Chapter 4: Birch Trees

Face-to-face with death. A sudden darkness that clouds your vision and warps your mind into an unreal calm. Unless it has other plans for you. Darkness clouds your vision, yes. But what of the calm? Not there. Not present. This isn't right. But in whose eyes? A hard and violent bang rings through the darkness.

“LET ME OUT!” A voice screams out.

Another bang.

“PLEASE!”

Bang. Bang.

Muffled cries interrupt only for a moment. They're followed by another desperate bang.

“LET ME OUT!“ The voice is hoarse and dry.

“LET ME OUUUUUUUT!”

It's a school day when a crime scene is laid out. Or more so, an investigation. Men stand around the area as one leading officer calls to the rest of his men in a dug-out hole,

“Alright! Bring it up!” He calls, studying the scene below him. With grunts and sounds of displeasure, his team lift a rusted casket.

The investigators heave and grunt as they lift the old, rusted casket out of the hole. The metal creaks and groans under the strain as the men struggle to remove the heavy lid that covers the mystery inside. The investigators step back and study the casket carefully, considering their next move.

"Who the hell was buried down here?"

"Who knows. Just be careful not to damage any evidence."

The investigators carefully lift the lid from the casket, revealing the body inside. The team gags as a decomposing body lays before them. Of course, they gag at the smell more than the sight.

"Oh god, that smell is horrid."

"Yeah, I know. And I said we were gonna take this one to the station…”

"Well, we can't leave it. It's clearly human."

"Damnit. Well, let's try to get this thing back."

The investigators work quickly to lift the decomposing body out of the casket and onto a stretcher. The stench is almost unbearable as they maneuver the body from the small casket and out into the more open air. They grimace and cough as the smell wafts through the air. A couple of them cover their noses and mouths with their shirts, unable to bear the stench.

"Damn, what are we dealing with here?" A lead female detective asks, standing beside her partner.

They both watch as the body is taken away. Her partner speaks,

“Is that an actual question? You know what we're dealing with, Sarah.” He grunts out, disgusted by the sight.

“Ya, but kids??? Here?? Another body and we're still no closer to finding the bastard!” She snaps.

“But we are closer to understanding their motive. If this is the body of our supposed victim, then I'm sure we'll get more answers soon enough.”

“I just don't like it. It's sick!” Sarah says, still put off.

Sarah’s partner, Detective Brent, looks around the area as the body is driven away. A few officers remain behind with them, going over the crime scene with caution. Brent turns back to the crime scene and speaks,

“I don't like the lack of evidence- or the murder, of course.”

“Of course.” Sarah looks at him, slightly cross about Bren’ts placed concern.

“If this is the same killer- and chances are that it is- Evidence is never present. Now if there was more than one killer, then one of them would've bound to slip up by now. But still, there's nothing.” Brent looks at the birch trees along the road, the wind touching them ever so slightly.

"Well, they could just be that good at covering their tracks. They've managed to stay hidden and uncaught so far, haven't they?" Sarah points out.

“So you've gone toward the more Ghostface-esque theory?” Brent asks as they walk.

“I don't see how one individual could strike this many victims down in such various locations.”

“But you referred to the attacker as ’bastard’ singular.” Brent points out.

“I'm keeping an open mind. And who's to say we aren't dealing with a Charles Manson?” Sarah retorts.

"That's very true. It could be either or. And that's why we need to leave no stone unturned." Brent looks around the area with a keen eye for any details that could help them solve the case.

"This is starting to feel like a case of searching for a needle in a haystack." Sarah says with a small sigh.

"You know what they say; 'A needle in a haystack... can still be found.'" Brent says with a brief smile, trying to lighten the situation. "There's always a way if we look hard enough."

"I guess that's true." Sarah sighs. "But we're still missing a few key pieces that can really help us put this whole thing together. We're just going in circles trying to find them."

Brent nods and turns back to the scene, scanning his surroundings for any clue they may have missed.

“What would you like us to do?” Brent sighs before asking. It's almost as if he knows there's no point in looking for evidence. For now, he’d leave it up to the rest of his team while he consults his partner.

"Well, for starters, we could try to identify this victim. Maybe there's something that connects them to the other bodies. And we can try to contact the coroner and see when the autopsy will be done. Hopefully that will give us some answers. In the meantime, I think we should go look at the body."

Both of the investigators pause for a moment, thinking over the plan they've just come up with. Finally, Brent nods and speaks up.

"Alright, let's do it."

"Agreed."

With that, the two detectives head back towards the car. It will take some time for them to drive to the coroner's office and get back with the body, but it's a necessary step to help push forward the investigation and learn more about this case. The detectives arrive at the morgue and request to see the body from their current crime scene. The coroner nods and leads them back to the storage room where the body is kept. Once inside, Brent and Sarah approach the body. Brent’s expression is stoic and serious, while Sarah seems more hesitant and unsure. It could be the age difference that contributes to their varying expressions.

The coroner lifts the sheet covering the body, revealing the face of the deceased. Sarah gasps and recoils in surprise, while Brent simply observes the body with a neutral expression. She wasn’t as close to the body as the others were, and it shows. Brent looks over the body carefully, taking in every detail he can. His expression remains neutral but his eyes and mind are filled with thoughts and questions. Sarah, on the other hand, is still visibly disturbed by the body in front of her.

Brent suddenly moves his attention to the body’s hand...

“Sarah, look.”

Sarah looks over at the body and notices the black cross tattoo on the decaying skin of the victim.

"There it is." Brent says, leaning in closer to share what Sarah is looking at.

"It's a cross... tattooed on their hand."

The detectives exchanged a glance, realizing that they've found a vital clue in the case.

"What does it mean? Do you recognize it?" Sarah asks her partner.

“Truth be told, I already had a victim in mind before we found the body...”

"A victim you had in mind... So, you had suspicions about this, huh?" Sarah looks at Brent curiously.

"Well, I did. I remember last Saturday... We got a call about a missing boy, an eighteen-year-old named Tanner Brock."

Sarah’s eyebrows raise as she remembers the report.

"He was reported missing by his mother after he didn't return home that night. His mother called us in the morning when he still wasn't back. The long black hair and the cross match her description. With the recent disappearances, I assumed the worst. An unfortunate side effect with this job...” Brent admits.

Sarah nods. "Well, if it is him..." She swallows, fighting back the rush of emotions she's feeling.

"We'll have to get confirmation. I'll see if I can find the mother's phone number and get her to come in so we can confirm the face... or what's left of it."

“Please do. We'll also need to speak with her about her son’s behaviour after confirmation. Sarah, please prepare her as best you can...”

"Of course. I'll be as careful as I can, dad." Sarah nods to her father. "But yeah, she’s gonna need a lot of support once we confirm the identity. If she’s anything like the other parents, we'll have to calm her right away, as gently as possible."

Brent nods his head and focuses his attention back on the body… The boy’s black hair is grimy and full of dandruff clumps mixed with dirt. Brent can't help but wonder what it must’ve been like to be sealed away for so long, knowing that you couldn't get comfortable for your last breath.

Sometime after, the detectives sit in the coroner's office, waiting for the mother to arrive for the identification. They've made all the necessary preparations for her and are ready to handle the situation as gently and compassionately as possible. As the mother eventually walks through the door, their hearts sink and they brace for a potentially emotional interaction.

Brent speaks up first. "Ms. Brock, if you're ready... we wanted to show you the body we found."

Tanner's mother, Ms. Brock, nods gravely and takes a deep breath. She's clearly nervous and anxious, but seems determined to push through her emotions in order to help solve her son's case.

"Are you ready?" Sarah asks gently.

Ms. Brock simply nods again, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear.

"Of course." Sarah nods, taking a deep breath of her own.

She stands up and walks over to the body bag, unzipping it carefully and allowing Brent to gently remove the sheet covering Tanner’s body. Tanner’s mother’s eyes go wide as she sees the body underneath. She gasps and takes a step back, her expression turning to shock and horror as she stares at her son.

"Oh my god...,” she whispers.

Detective Brent looked to his daughter who, in return, was looking his way as well.

“We’re so sorry, ma’am,” Sarah said with a sigh.

Ms. Brock slowly steps forward and looks at the body of her son. She tries to speak, but her words catch in her throat. Her breathing quickens as she fights through her emotions.

“You don't have to say much, but we thought you’d like the closure.” Detective Brent says softly.

Ms. Brock doesn't say anything at first, as if she's still trying to process everything that's happening. She closes her eyes and takes several deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. Her reaction isn’t that different from the other victim’s parents, but there are enough differences the make it noticeable.

After a few moments, she finally looks up at the detectives. "Thank you for finding him... I don't know what to say..." She whispers, her voice quivering.

Ms. Brock places a hand on her son’s nappy hair, stroking it as if she was trying to comfort him.

“And you still haven't caught the one responsible for all this?” She asks, not in a disrespectful manner but in a concerned one.

In response to her question, Detective Brent gives a grim look. "No, sadly not. There's still a lot we don't know about this case. It's why we're here, to figure out as much as we can before we make our next move." He offers a sympathetic look to Ms. Brock. "Is there anything you can tell us that might help?"

“About Tanner? About him?” Ms. Brock asks as she continues to look down at the corpse, her voice soft and broken.

In response to her question, Detective Sarah steps forward and places a hand on Mrs. Brock's shoulder.

"Yes, if there are any details you can share with us about your son, it might help us understand the case better." Sarah says in a gentle, understanding tone.

“I… I suppose. Yes.” She says.

After a few moments, the detectives escort Ms. Brock into a private room away from the morgue floor. She thanks them for their consideration and follows them inside, still distraught and dazed. As the detectives and Ms. Brock are seated in a small private room, Ms. Brock takes a few deep breaths and regains her composure.

"Well, Tanner… he was a good boy.… I mean, he had the odd argument with a friend or two, but nothing threatening. Nobody wanted to hurt him.. not ever."

Ms. Brock stops for a moment, her eyes filling with tears. "He loved animals, you know? He’d always take care of our dog back home. I don't…”

While Sarah looked hurt by Ms. Brock’s words, Detective Brent could tell there was more toward Tanner than his mother was letting on. Ms. Brock takes a few moments to gather herself, and Detective Sarah stays silent as she gives her mother the opportunity to continue.

"What were the arguments about? Was it anything important or serious?" Detective Brent asks gently.

“No... Maybe? I'm not sure. My son hardly told me about his friends or the people they brought along.” She admitted.

"Tanner didn't tell you much about his personal life?" Detective Brent presses, sensing that there is more to the story.

"Did he talk to you at all about what he was doing? Who he was spending time with? Was there anyone you never liked or felt uncomfortable around?"

“Well…”

“It's okay Ms Brock, you can tell us. Whatever you give us will help us catch the one responsible for your son’s death.” Sarah reassured her.

"I understand. It's just... there was a group of kids Tanner hung out with sometimes. He would leave the house almost every day after school as soon as he was done with practice, but he wouldn't tell me where he was going. He said he just wanted to get away and hang out with his friends.

I didn't think much of it, at first. But then..." Ms. Brock takes a deep breath and pauses for several seconds, her eyes filling with tears as memories of the past flood back to her.

"Then I heard some rumors..." She trails off, her voice shaking.

“What kind of rumours?”

“Rumours that ended up being true… My boy, he- he started selling drugs to his friends and whoever they brought around from high school.”

"He was dealing drugs? I know that this might be hard for you to hear, but where did he get the drugs from? Who is he associating with?" Sarah asks, her tone remaining gentle and understanding but also determined.

“I’m just not sure… He hardly told me about it. I- I thought it could be a coping mechanism for his father’s…” She trailed off.

"His father... Did something happen to him? What caused Tanner to go down this path?" Brent asks with concern.

He seems genuinely surprised and distraught to hear about Tanner's involvement in the drug trade, and he's curious to know what kind of influence might have caused him to make such a drastic change in his life. Sarah speaks,

“Nevertheless, we’re sorry about your husband’s passing.”

Sarah looks at Ms. Brock patiently, waiting to see if she will continue to share what she knows.

“You don't have to be. His father wasn't a very kind man… He’d set me in motion if things weren't done properly, you see.” She said it as if she was at fault.

She continued,

“He took after his father once he passed away. It was almost like he was in the house again.”

The detectives looked at one other, realizing just how bad of a situation the poor woman was in.

"I see...," Sarah says softly. "I'm so sorry that you and Tanner had to go through all that."

The detectives look at each other and share a solemn nod.

“That doesn't give either of those boys a right to hurt you, you do understand that, yes?” Brent said slowly.

Ms. Brock nods slowly, tears welling up in her eyes again. "Yes... you're right. But that's... that's why I never told anyone before. I... I was scared. I didn't want to get him in more trouble or make things worse."

“You haven't spoken to a counsellor about this?” Sarah asks.

“They would’ve taken it to you kind folk… I didn't want to be at fault for that. I spoke with the Lord through my prayers. It is he who made sure I woke up the next day a stronger woman.” A tear rolls down from her eye as she holds the crucifix on her gold necklace.

The detectives both nod slowly, understanding where she's coming from. "I can't even imagine how hard that must have been," Sarah says with sympathy.

"And you're still so strong, despite everything you went through. We're impressed by your courage and resilience." Brent adds.

“And now, we’d be more than grateful for you to continue.” He added to his previous edition of words.

Mrs. Brock takes a moment to compose herself and then sighs before continuing. "Tanner and one of his friends, Cole Lochlyn, were the ones dealing from what I understand..."

“There… There was a girl on his phone. Taylor. A blonde one. She would meet up with him every now n then. I think she helps him sell them..?” She said shakily.

Among other notes, Brent writes down the name "Taylor" and “Cole Lochlyn” in his notebook as Sarah looks at Ms. Brock with a sympathetic expression. "Do you know if Tanner was working for anyone higher up in the drug trade?" Sarah asks.

“Oh no! I'm certain it's just other kids.” She exclaimed.

“Okay well, what about the girl? Do you know her last name?” Sarah asks.

“Yes actually. Anderson, I think it was Anderson. He was on the phone talking about her with one of his friends. They both go- went to Brooklin High.”

Brent writes "Taylor Anderson" in his notebook, along with the school that was mentioned. He looks up at Mrs. Brock. "This is extremely helpful, thank you.", he says calmly.

Sarah takes over and speaks softly and reassuringly to Mrs. Brock. "That's all we need for now, we'll take it from here and report any information we get back to you."

“Oh- of course.” Ms Brock said with a sigh.

“Please, take care of yourself. Reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns, ma’am.” Brent said as he got up.

Ms Brock looked as if there was more to say, or as if there was something she had to get off her chest. But that remained to be seen. With a smile from Sarah, Ms Brock nodded and stepped out of the room before the detectives.

“You see, this is something.” Brent says, raising his notebook in his hand.

“You mean you got something from all of that?”

“Taylor Anderson. Her father has been a troublesome one for as long as I can remember. There’s a pattern here. Once we speak with him tomorrow, I’ll clue you in.”