“Oh dear!” was all Dr James could say when he first saw Roy who lay in the bed in a semi-conscious state. Although Roy was only thirty-two-years-old, he resembled a man of around ninety.

“How long has he been like this and when did you first notice the symptoms?” Dr James asked as he took Roy’s pulse. He then pulled out Roy’s medical notes then took his blood pressure while Janet found enough energy to tell him.

“Unusual, even Anorexia can’t have such a rapid effect on anyone, I think I had better admit him into hospital Janet. It seems as though he’s being eaten away or deflated.” Dr James picked up his mobile and Janet broke down in tears. He put it back down and comforted her, then gave her a check up while listening to the rest of the remarkable story she had to tell.

An Ambulance arrived outside with two police cars, Dr James showed them in to the house, while the neighbours looked on in horror as they pulled out two stretchers, and Janet had also collapsed.

Dr James followed, he looked at Jack’s house with some suspicion as he saw the curtains move then greeted the local police constable handing him the keys to the house.

“Hello Fred, I don’t think you’ll find anything, but I think it might be worth having a word with Janet Fitzgerald before talking to the neighbour next door. She has a fascinating story to tell but let us get her settled in hospital first.” He turned towards his car to follow the ambulance as it drove off at speed with its sirens wailing and blue lights flashing through the night sky.

Richard Jones was waiting patiently for the Fitzgerald’s to arrive, when the doorbell rang. He answered to Dr James, who told him the news about the unfortunate couple. Richard confirmed Janet’s story about the animals and the treatment he had given Brutus, hoping that this might help Roy and Janet recover.

The following morning Janet had just finished breakfast in her hospital bed when she was visited by Constable Fred Jenkins and Inspector Jones who were intrigued by her story. They found it hard to believe but called around to interview Jack Hollis as a course of procedure.

When the Police arrived to interview Jack, they found he had disappeared, the house smelt of burning incense and the atmosphere was very stuffy. There was only a little amount of furniture which prompted Inspector Jones to investigate further. He looked into the drawing room first and in the writing desk that was unlocked. Looking through the draws he found some letters written in a foreign language, but he or his Constables couldn’t make out what language it was.

The Inspector looked around the rest of the house then returned to drawing room absorbing the atmosphere of the house, sent a shiver down his spine.

“I think there is more to this Jack Hollis than meets the eye. Take copies of these letters and get the forensics, we must find this man,” said Inspector Jones.

ENDS