Six

"Screwy  ... What the hell is this?"

Mel glanced briefly at the guy beside her and then turned her gaze back towards the road.

"What?"  Mel replied in response to a question from the young man.

"H-her eyes ....." Lex hung up on his comments out of horror.

"Total pterygium," said Mel

"Pte ... What?"  Lex replied, confused because he had never even been accustomed to hearing strange terms like that, all he knew was the coding and a series of algorithms that make up the virtual world that he often tinkered with at will.

"Total pterygium, that white membrane. The iris of her eye also lost pigment at once, as if they were seeing ultraviolet light of very high intensity up close just before dying"

Lex nodded as if he understood the brief explanation that had been greatly simplified by Mel so that Lex quickly understood.

"Ooh ... I see, then ... what is this? A gunshot wound?"  asked Lex, putting his index finger on the picture of the hole in the left chest in the victim's photo.  Lex's hand had been freed from the big burger since earlier because it had turned into his stomach.

"Hmm ... it is still unclear what it is, there is no sign that it was a gunshot wound. The size of the hole was also unusual, nothing compatible with the caliber widely used in the world, and if it was a gunshot wound, with a bullet of that size,  it is impossible not to penetrate the victim's body. Plus the fact from several other injuries that indicate the perpetrator is quite close to the victim, it is certain that the bullet will penetrate his heart if it comes from the barrel that is pointed, besides that ..... "

Mel hung up her words as if she hesitated for a moment as well as deep thought making Lex even more curious.

"Beside that?"  Lex repeated impatiently, but Mel was silent and no longer responding, she seemed busy with her thoughts that Lex could not guess what was dancing in Mel's brain cells at this time.

"Could it be a laser gun?"  Lex said again with a conclusion that did not help. Mel's glancing lazily at Lex because of his ridiculous question.

"You watch movies so much that your brain is so cranky," Mel replied scathingly and made Lex grunt at her harshly.

"Tsk ... I don't know! This isn't my job! You're annoying!"

Lex spat out the resentment that was on the verge of limits at the woman next to him, but instead of replying to Lex's irritation, Mel didn't even make a sound and focus on driving as if she wasn't bothered by Lex's arrogance.

feel like it's not being responded to, Lex chose to remain silent and so did Mel.  They were silent for a long time, but Lex was still curious about what Mel had not finished a moment ago.

"But, what did you want to say earlier? Besides ...? other than that what? What's with this hole?"

Mel was still silent, a moment later she answered.

"Their hearts are still intact but blackened, there are no bullet projectiles there"

Mel's answer made the man beside her startled, for him who is a layman in matters of crime and murder cases like this, the things Mel said and the photos of the condition of the victims' bodies were very strange and absurd.

Blackened heart?

__o0o__

A simple low-roofed house in a densely populated area looks lonely, the old wooden door is closed tightly, and no one can hear the voice of the occupants from inside.

Mel and Lex got out of the car they parked in front of the alley, they immediately walked towards the residence of one of the victims, Naomi Andersen.

Knock knock knock

Mel started knocking on the brown door, but there was no answer.  until 3 times Mel knocked then heard someone's footsteps approaching the door to open it.

"Yes?"

A boy who is about 6 years old with an oversized shirt and the color is no longer pure white standing in the doorway after opening it, he looks up at Lex and Mel who are standing outside the door of the house and are looking at each other. Their empathy takes over.

"Hey kid, are you home alone?" Mel crouched down parallel to the boy's gaze as she asked.

"Hmm ... yes, auntie was buying bread for a while. Are you bad people?"  said the boy with an innocent face.

Mel smiled to reassure the boy from being afraid, whoever taught him to be aware of strangers, that person was doing the right thing.

"We're not bad guys little brother, I'm a cop. Don't be afraid. Can we wait for your aunt here until she gets home?"  Mel asked the boy.

"Are you really a cop?"

"Yes, of course," said Mel, showing his badge.

"Waaaww ... then you are a great person," he said with sparkling eyes and two thumbs up he gave to Mel.  The woman laughed.

Lex just smiled warmly behind his mask to see the small body in front of him.  Very innocent with cheerful emotional colors and smells like cotton candy.

"Are you a cop, sir?"  his attention now turned to Lex, who remained standing where he was.

"No, I'm a friend of this lady cop," Lex said, pointing at Mel with his thumb.

"Really? Then why are you wearing a mask, sir? Isn't it very hot this season?"  he said again.

"Yes, I know. But I feel cool with this mask so I still wear it" Lex replied bluntly.

"Waaw ... You're so cool sir heheh." He's chuckled

The two adults immediately felt exasperated and pity at the same time but they decided not to show it.

"Who are you ?!"

A thin woman with a thin face and high cheekbones was standing behind Mel and Lex, making them look back spontaneously, she's Paula Andersen, Naomi Andersen's sister and the cute boy's Aunt looked at them both with suspicion and wary eyes.

A moment later, she walked quickly through Mel and Lex to approach the little boy in the doorway and then knelt, dropping the paper bag containing some of the bread she had just bought and hugged the boy as a form of protection.

"What do you want? Naomi is dead! I have no money to pay off all her debts!"  shrieked the woman frantically, she tightly hugged the body of the little boy in front of her as if afraid that the child would be taken from her care.

Her emotions began to rise, deep dark green with a bluish tinge dominating her, Lex smelled a strong scent of fear, sadness, and worry from Paula.

"Mrs. Paula Andersen, you seem to have a misunderstanding. I am from the VCPD and this is my colleague, we came here to ask some questions regarding your sister's death, madam."  Mel explained while showing his badge.

"What? Police? Wasn't there already a policeman who came here yesterday and asked me to explain, what's wrong?"

Now a red tinge began to reveal itself, a little anger overpowering Paula.  She then got up and hid Chiko, Naomi's son, behind her back.

"There are some things that we have to reconfirm, Madame, and we need your testimony."  Mel coaxed gently.

"Never mind, let us live our lives in peace, we've let her go, I don't know how she could die like that, but at least she can no longer be so arbitrary to Chiko!"

Tears began to flood Paula's thin face, along with the blue behind her increasingly bushy back.

"She always comes home drunk, she never stops drinking, talks about her problems all the time, she doesn't even care about her biological child. It's better like this, Chiko no longer needs to see her bitch mother sell her body to masher man."

Paula is crying more and more, her emotions are getting out of control. If you compare it to a cloudy cloud, it has been raining heavily all this time.

Lex only paid attention to Paula's emotional changes, there was a hint of blackness between the soaring blue, Lex thought it was her lie that she didn't care about her sister, that her sister's death also gave Paula a deep sadness.

"I really understand your feelings, Mrs. Andersen, but it's not only Naomi who is the victim, but I'm also sure you already know from the news that is milling about on television. We are trying to catch the perpetrator, Madame, so that there are no more victims and your testimony is important for this. the interests of the investigation."  Mel is still persuading her.

Paula looked lost for a moment, the turquoise flames on her back shrank, and before long she started to make a sound.

"Well, what do you want to ask?"  Paula said softly.

"Didn't Naomi ever tell you about her male friend, madam?"  Mel started cautiously.

"Never, she always changed partners, especially her job as you know, but I know she had a boyfriend until 3 months ago they separated."

"Do you know the victim's lover?"

"No, as far as I know, he lives in another district in the west."

Mel taking a glance at Lex who immediately shook his head softly, his attention turned back to Paula.

"Do you know the man's name?"

Paula hesitantly nodded

"His name is Juan Rivero, that's all I know."

"Was Mr. Rivero one of the victim's customers?"

"Not"

"Then how did Naomi know him?"

"They met at a nightclub, then had a date. He's been to this house several times."

"Is Chiko Mr. Rivero's son?"

"No, Chiko is the son of one of Naomi's customers, no one knows."

"After they broke up, Naomi had any contact with Mr. Rivero?"

"I do not think so"

Lex again shook his head faintly.

"Do you know Mr. Rivero's telephone number and address, madam?"

"No, sorry."

"Very well, then maybe we will search through the police database and ask Mr. Rivero to the police station for questioning."

"What? Doesn't he have nothing to do with Naomi anymore?"

"We'll find out after the talks madam."

"A-all right! Actually, Juan and I are now in a relationship. Juan is fed-up with Naomi's alcohol addiction, then confide in me a lot and since then we started dating. So .... Juan could not have anything to do with this murder."

"Hmm ... well, then are there any other male friends that you know, Madame?"

"I know a sports shop keeper across Border St. called Ivan Spike."

"Uncle Wilson is also mama's friend" Chiko, who had been quietly behind Paula's back, suddenly said what he knew.

"Oh! That's right, Gary Wilson. He's a newspaper delivery man who sometimes brings customers to Naomi, they're pretty familiar I guess, I forgot to say this when the police questioned me the other day."

"Hmmh ... did you know Naomi had problems with other people?

"Naomi often has problems with friends of her profession because of fighting over customers and sometimes choking at clubs because of being drunk. That's all I know"

"Very well, Mrs. Andersen, thank you for your help."

"Yes, you're welcome. Hope it helps."

Mel replied with a smile and then said goodbye, Lex followed her steps and they walked silently to the car that was parked some distance away.

After they get into the car, she starts hitting the gas to get the car moving.

"Your report." Mel starts talking first.

"Report?"  Lex asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Tsk .. what did you see from Paula Andersen earlier? Isn't that the function I brought you today?"  Annoyed Mel.

"As far as I remember, we didn't agree of reporting or something like that."

"Ah, never mind! Forget it! Just tell me your analysis earlier."

"Tsk .. yeah ... yeah ... Paula Andersen lied when she said she didn't care about her sister, actually she was also very sad. Then about the person named Juan earlier, I shook my head because she was lying, she said that she didn't know the man at first, and that was a lie. Also, she lied when she said Naomi and Juan no longer saw each other after breaking up.

"Hmm ... then about 2 other male friends?"

"She was telling the truth. And it seems Paula doesn't really know these 2 figures."

"Alright. We will deploy a team to each of them."

__o0o__

PROFILE OF THE FIRST VICTIM:

Name: Naomi Andersen

Place/date of birth: Bolunar City, 31 Zalar in 2167

Gender: Women

Occupation: Immoral Woman

Age: 34 years

Address: Oraho St.  9-D block number 14 of the Zelheim district, Vellas City.

Family: a 6-year-old son named Chiko Andersen and an older sister named Paula Andersen.

Autopsy report:

- Cut wound 5 cm deep in the neck (cause of death)

-Pterygium total;  the iris pigment disappears

-A perfect round abrasion in the wound on the left chest measuring 2cm in diameter;  heart point located (weapon unknown)

-Damaged fingernails (no fibers or DNA between the nails)

-No bruises/signs of abuse.

-Mouth clenched tightly;  intact teeth;  limp tongue (a sign that the victim is not screaming)

-No indication of sexual intercourse before the murder (rape was ignored)

-Died a day before being found.