The Shadows of The Devil's Tragedy

Two

The next day, Matt's telephone rang. He stood up, placing his book down, and raised the arm of his record player to silence the jazz record that he had been listening to before answering the phone.

"Hello?" He asked.

"This is Detective Hartwell. I'd like to talk to you about the latest victim. Detective Blake is going to talk to your friend, if she'll allow it."

"That would be fine. When'd ya like to meet, Detective? I'm available now."

"Well, would it be alright if I came by to your house so we can talk privately?" The Detective replied.

"'course. If you have a pen on hand, I can give my address to you now."

"Thank you."

~~~

The telephone rung and Amelia groaned loudly, shoving her face in her pillow, attempting to drown out the irritating ringing until it stopped. She sighed in relief and almost fell asleep again until the phone began ringing again.

She cursed loudly and forced herself out of bed, trudging to the living room to answer the call, noting the midday light streaming in the windows. She'd slept late.

"What?" She spoke rudely. She was groggy, and tired, and did not have the patience for someone who had interrupted her sleep. She was a seriously considering yelling a short 'fuck off', down the line and slamming the phone down, though she was glad she hadn't when the slightly familiar deep voice came from the other end.

"Miss Channing?" The voice on the other end began. "This is Detective Blake."

A cheeky grin made its way onto her face as she twirled the telephone cord around her finger. Her mood had immediately brightened, her stomach fluttering slightly. "Hello, Detective. Decided ta buy me a drink?"

"Close," Blake agreed dryly. "I'd like to speak to you about the victim, if that's alright with you?"

Amelia grinned. "Of course, sir. Let me just give ya my address."

She gave him her address and there was a pause as he wrote it down.

"I'll be there in about a half hour, Miss."

Amelia nodded, biting her lip. "See you then, detective."

She quickly ran to her bathroom and brushed her teeth before throwing on a pair of leather pants, a plain white top, and a leather jacket, winking at herself in the mirror before making her way to the living room to wait for Detective Blake.

~~~

Matthew was sitting at his desk, clacking away on his typewriter, when there was a polite, rapid knock on his door. He stood, and walked towards it, brushing off his usual suit off before opening it. Detective Hartwell was standing there.

"Hello." He said politely.

"Detective. Wasn' expecting you." Matt's lip quirked up in a sort of smirk, before he spoke again. "May I invite you inta my humble abode? Please, come in. Livin' room's just in 'ere."

"Thank you, Matthew." Hartwell smiled, giving Matt a polite nod.

"Ah, friends' call me Matt. Please, why don't you as well? By the way, didn' I miss your firs' name?"

"It's Miles. Anyway, Matt, well, I need to ask you some questions." The detective sat on Matt's couch, and Matt sat too.

"Did you know the ladies who were killed - Martha and Ellen?"

"Hard not to know someone, this part of town. Yeah, I'd 'eard of 'em. Ma died, and their Pa, too. Left 'em alone. Seen 'em round town. Didn't know 'em personally." Matthew said. He noticed the detective's eyes sweeping the room, and then looking him up and down, eyes lingering on Matt's lips, and then gazing at him for a second more than the naturally friendly amount of time. Matt spoke again. "Any more questions, Detective? And can I get ya anythin'? A drink, perhaps?"