Detective Richard Herman

Serial murder - Part 2

The next day's afternoon, I walked to Mister Ashfield's house. I saw Mister Ashfield, Officer Brooks, Officer Mark, Connor, and several other police officers.

I greeted them, "Good day, gentlemen."

Officer Brooks spoke, "Detective! Good timing! We were about to get inside and investigate."

I asked, "Can we contact the apartment owner?"

Officer Mark spoke, "We asked the previous owner of the apartment. The apartment was bought by a woman named Sophie Henchworth, but we couldn't find anyone with that name."

Connor spoke, "It's a fake name. Obviously to trick the previous apartment owner."

I asked, "So, what's the plan? Break in?"

Officer Brooks spoke, "Indeed! We're planning to enter the apartment right now. Let's get the door open!"

One of the police officer shouted, asking for whoever is inside the apartment to open the front door. There was no response. A locksmith went to work with the front door. The front door was opened and we entered.

The police officers went in first. Connor and I entered last. We checked each and every room. The apartment seemed dusty, meaning it was not cleaned at all and probably left uninhabited for some time. The culprit may have abandoned this apartment right after the murder.

An officer shouted from the second floor, "Senior Officer Brooks, detectives, I found something interesting!"

Connor and I went to the second floor and into the study. The study had bookshelves and a desk. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. Officer Brooks and another officer was standing near the desk with a piece of paper at hand.

I asked, "What was the interesting thing, Officer Brooks?"

Officer Brooks turned towards me and handed me the paper, "Read the paper. You will then understand what makes it interesting."

I looked at the paper. Connor was behind me reading the paper as well. The following is what was written.

"Good day, Detective Richard Herman

I expect that you wouldn't be so foolish as the police to actually consider the incidents as accidents and that you will investigate this apartment to catch me, so I left this note for you. You may also have guessed that I am a serial killer. Indeed, I am a maniac who kills for fun. The worried and terrified faces of the people I killed, those are the beauty I crave for. I congratulate you for solving this murder case, but this is not the end. The real fun begins now. I challenge you to catch me. How many people will I kill before I am caught? Will you even be able to catch me? Let the fun begin.

Sophie Henchworth"

The message was a provocation. She's looking at murder and crimes like games. What a mad woman.

As I finished reading, I heard Officer Mark shout, "Detectives, Senior Officer Brooks! We found evidence here!"

I took the paper with me and went to where Officer Mark was at. Officer Brooks and Connor was following me.

I entered the room where Officer Mark shouted from. On the floor, there were ropes, perhaps used to restrain the late Missus Ashfield. There was also the cupboard filled with clothes. Most notably out of all, there was a table with a wig coloured blonde on top of it.

Aside from the aforementioned items, police officers were looking around the room. Some were also checking the evidences. Mister Ashfield was also inside the room.

Officer Brooks and Connor came in. They were quite surprised to see the evidence of murder right there.

Officer Mark spoke, "There's a lot of evidence! We hit the jackpot!"