BURDEN OF AN ANCIENT OATH by Joshua Brown (early reader books TXT) 📕

turning to the door where Gwen and Aaron returned again, police officers following close behind.

“And what about when she gets older? Now, she knows that her heritage is in witchcraft, and she can study the ways of the wicked. No, Jack, I can’t let it be so. As my forefather’s before me, I fight to ensure their kind does not continue. And if it means taking a life, then so be it.”

The Witchfinder rose to his feet, mumbling something in a language I didn’t understand. I guessed it was some ritualistic bullshit and knew that my window to save the girl’s life was closing. Swallowing hard, I aimed for his right leg, the shin to be precise, and fired a single bullet into it.

The girl tumbled to the ground, but so did the Witchfinder. He screamed out in agony as the blade struck the floor. The vile of blood shattering across the floor. The police rushed him, pulling the girl aside and getting the Witchfinder restrained.

He fought them at first, trying to get to the knife.

“Do you know what hell you’ve unleashed?” he roared, eyeing the red liquid. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

He screamed it from the top of his lungs until he was in custody.

I collapsed to the floor while Gwen and Aaron rushed to my side.

It was finally over.

Chapter 28

Jack

There was no joyous celebration as we often held after a completed case. I sat alone in my office, looking over the case file, remembering all that we went through to get to this point. If we were a little quicker, if we were better prepared, we could’ve saved the Williamson family too.

I supposed everyone felt the same way as I, no one bothering to crack open a bottle of champagne on our success. It took the lives of good people to bring an end to the horrors of the Witchfinder General.

A man named Marty Robinson, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Shortly after his arrest, searching his home, the police found Tony Robinson and his wife, Merideth, dead in the basement among the various items Marty used as the Witchfinder General. Their bodies were decomposed to the point of little more than skeletal remains when the police arrived. From a handbook among his possessions, the police learned that this was all part of a tradition. When one Witchfinder passed the torch to the next, they had to sacrifice themselves in the name of God.

I didn’t pretend to understand it, and I wanted nothing to do with it. At least I knew it would end with Marty Robinson. He had no children, no family beyond the dead parents, and no one else to carry the torch of his twisted beliefs.

After finishing my final report on the matter, I closed the manila folder, eyeing the empty place where a name would go.

I picked up a black ink marker and penned the name of the case:

The Witchfinder’s Woes.

As I pulled the pen off the folder, I saw her standing there. Gwen Sullivan, with crossed arms, leaning against my doorframe. The days following the events that happened that evening, she was pretty beaten up, not being able to help Spencer Williamson and his family.

“Well, Jack, I guess it’s time I hit the old dusty trail,” she said, eyeing the marker in my hand.

“You know you don’t have to do that, right?” I replied.

“We all knew what this was,” she forced a smile to her lips.

“But it doesn’t have to be,” I shook my head. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, we make a pretty good team.”

Gwen walked into my office, stopping at the liquor cabinet and pulling out a bottle of Macallan 18 and two glasses. She poured us both a drink, then brought mine over to me and set it down.

“Let’s just enjoy the time we had together,” she said, lifting her glass to mine. I clinked glasses with her, taking a sip. “It seems you’re running a pretty tight ship here. And you’ve got your partner. I’d just be a third wheel.”

“Well, I guess you’ve got a point there. The kid is chaulking up to be a pretty good detective, I’ve gotta admit,” I tried hiding the sting of her not accepting my offer, however small it was, to join the firm. But deep down, I knew she’d never go with it.

I was just hoping to have her back by my side.

Gwen finished her glass of whiskey, and I followed her to the door, her hand in mine. We walked through the hallways in silence, went down the elevator, and out into the busy New York street.

“You know you can call me if you ever need me, right?” I asked, pulling her into a hug.

Gwen accepted, holding me tightly.

“I know. The same goes for you, Jack. Don’t be a stranger, alright?” breaking the hug, Gwen drew her car keys from her handbag. I watched as she walked across the street, getting into her vehicle, and with a wave of her hand, drove off.

I stood out there for a while. Even in the street full of people, I felt alone. Though the Mercer Detective Agency managed to bag another victory, it came at a significant cost. One that I’d never forget.

But as I returned to the office, with Lauren and Aaron’s smiling faces, chatting and making jokes to relieve the tension in the office, I felt an odd comfort. They were my family, and together, we conquered all hardships that were put in front of us.

It was now once more into the great abyss with only dreams of making the world a better place.

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