[THE MUSIC FADES OUT, LEAVING ONLY THE SOUND OF FALLING LEAVES AND A LIGHT WIND.]
News Transcript
Aired: November 26, 2022 - 9:00 p.m. EST
Anchor (Jessica Ward):Good evening. We start tonight with a shocking development in the case that has gripped the nation—the mysterious death of university student Willow Montgomery. The Mills Creek community has been rocked by the news that Detective Thomas McCall, a respected member of the local police force, has been found dead in what authorities are now calling an apparent murder-suicide.
Anchor (Tom Bradley):The disturbing discovery was made in a shed behind Detective McCall’s home, where his body had apparently been decomposing for four days. Alongside McCall’s body was the stolen corpse of Willow Montgomery, which disappeared from her grave earlier this month in a bizarre twist to an already tragic case. The confession note found at the scene has left authorities—and the town—in disbelief.
Anchor (Jessica Ward):Sources close to the investigation say that McCall’s wife had been unaware of her husband’s whereabouts. He had told her he was leaving for a work assignment four days prior to his death. Little did she know, McCall had retreated to the shed on their property, where he reportedly took his own life and left behind a disturbing confession.
[Cut to press conference with Police Chief Elliot.]
Police Chief Elliot (pre-recorded):We can confirm that Detective Thomas McCall wasfound deceased inside a shed on his property, alongside the remains of Willow Montgomery. A note was also recovered at the scene, which appears to be written by McCall himself. In this note, he confesses to the murder of Montgomery. The exact motives and circumstances are still under investigation, but we do believe this marks a grim conclusion to both the Montgomery case and McCall’s sudden disappearance.
We are continuing to work through the details and will provide more information as the investigation unfolds.
[Cut back to studio]
Anchor (Tom Bradley):In his confession note, McCall allegedly describes in detail how he killed Willow Montgomery on the night of her disappearance six months ago. According to the note, McCall states that the confrontation began as an argument before escalating to violence. The detective goes on to say that he buried her body near the old train car station, a location investigators had combed through during the initial investigation. However, the true horror came when McCall later stole her body from her grave earlier this month, hiding it in his own shed until his death.
Anchor (Jessica Ward):Authorities are still piecing together McCall’s exact motives, though the note provides some insight into his unraveling mental state. The discovery of the stolen body and McCall’s suicide has left many in Mills Creek reeling, especially since McCallwas a lead investigator on the Montgomery case, trusted by the very community he betrayed.
We reached out to Montgomery’s family for comment, but they have declined to speak to the press at this time.
Anchor (Tom Bradley):There are still many questions surrounding this case—questions about McCall’s mental state, how he managed to carry out these gruesome acts without detection, and whether anyone else may have been involved.
For now, police are treating McCall’s confession as the final word in the investigation of Willow Montgomery’s murder, but this tragic series of events has left a deep wound on the town of Mills Creek. More updates will follow as new information comes to light.
Anchor (Jessica Ward):Stay with us for continuing coverage on this developing story.
Anchor (Tom Bradley):When we return, we’ll discuss the impact of McCall’s confession on the ongoing debates surrounding law enforcement in small towns like Mills Creek. Stay with us.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The church loomed ahead, its tall steeple piercing the cold autumn sky. Gray clouds swirled above like a gathering storm, the wind whipping through the streets with a bone-chilling bite. Lilia stood with Augustus, Delilah, and Sebastian near the edge of the crowd, their faces pale and unreadable as they watched the chaos unfold from a distance.
What was supposed to be a somber occasion had turned into a spectacle. A wave of anger, confusion, and unresolved pain churned through the gathered crowd, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere.
Outside the church, protesters swarmed like vultures circling the dead. Some held signs that read “Murderer!” and “Justice for Willow!” while others screamed obscenities, their voices growing hoarse from hours of shouting. The low hum of news cameras and reporters buzzing nearby made it impossible to ignore the media presence, with podcasters and journalists trying to capture every inch of the chaos for their listeners and viewers. Microphones were thrust into faces, people were interviewed whether they wanted to be or not, and the air reeked of sensationalism.
Lilia took a step back, the heavy presence of it all sinking into her bones. Augustus stood rigid beside her, his jaw clenched tightly, eyes locked on the church doors, his face unreadable. Sebastian pulled his beanie lower over his eyes, trying to shield himself from the flashes of cameras that occasionally caught the light. Delilah shifted uncomfortably, tugging at the sleeves of her oversized sweater, her face tight with anxiety.
They were far enough from the church to avoid being drawn into the circus, but close enough to witness it all. Lilia could hear the screams, the chants, the blaring horns of the occasional car driving by, caught up in the fervor of the crowd.
“You’d think he killed half the town,” Sebastian muttered under his breath, casting a nervous glance toward the protesters.
“They’re angry,” Delilah whispered. “Angry and scared. They want someone to blame.”
“Murderer!” A voice rose above the others, shrill and piercing. A woman shoved her way through the crowd, her face flushed with rage as she held a sign that read, “Burn in Hell, McCall!”
Lilia flinched at the sight of it, feeling a lump form in her throat. It wasn’t that she felt any sympathy for McCall—he’d done monstrous things, that much was clear—but seeing his name dragged through the mud like this, even in death, stirred something in her. He had been a person once, with a life, a family. Now, all of that was reduced to a single word: murderer.
“I can’t believe they’re letting this happen,” Delilah said, her voice tight with frustration.
Augustus shifted, crossing his arms over his chest. “The police can’t do anything about it. Not now. Not with everything that’s come out.”
Lilia bit her lip, her gaze drifting toward the church. She could see McCall’s family gathered near the entrance, trying to shield themselves from the crowd with the help of a few officers.His wife, red-eyed and clutching her son’s hand, looked like she was on the verge of breaking down. It was a stark contrast to the angry mob just a few feet away.
