CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Shurley Cole had been busy with all of the statements that needed to be recorded as she moved from one attendee to another. She and her deputies were working as fast as they could when she got the second call. She was hoping that that Doc was on his way so that the crime scene could be reviewed and the people were allowed to finally leave.

  When the fireball begins to roll downhill it doesn’t stop until it had destroyed everything in its path and tonight was no different. Taking her cell phone in her hand, she answered Berta’s call, “ Sheriff Cole.” She said out of breath as she walked over to a spot where no one was occupying the space.

  “ Sheriff Cole, it’s Berta. You’ve got another shooting. At the Harmon’s, Jack and Shelley’s place.” Berta spit out.

  “ What? At Jack and Shelley’s? What happened?’ Shurley asked almost not believing her hearing.

  “ Jack reported that Troy shot himself in the temple in their driveway. He had apparently tried to convince Becca to come out and speak to him. Jack said that when I called to alert them about Troy being armed Troy was already in the driveway. He made Becca stay inside.” Berta repeated the story given to her.

  Sheriff Cole looked around for one of her deputies motioning for him to come to her. “ Hang on Berta. Ryan there’s been another shooting. Suicide this time at the Harmon’s. Take Carl, go secure the scene, take statements and wait till I call you. We still have to wait on Doc to pronounce the bodies and give his take. I’ll be there when I can. “, Shurley was instructing Ryan. She looked at him asking, “ You got this Ryan?” she had to ask him.

  Ryan nodded his head “yes” then turn to find Carl. “ Don’t worry Sheriff. We got this .” he said as he moved off to track down Carl and be on their way.

  Turning her attention back to Berta Shurley told her what she needed to do, “ Call Jack tell him I’m sending Ryan and Carl to secure the scene. No one is to touch anything and please tell them all I said to stay inside till the officers arrive and Berta, say a prayer this is the last one. I’ll call when I’m done here.’ She finished looking around for Louie her other officer.

  Berta did as ask then put in a call to the Revend of Our Church of Holy Faith. At this point she felt that a pastor would be of use to those who would be suffering from the loss of loved one. At this point it couldn’t hurt since the town was going through some sort of trauma that no one could have dreamed up.

  Leland sat in his room reading a book he had picked up from the library in town. It mostly was a history book on the town of Hershel and Leland just wanted to take a look at how the town came to be and if there are any towns folks from the original settlers. He could feel the darkness growing with each incident that past.

  He did not have to be told that lives had been ended as he could feel those souls leaving the bodies. It didn’t really matter whether or not the people that died were or were not saved or that they had any idea of what would happen to their souls after death.

  Leland’s only reason for existing was to bring the darkness of death to each and every town and its people. What did or did not happen to their souls was a battle between his master and the one who claimed to create all life. What happen to the souls of the dying was not in Leland’s hands, but the hands of the person who contained the soul of the passing.

  This was a game, only a game between two forces that both claimed power over all living things. It was well known that this battle had been decided long, long, long ago and Leland’s only purpose was to stir up conflict and present to other side of good. Leland was the best at what he did for his master. For centuries he had watched, learned and participated in the destruction of live and goodness. Leland felt energized by the souls that now were set free from their human form.

  Tomorrow would be a grand day of celebration as the news of these three deaths would now be added to the fast-growing list of town’s people who had fallen victims of their own sinner will.

  Perhaps if the sin of mankind had not fallen so hard upon the generations that followed the original sin human kind would not have to suffer such loss. Leland often wondered why the people were so easily led blindly to believe that the one creator of grand promises was a better choice than the one creator who simply would allow his people to do as the willed without consequences.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  As the night sky became darker and the stars less bright Leland celebrated his accomplishments thus far. What pleased him the most was that this hic little town had no idea just what was left to come. The fire that had begun to burn was only in its infancy. As the days rolled by, one by one the people would fall victim to the dark powers of a creator few paid little attention to.

  “ It matters not that the human acknowledges the dark power that controls the evil forces, only that the dark power will always have equal rights to change their actions from good to evil.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Two sheriff’s patrol cars pulled up in the Harmon’s driveway stopping a few feet from the back of Troy’s truck. Ryan and Louie stepped out of their vehicles looking around making sure that the scene was safe to move about.

  Jack Harmon opened the front door and stepped out taking the three steps to stand on the walkway in front of the house. He waited for both of the sheriffs to come to him as he really didn’t want to be to near the truck. He had already6 witnessed Troy’s bloody body and he did not want to have to stand around staring at his dead son-in-law.

  Ryan and Louie stopped for a minute taking in the scene both noticing the bullet wound to the side of Troy’s temple. Ryan spoke to Louie in a hushed tone, “ We need some crime scene tape and lots of photos. Will you call CSI and see if anyone is available for pictures and securing the scene.” He looked at again at Troy’s lifeless body and shook his head.

  Louie nodded his head in compliance as he walked with Ryan to where Jack was waiting. Ryan held his hand out shaking Jack’s hand speaking with a low mostly sorrowful voice, “ Jack. Wow, this is quiet a mess. Do you know what happened here” Ryan asked.

  Jacke nodded his head up and down whispering, “ Unfortunately, yes. Troy arrived about thirty or so minutes ago. He was very drunk when he called Becca’s cell phone asking if she could talk to him. I knew something was very wrong, but while Becca was on the phone with him Berta called on my cell phone to let us know what Troy had already done. He was begging Becca to come outside and speak with him, but I refused to let her go out.” Jack paused as he looked down thinking back to the entire event. He continued, “ Becca told him that she couldn’t come out and tried to get Troy to give up. This is the result of what happen next. We heard the whole thing, Ryan. Becca is beside herself and almost unconsolable. What now Ryan?” Jack asked very concerned how this would affect Becca’s mental state.

  Ryan put his hand on Jack’s shoulder to calm him as he explained what would happen next. “ We’ll have to put up crime tape so we can secure the scene. I’ll put a call into the Sheriff and then the CSI team will show up.” Ryan stopped long enough to let that sink in, “ I’ll need to speak to Becca. I realize it’s hard for her right now, but we have to interview her. We need a complete report to turn in to the DA. I’m sorry Jack we know you’d rather not be bothered, but we must do our job.”

  Jack knew that Ryan was right and he simply shook his head indicating he understood what had happen. Looking at the truck with a great deal of sadness Jack asked, “ Do you need to speak with Becca now?’

  Ryan explained that he and Louie had several things to do first, but he would most likely send Louie in to take everyone’s statement. With that Jack returned to the interior of his home as Ryan and Louie began the process of securing the truck as they waited for the Crime Scene team. Ryan placed a call to Sheriff Cole, “ Hey Sheriff, it’s Ryan. Troy took his own life in the Harmon’s driveway. Anyway, can we get the CSI here to sweep and take photos?” he asked.

  “ I’ll send them over as soon as they are finished here. It shouldn’t be but a few more minutes. Hopefully fifteen minutes they’ll be on the way. Ryan I’m going to have them drop off everything from this scene so there’s no mistake with evidence then they’ll be on the way. You’ll be okay till then?” Shurley asked looking at the number of people still gathered at the bonfire scene.

  “ We can start the interviews till they arrive. Louie put up crime scene tape so we should be okay. Sheriff, “ Ryan said in a questioning tone.

  “Yea, Ryan anything else?’ Shurley asked.

  “ Do you think the killing is done for tonight? Should we expect more deaths?” Ryan asked his voice revealing his deepest sorrow for what was happening in his little town.

  Shurley took a deep breath wishing she had a precise answer, “ Let us hope so Ryan. This for me, is a record to date. I’m praying there won’t be anymore. Five deaths in two days is much more than I ever thought I would see in our town.” Shurley admitted. She could only pray that whatever evil spell had landed in this town over its people would be satisfied with the offering that had happened so far and perhaps the evil would decide to leave.

  A heavy blanket of sorrow had been cast upon the town and its people of Hershel. No one knew why the angel of death had come and taken its citizens from them. All anyone could think was that Hershel was having its worse moment of bad luck and if there was one thing that was on each citizens mind it was that the dark angel could at any time take anyone of them without notice.

  Fear was growing expeditiously and where and when it would stop no one could say. All any one of them could do was to cross their fingers, say a prayer and hope that tomorrow would bring an ending to this death.

  “ And the dark Angel of death move about the town and people unseen, unheard, unknown. It would wield its death sword until the whole of the town and its people were destroyed as only the blood traces remained.”