Trick or treat
2501 Words
Detective Rick O’Brian moved his massive body with alacrity and the sound of his soles could be heard against the tiles as he walked towards the laboratory. He removed his sunshades before he knocked at the door. There was a little delay before the door was swung open and a man who was just a few inches above five feet tall appeared. His head was balding and his rattlesnake eyes were behind white medicated glasses. He wore a laboratory coat which looked more of a graduating gown.
“Detective Rick, I have being waiting for you.” The man said with an excitement mingled with agitation, “please come in.”
“Thank you Mr. Hum.” Rick said and followed him into the laboratory.
There was a body of a young man on a narrow bed half covered with a white clothe. The dead man could not have been more than twenty five years old at the time of his death.
“I am afraid he died of something more than we had thought.” Hum said. “The bite on his chest and the scratches are definitely from a wild animal with fangs and claws; a wolf. We did a DNA test from what we got from the bites.” Hum said, “I am afraid it matches with the animal that killed in Canada two days ago. I just had a contact with Professor Jim Crammer a few minutes ago. He handled the autopsy in Canada. The DNA result he found is the same with mine.”
Rick raised his eyebrows in astonishment.
“But this guy was killed two nights ago too.”
“Yes and that is the most astonishing part. The distance between Canada and Detroit is over three hundred and forty kilometers. The time difference between their attacks and death is just twenty minutes.”
“How is that possible, Mr. Hum? You mean the same animal killed someone in Canada and another in Detroit after twenty minutes. Are you guys sure about your tests?”
“We are very sure and we are talking about DNA tests here. Two other scientists took the same test and we got the same result.”
“How is this possible?”
The small man shrugged.
“We will still try to find out more but as scientists, we have done our part and to unravel the mystery is yours, Detective. We still got bigger mysteries to unravel.”
“Mysteries? Has it got anything to do with this?”
Hum glanced at the body before giving Rick a calm look.
“He has shown no sign of rigors mortis and he has being dead for over forty hours. His body is still warm, yet he is very dead.”
“Jeez! Did you get anything about the state of the Canada victim’s body?”
“I am afraid they are at the same state. Warm body, no rigors mortis and there is no flow of blood or any activity in the cells to show any metabolic reactions. The body can’t be warm without any sort of kinetic energy and that can only be done if there is work in the body. Work is not possible without energy so we are faced with a big mystery that defiles the law of science. I am still trying to find where this temperature comes from and why there has been no rigors mortis.”
Rick knew that was not his part to play but he had to find out how it was possible to kill two men within twenty minutes with such a distance apart.
“Thank you, Mr. Hum. I have an appointment with his parents. I need to know more. I will keep in touch.”
Hum just nodded and seemed to be in a hurry to continue with his work.
Rick walked out a nimble as he had come in. He walked towards a waiting Police Car parked outside. He opened the passenger’s side door and settled his balky body. There was a blonde slim lady sitting under the wheel. Her eyes were hidden behind sunshades like her partner.
She had a long neck and high cheekbones. She was dressed in mufti. This was Sherry Anderson and had been with the for four years.
Ricky closed the door, fixed his seatbelt and puffed out air.
“We need to see his parents like right now.”
“What is going on?” She asked as she started the car engine, slid through gears and set the car in motion.
“Same animal killed in Canada twenty minutes earlier and the victim is still warm after two days and no sign of rigors mortis.”
“What? Are they serious?”
“We need to find out.”
Fifteen minutes later, sherry pulled up the car in front of a small bungalow at the end of a quiet street. The detectives alighted and headed straight for the front door.
Rick knocked at the door and the door was opened. An elderly man appeared, wearing a sulky expression but tried to force a smile.
“Detective Rick.”
“Yes, Mr. Michael. Good afternoon.” Rick said. “This is my partner, Detective Sherry.”
“Good afternoon. Please come in.”
He led them into a small but well furnished living-room.
“Martha is with her mum. She is still sulking. We all are. Daniel was our only son.”
“I am deeply sorry about your loss. We learnt he was a good kid.”
“Yes, Detective. He was a promising young man. He wanted to travel to Africa for a documentary. He loved animals and was so passionate about them. It is a shame an animal killed him.”
“We learnt he was a zoologist.”
“Daniel had loved animals since he was three. His best friend was Tammy, our kitten back then. He took care of the dogs and had exceptional love for dogs. This may have led him to study zoology.”
“Mr. Michael I am here to see the point he was found. I hope that would not be inconvenient.”
“It’s okay. It’s just behind the building. I hate going there. I thought your men had the place checked.”
“Yes, they did and I got the details. I have not being there and there might be something anyone could have missed. I am afraid we have a very dangerous animal out there killing people. Six deaths within a month and all very similar.”
“It is strange, Detective. I have being living here for forty years and had never seen any wild animal here. Come on, let me take you there.”
“This must be hard for you, Mr. Michael.”
“I would be glad to help in saving lives. I will also be glad if this animal is caught and killed by justifiable homicide.”
“We will do our best to get it identified.”
Mr. Michael led them to the backyard which was just a few hundred yards from the next building. The environment was not close to any forest. There have been cases of wild animals coming into the city but there was something strange about this one.
The first death reported last month was a man who was found dead behind a strip club. That was a busy part of Chicago. The second was a man found dead in his garage. All of these were not n the forest of woods. What kind of animal was coming into the city to kill and no one had seen it? The discovery he made from Hum still resonated. He felt there was something wrong with the DNA test. He just could not believe that was possible.
“He was found here.” Mr. Michael pointed at the ground. Detective Ricky looked at the place meticulously. He knew the forensic team had combed the place and taken all they could.
“Thank you Mr. Michael.” He said.
Sherry who had said no word kept an ocular rummage of the backyard.
“I will leave you too to do your job. I need to put a call through.”
“We are highly appreciative.”
Unknown to the detectives, there was a man with pure white hair, small sapphire eyes comfortably sitting on a branch of a tree, hidden by the thick leaves but having a clear view of the cops.
He dialed a number.
“The cops are here" He said into the mouthpiece.
*********
Liam Crawford carried the big cake and put in the booth of his car. He covered his face with a wolf mask and went back to bring the flowers and a box of candy. He could hear the noises of muffled excited voices of children and adults as the traditional trick-or-treat were going on that day.
He got into his car and drove out, waving at the kids. He was excited. This was a night he had anticipated for. He drove or a few minutes before he pulled before a bungalow.
Four boys came out. One of them was tall, lanky with brown curly. His mouth a bit askew with thin eyes. This was Dash, a twenty year old and a childhood friend of Liam. The second guy was Harry. He was chubby with fat round cheeks and shifty eyes. His mouth was small with deep set eyes.
The third guy was Larry. He was the youngest at the age eighteen. He was tall and brawny. A football player and had a a prominent hooked nose and thin aggressive lips. The forth guy was Chris, an African American with thick brown skin, white eyes and slim nose.
“What the hell have you been doing, dude?” Harry said with a frown. “You are damn late.”
“I am sorry guys. Thee bum delivered the cake late.”
They got into the car with Larry taking the passenger’s seat.
“What do you have for the boys?” Harry asked.
“I got wine and scotch. We can’t roll without getting high tonight.”
“No food?” Harry lamented.
“Dude we just had some fries in my creep.” Dash said.
“But we are going for a birthday party. We need some nourishment" Harry defended.
“We are going for Halloween and the party is just a few minutes surprise package and after the short show; we roll while Liam gets the chance to give her a birthday gift.”
“Flowers right?” Harry asked and the rest of them laughed.
“The word would have being part of the gift if it was going to be the first.” Chris said.
“What the hell are you guys talking about and what is funny?” Harry said.
“Hey, dummy.” Larry said for the first time. “If he was going to do it for the first time, it would have been ‘deflower’ and your dumb ass guess would have made a little sense but we all know what happened on prom night. Poor little Sandra.”
They laughed.
“You guys are talking about s*x!” Harry said. “Is s*x a birthday gift?” He touched Liam’s shoulder from the back. “Are you really going to do that tonight?”
“Stop it dudes.” Liam said. “You are invading into my privacy. You don’t talk about us like that.”
“Privacy?” Dash said. “Liam is talking about privacy and he asked me to watch out for him.”
“And the poor girl screamed, calling her grandma’s name.” Harry said and they laughed.
“Ecstasy made her remember the old woman.” Chris said. “Liam is brutal.” Larry said.
They laughed.
“The best thing you should have done is to get us food as you do your thing.” Harry said.
“Harry is still on the food stuff. Can’t you see that obesity is on its way?”
“Fuc* you guys.” Harry said.
They arrived Printers Row, a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois a. Liam pulled the car a street before Sandra’s because she would recognize the car. They all alighted but Larry insisted on having some alcohol first so they drank some. Before they got to the street, Liam saw some kids and asked them to come do something for them. They would go to Sandra’s house and sing the trick-or-treat song to lure her out before they started. He promised them candies.
They got to the house and the kids began to sing while Liam and his friends, all hidden in costumes stood behind the kids.
The cake was covered with a white piece of clothes and a champagne ready for popping. The flowers were beside the champagne while Dash held big booming MP3 player.
The kids began to sing:
Trick or treat
Tick or threat
Give us something good to eat
If you don’t
We don’t care
We will put red ants in your hair
Trick or treat
Trick or treat
We love candy oh sweet
Each and every Halloween
We all say trick or treat
It took just a few minutes before two girl came out from the house. One of them was a fifteen year old girl with dark brown hair and sharp featured face. The second girl was older. She was tall, slim with small waist and straight long legs. Her hair was dark brown and fell over her shoulders. She had small round face with sharp eyes. This was Sandra Glass who was just clocking nineteen years old today.
She was a bit astonished to see bigger boys behind. Her younger sister, Dorothy held some candies but paused as the one of the bigger boys began to share candies to them.
Then Dash put on the MP3 and Music began top blare. It was DJ Snakes’ Different way song and Sandra loved the song so much. It was a song Liam used to win her heart after her breakup with Brian, her ex
What was going on?
She watched as Liam and his friends performed a uniform dance that dazzled her and her sister while it was recorded by Harry who was not part of the dance and may make Sandra recognize them.
Dorothy was also recording it with her i-phone.
Then Liam pushed the cake forward and unveiled the cake and Sandra knew it was a surprise package for her.
She covered her cheeks with her palms and said, “Oh my God! For me?” She was blushing and filled with excitement. She was glad this was being recorded and a moment she would cherish for the rest other life.
When Liam brought out the champagne, ready to pop, before he planned to unveil himself and give her the flowers, Sandra smiled and said, “I never expected this from you. I love it, baby.”
She ran down the steps in front of her house and ran to give a guy who just came up and was watching them. She hugged him and he smiled.
"Thank you Brian." She said.
Liam and his friends paused and wondered what was going on.
Brian removed his mask and kissed her lightly.
“Baby what is going on?” The Brian asked. “I don’t know anything about it.”
Sandra was shocked and wondered who was doing it. Liam said he was travelling to Tallassee and was not going to be around.
She was shocked when Liam removed his mask and dropped the champagne on the floor.
“Oh my God! Liam” Sandra said with a flummox but Lian was walking towards his car already.”
- Writer
