Seven Deadly Colors Of The Rainbow [#Wattys 2016]

Tell Us What You Know

The lawyer led us through a series of corridors until we reached a unmarked brown door. We went inside and the lawyer started pacing the almost empty room.

"Please Mr Olive, take a seat."
The disheveled man threw himself down onto a plastic chair which struggled to maintain his weight.
"Tell us about your date with Ms Rachel." Detective Sutherland whipped out a notepad when he was through speaking.

"Okay. First we went to see a movie, then we went directly to the restaurant. It was a first date so I tried my best to impress her. I told her to get anything she wanted and she ran with it. The most expensive dishes came to our table. After that we were eating desert and I ordered a bottle of red wine. It spilled and caught her new dress." The lawyer expelled all that in one breath.

Patrick was scribbling furiously on the notepad while I nodded my head several times.

"After that she got up and I chased her but she slapped me and I fell. When I recovered she was already gone." The man buried his head in his hands.
"I can't believe someone murdered her! This is surreal. If only I was more persistent-"

"We don't know if she was murdered." My partner closed his notepad and faced the lawyer. "She was found dead at her apartment, in the bathtub, electrocuted. It could be a simple accident, we're are not sure."

I studied Gerald's reaction closely, his shoulders stiffened a bit and he raised his head.
"How do you know Rachel?"

"Uhm, on an online dating sight; Singles To Mingle." Gerald Olive's face turn beet red.

My eyes narrowed as I sized up the man. Many thoughts ran through my mind.

If he was lying, he was an average liar at best. He could easily have killed her but I doubt it. No fingerprints were found at the scene of the crime, no hair strands, no DNA, no shoe print. I hate to admit it but this case was verging more towards suicide than homicide.

After a few more questions we left the man alone and went to the Station. A late lunch of sandwiches but we relished them.
Detective Sutherland showed me all his scribblings and I entered them in the case file belonging to the victim.
All other evidence like crime scene photos and the hairdryer were bagged and tagged.

I looked at the time, the clock on the wall was saying 6:25; only a few more hours. Once 24 hours have passed and we have no substantial evidence a case like this had to written off.

I wasn't going to stay here until nightfall so bidding everyone a goodnight, I went home and told my wife about this puzzling case.