DARK ROSE

DARK ROSE The amount of bood surrounding the victim was not as much as compared to the last one we had found the day before. This one looked like was in a more peaceful position if there is anything peaceful about this situation per se. ‘’are you done here? We need to start our work also, its kind of getting late you know.’’ I turned around to see one of the forensic people talking to me in a rather rude manner. ‘’yes I am done you can do your job. ’I replied with my eyes still fixed on the dead body lying infront of me. This was the third body in one week within Strand community. All victims were left with a fake black rose next to them clearly indicating the works of a serial killer. I gathered my work stuff and got into my van as I drove slowly to the station. Being a female detective in a male dominated environment has never been easy for me since I joined the Strand police station, six months ago. Coming from Johannesburg, a big city, the move to a small town , Strand in Capetown was never easy worse being surrounded by men who still think they are more superior to women. I parked my car on my usual spot with the intension of going straight to my office so I can go through my notes which I had gathered at the crime scene but not with the kind of colleagues I have around me. ‘’Detective Sheila I hear you have another b****y situation on your hands, well, well, well I feel sorry for you young lady ….i cannot wait to see how you are going to solve this one young lady!!’’This Craig my collegue who have from day one made it clear to me that he does not believe that I am capable of my position .According to Craig and most of my colleagues, no woman can be a senior detective , for women are too emotional for such a position. I have, thou proved them wrong for the past few months by even cracking one of the dead cases which they 'the man' had failed to solve. The one on my hand now, however was definitely going to take all of me. ‘’why do you talk as if I am working alone? You are one of my team so you should be rather working on how we are going to solve the case , while we are on that why didn’t you follow me to the crime scene , I left a clear instruction for you to come to the crime scene but you never showed up. Mind sharing why?’’ I am definitely very upset right now , not only did Craig decide not show up at the crime scene, but here he was trying to belittle me in front of the whole station and I was not having it today. ‘’well I figured its same old story after the caller said there was an artificial black rose so I figured what more evidence will there be ? A fake rose? Well we already know that but it is not helping us or is it detective? I mean this is the third victim in a row and yet we still do not have anything.’’ ‘’really Craig ,I wonder how you became a detective with such a mind-set…can I see you in my office now please.’’ Fifteen minutes later and Craig is still not in my office, not that I am surprised. The fact that I am his senior always bugs him to the extent that he has never really listened to what I say, he just does what he wants when he wants. ‘’you need to take a break, and that pen , I am pretty sure is in pain.’’ I lifted my eyes as I heard Detective- Inspector Daniels' voice. ‘’’good afternoon sir, how are you?’ I asked him feeling relieved actually that he had come. Weird as it seems Detective inspector Daniels always managed to calm me down in such a work place. I do not want to say I have a crush on him because that will be so inappropriate, not that because he is married, which he is, but because he is way older than me like twenty or more im not sure. ‘’so what did that pen do ? or is it your colleagues giving you a hard time again?’’ ‘’ooh yes it’s the usual stuff, poor pen , I did not even realise that I was tapping it on the table too hard.’’ ‘’that you were’ Detective Inspector Daniels replies as he sits on the chair opposite me. ‘’so I hear you have another murder again …’’ ‘’yes sir and everything point to the same person, he or she is on a mission but do not worry I will not rest until I catch whorever is doing this…..all three victims so far are men who are much respected in this town. First it was that soccer coach who even young kids adored then it was the local church priest now the local gambling casino owner , this all too much but at least now I can see that our killer is targeting respected men in town. I just need to find a way to stop him, which is going to be hard since I am practically working alone here because Craig is of no use at all.’’ ‘’has anyone ever told you how beautiful you look when you are stressed?.’’ ‘’Excuse me?’’ ‘’If Craig is giving you problems I can take him off the case then I give you someone else to work with or you choose anyone from the junior detectives.’’’ The fact that he has clearly moved from complementing me to serious work stuff in a matter of seconds is definitely confusing me. ‘’no..emm..I will work with Craig, better a bush I know where the thorns are if you know what I mean sir.’’ I must admit the “sir” came out weak. I must be probably tired; it has been a long day how can I even think that my boss has feelings for me? He is married and old enough to be my dad, I really have to go home and rest a little so I can come fresh the next day. I am definitely seeing things which are not there. ‘’ok if you say so keep working with Craig then and please detective I need results , the town is not only mourning three legends but the town is also in fear. We need to get to the bottom of this before this killer claims another victim. If you need help do let me know…and Sheila get some rest .’’ He just winked at me .Well I think he winked at me. Oh well I am definitely tired why would he wink at me? Let me take my work home. Although I am going to rest I will have to find time at night to go through this case. Tomorrow is not far and by then I should have something to report .Will I have something to report though? This case is going to break or make my career. As I enter my flat all the work stress suddenly disappears for a while .If there is one thing I like about my move to Strand is the peace and quiet, not only in my home but the two as a whole. One thing I always do as soon as I get in my flat is turning the talk radio on, it helps soothe all the work stress off me. I turn on the radio and put the volume quite high as I want to hear everything while I lie in my bath tub. Calming and soothing as my home felt somehow at the back of my mind something was bothering me. The bath have to wait and the radio also I need to go through my work files, I do not know what I am looking for exactly but my instincts have never been wrong and I always obey my instincts. Two hours later and I feel drained; maybe it is high time I get a bath although right now I felt the urge to go back to the crime scene. From all the evidence I have on the three cases there seems to be something which I have been overlooking and for now it is best I go back and check my findings so that tomorrow I can have somewhere to start and also something to share with my boss. Weird how the thought of my boss is making me blush but I have not bathed yet so I can understand it is my tired body playing tricks on me. I will allow it to play tricks because right now there is no time for rest, girl needs to work as for my dirty thoughts they can just keep entertaining me for now , what harm can they do really . Driving back to the crime scene alone at night is giving me some shivers considering the fact that we have a serial killer at loose in town. I cannot even turn on my car radio to calm me down for I really need to focus and when I am under pressure with my work I do not want anything which calms me down. Calming me down is not what I need right now for I do not function well when I am calm. I decide to park in the road and not take my car in the bushy area where the crime scene was for I do not want to risk my tyres getting punctured. This kind of area is so bushy , you cannot see where you are going when its dark without a torch ,which I had stupidly left in my car, but since I have my phone I will just have to use my phone. The way my heart is pounding right now if Ibgo back to my car for that torch I will probably get in my car and drive back home. There is definitely someone at the crime scene , I can spot a car, but who would be here and why ? My heart is now pounding so hard, I do not know if I should go back or if should call back up. Lying down is my only option at the moment until I figure out what to do . ‘’so is that how detectives roll? Using phones as their torches? and the way you are lying in the grass says a lot about your capabilities to c***k this case Sheila…oo sorry detective Sheila.’’ ‘’Craig what are you doing here?’’ To say I was surprised to see Craig here is an understatement. ‘’what are you doing here?’’ ‘’well this is my crime scene so I am working.’’ ‘’you mean our crime scene? Remember we are partners.’’ The way Craig is replying , I can feel his arrogance and lack of respect and it is making me boil with anger. ‘’I did not know you were still keen on working on the case because you refused to come with me earlier remember?’’ ‘’well I am here now and unfortunately I did not find anything I don’t know about you, did you find anything new earlier?’’ Irritated by him as I am right now I am deciding to ignore my anger and put the case at hand ahead. ‘’not much really , its only that there is some tyre prints found an all three crime scenes which I have realised that they are the same on all three murders so I have a feeling that we have something so I came to just double check on those prints from today again.’’ As im walking towards where I believe the tyre prints were I realised that my phone battery was about to die as the torch switches off. ‘’do not worry my senior I have a torch here and my phone is battery full show me where the tyres are I will take the pictures and I will send to you later.’’ Well at least my assistant has done something useful today .I really need to go home now take a quick shower and rest for I have a lot to do tomorrow. ‘’where are you parked? I did not see your car as I came.’’ ‘’on the other side, I will send the pictures to you go sleep detective your tiny body looks exhausted.’’ The way he says this while he is chuckling baffles me but why am I surprised this is Craig after all. I am not going to reply him, I do not have the energy, I will face him tomorrow , then he can see that this tiny body is very energetic.