Chapter 2: Parcel Of Land

Katrina and Ichabod followed their to be host, Dr. Alpin through his yard, nothing different than the sun dappled woods themselves. The house itself was sizable for a country practitioner living on his own and covered with leaves as if part of the forest as well.

Having offered his guests some warm cup of liquid after having wondered why they weren't appropriately dressed for the cold mist, the middle aged doctor started rather unsure of what to expect, "well, to be honest I'm surprised the high constable took my letters seriously and sent somebody to investigate as there is no proof murder happened at all."

"Oh, I'll be back before he needs me," Ichabod frowned. His superior couldn't be less happy he kept going back to New York with good results and Ichabod has started to like the game of disappointing the High Constable. "Now, how can I help you, sir?"

"You see, the population of White Plains used to be over a hundred, just a year ago and as things stand, you can't even call this place a town at present. We barely have seventy people here if you count neighboring farm houses that is."

"Over thirty people you claim to have been killed?"

"No. Eighteen is the exact number. The rest of them moved away in fear from the outbreak of a mysterious disease that has no symptoms, but kills, an unknown poison or some preternatural if I may..."

"Let's go one theory at a time," Ichabod suggested, "what raises your suspicion about the deaths and where does it lead to? Do you think anybody has a motive?"

"A motive? For taking out an entire town? With the first few cases, I thought it was pure coincidence. We have all heard of people collapsing dead, with no previous illness or explanation at all. Some have faint hearts, some remain paralyzed if they survive. But eighteen such occurrings within a year? What fazes me most is that all the victims led a very happy life for a while before, some I myself diagnosed with amnesia, as they seemed to have forgotten of their previous troubles and had changed personalities. And that was the only symptom I could come up with, this whole thing fits no description of any disease or poison, yet it's all very queer."

"There are surgical ways of telling how they died...by the contents of the stomach, substances in the lungs or anywhere else that don't belong there. Has it been done?"

"You don't suppose I'd mutilate and desacrate a corpse like a twisted pervert?"

"You seem like a reasonable man, Dr. Alpin," Ichabod stood, "how else do you suggest I aid you? But you don't have to take part. I only need to know where the grave of the last victim is, my servant will help me."

"The child?" Dr. Alpin raised his eyebrows.

"It won't be the first time young Johnathan'll uncover corpses."

"Look for Alsandair Calbhach on the tombstone," he said reluctantly, "you'll have to go to the far end of the cemetery and walk a fair distance to the newest graves, the town was not ready to deal with such demand for places." He said the last few words more to Katrina, the only other person left present. He rolled his eyes, at least the constable doesn't expect women to assist him. "Do you regularly travel with your husband on his missions?"

"Yes. The High Constable tends to send him to potentially unsolvable cases and if I don't go with him, I might not even see him much."

"Unsolvable cases, huh? Is he that good then?"

"He hasn't failed so far. But tell me a little more about this mystery. The preternatural being you mentioned?"

Dr. Alpin opened his eyes wide, "you're not as analytical as your husband, are you? That good example of opposites attracting."

Katrina nodded, "can you tell me what what people think it is, why is it they're moving away?"

"A fable, nothing more. Irish, for the people around here are. As your good man noted, I'm a reasonable man, I don't believe in ghost stories. I don't know much about it either as a consequence, only that it's a force of darkness came back to taunt souls to hell. Called Cruach I believe. Hey, where are you running? You might catch a cold without a coat around here!"

tbc