Chapter 75: Puzzle Pieces Align

Lynn and John, accompanied by the patrol officer, swiftly arrived at the crime scene, and their senses were immediately bombarded with the chilling sight before them.

Nestled in the depths of this secluded narrow alley, the lifeless body of a young woman lay crumpled and shrouded in a tattered shroud like discarded trash, seemingly attempting to hide the grim reality inside. However, the worn fabric had begun to fray, revealing a disconcerting scene.

Despite Lynn's typically composed demeanor, the grotesque scene elicited a deep frown upon his face. The brutality inflicted upon the victim was evident. The woman's face had been savagely disfigured, rendering her unrecognizable

Meanwhile, her chest had been violently ripped wide open, revealing a cavity where organs once resided, now displaced and strewn haphazardly, their presence exposed to the world. All that remained was an empty, hollowed-out carcass.

Lynn crouched down beside the corpse, being careful not to disturb any potential evidence. The woman's once vibrant red hair now clung to her head, saturated and drenched in blood. The vivid crimson contrasted starkly against the pale backdrop of death.

As Lynn observed the mutilated body, he was immediately certain of one thing. This was not the work of a supernatural creature or the hidden person controlling them.

The injuries inflicted on the woman's face and body were clearly caused by a sharp, pointed object. Especially the wounds on her face, they were deep, linear, and characterized by sharp and precise edges.

In addition, the calculated manner in which her chest had been ripped open and emptied suggested a level of expertise, as if someone with knowledge of anatomy or experience as a butcher had carried out the gruesome act.

Lynn voiced his thoughts aloud as he stood up, "It appears more likely that someone murdered her and then deliberately disfigured the body to create the illusion of a connection to the ongoing monster attacks. By mutilating the body post-mortem, they sought to confuse and misdirect the investigation."

Deputy John, who had silently observed the scene, nodded in agreement with Lynn's assessment. His eyes narrowed as he assumed the same position. With gloved hands, he carefully searched the victim's pockets and clothing.

Recognizing the importance of identifying the victim, he took charge of examining whether she had any personal belongings. He knew that establishing her identity would be a crucial first step in their investigation, providing a starting point for further inquiries and potential leads.

Lynn who started carefully scanning the immediate surroundings, noticed a trail of disarrayed footprints stained with traces of blood. Unfortunately, the chaotic and overlapping footprints provided little meaningful information. The jumbled tracks made it difficult for Lynn to discern distinguishing features or draw significant conclusions.

Just as Lynn was about to investigate the area a little bit away from the crime scene, John interrupted with a crucial piece of information. "No personal belongings were found on the victim," he revealed.

Lynn's expression turned into a disappointed frown, realizing that this would hinder their efforts to find the murderer quickly. However, finding and identifying a woman with red hair should not be a challenging task if they were to question people in the vicinity.

A few steps away from the body, his attention was immediately drawn towards the walls flanking the narrow alley. There was a red stain on one of them, the wall on his left side. 

Intrigued, Lynn approached the stain, leaning in for a closer inspection. His brain started to function as his mind began to analyze the entire situation, generating various hypotheses and speculation

"There are no dragging marks on the ground, only footprints," Lynn observed, his brow furrowing. "This indicates that the killer didn't drag the body here. Instead, he must have carried it to this location. Perhaps the tattered shroud was used to conceal the victim during transportation."

His thoughts continued to unravel the course of the crime. "The presence of blood on the wall suggests that some blood might have seeped through the fabric when the body was being transported or when the murderer leaned against the wall to rest from the effort."

Lynn's gaze shifted to the amount of blood on the wall. "However, considering the severity of the victim's injuries, the amount of blood on the wall seems relatively small. There should be more blood on the ground. This leads me to believe that the location where the woman was killed and mutilated is near this spot."

Lynn carefully measured the height of the blood stain, noting the distance from the ground, as his mind diligently pieced together the puzzle before him.

"The height of the blood stain suggests that the killer was not very tall. However, he must have possessed significant strength to carry the body to this location." Lynn continued deducing, "This also indicates that he carried it on his left shoulder. This allows us to confirm that this person might be left-handed."

Lynn's thoughts took a darker turn, as he delved deeper into the motives. "The criminal planned to shift the blame from himself to the monsters that were terrorizing this town by savagely mutilating the body and leaving the corpse in the open. Even a typical murderer wouldn't go to such lengths. This suggests that this person had a deep conflict or hatred for the victim."

As all the pieces of the puzzle started to connect, a wide smile formed on Lynn's face, confident that it was just a matter of time before this person would get caught.

Lynn wasted no time and approached the sheriff's deputy, informing him, "John, I think I may have found something significant."

This latter looked surprised. Despite hearing rumors about Lynn's exceptional skills, he had doubted their validity, having not witnessed it firsthand. It was still difficult for him to believe that Lynn had made such a rapid discovery.

John's surprise quickly turned into curiosity as he turned his attention towards Lynn. "What did you find?" he asked, his voice tinged with anticipation.

He began his explanation, meticulously taking John through each step of his thought process. He presented the evidence, allowing the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place, and as the weight of the conclusions settled upon him, Lynn's expression grew more serious.

"Based on this evidence," he began, his voice measured, "it is clear that the killer possesses certain distinct characteristics. Firstly, he must be shorter than you, John, but possess notable strength. Additionally, they are left-handed and likely reside near the crime scene."

Lynn paused for a moment, allowing the weight of his deductions to sink in. "Considering these traits, it would be prudent for us to focus our investigation on individuals who align with these characteristics and might have a motive to harm the victim."

The sheriff's deputy absorbed Lynn's words, recognizing the significance of this new direction. Lynn continued, his voice infused with a sense of confidence, "I suggest we inquire about anyone who may have been seen associating with a redhead. The killer had certainly some connection to her, serving as a potential lead for us to pursue."

In the end, Lynn made an additional remark, saying, "He also might have been a butcher or engaged in a similar occupation."

John nodded in admiration, thoroughly impressed by Lynn's deductions. "That narrows down our search considerably," he acknowledged with enthusiasm.