Somebody is gonna get hurt real bad...

Chapter 24 :- The Righteous Sin

"When a good man is hurt, all who would be called good must suffer with him."

-Euripides

The means matter or the end

Broken should be those things, which can't be bent

We all are hypocrites you know

When virtues are compromised, justice seems borrowed...

The voice which warned about the future brought with it a remembrance of the misdeeds from the past. The righteous man's retrospect into his wrongdoings made him aware that the life of a lie is short. Only he knew the value of this superficial tranquility that was brought. A hefty price was paid for this peace as the morals and virtues were given as consideration. But did the unforeseeable interest have names of few lives scribbled on it? The mortal contemplated over an impulsive wrong as he weighed the cost of lives against it. Can sin ever be righteous?

Sheriff for a few eternal seconds felt like he was trapped in a loop and was doomed to reliving multiple scenes over and over again. As his legs started shaking the ground beneath his feet felt soft. His breath was shallow as the impact of those persisting words, that odd poem still haunted him. How can anyone know? Who was he? Why does his voice sound so familiar? As infinite thoughts dominated his mind he flew back into the past remembering the sin, the crime he committed.

It was around the time when I was trying to figure out how to catch the killer! I knew that the evidence I had was circumstantial and won't be taken as conclusive proof. He can play the "coincidence" card. I knew the face, the identity of the demon, there were patterns to prove it but what difference did it make if I couldn't punish him for the sins he committed! Sheriff stood in the graveyard as almost everyone had left, thinking of that night, and the parchment of paper that changed everything.

The scenes from his last day were flashing before his eyes, as he remembered the unveiling of the dreaded truth. "Hitchcock, I want to tell you something. Actually I wanted to confess something. I don't know what you are going to say... Or will I be the same person to you... Or would you ever be able to trust me or even look at me..."

"Peat... What is it?" Hitchcock raised his eyebrows. "You are scaring me now."

I had just come to know the location where Officer George had kept the incriminating proofs against Officer Walter from Officer Chad but as far as arresting Officer Grant went, I had nothing. My impotence was driving me crazy and I knew that from now on every life lost at the hands of that monster would be on my conscience. Hitchcock was following Officer Grant but we could find nothing! Hitchcock's dubiety didn't let him function to the best of his abilities. And I knew that Officer Grant, who was one step ahead all the time, could have already figured out Hitchcock was keeping an eye on him.

I tried to make the best out of the situation. I put Officer Grant along with Officer Ted on night duty. I made both of them do paperwork as I didn't want Officer Grant to be suspicious. I gave him minimal fieldwork. I tried to behave normally around him. I wouldn't want him to find out that I knew. And it was not easy; every time I saw him I used to see the faces of those dead girls, their disfigured bodies. I still remember Hitchcock coming back with a hung-up face.

"Peat..." He heard the voice of his best friend "I think it is not him. He has done nothing suspicious. I've been following him for the past five days... He just goes on dates, hosts dinner parties and attends social gatherings. In fact he has an enriching social life..."