Be the badge E-Book

Meinema Eduard

• Herausgeber: Eduard Meinema
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Agent Hamill is investigating a report of vandalism. He hopes to be home in time for the most important game of the year. But these exceptional vandals demand the utmost from him. He must fight for his life to prove that he is worthy of the badge. Could you handle it? Would you be worth the badge?

Leseprobe

Eduard Meinema

Be the badge

Copyright © 2020 by Eduard Meinema

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

First edition

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Contents

Be the badge

About the Author

Be the badge

“Show me you can do it; prove to me you’re worth that badge,” Trudeau told him. ‘Be the badge,’ he even yelled after him funny. The dickhead.

Now he was standing here. Alone. At the villa of the widow Cummings. “Come on, take a bite; the sooner you will be done,” he gave himself some courage. “I may be home just in time; before the game starts…”

The villa was deserted. Agent Hamill made his way through the knee-high weeds that had overgrown Mr. Cummings’ once-praised garden, down to the smallest corners. The master’s hand was clearly missed here; but not as hard as the widow Cummings had to miss the master herself for ten years now.

He rang the bell reluctantly. The widow had called the agency earlier that night and reported a group of vandals harassing her. Young people who found it exciting and tough to sneak into the villa. The house somehow looked uninhabited and deserted. The most strange and scary stories circulated about her inhabitant. That stimulated the imagination of kids. They turned each other on, freaked each other out. Who is tough enough? Who dares to enter the villa? If there was anything Hamill hated, it was children. Especially these kinds of assholes that messed up other people’s belongings just for the fun.

There was no opening, but there was a rumble inside. Agent Hamill rang the bell again. ‘Be the badge,’ it echoed through his head. The sarcastic cock. As if he was afraid of those little bastards. He hated them. His boss knew he hated children; and yet he had sent Hamill out alone to check this report.

Agent Hamill took a step back. Looked if he saw a light on somewhere. The imposing house seemed dark. And silent. The bump he just thought he heard was gone. He was in conflict; would he just leave? Hamill had just turned fifty, but had already completed thirty years of service. He was not the man to run away; always did what he was expected to do. He contacted the agency, Olcape’s small police post, reported the situation he had found and asked what to do.

“Completely dark? Are you sure?” asked his superior, Trudeau. “Come on Hamill, grab those kids, reassure the widow and then you can go home. Agreed?”

“Now listen Trudeau. There is no one here. If there were children, they probably would have gone home long ago. Inside, everything is pitch dark Trudeau; believe me, those wimps do it in their pants in this haunted house.”

“Yes, it has fallen into a bit of disrepair in recent years, hasn’t it?” said Trudeau. “The widow cannot handle maintenance alone. Maybe we should give those bastards a community service order. Let them fix the house.”

“I’d start with the garden,” sighed Hamill. “Man, it is almost impossible to get through. I can’t even see my car from here.”

“Hmm, okay,” said Trudeau absently. “Strange.”

“What’s strange?” Hamill asked. He was now walking around the house; carefully checking whether one of the windows or doors showed break-in damage.

“That she doesn’t open the door. The widow.”

It was silent.

“Hamill? What are you doing?” Trudeau asked.

“I found a broken window,” said Hamill in a whisper. He picked up his flashlight, looked at the floor under the window, and then shined inside. “The glass has been knocked in. I think those kids went in here.”

“Careful Hamill,” said Trudeau to Hamill’s surprise. “Do I have to send someone else?”

It was silent again.

“Hamill? Do you need support?” Trudeau listened intently, but got no answer. “Damn Hamill. You didn’t go in, did you? We have no warrant for search!”

“Isn’t he responding?” agent Rianne Gondrov asked.

Trudeau took a deep breath. “No,” he growled. “He is offended of course at what I said when I sent him out. That old jerk can’t take a joke.”

“No, no, Trudeau. Hamill can take it if you are fooling him. But he does have something against children. And you know that!” said Rianne. “Shall I go and have a look?” In a smooth motion, she tied her loose, auburn hair together in a ponytail.

Trudeau first decided to call Hamill again. Again, he received no answer. “Stay here. I’m going to take a look myself,” he grumbled. “Damn it, why tonight…”

“You shouldn’t try to be funny; you know you’re not…” Rianne chuckled.

“Thanks Gondrov…,” said Trudeau. “You know… Just call Tex. I don’t want to miss anyone tonight.”

“He will be eternally grateful. I think he already asked for a day off a year ago so he could see the final.”

“Yes, well, we don’t see any of it either. Now call him, will you?”

“Ohhh, so that’s it? You wanted to watch TV yourself…” said Rianne with a grin on her face.

Trudeau had not bothered to respond to her. He was disappointed. The final was played tonight. Both teams had dominated the competition in recent months; were almost as strong and both eager for victory. The ultimate profit. This was the most exciting game in people’s memory. But yeah. The small police post was to remain manned. Only Tex had been given the day off. Well, too bad. He had had Tex called up anyway. Shared sorrow is half sorrow, Trudeau thought.

On the way to Cummings’ villa he tried to get in touch with Hamill via the intercom and via his smartphone. In vain. Hamill did not respond in any way. When he arrived at the villa, he parked his car behind Hamill’s. Trudeau was amazed at the state of the house. He passed regularly, but had never bothered to look carefully at the villa. Old Cummings had the villa built about ten years ago, just before his death. Now that Trudeau saw the villa up close, it seemed that the house was already centuries old. The weeds were knee high. The paint was peeling. Part of the gutter was loose; he even saw some roof tiles missing. It looked like an empty house. Just like Hamill said, a challenge for young people to see this haunted house from the inside. But then again; the house was still inhabited.

Hamill’s car stood in front of the driveway. The driveway itself was empty. Mrs. Cummings had apparently parked her car in the double garage. As he walked to the front door, Trudeau wondered when he had last seen her. He only remembered seeing her in church. The day her husband was buried. God Almighty. Ten years ago, Trudeau thought. Time flies.

The once white paint was peeling on the front door. Next to the front door was a stack of mail and yellowed papers. The milky-white glass next to the door prevented him from peeking in, but Trudeau was convinced there was more mail in the hallway. He rang the bell, but heard nothing. Trudeau decided to knock on the door. For a moment he thought he heard something. He listened carefully; it resembled the sound of giggling children. Damn it, he thought. Those bad boys wouldn’t have hurt the widow, would they? Or Hamill… Where was that guy, anyway?

He knocked on the front door one last time. Loudly. Even if the widow was deaf, she should certainly hear this. Besides; deaf? She had called herself tonight to file charges. No, she was not deaf at all. Those children had done something to her. I had to be.

“Rianne?” Trudeau said through his radio. “Is Tex already there?”

“Can’t you hear him laugh?” agent Gondrov said wittily. “It’s one big party over here.”

“Yes, I believe that. Listen, she won’t open and I’m still out of touch with Hamill. I walk around the house. Hamill said a window had been smashed. I’m afraid he went in.”

“Yes? And what do you want me to do?”

“Just ask Pastor Rutherford when he last saw the widow. Or when he last spoken her. The house does not look like shit; I think that, as a community, we must join forces to do everything here.”

“I’ll give him a call,” said Rianne. “Are you being careful?”

“Um… yes,” Trudeau stammered in surprise. Gondrov who was concerned? About him? It didn’t have to get crazy. “Wait a minute…” Trudeau had arrived at the back of the villa. There he saw the smashed window. And traces of blood. Rianne? I… I don’t see Hamill anywhere, but I do see traces of blood at a smashed window. Send Tex here too. Back of the house. I’ll be waiting for him outside.”

“Really? Do I have to go there?” said Tex disappointed. His leave had been abruptly withdrawn; just now that the final was played. The final he had been looking forward to for months. “And all that for a couple of kids?” Tex sighed.

“Sorry Tex,” said Rianne. “I’m just saying what Trudeau tells me to do.”

“Yes, I believe you. Well. I will ram those children out of the house as soon as possible, so I might be able to see the last minutes of the game.”

“I won’t reveal anything,” said Rianne, grinning. With her index finger she tapped upon a small pop-up screen in the top corner of her monitor.

“Ah, no… are you just watching the game here?” said Tex indignantly.

“Hey. Without beer and popcorn, alright?” Rianne apologized. She quickly put her hand across the screen so Tex couldn’t see the score.

Hmm. What do you think? Do I have to bring some heavier weapons?”

“Jesus, Tex! They are children!”

“Just kidding…”

“Yes, I’m sure you are. Just go. All the sooner we can all watch the match together.”