Cage of bones

11.

Tobirama

I was tapping the bridge of my nose with my finger. In front of me was an entire police force, waiting for me to speak. I seemed unable to.

It was one of the young officers who saved me by speaking.

"This is sick."

"Thank you", I said with a sad smile. "I didn't quite know how to put it myself." I stood up, feeling I had gotten some words back within me. "This is what we're highly likely dealing with. A virtuous killer, or someone who thinks that he is. Killing off prisoners to hoard their organs and sell. And when he ran out of prisoners, he went on to civilians. One dead potentially means several others who can be saved. And who pay money."

"How does we know it's a he?"

"We don't", I said. "I'm just assuming their gender. Don't tell me you believe there's a woman behind all of this?"

Nobody said anything about it.

"Do we tell the families?" someone asked.

"We can't unless we have proven it", I said.

"Do we have anything else?"

"We do", Oliver said. "As you know, the disappearances have stopped. We have checked with other cities in the country and even other countries. It hasn't moved. Just stopped."

"They must have found out we're on to them", another said.

"How?" Oliver asked. "They couldn't know unless someone have spoken or if they're actually in the police force." He looked around the room. I liked the confidence he had gained since I had started dating him. "Is anyone going to confess they spoke?"

It was dead silent. I didn't say anything, not because I was waiting for someone to speak but because my mind wandered elsewhere.

Suddenly, I felt a pang in my heart. As if someone had given it an electric shock. Put a metal cord through my mouth all the way to my heart and led a lightning bolt through it.

Shit.

"Me", I wheezed when I realised. "I have." 

He didn't answer when I called him.

Actually, his phone was off. And his computer. And his bank cards and credit cards had been cancelled. His cars were left at home. 

He was gone, without a trace.

I leaned my face in my hands, my elbows on my knees. Oliver was sitting next to me, massaging my back.

"This isn't happening", I said. "It just isn't happening."

"Rest", Oliver said. "It's out of your hands."

It was. We were not allowed to be on cases that involved people we knew. With the new main suspect, I had been removed from the case. I tried to feel frustration but I didn't. I felt only relief.

"It has been a pleasure, working with you", I said, taking Oliver's hand, kissing it. "It has been an honour."

Oliver blushed.

"The pleasure has been all mine", he said. "Working with the best police chief in the country."

I smiled and hugged him.

"Isn't it sick?" he asked. "This organ donation thing. There's a shortage of organ donors throughout the country. And then this... Availability for people who can pay. For organs from innocent people who have been murdered."