The Search

Chapter 10

Nikolai

The station was buzzing today. It was absolute chaos because there are a series of different cases going on and they all seem to be hitting at the same time.

Indira and I sit in my office and she paces back and forth lightly sniffing. She just came in from the cold so she's trying to warm up, or she's just a constantly nervous person.

"How are things going miss Hughes?" I ask standing to pour her a coffee.

"Oh you know." She laughs sarcastically, "I just love looking behind my back every minute of every day. Really, you know that makes my day."

I cross my arms and lean back against my desk lightly laughing at her "optimism."

But my tight lipped smile turns down soon enough when a tear escapes her eye. She's young, just turned 24 and she's already going through so much.

I step forward and lightly take her in my arms and wait for her to except before completely cross that boundary. I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable, that's the last thing she needs right now.

Her shoulders shake as she stands closer to my body relaxing in the embrace but she quickly tightens up and steps away. "I'm fine, really,"

I nod uncertain but I grab a tissue for her. I sigh almost feeling bad for the conversation I'm about to bring up, "when you first came in because of the incident, we looked up your records. Mostly for background information and for the knowledge of who we are working with."

I continue, "I'm sorry to hear what you've been through Indira. I really am."

She finally slides down and sits on the couch opposite of me. Indira holds the tissue to her nose. She reluctantly nods wiping the last of her tears.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, my wife and I's doors are always open for you. We have a guest room and my kids are great when it comes to making people feel welcome. Whatever and whenever you need me let me know." I finish.

"Oh I couldn't," she shakes her head, "wouldn't your wife be upset, I mean you already have 5 kids I'm pretty sure you don't need another one."

"If any of my kids needed help I would hope that someone would help them like I want to help you. So again, if you need a hug or a place to stay," I take out a sticky note and slide it over to her, "call anytime."

She picks up the sticky note but immediately drops it and when she goes down to pick it up her bag drops with everything else. All her things scatter all around the floor. "God Im suck an idiot, you would think I'm naturally blonde,"

My eyebrows lift and I look at her hair as I bend down to help her pick up all of her things. Then I notice how her routes are a dark brown.

"You have natural brown hair?" I ask as we both stand up.

She puts the strap of her bag over her shoulder and sighs, "yeah I changed it last month, my friends a hairdresser and wanted to practise some colours. I don't like it though, it doesn't match my skin tone."

A light bulb goes off and I race towards the door. I turn last minute to Indira, "go home, take the precautions needed and call me if you need me!" I yell running out and smile as I call everybody on my case to the board room.

——————-

Once everyone had gathered either sitting or standing I begin. 

I start by placing a picture of Indira Hughes, "this is Miss Hughes, age 24, 5'7, with brown eyes and brown hair which had been recently dyed blonde. Victim has been followed by her stalker for many months now and we found her the other day surrounded by other victims."

I place many photos of the other victims we found all over the city on the board and then I add the ones found at the mall the other day.

I stand back and take a look around the room, crossing my arms as I do so. "What do you notice about all of the pictures?" I ask.

It takes a moment but then Cal, an officer in training raises his hand and I nod for him to go ahead. He clears his throat, "they all have the same features sir, same hair, eyes, skin tone, stature, weight and height."

I nod but walk to Indira's photo, "so it seems," but I rip her photo off with the blonde hair and underneath is a photo of her a couple months back with her natural brown hair. "But Miss Hughes is the only one who's hair is not actually blond."

Derek speaks up, "what does that have to do with anything?"

"He's punishing her." I say simply, "she got her hair dyed and he didn't like it.  So as punishment he decided to warn her by killing everyone else that she looks like, or that look like her."

I rip the victims photos individually off of the board, underneath each of them is their bodies in the exact position we found them.

"He's telling her that if she doesn't fix her mistake she'll end up just like them." I stop and point at the board, right at the pictures, "and he spelt it out through the bodies."

Derek analyzes them then shockingly his mouth opens agape, "It says 'Fix it or else'.  Each body is a different letter."

I nod leaning forward, "we have to put him to a stop, before he can spell out a warning in another word."