Thank you all for being patient with me as I had to delay updating in favor of exams and revision work. I hope that this was worth the wait! Edited =D
“Well, what do we know so far Turlock?” I asked the man who was now standing next to me.
“So far all we know for sure is that the father and the boyfriend were both out of town. They work together at a solicitors firm, Dawson’s I think the name was. The father is a solicitor and the boyfriend is a trainee at the firm. There was no way either of them could have committed the murder.” He said gravely
“Are there any other leads?” I asked looking at him as he continued to watch the pair who were slumped over the table in their grief.
“None yet, sir. We’re looking through her things, her mobile phone, laptop etcetera for any clues. There is one thing that is blindingly obvious though.” replied the stoic Detective Sargent.
“She was planning on going out somewhere. She is wearing ‘Party’ clothes and has more make-up on than any girl I’ve ever seen.” he replied.
“Listen Turlock, could you hold down the fort here for a bit whilst I go and talk to the doctor?” I questioned.
After many years of interviewing suspects and witnesses alike it was generally agreed that I wasn’t the best interviewer, as I had a tendency to be slightly stoic and cold towards people who showed excessive emotion, especially when it causes an obstruction to my work. So it wasn’t best for the two grieving men to be interrogated by me. I went back into the living room to take another look at the body.
The forensic team in their white suits were milling around, looking around through everything to find even a slight hint at a clue. The atmosphere was tense and it was obvious that they had so far found nothing.
“Doc, got anything new?” I asked as I approached the body again
“Nothing that I didn’t know before. What I can tell you is that there are no other possible causes of death and I think that I know how the murderer killed her.” She replied still looking at the body.
It was only then that I really took a good look at the victim. Female, Caucasian, in her early 20’s at a guess. Auburn hair, long, long enough to be used as the murder weapon. She was wearing a short red dress that barley covered her body and had an almost scandalously plunging neck line. Her heels were around 6ix inches at a glance and silver. Turlock was wright, she was going out.
“So can you tell me your theory then?” I questioned wondering what Jane would come up with this time.
“Well could you stand over there please,” she instructed pointing to an empty part of the hall way.
I went and stood waiting for further instructions. She stopped in front of me and turned so that she was facing away from me.
“Ok, so from the position of the body and the nature of her injuries, this is what I think happened. Our murder must have been behind her. There is no way he would have been able to finish the deed if he hadn’t been restraining her in some way. Could you stand behind me and put one of your arms around my abdomen, your right one will do.”
I took a cautious step forward. I was less than comfortable with the idea of holding my long-time friend and colleague in such an intimate fashion, but if it appeased her then I would comply.
“Right, so he must have crossed his other arm around her neck,” she nodded indicating that I should move my arm in a similar manner. It felt so wrong doing this to a good friend like Jane but I continued so that she wouldn’t question my hesitation.
“Now her hair must have been over her shoulder for the killer to have grabbed it quickly and use it as the murder weapon. If my theory is correct then we will find bruise marks around the deceased’s side, around the mid back area, and maybe a large bruise on the mid front from the heel of the hand. Not much to go on but it could still be used later on to help identify the murderer. You can let me go now Tommy. Tommy?” She asked when I didn’t let go.
I was stuck in my own dream world wondering how I had come to be in a situation like this. I felt conflicted. If DCI Wright hadn’t retired then I wouldn’t have been promoted, meaning I wouldn’t have had to head this investigation or be standing here like this right now. But somehow it seemed as if I had to do this. For some unknown reason, being involved in this investigation was the right thing to do, if in the least to bring justice to my children’s mother. Even though she had ripped my heart out of my chest I needed to do this for them. But I couldn’t do anything in this bubble of confused light-headedness. I needed to focus on reality.
“Sorry Jane!” I said moving quickly to allow her personal space again. “I was away with the fairies thinking about this case.” I gave her a small apologetic smile which she returned with one of her own.
“Are you sure this,” she gestured to the scene around us. “Is ok for you? I mean, are you sure you’ll be-”
“Able to handle it?” I finished for her giving her a small attempt at a reassuring smile.
“Well, yes. I’m sorry to have to say this but it’s too close to what happened to her and I worry about you. What if this causes you to go back into the rut of depression that you were in after your divorce? Would you be able to make a swift recovery like last time or would it break you completely?” I could see the deep sadness in her eyes as she said this because of all the people I knew, she was the only one who understood and could truly empathise with me.
After her first husband left her for another woman almost 20 years previously she had been devastated, left with one 4 year old child and another due in less than a month. To say she had difficulty during the next 3 years would be like saying the Sahara is warm. Luckily for her she met a very loving man who worshiped her and her children. She married the man and I had the bragging rights for their meeting as I had been the one to introduce them.
“How about a compromise?” I said. “If I feel that this case is causing too much damage to me psychologically or emotionally I shall hand it over to someone else. If you fell that I shouldn’t continue, then you can tell me to leave it or talk to Jennings if it gets that bad. Does that sound good to you?”
“Yes Tommy, that sounds good to me.” She said with an approving smile.
A killer point of view
I was still watching them and yet none of them knew how close I was, I really feel despair for the Police system. Indeed the Doctors theory was just about correct and even if they were able to judge my hand print size it wouldn’t be enough to be incriminating evidence as there were so many people in this world with similar hand sizes.
The only person I worried about was DCI Smith. If he got even the slightest idea of who I was then it would all be over and I would have no choice but to surrender peacefully. We were far too close for anything less and I know he would be horrified to discover my true identity.
Please comment and vote. All opinions will be taken into account and I will try to update soon. Also if any of you have ideas about who is the killer message me and let me know as I hope that the killer isn't obvious yet.
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To Catch A Killer
Mystery / ThrillerFour years after the death of his Ex-wife DCI Thomas 'Tommy' Smith is investigating a murder that is extraordinarily similar and not just because the victims were both women. Questions arise when another woman is found strangled by her hair. Was the...
