Take Me Back To Paddington (SERIES)

Chapter 8

I walked under the crossing tape after reporting myself at the policeman, heading towards the front door of a two storey townhouse that had crime scene investigators coming in and out from it.

I pushed my breath out with a strong force as if it was heavy, thinking of how desperate I was to get these things done so that I could go home before Chae went to work at 11a.m. But I knew it was impossible since the procedures weren't that simple. Collecting and gathering all information together were best done within the first 48 hours when everything was still fresh especially the memories of possible witnesses.

'I can't remember' was my most hated answer to hear whenever I asked them about how they found the dead body, or how was the condition etcetera.

I needed every information to be clear and well remembered in order for me to dig out clues, plot initial theories before crime scene investigation team provided me with processed evidences, and of course find out the modus operandi in the whole murder plan.

Those steps were crucial for me, which made the 'first 48 hours' was the main goal to run after for any homicide detective.

Taking a very careful step into the house, I brought myself to the primary crime scene, which was where the body was found while my eyes were scanning the living room along the way. I noticed red plastic cups everywhere and how messy the area was; sofa cushions scattered around, an out of position coffee table, other furnitures, and leftovers in plastic plates that created bad smells.

I definitely knew that this murder was committed for at least 48 hours already based on the rotten food.

But seeing how those crime scene investigators being so committed to their jobs; collecting physical evidences, reminded me again that I worked with one of the best teams in England. They would definitely give me something important than just a theory I created in my mind.

And looking at another best detective in this crime scene as I entered the kitchen, I was certain that he got my back at any time to solve this mess.

"Baxter" I greeted a man who had a digital camera hanging around his neck.

"Isaac" He turned his attention to me. "Are you alright?"

I almost smiled when I heard a questionable tone in the way he spoke. He obviously couldn't suppress how baffled he was when the 'always early' Lisa Isaac arrived late for the first time ever.

"Sorry, buddy" I gave a few taps on his back. "Did I trouble you working alone?"

"Not really," He responded. "Everything is good so far"

I scanned around shortly after, looking for a dead body that I expected to see as soon as I entered the room. But I didn't. That was because the body wasn't lying on the floor or sitting at a table.

It was already unlucky for me to get a call out, and then I had to see a freezer box at the corner of the kitchen that had blood stains on its white body.

"What have you got, Baxter?"

I asked, walking away from him to follow the blood drops on the floor that were already marked by the crime scene investigators before, which led me to the freezer box and my heart began to pound against my chest when I finally saw what was inside it.

"21 year old university student, Samantha Young," Nick Baxter read the information he managed to collect before I arrived. "She was found by one of her housemates, Laila Hussain, who just came back from summer holiday in Paris"

"What about her other housemates?" I asked, staring at the victim's face since her head was the only part of her body that I could see at the moment.