Criminal Case: Pacific Bay

Chapter 18: After the Storm-Part 2

While Amy and Marie were reviewing what they know so far about the case, Hannah came by to tell them that the Play for Hope concert is back on and this time, it's being played in honor of their victim. Getting curious, Amy asked, "But wasn't the fundraiser about the hurricane? And why would they change it to be about our victim?"

Hannah smirked and said, "I'm guessing it's about money because it's completely sold out! Someone has just made big bucks out of Elmer Buttons's death!"

Thinking that all of this sounds very fishy, Marie said, "Something must be up. I remember reading on the flyer I found earlier that the concert is held in the park. So we should hurry there and see what this whole mess is about!" And soon, the two female officers set out towards the park to check it.

Once they arrived, Amy and Marie started to look around the concert venue until Marie found a storm survival kit and she remembered Yann telling them that the killer also used one. Marie also found bits of torn paper and knew she had to piece them back together. It was then that a thought came to Marie's mind and she looked at Amy and said, "I think we should speak to Freddie Alonzo again. He's the one who organized the event, so he must also be the one responsible for changing the theme."

Amy nodded in agreement with Marie's theory and she said, "If anyone's made big bucks out of Elmer's memory, it's gotta be him!"

Before they could talk to Freddie Alonzo, Marie got to work digging through the storm survival kit she found until she pulled out an electric turkey carver and it was covered in blood. Remembering Roxie's words about the victim being dismembered with an electric knife, Marie told Amy that the electric knife she found must be the murder weapon. Knowing that the blood on the blade belongs to the victim, Marie noticed a foreign substance on the handle.

Before she could do that, Marie put together the torn photo she found until it was whole again. After that was done, Marie and Amy saw that it was a photo of their victim when he was young and he was with a woman. Marie then said, "If the young man in the photo is our victim at a young age, then my guess is that this photo was taken about thirty years ago."

The two female officers looked closer at the woman the victim was with in the photo and Amy thought they looked really happy together. At the top there was a message that said, 'If only we could turn back time.' After reading it, Amy got a feeling of nostalgia and she said, "I don't know who wrote this, but I know exactly how they feel! I mean, I'm only 23, but I get quite nostalgic too!"

Marie patted her shoulder gently and said, "Well we can't turn back time, but we can save some by sending this photo to Hannah straight away so she can identify the woman in it." And Amy nodded in agreement.

Once Marie sent the photo to Hannah to be analyzed, she got to work collecting a sample from the substance on the electric knife. After she got a sample of the white powder, Marie sent it over to Yann so he can find out what the white powder is. As soon as their clues were sent to their friends to be analyzed, Marie and Amy set out to talk to Freddie Alonzo about changing the theme of the concert.

As soon as they reached the venue where the concert will be held, Freddie saw Amy and Marie and he said to them with a smile, "Hello again ladies! Still don't have any loose change? Because there will be a storm next year too! So you don't want to miss out on the next fundraiser!"

Marie then asked curiously, "Mr. Alonzo, why did you change the fundraiser so it's now in the memory of Elmer Buttons instead of about the hurricane victims?"

Freddie let out a boastful laugh and he said, "Call it poetic justice! Elmer didn't want to participate in the fundraiser when he was alive. But he can't refuse to help now that he's dead!"