As far as Tom could recall,
It was the day of the storm. The trees shook and Tom feared that the trees might get uprooted from its roots. He told Mr Mosley as he shivered from the cold. "I swear it scared the crap out of me. The lighting sent me tumbling down. Heaven knows I could have been struck dead"
"Calm down son and give me a full sketch of the story" Mr Mosley said trying to get Tom settled so he could speak. He took the jacket laying idly on the desk to wipe off Tom's damp hair. "C'mon, go ahead son. I am all ears" He said while giving him a nudge with his hands.
Mr Mosley was a retired police officer in Mainland. He had retired just five years ago with William, a fellow colleague and close friend of his. They both ran a repair store together to keep body and soul together after so many years in the police force.
"It was sunny when I set out"
"You know I didn't drag you all the way up here to get a detailed account of the weather. Do you mind cutting to the chase?"
"I apologize sire. I thought it might come in handy on the case"
"I doubt it would ever be. What I seek from you now is a thorough description of the people you caught a glimpse of in the storm.
"Yes sire but I can assure you there was a storm before the sun. Do you believe Mainland has fallen upon a curse?"
"A curse you say? Perhaps". He said pulling a chair out to rest his fragile legs. "I have not seen a storm as great as this one since I was seven and trust me I have been here longer than you have" His eyes paced around the room and back to the clock on the wall. "Okay son. I need details" He said while putting a fist to the table.
"I apologize sire". He swung his chestnut hair away from his face. "I was on my way home after a quick visit to the farm when a sudden storm descended. It came tumbling down as wet drops from the sky. It was intense Mosley, I can't believe you slept through it all.
"I never said I did"
Tom seemed to have gotten into the mood of the story as he jumped right into the seat opposite Mosley.
"I spotted a woman in black while I struggled to get back on my feet. I had been knocked down unexpectedly by the storm. He starred at Mosley who had his ears opened for any detail that would pop out eventually. "I found something to be unusually weird while I watched her" He was finally moving towards the direction Mosley wanted him to go.
"What exactly was weird about her?'' He flipped a book out of his pocket as he made a quick note.
"She had on a long black cap with pointed ends sweeping its way back and forth through the storm, a black veil as a shield for her face. She had on black boots like she already predicted a storm would descend upon Mainland. I believe she possessed some powers way beyond that which is given to man. I could argue all day about this"
Mosley thought superstition as he continued in his silence. He was beginning to think he had brought in the wrong candidate for questioning. How else would he explain this? All the eleven year old child was requested to do was to present to him his narration of the incident.
"Go on" Mosley tried his best to shield the anger in his voice. Taking a quick glance at his watch, He hoped that everyone who waited patiently to be interrogated would hit the nail on the head. He was beginning to get weary from all the banters with the young lad.
He looked over to the next room where Williams was, feeling a bit of sympathy for him. The poor soul struggled to keep the noise level down. The rest of the people that came in for questioning complained and charged bitterly at him. They threatened they were going to leave without narrating their tale of the incident. Williams knew he had to take charge and so he got up from his armchair which he had been resting comfortably in, and yelled at the crowd till they fell silent. He cleared his throat before addressing them in the calmest of voice.
"It won't take time. I am sure the young lad would be done sooner than you expect. Let's give him five more minutes at most and if nothing changes, I would get my partner to let in the next person for questioning"
"How much longer" A middle aged man screamed furiously at him. "We've been here for over thirty minutes. I think it is time we got going" He said turning to the rest of the crowd. "How we sure we are going to get a reward. I am sure it is an hoax. I say we all leave"
Before Billy got to finish his speech, some people had already grabbed their belongings and were already making their way through to the door. William watched in astonishment as they walked away. He prayed silently that they would stop. And as if heaven was showing mercy to this unjust soul, they all marched back into the room. They squeezed their way to a small corner of the room, shielding their faces with their purses and bags.
William could not understand why they acted strangely. "Was it something I said?"
"And whose permission did you get before you embarked on the case?"
Immediately, William smiled. He could tell who was making a ruckus.
"Alfred its good to see you after all this years" Williams said with a bright smile on his face.
Alfred was the deputy chief officer of Mainland. He had been for a long time now. He had not changed an inch, well except for the line that seemed to take its place on his forehead. If we were to disregard that, he still looked very much the same way as thirty years ago.
"Keep your pleasantries to later on. By the way, were his Mosley?" He looked ready to dive straight into business.
"He's in the next room interrogating" William pointed to the open blind.
Alfred's eyes followed the careless movement of William's hand.
"Get him over here immediately"
William did as he was told and in minutes he reappeared with Mosley at his back.
"How do you do Alfred and to what do we owe this visit? Would you mind a tea or perhaps a chair while we discuss business?" Mosley tried his best to walk his way around Alfred so he could continue working on the case.
"There would be no need for that. I came to tell you to drop the case. I have assigned Adam to begin work on it. He turned to the rest of the people in the room. "You may go home now. We'd contact you if there be any need for it. As for you". He turned his gaze to Mosley, "Fill Adam in"
"What did you expect me to do? Fold my hands when no one was willing to listen to me?" Mosley felt he needed to explain why he jumped right on the case without getting approval first from the upper-hands
"I understand but it does not change the fact that you are retired. He tapped Mosley on his left shoulder. "You really should give up this case"
"But its my daughter we are talking about here. What am I to do? It's not getting any better outside. Its been raining endlessly since yesterday". He paused for sometime before speaking up once more. "For all I know she could be dead" His eyes almost misty now.
"Its too early to come to a conclusion. I understand your daughter is missing but how sure are we that this mysterious woman is your daughter? As I speak, my men are out in the rain scouting the area for information. Please have the young lad's testimony sent to Adam" He tapped Mosley on the shoulder one last time before heading out. "We'd get to the root of this. I promise"
******
The second installment should be up next week but before then, what do you suggest Mosley does?
"Calm down son and give me a full sketch of the story" Mr Mosley said trying to get Tom settled so he could speak. He took the jacket laying idly on the desk to wipe off Tom's damp hair. "C'mon, go ahead son. I am all ears" He said while giving him a nudge with his hands.
Mr Mosley was a retired police officer in Mainland. He had retired just five years ago with William, a fellow colleague and close friend of his. They both ran a repair store together to keep body and soul together after so many years in the police force.
"It was sunny when I set out"
"You know I didn't drag you all the way up here to get a detailed account of the weather. Do you mind cutting to the chase?"
"I apologize sire. I thought it might come in handy on the case"
"I doubt it would ever be. What I seek from you now is a thorough description of the people you caught a glimpse of in the storm.
"Yes sire but I can assure you there was a storm before the sun. Do you believe Mainland has fallen upon a curse?"
"A curse you say? Perhaps". He said pulling a chair out to rest his fragile legs. "I have not seen a storm as great as this one since I was seven and trust me I have been here longer than you have" His eyes paced around the room and back to the clock on the wall. "Okay son. I need details" He said while putting a fist to the table.
"I apologize sire". He swung his chestnut hair away from his face. "I was on my way home after a quick visit to the farm when a sudden storm descended. It came tumbling down as wet drops from the sky. It was intense Mosley, I can't believe you slept through it all.
"I never said I did"
Tom seemed to have gotten into the mood of the story as he jumped right into the seat opposite Mosley.
"I spotted a woman in black while I struggled to get back on my feet. I had been knocked down unexpectedly by the storm. He starred at Mosley who had his ears opened for any detail that would pop out eventually. "I found something to be unusually weird while I watched her" He was finally moving towards the direction Mosley wanted him to go.
"What exactly was weird about her?'' He flipped a book out of his pocket as he made a quick note.
"She had on a long black cap with pointed ends sweeping its way back and forth through the storm, a black veil as a shield for her face. She had on black boots like she already predicted a storm would descend upon Mainland. I believe she possessed some powers way beyond that which is given to man. I could argue all day about this"
Mosley thought superstition as he continued in his silence. He was beginning to think he had brought in the wrong candidate for questioning. How else would he explain this? All the eleven year old child was requested to do was to present to him his narration of the incident.
"Go on" Mosley tried his best to shield the anger in his voice. Taking a quick glance at his watch, He hoped that everyone who waited patiently to be interrogated would hit the nail on the head. He was beginning to get weary from all the banters with the young lad.
He looked over to the next room where Williams was, feeling a bit of sympathy for him. The poor soul struggled to keep the noise level down. The rest of the people that came in for questioning complained and charged bitterly at him. They threatened they were going to leave without narrating their tale of the incident. Williams knew he had to take charge and so he got up from his armchair which he had been resting comfortably in, and yelled at the crowd till they fell silent. He cleared his throat before addressing them in the calmest of voice.
"It won't take time. I am sure the young lad would be done sooner than you expect. Let's give him five more minutes at most and if nothing changes, I would get my partner to let in the next person for questioning"
"How much longer" A middle aged man screamed furiously at him. "We've been here for over thirty minutes. I think it is time we got going" He said turning to the rest of the crowd. "How we sure we are going to get a reward. I am sure it is an hoax. I say we all leave"
Before Billy got to finish his speech, some people had already grabbed their belongings and were already making their way through to the door. William watched in astonishment as they walked away. He prayed silently that they would stop. And as if heaven was showing mercy to this unjust soul, they all marched back into the room. They squeezed their way to a small corner of the room, shielding their faces with their purses and bags.
William could not understand why they acted strangely. "Was it something I said?"
"And whose permission did you get before you embarked on the case?"
Immediately, William smiled. He could tell who was making a ruckus.
"Alfred its good to see you after all this years" Williams said with a bright smile on his face.
Alfred was the deputy chief officer of Mainland. He had been for a long time now. He had not changed an inch, well except for the line that seemed to take its place on his forehead. If we were to disregard that, he still looked very much the same way as thirty years ago.
"Keep your pleasantries to later on. By the way, were his Mosley?" He looked ready to dive straight into business.
"He's in the next room interrogating" William pointed to the open blind.
Alfred's eyes followed the careless movement of William's hand.
"Get him over here immediately"
William did as he was told and in minutes he reappeared with Mosley at his back.
"How do you do Alfred and to what do we owe this visit? Would you mind a tea or perhaps a chair while we discuss business?" Mosley tried his best to walk his way around Alfred so he could continue working on the case.
"There would be no need for that. I came to tell you to drop the case. I have assigned Adam to begin work on it. He turned to the rest of the people in the room. "You may go home now. We'd contact you if there be any need for it. As for you". He turned his gaze to Mosley, "Fill Adam in"
"What did you expect me to do? Fold my hands when no one was willing to listen to me?" Mosley felt he needed to explain why he jumped right on the case without getting approval first from the upper-hands
"I understand but it does not change the fact that you are retired. He tapped Mosley on his left shoulder. "You really should give up this case"
"But its my daughter we are talking about here. What am I to do? It's not getting any better outside. Its been raining endlessly since yesterday". He paused for sometime before speaking up once more. "For all I know she could be dead" His eyes almost misty now.
"Its too early to come to a conclusion. I understand your daughter is missing but how sure are we that this mysterious woman is your daughter? As I speak, my men are out in the rain scouting the area for information. Please have the young lad's testimony sent to Adam" He tapped Mosley on the shoulder one last time before heading out. "We'd get to the root of this. I promise"
******
The second installment should be up next week but before then, what do you suggest Mosley does?
No comments:
Post a Comment