Dorian Mystery - Art of Murder

Chapter XVIII

This was already too much. I called Denise again and asked her to meet me as quick as possible.

'I think I know what's going on.'

'Ok, I'll meet you at the pharmacy.'

It took me another two hours to reach to the pharmacy where she was waiting for me. It was time for a closure.

This time the place itself was completely empty and the only thing that was there was a table and two seats placed on the opposite side of the table. I took my place and waited in silence. She was waiting me this time disguised as a blonde woman with curly hair and dark green eyes.

'Well what's going on, Detective?' She asked surprised.

'This game has gone too far.' I told her on a mad tone.

She looked at me very surprised of this turn of situation and asked me again what lead me here to discuss with her.

'You know exactly why the fuck I am here.' I shouted at her and slammed the table.

She was startled of this reaction. I pushed more in the fact that this game is already sick and needs to be over.

'No more hidings, no more games, no more murders and especially no more clues. I am done uncovering the dirt of FBI and Secret Services.'

'So you finally figured it out.' She smiled and shouted to someone that he can come out now.

I was shocked when he came over from the backroom. I saw him back then dying. He couldn't be alive. I saw his body on the floor. He arranged his squared glasses and smiled at me.

'Hey, Detective, it's been a while.' Vince told me all of a sudden with a smile on his face.

'But you died!' I was saying out loud and got up my seat to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

'Well yes and no, you see...' He started, but was interrupted by my fist hitting his face.

Denise tried to interfere, but it was too late for her since I punched him again in the stomach this time. He fell on his knees still in pain and I gave him one last kick in the stomach.

'Do you even know how many times I blamed myself for your death and here you were actually faking everything?' I shouted at him while delivering that kick.

Vince got back on his feet after a while and wiped off the blood that came out from his mouth.

'You don't understand that it was needed for me to die so you can connect the final pieces of the puzzle?' He tried to explain to me.

'The final pieces? What are you talking about?'

'You're almost there, Detective. You will realize it in three...two... one!'

Now I've realized it and connected those final dots. The order of the blood samples was supposed to be a very big clue as he managed to determine the exact order and provided me each and every single type of blood instead of just summing them up. The visit of Denise wasn't just random, but to place the camera as planned at Dominic's because they needed me to be there to discover more information about Trakh Lam. 

Vince was the actual Artist.

I was shocked finding out that he was the Full Moon Killer.

'So it means that I finally caught you.'

He just moved his finger as a no to me and simply said that there is one last piece to connect. Trakh Lam's secret.

'Kan Trakh Lam is the real culprit here. He was the one who murdered Junior's parents 20 years ago and then he killed all those people, you just left the clues to catch you first, when actually everything was leading to him.'

'Hahaha, you nailed it!' He laughed and clapped his hands.

'So how comes she killed Junior?'

'Why you think I reacted like that?' Denise asked me.

I was looking at her trying to realize what is she trying to tell me, then I noticed that if Junior wouldn't had died, I would've never had the memory of his words in my mind: The Renaissance of a New World or looking at TV in that night or met Denise disguised as Carmen at the funeral. I wouldn't had connected the dots of the age of his parents on the spot and especially, I wouldn't had reached right in this place if Junior didn't died.

'It was just a means to an end.' I mumbled.

'Bravo! You're for sure one of the smartest guys I've ever met.' She told me.

My fist was clenching for another punch and then I realized one more thing: The encounter at Westminster was just a test of hers. A test for this type of situation...

'So who the hell you think you are?' I asked trying to hold my rage after realizing how I was played for a very long time.

They looked at each other and simply said that this is a secret.

'So if you found out who the killer was, why didn't you stopped him?'

Vince was still checking on his jaw when he told me that they can't stop him because no one would believe him, that's why he invited me into this game.

'But things seemed to go astray after Shrevenport fired you and lied to us. We needed to keep you back on track, but seems you've done well even without our help.' Vince remarked and took a place on the seat.

'So you're saying that Trakh Lam killed Dominic and Shrevenport and the others? How? And why?'

'Yes, he killed them because you got too close and seems that Dominic was getting closer than you think. As of how, my guess is that he has a well tried murderer that is good in espionage. He can cover his tracks better than anyone I knew. He's someone who has access everywhere and can go unnoticed by anyone.' He continued and asked Denise to give him some ice.

Someone who is hiding really well in the crowd and can go unnoticed? The list of suspects was narrowing and revealed one person in particular.

It was at the museum, after the painting was revealed. This weird reporter came over to me asking questions and never letting me finish my phrase. I thought that it was weird and ignored it.

'So now, what do we do?' I asked, keeping that information in my mind.'

'Well we know he's gonna kill again tonight, so we need to catch him in act.' Denise said.

The thing is that we never found out who was the next victim. It was a chance against millions to reach the right person.

'I think we might have a lead on that.' I said and revealed the threatening note asking me to give up.

They were surprised of this, but I had a plan.

'We need the mass-media to deliver a message.' I continued and placed myself on the seat to explain them the plan.