Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 53: Burying the Hatchet-Part 1

A few days later, Marie decided to visit Paul on her way to work. She managed to have Scott, Oliver and Mrs. Fusslepot, as well as the animals, to stay in a hotel for a while until everything blows over. Scott agreed to not come to the station unless the time was right so he can take care of his little stepbrother and the old nanny. As soon as she arrived at the hospital, one of the nurses escorted her to Paul's room.

Once she was inside, she switched out the flowers in the vase with fresh ones she bought from the florist. Paul watched her as he laid in bed with his leg propped up and in a cast. Marie then looked at him with worry and asked, "Does it hurt at all?"

Paul looked at his leg, smirked and said, "It was at first, but it'll take more than a broken leg to keep this old man down!"

Marie smiled and thought, that's good. As she was about to take her leave, Paul stopped her and he said, "I heard you're researching a secret society called the Crimson Order."

"You heard of them dad?" Marie asked curiously.

Paul nodded and said, "I know you're just doing your job Marie, but I'm gonna advise you to not bite off more than you can chew. You may not have been born in Grimsborough, but your ancestor lived here. Anyone who had an ancestor who was a pilgrim 400 years ago has heard of the Crimson Order and to this day, they still live in fear."

Marie burned his words into her head and she told him that she will be careful and she left the room. When Marie got to the station, she walked up to the entrance talking to Scott on the phone that she gave Mrs. Fusslepot some money for them to spend on food and the laundromat and he thanked her for her that. Once she entered the office, said good morning to Jones and started up her computer, she heard him exhale a sad sigh and she looked at him with worry and asked, "What's wrong babe?"

Jones looked at her with a sad look and said, "I don't know about you Marie, but haven't had a decent night's sleep since the chief's death. I keep having the strangest dreams and..."

Just then, Jones' phone started to ring and he rolled his eyes and let out a groan. Curious, Marie asked, "Who's calling you David?"

"It's probably Ramirez. That guy's been nervous as an alley cat recently," Jones said and he answered his phone and asked Ramirez what he wanted now.

On the other end, Ramirez screamed about something being horrific, that there's so much blood and something about missing hands in an exaggerated voice. Marie could hear Ramirez from her desk and she asked Jones to him on speaker, which he did, and she asked, "Ramirez, calm down buddy! Just breathe deeply and slowly and tell us where you are."

Ramirez took a deep breath and told them, "I'm at the Aloki Indian Settlement. You know, the one on the outskirts of town. Please come quick cause I don't know what to do!"

Jones and Marie told Ramirez that they'll be right there and soon, they headed out to where he was. At the Aloki Indian Settlement, Ramirez noticed the two officers approaching and he ran towards them. He then said to Marie, "Thank god you're here! Whoever did this is seriously disturbed!"

Marie nodded and said to him, "It's okay Ramirez, we'll take over things from here. You just go calm down and we'll investigate the scene." And Ramirez nodded and walked away to clear his head.

Once they started to investigate, Jones and Marie were met with a gruesome site that looked like it was pulled out of a historical torture manual. There in front of them was the dead body of a woman who was hung up on the pole and butchered like an animal. After Ramirez calmed down a little, he also saw the body and he started to cry a little and said, "Poor Sandy! I can't believe anyone would want to harm her. She was just so sweet!"