Diary of a Detective

Burgeoning

7/12/1997 8.05am Henrique's house

The small group of officers behold the gruesome scene of Henrique, the new town (ex-)blacksmith, slumped in his workbench, head bashed in with his metalworking hammer that lay bloodied on the floor behind. A total of 16 blunt trauma impacts. The group of officers are thinning day by day, as more and more shirk their duties for the safety of their locked homes, fearful to even leave. The five officers on scene gape at the body, mortified. Hanna had a feeling not many would return tomorrow. She worries. For Tejas. For herself. She sweats nervously.

7/12/1997 8.19pm

I'm losing my whole bloody mind. The sleep. The nightmare. Now I can't even find my own things. I lost my house keys, and I was all ready to shoot open my window just to get in when I realised my own officer's pistol was gone too. I had to trouble the village locksmith Julian just to open my door. I'm losing my whole bloody mind.

Earlier today Hanna called. She thinks she's got a lead on Matvei, Henrique's other neighbour. Apparently they had a spat over some sculpture Henrique made. She might as well drop the act - I'm all ready to give up on this case and just off myself. I'm losing my whole bloody mind.