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

my drink in one motion.

 

Copper Graeme and Thatcher both looked at me as if I were some madman, Charles Dickens looked at me as if I were the next protangonist or antagonist of his next story, my nephew and his wife both looked like me the same as the two Coppers, while the red-hair, Vincent Van Gough, the uprising painter, and Fenwick both just looked at me.

 

***

 

All was silent until Fenwick clapped his hands, "then it is settled, bring out our smartest prisoner from the prison jail and we will get started". Copper Thatcher was about to leave but then I stopped him by speaking more.

 

"Oh, finding a killer is naught about smarts. We need someone with both smarts, stealth. Someone who can lure the killer into killing, move into the shadows as well. A swindler. I highly doubt you have any of those," I said as I poured myself another glass of whiskey.

 

"And pray tell again, do you have in mind Mr. Culbourne?" Copper Graeme asked, again, all eyes turned to me as I drank my glass yet again.

 

"Jack the Ripper".

 

***

 

The name of my name became an outburst to all. The two Coppers became raging mad about not being able to catch the killer while the author became intreage. The painter, buried his face in his hands as if he were having an anxiety attack.

 

"Jack? The Jack the Ripper? We all be damned if we ask him for our help. He would laugh at us like the mysterious madman he is! No, no absolutly not. I forbid it!" Fenwick shouted, waving his arms around like a madman. Lucy was nearly hit by the movement of his hands but dodged just in time. The dodge took a lot in her, she began to pant more and more than usual. All turned to her when she began to groan loud.

 

Lucy turned to her husband to whisper in his ear. His eyes widen as he looked down at her adombent then back up at her. She began to sweat just like him, her eyes widen more than his' as she knelt down on the floor in agony.

 

"My child's coming! Oh my god! We need to get her to a doctor!" David shouted as he helped with wife up with the aid of Vincent who removed himself from his anxiety attack to help.

 

"We don't have time! You'll have to birth the baby here David." Lucy panted as Fenwick lead us all to his bedroom as he shouted for a doctor to come, and fast.

 

***

 

David, Charles, Vincent, and I all waited in the other room as we awaited for the new babe to arrive on this earth. In my opinion to state the matter, they were taking too bloody long. Both Vincent and David looked as if they were going to face the devil Satan himself.

 

"By lord God above! What is taking them?" David asked frantically as he slumpped himself down on a near by chair. The servant there offered him a drink in which he took with no hesitation. I couldn't help but grin. He reminded so much of my older brother on his first day of when Clarissa had David and then Maria.

 

Minutes went on like hours, hours like days, days like months, months like years until finally, the doctor who was presented to help with the birth opened the door and stepped out of the room with a smile on his face as he cleaned his hand with a handerkief.

 

"David, come meet your new baby. It's a little baby girl." The doctor said with a smile as he gestured towards the room where his wife laid on the bed, his new daughter in a bundle of blankets wrapped around her small figure. I noticed how shyly David walked towards his wife and new child. A slight smile curled on my lips as I leaned against the door hinges, my arms crossed over my chest as my nephew held her.

 

***

 

Night has fallen upon faster than we all had realized. The meeting we once had was cut off from the birth of the child so we all decided to meet up the week after the next. David, Lucy, and Cathrine all came back with me to my house. The candles a-lighting the whole house as the three of my family all went above stairs to retire.

 

I sat near the window of my house and waited patiently for the sun to arisen. Sleep was taking it's toll on me, my head began to rock like a drunken fool. The sound of running footsteps and waving of a lantern woke me slightly. It was the boy.

 

I got up from my seating and went to open the door, just in time as well, the boy would have damaged his, if not already damaged, poverted looking face. He panted like a dog before he gave me two letters, one from my boss, the other fro the other claimed killer himself. A sly smile formed on my lips as I gestured a seat for the boy and fixed up a warm drink.

 

I came back and handed the boy the warm drink beofre I sat near the brightest light in the house and read the letter from my boss.

 

***

 

The boy had fallen asleep on my couch, the empty glass dangling from his hand which was outreached from the couch. I had just started reading the other killer's letter when I decided to cover the boy. The letter which laid on my desk called to me like my knife.

 

Dear Ripper,

I have heard so much rumors about you, how you are like me, but know my dear fellow killer, we are naught alike. You know very well how, so I will not go into details, but know. There can only be one famous killer in London and it will not be you. But here is what I most definitly agree with you, women do indeed need to be punished, children as well for they start to grow just like them, I hope soon we shall meet but not tonight nor the next, we are both far too busy for each other to set a date.

 

Yours truly,

 

Shadowman.

 

I placed the letter down on my desk tempting to burn it but, I was stopped by a train of thought, to use to this letter as to my advantage towards the coppers, to capture the Shadowman as they so desparetly want to catch me, although, it will give me great pleasure to not turn him, but to kill him myself.

 

A smile formed on my lips, and a slight twinkle in my eyes. Soon we shall meet, soon we shall meet. I leaned over to blow out the remaining burning candle before I retired.

 

***

 

The break for fast was to be held at the investigator's home. The boy came along, before he left, he promised to say naught but a word about me. David, Lucy, and the boy were the only ones who knew about me and knew what I can do if they dare to turn me in.

 

We had had just finished our meal when Copper Graeme appeared. All heads turned to the copper as he took his coat off nad hung it up on the coat rack that stood at the side of the door.

 

"Ah, Copper Graeme, so nice of you to join us this fine morning, you care for some food to fill your possible famished stomach?" Fenwick asked setting his tea back in it's plate.

 

"I must refuse sir for I have eaten before the hour of coming, now as soon as we can get started, I have indeed some friends who have claimed they spotted our Shadowman." The Copper said placing his hands behind his back as he stood where the boy was seated, eating like a wild boar.

 

"Excellent work Copper, please, have something to drink and we will get started." Fenwick said, he called upon a servant for a drink.

 

***

 

A young woman with black hair emeraged from the room with a try filled with both tea and whiskey. She gave tea to Fenwick, the boy, and Lucy, warm milk for the baby, and the whiskey for the other men.

 

When she came towards me, she stopped and stared, as if she had seen me before in her nightmares. She leaned in closer not realizing yet the whiskey on the try slipped and fell upon my lap. A crash was heard when the glass collided with the hard ground.

 

"Evangeline! Could you not be any less clumsy? By god, no wonder your father sent you here to learn the fine arts of ladyship, you have the movements of a common pig." Fenwick scold the lady as she used a wet clothe to clean my lap, where the moister of the liquiod laid the most was near my crotch, she was a very attractive woman, I stopped her and took the clothe from her to wipe the liquiod off my crotch.

 

Evangeline went down on her knees and picked up the pieces of glass carefully with her apron. Once she was finished, she bowed low and ran to the kitchen to give me my drink.

 

When she came back, I thanked her with a nod and Fenwick smiled, a reward the red-haired servant was grateful for. "Now, let us get started" Fenwick started as I laid back on my seat, thinking not but of the woman.

***

 

"I know what you are picturing in your mind sir," Vincent said, taking me aback, I had naught heard in come in the room! "You are thinking about that woman, Evangeline."

Wow, I was in denfinate, surprised that a painter with anxiety such was Vincent van Gough would know such things. He smiled at me knowingly before he took a few steps closer. He picked up a silvery glass piece of a goblet and examined it as if it were something extraordinary.

 

"You should talk to her, might be interested." He said, leaving the room, the goblet exactly where he left it. I looked down at my own reflection where the goblet stood, capturing my reflection. Was he right? Could she be interested...no. She couldn't. Could she?

 

***

 

Days have turned into weeks, tonight was the night. It was time for me to introduce myself to this, Shadowman. I finished dressing myself, at last I placed on my coat, my hat on my head, and my favorite knife in my pocket waistband beofre I headed out of my house and out into the streets of London in search for the killer.

 

I looked at the letter once more in my hand and looked closely at the writings of the killer. It was a bit more danty, more feminine than the writings as compared to my boss. A small smile formed on my lips as I thought, "well Shadowman, here we are, about to meet face to face".

 

I ventured out of the door and down the dim-lighted streets of London. I passed the Scotland Yard department and pass White Chapel where I do my infamous killings. The time has come, I leaned against the nearest tree, the shadows hiding my figure in the best of ways.

 

"So, you are him," The voice sounded gruff but one could clearly hear the feminine in it. "You are the infamous Ripper they try so hard to find."

 

I turn my head to face where the Shadowman/woman was standing, his/her hands deep within the pockets of the black coat. My cloack had always been on the brown side but it was indeed dark enough to blend in with the shadows.

 

"Indeed I am, and I plan on keeping them in this goose-chase as they all state. You must be the Shadowman or Shadowwoman." I smirked, clearly I had guessed her gender right for her foot began to tap nervously.

 

***

 

"You...how, could have you known? I had been able to keep myself a secret..." She started but I stopped her by stepping out of the shadows and the woods.

 

"Up until now. But it 'twas naught but a huge mystery, your hand-writing in your letter given to me