Calling Card: 'A-Z' Serial Killer

Chapter 4: Employees Account Part 2

When I was done interviewing them all, they all expressed the same thoughts and feelings. It was anticipated. But I did see one person in particular. I would have pressed them for additional information, but I'd do so if I had evidence. I was returning to the station to piece everything together.

My phone started to ring, and as I looked down, I saw that it was Harper who was calling. I picked up the phone. I questioned Harper, "What is it?" He responded, "Hey, Detective. Uh...stop by the laboratory, I want to show you something we discovered." Perhaps a fresh lead in the investigation?

"Okay, I'll be on my way," I said as I hung up the phone, making a U-turn to the laboratory. What could he have discovered?

...

Harper was waiting for me by the front door when I arrived. I waved to him as my car approached, and he waved back. I stopped my car, unfastened my seatbelt, and got out of the car to greet him.

"Welcome back, detective," he said with a smile. We entered the building, and he escorted me to the security office. Maybe he found some footage?

He wasted no time in ordering the security camera footage to start at the time stamp of 12:24 AM to the guard in charge. In compliance, the guard rewound the video.

When I was closely watching the video, Diego Martinez could be seen walking into the operation room, but at 12:45, someone else entered unexpectedly. I knew it...

I squinted, trying to figure out who it was. It was his coworker, Edna Trafelski. But it didn't surprise me because she was acting strangely when I interviewed her.

...

Flashback to a few minutes ago...

I was interviewing Edna Trafelski, a 30-year-old single woman living in an apartment on Reeves Street.

She appeared to be having difficulty speaking, so I gently questioned whether she had any other information to share with me. She stammered, but her eyes were elsewhere. "I'm sorry detective, but I can't seem to find any additional information to present to you." Whenever I was interrogating a suspect or a witness as a detective, I constantly observed their body language.

I stopped questioning her because I didn't have any evidence or reason to suspect her; some witnesses I'd met had similar body language but were innocent and free of suspicion. So I just left the apartment complex and went on to interview Laurence Nelson.

...

"Ah, I see...so that's what you were trying to show me," I said. He added, "Also, I just received word from the Forensics Department that the autopsy report will be delivered here by noon." Damn, that's a long time.

He continued, "While we wait, I believe you should issue an arrest warrant and a search warrant for Ms. Trafelski because she might flee while she's our primary suspect". I responded, "I think I should as well," and I started to walk away. Was Dr. Martinez actually murdered by Dr. Trafelski? Is she the violent serial killer we have been searching for? I got in my car.

I drove to the police station and had a thought while driving. No, she did not brutally murder Dr. Martinez. 'The surveillance cameras were angled, so they didn't capture anything,' according to the third case, so why didn't Dr. Trafelski tilt the cameras? She also didn't wear gloves when she entered the room. There were no surgical gloves in the operating room.

I pulled up next to the pathway, I immediately called Harper and he picked up after the first ring "Yes detective? Did you find anything?" He inquired. "I don't think Dr. Trafelski killed Dr. Martinez." I retorted. "Why do you think so?" He was demanding an explanation. "The third case! It explicitly stated 'The surveillance cameras were angled, so they didn't capture anything', do you know what this means?" I implied, having already made up my mind.

"What?" he questioned "Why wouldn't Dr Trafelski cover her face or at least tilt the cameras if they were really the serial killer?" I explained. This would undoubtedly win him over.

"If you don't think she's the serial killer, why would she go into the operating room that Dr. Martinez was in?" he argued, Damn. He makes a good point. "I--" I couldn't think of the right words or explain why she'd go in there.

He let out a sigh as he hung up the phone. Even though I lost, I was certain that she didn't murder him. I sulked in defeat as I received another call. I once more picked up my phone and saw the caller ID. It was Edna Trafelski. I was surprised when she called.

I left a business card in Dr. Trafelski's apartment in case she wanted to speak with me again because I suspected she was hiding something. And she did call, so I picked up. "Hello, Dr. Trafelski, are you interested in telling me something right now?" I asked. "Y-yes detective, I want to speak with you privately though, would you please return to my apartment?" she replied, stuttering, but I had a feeling this was real. So I said yes and then hung up the phone. This meeting may be beneficial to the case.

...