I N S I D E | Your time is over

Chapter 2

Judie went down the stairs to the parking garage. Down there she wanted to wait for her new colleague who, in her opinion, was far too slow. She reached the end of the stairwell and stepped through a door that smelled of exhaust fumes and a too-sweet perfume.
She leaned against one of the pillars and waited.
The door opened and Robert came out. He looked a little sweaty, but quickly covered it up with a cheeky grin.
"Where are you staying for so long?", she wanted to know from him.
"Well, I'm not that young anymore," he laughed back.
Judie was relieved that she got on so well with her colleague right away. There had also been other cases where they had broken up in arguments.
"I'll drive," she decided and got in her car. A black BMW first class. With the money she was earning here, she could never have afforded such a vehicle, but having recently won some money playing the lottery, it was a dream come true. Yes, the good old Lotto. Judie didn't admit it, but that was one of her weaknesses.
Robert whistled appreciatively when he realized which car she was heading for.
Judie unlocked the car and then opened the driver's door. She got in and then had to wait again. She sighed in exasperation.
How could this guy be so incredibly slow?!
When he finally sat in his seat, the woman was finally able to start the car.
She confidently drove him out of the garage and onto the street. Then she turned left and continued towards Downing Street.
She glanced over at Robert.
What should they talk about? Just start with small talk?
She was about to talk to him about work when he took over the task for her by asking her a question: "And how does it look? Husband and children?"
He grinned at her, but in his eyes she saw genuine interest.
Judie had to laugh.
"How old do you think I am?" she asked.
"You don't ask a lady her age," he replied, putting on a gentleman-like expression.
Judie laughed again, but then looked at him seriously.
"No, seriously now: do I look that old already?"
That was another of her weaknesses. Sometimes her appearance was just too important!
But to her delight, Robert shook his head.
"Of course not. I guess you are...", he thought for a moment. "Mid twenties ," he finally said.
"Then I've kept myself well!", she smiled at him with genuine pleasure.
"How old are you now?" he wanted to know.
"You don't ask a lady her age," she countered provocatively.
"But you're not a lady either," he smiled crookedly at her.
"How do you want to know that?" She grinned. "All right, if you're interested, I'm 29," she finally admitted.
"Then I wasn't so bad after all! And how old do you think I am?" he wanted to know and looked at his colleague.
"Hmm..." she thought for a moment. Then she grinned. "Late fifties," she then laughed.
"Hey," he laughed softly, causing the dimples beside his eyes to twitch.
Definitely laugh lines, Judie noted.
"I'm only 23," he replied, seriously offended.
Judie's jaw dropped.
"Really?" she asked, shocked.
"Don't worry, I'm into older people anyway. So you still have a chance", he laughed and his eyes sparkled.
"I can imagine that," Judie said, braking as the light turned red.
She rummaged in the drawer by the door and pulled out a lipstick quite similar to the one she'd been using in the office. She opened it and traced her lips.
She noticed that Robert watched her movements closely.
It wasn't the first time her colleagues took a special interest in her, but this time, in a way, it pleased them...
But she didn't have long to think about it, because the traffic light turned green and Robert leaned a little towards her.
"34," he said just loud enough for her to understand.
"What?" Judie asked confused.
"I'm 34," he told her.
So yes. She had thought that he was never 24.
"And what about the wife and children?" she asked, looking at the road.
He gave her a strange sideways glance.
"Bad!" he laughed.
"Welcome to the team," she grinned at him.
Less than ten minutes later they arrived at the street.
The sky had grown over and large dark clouds hung threateningly over them.
Judie looked up at the sky with concern as she got out of the BMW.
Hopefully the weather would hold.
The two criminologists went to the entrance, in front of which were a white van and a police car, and entered the building.
It was swarming with cops, making Judie uncomfortable in her dress and expensive shoes. If only she had just put on a pair of jeans this morning. But no, she wanted to make a good impression.
Well, hopefully she was successful.
The officers had to give her half-amused, half-punitive looks as she staggered across the room.
She entered the next room and clasped her hands in front of her face.
She was used to dead bodies, but things looked really bad here.
Blood was splattered everywhere and on the wall was written in blood, as she had read in the Times article: Suum quique.
An elderly gentleman lay in the middle of the room. This Mr.
Well, it doesn't really matter what his name is anyway, she thought to herself, at least he's dead now.
The head was tilted to the left and the eyes were terribly wide.
One could see through a long slit on the right side of the neck, the larynx and the dead man's hands silently pleading for help.
Judie heard Robert gasp.
And then suddenly there was a choking in her head. It didn't come from her, but then from whom.
Judie saw only black and pressed her hands to her ears.
It should stop, which it was slowly doing.
After a few seconds there was only a faint rattle and then just silence, which was much worse.....