Human vs. Phantom

Chapter- 5, Episode- 1 Ex-Neighbor

Chapter- 5,

Episode- 1

Ex-Neighbor

The whole room was silent the only thing that falls on your ears was the sound of fingers tapping on the keys of a keyboard. The fast tip-tap was so pleasing for Jim that he can do it just about a day without getting tired. He was sitting on a meager chair of that old and low frugal budgeted motel room while he was working on his computer, tapping and glaring on the screen. Jim and Reeve both decided to crash in the motel room until they got any clue regarding the one, they were looking for. And until then they will drop anything that comes on their way. They installed a computer in the room to do all the research work they need. Also, the motel was close to a public library, the biggest in the area, so that they can visit it if they need any books from there.

His eyes were a pale shade of red, tired, and also maybe a bit drowsy. Anyone can tell by his eyes that he hasn’t slept in a long time. His back was slightly arched inwards screaming to be flat on the not so comfortable bed of the motel, he was tired sitting on the chair but still refusing to take a break. His posture was stiff. He was working through any other case that was similar to their parents that had happened around or after the time they died, but the search was resultless. All he was getting for the past days of continuous search was disappointment and frustration. He was desperate for even any insignificant clue but all he got in his hand was nothing.

It was about eleven in the morning and he was still working, the table had at least three cups of coffee and four other high caffeine drinks to keep him going. He was so indulged in his work that he didn’t realize when the Reeve who was drooling in his bed a while ago went out and came back. He got a little startled when he heard the sound of the door opening, he turned his sleepy head around to see who was at the door and saw his brother standing there with his coat and a coffee tray in his hand. He was wearing a blank look on his face while his eyebrows arched, maybe he was deep in his world of thoughts of weirdness. He does it many times, whenever he is thinking about something. So, without giving much mind to it Jim went back to his work.

“Hey brother”, Jim heard his brother calling, so without turning back to look at him he simply hummed as a reply.

“Did you hear about the murder the next door?” Reeve questioned.

“no, when did that happen? I did hear a commotion out there a while back but I didn’t give much mind to it. I was busy with some stuff. What happened? Do you know the details?” Jim stood up from that kinda old wooden chair to stretch his stiffened body and asked.

“No, I don’t know much about it either but I heard about it when I was on my way to buy these groceries,” Reeve said.

“first, coffee isn’t a grocery, and second do you know what happened there?”

“I know coffee isn’t a grocery, I skipped the grocery and quickly bought just the coffee because you looked like you needed it like hell,” Reeve explained.

“okay and what about the murder,” Jim questioned again.

“That is the part I am stunned of,” Reeve answered.

“What do you mean?” Jim was getting more and more curious.

“I mean the vic next door he was brutally murdered and mauled till he died. His flesh and blood are spilled and splattered all over the walls and floor of the motel room.”

“did you talked to the cops?” Jim questioned.

“I couldn’t directly question the police but I did hear them talking that the murder looked like an animal attack. His body was completely drenched out of the blood. Not a single drop was left, they also said.

“What do you think would have happened to him?”

“animal attack isn’t a thing it looks like; the room was locked from the inside,” Reeve answered.

“don’t you think it is similar to how mom and dad were killed?”

“I was thinking the same, maybe this could be our first real lead to find mom and dad’s killer. That is why I am so interested in this case.” Reeve answered.

“We should check it out then. Let’s go.” Jim approached the door ready to work.

“wait, I think we would have to wait a bit.” Said Reeve.

“But why, isn’t it something we have been waiting for, for so long, this could be our real and first chance,” Jim said a bit disappointed.

“I mean I will need a few minutes to make counterfeit badges for us. We are out of them. I didn’t have my fake badge with me so I didn’t get to get inside the scene to investigate. I just asked a few questions from the people gathering around the room.” Reeve said.

“then we should just do it first then.”

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“wait in the car I'll be back in a few,” Reeve said getting out of the car which he parked outside of a shop, more like a booth for all kinds of digital printing.

While Reeve was in there doing some hard work, having nothing much to do in the meantime, Jim dozed off sitting in the car seat, compensating for the sleep that he had missed for several nights.

Jim suddenly woke up. He was still in the car. He looked at him when it was then that he realized that he has been inside the car sleeping for almost three long hours now and yet Reeve ain't done forging. He fetched his phone from his pocket and dialed Reeve’s phone number.

“Come on dude do it fast it has been almost three hours since you have been inside here. How much longer would it take?” Jim was getting a bit frustrated.

“I am a perfectionist you know it and the good thing takes time. And this is freakin perfect nerds like you won’t know it. And yeah, it’s almost done. I am getting out of here.” Jim saw Reeve coming out of the shop waving his hands to him showing him what he had in his hands. He came and sat inside the car. Wearing his seat belt, he said, “See this s**t, it is a damn piece of art, no one can ever even think that these badges are anywhere far from being too damn real. And this is why you need to have patience. I think you used it all up in the research of yours.” He joked.

“You talk a lot you know that; it feels like it has been so long that I have been waiting for you to finish your self-praise...” Jim said and slightly shook his head left and right pursing his lips. “and just to let you know I can see the serial number is far from being your too damn real.” He said finger quoting. “I can see it is our birth date all jumbled up.”

“You talk too damn lots. And it’s not gonna be that everyone knew our birth dates either, so, let’s just go and check out the motel room before we start scratching each other’s hair off.” Reeve said rolling his eyes while Jim just sneered at his comment.

“Let’s go then,” Jim commented.

- - - - - - - - - - -

“Hello officer, I am agent Freeman and this is agent Collins, my partner. We are from The US wildlife service department,” Jim said introducing their selves to the police officer at the station. “we’ve heard from the department that there has been an animal attack in a motel in this city. Is that correct?” Reeve said following Jim.

“that’s right officers but how do you know it so fast, it is still just a speculation. The autopsy report is still to come.” Mr. officer said.

“We are here just to survey the incident; we will have to report it back to our department. So, I hope you will corporate.” Reeve asked.

“yes of course officers.” The police said.

“what can you tell us about what you think would have happened there?” Jim asked politely.

“From what I think, I don’t think it could be an animal attack.” Both the brother glanced at each other as the officer told them his opinion.

“why do you think so officer.” Asked Reeve.

“We got a report from the motel. the cleaning staff told me how they found the victim dead. She said she smelled something like burning flesh and rotten eggs from near the room, and when she knocked the room no one answered. The room was obviously locked from the inside so they used the spare key to open the door. And found the man dead. That was when they made the 911 call. I to myself inspected, all the other windows were locked from the inside. No forced entry what so ever.” The officer explained.

“so, what do you think would’ve happened there?” Reeve questioned.

“if I didn’t know better, I would say some evil entity did that,” both brothers glanced at each other again on his comment, “but I think this is a highly trained serial killer who killed that man.”

“highly trained? You think so because?” Jim asked.

“First, the room and all the windows were locked from the inside, second the room was perfectly organized, no signs of forced entry. There were no fingerprints other than his inside the room either was found by the forensics, not of a human or of an animal. How is that even possible? There must be someone who killed him.” said the officer, baffled.

“But it is a motel room, how is that possible that there are no fingerprints in the whole room? Was it checked thoroughly?”

“The cleaner lady told me that the vic was a severe germophobic. He made her clean the room several times a day and made her wipe each and everything in the room every time. She was told to clean the room about every two hours, she was coming to clean the room when she found him dead.” He answered.

“That explains the no fingerprint thing,” Jim commented. “And what do you think agent Collins?” Jim said again.

“I have to see it for myself to have any opinion,” Reeve spoke.

“well, officer do you any background of the vic, his name, or anything else? He must have an id with him.” Reeve asked.

“that part was weird too. the id he used to get the room was found out to be fake, we don’t know his name yet.”

“what about fingerprints check?” said Jim.

“his body started decomposing so the fingerprints cannot be checked. We are still waiting for the DNA match.” Officer told them.

“let us know if something comes up,” Reeve said.

“can we now check thee room ourselves?” Jim asked the officer.

“sure, you can.”

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