Whispers in the Radio
Chapter 01: The Call
Detroit, 1936. The city was a throbbing beast of industry and ambition, its veins pumping with the lifeblood of progress. The streets were lined with the clatter of machines, and the night sky was a murky haze of smoke and light. It was a place where dreams were built and shattered in equal measure.
I’d been a detective in this town for over a decade, seen things that would turn a man’s hair white overnight. But that night, as I stared out the window of my small apartment, I had no idea what awaited me.
My flatmate, Edward Clarke, an Englishman from London, was a stark contrast to the gritty backdrop of Detroit. Edward was a man of refinement, always impeccably dressed and unfailingly polite. He was also a scholar, a professor of history at the local university, with a keen interest in the occult—a hobby I found peculiar but harmless.
“Franklin, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Edward remarked, sipping his tea as he sat by the fireplace.
“Just another long day, Edward,” I replied, rubbing my temples. “The city’s getting to me.”
“Detroit has a way of doing that,” he said with a knowing smile. “But you thrive in the chaos, don’t you?”
I shrugged, not wanting to admit how often I questioned that very thing. “Chaos is where I do my best work. Keeps me sharp.”
Just then, the door swung open, and my partner, Jimmy O’Malley, strode in. Jimmy was an Irish immigrant with a fiery temper and a heart of gold. He was also the best damn partner a detective could ask for.
“Laurent, you old dog, still brooding over that case?” Jimmy asked, clapping me on the shoulder.
I grinned despite myself. “Just trying to make sense of it all, Jimmy.”
Jimmy took off his hat and slumped into a chair. “Sense? In this town? Good luck with that. What’s on the docket tonight?”
“Paperwork, mostly,” I said, glancing at the pile on my desk. “But I’ve got a feeling something’s brewing.”
Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Your famous gut feeling?”
“Call it intuition,” I replied. “Or maybe just a sense that the city’s on the brink of something big.”
Edward chuckled softly. “You and your premonitions, Franklin. One of these days, they’re going to land you in trouble.”
Before I could respond, the phone rang, its shrill tone cutting through the air like a knife. I exchanged a glance with Jimmy before picking up the receiver.
“Detective Laurent,” I answered, my voice a low rumble.
“Mr. Laurent, you need to come quickly. It’s urgent.” The voice on the other end was that of a young woman, filled with desperation.
I sighed, feeling a familiar knot form in my stomach. “What’s the problem, miss?”
“It’s my brother… he’s been acting strange. Ever since he bought that radio.”
I felt a prickle of interest. Radios weren’t usually my beat, but there was something in her voice that made me take notice. “Where do you live?”
She gave me an address in one of the wealthier neighborhoods—a place where the air was a little cleaner, the streets a little safer. I hung up, grabbed my coat, and turned to Jimmy.
“We’ve got a call. Wealthy part of town. Some kind of disturbance involving a radio.”
Jimmy stood up, his eyes lighting up with curiosity. “Sounds like a nice change of pace. Let’s go.”
Edward watched us with a bemused expression. “Be careful, you two. There’s more to this city than meets the eye.”
“We’ll be fine,” I assured him, though I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was right.
The drive through the city was quiet, the only sounds were the purr of the engine and the distant hum of factories. As we neared the address, the buildings grew grander, their facades a testament to old money and new ambitions.
We arrived at a grand old house, its stone exterior weathered but dignified. The young woman who’d called met us at the door, her eyes wide with fear. “Thank you for coming, Detective Laurent. I’m Evelyn Dupree.”
I nodded, taking in her disheveled appearance. She was a striking woman, with dark hair and pale skin, her features marked by worry and exhaustion. “Show us to your brother, Miss Dupree.”
She led us through the dimly lit halls to a small room at the back of the house. The air was thick with tension, the shadows deep and menacing. Inside, a young man sat slumped in a chair, his eyes vacant, staring at the wall. On the table beside him was an ornate radio, its design unlike any I’d seen before. The room buzzed with an eerie hum.
“He’s been like this for days,” Evelyn said, her voice trembling. “Ever since he bought that radio from a man down by the docks.”
I approached the radio cautiously, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. There was something unsettling about it, something that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
“Jimmy, keep an eye on him,” I said, pointing to the young man. “Miss Dupree, tell me everything you know about this radio.”
She explained that her brother, Thomas, had been an avid collector of rare and unusual items. He’d come across the radio during one of his excursions to the docks, where he often purchased curiosities from a variety of shady characters. This particular radio had caught his eye due to its intricate craftsmanship and the strange symbols etched into its surface.
“Ever since he brought it home, he’s been acting strange,” Evelyn continued. “He started hearing voices, said they were whispering to him through the static. Then he changed. It’s like something took over him.”
I glanced at Jimmy, who was watching Thomas with a mix of concern and fascination. “You ever seen anything like this?”
Jimmy shook his head. “Not in all my years. This is something new.”
I turned back to the radio, examining the symbols. They were unlike anything I’d seen before, more ancient and arcane than any modern design. The hum it emitted was almost hypnotic, drawing me in.
“Where did he buy this radio?” I asked, my voice low.
“From a man down by the docks. He didn’t give a name, just said it was a special piece, one of a kind.”
I felt a chill run down my spine. I’d encountered strange cases before, but nothing quite like this. The radio emitted a faint hum, almost like it was alive. I carefully reconnected a few wires, and the static buzzed to life.
And then I heard it—a voice, barely audible, whispering in a language I couldn’t understand. It sent shivers through me, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.
I turned to Evelyn. “Leave the room. Now.”
She hesitated but complied, closing the door behind her. Alone with Thomas and the infernal device, I took a deep breath and steeled myself.
“Who are you?” I demanded, addressing the radio.
The static crackled, and the voice responded, clearer this time. “I am trapped… bound by the currents… release me.”
It took a moment to process. Could it be true? Could a spirit really be trapped within this machine? The idea seemed preposterous, yet here I was, confronted with evidence I couldn’t deny.
“How do I release you?” I asked, half-expecting no response.
The voice hissed, fluctuating with the static. “Destroy the vessel… sever the connection… free me from this prison.”
I hesitated. Destroying the radio might release the spirit, but it could also harm Thomas—or worse, release something far more dangerous. But I had no choice. I couldn’t leave things as they were.
With a swift motion, I grabbed the radio and smashed it against the wall. The device shattered, sparks flying, and the room filled with an unearthly wail. Thomas convulsed, then went still, the tension draining from his body.
Jimmy and I rushed to his side, checking for a pulse. He was alive, breathing steadily. Whatever had possessed him was gone.
As we helped him to his feet, he looked at me with bewildered eyes. “What happened? Where am I?”
“You’re safe now,” I assured him. “Just stay away from strange radios in the future.”
I motioned for Jimmy to follow me back into the hallway, where Evelyn stood waiting, her face a mask of worry and exhaustion.
“Miss Dupree, we need to ask you and your brother a few more questions,” I said gently. “Would you mind if we took a look around the house as well?”
Evelyn nodded, her hands wringing nervously. “Of course, Detective. Anything to help. Please, follow me to the sitting room.”
We entered a spacious, elegantly furnished room that bore the signs of wealth and taste. Evelyn guided her brother, who seemed dazed but was starting to regain some clarity, to a sofa. Jimmy and I took seats opposite them.
“Miss Dupree, when did you first notice your brother’s strange behavior?” I asked, taking out my notebook.
Evelyn took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. “It started about a week ago. Thomas brought that radio home from one of his trips to the docks. At first, it seemed like just another one of his unusual finds. But then he began to spend hours listening to it, even when there was nothing but static. He became obsessed.”
Thomas, still pale and shaky, managed to speak up. “I thought I was just hearing things at first. Whispers in the static, like faint voices calling out to me. But then they got louder, more insistent. It felt like they were inside my head.”
“Did you recognize the language of these voices?” Jimmy asked, his Irish brogue gentle but probing.
Thomas shook his head. “No, it was something foreign, something I couldn’t understand. But it felt… powerful.”
“Have you noticed anything else unusual in the house? Strange occurrences, items going missing, anything out of the ordinary?” I asked, leaning forward.
Evelyn exchanged a worried glance with her brother before replying. “Actually, yes. Lights flickering, cold drafts in rooms with no open windows, and sometimes I felt like I was being watched. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but now…”
I stood up, ready to investigate further. “Jimmy and I will take a look around. Miss Dupree, stay with your brother and try to get him to rest.”
We began our search in the room where Thomas had kept the radio. I examined the table where it had sat, noting the intricate carvings on its surface—symbols that seemed to pulse with a faint energy.
“Jimmy, take a look at these,” I said, pointing to the carvings. “You ever seen anything like this?”
Jimmy knelt down, scrutinizing the symbols. “Not in any church I’ve ever been to. These look more like runes, ancient ones.”
We moved on to the other rooms, starting with the study. The room was lined with bookshelves filled with volumes on various esoteric subjects—alchemy, ancient religions, and the occult.
“Thomas wasn’t just a casual collector,” Jimmy muttered, scanning the spines of the books. “He was deep into this stuff.”
I pulled a book from the shelf and flipped through it, noting the detailed illustrations of rituals and symbols similar to those on the radio. “Looks like he was trying to understand what he’d gotten himself into. Or maybe he was looking for something specific.”
As we continued our search, we found more evidence of Thomas’s obsession. His desk was cluttered with notes, sketches of symbols, and letters from various dealers and scholars. One letter, in particular, caught my eye. It was from a professor at a university in Europe, warning Thomas about the dangers of meddling with ancient artifacts.
“Frank, look at this,” Jimmy said, holding up a small, ornate box he’d found hidden behind some books. Inside was a collection of strange, dark stones, each etched with runes.
“These look like some kind of talismans,” I said, taking one out and feeling it’s cold weight in my hand. “We need to get these to Edward. He might be able to tell us more about their significance.”
We moved on to the next room, what appeared to be a guest bedroom. It was neat and tidy, but there was a coldness to it that made my skin crawl. I felt drawn to the closet, and when I opened it, I found a hidden compartment behind a false panel. Inside was a small altar, complete with candles, incense, and a worn book of dark rituals.
“Mary and Joseph, Frank,” Jimmy whispered, crossing himself. “This just keeps getting deeper.”
I nodded grimly. “Thomas was in way over his head. We need to understand what he was trying to summon or communicate with.”
Finally, we made our way to the attic. The narrow stairs creaked under our weight, and the air grew colder the higher we climbed. The attic was dark and dusty, filled with old furniture and forgotten items but nothing that struck me as important for the case.
“Frank,” Jimmy called my name in a hushed tone from across the floor. “That boy, he was… Now you know I don’t believe in any of that supernatural whatnots. But that boy.” Jimmy stopped, his breath shaking.
“I know, Jimmy. Let’s stick with facts before we dare tread into that area. There is always an explanation.” I said, trying to console my partner, but holding a similar thought. Rumors of how the rich dabbled in witchcraft ran through my thoughts as we went back to the Duprees.
“Did you find anything?” Evelyn questioned, jumping to her feet with hope and curiosity.
“Ma’am, how long has your brother been interested in the occult?” Jimmy questioned immediately, a faint tone of judgment behind him.
“Occult?” Evelyn questioned with a bit of a smirk. I could see she wasn’t going to take such a topic seriously, and so I intervened.
“MIss Dupree, we know it’s a strange thought, but we found several books and notes that may have some connection to the radio’s…” I paused, thinking of how to delicately word this topic, “Odd behavior.”
“Those weren’t mine.” Thomas spoke up from his laid posture on the sofa nearby.
“They were our father’s.” Evelyn specified.
“Your father?” I echoed, exchanging a glance with Jimmy. “Was he involved in any of this… occult activity?”
Evelyn nodded, her expression somber. “Our father was an archaeologist and a scholar. He was fascinated by ancient civilizations and their rituals. He spent years collecting artifacts and studying texts on alchemy, ancient religions, and the occult. He believed there was a hidden knowledge that could unlock the secrets of the universe.”
Thomas, now sitting up more alertly, added, “He used to tell us stories about the artifacts he found. He said they were keys to understanding the forces that shape our world. I guess I inherited his curiosity, but I never imagined it would lead to this.”
I leaned back, processing this new information. “Did your father ever mention anything about radios or using electrical devices in his studies?”
Evelyn shook her head. “No, that’s new. The radio was Thomas’s idea.”
“When I saw the scratches on the box, I was reminded of our father.” Thomas added.
Jimmy frowned. “And where is your father now?”
“He passed away a few years ago,” Evelyn said quietly. “His work consumed him, and he was never the same after our mother died. He left us with his collection and his obsession.”
I nodded, piecing together the puzzle. “It sounds like your father’s interests laid the groundwork for what’s happening now. Thomas, did you find any specific instructions or notes about how to use the artifacts he collected?”
Thomas shook his head. “No, just fragments of his research. I tried to piece it together, but it was like trying to assemble a puzzle with half the pieces missing. I thought the radio might help, but instead, it brought… something else.”
Evelyn looked at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hope. “Detective Laurent, can you help us? Can you find out what’s really going on and put a stop to it?”
“We’ll do everything we can, Miss Dupree,” I assured her. “But we’ll need to take some of these items back with us for further analysis. This radio, the notes, the artifacts—they might hold the key to understanding what your father was trying to uncover.”
As we gathered the items, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were on the brink of something far bigger than a simple case of strange behavior. The city’s lights flickered, casting long shadows that seemed to dance with a life of their own. Electricity—the closest thing to magic humanity could claim—had shown me a glimpse of the supernatural world hidden beneath the veneer of modernity.