4- Macabre

4.

   

Ross left the room with an expression of despair and a thin strand of hope, while Vaughn kept his eyes on him until he was out of sight. He then got his car keys and left the room just minutes later.

Ross felt like he could punch a wall to release him of this terror running under his skin. He headed back home, hoping his beloved wife and son would be waiting for him and that it was all probably just a bad dream.

Detective Vaughn walked into Captain Bill Shepperd’s office, where the Captain was talking on the phone. His tone suggested he was talking to a superior, so Vaughn waited for him to finish the call.

Bill Shepperd was a tall dark man with a bald head. His enthusiast and honesty made him the great partner, boss and officer he was. He was the one responsible for solving most of the cases involving kidnappings and extortion in the city by his efficient wisdom.

As soon as captain hung up the phone Detective Vaughn came forward.

“Did you talk to Mr. Denver?” Captain Shepperd abruptly asked.

“Yes sir, I did” Detective Vaughn respectfully responded. “According to the conversation that Mr. Denver had with a couple in the neighborhood, there has been no one residing at the house since a fire took place three years ago, taking Mr. Rehman’s life” he added.

“I am guessing Mrs. Rehman made it out alive?” Captain Bill clarified, intertwining his fingers under his chin and placing his elbows on the desk.

“Yes sir” Vaughn said, looking down with respect. “But…there is more, Sir. Apparently, according to the couple, Mrs. Rehman was responsible for her husband’s death”, Detective Vaughn added.

“This could be a lead on the case, but you have to make sure this old couple is credible” Captain Bill muttered

“Officer, I want you to go and talk to this couple yourself”, he said to the detective.

“I am on it, sir”, Vaughn said.

“This case is now officially yours”, Captain said.

In return Vaughn smiled.

“Sir” He nodded, and left the room while the phone rang again.

 Detective Vaughn got out of the police station and made his way to the Braddock Farms. In the meantime, Ross had already reached his house, about seven miles away from Braddock Farms, where the old couple lived.

He entered the house with sorrow and fatigue because of the efforts he had been making to find his family. Ross had a torture some feeling of helplessness.   

With every step he took inside, his knees got weaker and weaker. This dreadful burden at the idea that something wrong might have happened to his family was eating at him. He walked upstairs and into his son’s room where he acknowledged every toy and every one of them held a special memory.

Ross slowly walked towards the bed. He kneeled to pick up the toy that was lying by the bed. He held that it until burning tears menaced to come up. The memory of his son eventually made him slump onto the carpet, with his against the bedside table.

 As Vaughn’s car reached closer to the old couple’s house, he noticed a whole lot of commotion. There were police cars and some officers dressed in uniform, in front of the small white house where he believed the old couple lived.

Detective Vaughn immediately parked his car near the yellow tape which was used by the police to seal up the house. He jerked the door open as drizzling began.

Just when Vaughn was about to cross that yellow tape, an officer tried to stop him.

“Hey, you can’t cross that”.

 Vaughn proceeded to withdraw his badge when he noticed the chubby, bald man that he recognized. It was detective Dawson, an old friend and partner.

“Relax Officer”  “Let him in” Detective Dawson said, hailing Vaughn over with an upbeat smile.

“That’s my old fella,  I tell ya” 

“Detective Dawson!” Vaughn greeted Dawson with a friendly handshake. The other officer figured out by then that these two had a great acquaintance. He left them alone.

Both detectives made their way to the front porch of the house, all caught up in their conversation.

“How’ve you been, Kid?” Dawson Asked.

“I’ve been good…I guess” Vaughn replied as his face expression suggested something else.

“What happened here?” he asked to change the subject.

“A sin, kid” Dawson sighed. “A despicable sin that has a most atrocious redemption up there” pointing his right hand index finger to the sky.

 

Dawson made his way inside as Vaughn followed him into the living room, where the bloody corpse of an old woman who was later identified as Mrs. Pearson was lying on the floor with splashes of blood surrounding her…

Vaughn was pretty sure that she was the lady who he had to have a word with. The stench from the corpse was unbearable and it was not a pretty sight. A kitchen knife was planted right into her stomach, and blood was splattered everywhere. The corpse was stinking as with the knife was stabbed right into her stomach which would have made her void the bowels immediately.

Vaughn, trying to analyze the body, carefully said.

“The killer must have been familiar.”

“Well, how do you assume that, Detective?” Dawson asked with a sarcastic look on his face.

Detective Vaughn explained.

“She was sitting right here, possibly deep thoughts, reminiscing about memories from her past”, he reached to pick up a framed wedding photo that was lying faced downward on the glass table right in front of the sofa. She was sitting on that he showed to Dawson simultaneously, he continued

“She heard the doorbell so she had to put the photo down. She then opened the door to let the visitor in.” Vaughn looked at Dawson with confidence while concurrently he carried on.

‘She heard the doorbell so she had to put the photo frame back but as she was not done recalling her past moments yet therefore she decided to get back to her mentating process in a while. After this she opened the door where our killer, the one who intruded Mrs.Pearson and her memories’ Vaughn looked into the eyes of Dawson with confidence

“The killer was greeted warmly by Mrs. Pearson. He…or she took advantage of it. The killer did not waste any time so at the very first opportunity, he or she stabbed the victim in her belly. The blood trail shows that it was perhaps not enough to kill her, she but might have attempted to get away, which was not easy. Death conquered her after a bit of struggling, she apparently fell, face down. The killer brutally stabbed the knife into her skull, resulting in her instant death” Vaughn finished, giving Dawson his signature cocky look.

“Wow” Dawson sighed. “You are still that good”. “I tell ya” He chuckled.

‘I am sure you noticed the blood splash leading to bathroom’ Dawson added.

“Yes, I did, and it must be Mr. Pearson’s corpse” Vaughn confirmed as the smile faded away with an expression of tautness, as he wondered if this case  could be related, in any way, to the missing family of Ross Denver.    

“Would you take us further on the next ride to Mr. Pearson’s body?” Dawson asked.

“I am not a Homicide detective anymore Dawson, if you remember” Vaughn sheepishly replied.

“Yes I remember, and I want you to know we would still like to have you on our team again” Dawson consoled him 

‘I can’t come back after what happened’ Vaughn said.

“Anyways I don’t think there is any harm in taking a look over his body. It might be a breakthrough for my case”

Dawson immediately followed him into the bathroom straight down the corridor. As soon as they both entered the bathroom, Detective Vaughn began to examine the corpse who was also viciously stabbed in the neck. None of this helped him with the missing Ross family. There was just more unanswered questioned.

As he carried on to find some evidence about the killer Dawson took a step forward. “What is this about?” he asked.

“There is this guy named Ross Denver who recently returned from Chicago after a week and finds that his wife and son are missing…” Vaughn explained, telling him the whole story while they headed back outside.

“Oh...I see. And now, we have this... ” Dawson said.

“I don’t see it as a burglary” Vaughn muttered, looking at the house. “My gut tells me it’s not a coincidence. There must be a missing link between these murders and the missing Denvers.”

“I think someone knew that the Pearsons might have had something to say about the Denver case…or maybe just Mr. Rehman’s death, Perhaps he does not want me to investigate this case so it could be the one behind this missing family and the same person might be your killer as well”.

“Do you have any suspects?” Dawson asked.

“Well, for now, Mrs. Rehman is our prime suspect, she has better come out of her hiding place if she has nothing to keep “This still leaves us with so many cards to unfold, Dawson.”

“Would you let me know if you get any leads on the murder while I figure out some way to find my suspect? I’ll let you know as soon as I have a lead”.

Dawson nodded. They shook hands and Vaughn left the crime scene. He passed by the Rehmans' burnt housed but did not stop, as he knew there was nothing there to give him a lead on his case. He made his way back to the Fairfax Police Station.

Reviews

[Prritiy]

“Would you let me know if you get any leads on the murder while I figure out some way to find my suspect? I’ll let you know as soon as I have a lead”.

Dawson nodded. They shook hands and Vaughn left the crime scene. He passed by the Rehmans' burnt housed but did not stop, as he knew there was nothing there to give him a lead on his case. He made his way back to the Fairfax Police Station.

he left without stopping at the burnt house, did he err? well well i am not detective :)

nice going.

best wishes