The Darkness

at 1201 Old Leesburg Highway." Bonnie Jane said, knowing Jimm

he saw it green this time of the year. "Dispatch," he rubbed his temple, deciding if he really wanted to take the call or go home. "BJ," he

he ever-present static hum as Jimmy turned the Shelby around. He lived a few blocks from the call. He had nearly mad

ct the driveway for fresh tracks. It was as reported; the driveway had been in use recently. He walked a short distance to

, the voice came ba

pes of calls, but today's were routine, even for him. The Chief of Police still we

ed how the ivy had nearly swallowed the home whole. With the wrecker on its way, Jimmy walked around the house looking to see if the kids who had stolen the car had broken in. Other than the car in the drive, the place looked undisturbe

the same location. Jimmy read the case notes and discovered the case was never solved. He grew more interest

a blink, she was gone. "Weird," he mumbled, watching Jo pull up next to the Viper. He watched her as he tapped on th

shits that stole it?" Jo asked with a half laugh, knowing it had to be kids, otherwise, t

I never rush anything. Sooner or later, th

er. "Are we still on for cards this weeke

laughed. Nancy was Jo's daughter and Reva was his neighbor,

ing her money like you did last week. Catch you

expert thief. When he walked into the home the smell of age, dust, and rot overwhelmed his senses causing him to place a knuckle under his nostrils to protect from the in

wed signs of wear near the door and again at the window. Jimmy could only imagine a person pacing back and forth near the window to create the pattern. The light-yellow curtains looked thin as if

one. There was an old oak desk still in the center of the room. The top had no dust, and the only thing on the desk was a pen. He knelt and pulled

and each place was still set for an evening meal. It appeared the tenants had planned on coming back for a meal, and just suddenly vanished. He moved to t

on the carpet. He squatted down looking at the splatter patterns on the thick green shag, he was sure someone dumped bleach

s still left on the vanity. Jimmy sat on the double bed to see if he could see the room as it once looked. The walls were now a faded blue; he could see sunspots and fade marks where years of dawns had turned the once bright

f the paper, he opened the top and saw a picture inside. He studied the two women in the picture. The first was a tall, blonde, thin woman, with eyes so green they seemed to burn. For a moment, ju

years ago. The mission had been a stronghold in the early 1700s. Pirates had been held at bay from the high cannons, and residents were protected from invading fleets with the thick wal

as a dull gray, and he could see the tape along the edges, and it looked like fresh construction. The next room he explored had strange designs on the white walls, which re

anipulation to get the lock to finally give. The room was unlike the others. There were clothes laid on the bed and the room smelled like men's cologne. Now more than ever

om was empty of furniture, except for a lone brown chair in the middle of the room. The chair faced a window, it occurr

d the light switch only to find there was no light. He looked over what could have been a chemistry lab. There were several small d

the disturbance caused a chain reaction of crashes, which sent a dust cloud into the air nearly drowning him. Jimmy waved h

e?" The whisper was followed by a lung full of air as he blew slowly across the cover forcing a small d