The morning sun glimmered onto John's face as he and Ms. Willam and he made their way into the building in which bodies of the dead were inspected and used for information for doctors. This was where their first clue would be found. Or at least that's what John had hoped for.
He didn't know when he would solve this murder or if he even would, but he knew he was determined. Especially with Ms. Willam now at his side. Her heels clicked as the quickly made their way down a hallway past many doors and doctors observing bodies and bones. Finally once they reached the end of the hallway and to the very last door they found whom they were looking for and intended to meet with.
"Ah Dr. Hanes, what an honor it is to meet with you, once again." John said and then extended his hand to meet with an old Dr. Hanes who plastered a crooked grin on his face. They both stood at the doorway with Ms. Willam behind John, eager to exam the bodies.
"Oh please the honor is mine. Dare I say you have grown to be quite the proper gentlemen since I last saw you as a teenager." Dr. Hanes said as he showed them into his room. Instantly Ms. Willam noticed two bodies on an examination tray with utensils on the side and a several pair of plastic gloves on the side.
"Ms. Willam this is my father's old friend, Doctor Hanes, Hanes, this is Ms. Willam. I'm sure you are familiar with her older brother, Spencer?" John said politely.
"Ah yes in fact I do. Wonderful lad he was. Shame to see he'd pass. Bless his resting soul." Hanes said in a rant as he made his way to the bodies of the Berks family. "Good to meet you Ms. Willam."
Ms. Willam let out a brief smile but it faded. She had no intention of making small chat. There was business to be done and little time to do it. In her eyes the killer could strike at any minute at anytime. This wasn't a one time thing she thought. Surely not.
"By the way how is your old man, John?" Hanes asked.
"Old, I'd say, never the less that doesn't stop him from going to countless operas and plays with my mother." John said in a short chuckle.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Hanes laughed.
There was a short silence and Ms. Willam broke it out with a short cough.
"Now, to business." Hanes said as they all surrounded the bodies. It wasn't until then did John see how gruesome the murder was. Neither did Ms. William.
"Male: A bullet to the left lower side of head. Female: a knife slash to the middle of the throat. Both have their left hand ring finger cut off. No sign of sexual interaction with either bodies previously before the murder. Also no finger prints were left." said Doctor Hanes as he gestured to all the wounds on the victim's bodies.
Hanes was dressed in his traditional doctor robes. John couldn't understand why they wore white when they would surely splatter drops of blood on it at some point in the day. Maybe it was to show they didn't mind the blood. Or that it laid right underneath the human skin. Plain in sight and in touch. John could never figure it out. Even as a young adult and now at the age of thirty two.
John had called upon Hanes, with the accompany of Ms. Willam, to have the description of the wounds on the Berks. So far they were exactly what he had thought they would have been. Carless yet well thought out. John was pleased because if he hadn't know Doctor Hanes he wouldn't even be here at the moment. Hanes was his fathers old friend and a very good doctor.
He was the one that suggested Spencer, Ms. Willams brother, to attend the college in New York City. Now living with the burden of being the cause of Spencer's death, Hanes drowned himself into his work and studied and wondered on countless ideas and thoughts. He was considered to be on if the best doctors in Maryland. However he turned down many offers on being in the medical field.
He had more interest in corpses and such just like Spencer and Ms. Willam. Hanes didn't mind that John had no legal permit that allowed him to be observing evidence to a murder that was owned by the police. John could trust Hanes.
John and Ms. Willam both stood in silence as the observed the bodies. Something felt odd in Ms. Willams mind. Why on earth would their ring fingers be cut off? A hatred against their marriage? Or rather they stole the rings from a family member? Whatever the case was it wasn't good. No "one time" killer would take the time to cut both ring fingers off and kill each victim in a different way. No this was a serial killer to say the least.
"Now from the cut marks we know that the killer is indeed left handed due to the splatter of blood on the left side of the body when it was discovered." Doctor Hanes said as he looked from both Ms. Willams to John.
Indeed the Berks were gruesomely murdered. John saw how deep the life slash was in Mrs. Berks throat. Now, since she was dead, her face was a yellowish color and her lips were blue and parted. As if she had taken her last breath. Which she had indeed. Mr. Berks head was disformed due to the blow from the bullet. His eyes were rolled back. Both ring fingers were cut to the bone. No mercy was seen.
"Well, Ms. Willams any key points you see?" John asked.
Ms. Willam stared at the bodies quietly.
"This murder wasn't just driven by anger but revenge and jealousy." She whispered. "The husbands death was quick and not much thought off. The wife, the killer wanted her to feel pain. The pain he felt. Something happened between the two but I don't know what."
John smiled, "Yes! But of course that's the reason! The simple reason would have to do with the Berks' marriage. Our killer did not like them being married or perhaps disproved of it. I'd say we start of with a family member. Perhaps Mrs. Berks's brother? Richard?"
"Much agreed." Ms. Willam said as she began to move to the door.
John grabbed Doctor Hanes hand and shook it quickly.
"Thank you Hanes. I do intend to see you again soon. We best be off. Please send me a letter if you find something, anything else." John said quickly.
And with that Ms. Willam and John left quickly without hearing Dr. Hanes response. They were both determined to meet someone very important.
