Town of Realm
The Town of Realm was coming alive after the incident happened on Friday night, as I pulled my 1966 Volvo 1800S into a parking spot on Main Street. It was early in the morning but the Pita Club Bomber Shop had been roasting since dawn. I could never pass by without grabbing a bag of three-decker for breakfast and saying hi to Lock. The newspaper boy on the corner near quarters called out to me. He handed me a paper and I gave him a nickel with a dime tip. I went up the stairs to my second-floor sort of office and unlocked the door as the phone started ringing.
"Knight-drain Pendelton Chase, speaking" I answer into the mouthpiece "Did Sheriff found evidence? Come down to my office Mrs. Richardson at noon, so we can talk over the particulars. Yes, good day, Mrs. Richardson"
I undress my hoodie and opened the window to let some air in. October mornings in the town can easily choke a person in these closed up brick buildings after a night of catastrophe. Even the soft relaxing music didn't help. There was definitely something strange in the air around Realm Town. Folks who lived near there, and even those passing through, wandered around like they were in a dream sort of a nightmare. Being able to saw things and heard things. Spent a lot of thinking and talking about curse or somethings that may cause terrible effect on everyone. Wondering why the place where everyone live is inhabited by ghosts, maybe, ghost from the past.
I went back to my desk, put my feet up on it, lit up a Chesterfield and read the newspaper. The incident in the pier brought a serious and dreadful nervousness in each residents. The gossips here and there about the mysterious serial killer was over flowing. As I read articles, it shows some rumors about the murder.
A little after eleven, my girl Angelycko came in.
I scowled over the paper at her," Did you miss me? Well your late sweetheart"
She gave me a look that could kill, wonderful thing with this woman in front of me was she's very tough.
"Sorry I'm late babe, my wheels ran out of gas"
"Nah, it's okay"
She sat on my swivel chair and read the print issues located on the surface near at her. I focus myself back again in reading those cheap type written material realizing that being Chase isn't easy, being Chase work under pressure not being an investigator but a worker who mend and heal wounds and work on a facility. A nineteen-year-old investigator? I chuckled softly as these ideas slept out of myself. Back on thoughts, laid the paper down, put my eye glasses on and threw my hoodie at my shoulder.
"Sweetie, can you hold fort some things here? I am go out for a little walk"
"Sure babe, take care"
As I strolled on the street, I can't help but to think of the possibility that Copper committed suicide. Why did a nineteen-year-old varsity player in Raven High ended his own life? I'm pretty sure that young Richardson's case is either he is murdered or he committed suicide and planned his own death. As the cold breeze of air touches my skin, looking attentively I realized that I am at the site were the corpse was found, the Pier on Lion's Lodge is just few blocks away from the quarters. Looking for every single details and every single object that I might found as an evidence that will give me a hint on what are the true reasons behind his death. A shiny thing got my attention as I took glance at my right direction, walking towards it, Picking the jewelry using tongs and put it on a zip bag. Someone is observing me from behind, I can feel it, I can sense it. Preparing myself to run towards the direction of the sort-of culprit that is looking at me attentively, holding my pocket knife and change my direction to manipulate the situation, going behind its back I know that he is a man not built enough to describe its masculinity but I know he is a man through his shoulder blades, T's and torso. Preparing thyself in sudden battle when my phone rang, I sigh loudly as I glimpse the man running away on his location. "what a wrong timing" I murmured
"Knight-drain Pendelton Chase, speaking" I answered while my right hand is at my forehead thinking that I could've been hunt down that kid. "I'll on my way Mrs. Richardson."
It's the Richardson's, they said that the sheriff found an evidence that will lead us to the culprit. Running on street is not a better idea specially in this kind of hour were everyone is out for break but I couldn't help it, I'm way too excited to meet the person behind this disgusting and demonic murder. As I reached the door I prepared myself and wipe out any sweats for formality. Opening the door, taking glance at my pawns sitting on a large couch drinking my special wine.
Idiots are here.
Looking forward I saw my Lycko entertaining my guests, the Richardson's.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, Where's the evidence Mrs. Richardson?" asking straightly to them make the tension rise.
"Sheriff Castillo, seen this on the back part of our Copper" handed me a photos and an envelope.
"Did the Sheriff know that you and Mr. Richardson come to me? To investigate the case of your son?" Asking attentively while looking on the said evidences. Took glance on my pawns they're all quiet and observing. "this can kick his ass when he discovers that I am greater than him" I smirk and glimpse for their emotions, hearing chuckles and sighs in different corner.
"it doesn't matter kid." Said Mr. Richardson
"stop calling me kid, for all I know you're my client not sort of uncle or even father" making the old man pissed. "I'll do my best to help with the case of your son or crack it. It's either of two"
"Thank you for helping my son's case. I know from the very beginning you're the good friend of ou—"
"no problem madam, you may now leave." I stand and leading the way out.
"thank you for your kindness son" the old man handed me a suitcase before they leave my quarters.
I let out a sigh as I've enter the lodge, all eyes are on me knowing how can I be so rude and cruel to the parents of the deceased. Held towards my table to keep all the proofs. As I sat down on my chair my fingers start inputting data on my typewriter.
"It is difficult to imagine the incredible changes that lay before 1901. A taste of time with a mental gymnastics through which it took a man's mind was recorded in, of all places the stories from those brains are kept on a book. Those secrets have been preserved for so many years just so that everyone in present could discover them. Difficult to imagine that they were ever a mystery at all, what were those laws that the citizen of Realm town comprehends? They concern two rather simple dynamic forces that act upon the situations.
Realm town was a maze of narrow-wide streets, as complex as a human heart. When evening rolls around and the light fails to reach the grey beneath the feet, the street-lamps are aglow. Nevertheless, a gust of dry wind breezes through the maze of ancient sort vintage houses where windows have long shattered in the weakness of their structures and rotting boards, some broken, others hanging try to cover the empty eyes of every abandoned home. Doors hang on the few threads of their hinges and groan with pain at every sway. Weeds socialize across the cracking asphalt of every road, gathering and laughing at the lone pedestrian as they try to weave around the catching fingers with every step. horrifying town that sheds blood behind those sweet and beautiful facilities."
"Pendelton why so serious? Coffee?" Peterson hand me a mug of brewed.
"Shut up Peterson!" I mumble as I try to focus on what I do.
He gives me a soft chuckle before going back to sit. I just ignore it and try to get my attention back in writing my article. As the clock switch so fast, I suddenly remember the evidences that I should examine for a sort. I stood up over my corner and stretch a little, the quarter is complete with my comrades. The undrunk coffee seems turns out to cold, drowning with the thoughts about the murder case makes me insane. Not realizing that my feet slowly taking me to the quarter's balcony I'm literally deranged. Those evidences I have might help me to solve the case quickly either lead me to another evidence or neither.
"Penny for your thoughts young Chase?" a sweet voice coming behind my back.
I chuckle softly as I heard my sweet world. "stop calling me that" laughing softly realizing that she's beside me handing me a cup of hot black liquid, I guess it was a cheap chocolate from a chock 'lit shop located on west.
"I am drowning with thoughts" starting to tell a story, noticing caress on my back gives me a relief. This stressful world makes me delusional.
"is it about Carolyn Keene and Mary Higgins Clark?" she's referring to a reference when I used to read since I was a kid.
"sort of, thinking about the case of Copper" giving a deep sigh of hopelessness makes me wonder how can I solve this case.
"worrying you might not crack it?" Chuckles echoing between the two of us "you're the great Pendelton on the cursed town of Realm. You kidding right?"
I didn't manage to answer her, compelled by something beyond my control keep turning pages, often a mystery novel in my hands that feels all right in the world when you've figured out the big twist rather deliver that satisfaction without the side effect of lost sleep.
"Our sweet Copper" the last phrase that utter gives me shiver. Our copper.