Sunday, 12th April
- On the other side of the world, Thailand, Bangkok -
It's noon, the sun is shining in the middle of the sky, the temperatures are high, the city streets are crowded with cars, the traffic is stifling, and the cars don't move, there was a police car that put on a red light so they can get out, but no one moves.
The driver puts his hands on the steering wheel and looks at the cars, waiting for them to move. Next to him was a tall, muscular man with sharp features and an old scar on his forehead. He grumbled: Politicians! They always block traffic.
The driver replied: It's candidate Steve! He has the highest number of votes so far; he will be able to win if he stays like this.
He straightened his seat and pulled out his hand to close the light, saying in an angry tone: What a disturbance! No one will move if this procession is ahead.
He replied: But we must go to the crime scene, or we will be reprimanded by the commander Lawan.
He looked outside and leaned out his arm: Let the old man scold us, it won't be the first time anyway.
After a period of waiting, they arrived at the crime scene, where everyone was there, from the police, forensic medicine and the press. The policemen surrounded the site with yellow tape to preserve the location, and the forensic team took blood samples and fingerprints.
They crossed the tape, and the commander greeted them with reprimand, saying: You are an hour late! What have you been doing to come now!
He replied grumbling: It's hot enough. Besides, don't you know that the streets are crowded currently?
He looked at him in amazement at his rudeness and before answering, Kyle advanced: Commander, we're going to see the body.
He pulled him and went to the corpse, the commander said: What a wretch!
The crime scene was damp, and the body's clothes were wet, because of the rain that had fallen the night before, the body belonged to a high school student because she was wearing a uniform, her bag was on the floor but not touched, and a few steps away her umbrella had been thrown away.
He crouched and went to inspect the body: Did you find any identification papers?
The policeman replied: No, Lieutenant, but her specifications are close to those of the student who went missing last week.
Kyle Surprised: Do you mean Koi?! The girl whose family reported her missing.
The policeman continued: Yes, she was subjected to several consecutive stab wounds, her face was disfigured with acid, she is almost unrecognizable, we will send her to the forensic medicine to confirm her identity.
The Lieutenant looked at the crime scene and then said: There are traces of car wheels. Have you checked the CCTV in the area?
Kyle stood next to him and said, "Yes, the victim was taken here by a black car, but the quality is not clear, and the license plate was not visible... (then he sighed sadly): This is the fourth victim already, what is happening to people? ... Mark What are we going to do now?
He got up and answered: You should call her family; they must be worried... (Then he directed his words to the forensic doctor): please, notify us as soon as the autopsy results come out.
At the police station in the evening and during the meeting for the latest murder case, Kyle turned on the lights. After reviewing the photos and evidence, Mark said, "Forensic medicine found many different footprints, one belongs to the victim, and they are still checking the rest." The tracks, we checked the cameras nearby but there was no sign of anyone else but a strange car that stopped in the blind area.
Kyle added: I checked the cameras at the school, the victim went out with her friend and then they separated at the first turn, this was last Sunday the fifth of April, she was kidnapped at that time, and after a week the criminal killed her and threw her body in that place.
Jan: The criminal must have used that car to transport his victims so that he could stay out of sight.
Zhao looked at the commander and added, "I spoke with the victim's friend, and she told me she hasn't heard from her since then."
Jan: A week is the period between each crime and another. If we find a victim, that means, there is another victim.
Mark: She's already the fourth victim since the beginning of this year.
Commander: It's fifteen.
Everyone was surprised. Zhao said: Do you mean that there are more victims we don't know about?
He replied: In Bangkok, there were four crimes of this kind, like the crimes that we found in Chiang Mai City.
Jan replied: Is that why the regional investigation team is working with us?
Then the commander said: Yes, we must work and cooperate with the regional investigation team until we catch the killer, the lights will be on us, so we must solve it quickly.
Mark vehemently objected, "Why can't our team solve this case alone, why should we cooperate with these arrogant ones?" Aren't we competent enough to work on this case?
He sighed, trying to hold back his anger, but Jan came forward, saying: Isn't that clear, Lieutenant Mark? Our team is the only one with the fewest cases, we wouldn't be surprised if you got fired for being lazy, you and your partner, Kyle.
He looked at him with eyes blazing: HEY YOU! Do you want to be hit!
They got up looking at each other angrily, and he answered, "I'd like to see you trying?"
Things were going to get worse, but Commander Lawan got up and shouted to them: You will work together from this moment until further notice! And if I hear you've broken my orders, you'll be fired!
Then they left the room leaving everyone shocked, they looked at each other in anger and then Mark hit his notebook several times and pushed his chair away.
-California, seven in the evening-
After a long day of running after a criminal case, Sarah and her friend Susan managed to get the information the boss wanted and then returned to the office to finish the report on time.
She came home and then went to the kitchen, put her cat some food, then washed and changed her clothes, sat on the sofa while watching TV and eating the rest of yesterday's dinner.
After that she went to clean the kitchen and the living room, and then she received a text message from the bank: "Dear customer, the contract period has expired. Please come to take your things and belongings from the safe."
She said surprised: What?! Safe and bank! I'll see what they want tomorrow, now it's bedtime.
***