Guns And Roses

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

“What about this murder, eh mate?” asked Thornton. “Forensic team there before you left?” asked Walker. “Oh, yes. They were in for quite a surprise, I tell you. Couple of men in the team didn’t even go in!” replied Thornton. “But, of course, the results and the unaccounted blood will take some time to understand,” continued Thornton with a twinkle in his eye. “You noticed the peculiarity of no wound, but so much blood then, did you?” questioned Walker, applauding professionally his junior’s keen observation. “Saw it before the forensics team did,” said Thornton, with a grin on his face. “Anyways, they took the body back to the lab and kept the rest of the scene as it was.

They did, however, take samples of the blood on the floor, to match it with the victims’ to actually see if it is or isn’t theirs.” Walker nodded with approval. “What do you make of the whole thing, then, Seb?” asked Thornton.

“Well let’s just sum up the whole thing shall we?” ventured Walker. “An officer on his beat called the Precinct at around 11.25 p.m., if I’m not wrong,” he started. “Chief called me up at 11:30,” he sighed. “I missed Letterman,” he said in answer to Thornton’s questioning glance. “Anyways, the location of the crime was at 112th Bay View Street, and the scene of the crime was at a bar, namely ‘Chug It Down’”, he stopped, taking a sip of his drink. Smacking his lips, he continued, “I reached there at about 5 minutes past midnight, and met the Chief. Next, I went along with an Attending Officer towards the bar,” said Walker.

 “Now, I’ll share with you all that I saw inside, keeping my conclusions for later.” Thornton assented. “Now, as far as memory serves, there were seven people lying on a hardwood floor, with loads of blood covered across the backroom of the bar, and with a well-lit fireplace in the centre. All the seven victims were middle-aged men, with their upper garments stripped, and with their lower garments intact. Secondly, as we have discussed, the no-wound problem was observed, but we will stress upon that later. Thirdly, all the victims were fit, save a couple of them. Finally, and this is a point on which great detail must be placed; the eyes of the victims were open in a peaceful manner, not with horror or shock. This was all I was able to observe in the short- span of time for which I was able to assess the scene. You agree with me on all points, Shane?” remarked Walker. “Yes, we can fairly say that these were the observations which we witnessed,” said Thornton.

“Good. Now that I have laid it all before you, we must turn towards the inferences and conclusions from our ample number of observations. What say you, dear Thornton?” asked Walker cheerily, his mood changing jerkily, as both men sipped more of their drink. Thornton gulped his down, and proceeded. “Well, the first thing that strikes my mind is a ritual. You know those fanciful ancient things which one tends to hear about?  Think about it, now. There was a fireplace in the middle of the room, and the bodies of all the men were left perfectly well, without a wound to be shown, yet lots of unaccounted blood. That’s what I think, anyways,” he stated succinctly. “Good thinking on your part, Shane,” nodded Walker. “Yet you miss the main essence of a ritual. Any of those ancient rituals that you have mentioned, are always associated with perfection. Every step is followed to the tee, and completed with finesse and impeccable planning. However, there proves to be one big flaw in this theory of ours. I admit that this idea hadn’t crossed my mind, but am sure that we are on the wrong path here,” he went on, finally finishing his drink and setting it down on the glass table, before rubbing his hands in front of the furnace. “You observe, I see, that all the men weren’t fit. Despite the majority being well-built, at least a couple of the victims were slightly or quite overweight. I’m quite sure that in the process of someone being so hell-bent on conducting such a ritual, which contains human sacrifice, even a small discrepancy like this wouldn’t have occurred,” he finished. “Hmm, there’s something in that,” said Thornton, stroking his light beard with his hand. “A deranged murderer, then perhaps?” persisted Thornton. “A maniac, who murdered these men just because it gave him a high? Such people have been known to commit murders haven’t they?” he said, sounding doubtful himself. “Here, too you are in the wrong my friend,” started Walker. “However, you have no way of knowing so, as I have had a little more excursion and excitements in the night than you.” Walker recounted the reason for his coming to Diamond District, to Thornton’s residence, with complete details including the warning note attached to the spear. “Well!” whistled Thornton. “You’ve surely got your work cut out tonight, I tell you. But I still didn’t get why I am in the wrong with my theory of the homicidal maniac.” “Ah! I expected better from you, Shane,” sighed Walker, to which Shane looked slightly taken aback.

“Doesn’t it strike you to be much more probable and obvious, that an organisation is at play here?” asked Walker quietly. “A maniac’s job would be simple, kill a group of people, and be done with it. This certain person, more probably group of people, murdered 7 men in cold-blood with surgical precision, and under the very noses of the New York Police Department, placed the bodies in a busy bar’s backroom. After that, they sent me, the lead investigator, a warning; and a dangerous warning at that, to stop the investigation if I care for my well-being. Wouldn’t a maniac steer clear of such moves? Wouldn’t he commit a murder, bask in his glory and take pleasure, thereafter moving on to another target to receive a new high?” questioned Walker with a fiery look in his eyes. “More so, such a murder requires a high degree of planning and execution, which can seldom be performed by a maniac who murders for a hit of adrenaline. Your arguments are not in line with the balance of probability, my friend,” he went on. “Ah! Don’t look so disheartened, ,” Walker consoled his companion, who looked crestfallen at having made a mockery of himself. “You’re a smart man, and you’ll soon hit upon the target, I’m sure.”

“As for now, we can just wait for the results from the Lab,” said Walker getting up and stretching himself. “Also, we will both be at a huge loss if we do not immediately go to bed, for tomorrow lies an untold and eventful day,” he finished with a sly grin on his face. Thornton regained his good humour, and gave a smile in return. Walker had taken a fancy to the couch he was seated upon, and was happy enough to spend the night there. After about ten minutes of exchanging ‘good-night’s’, both men were in deep sleep, in anticipation of the next day of solving this mysterious and ingenious  crime.