Investigation (1)

"Let me guess…you're lonely again" the rhythm got louder as he walked around.

"Of course I'm lonely… I can't roll in this office the whole day… Without anything to do" he spins frustratingly on his heels "where's everybody… The counter is empty, there's no one at the cell... Is there a public holiday or something?"

"No... it's not" she replied.

"Then where's everybody"

"Am not the only one here" her fingers paused on the key board "There's Okon... but he's in the forensic lab. He's been on one case for three months" Joe's face squeezed in distaste "Well…There's Melvin, bet he's on the road, so is Kelvin, Felicity is on leave and the rest are on transfer… Small face talks about getting personnel from other commissions… But you know how he goes on… it's all TBA"

"The bastard"

"Well it's me and you for now" Joe dropped into the chair with rejection, he spun around a few times, humming the latest blues, his behavior provoked emotion and Sid couldn't help saying.

"There's a case… That is… if you wanna hear it"

Joe sat erect.

"I want to hear it"

"Well… There's been some bag snatching in the outer part of town… Yes and a child almost drowned in a well…they think his stepmom threw him in… Yeah let me see" she opens a file on her desk "yeah… Road 1-4-7 and a boy got…" Joe motioned for her to stop.

"Aaargh… Don't go on…am a homicide detective… you can give those to Okon…" he shuddered in irritation "we know how well he loves those cases… I can't spend my whole career, snorkeling from day to day… In a warm bath of petty cases… What's happening" he groaned "Where's all the criminals… Are we out of murderers" Sid glasses flash...

"Well your murder is coming up… Small face has been talking about you"

"Small face can talk about me all he wants… Am goanna…"

A ferocious yelp interrupts Joe; a crash is heard outside the room, followed by fluttering of papers in the breeze. The IR door flings open with Melvin running in, clutching his hands, a single paper floating in his wake. His ruby and humored face contoured in pain…

"Suck" he groaned "now my hand is out of the place" noticing them, his hair flopped in their direction "thank God it's a good thing you're here" turns to Joe "there've been murders…in town…out of town…in the forest…Winners campsite…I – I – I saw them, a mess of bones and blood"

Joe starts impatiently in excitement....

"Out with it.... What are you schwa-ing about…you know I can't understand you when you talk like that…"

"No-no-no" Melvin's hair flopped from side to side aggressively "let me finish… Can I talk…good…murders I tell you, I 'vent seen such deaths in my life…we've got 70 kills at present…" Shivers shrilly "in a week"

Joe tapped the desk with his fingers unconsciously…

"So what…seems to be killing them?"

Melvin shuddered....