The Unmarked Case Files

This might be my last short story in a while. i didnt finsh it if you want a part 2

Chapter 1

A Job To Do

Nick Smith was never given the chance to show his true skill of being a detective but had the potential. Nick graduated and was now planning to look for job opportunities to start his dream of being a proper detective and get a chance to finally show his worth.

When Nick arrived at home, he decided to look for a job and decided to use his

laptop to search for one. While searching for employment, Nick takes a job as a part-time assistant at the local library, without a college degree or any work experience, this

was his best bet. Nick was home for the summer and had some time on his hands, so he decided to use the downtime reading old case files, crime novels, and solving puzzles. One day while looking for a book to read, he stumbled upon a dusty, forgotten police file from 1985 marked "Unsolved - Sycamore Lane Disappearance."

Nick was puzzled, seeing this file on the shelf yellowed by the age of it, He found himself intrigued and angered. The fact that somebody had been missing for nearly 41 years, in his own hometown made him determined to try and solve this now forgotten case. He went to ask about the case file if the elderly librarian knew anything about it. Mrs Jesse was her name. She was old but sharp like a military dagger and she was strong minded.

“Good afternoon, Mrs Jesse.’

Nick said with a smile and the police case file in his hand, ”Oh, afternoon Nick do you need anything?” Nick handed her the case file, his face dead serious as he gave it. ’The unsolved disappearance huh. I knew Rachel Caldwell, the girl that was never found, I was family with her. She and I were close and she even visited me quite often.” Mrs Jesse said this with a somewhat sad voice. “And... You see, this girl, she was my granddaughter." she continued with a sad look on her face, flipping through the file pages.

"I still miss that sweet girl. Why did some bastard have to kill her, why not me she had so much going for her life and so much she could have done.”

“Dont say that Mrs Jesse I will do Whatever it takes to finally solve this case, you have my word.” Nick Said with a determined look in his eyes and a voice above a whisper.

Nick went home that day ready for whatever was going to happen and had a plan.

When Nick got home he was greeted by his mother then went upstairs to his room, Nick decided to wait for his older sister to come home and ask her to help him. Emma Smith was her name, a journalism student home for the summer and working for the local paper. She’s somewhat experienced, skeptical, and has access to archived records. As Nick went to his sister's room next to his, he asked her if she could help him with this case.

“Hey Nickie, how's it going? ” she said, not even giving him a look, clearly too busy on her Phone. “Check this out, I found this old file case by the library.” Finally looking away from her computer to look at the file. “Okay I see, have any photocopies.”

‘Yeah here's some pictures I printed for you.’ Nick gave her the photocopies of the girl and the information he printed. “Try and see if you can find anything. I need to go and talk with someone by the library who knows Rachel.”

"You're telling me a teenage girl disappeared, and no one followed up?" she asked, flipping through the photocopied pages.

"Exactly. The case was shelved. The family moved. And the last person to investigate it? A now-retired officer named Harris who was her brother. then became a detective and then... nothing." Emma’s eyes narrowed. “We’re digging.”

Meanwhile, Nick visited the only person who knew Rachel personally — Mrs. Jesse, the elderly librarian and he needed more info from her.

She and Nick were close and known each other for a while now. Mrs. Jesse was sipping some tea by the counter.Mrs Jesse“One day she checked out a book and never returned. Her favorite author was Chris James.”

Nick checked the Christ James section. A copy of The Body in the Library still had Rachel’s old checkout card in it. Between the pages, he found something strange, a note and it read.

“If something happens to me, look in the place where the map ends.”

A riddle. Nick said to himself thinking of what she might mean. He went back to Mrs Jesse to ask her if she knew anything about this note.

“Yes, the last time she was here was when she finished that book, she wrote something in her diary and then stopped almost like she knew this was going to happen.” Mrs Jesse said. “Diary? Do you still have it, if so can we use it please for the investigation.’

‘Okay, fine then I will bring it tomorrow if you need it so bad.” As Nick walked back home his phone rang, it was his sister. “Nick, I might know someone to help us in this case, something.Come home and lets talk” Emma said her voice and somewhat happy voice that he didn't hear often. ‘I'm on my way, Emmie!’ Nick said with a smile. Nick rushed home, having an idea of who she might be thinking of.

‘Calvin Jones?”

Chapter 2

A Threat

Calvin "Cal" Jones , a tech-savvy and Nick's high school friend who’s working at a phone repair shop.

Sometimes he digs into old phone records, security footage, and digital networks. Nick and Cal worked on the archives Emma gave the two of them. Calvin was shocked to see how long the case was shelved and asked Nick why he was doing this. He answered.

“To me, it's strange how her brother didn't even try to investigate and just shelved it. So I need to do this. I know I'm young and don't have any experience but I don't care.”

“It is not right to leave something like this in the air for so long. Calvin looked at Nick with a surprised look and said.”

“Bro.. You're really brave, unlike me, you actually care about other peoples lives huh.” Calvin said with a nervous smile.

“Yeah..” Nick said seriously.

After a few days of Calvin and Nick working together with the archives Emma left for them, after Emma decided to take a break and enjoy her summer break.

One day, Calvin took the diary entries and the archives and cross-referenced them. Then Calvin found something.. Calvin and Nick were now working in his house and searching for the map.

“Okay, Nick, look at this. After I cross-referenced Rachel’s diary entries from Emma’s archives I found this. As Nick turned to look, he saw a text from an unknown number on his phone. “Hm. Y-yeah what did yo-” Nick stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the message that was sent.

“I know who you are and what you're doing. I say you stop before your next..”

Nick stood there frozen and scared, his emerald green eyes wide. “ Nick? Are you alright?’ Calvin asked, confused.

As Nick snapped back to reality he gave Calvin a worried look. “Nick, what's wrong, you feeling okay?” Nick slowly walked to him and showed him the message. “ what the hell.. Could that be the killer?” Calvin asked, confused and scared. “It is.. The killer himself, and it's not a woman it can't be.” Nick said coldly with a serious face. “L-listen, Nick I don't want to risk my life for this old police case file. Maybe we should, you know... stop.” Calvin had a shaky voice. “ Calvin, you know, we're the only people who can solve this. We have the information that we need and the place we need to go. Why stop now when we came so far?”

‘Oh my gosh, why did you choose to take this case” Calvin asked "because I'm so close, I can feel it.”

A day passed and Nick decided to get back in touch with Mrs Jesse again to ask if she knew Rachel's Brother.

‘Good evening Mrs Jesse I hope this message finds you well. My partner and I have made progress and hope you know where her brother is. The retired detective.

Soon after, she replied and said, “Evening Nick, yes I do, he retired 4 years ago and now is living a normal life, why?

‘Oh I see, can you contact him and ask if he can come to Sycamore Lane to come and see me, please.”

“Oh.. Okay then. Why? Do you suspect him?

“Maybe..” Nick said before ending the chat.

After the chat Calvin went home, scared if someone was watching him. Nick stood up and left the house to go to the location the map starts. As he walked in the damp wet soil looking around the deep forest if there was anything or any clues, something he could find to bring him closer to know who it was. Nick's mind raced with thoughts where she could have been buried, what if it was a dead end, if he should even be here.

After some time of looking where the map said to look he found this somewhat old and yawn out old house in the middle of a deep forest that looked extremely eerie. With the moonlight the only light source and a flashlight he brought with. With the little willpower he had left, decided to walk to the house to see what was inside it.

As Nick walked through the abandoned house, there he saw a door with holes and cuts on it. He opened the door but before he fully opened it he heard outside the house footsteps on the wooden floor. He rushed to hide behind a big bed, a broken and dirty window in the room shining some light from the moon. As the steps moved around the house, the steps moved away. Nick stood up to wipe the dust off his jeans and asked himself confused and somewhat scared. “ who the hell is walking around in a place like this in the middle of the night. Actually I should ask myself that question." With that he quickly ran outside the house with the moon on full display, with all his might he ran out the forest before something actually bad happened.

A day past after that day he asked himself who could that have been, the killer who was following him? He was sitting at the edge of his bed thinking of the time he was there and any clues he could piece together and the message he got.

His mother called him downstairs. “ You have a visitor who came to see you.”

As he checked, it was Rachel's brother standing in the living room with casual clothing on and grey hair showing. “ Oh my.. Good afternoon sir, I'm sorry to have bothered you. I just have a problem if you could just help me.” Nick asked kindly with a smile.

“ Yeah I know, Mrs Jesse told me what was going on.. And aren't you a bit young to be doing such an old and big police case that not even I could do.” Nick stood firm ready to say the words that needed to be said. “ I understand you're now retired but when you were given this case did you even try to find the killer of your own sister?” Mr Harris' eyes narrowed as he gleamed at Nick with an intense look and then said.

“Watch your mouth kid, she was my sister but I was given a group to work with and it was a long time ago I can't stop some things from happening.” As the two of them talked, the atmosphere between them was intense but then Nick's mother asked if Mr Harris would like some tea, to which he agreed. “Please Mr Harris can you help me with this. I know I can do it, I just need your help. “ As Harris sipped his tea slowly and put it back on the tea table to say. “ Listen kid, I'm retired and I don't believe a 19 year old can do such a big task with what you have on your hands… but hell I got nothing really to do for this summer I guess I will help you.”

With that Nick had confined Mr Harris to help him with the case with 4 total people working with him he believed he could do the impossible.

Nick was still suspicious of Harris of why he didn't truly help the case and who was messaging him but as time goes he will find who did it and where racheal is.

“Okay, Mr Harris I found this old place in the forest but it's too dangerous for me to go alone. Can you go with me if you have any weapons or anything to protect us?” Harris looked at Nick and nodded his head.

Nick and Harris were now on their way to the old abandoned house and were armed in case anything or anyone dangerous came to attack them.

As Nick and Harris walked Nick was worried if he was next to the killer or if the killer was following them and if Harris is really who he says he is.

As the old house came into view Harris asked “Is this the place, kid?”

“Yeah, that's the place. Last time I was here I heard footsteps and then ran away because I had nothing to defend myself.?

As they moved inside the house they began searching for any clues or if the killer or that man was still there. As they walked to the room Nick was in, Nick took out his pocket knife Harris gave him, as they looked around Harris saw a trapdoor on the ceiling.

“Nick, I found something.. It looks like a trapdoor.” Before they could open it they heard a loud bang by the back door of the house and someone running to the room. “ Harris! Someone's coming quickly. We need to go crap. It's the only window we can go through.” Before Harris could speak they heard a voice shout by the door. “I WARNED YOU NICK BUT YOU DIDNT LISTEN NOW IM GOING TO FRICKING SHOT YOUR BRAINS OUT!”

The man was now banging the door and trying to get in. Nick and Harris quickly broke the window and rushed out, then ran out as they were running they heard loud boots stomping the soil behind them as Nick turned to look it was the killer himself with a white clown mask with a m4 pistol in his hand. As they ran faster a shot ran past Harris and then past his leg as they ran as fast as the wind could take them they finally made it to the Sycamore Lane road they looked back to see if the man was still following them luckily they saw no one.

Harris gave Nick a look then processed to say. “What the hell was that we almost died because of you chasing this guy I can guess that was him. Harris said angry and a hint of fear in his voice.

As Nick and Harris went back to Nick's house to call the police. Nick was now stuck in thought thinking if that guy was keeping something inside the house or someone. “ Nick there's something I didn't tell you, I think that was the same person who threatened me when i was investigating the same case you are now thats the real reason i was scared to lose my life doing this case but you have something I don't and that is sure fricking will and that is impressive to me.”

As Nick heard this he looked at him and felt proud and happy but still had to finish the task. “ I'm young, I don't have a Wife and kids. I need to go back home but at least have some willpower, you don't just give up when things are hard, you can't just quit.” Nick said with a glee, looking to Harris for a reaction but then Harris walked further away and took out his phone to call the police.” Hello, yes we almost died, me and my… friend . Can you please come to Sycamore Lane road please? We have a murderer in the forest that tried to kill us.” With that Harris ended the call then looked at Nick to say. “Im more experienced and more skilled than you and have way more years in this detective field so don't think that now that you can just go bossing around a 56 year old man around.” With that Nick stood still with his pride half gone.

A few hours passed and the police came to see what had happened. As they explained what had happened Nick, Harrris and two police officers went to the house, one officer explained. “ There was this serial killer that we have been looking for for many years who killed many teenagers and adults. I heard you took this police case on with your sister and a friend,

yeah. But I see your good in this. Maybe you can come and help us around the office if you want. I can arrange a wage for you with my boss if you want to.”

Nick was walking as the officer was talking and considered the idea of working as a detective to show really how good he was. “I would love that.”

The officer looked pleased and nodded his head to the other officer.

The house was now in sight and they slowly moved in the house they banged the door open to see no one. Then they moved to the room Nick and Harris were in. The same trap door on the ceiling they looked at and saw it, one officer opened the trapdoor to see bones and an old rusted keychain.

“ oh my gosh, wait is that Rachel… Caldwell." Nick said disguised and suppressed. That was the body that was moved and was in this trapdoor of this old house, all the years of being in this old house and her body was now just mere bone and dust. As the officer outside was looking to see if anyone was going to come he heard running and gunshots flying.

When Nick and Harris came outside they saw the same man, shooting. They took cover the two officers returning fire as one shot landed on Nick's waist, Nick screamed in pain his arm gushing blood as he covered the open shot wound with the palm of his hand. As one of the officers landed a shot on the killer. The two officers ran after the killer before he could run away. The killer was now lying on the muddy ground with the two officers now looking down on him. They put him in handcuffs and then recovered the body. Nick was sent to the hospital for the damage to his waist.

Chapter 3

The new case

Nick was now recovering in the hospital after what had happened in the old house.

After Nick was in the quiet hospital room the silence was interrupted by his mother and sister who came to see if he was alright.

"Nick, oh thank goddess you're okay my boy.” As his mother came closer to embrace him his sister said. “Are you happy you finally found the murder, huh?”

Nick looked at Emma with a frown, realising how he ended up here.

“ Well I guess all good things come with a cost.”

Emma looked at Nick with sorry eyes then decided to say. “Oh Nick, I told you we should stop before one of us gets hurt. You really just don't give in to that.”

Nick held his waist covered in cloth and bandages as his mother stood next to him listening to the two of them.

“Thank you sis.. You know for the help and stuff I know you had to step away because of the danger and everything but thank you for helping me with the archives and Rachel's diary.” Nick said with soft tears in his eyes trying to hold them back.

“Nick, don't cry, you did good by doing something so hard. Remember Nick, you are the reason this case was solved, me and Calvin are happy that you and Mr Harris could find the bastard.”

Nick sat at the edge of the bed telling himself he had done the impossible.

“Emmie you're the best sister I could have ever asked for.”

Nick's mother, “Martha” smiled at Nick as Emma hugged him. Nick was now happy and motivated. As the hours passed his sister and mother left he was now alone again to his own thoughts. As a few hours passed Nick was awakened by the two police officers who were with him by the old house.” Hello Nick I hope you're fine after what happened. Sorry we allowed you to get hurt.” officer Jimmy said as he looked at Nick with a look of guilt.

“It's okay officer Jimmy, I know you just tried your best, thank you for helping me put the killer down.” Nick looked at officer Jimmy and asked. “So, I wanted to know who was the killer after all.” Officer Jimmy looked down, tightening his fists. “The bastard was probably living there or somewhere else but he is the serial killer that was responsible for many teens' deaths and some adults.”

“I see so I guess I did Sycamore lane justice for doing this, huh.” Nick said with a painful smile. “Yes you did and im here to give you a job since I heard you wanted to be a detective. But since you're young and inexperienced,that's why I offered you that so you can get some experience and some much needed attraction.”

Nick looked at Officer Jimmy with a big smile.”Thank you, for this I won't let you down.”

With that officer Jimmy smiled and said nothing before leaving him alone in the ward.