1 A case of murder

Under the dim light of the lamp-post, the body of a woman in her twenties laid still seemingly oblivious to all the noises around her. Ryan crouched down near the body after glancing at the group of reporters flashing their cameras. Such diligent people… It's in the middle of the night, you know.

"What have you found out so far?" He threw a question to Julian, his junior and the most active rookie of the department.

"The victim is Jean Moore, 23 years old, a bartender from the Anios Club which is just one street away from here. Her shift started at 9pm but she never got there. Some regulars of the club found her on their way to there. They also identified her. The neighbors didn't hear any noise or see anything particular. She's been dead for around 4 hours according to Rigor mortis and forensics are working on her exact time of death."

"What about the cause of death?" Ryan frowned upon the fact that his junior left out the most important fact which is very unlikely for the most active rookie.

"Well… it seems she bled to death" Julian hesitated before continuing. "But the strange thing is we haven't found any external wound… yet."

After listening to his answer, Ryan's frown got deeper. As the woman is as white as a sheet of paper, bleeding to death might be a correct answer. But no obvious external wound???

"We'll have to wait for the autopsy results for that. It seemed you've also questioned the eye-witnesses and the neighborhood. Good job, rookie"

After checking the corpse and finding nothing in addition to his junior's statement, Ryan stood up, removed his gloves and patted on Julian's shoulder.

"Thank you, Captain." Julian respectfully replied.

"And where's your partner?"

The originally expressionless rookie frowned upon hearing his question, showing his displeasure.

"Trying to communicate with the dogs…" It sounded more like a mumble rather than an answer to his captain.

Ryan almost chuckled seeing Julian trying his best to hold his embarrassment. If Julian is the most enthusiastic and hardworking rookie, then Shelly would be the most eccentric officer of the department. Well, it would not be wrong to describe her as the most enthusiastic either but just in a very different way…

Ryan complimented himself for paring them up. Such an interesting duo…

"Let's go see what she's up to." Ryan walks towards the neighborhood with Julian tailing behind him with his head lowered. He seemed to be very ashamed of his partner's behavior. Ryan let out a dry cough to cover his almost obvious grin.

"…come on, fatty. Just let me smell it a bit." They have just stepped onto the lawn and they can hear Shelly's voice followed by a disturbing scene, a very disturbing scene at that. Ryan sighs when he sees Shelly trying to sniff the butt of a big, fat terrier. The poor guy is unhappily whimpering and struggling to escape from the clutch of the evil claws. The owner is standing helplessly at the side, wanting to rescue her poor pet yet afraid to disturb the police work.

"Sweetie, come." Finally, the grandma cannot watch it anymore and calls out to the poor fellow which runs into her embrace. Never in its dream, has it thought that it would be betrayed by its beloved mistress. Grandma holds the dog still and let Shelly sniff its butt to her heart's content.

"Happy now?" Shelly does not even respond to her captain's question and continue sniffing the dog's mouth.

"No drug. I've also checked her food bowl" Only after torturing the poor terrier thoroughly, does she reply to Ryan. Julian's face is as red as a beet by now.

"Couldn't you just let the forensics take its blood sample?" He unhappily groaned. Although it's only been 6 months that he's officially became a detective, he doesn't think having never seen such a strange officer is due to his inexperience. She must be 'one of a kind'.

"That would take too long, kid. Learn from your seniors" She ruffles the neatly styled head of her partner. Julian is already gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. Should he also learn how to sniff dogs' butts? He's never seen his captain or any of his seniors sniffing at dogs' butts, with the exception of his weird partner. And keeping his hair neat even during a nightshift is not an easy quest either. And what the hell is with that 'kid'???? His 36-year-old partner is the one behaving like a kid!

He does not try to argue with his eccentric partner and just order the forensics to take some samples. It would be futile to argue with that self-righteous old hag.

"12 houses in this street and 5 dogs in total. None of the dogs made any sound. None of them showed any sign of being drugged either. May be it's someone friendly to the neighborhood" Shelly continues with her findings.

Ryan nodded his head in approval. Julian has already reported to him that although the crime scene is only one street away from a famous nightclub, the neighborhood seems quiet and most of the houses are occupied by elderly people living alone. Two of them are even empty. It seems the murderer knows this street well.

"If you are done with the work here, go check the victim's house. I'll go to the club with Allen"

"Okie dokie" Shelly makes an 'ok' sign and drags away Julian by his collar to their car.

"Release me, old hag. I can walk myself" The ever so polite rookie cannot hold it in anymore and lashes out. Even so, his struggles are all fruitless as the obnoxious woman is as strong as a bull. 'Damn! I'm training! I'm training until I'm stronger than this female bull!' Julian makes a decision to himself.

A stifled laughter escaped from Ryan as he shakes his head. Really, such an interesting duo.

"Allen, come. Let's go check her workplace" Ryan calls out to the plump figure leaning on a fence and checking a dry grass as if it's the most interesting thing in the world.

"Found anything interesting?" Ryan asks, shifting his gaze to the grass.

"I don't know. I just couldn't find any similar in this street. May be it's related, maybe it's not" Allen keeps the grass in a plastic bag carefully before strolling to their car.

The club is rowdy as usual despite the fact that the bartender is out cold under the lamppost, never to return to this place. Now, the person tending to the bar is a tall and thin middle-aged man.

Allen shows his badge to the man.

"Can we talk with you for a minute? And also your boss if possible."

The man cleans his hands with a napkin in a gentlemanly manner before paying attention to the two policemen.

"I'm actually the manager but since our bartender is absent tonight… Well, do you want something to drink, officers?"

"No thanks. Actually we are here about your bartender"

Ryan who has been paying attention to the man's expression, sees that other than letting out a small sigh, the other party has no response.

"You don't seem surprised" Ryan asks with a smile lingering on his lips.

The man also smiles back courteously. "Since we couldn't contact her, we guessed that she might be in some trouble"

"True. We found her corpse one street away from here"

"Oh…" The smile on the man's face disappears.

"When was the last time you got in contact with her?"

"This morning, before she went home from her night-shift"

"How is her relationship with her customers and colleagues? Can you think of anyone who might have a grudge against her?"

The man ponders for a bit. "Not really. She has good relationship with everyone."

"Is there also anyone who's particularly close to her?"

"There's a boy. He works in our kitchen. I think he has a shift tonight. Do you want to talk with him?"

"Yes, please" Allen nods his head.

"Call Bill" The man orders a waitress nearby.

The two officers ask the manager a few more questions while waiting for Bill's arrival.

"I heard that you asked for me, Mr. Carter." They turn to the voice to see a guy in his late twenties, wearing kitchen clothes.

"The two police officers want to talk to you" The manager replies to Bill.

The guy seems a bit shaken when he hears the words, 'police officers'.

"How can I help you, officers?"

"We heard that you are close to Jean. We found her body one street away from here"

Bill staggers as Allen finished his sentence.

"How?" Bill leans on the bar as if he cannot stand still without support.

Seeing his reaction, Ryan becomes sure that his relationship with the victim was not so simple.

"Can you come with us to the station to answer some questions?" As Ryan is asking, he also looks towards the manager.

Bill nods in reply.

"Do what you have to do, officers" The manager also politely answers.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

After the two stepped out of the club with Bill, a person wearing a hoodie walks out from a dark corner of the room and walks towards the manager.

"They are here to ask about Jean?"

"Yes, doc." The manager respectfully replies.

"That girl's gonna bring some troubles," the person quietly walks back into the corner after making a remark.

(Rigor mortis - stiffening of the joints and muscles of a body a few hours after death, usually lasting from one to four days)