The Disguise Detective

It was dawn now. The sun was about to rise, but. Hebrew hadn't slept a wink. His hair was messed up as he had been sitting beside his bed all night wondering when Eric would show up. He kept staring blankly at the wall, thinking about what made Eric run away again. 

He was angry but was also worried about him. His attention diverted when a sudden silent knock on the door of his apartment echoed. Running his hand through his hair, he ran toward the door and opened it

"ERIC ASHLEY, YOU MUST BE INS-" He abruptly stopped as he found someone else, quite surprised by his sudden yell.

"Mr Hebrew, good morning." Jessica's eyes were widened and her eyebrows rose.

"Ms LENNON!" He yelled then closed the door, but Jessica's hand blocked it.

"What do you want now? You already have the case to solve on your own!" He left the door ajar and walked away.

She walked inside, then mumbled, "Well, I know that I'm being irritating right now, but, there's nothing I can do. It's against my pride too but, can you please help me?" 

Hebrew looked back at her.

"With what?" 

"This case is dangerous and I, being a woman, can't handle it alone. I need your help."

Hebrew sat on his chair near his glass board and said, "And, why do you think I'll help you?" Then he folded his arms.

Jessica sighed and sat in front of him on another chair. He was asking the same question she had asked him some ways ago. "Because you have to prove that you're not a celebrity detective." She reasoned.

He bent forward keeping his arms on his laps, fingers intertwined. He scoffed, "Prove? Why do you think I need to prove it?"

"Cause I believe, this tag has been attached with your name intentionally and unlawfully. So, it needs to be removed." 

She also leaned further in the same way as Hebrew.

"And what if, I say I don't want to remove it then?" He questioned again.

She smirked looking directly into his eyes, "Who would want a humiliating moniker to be engraved on the grave beside their name? Hm? The Fake Detective?"

Jessica's words made him freeze on his seat for a second. He was surprised.

"How did-"

"Do you want your wife to tell these stories to your kids?" She further added, making him breathe again.

He turned to look aside, scoffed, and looked back at her, as he said, "Well, for a second, even if I imagine being YOUR helping hand, wouldn't it make someone uncomfortable?"

"And by someone, you mean?" She raised one of her brows.

"Someone like Robert Stone, the head of the crime branch?" He also raised one of his eyebrows

Jessica simply straightened her back in her seat and called out, "Sir, please come in." 

In a second, Robert came in wearing his casual clothes, a stern look on his face resisting to greet Hebrew ecstatically.

"Good morning, Hebrew!" Still, he maintained his voice as if he was quite cheerful.

Hebrew looked at him and back at Jessica, one of his eyebrows raised in confusion. She shrugged and she further looked at Robert.

"Mr Robert came to request you to be back on the case."

"While the Whitechapel abuses me?" Hebrew interrupted.

"I've thought about it too."

She looked at Hebrew,

"You may help me solve the case and I may confront the media as the lead detective. So will you help me?" Her eyes twinkled.

Hebrew shook his head multiple times, lightly. He stood up and greeted Robert as he shook hands.

"Good morning, Mr Robert!"

He then looked at Jessica, "Now, see who's turning into a celebrity detective?" He smirked while she glared at him with a frustrated sigh.

Robert just smiled lightly, he was barely hiding his feeling of despair for Hebrew.

"Thanks for being back." Robert's insides were disagreeing, but he managed to utter it out with some struggles.

Hebrew scoffed again, embracing Robert forcefully. He whispered, "I had told you. You'll definitely need me in this case. See how the table turns." 

Robert just ground his teeth in anger as he stared at Hebrew who stood in front of him, teasing him with a smirk.

"But, was it necessary to be here before the chirping of the birds?" Hebrew said as he turned to Jessica.

She lightly laughed then said, "Actually, it took me almost the whole night to persuade everyone. Especially Mr Robert, so we came here as soon as the decision was made." 

"I know Mr Robert is quite difficult when it's about me." He teased to which Robert just replied with a little forced scoff.

"I'll take my leave now since you've agreed to come back." 

Robert left the apartment, his face showing the not so eco-friendly hatred he had for Hebrew as he almost stomped his feet.

"Why does everyone hate you so much, Mr Hebrew?" Jessica asked, walking towards him.

"Cause I am just too intellectual to be accepted by dumb people," he said then closed the door.

She laughed, "Do you perhaps consider yourself as Sherlock Holmes?" 

"I won't mind if you call me that. I even have a James Watson with me now." he looked at her then she rolled her eyes.

"So, Ms Lennon. What can I help you with?" 

"There has been a question in my mind I'd like to ask you."

"Go ahead!" 

He sat on the sofa, and Jessica sat in front of him.

"You had examined the corpse when it was at the crime scene, haven't you?" 

Hebrew nodded. 

"So, can you tell me what things did you assume by seeing it?"  

Hebrew laid back on the sofa and closed his eyes, remembering the scene of that day. The corpse, the bridge, the police barriers and the blood---everything.

"The woman doesn't work as a waitress in a restaurant, it's false information." He spoke up and she started writing it in a small notepad.

"She wasn't even murdered under that bridge. She was thrown there. How I know you might ask. The way she was murdered, if we look at the amount of blood, it seemed less than there should be."

"Why do you think the woman doesn't work as a waitress?" Jessica asked.

"Even if we considered that it's true, her appearance has told me many things," he added.

"Like?"

"Like. Hmmm, her tattoos. They were drawn in such places which can easily be hidden with clothes, which means she wears revealing clothes regularly. The second thing is the ring. I went to the address you had given to me yesterday afternoon. Though I didn't find that man, I found that many women were wearing the same rings. They said it was kind of a trademark that they belonged there."

"Trademark? Why need something like that?" She further questioned.

"Don't you know what Ewer street is? Ms Lennon, Ewer street is known for prostitution. Even the cops resist going there. The woman murdered was not a waitress. Instead, she was a prostitute." he declared, making Jessica widen her eyes in shock.