THE BEAUTIFUL MINDS

CHAPTER 6

Derek Armstrong had a beautiful mind.

He was 6 feet tall, broad, way too masculine and enormous. His voice was deep, piercing and could be heard from any corner of the room he was in.

His mind worked the same way. He would want to instantly accomplish whatever he thought of. There was no room for words like ponder, contemplate or speculate.

He sees.

He wants.

He gets.

That's how his mind worked.

"No offense, but this room looks like a sorcerer's dungeon. I'd like to leave as soon as possible" he groaned.

Ronny smirked. "Let's play a game. You're Emily rose and I am a uniformed priest. Let me chase the demons in you"

Derek rolled his eyes and Ronny had to accept that it wasn't one of his great comebacks. But, come on! How do you answer to kids like that?

"You want a boomer?" He asked, changing the subject.

Derek grabbed it without a second thought.

"So, tell me. What do you know about this Richard guy?" asked Ronny.

"Ah well! So, I'm a suspect now?" he remarked, flinging his hands out. The walls echoed with the sound of him chewing the gum.

"Answer my question, Derek" commanded Chief Jones.

"He was a stupid guy. A piece of shit."

"Why do you say so?"

"Because he was a loser"

"And not because you had a crush on the same girl he was in love with?"

"Ah! Rachel!"

"Yeah"

"Yeah"

Ronny was losing his patience very rapidly.

"Why don't you reply to the point, Derek?"

"Yes. I had a crush on her. But then, I realised she was a loser too. She was such a dumb girl. And just like that I lost interest in her"

Ronny looked at him intensely.

Derek avoided looking at his eyes.

Was he hiding something?

"Where were you at the time of murder?"

"When did the murder occur?"

Ronny glared at him.

"I'm sorry, but I don't keep track of happenings, you know"

"Saturday night, between twelve thirty and two thirty"

"Oh. I was at home."

"And anyone to approve of it?"

"Nope"

"Your parents?"

"No. They weren't at home"

"Fine. That's all for now" Ronny said too quickly. He was desperate to get rid of the guy.

As Derek was about to leave the room, Ronny said, "You can use the trash can at the corner if you want to spit the gum"

Derek shrugged. "I don't want to spit it".

But then, after a brief second, something prompted him to walk over to the empty trash can and spit the gum out.

As Ronny watched it, he wondered if Derek tried to act too cool.

Richard's parents suffered inexplicable loss.

Richard was their only child and the loss was too much for them. It's definitely not easy to face the world when the person you thought was your world is no more.

"I'm sorry I had to bring you to questioning at this time of bereavement. But, it's all for the sake of justice"

"Yeah. We understand" Richard's mother said, sniffing. Richard's father nodded in acknowledgement.

"Do you suspect anyone? Did your son have enemies?"

"None" replied his mother. "He was basically a very soft person. He wouldn't bring himself to hurt anyone."

"Did you hear anything when he snuck out?"

"We did not. And it was our mistake to leave him all alone. We should have kept an eye on him" his father said with nude guilt in his voice.

Ronny thought for a moment. "Did you know anything about his affair with a girl called Rachel?"

"No" said his father too quickly. Richard's mom glared.

Ronny's eyebrows peaked. "Are you sure?"

Richard's mom volunteered to speak before his father could. "He was a man of few words and never opened up about Rachel until one day....."

"Shut up" Richard's father murmured.

Richard's mom burst into tears. "I don't care if they kill me too" she cried. "I'm not scared of dying. My son is already dead and all I want is justice for his death. I can literally hear his blood crying out to me, John. You or no one for that matter can understand what I'm going through" she cried and her eyes welled up with tears.

Ronny could see how devastated they were and he couldn't plausibly think of anything to console them.

"One day" his father began. "Mr. Louis came to our house and threatened us. He told us that if we don't ask our son to stay away from his daughter, the consequences would be severe. I didn't tell this to you because I was scared I'd lose my wife too"

A new clue.

"So, you asked your son to break up with Rachel?"

"No, we didn't do that. When we asked Richard about Rachel, he said he really loved her. Actually, we were ready to support him because we believe in love. At that time, we didn't know it would cost his life" he said, grief emanating from his eyes.

Ronny sighed. "Don't worry about your safety, sir. I'll ask my guys to guard you all through the day and night"

Ronny was engulfed in his own sea of thoughts, when Patrick walked over and touched his shoulders.

"Hey Patrick!" He exclaimed with a grin.

Patrick took a chair opposite to him.

"It is so confusing" lamented Ronny. "Everyone looks like a killer except Richard's parents"

"You can't zero in on anybody?"

"Derek looks a little too suspicious. I can say from his attitude that he was trying to hide something. But that doesn't mean I can eliminate the others"

"But, don't you think that something is out of the blue? If Richard's parents hadn't forced him and if he was truly in love, why would he break up?"

Ronny got up and paced. And while he did, he rattled his brain.

"I think the answer to that question will take us closer to the killer. Rachel and Richard's friends' circle confirm that Richard was the one to break up first. And Rachel says she doesn't know why. Something fishy out there" Ronny asserted, itching his moustache.

"So, either Rachel is lying or for some reason, Richard had wanted it to be a secret" clarified Patrick.

"And besides, Richard's parents make Mr. Louis a new suspect" added Ronny.

"Well Ronny, I came here to tell you something about him. I was going through Mr. Louis' records and I found this" Patrick said opening a file.

"Mrs. Louis has died under mysterious circumstances. It is believed that someone had set out with her and was with her during the accident. But, when her body was found, there was nobody"

Ronny went through the records.

"The name or the identity of the person is not mentioned in any of the records?"

"Exactly sir. It looks like someone has erased all evidences that substantiates his or her presence on purpose"

Ronny was baffled.

Accident or intentional homicide?

Patrick brought his laptop. "Besides, I had a close check on Mr Louis's messages and conversations on his phone and I found this" he said turning the laptop so Ronny could see.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Ronny. "Mr. Louis had been in an extra marital affair with Veronica.... The.... The.... Famous actress?!"

"Certainly. And these messages date right back to the year before Mrs. Louis had died"

"Beautiful!"