Deduce (On Hiatus)

Chapter 6: Crime Scene Investigations

Chapter 6: Crime Scene Investigations

Robert Leighton Clifford                                                                                        The Butchery

I watched Amelia work rather stiffly, her hands still shaking after her little incident. It found it strange how she acted earlier. It was almost as if she was about to faint but she just deliberately shrugged it off as dizziness. I didn't buy her excuse but if she didn't feel like telling me the reason for her actions then I would just let her be. Besides, I wouldn't want her to meddle with my own problems so it would be better this way.

As much as I still felt very uncomfortable about being partnered with somebody, and not just anybody for that matter, I still have to help Amelia. Besides, getting this case done quickly would mean I could be rid of the person who downright insulted my abilities.

I still couldn't believe it. How could someone judge me that quickly without even getting to know me first? Sure, she may have made a full length report about certain aspects of my life but she still didn't know me. And I certainly did not take her as a person who could be judgmental.

She may have apologized but I would still prove her accusations wrong and make her eat her damned words.

The comfort room was a huge mess and I wouldn't be surprised if a snake was slithering around somewhere. I watched Amelia shuffle around the comfort room, looking curiously at random items she found. Soon enough, she was digging inside garbage cans, constantly throwing out used tissues and whatnot. I was used to seeing Peters or Stephen searching for items in disgusting locations but to see Amelia do it instead is oddly fascinating. She didn't look like the type that does the 'dirty' work.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and started to focus on what's important: finding clues. Since there's a big possibility that the killer left something within the comfort room, finding it would be a huge help in identifying who he or she is.

We could not let it slip past us.

I stepped closer to Amelia who groaned after digging out another garbage bin, "What is it you're looking for?"

Sighing, she got up and dusted her suit, "Her clothes, Mr. Clifford. It couldn't have just disappeared off the face of the earth, could it?"

"I realized that," I replied, "If it's not here, why don't you continue looking somewhere else? It might be inside or outside the restaurant. Our killer's been a bit clever so far and it would be an awfully stupid move on his part to tag along a bloody restaurant's uniform with him. Plus, one of the other customers in the restaurant would have seen him. The only mistake he made so far was leaving prints on the knife."

"That does suggest that he was either very clumsy or was in a huge hurry to get out of here," she nodded quickly and crossed her arms, "Well, I'm off to the kitchen then. I also want to check if the butcher's knife we saw on the victim's hand is the same knife being used to cook." She shuddered. "Now, that's a disgusting thought."

When she walked off with Cody trotting behind her, I started looking for any sort of item that looks suspicious and out of place. The comfort room was comprised of three toilet stalls, a large mirror and three wash basins. It had tiled floors that used to be white but the grime on it has left it dirty and discolored.

I crouched down near the large drying puddle of blood on the third stall, pulled out a small cotton muslin from my forensics kit and started to swab the un-dried blood. Then, I let it dry before packaging it in a paper box and labeling it to prevent it from getting contaminated.