Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 55: Ashes to Ashes-Part 1

Previously on Criminal Case: Grimsborough:

Ramirez ran up to Jones and Marie and he looked at Marie and said to her, "Inspector, I have terrible news! Tess Goodwin, the Rorschach Reaper, has escaped from prison!"

Jones' eyes went wide with shock and he exclaimed, "WHAT?! Tess Goodwin is out?!"

"We need to find her and put her back in her cell before she starts hypnotizing people again! Let's organize a manhunt and Ramirez bring your frying pan, we might need it," Marie instructed and soon all the officers started to scramble to search for Tess Goodwin.

During the manhunt, Marie decided to work with Scott while Julian and his father stayed behind with Mrs. Fusselpot, Oliver and the animals to keep an eye on them. Gerald volunteered to stay with Paul in his hospital room in case Tess or the Crimson Order showed up. A couple hours later, Marie got a call from Jones and she and Scott decided to meet search separately. A few minutes later, Marie met Jones bear the high bridge and she saw that he was holding Astrid, Margaret Littlewood's dog.

When Jones saw her, he asked her, "Marie, you're here! How's the manhunt going on your side?"

Marie shook her head, "We looked up and down the Industrial area, to the university, to the Historical Center, to the Financial Center and even Maple Heights! But there is no trace of Tess anywhere! Quick question though, why do you have Astrid with you babe?"

Jones smiled and told her, "I thought that we could use a little help to track her down. With our old doggy friend Astrid here, we'll find her in no time! I'm sure of it!" And he started to coo the little dog and started to talk to her in a baby voice which made Marie roll her eyes and chuckle at him.

Soon, Jones said in a cooing voice to the little dog, "Now go and find that evil serial killer Astrid!" And he set her on the ground and she started to sniff around.

Jones and Marie followed the little dog until her nose picked up a strange scent and let out a little bark and started to run towards the scent with Jones and Marie trailing behind. As they followed the little dog, they noticed that the scent was by the river. When they got closer, their eyes went wide when they saw there was a fire and it was coming from the nautical museum. Jones and Marie showed their badges to the guard and he let them pass and Jones gave Astrid to the guard and ran behind Marie towards the fire to secure the area before the firefighters arrive.

As they were running towards the deck of the ship replica, Marie stopped when she smelled something that smelled like rotting flesh. She then shook it out of her brain and ran to catch up to Jones until the two officers were on the deck to see Tess tied up and gagged at the stake with a bonfire under her and dead. Marie took a fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire so it would spread further. Jones and Marie looked at Tess' dead body and Jones covered his nose with his arm and said, "It smells like burned pork chops! Who would have thought that Tess escaped from prison only to be burned at the stake!"

Jones took out his phone and told Ramirez to tell the other officers that the manhunt is off and that they found Tess, but she was dead. He then let out a sigh and said, "This is not how I thought this manhunt for Tess would end! What do you think Marie, you think her murder is linked with her escape?"

Marie looked at the planks she put out and they were still burning a little and she said, "We better look through those planks from the bonfire and maybe we'll find a clue among them."

Jones also noticed a pile of ashes that tracked back to the fire and he thought that they may have been scattered by the killer. When he suggested that they should take a sample from the ashes, Jones about to ask something when suddenly there was the sound of a shutter snapping and a flash of bright light.