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The Beginning - Day One - Morning

Agony and horror twisted her face in a rictus mask.  Darkening fluids dripped from her savaged abdomen and soaked down the silk coverlet to pool on the carpet.  The awful, unmistakable odors of death slunk into the corners and dark places of the bedroom and hunkered down.

Zhou Zishu parked his Escalade behind the police van and rushed to collect his crime scene satchel from the back.  His friend and police contact Ye Baiyi waited impassively at the head of the elaborate entry stairs.  Private security flanked the door.

"Thank you, Zhou Zishu, for coming so rapidly," Ye grasped the outstretched hand and drew him into the luxurious house.  "This is a bad one.  Not just physically, we've seen worse.  But the victim is Gao Xiao Lian, of the pharmaceutical company.  Her father is Gao Chong.  He just arrived.  Her husband, Dr. Wen Kexing, should be here soon.  Gao insisted that you perform the autopsy."  Zhou scowled, offended by the entitlement.  The feeling intensified when they reached the landing and witnessed Gao's behavior.

The victim's suite lay to the right and across from the stairhead.  A tall muscular man in a dark suit thrust his face close to the guarding policeman.  The junior's red sweating countenance attested to the strain of his position.  However, he held his place and refused to let the raging senior pass.

"Gao Chong," Ye Baiyi admonished, "don't enter our crime scene.  You might contaminate it.  Please leave my officer alone."  The distraught man blocked their path.

"She's my daughter.  I want to see her," he demanded.  Ye shook his head and signaled a waiting policewoman.

"No.  She wouldn't want you to see her now.  There are no beautiful dead.  Go downstairs; give this officer your statement and wait for your family."  He pushed the man resolutely and paused there while the father complied.

"How was he here so quickly?" Zhou asked, brushing by the guard, and entering the bedroom.  He pulled protective gear from his satchel.  Ye snorted.

"The housekeeper found her and called him first.  Then she called the husband.  Gao telephoned the commissioner; they control the investigation.  I received strict instructions.  Commissioner recommended you.  Gao ordered the house staff to give information only to the police.  This must be kept confidential on pain of termination." And the commissioner gave us two weeks to close the case."  The other man snorted with disbelief.  Completely covered, Zhou stopped to assess the room.

No distinguishing footprints, no blood spots, fluids, nothing led away from the bed.  He noted the minimal blood splatters around her, except what drained from her body.  And coagulated on her hands.  In her death, she reflexively pushed at the tissues protruding from the deep incision.  the remains of an elegant party dress she wore covered her chest, arms and bunched around her legs.

"So," Ye spoke behind him.  "No signs of struggle, minimal blood aside from the bed, no tracks, no witnesses.  How could he slash so deeply without a fountain of gore covering them both?"  The physician examined her neck and head for wounds.

"It wouldn't spray out like that when she's laying down," he responded.  "More like bubbled up and out.  Major blood vessels are under the organs.  Have they checked the bathroom and closet?" he inquired, focused on the body.

"Yes, no frank blood anywhere.  Waited to spray it down for washing-up signs."  Zhou sighed. 

"Take her out.  Get someone to see what's missing.  He used something to contain the mess when he left."  He glanced into the spacious bathroom, but his mind remained on the death scene.  How had the killer entered the room, disabled, and brutalized an adult woman and departed without leaving a trail?  Impossible to stay entirely clean.