Chapter 10

Eastwood Forensic Crime Laboratory

(EFC Lab)

1:05 p.m.

Jackstone.

As far as Detective Nico Yukishito is concerned, he is the king of this game. Heck, he could even play it while he sleeps! 'Of course, that's just an exaggeration,' the young man sighed as he lost his concentration. At the same time, the small rubber ball hit the steel table. He could no longer get the teeth lying on it.

"Damn Sherlock."

Yes, they are playing jackstone with human teeth as pieces. During the time they play it, Nico still finds himself distracted with the oddity.

"You're getting worse at this game. The last time I checked, I'm the senior citizen here, Nicodemus. Not the other way around."

Nico watched the rubber ball bounce in the air, and the old man effortlessly pick up the human teeth --- all 32 pieces of them (a full set of adult teeth). It happened in a split second, and the man didn't even break eye contact!

Nico grinned and caught the small rubber ball with the scorpion image in the design.

"Funny. You don't act like a senior citizen, Scorpio. You always still beat me in this game."

"I'll wait for the day you win me the jackstone, Nicodemus."

"What in the name of Sherlock? Stop calling me that! My name is unappealing as it is." Nico almost pouted like a kid. Almost.

'He hasn't really changed. Ever since he was a kid, he didn't want to mention his real name, 'Scorpio thought. The old man just smiled and adjusted his glasses. His hawk-like nose only added to his intimidating aura. Her hair is silver and well combed. Slicked back and thinning. Her skin is wrinkled and her taste in clothing has obviously passed over time.

Scorpio took a folder and handed it to Nico, "I didn't find anything else interesting. The DNA of the semen inside her vagina matched that of Vincent Antonio's. They obviously had a sexual encounter shortly before she was killed."

Nico nodded. Not taking his eyes off the autopsy report, "So, this just supports her infidelity. She probably met up and had sex with that pathetic gardener, like --- what? Two days ago?"

"The sperm cell stays inside a woman's body for a maximum of five days."

"If rape is our case, this information will help."

Scorpio wore latex gloves, "That's exactly why rape victims' bodies need to be reported and examined immediately. Sperm cells can live in a woman's body for only three to five days. DNA is in sperm cells, so it can be it can be used as evidence against the person who raped her. That way, it's easier to convict her rapist. " He took a deep breath and took some blood samples on the table, "but since Vincent and Mrs. Javier had an affair, that info is ----"

"Useless."

The old man smiled, "Insubstantial. Never say useless."

Nico returned the autopsy reports to Scorpio and just leaned against the wall. His eyes went to the corpse --- or body --- of Mrs. Javier who was between them. They could see no other possible cause of death other than the beheading of his head or the splitting of his chest. Which of the two came first, Nico didn't want to know. 'She was probably unconscious when she was killed, but nonetheless, she was alive when it happened,' he thought.

"Scorpio, what do you think is the murder weapon?"

"Based on the wound she sustained in her neck, a large knife was used to behead her. Probably an ax or a bolo. The wound in her chest is another story."

"What do you mean?"

Scorpio replied as someone peered under the microscope, "Mrs. Javier's beheading was clean, but the dismemberment of her heart was chaotic and disorganized. It's almost as if, he ripped her heart out on purpose."

"Or, perhaps, he did it quickly? Maybe he was in a hurry when he committed the crime."

Nico made a mental note of this. He didn't need any notepad or ballpen. His mind is an inborn storage cabinet which files information and organizes them. He took another pair of gloves and approached Mrs.'s body. Bonnie Javier. He did his own medical examination before old Scorpio pulled him out of his reverie.

"Nicodemus, you should take a look at this."

And in those moments, he didn't care at first that it called him by his real name.

----

SHADOW headquarters, Eastwood

1:05 p.m.

"Why don't you just call him? You'll finish the case faster if you work together. Brian, the faster you solve this case, the less worries. I've never seen you so stressed before," their senior consultant told him. . Olympia eyed Nova with those motherly eyes. Even though their ages were two decades apart, Briannova Carlos found a bestfriend in her.

Nova didn't take her eyes off the screen. Her sharp eyes zoomed in and out like a digital camera. 'I can't go wrong getting the detail. If we can't find out whether the killer is Cassio Salvador or not, we can't solve the case, 'she thought and absent-mindedly drank her cup of tea.

Olympia just sighed. "Brian?"

"Olympia, can't you see I'm working? I'm reviewing the CCTV footage of the night Cassio massacred the Mercado family." Her pink-manicured fingernails professionally tapped across the keyboard.

But when she said that, the older woman became even more worried. She spun Nova's chair around to face her. "I've known you for years, Brian. Something is bothering you."

Nova averted her eyes, "How did you say that? Don't assume unless otherwise stated."

Olympia just nodded, "'You can't pass me by being a detective. Tell me, what's bothering a Detective Briannova Carlos? I last saw you like this when ..."

"'Let's not talk about the past.'

"Is the past back again?"

Nova frowned and took a deep breath before turning her attention back to what she was doing. She can still feel Olympia's eyes boring holes on the back of her head. Nova knew her mentor may have excused her lack of response now, but knowing Olympia, she'll bug her about it later.

'Why is what Nico said bothering me?'

He remembered their conversation earlier. When Nico showed him the picture he had taken on his cellphone, he almost laughed when he saw it was just a footprint. Yes, it was just an ordinary footprint imprinted on the ground. No big deal. But when the young man spoke, Nova gradually came to understand the situation.

"This is just a footprint."

"Exactly."

"What does this have to do with the case?" Nova then asked, "There was a party here last night. It's normal to have footprints of guests."

Nico smirked, "I found this footprint five feet away from the crime scene. Surprisingly, he was alone. The guests just stayed on the lawn last night. If you notice the garbage, they're just centered in the lawn area It is a man's habit to just throw his trash in the exact place where he stayed, especially during a party. "No visitors went to this part of the garden. This footprint was found near the mud," Nico pointed in one direction, near the entrance of the mansion, "Whoever left this footprint went in that direction."

"So, you're saying HK entered the house? Maybe the ECU people or the police have that footprint. Plus, that's impossible! There were many visitors last night! Yesterday we found Mrs. Javier's body in the house. "She, so the killer probably burried her head yesterday morning before we found her corpse and before the party started. How can that happen? How can HK enter here if the gates of the San Andres mansion are high security?"

Nico's grin widened. A mischievous glint in his eyes, "Exactly. HK planned this even before the party took place last night. Meaning, the Heartless Killer couldn't possibly be one of the guests last night. If so, who will bury Mrs's head. "Javier in the yard? According to HELP, the other staff of the mansion took a day off yesterday. Which leaves us ..."

Nova's eyes widened in horror. He almost let go of Nico's smartphone. "N-No. That's impossible."

Detective Nico Yukishito's expression was serious, "Nova, if this is indeed a copycat crime and Cassio is not the killer, it is possible that one of the occupants of this mansion is the Heartless Killer. One of them burried Mrs. Javier's head here, in their own garden. "

"B-But you said HK isn't stupid enough to give his own address! How the fudge could this be?"

"And I also said that Heartless Killer probably wants to play with the cops. He's toying with us, Nova! He knows we'll think he's not going to give his address. He anticipates our every move."

Nova just nodded. He was no longer silent when Nico just continued to explain.

"Right shoe, size 10.5. That's exactly the average footsize of American male adults. Only in the US and Europe are half-sizes in shoes rampant. With that info in mind, we can narrow down our suspects to one. Someone who just came back from abroad. Your suspicion earlier, the real HK is with the police, isn't it? "

Nova's ears tingled even more at what she said next. The words of Detective Nico Yukishito felt like a bomb being dropped on her.

"This is why I hate attorneys."

Nova is just shaking. 'Impossible. Lelouch can't do 'that!' A part of her reasoned out. He had known the lawyer for a long time. Yes, he may look like an arrogant, heartless attorney but among all people, Special Agent Briannova Carlos knew he's a caring and compassionate man. None of Nova's own hit the "pause" on the video.

It was taken in 2017, inside the Mercado family's mansion the night Cassio Salavdor, who had just escaped from a mental hospital, killed them. In the darkness of the surroundings, you can easily notice the fancy equipment. A wealthy family heartlessly massacred.

Nova paused the video when Cassio Salvador looked in the direction of the CCTV camera --- moments before the killings happened.

Those empty eyes haunted her.

His eyes went again to the pictures taken of the crime scenes. She compared the pictures. Open chests, a pool of blood, and missing hearts.

"Is it possible that this case is just a copycat crime and someone is just imitating Cassio's murder style? Or is the psychopath devil himself behind all this madness?"

Both of the possibilities terrified her. They do not know who the opponent is, what his motive is, how he can hide evidence from the authorities, and when he will attack again.

'This is really a puzzling case,' the pink haired detective thought.

"Are you gonna take my advice now, Brian?" Nova could not escape hearing the teasing and concern in Olympia's voice. The girl sighed again and took out her pink cellphone.

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