Phantom

35.

Eddy

Staying in the car wasn't all that bad. It got a bit hot after a while, but being a ghost he wasn't really bothered. He wasn't sure how long had passed when Brett returned with a determined look on his face.

"What's happening?" Eddy asked as Brett sat in the drivers side of his car and started it.

"We found her, and we're going there right now," Brett explained as he got the car in gear. A few other guys in uniform had come out of the building after Brett and jumped in their own cars, and soon they were on their way.

Eddy started recognizing the streets they passed eventually, blinking a few times as they neared the hotel. It looked a lot different in daylight, but he recognized it immediately.

"It's that one," Eddy said, pointing out the steps up to the door of the little hostel. "Hilary came from over there..." He pointed out the direction he had seen her walking from with calm steps, way too safe for a woman alone at night. It was so strange to think she was gone.

"Alright, you coming inside with me, or are you staying?" Brett said, and Eddy had to admit he found this down to business kind of Brett a bit hot.

"I'm coming, maybe I can help," Eddy said, and they both got out of the car before the other officers rounded the corner.

"I won't be able to talk to you while we're in there, but I promise I'm listening to you, okay?" Brett told him before the others had gotten out of their cars, and Eddy gave him a nod. Of course that made sense.

"Sir, it's right over here," an officer approaching the guy Eddy had been told was the senior officer, Officer Juan said.

"Alright, you two," Officer Juan said, pointing to two other officers Eddy didn't know. "You'll secure the scene. Yang, with me."

The group entered the door, following the poor rookie officer, a guy who was even younger than Brett, to the spot where he had found the body of world famous violinist Hilary Hahn. Eddy looked around at the now relatively well lit hall and up the creaky staircase. He wasn't too sure he liked the idea of seeing Hilary Hahn dead again, but he followed close by Brett anyway.

The forensic pathologists was already working in the room when the officers entered, and the team leader stood up from examining the body as the group of officers entered.

"Officer Juan, nice seeing you again," she said, pulling her latex gloves off with a snap. "Victim is a forty year old female, no wallet or identification found. Been dead for a while, I'll get back to you on that."

"Any indication on cause of death?" Juan asked, and she nodded, pointing to blue and purple marks around her neck.

"Strangulation," she said, and immediately Eddy coughed behind her as he remembered his own death. It felt like he couldn't breathe, but of course he didn't actually need to breathe anymore. The choking sensation didn't go away, though.

"That's... how I..." he gasped to Brett as he tried to gather himself and breathe, his hand being at his throat as if trying to remove an invisible hand from strangling him. "I... I think I broke his hand, I heard a snap..."

"She's Hilary Hahn, violin soloist," Brett said as Eddy coughed a few more times to gather himself. "World famous, if I may add."

"She had her violin," Eddy shot hoarsly, still shook by the strangling feeling. He coughed again. "When she walked in, she had her violin. Where is it?"

Brett furrowed his brows.
"My anonymous.... tip off..." Brett began, getting a frown from officer Juan. He chose to continue anyway. "...Said she had her violin walking in here. Has it been removed?"

"No violin was found," the forensics' team leader said with a shrug, and immediately after Eddy gasped.

"It's Ray! He had both coming out! I'm sure of it! He was here, he had one going in and two coming out! No wonder he ran so fast!" he exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "God, I'm so stupid, why can't I remember shit."

"We should check out Ray Chen," Brett said to Juan, crossing his arms. "Now."

"Another one of your anonymous reports, is it?" Juan asked with a sigh, but Brett's challenging eyebrow made him give in.

"Alright, Yang," he huffed, waving his hand at another officer to indicate to do as Brett had suggested. "But if it turns out to be nothing, you're answering to the chief."

"Yes, sir," Brett responded, and Eddy tried to assure him by touching his arm lightly.