicki together. Vicki as usual would just shrug off Coreen’s comments and continue what she was doing. But as time passed, Vicki could deny the fact less and less that she cared for Henry as more than a friend. Whatever the case may be, Vicki couldn’t think about that right now. She had new and very disturbing case on her hands. Ever since Coreen put that ad in the paper, “No Case Too Strange”, Vicki has been getting the most unusual clients. This one it seemed, was no different.

Frank Huff was simple man who led a simple life. He worked as a banker for a very well know firm in Toronto. He was following his daily routine one day, when something seemed a little strange. His wife usually called him as he was getting ready to leave work and his two children would be sitting on the front porch waiting for his car to pull up. Only this time, no call, no children. “Maybe they were out having some fun” he thought to himself. As he put his briefcase down in its usual spot, he noticed something on the kitchen floor. As he moved closer to inspect it, he realized it was a sneaker. When he picked it up he saw drops of blood on it.  Which, of course made him panic and wonder where his wife and children were. He picked up the phone and dialed his wife’s cell right away. No answer. He tried again, and heard the faint sound of a phone ringing coming from upstairs. As he made his way up the stairs, fear and panic grew so strong his heart nearly beat out of his chest. When he reached the door to his bedroom, he could hear the ringing more clearly now. He knew that song. It was his wife’s cell. “Ok, calm down” he thought. “Maybe one of the kids got hurt”. That would explain the bloody sneaker. “And in a panic to get them to the ER, she forgot her phone.” “Yeah that could be it.” But something in his gut told him it wasn’t. He slowly opened the bedroom door, and inch by inch he could the shadow of something lying on the floor. He tried to scream but no sound came out. All he could do was stare at his wife’s body sprawled out on the carpet. He fell to his knees at her side and tears came streaming down his face. “How could this have happened?” he thought. ”Who could have done this? Where are my children?” He raced to the kids’ room and threw open the door. Only to find the same thing. His two beautiful girls on the floor. This time the sound came out. He screamed so loud it could have been heard around the block. “What kind of a monster could have done this?” was the only thought that came to his mind. He wanted to know who, how and he wanted to know why. A neighbor and good friend Karen had heard the scream and came rushing over to find him sitting on the floor next to his children crying. ‘Frank, what the fuck is going on?” she screamed. “I came home and found them like this Karen. I don’t know what to do.” “Well the first thing you’re going to do is call the police” she demanded. “The longer you wait, the more it looks like you did it.” “Karen please, you know I never could have.” She cut him off before he finished his sentence. “I know you couldn’t have Frank. But we have to call the police so they could find out who did.”

“Homicide, Detective Cellucci speaking.” “Yeah Cellucci, we got a hot case for you. A woman just called saying she heard her neighbor scream so she ran over and found him sitting on the floor next to the bodies of his children.” “Are you kidding me Joe?” “I wish I was man. Not only that but the body of his wife was found in their bedroom. Neighbor says he didn’t do it. He came home from work and found them like that.” Ahh Jesus. All right thanks Joe. I’ll get right on it.” “No problem Mike take care.” As Mike hung up the phone, his partner Dave handed him a cup of coffee. “No time Dave, we have to get over to 1413 Yonge Street right away. We got a triple homicide on our hands.” “Jesus Christ Mike. Do we have any suspects?” “Well no, the only one who was there was the husband. But the neighbor says he didn’t do it.” “Well do we believe them?” “I don’t know Dave. But I damn sure plan on finding out.”

As Frank Huff explained the story to Vicki, she jotted down some notes and Coreen listened intently. “Mr. Huff, if the police are on this, why do you need my services?” “Ms. Nelson, it has been over two weeks since my wife and children were murdered. The police tell me they are working on it and will find out who did it, but I just can’t help but get the feeling they are not looking for the right guy.” “What do you mean? You think you know who did this?” “No, no Ms. Nelson not in any way. But they say that when they did the autopsy, they found no signs of struggle, two puncture wounds on the neck and strangest of all, no blood. And the police who inspected the house say that there were no signs of a break in, no fingerprints and no traceable evidence. Honestly Ms. Nelson, I know this may sound crazy, but I don’t think the killer was a human.” Vicki looked up at Coreen and gave her the, this is going to get complicated look. “Mr. Huff, you’d be surprised at how crazy that doesn’t sound.”

By the time Mr. Huff left it was 9:20pm. “Hmm, I wonder where Henry is” Vicki thought to herself. “Normally he’d be here by now.” “Maybe you should call him” Coreen shouted as she came in from the next room.” “Call who?” Vicki responded. “Come on Vicki, I see you looking at the clock every two minutes then at the phone. Just call him already.” Vicki gave her a look of, what are you talking about. I’m not thinking of anyone in particular right now. Coreen handed Vicki the phone as if to say, if you don’t call him I’ll call him for you. “Who knows, maybe he can even help with this case.” Vicki knew she was defeated in this argument and began to dial.

“Fitzroy” as he so casually answered. “Henry, its Vicki.” “Hey Vic what’s going on?” “Well I have a new case I was thinking maybe you could help me with.” Coreen shot her a doubtful look. She knew that wasn’t the reason Vicki was calling. Vicki never asked for help on cases unless she was desperate. “What’s the case?” “Well my client, came home from work one night to find his wife and kids murdered.” “Ok, so why would you need me? Can’t the police handle this one? Or is he, I mean they not qualified enough?” She could hear the smug tone and sense the smirk he had on his face. “Don’t start on that Henry. Mike is working on it. There’s just one problem. All three bodies had puncture wounds on the neck and were left with no blood.” “And let me guess, Mr. Detective thinks it was me right?” “Well not exactly, I assured him it wasn’t you, but he still wants to talk to you. He thinks you might know who it was.” “Great, so when is this little meeting taking place?” “Well the sooner the better. We want to get this case solved. Can you come over to my place in about an hour?” “I’ll be there, but just know, I’m doing this for you.” “I know Henry, thanks. See you soon.” With that she hung up the phone and began to dial Mike’s number. In a short but to the point conversation she told Mike to get to her place and not to pull any tricks like the last time.