Mystery Solved

David was in the administration office and turned the microphone on; "Can all police officers please report to my office, all police officers, nothing more, and nothing less?" His voice said as it boomed throughout the whole police station.

Then everyone filed into a single long line and moved into David's office. David and Daniel got into the room last and swam through the crowd, and up to the desk, David sat, and Daniel stood.

"Ok, is everyone here?" David asked.

Everyone excluding David, Daniel and their boss manoeuvred in such a way that an individual would be able to see everyone else. "Yes," they all said at the same time.

"Well then," David continued, "let's continue, you see one of the people in this office is a murderer," He said, and everyone looked around for suspicious looks. But no one showed any suspiciousness, so they all went back to their standing positions. Then David took a key out of his drawer, "Diana!" He exclaimed, and then Cynthia swam through the crowd and came to the desk, David whispered something in her ear, and she put her gloves on and took the keys and left. "Diana just took one of the keys to the uniform closet, the other key belongs to Mr Finigen, he runs this place. Now if only my fingerprints are on my key, and his fingerprints on his key, then it's an outsider, if not then it's an inside job, you may leave now." He finished, everyone then flooded out and went back to their posts.

"What interesting logic, but how does it work?" Daniel asked as David got up.

"You see this." David replied taking a red key attached to a red chain from his belt, but the chain was still attached to his belt, a blacksmith made this key and chain from a special metal that can't be broken or damaged, and it's permanently attached to my belt."

"I've seen that key before, that's the key that opens the door to the evidence corridor isn't it?"

"Yes, but you best leave."

"Why?"

"Because this is no longer your concern because Joseph was my best friend, but now he's dead, and I don't want you interfering anymore."

"I understand your pain, and I'm sure that the guy that killed Joseph was the same guy that killed Xavier, but the killer murdered Joseph because Joseph was hot on the killer's tracks, the killer didn't want to be found out, so therefore he killed Joseph."

"Are you implying that the killer knew that Joseph was the best forensic examiner in this station?"

"That is what I'm implying." Daniel finished the conversation.

They then went through to the evidence corridor, and they walked down slowly.

"So how does the lock on the door work?"

"Well, when you're on this side of the door, you just turn the handle, and it unlocks, but on the other side, you need the key."

"Complicated, but ingenious, who's idea was it?"

"Simon Blueford gave us the idea, but we don't know who originally invented it."

"Oh, ok," Daniel said, as they passed the first door.

"Oh, by the way, I didn't catch her name."

"Who's name?"

"The girl at the party yesterday."

"Wait, how did you know about the party?"

"I was there."

"That explains why the lady on the phone told me that you weren't there."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?"

"Which girl are you referring to anyway?" Daniel asked as they crept past the second room.

"The one who made the pie."

"Oh, her, she's my favourite cook, and her name is Christen Jhounce."

"Well, I best thank her next time I see her."

They finished their conversation and entered the examination room.

They sat down, and waited, after a few minutes, Cynthia came in.

"Sorry I'm late David," She explained, "but I had to explain to our boss the situation we were in."

"It's ok Diana, do your job," David replied. Cynthia took some forensic powder from the supply cupboard and sprinkled the keys with the dust.

She put the prints on a piece of paper and put them into the computer, the computer searched through its database, and the screen said: 'there are two sets of prints, set 1: David Lancer, set 2: Albert Finigen.'

David went over and read the screen, and his face changed, he looked as if he was deep in thought, and then he kicked a chair in anger.

"What's wrong David?" Daniel asked

"I'm just angry because," David replied, while Daniel looked at the screen.

"Oh, I see why you might be angry."

"Yeah, you might, Mr Finnigen couldn't have done it."

"Why?"

"The doctor who got the body told us he died around 10:45 am, but. We are not sure until the coroner has finished inspecting Joseph, but did you happen to look at your watch before you caught Joseph?"

"No, but I did look at it when I gave Joseph's body to Diana, my watch said 10:46 am."

"Still the same, the boss was in his office until 11:00 am."

"So, it could be anyone inside this police station, excluding me, you and Diana."

"Well, I'm going now, good luck Daniel." Then David left.

"Daniel, I have something to show you," Cynthia said, she took his hand, and lead him down the hallway." She shook before they left.

"Where are we going?"

"To the emergency exit."

"You seemed troubled."

"What makes you say that?" She shivered.

"The way you held me, you shook, why?"

"Ok, you got me," She said, and tears started coming out of her eyes. "Do you know Henry Zachroy?"

"Yes, I do, he is very helpful."

"I haven't seen him for a while, he wasn't here yesterday, and he hasn't come in today. He wasn't supposed to have a day off yesterday, yet he didn't come in, I'm so worried about him."

"I understand," he clasped her hand tighter, "my wife is in a diabetic coma, and I miss her."

"How did you know," she replied with tears still running down her face.

"The way you said it, he is your boyfriend."

"Wow, you're smart." She said, and she sprouted a smile.

"A scientist is always smart."

She giggled and took him further down the corridor.

They stopped at a fire door, wires were above it, and they ran all the way into the ceiling.

"What is this?"

"This is a special door, if any of us in the corridor get trapped in a fire, then we use this door to escape, but it only unlocks when no electricity is running to it, so when we're in a drill, they turn off the power manually."

"Let me guess, another one of Simon's ideas."

"Right, but we don't know anything about the original inventor."

After this, Cynthia moved back to the examination room, and Daniel went to see David.

When Daniel arrived, he saw David struggling.

"What's that?" Daniel asked.

"A zip file, but it won't unzip," David replied, but he pulled too hard, and the zipper fell off and landed right next to Daniel. Daniel, being kind, picked the zipper up, and gave it back, then a look struck Daniel's face, and he looked as if he was deep in thought.

"Are you ok Daniel?" David asked.

"I think I know who is behind this, but I need your help."

Later in the day everyone was once again packed into David's office, there was barely any room to move once everyone had squeezed themselves inside. "Is everyone here?" David asked.

The people did the same manoeuvre they did earlier, again, there was a 'yes' from everyone.

"Good, this is D.S. Smith," David continued pointing to Dan, "and he has solved the case of the Mandurah maniac."

"Good evening officers, but I'm afraid this is an unfortunate evening for one officer in particular," Daniel began, then, all of a sudden, Henry Zachroy bursts in, causing a grand big bang.

"Sorry, I'm late." Said, Henry.

"Good," replied David, "Just find an empty place to stand, and we will continue." Henry obeyed.

"Ok let's continue," Daniel continued, "the murderer is no other than Henry Zachroy."

"What?" Henry exclaimed, "this is preposterous, you have no evidence."

"I believe I do, first of all, Xavier only owned a certain percentage of his own home, probably everything but the pool. The murderer probably owned the rest of the house, and the only evidence was in that filing cabinet. Second of all, there was the zipper that fell of the killer's jacket, that's when I remember Xavier picking up the zipper, it could have belonged to anyone, but Xavier only saw it after punching Henry. Third, I remember Xavier telling me that Henry was Xavier's partner, but Xavier was a scientist, and Henry is a police officer, which meant that the only partnership was the house. Shall I continue?"

"No, you said enough. I'm so sorry Daniel, but, I just couldn't control my anger anymore, that man never gave me a dime for my half of the property. I killed for money." Henry said, Daniel shook his head in disapproval, the nearest two officers took Henry away.

The next day Daniel, me, Danielle and David were at the portal to Detective school.

"So, Dan, do you have your map?" Simon inquired.

"I'm afraid I left it at home," Daniel said.

"I can't believe that you're going to detective school." Said, David.

"I know it's hard, but I'll be back," Daniel said.

"Don't worry; I'll show you around," Simon said, smiling, he took Danielle's hand and guided her through the portal.

"I'll see you later friend." Said, David.

"It will be an honour to come back to you, and help you out." Said Daniel, and he walked through the portal waving as he went, and David hailed back, Daniel finished entering the gate, and it closed when he was gone.