Disclaimer - "Mystery Case Files" and all related characters, events, and concepts belong to Big Fish Games, Elephant Games, and Eipix Entertainment. I get no monetary benefit from this. My benefit is the enjoyment of dealing with beloved characters. Original characters, however, are mine - please contact for permission before using. This includes Darnell as a defined, fleshed-out character in his own right.

Aftermath
by DragonDancer5150

Chapter 6 - True Colors

Darnell wasn't sure what he expected to see when he stepped into the interrogation room at the Manchester Provincial Prison, but the sight of the young woman at the table wasn't it. Her blonde hair was a frizzy, unkempt mess, and when she raised her head from her folded arms, her makeup had been reduced to smears of blotchy color with her weeping, eyes red and face puffy. Charlotte was close in age to Darnell now, at least by physical appearances, but the gaze staring up at him was that of a frightened child.

"M-mister Darnell…" Her voice was higher in register than it had been last, again more child-like than the body it came out of.

Darnell's heart jumped into his throat. Four years ago, he'd told the children that it was okay to call him by his first name, and their mother had admonished them still to use "mister" out of respect. No one else had been present that day. No one else could have known that.

The detective moved to the table, sitting across from her and taking both her hands in his when she reached for him. "I'm here, Char. I'm here," he assured her, using the nickname she'd told him back then. "What happened? Do you remember?"

Charlotte shook her head, new sobs wracking her. Her hands were covered in black smudges of eyeliner and mascara, and she pulled one hand free to wipe at her eyes and cheeks with the back of it, adding new marks and seeming not to care about the worsened mess on her face. "M-mommy . . . h-he killed Mommy. A-and he took me and Gwennie and he hurt us and made us grow up really fast. And he made us fight a lot."

"Who? Who's 'he,' Char?" Darnell knew. He wanted to know how much she did.

"The dark, scary man. He made us call him Grandfather. He said he was Father's father, and he acted a lot like Father. We didn't like him, but he said we had to do what he told us. And after a little while, I-I wanted to. I don't want to now! B-but I did before. He made us do bad things. He made us hurt people." Her chin had tucked, but she peeked up at him, clinging to his hands as if she were afraid he'd leave if she didn't. Her voice was soft with fear and grief. "H-he made me hurt you. I-I'm so sorry for all the mean things I said!" She raised her head more, gaze pleading desperately. "Mister Darnell, I'm scared! I-I want to go home."

Darnell swallowed and reluctantly shook his head. "I . . . I don't know if that's possible, Char. But I'll see what I can do," he added quickly when her face scrunched up.

Charlotte sobbed. "Mommy's gone, and now so's Gwen! I-I felt her die. I felt it! Grandfather stabbed her and she died. And they're really gone now! Father wasn't here to catch them and make them stay. P-please . . . please, Mister Darnell, don't leave me alone!"

Heart wrenching anew, Darnell stood from the table, shifting around and gathering the frightened girl in his arms as she stood to meet him. Charlotte clung to him, weeping bitterly into his shoulder. He rubbed circles over her back. "I can't make any promises, Charlotte, but I will do what I can. I don't know how much I can do, a lot of bad things have happened – "

"I-I know . . . I-I did them! I did bad things and hurt people. For Grandfather. H-he made me do it!"

"I know he did. I know it was Alister who made you do all that. I know it wasn't you. You're a good girl, Char, you always have been. You and your sister looked out for me when you could. Do you remember?"

Charlotte nodded against his shoulder. "W-when we were still souls, after you freed us and Mommy and Miss Emma, and then Father tricked you into going back home to him. W-we tried to warn you, but y-you wouldn't listen." She pounded half-heartedly on the back of his shoulder with a fist.

Darnell huffed a low laugh. "No . . . no, I didn't. I really should have." He still suffered nightmares from the horrors Charles Dalimar had put him through. Though he imagined they were nothing compared to the nightmares that Charlotte would now suffer. The thought made him hug her tighter, and she responded, clinging harder.

A soft clearing of a throat behind Darnell made him shift back. Charlotte tucked to his side, and he wrapped a protective arm around her as he turned.

Thomas had been standing in the corner, observing. The look on his face was largely unreadable, but Darnell knew the man well enough to tell he was affected by what he'd witnessed. "Master Detective Barrett, a word?" He tilted his head at the door.

Darnell nodded, pulling reluctantly from Charlotte. She looked at him, scared and begging silently. He held her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back, I promise. Stay here and be good, all right."

Charlotte nodded. "Yes, sir." She moved to sit back down at the table, trembling and hugging herself.

Darnell gave her a last, concerned look before turning for the door with Thomas.