BURN THE TRUTH

Episode Eleven

The crew of homicide investigators occupied an apartment. Few use ultraviolet light on the couch and floor areas where the deceased lay.

"Her name is Lisa Suwan, twenty, a computer engineering student in her second year. We ran a full background check, and she is Asian, Thailand to be precise" Clyde informed once he delved into Velda, a paper sheet in his left hand. They stood in the living space of a small condominium apartment, between the kitchen and the living room. Velda signed dramatically and then veered around to Carter who squatted next to the Diseased.

"A homeland I'd be visiting during my next vacation" Carter muttered and turned to the victim "I hope you are in a better place now" He whispered to the diseased, remorsefully.

"Carter, what's the cause of death?" Velda questioned, ready to document the information.

"Force trauma to the head. Obviously a collision with that wall" he pointed to the wall edge with a few blood pigments. "They probably had a really bad struggle" Carter shook his head slowly and dramatically.

"In addition, this kitchen knife was found on the floor by the first officer that arrived" Clyde chimed, indicating the weapon to Velda. "And she is Millicent, Our victim's roommate. She discovered the body by the time she returned from a hangout. She made the call" He added gesturing at a female inducted on the small sofa by the living room, she came off a bit traumatized.

"Anyways, time to get the blade to the lab" Carter told on, seizing the nylon from Clyde "Here is my prelim" he handed it to Velda and retired from the room before Velda turned on, moving towards the victim's roommate.

"So, I take it that you were close with your roommate" Millicent raised her head to the sudden words, and slowly, she nodded. Velda hummed and then raised a question "Can you think of anyone who'd want her dead?" Though gently, Millicent shook her head defeatedly.

"Okay, well. There was no break-in, which likely means that Lisa knew the person. The individual had access. So can you think of anyone? A recent breakup, a fight?"

"No. She isn't dating anyone"

"Where were you before the incident?

"I went star viewing with my friends. It's kind of a hangout and Lisa was expected to come along, except she declined a few hours before" She disclosed, her weary eyes observing the men that were positioning the victim in a bag. Velda peeked around.

"What time was it? The hangout?" She set straight with a slight head tilt.

"Half past five at a cafe. We consumed much time at the cafe, a few places then lastly star viewing" With her palms supporting her jaw, her elbows kicked back against her knees. Velda plucked her card out of her jacket pocket and passed it to her. "In case you remember anything that can be useful in finding your roommate's murderer" She added and offered her a half-smile.

"By the way, I'm yet to lay my eyes on your coffee plash rider. Doesn't he interest you enough?" Clyde brought up on their path to Velda's car. "I saw the manner in which he attended to you the other day" His words caused Velda to roll her eyes dismissively.

"You two do be a great match" Velda halted, her expression closed up yet those gazes turned up quite threatening.

"Crazy idea. Let's talk less about me and more about the case. How about that?" She turned to tell him and instantly continued on her track as though she never stopped.

Velda and her teammates stood, fronting a wide screen in their office space while Louisa clarified the developments of the DNA tests that were carried out. "The kitchen knife had only her fingerprint, but the med team detected a different print on her both wrists. The print turns out to belong to this guy" She gestured at the screen.

"That's a good-looking gentleman there" Carter muttered slanting on the edge of a desk behind him.

"Gentleman? you mean suspect"

"Please don't hide the fact he's damn good-looking. Though young" Louisa chimed "Well, our suspect here is Alec Harper, Twenty-one and also a student in the same university and major"

"And so are the victim and her roommate" Clyde caressed his temple "Louisa, any luck finding out his relationship with the deceased?" Clyde raised.

"Employing his name, I located his social media account and he seemed pretty close with Millicent. Here is a picture of them and more"

"Okay, then he must know something we don't" Velda muttered thoughtfully "Carter, you and Clyde should oversee the young man while I go with Louisa to get a few pieces of information concerning him from Millicent, okay?"

Louisa rang the doorbell to Millicent's apartment once they arrived by the entrance, and in a couple of seconds, Millicent extended the door. "Good evening, detectives" Hesitantly, she greeted them, eyes confusedly wandering between them.

"Evening Millicent, may we come in" Velda requested expectantly.

A passing silence before she nodded "S-sure, sure, c-come in" She stuttered moving aside to grant them access to the house. "You can seat there" she implied, gesturing at a reading-squared desk which had two seats by the sides. "Water?"

"No, no, nothing" Louisa declined.

"We won't take much of your time, Millicent. We are just here to ask you a few questions, please do come seat" Velda appealed.

Louisa set her iPad on the desk and then shifted it toward Millicent "Do you know him?" She asked and Millicent hesitantly looked down at the screen, her face exhibiting a slight confusion.

"He's my boyfriend" She muttered fiddling with the edge of her top.

"So, you know him" Louisa put straight.

"Yes, yes I know him. Why do you have his picture?" She gazed confusedly at the two.

The captain softly clears her throat and rested both arms on the desk "Your boyfriend, I'm sorry, is a suspect" She told her.

"What? That can't be, Alec would never do such a thing and that's why I love him. He is gentle and kind... I don't know what you are talking about detective but you have mistaken Alec for the bad guy" She said furiously.

"It's okay, I understand that you love him, but sometimes we just don't truly understand those we love-"

"I understand Alec, and I know him. He is different. He isn't the type of guy that does such things" she threw in "Alec won't even accept to attend a party, he's too light-headed, let alone kill someone. This apartment was a mess when I came in, like whoever she fought with... I don't know" She ceded not knowing how to continue her statement, she appeared so illogical about the entire crisis. She gazed singly at Velda, as though was about to pure out her heart "Alec wouldn't do such" She whispered sincerely and Velda's phone instantly vibrated on the beat.

"Excuse me" She spoke, departing from the desk side. "Hey, Clyde. Any news?" Velda exhaled, her left hand leaning on her waist.

"Alec is nowhere to be found. And the med team sent in a report, the victim also have some trace of a drug in her blood"

"Okay, thank you, Clyde," She said and hung the call.

"With what you said, it indicates you know your boyfriend well enough to know where he could be, now," Velda said once she moved back to the desk.

"What do you mean now?" Millicent perked up at her.

"His presence is needed to be interrogated, except it seems he is nowhere to be found" She sat down "So can you tell us where he could be hiding," Velda asked crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't have to protect him if he is innocent as you have spoken. All we need is to know what happened here, that's it"

"Hey hey, no need to be afraid, if he is innocent then everything will be back to normal" Louisa added once she noticed the panic in her eyes.

She gulped down and stared at the two as if she was asking for more proof that nothing would happen to Alec "He's probably in Brad's place"

"Can we learn who this Brad person is? Louisa asked "...and where he lives" She added taking out her pen.

"Brad is his best friend, if Alec isn't in his apartment then he's definitely in Brad's," Millicent told them.

In the end, they both exited the shared apartment. Both strolled toward the building's elevator when Velda dialled a call. "Hey, Clyde," she said once the phone was placed to her ear. "The suspect is at the location I just mailed you, fetch him for questioning, will be heading back to the office," Velda said and proceeded into the elevator after Luisa.

"So you are telling us she attacked you?" Clyde asked the suspect. They were currently in the interrogation room along with Carter.

"Yes," Alec confirmed a bit agitated. "That's what it looked like. Lisa never acted that way, I was confused. They were all supposed to be having a girl's hangout so no one was expected to be there when I arrived. But surprisingly she was, and when I raised a question of why she didn't join the others, I was left with zero response. It was unlike her" Alec snivelled, miserably.

Sitting there, misery was written all over his face. "There by the kitchen she stood. And then the knife, I tried to stop her from stabbing herself but then she turned to me. I had to shield being stabbed which caused me some injury on my palm and arm. And then I pushed her— Everything happened so fast. That was the time her head collided against the wall, and then she collapsed. Or perhaps I thought so. I tried waking her up but-bu- but then I panic and ran- I ran- The blood... They were m-" He tried to continue but was choked with guilt.

"How did you come to have the key to their apartment?"

"I was given a spare key, had it for over a year now"

Velda summoned her teammate once Luisa returned from the lab "The drug traced in our victim's blood is a type of Psychoactive drug named BHI, a type of drug that affects the mind and behaviour and includes depressants, stimulants, opioids, and hallucinogens" Luisa brought to light. "It triggers the brain and central nervous system to increase alertness, elevate mood, increase speech and motor activity and decrease fear and inhibitions. It may also cause users to see, hear or feel things that are not real. They impair judgement and often cause memory impairment" She gestured at the drug on the screen.

"Regular or long-time users of BHI can exhibit violent behaviour, and psychotic features including paranoia, aggression, visual and auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions — such as the sensation of insects creeping on or under the skin. According to the M600, who also reports that such paranoia can result in homicidal or suicidal thoughts. BHI users often have severe anorexia, memory loss and advanced dental problems. Overdose of BHI can go way bad, as dangerously high hallucinations, cardiovascular collapse and death" She deduced.

"Do we know where the drug could be obtained? Or possibly how she came in possession of it?" Clyde asked.

"I think I might know where" Velda returned "Millicent had talked about her roommate's club habits, that might be the only source" She slightly moved in her position.

"The only way to find out the source of the drug is to go to the club, what do you think?" Carter emitted.

Velda nodded in approval "The answer to our questions lies inside the club"