CHAPTER 163 Suspects
Jack
After instructing emergency services to bag the deputy lying on the side of the road leading. to
Hignd Oaks, I entered the residential area with all the deputies I had at my disposal. We needed to
check its residents, evacuate if necessary, and take down the suspects.
There was only one way in or out and that was through the gates. But ording to the victims, the
suspects appeared from inside Hignd Oaks. It was a possibility they got in by climbing the wall. And
if indeed they were already gone, they must have exited the same
way.
If this were me, I’d leave at the first sight of shing lights.
pe was their
Judging from the carnage, the suspects knew they would be killed on sight. Escape only way of
surviving. They must be gone.
I pulled out my phone and called the station. “I need checkpoints at all the entrances and exits in town.
Suspects are wearing skater punk outfits and may be on drugs. Be advised. They are armed and
dangerous.”
The witness I interrogated when I arrived at the scene said the shooters were wearing animal
Halloween masks. He said there were maybe six to ten of them, he wasn’t sure. They all appeared
from inside Hignd Oaks with guns in their hands. Judging by their outfits, he said they looked like
skater punks, wearing muscle shirts, baggy paints and sneakers.
“They said they wanted to y ‘Hide and Seek. They told us they would give us twenty seconds to hide
and if they found us, they would kill us. We all thought it was a joke at first, but when they started
shooting at the guards and the deputies, we all made a run for it. inside Hignd Oaks,” he said. “We
tried banging on the doors of the residents inside, but they wouldn’t let us in.”
“Do you remember the masks they were wearing?” I asked.
“Let me see… One had a gori mask on. Another had a werewolf mask on. Then, there was one with
a nasty pig head mask, one with a crazy rat mask, a creepy goat mask, a horse mask, and a dog mask.
I think there was one with a bird mask on, but I can’t remember. All I remember is they had really
animal masks on.”
“You’re shivering and look all wet,” I said, noticing the water dripping from his clothes.
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CHAPTER 163 Suspects
“I hid in one of the pools. It was the only way I could hide without anyone giving my location away. The
women just kept screaming. There was a group hidden in a toy house about several feet away from
where I was. This one woman, who was with them, couldn’t stop crying. The one wearing the werewolf
mask found them and killed all of them. There was nothing I could do,” he said regretfully, his eyes
downcast. “If I had only brought my gun with me, I would have probably saved a life or two in there. But
it was no use. They knew where to find us. Good thing the power went off It bought the others some
time to find a good hiding spot.”
“The power went out?” I asked. When I arrived the power was on. I did notice the streetlights were out
on my way here, but those things happen.
“Yeah, about a good fifteen minutes maybe twenty. I’m not sure. Anyway, the ba stards had trouble
finding their way in the dark,” he said. “I don’t know if this is helpful, but they seemed utterly happy
when they shot a person dead. It was like they were high or something.”
“And how did you know it was safe toe out?” I asked.
“I saw the lights from a car. Then, I saw the people hiding in the nearby tree climb down and make a
run for it. I decided it was better if I ran out with them. For cover,” he stated, then his eyes widened in
embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Jack. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just, you know, my survival instincts
kicking in. I hope you won’t take it the wrong way.”
“I understand. No need to be embarrassed. You’ve been really helpful, Greg,” I said, ending the
interrogation. “I think you should change out of those wet clothes and get something warm to drink
before you catch a cold.”
When I saw Liame out through the gates that was the only time I noticed his ck BMW parked
off on the side of the road. I had a sinking feeling he was the mastermind of
this mess.
And I was right. He hired a bunch of doped out gan gba ngers to cause mayhem. What I didn’t
understand was why they had to kill all these people?
But Liam wasn’t sure there would be a mob here… only untilte in the evening. If that were the case,
what were his original ns?
To kill the residents? I doubted it. Kill Norma, Ford and Thomas? It was highly possible.
“Guns out,” I instructed the deputies as we passed through the gates. “We are looking for
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porns wearing animal Halloween masks.”
11:17 Fri, Apr 5
CHAPTER 163 Suspects
“Jack, here’s one,” a deputy named Frank said, pointing to a dead body in the middle of the entrance.
“And there’s another.” He pointed to a dead body in front of me. This one was
my wearing a crazy rat mask. I holstered my gun and took out a pair oftex gloves from pocket.
“I want you guys to knock on the doors of the houses and see to it the people inside our safe,” I
instructed the others.
I crouched down to check for a pulse. He was dead. There was a gaping wound in his back.
“This one was shot in the back,” I said. “What about that one, Frank?” He bent down to take a
look.
“Same. Hole in the back,” he answered.
“What mask is he wearing?” I asked. Frank turned his head and shifted his position to get a
look without moving the dead body.
“Scary horse mask, Undersheriff,” he replied.
“Jack, here’s another,” a deputy named William said. He was standing beneath a huge oak
tree beside the road. This used to be a ce where old oak trees thrived. The contractor cut
them down leaving a few for aesthetic reasons.
I walked over and saw a big a ss hole where his heart was. Looked long range and big caliber. S niper?
“He’s the one with the gori mask,” I said. “We got three dead. Greg said he saw maybe six
to ten of them. That means there are more we need to find.”
I decided to go left and check near Norma Martin’s house. They were Liam’s intended target, so there
must be a couple of perps lurking there
Unlike the area near the gates, this ce was clean of carnage. My guess… because it was further
away from the gates. I saw Norma Martin’s house and several vehicles parked in front of it. All the
lights in her house were turned on, so I decided to take a look.
“You guys make sure there aren’t any bodies at the end,” I instructed the deputies. “I’m going to check
here. The mob was here because of the Martins. They could probably be the reason. why there were
shooters here in the first ce.
I rang the doorbell. No answer. I knocked.
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CHAPTER 163 Suspects
To my surprise, the door swung open.
“Norma! Ford! This is Undersheriff Jack Emery,” I yelled out. Nothing. I decided to walk in
and check.
The ce looked like it was searched. Everything was in disarray. I also noticed the pillows on the
couch had bullet holes and the paintings on the walls were shed with knives.
The kitchen was the same… all a mess. Cabs and drawers were open, broken tes, sses and
mugs on the floor. These as sholes were instructed to find something.
It must have something to do with the pharmacy. I remembered Liam talking about a deed of sale with
Link earlier. That must be it.
I went upstairs and found the bedrooms all cluttered. The master bedroom was the worst. Norma’s
walk-in closet was all one big mess.
I noticed Norma’s jewelry box was empty and her safe was open. I moved the door to take a look and
saw the safe was empty. Not only were these guys murderers, they were thieves as
well.
I heard someone calling me from outside. From the window of Norma’s bedroom, I saw
William waving at me toe down. They found something.
I quickly went outside, hoping they caught one.
“Undersheriff, there are two bodies at the end. One with a dog mask and the other in a bird. mask.
Bullet in the back of their heads. We found this near one of the bodies.” In his gloved hand was a
smartphone.
I took a stic bag from my pocket to secure the phone. It was evidence.
“That’s five. If we’re lucky we only need to look for one more, but I highly doubt there were only six of
them,” I said. “Let’s go to the other end, near the old McDowell residence.”
Now this end had a lot of dead bodies sc at tered on the pavement. The houses here had bushes and
trees and their backyards had sheds or guesthouses. Plus, this area was closer to the gate.
As we walked, I saw a door open at one of the houses and ady came out. It was Dr.
Hughes.
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CHAPTER 163 Suspects
I gestured to the deputies to continue their search while I spoke to the good doctor.
“Dr. Hughes, it’s best if you go back inside where it’s safe unless you feel it’s better if you evacuate.
We’re still looking for several shooters,
“How could this have happened, Jack? This is a peaceful neighborhood.” She looked terrified. “I saw
them shooting at people. Men with masks. I called the station, but it took forever for you guys toe.”
“I understand, but we’re here now.”
“I know I have to process the dead bodies, but I’m so traumatized. Have my assistant bag everyone
and I’lle in first thing in the morning. Thank you, Undersheriff.” She turned and walked back to her
house. I saw Sarah at the doorway, smiling smugly. I suspected she believed Liam was going to take
the fall for this.
I sighed. This was a nightmare. And it wasn’t over yet.
I found the deputies sc attered near the McDowell residence. They were crouching down at
three dead bodies.
I walked towards Frank who was examining the bullet hole on the dead man’s chest.
“Jack, this one is wearing a pig mask. Just like the one with the gori mask on, he has arge gunshot
wound to the chest,” Frank said, handing me a smartphone. Nice, another on “I got that phone from the
one over there wearing a wolf mask. He has one gunshot wound to the chest. Small caliber. Judging by
the trajectory, I say it came from over there.” He pointed to Link’s car.
“And that one near the tree?” I asked.
“Multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. Assault rifle from the looks of it. Goat mask. That makes it eight.
However, from a message on that smartphone, these guys had a leader.
Someone named Demon. He told them to check the old McDowell residence for a deed of
sale. I have no idea what deed of sale he was referring to. Seems like the new defense attorney was
their target.”
I nced at the house and noticed the door was open.
“Anyone inside?” I asked.
“No. I spoke to some of the survivors and they said I ink hid them in his questhouse onca 15/6
11:18 Fri, Apr 5 & M
CHAPTER 163 Suspects
shooting started. That’s where the good mayor found them.”
Since Frank, William and Lewis were on our payroll, they knew to keep their mouth shut.
“If there’s anyone else who’s a part of this gang, I think they’re gone by now, Jack. My guess, they’re
going to flee from this state,” Frank said. “My hunch is the mayor killed them off. Sni per is proof of
that.”
“Well, we could say it was us, that’s why the power was cut and the Sheriff is missing. He’s our sn iper,”
I said, taking my phone out and dialing Liam.
“I need confirmation. How many were they?”
“Nine,” Liam answered. I remembered seeing someone on a motorcycle as I drove by, but it was too
dark to get a good look. He must be the one named Demon.
more a
“There’s one he’s alive,” I said. I heard him mutter a curse.
“Just tell the Sheriff what you know and toe on out. The press is waiting.”
Chapter Comments
Morgan
the people inside are* safe
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