The Maple Murders

Chapter 3 - Brutal Honesty

3:40 PM

The cold, winter air hung heavily with the sound of screeching tires and blaring sirens as police cars surrounded the crime scene beside the hospital. A crowd of curious bystanders had gathered, craning their necks to see over the yellow tape that cordoned off the area. The flashing blue and red lights of the police cars reflected off the glass and stone walls of the hospital, creating an eerie glow in the otherwise darkening evening. The air was tense and uncomfortable, punctuated by hushed whispers among the onlookers, who each carried the knowledge that someone had been murdered, but not who or why.

The uneasiness caused by death is not uncommon when working at a hospital, as some lives can be saved while others cannot. It's a simple factor of life that all medical professionals must come to terms with. This uneasy feeling was different, though. This was no ordinary death; it was a murder - the murder of one of the hospital's most respected doctor, that is.

"What were you doing when you discovered the murder?" The middle-aged police officer asked Emma while scribbling down notes on a clipboard.

"I had just finished my shift..." Emma explained, speaking through a veil of distress. "After waving goodbye to my friend Rosa, a figure in the distance caught my eye... When I got closer, I realized it was Quinn."

Yet another wave of tears filled her eyes as Emma continued to describe the gruesome scene. "Her face was unrecognizable," she said through her sobs. As the horrific images of Quinn's brutalized face filled her head, she couldn't help but break into yet another outburst of tears.

"And what happened after that?" The man inquired, as if trying to make sense of the disturbing events that took place. Emma went on to describe how she ran to the director's office in search of help. Soon after, the police officer finished his questionnaire and allowed Emma to leave.

"A murder?! I can't believe it!" exclaimed Doctor Joel Anderson as he observed the crime scene from behind the yellow tape. Anderson, a man in his late fifties with a short beard and short brown hair, a greyish lab coat, light teal shirt, and black trousers, was the hospital's director. He had over 30 years of experience and was known to be one of the most respected and knowledgeable doctors in the hospital. Despite his stern demeanour, his staff knew him to be one of the kindest and most light-hearted people they had the pleasure to work with.

As Anderson observed the crime scene from behind the yellow tape, the young woman, Kat Parker, who stood next to him, chimed in. "I know, right," she said, a cocky tone colouring her words.

Known for her short temper and annoying demeanour, Kat Parker was Anderson's assistant and had a reputation for being useless and making everyone's life hell. The most troublesome aspect of her, though, is the relationship she shared with Anderson, which is a "father-daughter" dynamic that makes it impossible to raise any complaints about her behaviour.

"I bet it was Emma!" Kat shouted, a delighted tone colouring her words. Unlike most in the hospital, Kat was more concerned with drama than feelings.

Joel looked at her with a stern yet kind expression, "Please don't point fingers without proof. We need evidence before throwing accusations around."

Kat rolled her eyes, "Emma found the body. That's all the evidence we need."

Joel sighed with slight irritation, "Go tell the department managers there's a meeting in my office in an hour."

With that, Kat left in a huff, like a dog dutifully following its master.

"Emma!" Joel called from across the scene, beckoning Emma to approach him. He made a "come here" motion with his hand, and she walked over, still sobbing from earlier. "I'm sorry you had to find out about Quinn this way," he said. "Are you alright?"