OLD DOGS #1 - A Crime Story

Prologue

She held his hand so tightly. He knew she would need him, he knew that this moment will be forever engrained inside of her and will mould her into the woman she will become. As they walked down the hall, passing saddened and pitiful looks, she clenched his hand higher and tighter, almost as if she thought he would evaporate if she let go and she would be left alone, in a void of sadness and unknowing. This man had not managed to save her mother, but he did manage to save her, something that she would never forget and will always be thankful for, even now, when her mind is filled with dark and dangerous thoughts.

They got to the end of the hall and the man opened two very large and old wooden doors into a large opening filled with people with cameras who pounced on them so fast it was like they were animals who had not eaten for a fortnight.

“Detective, Detective!” One woman shouted
“No questions at this time, I'm here to make a statement and thats it.” Said the man.

The man and the girl walked on to the pedestal in front of the crowd and placed his right hand on it and put his left hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small note pad. He went to speak, but turned his gaze to the girls face, who looked up at him with the eyes that said one thing, help me. He knelt down in front of her and placed his hand softly on her cheek in reassurance, he gave a smile which he did not believe in but thought was necessary and began to talk in a calm, quiet but reassuring manner.

“Lyla, I know this is tough, but we are here, you survived. You are strong, you are smart and you have your mothers eyes. After this shit storm has ended, the world will be empty for a while and you will be sad, but day is always darkest before the dawn. So lets make it through this, and we’ll go for ice cream after, okay?”

The girl wiped away a small tear from her eye, smiled and nodded in agreement. She took three deep breaths and stood silently as he began to prepare himself to speak to the crowd. He opened the small notepad and placed it on the pedestal infant of him. He pulled a pair of glasses from his breast pocket and put them on his face and began to read.

“Today, is the end of a dark time for Bristol. four months ago, Alden Lovecourt, a loving father, a hard worker and provider for a fantastic family, was taken away from us, taken away from our community, taken away from our world and most importantly taken away from his family, his wife, his daughter. The heinous way in which he was taken from us was a travesty. Leaving behind a Wife and a Daughter who needed him. But the monster which took him from us, the Demon of Downend as he has now been named, did not stop there. He came back 2 months later to try and take Aldens wife, Lilly, away from us and her family aswell, A horrific plan which he succeeded with. But this time he did not get away, he did not get to run, he did not get to hide. Myself and the Bristol and Avon Police Department stopped him before he could take the life of Lyla here and he has now been handed justice in the court of law. I believe toda…”

The man stopped and wiped a small tear from behind his glasses, picked up his notepad and placed it back in his pocket. He looked upon Lylas face, swallowed hard and once again addressed the crowd.

“My Name is Detective Inspector Landon Wade, and I have failed this family. The Demon, is not a demon at all, His name is Jack Cornell, a mere man, a man who brutally and systematically murdered a man and woman in their homes and displayed them to the world as a trophy. I have commendations, awards, trophies what have you! but that all means absolutely sod all if i cant save a child’s parents from a monster. I will never sleep the same again after this case, and this case will be my last in the force. As of today, at the age of 38, I take early retirement from the police department. There has been an injustice, not in a court of law or anything defined by man. Their has been an injustice on a biblical level. How can a man, walk into someones life and completely destroy them and then walk away, NO!” Slamming his hand on the pedestal, startling the crowd.

He looked down away from the crowd, boiling with rage, grasping the pedestal harder and harder. He stopped and turned quickly when he felt a sharp pull on his jacket. Lyla was looking up at him, bright green eyes that should be full of innocence and opportunity but now were clouded by sorrow. Lyla moved her hand from his jacket and placed it on top of his hand and rubbed his hand gently with her thumb.

“Mummy wouldn't want you to be angry Landon”

Landon was taken a back for a second as he tried to grasp how he, the adult, the police detective was being confronted by the victim in a murder case. If she could be strong through all of this, then so could he, he had to be. He stood straight, straightened out his jacket sleeves and pulled the microphone back to his face.

“I apologise, as you can see this case has taken its toll on me. I thank you all for your patience in this case and I hope you can all find some solace in the fact that the criminal is now behind bars, and will never ever hurt another soul. Thank you.

As the shouts for questions and shutters and flashes began to rain down on the Hall, Landon and Lyla snuck down and back through the corridor. Landon rested again the wall and took some deep breaths, pulling a cigarette from his trouser pocket and sparking it up. Lyla stood and watched him smoke for a few seconds, letting him cool off in the only way he knew how. Landon took the last puff of his cigarette and then stamped it out on the hard wood floor below him. He knelt down in front of Lyla once again and placed his rugged hand atop her head and messed her fiery red hair up a little.

“So little one, how about that ice-cream?”