Chapter Two
312 Words
Chapter Two
Autumn 1976The officer investigating the death of Dr Vandermeer, Detective Sergeant Paul Brooks, who was attached to the homicide squad, made no public comment, nor any private one for that matter.
A middle-aged career officer, Brooks was regarded by his peers as a methodical and determined investigator who never left any clue unexplored. His drab clothes and thin physique often resulted in various suspects taking him for something of a fool, an impression that he carefully cultivated. This was something they would invariably regret. With no career ambitions, he was content to immerse himself in the cases assigned to him, leaving office politics and professional backstabbing to others.
From the instant that he entered the doctor’s surgery, his instincts told him that something was wrong. There was no sign of physical violence nor any obvious poison when he examined the body, and he could see that Cornelius Vandermeer was in excellent physical shape.
He reported the death to the coroner, knowing that an autopsy would identify any toxic substance, and he planted that fact with a friendly journalist. Brooks hoped that the news would result in more information about the doctor’s background emerging, and he was not disappointed with the results. No fewer than six women sidled up to one newspaper or another to whisper that the deceased had exhibited exceptional after-hours care, and it was not long before a name repeated itself several times as being his most persistent beneficiary.
Brooks smiled quietly to himself. He was reviewing the various patients’ statements for the third time at his office desk. If Vandermeer was murdered, Brooks had to identify a motive. An affair with one of his patients could provide that. An imminent divorce and proposed subsequent marriage to that patient was even better. Revenge was of course one of the oldest and most powerful motives throughout history.
The pieces were falling into place.
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