The Nightmare Effect

Chapter Seven

        I would normally be at work right about now. I'd probably be helping a customer by explaining the difference between laserjet and inkjet printers. But instead, I'm going to a crime scene because I'm a detective now... if only for as long as I still have these dreams. Carter picked me up in his own car this time. It was a 1991 Chevrolet Caprice. He waited for me outside. I got into the car and he was quick to inform me of what they found.

        "Judge Barry was found at around three in the morning. His wrists were slit and he was lying, face first, in his own blood. Obviously looking like suicide, but of course, you tell me different," he turned to me when he rambled off.

        "Sounds about right. You find the pills he was taking?" I asked.

        "Guys at the scene didn't say they found pills. What did you have in mind?" he asked again.

        "He took some pills before he spoke to the killer. 'Amitriptyline'."

        "You said he spoke to the killer?"

        "Yeah."

        "Did the killer respond?"

        "Nope, he just stood there while Barry talked to him."

        "And what did Barry say?"

        "Something about how he knew the killer would come for him. He was sorry about something, also something about his past catching up to him," I left out a big yawn. "Got any good music?"

        "Yeah... wait, what? Barry knew the killer was going to go after him. That could really... wait, never mind," Carter sighed like he was down about something.

        "What is it?" I asked.

        "Think about it. The guy was a judge. Of course there's gonna be someone who didn't like him. Plus, the guy's been a damn judge for over thirty years. We ain't got the time to go through over three decades of suspects."

        I tried to remember the dream and the exact words Judge Barry said. There's one detail in specific that came in mind. "There's another thing, tho."

        "What would that be?"

        "Barry said something about 'we', like he was involved with others. I think Barry has a past," I widened my eyes in surprise of myself. Damn, I was thinking like a detective. All I needed was the gun and the badge. Eh, keep the badge, I just wanna shoot some idiots.

        We arrive at the old house. The house had a classic feeling to it. Maybe it was classic for the furniture, or maybe the wallpaper, but for me, the thing that made it classic: the death sixty year old in the bedroom. A little humor won't kill ya... bad timing does, tho. Other officers were there, collecting evidence and such. I put on some gloves and walked over to the body of Judge Barry. I looked over at the picture he was holding before he died. Picking up the picture and looking at it, I began to feel a little of what he felt before dying. "He have a daughter?" I asked Carter.

        "Yeah, that looks like her," he pointed to the picture in my hand. "Why? You think she's next?"

        "Maybe. Wilma divorced her husband to protect him. I don't think Barry was as careful. Keep an eye on her, tho," I put the picture back and start looking for the pill bottle. The bottle wasn't in the same place as it was in the dream. I checked under the dresser and bed, looking for the little thing. Carter went into the bathroom. He eventually came back out with something in his hand.

        "These it?" he gave me a little pill bottle.

        I looked at the bottle and found the same name from the dream. "Yep, these are it."