Silent Evil

Part 2: Sinister

Chapter 50

Harvey stood in front of the pile of ash and rubble. The DA building, once standing several floors high, was now reduced to a smoking pile of dust, the bystanders watching with open shock, pulling out several different devices to take pictures of the disaster. Harvey sighed, wondering why, after all the trouble he's been through, he didn't quit.

But instead of dwelling on those thoughts, his mind took a darker turn. Madison Pacey, a very close friend of Harvey's, was reported missing a few days ago, no one having seen her for the past few days. He worried about her state of mind, knowing that she had been destroyed by Delilah's influence. Reports of her visiting Delilah had already come to the department, but they couldn't find any evidence of Delilah having forced Madison to do something. Her apartment was vacant, her sheets cold, it was almost as if no one had lived there for years.

“ Phew! Quite a scene we got here, eh partner?” Harvey rolled his eyes to the heavens, asking God why he had handed him this good for nothing, worthless partner.

Shawn Madson was a golden boy, with a Southern drawl, and a disgusting attitude. Harvey hated this man's guts, wanting nothing to do with him, but obviously, like many things in this world-

That was not going to happen.

“ I thought I told you to be here thirty minutes ago.” Harvey mumbled. Shawn smiled, pleased with himself.

“ You did!” he cheered. “ But, I was in bed with a lovely lady-”

“ I don't wanna hear it!” Harvey barked, pacing across the scene. Shawn, still chattering happily, trailed him. Harvey noticed that the sheriff hadn't arrived yet and wondered where he was when a department car stopped just a few feet away from them and the sheriff stepped out. Henry Graves walked toward them, stopping just shy of two feet.

“ Where were you?” Harvey asked. Sensing the sheriff's discomfort, he analyzed him a little closer.

Henry had sweat beading on his upper lip and brow, and his eyes seemed a little wider than usual, something having had frightened him. His skin wasn't flushed, actually, void of any color, and his hands were trembling slightly. With dawning realization, Harvey knew where he'd went.

“ Why?” he asked, his voice a whisper. Beside him, Shawn was looking back and forth between the two men, expression confused. Graves, though, knew what he was asking.

“ Dr. Morris called us in and said that Delilah had known, prior to the explosion, that a building blew up.” he answered. “ Little did he know, he thought we wouldn't come over and ask her questions. The doctor wouldn't do it, so I took it upon myself to visit her.” He dabbed his brow with his hand. “ Scared the shit out of me.”

“ Did you get anything from her?” Shawn asked, squinting his eyes against the blinding sun. Henry shook his head.

“ She wouldn't let me speak.” he admitted, shamefaced. Harvey narrowed his eyes, though. There was something Henry was hiding, Harvey knew it.

“ What did she say, though?” he asked, keeping a close eye on him. Did his eyes grow slightly wider? Was there an increase in sweat on his upper lip? Did he just swallow, his mouth dry?

“ She told me a tale of some countess.” he muttered, looking anywhere but at Harvey. Harvey wasn't so easily fooled.

“ Which countess?”

“ Elizabeth of Bathory.”

“ What else did she say?” Henry's face reddened, his eyes flashing.

“ She mentioned a bunch of other rich psychopaths, asking me if I thought she was evil compared to them.”

“ Who were they?” Harvey's voice was fast, his breath cut short by each question.