Lost In Darkness

Chapter 5: Re-evaluation

'Camden Locks, such an easy place to hide a body...' Burrows thought to himself. It seemed too obvious for the killer to use somewhere as simple as there. After all he'd learnt, he was too clever and manipulative. There wasn't even a guarantee that 'Tim' was behind all of this.The sound of a lighter clicking broke Burrows inner conversation, as he glanced at his chain-smoking companion.

   "When're you gonna quit those, Sam?" Although they had their bad moments more often than good, Burrows looked up to the older man and didn't want to see anything bad happen to him.

   "I'll quit when the world becomes less shit, when we're not chasing after people who get sick enjoyment out of fucking up other peoples lives." Caruso glared at the floor as they roamed the streets of Camden. Burrows kept quiet, not wanting to state the obvious; people like that would always exist.

   "Nothing to say, boy? It's alright. As long as people like us are here, the bastards will be wiped out. Maybe one day we'll have a happy world."

"Maybe you're right, Caruso." Burrows sighed. "But if you keep smoking the way you do, then you're gonna be the next body found."

 Caruso gave a throaty laugh, but otherwise ignored Burrows. As they continued their search, something caught the eye of Burrows, from a dark alleyway just off of the road.

Motioning Caruso, they both hesitantly walked through the black. Burrows, reaching the silhouette first, almost vomited at the site in front of him. Caruso, taking sight of what was in front, shook his head.

  "I know I've said it before, but I'm really getting too old for this." 

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"So you're saying... that wasn't him?" Jessica choked back a sob. She thought all of this was over and that they'd finally caught him. 

  She heard a sigh on the other end. "Look, I'm sorry Jess, we're trying... We will find him. Whether it's the last thing I do on this earth."

"I know Sam, I know. I think I'd better go. Keep in touch." Without waiting for a reply, she hung up the phone. Slowly, she processed the information that she'd just received. The body of Tim, the man she'd slept with, had been discovered by Sam and his partner. His head was detached from his body, a note taped to his forehead. This time, it once again read something different.

'Whore. You will be mine.'

Jessica involuntarily shivered. Nobody was safe when they were with her, she needed to seclude herself so that nobody else would get hurt. Making her decision, she climbed her staircase and grabbed a suitcase.

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After returning to the office, Burrows and Caruso sent the last note they received straight for examination, along with the others. 

'I don't know why we didn't send them before,' he thought, 'this case is way too personal for Caruso. It's slip-ups like this that will cost Jessica her life.'

  "What do you mean, too personal?" Caruso snapped. 

"I - didn't say... how did you know what I was thinking?"  

   "Because you said it out loud, you idiot." Glaring at Burrows, Caruso stormed outside. Deciding it was best not to let him wander off, Burrows chased after him.

"Hey, Sam, look, I wasn't thinking straight, it's been a long day, we both need sleep and..."

   "Shut up, Burrows. You've said enough. I thought we were meant to be friends, or something along that description. You obviously can't trust me or my judgement, so I might as well just quit."

   Panic started to set in, as Burrows took in what Caruso just said. "Hey, don't do anything rash, I do trust you. I'm just stressed. Look, I'll talk to Jessica and convince her to do witness protection? Okay?"

   "'Cause I'm not capable of convincing her. That was proved long ago." 

"No, because it's about her safety right now, not your hurt feelings."  Caruso whipped round and without hesitation, punched the younger man square in the face. 

   "Hurt feelings?! You think this is about hurt feelings?! This is about JESSICA. Now let's both get our arses into gear and make sure that girl is safe."

Rubbing his face, Burrows nodded. At times like this, he understood why people smoked.

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The investigators were pathetic. Look at them, fighting in the middle of the street. They haven't even noticed my presence. Oh, how I would much like to cut out their eyes and ... no. Too soon. I have more planned for them.

Once they realise that Jessica is leaving, the games will really begin.

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How was it that when you're in a hurry, everything takes longer to find? At first Jessica played with the idea of leaving her phone, but soon decided against it. If whoever was after her caught up with her, she'd be screwed. She only had about... half an hour to get everything packed and out of the house. Alex Burrows, or whatever his name was, was meant to be coming with Sam to have a talk with her about something. She wanted to be way out of here before that.

Jessica wiped a tear away as she looked through all of her most cherished belongings. Jewellery from different relatives, photos of better times. What had she ever done to have all of it taken away from her, piece by piece?

She was snapped out of her reminiscing by the sound of a horn outside. Taxi! Jessica shot up, grabbed her bag, almost threw herself down the stairs and bolted out of the front door.

   "Jessica Willows?" The driver asked.

"Yes, that's me." She smiled sadly, taking in the last view of the place she'd called her home. Fear struck as she saw Sam and his partner stop at her door. The younger one stopped, looked directly at her, said something to Caruso and they both jogged towards the taxi.

   "Drive please, get me out of here," Jessica sobbed. The taxi driver nodded, pulled out and the sight of anger on the detectives faces were all that was left behind.