Bertelli Investigations Volume 1: Noteworthy Mysteries

Chapter 4

Mario, Tony, and Tino were all gathered inside the buisness in a small office, wearing fresh new gloves. It was going to be Tony's office, and it was decorated in several posters of TV detectives that he admired, such as Olivia Benson from Law and Order and Kojack. It had a small library of dusty books about forensics. The wallpaper was blue and white striped with the same wooden floors as everywhere else.

The commissioner, a tall, chunky, half bald man by the name of Bain Ligman walked in, handing Mario a note left by the murderer. Mario stared at it, his hands starting to shake, his face gloomy and in obvious distress.
Tony had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What does it say dad?", he asked impatiently.

Mario's voice cracked as he read it:

"To the Bertelli brothers -
Let this be a warning. This time it was your secretary. The next time it will be your sister. You want to keep her alive? You better shut down your buisness before it even starts.
-Sincerely,
Don"

Everyone sat in silence for a few minutes. "So whoever killed Jade also has Tia." Tino said sullenly.

Tony's face got red and hot with anger .He clenched his fists together until his knuckles turned white. The fact that someone had his sister and he wasn't able to know where she was to protect her drove him mad. "We have to find him. We have to find whoever did this to our sister!"

"Did you not read the note?!" Mario yelled. "He will kill Tia if you two do any investigations! Please", Mario begged as his eyes filled with tears. "Ive been looking for my daughter for so long. You can't let him kill her."

"Mr Bertelli", Bain said gently, turning his attention to Mario. "If this really is the person that has your daughter, I don't believe he would kill her now after 10 years. I think he is getting nervous because he knows your sons are after him. They could still investigate, but they need to do so tactfully."

Tony looked at his dad consolingly, taking his man bun down momentarily as if he was taking a break. His long, curly, black hair rested on his shoulders like an old 70s rockstar would only wish. "Dad we don't want anything to happen to Tia either. But if we back down now we'll never find her. You have to know it will be okay."

Mario rested his head in his hand and then threw it up in the air. "What am I supposed to tell your mother?! 'Oh the boys are investigating the murder of their secretary. And by the way, the killer left a note behind saying that he would kill Tia in the process.'"

"Don't tell her anything. Not now", Bain told Mario strictly. He stooped down to where he was and put his big hand on Mario's arm. " I'm a father too. You're thinking like a father, not a detective. You got to think clearly. We will have Tony and Tino under police surveillance for protection. And while we can't promise Tia will be safe, Tony is right. They can investigate, or never find her."

"Could I ask a reasonable question though?", Tino interrupted. "There are so many detectives out there. Would it really be practical to have us to investigate?"

Bain put his hands together and glanced over Tino's head, as to think for a moment. "I think this one is important for you two to do. You actually talked to Jade for a bit and got her work records, whereas nobody else on the police force did. You might be able to find out more information."

Mario sighed, wiping away tears from face. "Okay, okay," he said accepting what the commissioner was saying. "What do we know so far about this case?"

"So far this is what's on record", he said pulling out his large, black, iPhone, reading from an app the police collect files on for investigations. Bain straightened up in his chair and crossed one leg over the other and started to read in a bit of a monotone voice.

"Jade Thompson, 28 years old, 5'2" ,110lbs, blonde hair, green eyes,Caucasian. Clothing and accessories at time of death: Black sweater, yellow crop top shirt, jeans, black sneakers, and a diamond ring placed on left ring finger. Estimated time of death: 12:38am. Estimated to be dead 7 and a half hours before discovery. Probable cause of death: Gunshot wound to the chest, followed by two more gunshot wounds to the chest and upper abdomen. NOTE : Autopsy results have not come back yet. No signs of breaking and entering found in place body was discovered.

Evidence: Note left at crime scene ( Still to be analysed)
No key to the place the body was discovered found on or around victim,probably taken from the killer.
One missing shell casing from chest (Still to be checked during autopsy) other 2 shell casings lodged in victim.
Small tears around bullet holes of shirt (possibly from bullets)
No fingerprints found.
DNA testing still to be determined."

Bain cleared his throat after reading. "And we will have 24/7 police surveillance around the buisness, just in case the killer tries to come back. Do you have any alarm systems or cameras set up?"

"No because someone said that would be impractical out of a detectives buisness", Tino said giving Tony a sharp look, placing the blame on him."

Tony started to open his mouth when the commissioner cut him off. "Well now you have cameras, provided by the police department."

Tony leaned forward from the tan colored love seat he was sitting in. "So if the last shell casing isn't found, that means either she was killed somewhere else and dropped off at our buisness, or someone really was careful not to leave behind any evidence."

Mario tried pulling himself together, taking a breathe and holding back tears. "Just like with Tia. They never left any evidence behind when she was taken either."

Tino jumped up off the loveseat he was sitting on next to Tony, and started pacing the floor and thinking."They just think they haven't left any evidence behind. There's always something. They always screw up somewhere. We just gotta think of where."