Bloody Riddle

VI : Assumption

Afternoon rolled by quick for Karin as she strode back towards the desk. Her brain was giddy because she didn't sleep at all last night. James gave her three hours of opportunity to slept, and that wasn’t enough.

"Good morning, Karin." Philip says hello, moving in his armchair, saw Karin who did not flinch, faced down.

"What happen to you?"

Karin turned her neck, glaring at PhiliP.Her eyes were flaming and swollen. Face is dull and showsn't sleep, and hair is messy too. Karin made a low growl while squinting at Philip. "Don’t talk." Karin turned her face, then Philip heard a soft snore from her. Hecan't do much about it.

"You're not supposed to talk about it, Phil. She’s offended." Louis appears behind, smiled.

"I didn't think it would offend her. What the hell happened?

"What happened yesterday was an undeniable argument between the Lone Wolf and this little girl." Louis chuckled.

"Don't tell me she didn't come home and get sleep?" Philip sweats.

"That's the story."

James went in the office. His appearance wasn't that different from Karin's. His expression was darker than yesterday, and he wasn't in a good mood. "Where is she?"

Louis looked in wonder. "Karin?" He pointed towards the desk. James rushed towards the it. His hand grabbed Karin's shoulder, shaking sleepy frame. he slight effort was fruitless. Karin didn't budge. The snoring is getting louder. A second later the body moved, as if seeking a more comfortable position. James's angry veins appeared again. Then an idea popped into his mind.

His body lean to get Karin's height. Lips drew closer to her ear. Without feeling guilty, he licked Karin's earlobe. Karin winced, fell down holding her ears with an embarrassed face. "What are you doing?!"

"The easiest way to wake up a stubborn person like you."

"B-but it doesn't have to be like that, right? You hentai!" Karin screamed. James stuck out his tongue. The two detectives just sweated watching the two detectives behave. They hit it off.

Karin cleared her throat, embarrassed at the attention of her three colleagues, and sat back down. James put a sheet of paper on the desk. Karin opened the sheet and looked at the home address. "Whose house is this?"

James didn't answer. "Make sure you bring some change clothes."

"For what?"

"You will find out later."

**

At five thirty in the afternoon Karin got out of the car. The duffle bag is in the left hand and the piece of paper James left is in the right hand. She is somewhat confused to see a house with a semi modern style, like she had seen this house before, but he had never ventured into the vicinity either. Instead of arguing with herself, Karin walked toward the house, knocking on the door three times. A figure appeared from inside, open the door.

"You're not lost, are you?" James brushed his half wet hair. Karin blinked.

"Is this your house?"

"Of course. Come in."

Karin came in hesitantly. She watched the room as James closed the door to his house. James told Karin to wait in the living room. In front of a table full of various piles of files and leaving little room to put bags.So Karin put the bag at the foot of the table and sat quietly. James appeared, walking over with two glasses of hot tea.

"I'm run out of coffee, I hope you don't mind with tea." Karin smelled the scent of tea coming into her nose. What is clear is that she doesn't mind.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Karin asked. James pointed to one of the papers. Karin put her glass on the edge of the table, took one of the papers with a photo of a person.

"Isabelle Murphy?" Karin whispered. "Who is she?

"An Old colleague."

For a moment Karin peeked out of the corner of her eye, staring at James, who was a little gloomy. James picked up one of the papers on the table and handed it to Karin. "This ..." Karin took the paper.

James took a sip of his tea.

Karin read the document, looking from statement to statement. James sat beside her quietly, waiting for Karin to finish. The female detective sighed heavily as she put the paper back on the table. "I'm still confused why you told me to come here."

"She was transferred to Columbia police four month after I left. But the problem is, I can’t contact her."

"Have you called her office?"

"I did. They said she was on vacation."

"Strange." Karin thought. "Don't tell me you want to go there, where your friend works?"

James smiled broadly. "We're on the same frequency now."

For some reason, Karin was annoyed to hear that. "I don't feel proud of that." Karin sighed. "So when are we there?"

"Tomorrow morning."

**

The morning was sunny. The two detectives arrive at the Columbia Police, show badges to the officer. Karin was amazed, how did James get a badge as well as a special letter. Her mind drifted right to Louis's sly face yesterday afternoon.

"Karin, I have something to talk, come to my office." Karin stood up, following the lieutenant into the room. Louis walked over to his desk, opened a drawer to take something. A 6-size book wrapped in black leather was placed on the table.

"What book is it, sir?"

"Take care of it. Make sure you read the entire contents." Karin didn't ask much. She took the book and hurried home.

The only more serious thought that leaves Karin speechless as she and James follow the officer. They are right outside the police chief's room. She ordered to wait while spoke with her superiors.

Karin looked around while James fidgeted, looking at his watch. The officer came out and they entered the room.

"I don't know what brought you here, but since you're from headquarters, we can't refuse." the chief of police who sat on his chair. Donny McFee, about fifty-five years old, wearing thick glasses. He loosened tie a little then looked at James and Karin, telling them to sit down.

"So what's your case?"

Karin took out a folder from her bag and handed it to the police chief. The old man took it. his brows furrowed. "Ah yes, I remember this case. It’s all on the news back then." Donny said reading the newspaper and turning it over. He was a little overwhelmed reading the file. "What help do you need?"

"We want to meet Isabelle Murphy." James said. "We worked together on that case before." Donny looked at James, remembering the face closely. "You're that detective Floyd, the Lone Wolf? From what I heard, you disappeared a few years ago. They thought you were dead."

James snorted. "Just disappeared, didn't die."

"So can we meet Detective Murphy?" This time Karin spoke up. She felt bad that James's mood had gone downhill.

"Unfortunately Detective Murphy is on vacation."

"And why is that?"

Donny was sweating even more. The chief of police hid something fishy. Karin and James looked at each other, realizing how awkward the old man was in front of them.

"Then we leave." James stood fast. "We'll immediately report it to headquarters. Excuse me."Karin also stood up followed James toward exit.

"Wait!" The two of them turned around. "Detective Murphy is on an undercover mission."

"Tell me the details."

Nervously, Donny said a lot about detective Murphy. The detective is on a mission under the radar. A kidnapping case involving a girl about two months ago. Murphy goes to investigate. She will usually call regularly on Thursday nights. But about a week ago she stopped contacting them.

"So she's investigating a kidnapping case?"

"Yes. She should have come back yesterday with a report. But she didn't come. We tried to reach her, as you say. But no answer."

"Her house?"

"The house is empty. Her husband and boy is on vacation. Father and Son’s day."

"Then can we see the schedule when she leaves?"

"Why do you need it?" Karin and James exchanged glances. "She may be one of the murder victims."

"How’s that even possible? She is a professional cop. There is no way she could easily become a victim."

James took something in his jacket pocket, put it on the desk. "This photo is part of the evidence." He explained. "And this leg piece belongs to Isabelle."

Donny's face turned pale. "How could it be?"

"All we need is one thing, sir. We need your cooperation to solve this case." James reassured Donny. "And the first thing I want to borrow is Isabelle's computer."

Donny agreed. He shows where Isabelle Murphy's desk is. The table was neat, as if it had not been touched. James took out the laptop and turned on the computer at the same time. "You sit here, let me take another chair."

Karin unlocks computer passwords easily as Murphy pastes her passwords on the edge of the screen. Immediately typed in whatever she could search for, including the detective’s email. James is back. It was his turn to tinker with the laptop, looking for the things he needed.

"Did you guys find anything?" Donny said.

"Looks like I found something." Said Karin. James and Donny approached.

"This is an E-mail. She sent it to herself."

James realized something. Returned to his laptop, typing faster than ever. Karin and Donny were amazed to see the dancing fingers on the keyboard."Found it."

James sent a code to his cell phone from his computer, packing up as fast as he could."We're leaving now, detective."

Donny was dumbfounded. "Where?"

"Elmwood Cemetery."