Forties Friday: A Weekly Series: Part 1
It was the third body in as many weeks, killed in the exact same fashion as the last two. Her throat had been slit, a very clean cut. She would have bled out in moments before she knew what had even happened.
"Why would anyone want to kill a nun?" Wally asked, the flashbulb blasting as he took another picture of the body.
Joshua just shook his head, not sure of the answer. "The note says the same thing," he responded. He picked up the blood-covered note and began reading it. "The earth burns in impurity, decaying with humanity's touch. Purity belongs only in Heaven, for I will be their guide," he read.
"How did he know this nun was pure?" Wally asked, writing down a few notes on his notepad.
"She was a nun Wally, most would get the impression that she was, plus she can't be more than nineteen years old. She hadn't had time to even live her life," he responded. "She's safe with you now, protect us while we protect others," Joshua whispered as he stood.
"We've got a witness!" Cheif Bradley shouted as he burst through the doors. Everyone's attention turned to him all at once. "A woman across the street said that she saw a hooded figure come out the church doors. He went into Johnny's next door, and just disappeared."
"Let's get over there then!" Wally said. He had always had so much energy, ready to chase down every lead at a moment's notice. As much as Joshua envied his energy, he knew it would lead to trouble one day.
"Hold on Wally! Johnny's been very good to our station. Lets not all burst in there and tear the place down. Let's wait until tonight, and then Joshua can go in."
Wally was obviously angered that Joshua would be the main detective on the case. "Why is Joshua leading this one? He is always the lead!"
"Because he will keep a level head at Johnny's." The chief replied. The words felt like a slap in the face. He knew it was true there. The last time he had gone to Johnny's, he had gotten too drunk to investigate anything. Joshua hadn't had a single sip of alcohol since returning from the war.
With nowhere else to go, they knew it was time for lunch. The hardest part of being a good detective was waiting. That was what made Joshua the best out of all of them, he had patience that seemed almost limitless.
The flathead engine of the Ford roared as he pulled into the parking lot of his house. He could see movement from within the house and knew the rest of his family had the same idea of coming home for lunch.
As he pushed open the door, the strong and delicious smell of steak caused his stomach to realize how long he had been without food. "I'm home!" he called out, hanging up his hat beside the door. He took off his tan trench coat and hang it on the hook beside his hat.
"Welcome home sweetheart, lunch is almost ready!" Angel's melodic voice came from the kitchen.
"It smells delicious!" he called to her. He stopped his steps when he saw freshly developed photographs laying on top of the table. They were of the second crime scene, the nurse who had been killed.
He glanced up when Jacob came out of his room, stopping when he saw that his father had seen the photographs. "Jacob, I told you to stay away from these crime scenes!" he said, trying to keep the bite of anger out of his words.
"The paper needs to print this stuff dad, this city needs to know what is going on."
"But it is extremely dangerous. Whoever this killer is, is obviously a professional," Joshua shot back.
"Please no fighting during lunch!" Angel called from the kitchen.
"Don't worry, I can't stay. I have to get back to the office," Jacob said. He began gathering the photos, and Joshua noticed one of Melanie. Before Jacob could pick it up, he had grabbed it and looked it over.
"Does she know that you are taking pictures of her son?"
"That's private!" Jacob said, snatching the picture of the lounge singer from his hands. "I only take pictures while she is singing." He raced out the door before Joshua could say anything else.
As much as he wanted his son to be happy, he doubted that he would find happiness with Melanie. She worked at Johnny's, a place that could rip joy from the heart, and easily tore families apart. He sat down at the kitchen table, releasing a loud sigh.
"How was class today?" he asked Angel as she carried in their plates.
"It went well, the children are making wonderful progress," she said, her smile bright, but it held a hint of sadness.
"What's wrong?" he asked, but she motioned to the food, and he knew immediately what she meant. They both bowed their heads, thanking their Father for the food they had been given.
"I think Jack is still hitting Scott," she finally said, once the prayer was over. Joshua released a deep groan as if hearing the words caused agony deep in his soul. Scott was the quietest and sweetest kid in Angel's small class, but his father was by far the meanest.
"He came in with more bruises today. He's started striking him in the face," she said. She was fighting back tears as she spoke, and rage began to build in his heart. Knowing he was hurting the boy was bad enough, but now he had made Angel cry. Whoever did that, instantly landed on his bad side.
"I will talk with him tonight," he told her. She looked up from her meal as she took another bite.
"Don't hurt him, darling, please just talk with him," she pled. He remained silent for several moments.
"Don't worry sweetheart, I will just talk with him this time," he promised her.
With nothing left to do for the afternoon, they spent the day together. The children had gone on a field trip with Mrs. Hadley, meaning Angel had the rest of the day off, and Joshua didn't have to be anywhere until Johnny's opened for the night.
"I wish we could stay like this forever," Angel whispered, her head laid on his chest. Her soft fingers gently traced the scars that were on his chest. She knew the story behind every single one of them, but still wished she could have been by his side when he had gotten them.
"I know," he whispered, softly kissing the top of her head.
"Did you ever think a soldier turned detective and a simple elementary school teacher would ever fall in love?"
He gently lifted her head, staring into her brown eyes. "You are far more than just a simple teacher to me," he said with a smile. Another kiss, which he wished could last forever was shared. He knew it couldn't though, as the night was slowly beginning to fall upon them.
"I have to go up to Johnny's, we think the killer might be there," he explained, breaking the kiss.
"Please be safe," she begged him.
"Don't worry, I always am."
His movements had been silent, not waking Jack up. It wasn't until he had placed his hand over the man's mouth, that he was awakened. He tried to yell into the hand, but his sound was blocked.
The figure who stood over him was shrouded in shadows, he couldn't make out a face. "I know you are hitting your son," the figure whispered into his ear. "As should be apparent, I can easily get into your home. If you don't stop hitting him, you will be in for a very rude awakening."
Jack shut his eyes, hoping it was all just a bad dream. When he opened them, the figure was already long gone. He couldn't tell if it had been a bad dream or not, but something told him that it wasn't.
Jack's house wasn't far from Johnny's, which was Joshua's original destination. It if hadn't been for his job, he would never step foot inside Johnny's. The smell of cigarette and cigar smoke alone always made him want to leave.
He hated alcohol, and he hated just as much watching others destroy their lives by getting drunk every night. As he sat down on one of the barstools, he removed his hat and set it on the stool next to him.
"Here is what I see before me, vividly and clear. As I recall, you were in it too~" The melodic voice filled the bar. Joshua found himself turning, to see Melanie standing on the stage.
She was no older than his son, with long brown hair and fair skin. He knew his son found her beautiful, and he didn't blame him. His son didn't just like her though, he had fallen head over heels for her. As much as he tried not to judge anyone, he doubted anyone working in a place like that could love his son as he deserved.
"Is it true that you hit Hitler in the face?"
He turned to look at the drunk questioner beside him. It was Herold Jaspers, a man who was drunk almost every night. He wasn't sure how the rumors about him personally fist fighting Hitler got out, but he let them circulate, it made the criminals afraid of him.
"Go home Bobby, you are drunk," he told him, his gaze returning to Melanie. He could see a strange apprehension in her eyes as her gaze met his, and he realized she knew something.
The moment he realized she was a witness to something, he stood up from his barstool. "Did you want anything to drink?" the bartender asked, although he already knew the answer. Before Joshua could race on stage to get answers, he noticed movement backstage.
"Stop, police!" he called out, pulling his Smith and Wesson Model 27 from the holster hidden beneath his coat. The entire bar continued their drinking around him, having seen enough craziness to just ignore it.
He ran on stage and rushed past the curtain. The backdoor was wide open, and he ran out into the cool night. A hooded figure was racing off towards the nearby neighborhood. "Stop!" Joshua shouted. He fired off a few shots, trying to hit the figure in the legs.
The figure's movements were too erratic, and all three shots missed. Joshua chased after him, sprinting always being one of his strong suits. He heard a family screaming, as the figure broke through their window and into their home.
He leaped through the open window and found himself standing in a home office. His eyes scanned the dark office, and he noticed movement behind one of the leather couches. A large dagger was thrown and stuck the gun in his hand.
He couldn't hold his grip, and the gun fell to the floor. Another dagger was tossed, and with incredibly quick reflexes, he picked up a book from the desk and used it to block the large knife.
By the time he was setting the book down, the hooded man was rushing at him from behind the couch. He easily blocked a strike from a third dagger, which had been aimed at his chest. He hit the man in the chest, knocking him back, and used his knee to strike the man's stomach.
He finally got a good look at him. He wore the robed of a monk, but they were solid black. His hood blocked his face completely, but he knew it was a man. He had little time to make any other observations because the man struck back with his own fists.
He was quick, incredibly so. He had been trained, possibly in the military. His reflexes were almost as quick as Joshua's, able to get three hits on Joshua's chest, although luckily he had disarmed him of the dagger.
He grabbed hold of Joshua's jacket and tossed him over the desk. Joshua found himself on the floor, something that hadn't happened in a very long time.
"Stop investigating me, and tell your son to stop too, or you will both be very sorry." His voice was deep, but he sounded around Joshua's age.
"Who are you?!" Joshua yelled as he finally pulled himself up. The man was gone, no trace except the daggers he had left behind. The noise of police sirens filled the silence. He grabbed the knife from the book it was in and ripped it out. The word Purity was etched into the blade.
He used his eyes to measure the blade and knew it would be a perfect match for both the nun's wound and the nurse's too. He had come face to face with the murderer, and he had almost lost. | 