Bloody Riddle

IV : This Is Masterpiece

The incident happened again. This time the police got a call. They recovered pieces of someone’s body. It is in an underground parking. Hugo slid from his house the crime scene immediately. Once he got off the car, one officer guided him. It can’t be denied. This time Hugo tried to keep his anger in check.

Hugo investigate at the evidence, feet displayed on the wall. The umpteenth time he saw pieces of human bodies, but he never got used to it. The legs attached to the iron and decorated with flowers. This time it was a red poppy.

“Sorry make you wait.” Philip appears with the camera he is carrying. Soon the camera was used to take photos of the evidence.

“Do you think those are Jenna Foley’s legs?” Hugo asked.

Philip keeps the camera away from his face. "Maybe." The answer is not sure. "If so, that hand belongs to that poor girl too."Philip resumed his activities. Hugo drew closer to those legs after his partner finished taking the photo.

“Are you done, Phil?” Hugo looked at him.

“Yep, I got the picture. So, what are we going to do now?”

“Wait for the results of autopsies, they say it will take a long time because the fingerprints have been burned.”

“Hell, how can we wait while the killer wanders around.”

“Be patient, Phil, we can get it all done. We shouldn’t be rash.”

Philip looked closely at Hugo. He had a point, it would be pointless if they were reckless. Philip sighed and walked backward while reviewing the photos he had taken.

"Let's go back to headquarters." Hugo patted Philip's shoulder.

James walked back through the streets he knew every day. Every turn, alley, and even the color of the building he memorized in detail. As for the dog, he was never worried. Mary takes good care of the dog so that she has time to do something else.

The crowd made James look away. He stopped, noticing a couple of police cars in a building he remembered as an office. James curiosity stirred. He wanted to see what was there. Unlike usual, this time the crime scene did not attract much attention. Maybe because it located underground. Moreover, the police will have more ability to carry out investigations.

“What happened?” James asked the stranger standing beside him.

“Oh, I heard they found a leg.” His whisper made James put his ear as close as possible, so that the man’s voice could be heard.

“I heard it too. They also found hands.” James replied.

The man nodded. “The news is everywhere. I heard rumors that the culprit is the same person who did it seven years ago.”

The police must have suspected the same thing. James glanced up. Perhaps Louis wants to solve this case. Wouldn’t it be better if they just kept the case out?

James looked around when his eye caught a suspicious figure. He tilted his head, gazed to see that person. He was wearing a coat that covered his entire posture. He wears sunglasses. The distance was too far to make James unable to see his face clearly. The man realized that James was staring at him, retreated slowly, disappearing into the crowd. James was stunned on the spot.

Philip stopped abruptly when he saw a familiar figure. Philip raised his camera, took the picture as fast as he could, because the man was looking at him.

“Who else did you photograph, now?” Hugo folded his arms across his chest. Philip looked back at his camera, shocked.

“Isn’t he James?”

Hugo pulled out the camera, glaring. “You are right.”

Hugo searched the swarming crowd of civilians and journalists. James was there, trying to find an opening, avoiding the crowd. “What’s he doing here?” Philip asked, but Hugo had already disappeared.

“That old man.”

Hugo and Philip hurriedly ran after James. But the man disappeared quickly.

**

“You what?” The whole room stopped moving when they heard Louis's scream. The lieutenant cleared his throat, reassuring himself at the disrespectful behavior. She sat back down, looked at Philip and Hugo.

"Are you two sure it's him?"

Philip hands Louis his camera. There was no mistaking it, it was James.

"Could he possibly want to come back again?"

"Maybe he intends to solve the case?" Louis whispered.

Philip shrugged. "But while there, I saw him staring at someone. An acquaintance, perhaps?"

"James doesn't know many people." Hugo replied.

"Then we can contact him directly." Karin came into the conversation.

She looked at the three men. "If indeed he wants to come back, At least we have to know what why he come back? Isn't this strange, the killer came back after seven years later. Not to mention James also returned to Atlanta."

The three people thought the same. it is true, James's return to Atlanta was not natural in its timing. If only James would admit that he wanted to solve the case, wouldn't it be easier if they worked together. Louis will make it easier to give access as a police officer.

For now Louis will monitor the situation first.

"Let's see the situation first. If possible, we'll get him back to the police." Louis's steady gaze made the three underlings nodded. They reached an agreement.

The office radio goes off. "For officers, call 911 from an animal care. Please be on duty immediately to the scene."

"The work continues." Philip stretched his body.

"Williams, Martinez, you guys are back on duty, Hugo and I will do something else." Louis got up from the chair.

"Yes, sir." the two detectives answered.

**

The police line ran faster than usual. Karin and Philip got down from the car, amazed that the scene was at an animal care. Karin gasped. “Aren’t we in the wrong place?”

“No, the place is here.” Philip replied, checking the cell phone.

“I thought this was a murder place. I mean people, not animals.”

“We better go inside.”

Both see the forensic car. Then a man they assumed was the forensic team approached. “Klauss. You better use this.” He handed the mask to the detectives. “You guys will definitely throw up if you don’t use it.”

The two detectives looked at each other. They followed Klauss get inside. As soon as the door opened, a stench wafted through the air.

Karin covered her mouth with both hands, staring in horror at the scene before her. A woman’s body was covered in blood, cut into three pieces. From the neck to the waist, the body pieces are left standing. From the waist to the legs wrapped around the upper body. The woman’s head has been cut and placed in the hand. Her body was placed on the counter table, terrifying everyone who saw her. On the other hand, Philip was trembling, trying to brace himself. His shaking hands raised the camera.

"It is estimated that the time died around yesterday afternoon. We could not investigate any further. Someone had actually cut off his head and hand while he was still alive." Klauss explained.

Karin gulped. "Is there anything else?"

The man fell silent. "I'm not sure you guys want to see it."

Karin blinked. Philip was terrified. "Karin, you go ahead, I’ll stay here." He admitted. Karin nodded at Klauss.

"Come with me, detective."

Klauss strode calmly on his feet. The calm made Karin nervous. His heart was beating twice as fast. They walked through a hallway. There were two doors, Green and at the end of the hall, blue.

Klauss stopped. "This is just the beginning, detective, but I'm sure you can hold it in." Klauss opened the door as wide as he could. The room was brightly lit. Inside there the blood was splattered up the walls. The stench was not inferior to that of the woman's body at the counter. It felt like tears were flooding Karin's eyes seeing the terrifying scene in front of her. "This is too cruel." Said Karin. She walked carefully so as not to fall in the blood. This room is messed up. The carcasses of the poor dogs. They are innocent. "I'll start here."

"Can you bring a lot of equipment here, I need lots of body bags, I think." Klauss nodded.

“Have you check the other room?"

"Not yet. We'll check it out soon." A painful silence engulfed them. Klauss closed his eyes briefly then opened them again. "I will be right back." He left Karin alone in that room.

"I have to hurry." She whispered encouraging herself. Just as she was about to stand up, hurried footsteps made her turn around. James stood in the hallway, staring in horror at the pile of dog corpses.

"Where's Fera?"

Karim was petrified, both shocked and terrified by James's unexpected appearance. The man bit his lip, afraid of the bad thoughts swirling in his brain. "I-I just came."

Karin stood quickly, aware of her negligence. "You shouldn't be here!"

James glared at Karin. "I don’t care." Then he left, heading for the blue door at the end of the hall. Karin came out after James. "Civilians are prohibited from entering the crime scene." She said, pulling James's hand tightly, make her body dragged.

"At least check the entire room." He replied furiously.

James paused, staring intently at the blue door. Karin let go of her grip, let James take off the jacket she was wearing. The doorknob was covered in blood, both of them realized that. But James, determinedly, wrapped his arm around his jacket, turned the doorknob.

The room was as bright as the previous one, except that there were no bloodstains on the walls. There is only the corpse of a dog with its head cut off. From the color of fur, James could guess that it was Fera, his beloved dog.

Karin stepped forward as James stood still beside her. The man didn't flinch, staring blankly at the thing that once lived, his dog.

Karin ventured, her hands wrapped in rubber gloves opened, touching James's free-hanging finger. The man gave a small movement, turning back the touch.