Shallows Creek: Requiem Of The Guilty

Where Are Your Pants?

Ohlmes hears the voice of Lockheart coming from upstairs. He makes his way out of the kitchen and heads towards Lockhearts voice, where he finds himself standing in front of a helical staircase which led upstairs to Lockheart’s study. Ohlmes begins to march up the staircase placing his hand on the hard oak banister he continues forward each step made a resounding thud in this quite home. Almost to the top now he can see the upper floor and a mess of strung about papers litters the floor above. Finally he has made it to the top only to see Lockheart standing over metal surgical table with a pig carcass gutted open with entrails and all it’s trimmings hanging to the side’s. The ghastly sight shocked Ohlmes so badly he had yet to notice Lockheart standing there in nothing but a blood splattered smock and his white undergarments.

“Good day Ohlmes, sorry about the mess I was just about to conclude my research for the day.” He say’s in a nonchalant tone which is almost unsettling given the situation.

Ohlmes is standing at the top of the stairway mouth agape trying to make some sorta sense of what has transpired here.

“Ohlmes you have yet to say a word are you well?” Lockheart asks in a curious tone as he walks closer to Ohlmes with blood dripping from his smock.

“Oh dear hold on a moment, I seem to be making a bit of a mess.” He begins to take of his smock and head over to a wash basin with blood soaked towels and begins to scrub up. Ohlmes still shaken by the sight of the mutilated carcass and half naked blood soaked Lockheart he finally manages to speak.

“What in the hell is going on here, you deranged half naked sociopath!” Ohlmes shrieks in an almost feminine tone. Lockheart who is still standing over the washing basin scrubbing the blood from his forearms.

“What is the matter, this scene is no more grisly then the one yesterday?” He replies to Ohlmes with confusion in his voice.

“I can handle any crime scene, but finding you with out trousers on while in the middle of whatever demented act this is, is a tad bit to unsettling!” Ohlmes exclaims his voice cracking, all the while trying to ignore the bulge of Lockhearts manhood which is clearly visible. Lockheart taken aback by Ohlmes accusation defends himself.

“I assure you this not a demented or perverse act, this was to ascertain evidence for the case.” Lockheart replies whilst heading over to a coat rack which held a neatly pressed pair of trousers and his long black overcoat.

“Now if you are done with your crisis over there did you bring me the documents I asked for?” He snaps at Ohlmes who is still recovering from what he has seen.

“Yes I have them right here.” Ohlmes quickly begins to sift through his leather satchel and produce a stack of documents with various off wax seals pressed on to it’s corners and places them on an adjacent table which is not covered in the bile and blood of decomposing pig.

Lockheart now having put on some clothes walks over to the stack of documents and begins to meticulously comb through them adjusting his glasses and grumbling to himself after every page. Ohlmes stands in place and begins to fidget from being uncomfortable he tries to put his mind at ease by viewing his surroundings. The walls of the study were covered with shelves which held an assortment of dusty old tomes, some with illustrations of anatomical humans showing various muscle groups, the others written in different languages that Ohlmes could not read. As Ohlmes stands there now realizing why so many call Lockheart eccentric or a heathen. The sound of papers slapping down on the table shake Ohlmes from his thoughts.

“So this is everything you could get your hands on involving Ronald Pembrooke?” Lockheart inquires.

“Yes all the public records available.” Ohlmes replies, he begins to speak again unable to stifle his curiosity any longer.

“Sir what is with the pig cadaver I can not possibly wrap my head around how this involves our case?” He asks wanting an answer. Lockheart raises his eyebrow at Ohlmes.

“Do not worry we will get to that but right now we have to put these pieces together before the killer strikes again, come over this way.”

Lockheart walks over to a large object covered by a burlap sheet, he then motions to Ohlmes.

“I have gathered all that we know of these crimes here.” He then grabs hold of the burlap sheet pulling it off in one motion to expose a large black board with notes and illustrations plastered to each end of the board. Ohlmes hesitantly makes his way over eyeing this criminal case collage. The names of two victims he does not recognize two of the three names on the board but one stands out, Ronald Pembrooke's name and assorted facts are strung along one corner. Ohlmes begins to read over some of the details that Lockheart has compiled.

“So it would seem Ronald made his fortune through his shipping company and various holdings, but how does that connect him to the other two victims?” Ohlmes asks Lockheart in a quizzical nature. Lockheart who is staring at Ohlmes gives a nod of approval and begins to speak.

“Well that my dear Ohlmes is why me and you are here to put these pieces together.” He replies to Ohlmes with a sly smile across his face.  Lockheart strides over to Ohlmes and points to the names of the other two victims.

“Vincent Vale a small time crook twenty odd years ago, until somehow he ends up in charge of an upscale bar in the artisan district.” Lockheart pauses for a moment while rubbing his eye which is a tad bit swollen from the beating he received, he then continues on.

“And next we have Tommy Vega a low man on the totem pole of a small band of thieves, and just like Vincent almost like magic he gains control of the docking and warehouses of the wharf district.” He pauses again to gauge Ohlmes insight he stares at the young constable as if he were trying to view into his mind. And just like that Ohlmes face brightens up as if a light bulb had turned on in his mind.

“So we need to find out the circumstances of their good fortune, which may lead us to there killer!” Ohlmes replies beaming with pride.

“Exactly Ohlmes!” Lockheart replies.