Noirlathotep: Tales of Lovecraftian Crime by Paul Brian McCoy

Author:Paul Brian McCoy [McCoy, Paul Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cthulhu Mythos, Noir, Detective, Anthology (multiple authors)
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-04-28T04:00:00+00:00

In the Shadow of Reality

by

Dan Johnson

A cold October rain fell as Detective Geoff Wilheimer climbed the stone steps of the posh Providence Estates home that was now a crime scene. Uniformed officers searched the slick, muddy grounds surrounding the property as neighbors peeked out their windows, trying to find out what was going on.

Wilheimer nodded at Michaels, one of the patrolmen who stood watch at the front entrance, and the two proceeded down a hallway on the first floor.

“When did you hear about this one?” Wilheimer asked as he and the officer approached the living room at the end of the hallway.

“Call came in around 6:45,” Michaels said, holding up the police tape across the door. “My partner and I got report of a disturbance and came straight over. Neighbors had heard shouting coming from the victim’s house; we were en route when shots were fired.”

They walked into the living room, which showed signs of a recent struggle. There was a huge dent in the wall, apparently where someone had been thrown against it. The detective reasoned it must have been the murderer, as the victim had no signs of the displaced plaster on him. The victim did have two bullet holes in him, one in the chest and one in the shoulder. He was dressed in a bathrobe and boxers. On his coffee table was a TV dinner that was half eaten.

Wilheimer noted the distance from the dent in the wall to where the victim fell. “You said the shots were fired en route?”

“Yes, sir. We got the follow-up call three minutes after the initial one came in.”

“Looks like the victim was settling in for the evening.”

“Could he have caught someone breaking in?” asked Michaels, stepping aside so a member of the CSI team could get to the body. “We haven’t seen any signs of forced entry.”

The detective examined the door for himself. “He was arguing with whoever shot him...That tells me he knew his attacker well enough to let things heat up for a few minutes before someone complained and the gun was finally drawn.”

Wilheimer turned to Michaels and motioned to the dead man. “Have you ID’d the victim yet?”

Michaels nodded as he took out a notepad. “Yes, sir. The victim was Professor Darwyn Clement. He worked at Arkham College in their anthropology department.”

Wilheimer turned as he heard commotion out in the hallway. He stepped out and saw Michaels’ partner, Delanie, trying to keep a visibly distressed woman from entering the house, and not having much luck.

“I must see him,” the woman said through muffled sobs. “I have… have to see Darwyn, please!”

Wilheimer tapped Delanie on the shoulder and the policeman stepped aside. The detective stood in front of the woman to keep her from going further down the hallway and seeing the body.

“Miss,” he began, “I’m Detective Wilheimer. I’m afraid…”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” The woman asked as she looked in Wilheimer’s eyes. “Darwyn is… gone…”

Wilheimer didn’t say anything. The woman broke down, no longer able to stifle her sobbing as she fell into the detective’s arms.

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