The Symbologist

Chapter 13

It was early the next day. As Sugars was busy chatting with Carlos, Carla decided she'd save herself some time and go without Sugars. She was going to solve this case, with or without him.

"Sir, I'm going to interview a suspect again," Carla told Sugars before leaving.

He had barely acknowledged her and said a measly, "Mhm."

He was hopeless, in other words.

After 15 minutes of driving, Carla arrived at Jessica Clyden's residence. Although she had already been here, she was still in awe. As Carla rang the doorbell and waited for Jessica to answer, her conversation with DI Sugars came rolling back to her.

"I just remembered, sir," Sergeant Carla stopped in her tracks, "When I found the case folder while cleaning out the office, it was wide open on the desk. DI Jones isn't that careless."

DI Sugars didn't turn around, but he stopped walking as well, "Well, you know what they say, you think you do, but you never really know who a person really is."

"Wow...I think that's the most useful thing you've said so far," Carla pretended to be awed.

It seemed like...there was a story behind that phrase. Sugars wasn't all that wrong, but he wasn't all that right either.

"Yeah, thanks," Sugars said sarcastically.

The folder. Why was she so hung up on the folder? She would ask if anyone had keys to DI Jones' office drawers and took the folder out to check it out. Perhaps one of the other police officers was just curious, even if they aren't supposed to touch the case folder.

And Sugars....She would look into his past more when she got back. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. What if this case was related to a past case?

"Oh Sergeant Carla, welcome!" Carla was shaken out of her thoughts by Jessica's pitchy voice. Ah that pitchy voice.

"Jessi, is it?" Carla recalled.

"Yes! Come in dear!"

It was almost as if what Carla had said the last time she had visited Jessica had been forgotten completely.

Carla was led over to the couch and Jessica poured her some tea.

"Jessi," Sergeant Carla leaned forward and looked at Jessica meaningfully, "Any information you could tell me about the victims could be extremely helpful. You won't get in trouble. Your information could be vital in solving this case and bringing whoever is at fault to justice."

"I'm sorry, I'm telling you I don't know anything."

Carla didn't believe it was Jessica, as suspicious as her denying everything was. She decided to try and rephrase her request differently.

"Even though what you do here goes against what I believe in and what I think is right, I'm not going to turn you in."

Jessica chuckled, "Oh dear, no one's going to believe you even if you do!"

"I know you have police to cover for you, but believe me, I can find a way to put you behind bars," Carla reassured her.

Jessica smiled and looked Carla in the eye, "You probably don't know this since you're young and all, but Sugars was given the mighty hard job of putting me behind bars awhile back. He was...overconfident and he fell. Dear, there are enough officers to keep me out of jail. You think Sugars didn't broadcast my name to the world? He's smart, a great DI. By staying out of jail, I am helping people."

Carla was confused. She took a second to process it all, "You think you're...helping people?"

"I keep people from the misery of their problems dear," Jessica smiled.

Carla truly believed Jessica genuinely thought she was helping people. Wait—Was the case with Jessica what brought Sugars' downfall? She would look into this past case later at the station.

"Is that how you know Jane, Suzanne, and Mary?" Carla was starting to piece things together. However, Jessica still just didn't quite fit as the killer.

Jessica looked at Carla questioningly, "Whatever do you mean, dear?"

"Did they all come to you for drugs for their problems?" Carla felt surer and surer of herself by the second.

"Oh dear, I've never had any clients by those names," Jessica denied.

Carla inwardly groaned. She was supposed to get Jessica to warm up to her. Instead, she posed them on opposite sides. Oh well, too late to switch now.

"Yes you have, and they're dead now," Carla stated, "Now would you like to help in solving their death because you're being extremely suspicious right now by denying you even knew them."

"Well I don't," Jessica dismissed, "My condolences to their families."

"Alright, I guess we're done here, Jessi," Carla got up to leave.

Jessica pursed her lips, "Wait."