And that fateful morning, as soon as Gabby had kissed him goodbye and walked out of the front door, Henry went straight to the window and watched as his master got into the car and drove off. He stayed there until he was sure that Gabby was off and that was when he jumped to the carpet and without further ado, made it straight to the dining room and up the stairs the cat went.
The hole in the wall was still left open and only covered partially by the yellow tape that the forensics people had placed there just in case they needed to get back in there and commence with their work.
Henry made it through with so much ease and went all the way in without any hustles. And finally, he got into the place and sniffed his way into the basement. It had become somewhat of his new routine just to check the place out, sniffing and looking. He was suspecting that there was something out there that he didn’t show his master, and that was why he was always down there trying to figure out what that might have been.
He went all the way to the place where the bodies had been exhumed, and he sniffed his way through the vegetation with the hope that he was going to find any form of clues. But that didn’t come to happen.
And once his nose had failed him, Henry made sure that he was going to the walls and tried using his eyes to survey the place. It was the way he discovered the basement a couple of weeks back which led to the discovery of the bones that later ensured that everything was all sorted out.
He lifted himself and started scratching the vegetation from the slippery walls, trying his best to clear them off without having to work too darn hard.
The rats had disappeared, and it seemed because of the increased human activities in the recent past. But that didn’t seem to bother Henry since he had been doing such a fine job when it came to ignoring the rats even when they were still there.
It was such a brilliant move and needless to say, not animal-like, as some people might put it. If Gabby could have been there to see what her cat had been up to, she would become a firm believer in the supernatural world without a doubt. At the end of it all, she decided that it would be a nice thing for her to ensure that she had solved the case and put all of the supernatural crap behind her.
Henry was digging through the undergrowth on the wall for close to five minutes when he finally pushed all the vegetation down. And there was a second door. It had been sealed away with the undergrowth and, therefore, made it rather impossible for the police force to find it when they were supposed to.
It was a small, very old secret door made of hardwood with very distinctive but very queer curving on it. It was just too darn scary, and if Gabby could have found it in time, she would have most definitely freaked out without a doubt. But even so, Henry opted to start his usual queer behavior to make sure that he got the attention of his master.
And after the previous stint, he knew that he was going to have a much easier time since the last time when he did that, and Gabby ended up finding the bodies, Henry suspected that there was much more trust between them.
Only a part of the door had been revealed, and Henry continued scratching his way through the remaining undergrowth nonstop. He was starting to feel a little tired, but that didn’t stop him from scratching. If anything, he was making sure that he was going at it as fast as possible since he knew that he was going to run out of strength due to exhaustion.
And the stuffy air down there wasn’t going to help the situation at all.
This activity went on for several minutes, and Henry only took a couple of minutes’ worth of a break to ensure that he was getting to move the plants using his forearms. And once he had moved the as far as possible, he made a point of getting back to the digging. It was such an impressive thing for a cat and finally, after about ten minutes to total hard work; he was done. And behold, the door was standing right in front of him.
Henry was sure that if Gabby or the forensics people made a point of getting down there, they weren’t going to have a very difficult time finding the secret door and making the most of it. But at that moment, it seemed as though the very best thing for the cat to do was getting the hell out of there.
And that was what he did. He quickly sauntered through the little hole that he had been using and made a point of running as fast as he could up the stairs and through the huge hole at the hallway. His paws were very dirty, and Henry knew that it would only be a matter of time right before his master started asking questions.
And needless to say, Henry was counting on his master asking questions because if that ever came to happen, then it would be a very easy thing because he would lead her down there and surprise her with his new findings. But that was to be sorted later when Gabby got back because at the moment, all the cat wanted to do was get to his bowl of milk before it was too darn late.
Chapter 4:
-Forensics report-
Gabby was in the addressing room much earlier than usual. All she wanted to do was get filled in on every detail so that she could come up with a very precise cause of action. Up to that point, the only thing she knew was that there were people who were sacrificed and buried in the basement right before it was sealed and the house put up for sale.
But what Gabby couldn’t decipher on her own were the identities of these people. Another thing that she was well aware of was the fact that the people in her neighborhood knew something about that place and the people who disappeared. And if they were going to get all the necessary evidence, then it would be much easier to convince a judge to allow them a warrant to search and ask questions.
As the police officers who had been assigned to this case started trickling in, the commander saw Gabby seated at the back and opted to join her for a chitchat as they waited for the forensics people. They had all the answers, and once they got it, he knew that Gabby was going to get to work without waiting for the team. And that was one thing that the commander didn’t want ever to happen.
The commander, just like the other police officers in the department knew that Gabby was a very important member of the force and getting to do this op on her own might be dangerous. They weren’t dealing with a normal person and for that matter, he needed to remind Gabby about the kind of risks that she was dealing with at that particular moment.
Gabby saw the commander coming, and she smiled, trying to show him that she was ok. But the commander had known her for a very long time to fall for her tricks. As a matter of fact, the commander already knew that the only reason Gabby was pretending to be smiling was because she wanted him to think she wasn’t obsessed with the case.
“I know you are obsessed with this case, and that is why am here. I don’t want you to go asking these people questions without the necessary backup.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“I know you do. And I am not trying to say that you aren’t a good police officer. You are, as a matter of fact, one of the best police officers and an icon for others to follow. And that is why I am here – to see to it that you remain to be so.”
Gabby wanted to state otherwise, but she knew that the commander knew whatever he was saying, and there was no way she was going to get off the hook. So she just let out a sigh and listened to whatever he had to say because, you know, he was right as usual.
“Look Gabby, I don’t doubt your skill in such matters. But there are some risks I just don’t want you to take. Let’s listen to what the forensics people have to say. And then we deliberate and plan our next move – as a team!”
“Ok, you got me. I was planning on getting the names and going door to door making the inquest. But I won't do it. Ok? Are you happy now?”
“Yes, I am, to the point that I would fetch you your cookies.”
“Argh, enough with the cookie jokes. And if it’s a hint, I will bake you as many cookies as you want as long as this case has been sealed.”
“Now you are talking my language girl.”
No sooner had the commander stopped talking than the rest of the forensics t
eam came in with their tools and machines. The whole room went quiet, and the three scientists made a point of setting up their equipment and embarked on some serious business. They had made a vow to see to it that they would have sorted the entire case within a matter of days, and they had worked their asses off to ensure that this was done the right way.
“We promised you guys that weren't going to waste any more time. And without further ado, here are the results from our research. First and foremost, we were right about the different times the bodies had been killed and hidden. The first body was killed and sacrificed over seventy years ago.
“It was done in the same style and fashion as the other bodies. And that is what makes everything seem very queer from the word to go. But not to worry, we have already counterchecked the information about missing people and using the family DNA sequences, we were able to match up the bodies and after placing them on the rest, we have finally realized their names. With these names, it is going to very easy to get to the bottom of this mystery and needless to say, putting the last nail in the coffin as far as this case is concerned.”
Chapter 5:
-Back from the dead-
At that point, it had become very clear that the people living in the surroundings of Gabby’s neighborhood knew something about all these disappearances. But they didn’t want to say a damn thing for reasons only best known to them. But now that Gabby and the commander had some reason enough to get a warrant, this was going to be an easy thing for them. And needless to say, Gabby looked forward to it.
She knew that some of the people were acting all weird when she was around them. And now she had the chance to get to the bottom of all of this.
And as the forensics people kept on talking about the victims and showing the photos of their findings to the rest of the police officers, all that the commander could do was steal glances at Gabby. And at that point, he knew that she was doing nothing but lie to him. He knew jolly too well that she wasn’t going to drop the case and leave it for the others to pursue it as she had promised.
That was the problem with her. Gabby just didn’t know how to let go of a case especially after she had taken the initiative to make it personal. She wanted to get to the bottom of it, and nothing the commander was going to do would have changed a damn thing. And at that point, all he could do was just watch.
Gabby saw him watch and smiled. She was busted. But then again, there was nothing she could do either. It was her house, and she felt personally responsible for the people who had been killed in there. For some strange reason, Gabby felt like she owed them the truth and just like that, she made a solemn vow to stay focused at all times and ensure that the truth had surfaced.
“Look, I know you are as stubborn as a mule. But you also need to understand that I will not allow you to risk your life. We already have the names of the victims, and we will be trying our level best to ensure that we have tracked their families down. And once this has been done, the next thing we will get to do is assign work for each and everyone to handle. You will have a team working with you whether you like it or not. And Gabby, if you don’t, I will have you arrested.”
Gabby didn’t have to look at the commander to know that he was telling the truth and not just messing around. He cared about her, and if anything was ever going to happen to Gabby under his watch, then the commander was never going to forgive himself. And for that matter, he decided to take matters personally.
“Ok, I totally get you. I will not partake any of the responsibilities unless I am asked to.”
“Yes, I know you won't. Because I will have to assign you a partner or two. You will take part in the inquest, but you will be required to see to it that you report to the post accordingly. Is that clear?”
“Crystal.”
And as they concluded their discussion, the commander touched her on the shoulder right before squeezing it a little bit. It was a gesture to show her that no matter what she was going through, Gabby should always know that there was someone who cared for her at all times and, therefore, didn’t has to feel like doing a damn thing alone.
The forensics guys concluded their presentation by making sure that they were getting all sorted out without a doubt by giving them all copies of their findings. Gabby finally had her hands on the list of names that she was looking for all that time. She couldn’t help but smile. Deep down, she knew that she was going to break a couple of rules, even if it meant that she would be going to jail because of that.
***
Gabby just couldn’t understand whatever the heck was going on. Was it real or was this some joke that the department wanted to play on her? Gabby couldn’t tear her eyes from the piece of paper that she had been handed. It was the list of names of the victims and as unbelievable as it was, Keith Murray was on that list.
And at that point, Gabby didn’t need any more confirmation that she was indeed losing her mind because at that point, she clearly was. The commander watched her facial expression and her shaking hands and knew that something wasn’t right. So he did what any good agent would do – get her the heck out of the addressing room before the others knew whatever the heck was going on.
Once the door had been shut behind him, the commander made a point of going to where Gabby was sitting and sat right next to her. Her hands were still shaking, and now, her eyes were starting to tear up. Something was clearly not right with the information they had been given, and the commander was there to find out just what had happened.
“Look Gabby, I don’t know what you have seen back there. But this is one thing I can assure you. If you keep holding back, then it will do nothing but bite you from the inside. If you want, you can tell me what is going on with you. But if you don’t want to talk to me, I suggest that you stay in here for a while, and once you have cooled down, you can have the rest of the day off. And I mean it.”
Gabby wanted to say something, but the words just couldn’t come out right. The commander hadn’t seen her like that for a very long time and a moment, he thought it was something really bad. Gabby closed her mouth since the words couldn’t come out. And at that point, the only thing that the commander could do was to rub her back just to show her that everything was going to be fine at the end of the day.
But when he wanted to leave, Gabby called him back in. The commander stopped and let go of the doorknob that he had reached out for at that moment. As he was coming slowly towards that table that Gabby was leaning on, she saw that shock that was written all over her face and for a moment, she knew that something bad was most definitely happening if it hadn’t happened forever.
“Hey, I am here for you. You know that don’t you?”
“I do. And I know you will not understand this. But I think I was visited by a ghost. If the forensics people didn’t make a mistake.”
A normal person would have laughed out as loud as possible, but not the commander. For the past couple of years as the head of the NYPD, the commander had seen a fair share of very strange things that he once never thought were possible. And Gabby, for that same reason, wasn’t sounding like she was losing her mind.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Keith Murray. That man and I heard a conversation a couple of days back, and I would be damned if the forensics say he is dead.”
“You know we do have the best team in the world. I have worked with these guys for over a decade, and all I can say is that they never make such kinds of mistakes. If possible, we can go out there and try tracking the person who is trying to pass as the late Keith Murray.”
“There is no need for doing that. I saw the photos he took way back in ’73 when he disappeared. It was the same man I had a conversation with.”
The commander stood stock still. From the look of things, he too was shocked to move. And one thing with Gabby is that she never told a lie. And so in as much as it was hard to believe in ghosts, the commander had no other choice but to take her sentiments with a pinch of salt.
Chapter 6:
-The strange premonitions-
Gabby wasn’t very good at having nightmares. But this very night, it seemed as though she was in for some surprise. She had decided to do go bed much earlier because the investigations were starting to get a little bit more intense and she couldn’t take it anymore. So after a very long day at work interrogating over two dozens of very reluctant people, she finally found sometimes that she could get to enjoy on her own.
It was unusual that at that point, she even didn’t have any time for Henry. Henry looked very sad for a couple of seconds right before he remembered that he had some cookies to enjoy back in the kitchen.
Gabby quickly had the door bolted and made sure that she was jumping into the shower almost immediately. She had taken a quick bite at the bistro wing of the police station and, therefore, didn’t see the need to cook. Gabby had also spent the better part of the day trying to figure out whatever the heck was going on with the case and also tried coming up with some better ideas on how best to close this case.
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