Case 1 - The Smell of Blood

The gentle brushes of the wind, the warming rays of the Sun, and the Smell of Blood.

"Good day gentlemen, what do we have here?"

Heads turn to see a young and good looking man wearing a black suit as he walks down the corridor.

"Mr. Hills, the private detective they called in I presume?" "Indeed I am. And the few of you are?" "Henry Wallis, from the station. And this is Mr. Crestian, an intern." He answers.

Replying to his first question, "We received a report about foul stench, so we went to investigate…"

"The smell of blood!" Victor rudely interrupted, probably leaving a bad impression as he hastily makes his way into the room to find a corpse laying on the bed.

"As you were saying, Mr Wallis? Keep it short if possible."

"As I was saying, we came to investigate but no one answered. Thus we got the key from the manager. And after our discovery, we explained the situation to the higher ups and they decided that because the department lacks man power, they had to call you in and ordered us to not touch anything until you arrive."

"Thank you, Mr wallis." Victor then turns to Crestian, "Not bad intern, most people would be vomiting at the sight of a corpse." Praised Victor.

" As for you, Mr. Wallis… you seem to look like you need a toilet bowl, your first corpse is it?" "Yes, and it seems I will have to go with your suggestion." Henry replies as he tries to flee to the toilet down the corridor, tossing the tenants documentation to Crestian.

"Not very reliable huh." Victor ridiculed. It was only a one-room with a barred window, a small bed, a wooden desk set, and an old television infront of the bed on a table.

The room wasn't very luxurious but it was kept quite clean apart from the messy bed where the body was.

He then examines the corpse. "Covered with quite the fair amount of flesh eating bugs. Active decay has kicked in, but judging from how deep the insects have got to, active decay only started recently.

Which would mean the date of death would be around 2 weeks ago."

The body had deteriorated quite a bit thus not leaving behind much to work with.

Victor then moves his hand towards the neck of the corpse, "It feels… a little compressed, and looks a little out of place… probably dislocated."

"Does that mean the cause of death might be strangle? How can you be sure? Signs like mail marks, bruising and artery rupture wouldn't have been possible to identify, at least not without an autopsy."

Argued Crestian, who seems unconvinced and yet amazed as if a part of him had actually believed what Victor had said.

"A little experience and imagination is what you need."Apart from that, the neck seems to be compressed through a few pressure points… probably from a pair of hands."

Victor alleged as he turns to a rubbish bin, it was small and had no lid, probably made for disposing paper, he then picks up a glass rose that was in it and stuffs it into his suit.

He then starts to walk towards the door. "Where are you going Mr. Hills?" "To have a little chat with the residents. But first a word with Mr. Wallis, you coming boy?"

Seemingly desperate to catch up with the fast paced Victor Hills, in action and in thought, the intern hurries to seal the door with police tape and follows Victor down the hallway. "You seem a little young yourself to be calling me boy." He mumbles quietly.

Walking into the toilet, stands there Henry, washing his face. He then turns to the sound of Victor and Crestian's footsteps.

"Sorry about that Mr. Hills. I will be reporting back to the department to get them to clean up the crime scene, as for Crestian, do learn from Mr. Hills will you." Advising Crestian as Henry wipes his face and exits.

Leaving the toilet, Victor and Crestian goes to the room next to Kelly Hunter's, and knocks on the door.

"Yes?" A young lady answers the door.

"Good day… miss, I presume?" "Janice Hawkins, and yes, single and young." She jests flirtingly with eyes fixed on Victor's eyes.

"Ehem, we are acquaintances of Kelly, the tenant next door to your's. There has been an incident you see, could you spare a little of your time?"

He cajoled, in an entirely different tone, with a completely different personality. "Sure, come in." She blushingly replies as she pulls the door open.

"So Janice, can I know if you're acquainted with Kelly? If so were you close?"

"Well, I know her and she knows me, but we weren't very close." "What do you mean by, know, exactly?" "We both go to the same university close by but no more than that. To be honest, this place is suppose to be like a dormitory for that university, they have a discount for students and have their own rules which they follow very strictly like how the top 2 floors are for female tenants only while the bottom 2 floors are for male tenants."

"Is it really that strict?"

"Hell it is, there's a staff member from the university on every floor. They check our rooms every month. Heck, they even have spare keys to our rooms. I am not very fond of the idea for the sake of my privacy but at least when I forget my keys, I can still get into my room without having to walk all the way down to the counter to get the manager."

"And the staff from the university on this floor is?" "Mrs. Zeller, the second room along the corridor, she's a professor from the university."

"Thank you, Janice. It's been nice meeting you." "Wait, can I have your number?" As to end the conversation without giving anything, Victor gives a silent and captivating smile and turns to leave as Crestian follows in pursuit.

"Quite the ladies' man aren't you, having her tell you so much." Crestian jealously scoffs.

After reaching the Mrs. Zeller's doorstep, Victor bangs loudly on the door. "I am coming alright, just stop banging on the door!" A voice snarled as the door opens.

"Good afternoon, we are from the police department. We are here to ask a few questions regarding an incident. Please do, obediently cooperate." This time adapting a dead serious officer with an intimidating tune.

"Good day to you too officer! What can I do for you?" Mrs. Zeller simpered nervously and self-councious for yelling.

"Do you know the person Kelly Hunter?" "Why yes, she's a student from my psychology class. I mean was, she stopped coming a while ago."

"I see… when would that exactly be? And any thoughts on why exactly?"

"About 2 weeks ago. As for why…" "As for why?" "As for why she stopped coming…" Mrs. Zeller remains silent for a while, eyes too afraid to make eye contact with Victor, playing with her own fingers as if she was still a child.

"Then let me tell you why she stopped coming. She stopped coming because she's dead!!" A voice loud and clear, heads turn to see that it was Crestian that yelled. "D…d-dead? What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!"

"Mr. Hills, she seems suspicious." "I didn't do anything, what are you talking about? I don't know anything! Please leave!" She yelled as she slams the door.

"That wasn't very smart was it?" Victor sighs. "That's all for today. Let's go."

As they walk down the stairway towards the counter, 2 men seem to be chatting.

One of them had a nametag that wrote John Gusher and labeled manager.

"John you comin tonight?" "I told you I am trying to quit here." "What happened to ya? Just a while ago you wouldn't even go anywhere without a bottle of beer."

"A lot happened, okay? Just leave me be."

Pulling Crestian towards himself, Victor whispers to him "Crestian, I need you to do two things for me.

First, I want you to head to the university tomorrow morning and ask about what happened between Mrs. Zeller and Kelly Hunter.

The other thing is to bring me the documents on Mrs. Zeller and John Gusher." Crestian nods as he leaves.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" Victor interrupts the conversation between them.

"Haha, someone to share a beer with! The names Perry, Perry Vester." "Victor Hills, shall we?" Perry then leads Victor to a bar down the street.

The bar had pretty dim lighting and was woodware themed. Soft and gentle jazz music was playing in the background, giving off a pretty relaxing atmosphere.

"Why did your friend turn down your offer? I was convinced that the two of you were pretty close." Casually asking as Victor fills Perry's glass.

"Not sure, he's been turnin down one invitation after another. But after all these years of drinkin with him, it's probably because of a girl."

"What do you mean?" "Just before he stopped comin, he would talk a lot about a girl, I think her name was somethin like Cherry or somethin like that.

I would guess that they're dating, but I heard that she's been cheatin so I told John bout it."

"When did he stop accompanying you?" "I ain't sure, I don't really like details. But if I really had to say, it would be about two weeks ago, the same time I told him bout his unfaithful girl."

"I see… thanks for letting me join you Mr. Vester. I had a lot of fun but I best be going."

"Already leaving? You haven't even touch your drink." "Sorry but I forgot to tell you, I don't drink alcohol." Victor pays the bartender and heads for the exit.

Turning his head as he leaves, he sees Perry's drunk face that carried a heavy and lonely expression, he sighs feeling a bit sympathetic.

Victor himself too, knows how it is as he returns back to his own home, peaceful but quiet, warm but yet cold, cozy but yet strenuous.

The next day, under the clouds, under the shade. Coffee on the table, hips on the chair. Waiting…

"Mr. Hills, sorry I am… "Tell me Crestian." Victor interrupts while holding a pen in one, the other a newspaper flipped to the daily crossword.

"What word has four letters, alphabetically starts with an L, theoretical ends in ruin?"

"Late, as in being late for something?" Answering Crestian with an apologetic face.

"Forget it. More importantly, did you bring what I told you?" "Yes." Replying as he passes the documents to Victor.

"As for the past occurrences between Kelly Hunt and Mrs. Zeller…, turns out Kelly was a prodigy, but the students and the university staff both have different opinions about her.

To the teachers, she was a young prodigy carrying great expectations. As for the student body, she was a daring trouble maker, and the students knew that she had bad blood with Mrs. Zeller but no one actually knows why.

In the beginning, Kelly would just annoyingly correct every mistake Mrs. Zeller made, things start to escalate after that, she pulled some serious pranks on Mrs. Zeller, even almost got her fired a few times.

Even though Mrs. Zeller has complaint to the university authorities, they wouldn't believe it. Which has lead me to believe that Mrs. Zeller was the one who killed her." Hypothesized Crestian.

"By the way why did you need to know about Mr.Gusher?" "Just tell me what you know about him."

"The man owns the building, he got an offer from the university where the university provides him some tenants as in the students in return that they get a discount. Apart from that he has a younger brother that runs a glass ornament shop."

"Thank you Crestian, that was very useful. As for your theory, it was a pretty good try but alas it is incorrect, you will see why. Give Mr. Wallis a call would you? Tell him to meet us at the crime scene."

After arriving at the crime scene, "Why isn't Mr. Wallis here yet?" Frustrated, Victor turns to Crestian.

"He said he needed to finish something first, so he'll be late." "I guess we'll just start without him. Get Mrs. Zeller and the manager out to the lobby, this time be more gently."

In the lobby, the atmosphere was getting heavier by the second, gazes and stares penetrating each other. "How's business Mr. Gusher?" Victor asks, as he strikes the first conversation into motion.

"Normal…" "Mr. Gusher are you aware that a corpse was still lying in this very building yesterday?"

"Yes I am aware, after you left, another group from the department came and explained the situation. … Is it that you suspect me?"

"Suspect? I am already convinced it was you." Silence befalls them once again.

"Then why am I here? Like I said, I don't know anything." Mrs. Zeller snapped, breaking the hard cold silence within the room.

"Just shut up and wait." Shouted Victor. "Let's continue shall we, Mr. Gusher?" "Mr. Hills, you must be mistaken…"

"Mr. Gusher, do you happen to recognize this?" He queried as he pulls out the glass rose from his suit.

"Why do you have that? I have been looking for that." "The answer you've provided would mean you lost it. Then, what was your relationship with Kelly Hunter, the victim?"

John Gusher stays silent as if not sure how to answer him, " Kelly was his girlfriend." Answering in John's stead was Mrs. Zeller.

"Thank you for cooperating this time, Mrs. Zellar, things have become much more simpler and clearer."

The time of the incident was late in the night, you had something important you needed to talk to Kelly about.

You heard from someone about Kelly cheating on you while you were drinking at bar. Being drunk, you forgot that most people would be asleep, so when no one answered the door, being the manager, you used your key to enter her room.

You were already pretty desperate and upset, but then you saw the glass rose you lost in the rubbish bin, being drunk and emotionaly unstable you were not able to properly process your thoughts.

You didn't even give a thought as to why the glass rose was there and presumed that Kelly really cheated on you.

And on impulse, you attacked her and strangled her to death.

How close to the truth am I, Mr. Gusher?"

"No… I… didn't… I, I…" a stuttering voice from John, as his expressions show signs of extreme desperation, his eyes were getting watery, his lips shaping and misshaping, trying to come up with something, anything.

Then his expression softens, as if rebooting itself, preparing to restart a different expression.

No longer panicking, his teeth, gritting strongly, eyes widened, fist clasped.

As for Victor, no longer paying attention to John, as if deep in thought, planning for his next move.

The next thing that came to Victor was no thought, nor idea. The next thing that came to his head was a fist, at full speed.

The force thrusting to his face sent him off his chair.

Then another kick, but it landed on Crestian as he tried to charge John. Hugging himself in pain as he laid on the floor, whereas Victor, still surprised from the punch, lying on the floor, too dumbfounded to assess the situation.

John then picks up an electric lamp nearby, wielding it in hand, as if it be his weapon.

"BANG!" A deafening sound blasting through the building, in absolute silence, heads turn to see Henry, gun in hand.

"Crestian! Apprehend him." Ordered Henry as he aims the gun towards John.

As Crestian lifts himself up, not a single soul moved, as if time itself had frozen for Crestian.

Crestian pinned John down and explained what had happened to Henry.

" That bitch deserved it, she deserved to die, I served justice for myself. You lot are just hypocrites, I am gonna kill the dammed lot of you."

John yelled out as he burst into tears, knowing he has been caught.

"Mr. Gusher, you are under arrest on suspicion of assault, battery, and murder.

You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say will be used against you in court. You have the right to an attorney.

If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you." Citing the Miranda Rights as Henry handcuffs him.

"Let's go then."

"Make sure to come back, we're not done just yet, Mr. Wallis." Asking him before he leaves with John.

They waited for Henry to return in silence, the air between them was tense, not one of them knew how to soften it.

They waited as what seems to be an eternity, and finally Henry returned.

Immediately after the rearrival of Henry, voices had continued once again to argue.

"What more could you possible want from me, Mr. Hills? You said it yourself, John was the culprit."

"Yes, indeed he is the culprit that murdered Kelly Hunter. But you have your own crimes to deal with."

"And what would that be, Mr. Hills?" "For violating the psychology manipulation law."

"Pardon, what are you trying to say?"

"Very well, I will elaborate myself.

According to this documents…"

picking up the documents to show all.

"You are very much related to Kelly Hunter, in fact you are the wife of her father. In other words, her stepmother…" "I still can not understand what is it you're trying to say." She interrupted.

"Please do refrain from intruding, Mrs. Zeller. He berated.

"Kelly Hunter repudiated against her father's remarriage, and to not only shun but harass you as well, and you, Mrs. Zeller, responded with your own ways. You had known about the relationship between her and Mr. Gusher, being a professor of psychology yourself you came up with a way to get back at Kelly.

There are still a few holes as to how you did it but it should be more than enough.

First, you got your hands on the glass rose Mr. Gusher planned to give to Kelly. Then you lied to Mr. Vester about Kelly cheating, knowing that Mr. Vester, a close friend of Mr. Gusher would tell him when they were out for a drink.

After lighting the spark that would end up as an explosion, Mrs. Zeller, being a staff member from the university in charge of checking the rooms, you had a key to Kelly's room, so you waited when she was asleep and went in to place the rose in the rubbish bin where Mr.

Gusher would've been able to see it as he came into the room. And as you planned, things actually went your way. It was a very sloppy plan that relied a lot on luck, but it still worked out.

Now tell me Mrs. Zeller, how close to the truth am I?"

"...I never thought that she would be killed, all I wanted was to scare her a little."

"Nevertheless, what's done is done. As for whether your manipulation is considered a crime or not, your innocence will be trialed in court."

Mrs. Zeller had her eyes fixed on the floor, no longer using a facade, she changes to an expression that shows she has accepted her fate and follows Henry to the station.

"Mr. Hills, you act like your heartless, but you truly are kind huh." Complimented Crestian.

"What do you mean." "You are a very impatient man, so why didn't you just exposed the both of them at the same time but waited for Mr. Gusher to leave?

Was it not because you wanted to hide the fact that he was mistaken about Kelly cheating on him?"

"Nonsense Crestian. The real reason was that it would've been risky for that unreliable man to handle two criminals in one go." Victor quickly stands up to leave.

"Where are you going, Mr. Hills?"

"To where? To leave. My work here is done. Till we meet again then, Crestian."

Bidding farewell as he walks out the door.

"Not very honest are you, Mr. Hills. Being much merciless yet merciful."

Soliloquizing as Crestian watches the silhouette of Victor slowly fading away from the streets.