A Collection Of Shorts - ArtL Nightshade (best detective novels of all time TXT) 📗

work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck.

 

Yours truly Jack the Ripper

 

Dont mind me giving the trade name

 

PS Wasnt good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now. ha ha.

 

***

 

Jack re-read his letter before giving himself a satisfying nod and a chuckle to go with it. He folded the paper with delicantcy, placing it in the envelope with the ignitaled stamp, J.R.

 

He got up from his chair and blew out his candle, the only light igniting the inside of his house as he walked out into the cold streets of London where someone a little pass White Chapel, will be there to deliver his message to his boss.

 

The boy waiting for Jack had his arms crossed over his chest and one leg over the other. There was fear in his eyes, his arms and legs shivering from both the short meet of Jack and the cold. He was of poverty and needed the money, no matter the cost.

 

He heard footsteps approaching closer and closer to him but he could not see any figure; left and right front and back he looked, the street lights of London lighting the streets but no one was there. Must be the sounding steps of Jack himself.

 

"Boy," Jack chuckled, appearing right beside the boy, his small head turned away from the killer. "You're shaking like mad. Do I frighten you?"

 

The boy looked up at the man to see an amused smile. A smile that would make any man's pants wet with fear, terror. Taking a deep breathe, he puffed out his chest to show a bit of courage.

 

"I believe not Mr. Ripper. The breeze is just cold and Is has no proper clothing to warmth myself with." The boy said, shivering, his voice almost in a stammer.

 

Jack nodded, still amused that the boy tried not to fear him when he knew well that everyone feared him. He handed the boy the letter and threatened not to tell the invesegators or he would have dear price to pay. The little boy nodded and made his way to the boss's house.

 

Jack watched until he could no longer see the boy before departing back home where a surprise was waiting for him right on his doorstep.

 

***

 

"Do you have everything dear?" David asked frantically, looking worrily over at his wife who was pregnant with their first child.

 

Lucy, his wife, nodded and the loud sound of a "click" was heard in the room. David rushed over and lifted both suit cases with both his hands while Lucy took the lighter cases.

 

"I hope you haven't gone completely mad my husband, not you are completely mad. This is insanity! This is Jack the Ripper you're talking about." She said as she followed her husband down the stairs and out the door, into the carriage.

 

Her husband nodded, helping the coachman load the luggage up. "I know dear, but he is also my uncle, and the only chance we got. We may have either found his match or something worse than the White Chapel Murder."

 

***

 

The murderer looked down at his doorstep to see his grown nephew, his wife, and their new up-coming child. Jack crossed his arms and stared down at them in a cold dead glance.

 

"Pray tell are you doing on my doorstep David?" He asked, waiting both patiently and impatiently for a reply.

 

David stood up and took his hat off to show respect for the murderer. He, everyone, would never show respect to a murder but they would most certainly show respect to a family memeber and though Jack was indeed a killer, he was also family to David.

 

"If you would be so kind uncle, as to let us in first so we may speak of it privately, tis urgent and must not be heard by the others. Please uncle." David pleaded, his fingers held tightly around the brim of his hat.

 

His uncle thought for what seemed like hours before letting them in. Lucy was hesitant but her husband made certain Jack wouldn't do anything. He mumbled a few words the two could not make out and all went inside.

 

***

 

Jack lit the house up with lanterns and candles then showed Lucy where she and her husband will be staying for the night or until otherwise.

 

Once he was finished, he closed the door so she could have privacy and went straight to his nephew who had seated himself on a chair in his kitchens. The steaming smell of a warm chicken stew filled the air and their nostrils.

 

The murderer seated himself across from David and folded his hands together, resting his elbows on the wooded table and looked straight into the grown boy's eyes.

 

"Talk."

 

David took a deep breathe and sipped on some warm water he found searching through the kitchens before telling the tale to his uncle, his only hope.

 

"Uncle, we have news that there is someone, out there in London, that may have bested you. No one knows who he is, no trace of anything like with you. I, we need you're help and we are willing pay loads if you execute this killer, he is a swift killer. Calls himself The Shadowman." David said, letting the story soak into Jack.

 

***

 

Jack thought hard about the story David told. His nephew and neice in law both fell asleep in the dead of night while Jack remained wide awake.

 

After a few more paces, the murderer sat himself down, igniting a candle to light his desk. Dipping the pen in the bottle of ink, he began his letter to Boss.

 

Dear Boss,

As you may well know by now, a new murderer has made it's way to London. My nephew has warned me, feared that this newcomer may be more sinister than me. Ha! Unlikely. There is no mere man more sinister than I. I shall find this killer and end his life just like I do to my victims. I shall see this Shadowman soon.

 

Yours truly,

 

Jack the Ripper

 

The Leather Apron sealed the letter with the oiled stamp with his ignitials and walked out the door to deliver the message.

 

***

 

He caught up with the same boy from before and asked to deliever the letter straight away without being caught again. The boy nodded and ran down the streets to do the deed for the killer.

 

Jack watched until the boy was no where to be seen and walked back towards his house, the single candle illuminating the whole house.The murderer knew nothing would go wrong. The boy was quick as the lighting when it struck but something stirred him. He ignored the feeling inside and slept.

 

Morning came soon after. Jack woke up and cracked his neck and knuckles. In one swift movement he got out of his bed and took a deep breathe only to inhale the smell of food. Smoke filled the air the closer the killer came towards the food.

 

"Morning uncle, hope you had no troubles sleeping." David said motioning for his wife to rest as he took over the finishing touches of breakfast before he served the food to the two then himself before he sat down next to his beloved wife and soon-to-be child.

 

Jack nodded his head in return and sat himself down across from his nephew. He picked up the spoon next to his bowl and started to eat. He was quite amazed at his nephew's cooking. His mouth start to open to praise David about his cooking but he quickly closed.

 

Lucy looked up from her bowl and at the killer with a bright smile. She nodded to him knowingly before she went back to her fasting of break with still, a smile on her bright face.

 

***

 

After David's wife helped me with my shave, I dress myself in a more presentable suit before we all headed out the door and inside a chariot awaiting for us just outside. It was a black chariot with a borwn mustang of a beast. The coachman sitting above tipped his hat in respect as I did the same while my nephew helpped with his wife to get inside.

 

"Now uncle, you know and I know well who you really are but they don't. So this may-be the first time the coppers won't be coming after you." David said, turning his head to look into my dark eyes.

 

I nodded in return, "good, I could use a break from them. But the minute they start to become suspicious of me, I will be sure you will not see any light until I say you could".

 

No sooner than expected, we arrived at the Scotland Yard investiation house. My nephew walked up the stoned steps to ring the door bell. He took a few steps down to make room for the doors to open for us. A man with red hair with a beard and mustache to match opened the doors and hugged David before he gave a welcome kiss on the cheek to Lucy.

 

"And who might you be my good sir?" The red-haired man asked. I was about to introduce myself as well as David but someone else did, someone I recongized from my younger years, before I become widely known as, Jack the Ripper.

 

"Edric Culbourne. Why, I haven't even seen you since the party years ago. You were quite the quiet one. Nothing like your brother, Ian. By the way my good friend, I am forever sorry for the lose, Ian was an excellent doctor, best we've ever had in our time," Fenwick said with a head bow as he let us through. "So what brings you all here in this fine hour of the day?"

 

I stopped where I was and the grandfather clock that stood against the wall not too far from another door caught my dearest attention. I tapped lightly on the clock and watched the hands move everso timely clockwise.

 

"We are here to help you with your business. Your...Shadowman killer." I said, not turning my head to look at the face of the two men in the room. A sly smirk formed on my lips as I continue to watch the hands move, listening to the sound.

 

"Tik tok, tik tok".

 

***

 

Fenwick poured us all a glass of whiskey before he finally poured himself one. He seated himself where Copper Graeme Holmes stood behind. Lucy was most enchanted by the author who was presented in the Scotland Yard house, Charles Dickens.

 

"I must say, Mr. Dickens, your stories are just one of the most remarkable reads I have ever laid my eyes on, I hope to read more of your wonderous writings." Lucy complimented recieving a blush from the author.

 

"Why thank you my dear, I shall take request and be sure you are the very first of my readers to get my next story." Charles said, taking a sip of his glass. Lucy thanked him over and over until another Copper, Copper Thatcher Sykes cleared his throat.

 

Every one of the other Coppers and investigators all nodded. Fenwick set his glass down and stood back up. He began to pace back and forth, his hands entangled together behind his back as he spoke of the Shadowman Killer and his could be whereabouts.

 

"I have a proposal," I suddenly said, twirling my whiskey in which I have no drank yet since after Fenwick poured me some. All eyes turned on me as I finally took a small sip. "Why not we use a theory?"

 

Copper Graeme raised his eyebrow in confusion, "and pray tell is that theory Mr. Culbourne?"

 

***

 

I looked straight at the copper and smiled. I knew well he will come and try to find me, bring me justice but, here, now I was not Jack the Ripper, I was Edric Culbourne. My real name.

 

"My theory is, we get another killer to find the Shadowman Killer and bring him down so then you rest could all do your thing. Besides, what better man to find a killer, is another? For with killers, their minds think alike." I explained, as I engulfed the rest of