Killed With A Twist

C for Crime

      Mrs. Norman sighed. "I was waiting for my appointment at 10'o clock. Mr. Lorenzo came around the same time... Even greeted me good morning as usual and told me to wait outside.... That poor soul!" She sobbed. Moby rolled his eyes at Ray, tired with all her drama.
   
"I waited outside untill he would call for me.. It was then I heard him cursing...I think he was cursing someone over the phone.. I didn't mind... Lawyers do get into quarrels most of the time...
 
  " After...about 10 minutes or so... someone hurried past me into the office. His face was covered with a black mask... He wore a hooded jacket...I thought.. I thought that man was someone famous... such people don't like being recognised, definitely a divorce case or drugs... I didn't mind.. I had time.. I think he also peaked at me while he walked into the office." She squinted her eyes, trying to remember.

    " Then I heard some yelling and struggling.. I thought it was usual too  because after all.. it's a lawyer's office. But then suddenly I heard loud shots from the inside! " she blurted out crying with fear." I was scared.. I didn't know what to do... I came to think that mask man was actually a serial killer or something!.... I ran into the lift, thinking I won't make it and that he would take my life too. I dialed the police emergency and told them about what happened. I was still calling when I reached the ground floor. And I was about to run away from there when the door opened!" she gasped as she clutched her chest. "He was there! The masked man! Staring and pointing a gun at me. I don't know how he got there so fast... I almost screamed! But he threatened me to cut the phone line. And asked me what I told to the police. I told him I said nothing.. Then he slowly took out a bundle of money, and said if I agree to tell the cops this was a suicide, he will triple it within two weeks!... I was scared... So I had to accept the offer." she burried her head inside her handkerchief as she sobbed.
 
" You accepted that money because you were scared? " Moby coughed. "...Would sound more realistic if you used a word with whole opposite meaning!... I can't believe you just tried to cover up someone's murder for some bucks!"

" I was scared... But I also had to cover up my debts and taxes... I had to... " Mrs. Norman was sobbing. She knew what she did was wrong. She sighed then.
    "But since there are cameras... you will somehow get to know the truth... Killer will be caught any way.. And I won't get any money... " She  wondered,astonished for a second, " I don't know why I never saw cameras in that building... I should have seen them.. "

   Ray shrewdly glanced at Moby and back to the weeping old lady. And he muttered with a smile in the corner of his lips.".. That's because there really weren't any.."

***
  
  "Did you see the look on her face?!" Mokshit couldn't help laughing." I guess that's the expression of ultimate betrayal!"
 
  "Totally ..." Ray agreed . "if we hadn't brought up the footage thing.. we might never thought this was this serious."
 
  " Yeah man..." his partner nodded. " Now we're sure it was a murder...and there was a murderer.... Maybe he called someone knowing that he would die.. And immediately after the killer came for him...."  Moby paused and clocked his head. "but that doesn't agree with the phone records... He had called a secured  number... Why would someone close would keep a secured number. I don't think it can be a family member or a friend.."
  
"So do you think the lawyer might have taken that call to the killer..? " Ray looked serious as he muttered. " which for some reason...made the caller or someone come to his office and kill the lawyer....?"
 
"Yeah... Seems like it..." Moby agreed. "and he wanted to stage it as a suicide... And bribed the old lady for support..." Then his tone sounded confused. "Only thing I don't understand is why the killer would write that  name on the wall... Amber Eve Chapman.. ?"

     "I don't know..." Ray murmured . "Maybe he thought the name would have the potential to make us believe it was a suicide.."
 
  Mokshit nodded and slouched in his chair. "... then we definitely gotta find out why he thought that was proof for  victim's suicide... I'll get hold of the lawyer's case history."

***

  The darkness was starting to drift around the sky at dusk. Mrs.Winnie Norman stared out of the window, emotionless for a couple of seconds.
 
  The old lady mused about how she was merely duped by the young detectives as she witnessed the light fade away. She still cursed them inside. But it was useless to think about it anymore. She had to lose hope on the 2000 dollars she was going to receive.
 
  Mrs. Norman closed the curtain and picked up the last week's newspaper she had been reading and lowered herself onto the couch. Her husband had divorced her twenty years ago and she had no kids or companion to worry about. Only thing that upsetted her was her bills, taxes and debts of the house she has to cover up. She lostthe money which would have covered them up, just because she didn't think the people at police would fool her. It made her frown into her newspaper and tighten her grip around it. But then she sighed and tried to keep reading.
 
  All of a sudden, a loud noice of glass shattering into peices, quivered through the whole room. Winnie jumped in her couch as stayed frozen in the same position. Her eyes stared into the direction where the irritating sound came from- The kitchen.

  She relaxed. It should probably be the stray cat that had been stealing   the food on the table lately. She placed the the newspaper in the nearby desk and stood up. Then she headed to the kitchen and switched on the lights.

   The window was broken ,and the glass peices were scattered on the floor. The wind was blowing through it. She cursed whatever the wild cat that might have shattered it, now that she would have to repair that too.

    She looked bit around the room to find a trace of the cat, but knew it would be impossible. She sighed and promised herself that she would clear this mess tomorrow and hopefully she would also find the little intruder. She switched the lights off and turned to the living room.

   Winnie suddenly gasped as she witnessed the hostile figure of a man just several inches away from her. It didn't take her long for realise it was the same man in the mask from the lawyer's office. She tried to back away , her heart thumping fast      against her chest as she breathed heavily with fear . Winnie cried through her dry throat, backing onto the wall as there was no other mean to hold on. "I didn't tell anything! I swear!"

    The masked man slowly paced his walk. The old lady saw him shaking his head, as if he was chuckling. Then he lifted his head at gazed at her directly, through the uncovered eyes. "You just lied to the wrong man, Mrs. Norman.."
  
She froze. Her eyes enlarged with shock. Her tone was trembling, "How .... did you know my name?! "
 
  The unknown man laughed, his voice rough and raucous. Then his hand lifted and slowly took the mask off, uncovering the face underneath. Her eyes were wide, her mouth fell open, as she witnessed identity of the man in front of her.

  " We meet again... "he called out, casually, his chin up and voice crystal clear.
 
  Mrs. Norman ,still backed on the wall, felt a severe cramp on her back like never before. The sudden shock was fueling painful spasms through her spine. Tightening the grip on the wall, she puffed out, " You?!"
 
  "Surprised ..?" the killer tilted his head to the side, like a tiger waiting for his prey, " Life is really full of surprises.... Isn't it?"
  
Winnie couldn't wait anymore. The pain in her back didn't matter. This was between life and death. She released the grip on the wall and tried to run as fast as she could. But she was too weak and slow. The poor old lady could only get past the kitchen door.
 
  The murderer grabbed her forcefully by her red hair and pushed her to the floor. The brutal thrust made her hit her head head on the tiled floor. Pained, and blood stained, Winnie covered her paining head with her palm, helpless.
  
She tried to lift herself up and crawl away from the horrible murderer. But he was unsympathetic. He murmured in a wicked smile as he closed upon his poor victim.

   "Any last words.. Mrs. Norman ?"