Legacy of Darkness (3 page)

As she approached the main desk Summer gave the receptionist a warm smile. She was a small elderly woman who was well into her sixties. Her dress sense was smart but unspectacular as she wore a cream cardigan over a smart green blouse and her glasses hung on a chain around her neck, a smile crept over her wrinkled features as she welcomed her pretty guest.

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Summer walked into the class room and sat at the teachers desk, it was pretty much how she remembered a class room to be, a large room full of vandalised desks with names and initials etched into them, cheap and uncomfortable chairs for the students to sit on. The only real change was that the old blackboard had now been replaced by a large whiteboard.

Summer went over her notes at the desk as she awaited the first student, who arrived after only a few minutes. A blond girl dressed in a black top, and trousers entered the room and sat on a chair Summer had placed by the desk. The young woman, who was still visibly shaken and upset, could barely make eye contact with the Detective Inspector.

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“Do you recognise this man” Summer said as she handed Charlotte the picture.

Charlotte took her time staring hard at the photo before shaking her head and handing it back. Summers heart sank as she took back the picture, Charlotte obviously didn’t recognise Oliver at all. It probably meant that he likely only saw Jessica as she made her way home, Summer had to face the possibility that no one had seen her Perp. Summer felt her case against Oliver Bloom collapsing around her before it had even started.

“Are you sure” Summer asked softly clutching at straws that maybe the young girl would suddenly remember that she saw the suspect after all.

“I’m sorry” Charlotte said as once again she shook her head.

Never mind Summer thought I’ve still got a few more questions to ask maybe someone else followed her home a jealous guy from the party perhaps.

“Tell me about the party” Summer asked “What did Jessica get up to”

There was a slight hesitation as Charlotte thought about what to say in the end she decided to tell the detective everything. She didn’t want to be responsible for the culprit getting away because she held back some small piece of evidence that seemed unimportant at the time.

Charlotte composed herself and began to tell Summer all about the

party and everything Jessica got up to on that fateful night, even telling Summer about the kiss with Jason and the other guys.

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Charlotte nodded in agreement and smiled through the tears.

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The young women shook her head, she had nothing left to say, Summer thanked Charlotte before dismissing her and asking for the next student to be sent in.

The interviews had been a total bust, none of the students could offer anything constructive, all their stories were more or less the same. Jessica came to the party looking particularly stunning in a tight little black dress, she danced and flirted with a few of the boys, before finally making out with Jason Ryder, then at around Twelve am, she left the club alone to walk home, although of course she never made it. This case still wasn

It had been three long weeks since Summer had been round to visit her Mother Linda. Summer knew she was guilty of not seeing her Mum as frequently as she should and more often than not felt guilty about the fact. Especially when Linda rang her up and gave her daughter a hard time for not popping round.

Summer parked her Silver Audi TT beside the pavement outside her Mothers terraced house and climbed out the car, walking up to the door and ringing the door the bell. Linda opened the door and feigned surprise when she saw her daughter standing at the threshold.

“So you haven’t forgotten where I live then” Linda joked

“Nice to see you too” Summer replied dryly

“Well don’t just stand there” Linda told her daughter “Come in. Do you fancy a cup of tea” The fifty six year old mother of one asked as she walked into her kitchen. Linda had lived in the house on her own for over five years now, her husband and Summer’s Father Don passing away from a heart attack during a football match. At least he died doing what he loved most, watching Chelsea play football in his favourite armchair

But since her Father had passed away Summer’s Mum had refused to change her home including leaving all the old woodchip wallpaper on the kitchen walls, that combined with her old cooker and kitchen units made stepping into the room feel like you were walking back into the eighties. But Summer was secretly glad the house had been left alone, as the nostalgia and memories it brought back were priceless. She could stare endlessly at the photos on the wall and remember days from her child hood as if they where yesterday.

“So how’s work” Linda asked not even trying to hide the distain in her voice, she hated that her only daughter insisted on doing such a stressful and dangerous job that didn’t even afford her enough time to visit her own Mother.

“No so great” Summer admitted letting her guard down for once. “I’m working a particularly difficult case which has no real leads.”

“Maybe you should think about trying your hand at something different?” Linda baited

Summer rolled her eyes and sighed before answering in an agitated tone “For the thousandth time Mother I am not quitting the force. There’s no way I can go back to be being a civilian now I know what scum lurks in the streets. Even if I did what would you suggest I do, detecting is all I know?”

“I don’t know” Linda Mused “A model maybe you are very pretty”

“Nice save” Summer joked as she couldn’t help a board smile. “But we both know standing around and looking pretty is not my thing”

Ignoring her daughters last comments Linda boiled the kettle and made two cups of strong tea handing one to Summer, they carried the drinks into the living room where they sat an talked. The bulk of the chatter centred around Steve and if Summer was ready to settle down and Summer had to admit she was seriously considering taking the next step with her handsome boyfriend.

“Mum” Summer asked her voice serous and full of trepidation “Do we have a relative by the name of Jessica Folds.”

“Hhhmmmm I’m not sure” Linda said as he paused for thought “The name Folds does ring a bell but I’m not sure we’re related unless its someone on your Dad’s side we didn’t always see much of his family. Why do you ask”

“Oh nothing really” Summer lied “Someone by that name poked me on Facebook the other day”

“I see” Said Linda. Just as Summer hopped the mention of anything remotely linked the internet killed the conversation stone dead. But it was looking like she was going to have to trace her family tree herself, curiosity was starting to get the better of her she needed to know if Jessica Folds had been a relative long lost or not. Linda changed the subject on Muriel next door and how she was struggling to get around since her bunion operation. In turn Summer tuned out and just pretended to listen nodding and answering at the appropriate times, something she had become very good at thanks to a spell of bad dates a few years back. Listening to macho stories and worse while wondering why she had bothered turning up in the first place. An hour later Summer said her goodbyes to her Mother and left the house, but instead of going home to her place her drove to Steve’s. It had been too long since he had seen him and she longed to feel his strong arms wrapped around her.

Summer arrived a Steve’s semi detached house and noticed that his black VW Golf was parked in the driveway. She smiled to herself knowing he was in and her mind started to race into thoughts of what sexy things she was going to do to her man.

Summer parked her Audi behind the Golf and walked towards Steve’s front door. She tapped loudly on the frosted glass and waited impatiently for the hunky Fireman to answer. The door opened and a big smile covered the face of the six feet two, Steve Marigold as he saw his beautiful girlfriend standing on the other side.

“Wasn’t expecting to see you so soon” he smiled as he grabbed Summers slender waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

“I know I wasn’t sure I would have time but I was desperate to see you” Summer explained with a smile bigger than Steve’s

“You hungry?” Steve asked “I was just about to make dinner”

“Famished” Summer admitted “It’s been a long day”

“I’ll fix us up some spaghetti bolognaise” Steve said as he marched into his kitchen quickly followed by Summer.

Steve was a great cook far better than Summer and his Spaghetti bolognaise was legendary, so much so he often made it for the crew at work. Summer struggled to keep her eyes off her mans tight body as he went to work in the kitchen, chopping onions and soaking Spaghetti.

As Steve cooked Summer set the table, placing a two large candles in the centre creating a romantic scene for both of them to savour. Steve finished preparing the meal and dished it out on two rather swanky looking square plates, it was almost like eating at a Michelin star restaurant. Before sitting down Steve grabbed two glasses and a bottle of white wine and poured them both a drink.

“To us” he said raising his glass in the air in a toast

“To us” Summer joined in as they gently tapped glasses before sipping the wine.

“This is gorgeous” Summer purred as she took a second mouthful of the spaghetti “I wish I could cook as well as you”

“Hey your not that bad” Steve joked

“Thanks” Summer pouted mockingly “Don’t make me hold back desert” She teased as she gently ran her foot up Steve’s leg and along his thigh, teasing and turning him on.

“I wouldn’t dream of it” Steve smiled enjoying Summer’s under-table antics.

They finished their dinner and the bottle of wine before retreating upstairs to the bedroom. Summer wasted no time in relieving her hot boyfriend of his shirt as the two lovers kissed and caressed like a couple of horny teenagers. Summer pushed Steve onto the bed and fell on top of him, they kissed long and passionately before making love through the still of the night.

Summer awoke first that morning and quietly got dressed while Steve remained sound asleep in his bed, he looked so sweet and handsome as he slept and Summer wished that she could just hang around and watch him sleep for a while longer. But she had to be at work to explain to her Boss why she had yet to make any headway on her case. She pulled on her top and gave Steve a tender kiss on his forehead before leaving, she would freshen up at home before heading to work.

Just as she feared Adam wanted an update on the case and wasn’t too pleased with what Summer had to tell him.

“Let me get this straight we have nothing on this Oliver Bloom character at all?” Adam asked disappointed

“Nothing” Summer sighed “He went missing almost twelve months ago to the day. Apparently he went out clubbing and never returned home, no one has seen him since. No ex-girlfriends we know of have seen him his Mother insists she hasn’t and his old home is now occupied by a single mother and her two young kids. None of which have any connection to our suspect.

“We will have to start an ad campaign” Adam said begrudgingly “Get his photo in the local rag and put it up in post office’s and the like, see if he comes to light. In the meantime stay vigilant just in case he strikes again, this has potential serial killer written all over it”

“Agreed” Summer said. “Once sick freaks like our Perp get a taste for the kill they find it hard to stop and the more they kill the more addicted to it they become.”

The conversation hadn’t been as bad as Summer had imagined and she went back to her desk and switched on her PC. A few clicks later and she was on a Family Tree web site, time to see if Jessica Folds was indeed a relation. It took a couple of hours but Summer was able to find that her dads cousin who she had never met married a Gareth Folds back in eighty nine. She then found that they indeed have a nineteen year old daughter called Jessica. Who after a bit more research Summer confirmed was the murder victim from a few days ago. Summer didn’t think too much of the family tie, although it was a shame a relative close or not had passed on she hadn’t known the girl and thus far the fact she was a relation had no bearing on the case what so ever. Summer tried to rack her brain searching for clues that just weren’t there, she had nothing and she knew it. As horrific as it sounded all she could do was wait for the killer to strike or preferably hope that he didn’t.

Oliver Bloom stood outside in the street hiding amongst the shadows silent and still like a cat ready to pounce on its prey. Oliver liked cats admired them even, they were such beautiful creatures yet they had been designed to be the prefect killing machines, quick, strong and agile. They where hunters pure and simple, vicious, unruly animals that refuse to be controlled rather like Oliver himself. He was now the apex predator a hunter with no equal, rescued from a life of mediocrity and trained to be the prefect killer by his Master. Whom had tasked Oliver with an important mission, a mission that he was determined to complete, letting down is Master wasn’t an option.

But it was late at night, it was his time and his environment, the city was Oliver’s urban jungle and he was the alpha male, when his prey heard him roar they would tremble in fear. Oliver continued to wait patiently under the cloak of darkness, waiting for the clubs and bar’s to close, waiting for a rich buffet of beautiful women ripe for the pickings to be released back out on the cold hard streets like the game they are. All Oliver had to do was wait for the right girl, the one he had been instructed to kill. A girl he knew was out tonight. He had followed her unique scent to this very spot and it was now growing stronger by the minute and once the girl emerged from the whatever club she was holed up in Oliver would take her.

The church bells tolled for one O’clock in the morning and a moment later drunk and tipsy students who had collage and in some cases school later that very morning spilled out of the clubs and bars. Like a kaleidoscope of flesh girls and young women poured out onto the street wearing so little clothing they may as well of been naked. It disappointed Oliver to see so many women willingly degrade themselves in such a manor. So desperate for attention that they reduced themselves to looking and acting like whores. Wearing next to nothing and throwing themselves at the first meathead that looked their way. It was sad and pathetic and if he had a heart it would of made Oliver weep, but fortunately the burden of emotions wasn’t his to bare.

But lady luck would be smiling on one girl tonight, as she was about to be delivered from this life of debauchery. Yes tonight Oliver would be doing this girl a service saving her from herself and taking her down the path of true enlightenment.

As he stood in his black suit cloaked by the shadows he watched as the barley legal teenagers walk right past him no idea of the threat that lurked right beside them. Oliver wondered if they would even notice if he stood In the middle of the street but that was a chance he didn