The Killer Among Us

Chapter 12

Fourteen days left

Jacob

Eddie grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV, completely avoiding my eyes. He seemed nervous, maybe he was fearing that this would blow the lid off of my self-restraint. Eddie has seen me in my darkest moments, moments that were still tough for me to remember. Still, he always stood by me - no matter how awful it got.

The TV turned on and the faint chatter of newscast reporters filled the apartment.

Visible was a professionally clothed, middle aged woman, standing in front of Aria's house.

"Turn it up," I commanded Eddie and he did as I asked without hesitation.

The words didn't resonate with me immediately until the report cut to a new segment.

Standing there was Aria's friend Helen, tears streaming down her face, leaving streaks in her make-up. The reporter held out the microphone for her, questioning her.

"Aria was just such a good friend, you know. I don't know how I am supposed to live without her," she wailed annoyingly.

I didn't believe a word that she said. Honest would be the last word that comes to mind whilst describing Helen Whitmore. Attention-seeking, self-centred brat would fit much better.

My knees felt weak, anger the only thing keeping me steady. Aria was missing and people only cared about interviews and their one glimpse of fame. My mother was in no state to help her, emotionally or physically. The police had tried and failed for years to catch "The Solemn Serpent." That left me as the only one ready and able to find Aria and that burden was heavy on my conscience.

A few pictures of Aria were displayed, along with some pictures of myself - I wondered how that could possibly help the investigation.

The scene finally changed and the camera panned to Detective Burke coming out of the front door. He held up a file to one side of his face to hide from the cameras. Reporters were buzzing around him, making it nearly impossible for him to avoid the endless photographs and questions. Had I not met him before, I might not have recognized him.

Smoothly, he got into a police vehicle and escaped the scene promptly.

"Can't blame the poor guy," Eddie sighed.

I took a couple steps toward the TV. My interest was at its peak.

"Why? What do you know of him?" I never averted my eyes from the pictures they showed.

He cleared his throat and sat down on the couch.

"I just know that people have been on him since this investigation started, like way before it ever hit Carlisle." We were both looking at the TV then but I was carefully listening to every single word Eddie spoke.

I looked to him and lazily gestured for him to keep going.

"Since the first victim. What was her name? Jane? Anyway, since that first case he was assigned lead investigator and everyone had immense faith in him. But he never got even close to finding him," he scoffed at Burke's incapability to solve this case.

"This whole thing started in what? May last year?" I probed.

"Yeah, I guess. Who knows who he killed before then." That statement penetrated my thoughts. Eddie was right, we had no way of knowing when The Solemn Serpent tasted blood for the first time. When wasn't the most important question, however. The why peaked my interest significantly more.