Young Writers Society

Unto the Darkness

Number Two

The Lady in the Lake

DCI Vile looked out into the distance where the water of the lake laystill and silent with the gloomy sky reflected in it's dark beauty. After a long silence Hannah finally decided to speak.

"Can I just ask why I'm being replaced as leader of this case?" she asked calmly.

Vile glanced at her briefly then relocated his gaze back to the horizon "Because I said so. And what I say is law."

Hannah narrowed her eyes briefly. When she finally did speak her voice was laced with annoyance "And why did you 'say so'?"

Vile glanced back at her again and there was a look of surprise on his face. "Listen, DI Granger, I don't have to answer to you. I took a look at the case and decided I might like to take a look at it. Now as I happen to be your superior you will listen to what I say and accept it! Thank you, bye bye." Vile looked back and his eyes met the young female PC "What's she still doing here?"

"N... nothing" the PC quietly stuttered "Sorry..." and she tottered off.

Hannah looked to Vile and she could feel her annoyance growing and throbbing.

"You didn't have to speak to her like that!" Hannah said coldly her eyes fixed in such a strong gaze on Vile that they might just burn holes through his back.

"I didn't have to speak to her at all!" Vile exclaimed "She should consider it a courtesy!"

Hannah waved her hand in the air "Whatever, can we just get on with this please!"

Vile briefly clenched his lips "Fine."

"Thank you!"

Hannah knelt down beside the body once again while Vile looked into the distance. MAny possibilities were rushing thorugh their minds.

"You aren't thinking murder are you?" Hannah asked her voice low.

Vile chuckled briefly, "Nah. Probably pissed up, tripped and fell. So pissed she couldn't swim and then drowned. Washed up here later."

"And that's what you're thinking!" Hannah exclaimed.

Vile nodded and Hannah couldn't help thinking that he was all too full of himself. Nevertheless she decided that she might as well listen to him. He hadn't gotten to become a DCI with idiot theories. There must be, at the very least, some inteliigence to what he was saying.

Hannah was about to speak when she noticed something. A hint of something in Vile's eye. As if he had seen something. He moved and walked further up the edge of the river. He bent down and grabbed something; holding it tightly in his hand. As Vile stood back up Hannah spoke, "What is that?"

Vile extended his arm towards Hannah and revealed what he was holding. It was an oval shaped locket made of gold with a long chain dangling over the side of Vile's hand. Other than the large ruby in the centre of the locket there was little else that was noticable about it apart from the mud that it was caked in.

Hannah gently plucked the beautiful piece of wormanship from Vile's hand and opened it. Inside of the locket was a picture of the girl. Her face was happy and her cheeks were blushed and a smile of pearly white teeth was spread across her face. Her hair was thick and beautiful and her eyes were bright and filled with life. The same could not be said for the dead body lying on the edge of the river.

"The chain's broken." Vile said "Like it's been ripped off her neck."

"What are we thinking?" Hannah said "Mugging?"

"Oh of course a mugging!" Vile exclaimed sarcasticaly "Because all muggers leave what they were trying to take in a river!"

"Murder, then." Hannah suggested.

Vile shrugged. Mere moments later a tall PC was approaching them and entered teh conversation briefly.

"Coroners here." the PC said "To pick up the body."

"Oh bloody joy." Vile muttered. The PC stayed still for a moment. But for Vile that was a moment too long and he loudly exclaimed "Come on, mush!!"

"Yes sir. Sorry, sir." the PC awkwardly replied before heading off and calling the coroner over.

"Let's let this lot move the body." Vile said to Hannah "Come on."

The two of them walked away from the body quietly, heading towards the swarm of police cars. They could hear the tiny waves of the lake lapping against the shore and a gentle breeze was whistling thorugh the air and ruffling the leaves of the trees. As they approached the cars Vile handed the locket to a PC, telling him ot put it in evidence, before continuing past the police cars.

As they walked through the forest of cop cars they saw a very different car behind them. It was a cute, red Audi TT RS Coupe with a tail fin and intricatly crafted alloys.

"Who's is that?" Hannah asked, bemused.

"Mine." Vile replied approaching the Audi and opening the door. He ben down and climbed into the car, starting the engine with a purr.

"Where are you going?" Hannah asked.

"Where else." Vile replied "We're done here for today. So... pub."

Vile reved the engine of the Audi and turned on the headlights sending a sharp beam of light slicing through the eery fog. He reved teh engine once more and then the car shifted. It began to slowly move and drove away with a loud roar of it's powerful engine...

"I can tell this is gonna be a fun case." Hannah said to herself...

TO BE CONTINUED