“It would seem so.” The pathologist bagged up the letter.
“Targeted attack then. Our killer very much had his eyes on Mr Vaughan.”
Chapter Seven
“You’ll have to forgive Inspect Ryder,” the pathologist appeared at Esther’s side, rearranging the mask on her face to finally reveal a little more of her features. She was a middle-aged woman, with kindly features and a smile far too cheerful to work in such a dark field.
Esther cast a glance back to Dakota who was currently talking to others in the forensics team.
“I am not her favourite person it would seem,” Esther shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“You’re new is all. Give it time.” The pathologist laughed slightly, looking between the two of them. “I’m Doctor Erica Fowler, by the way.” She held out her hand which Esther took gladly to shake.
“Esther Zhi.”
“Cryptography?”
“Yes.”
“Ah! That would explain another reason for the inspector’s frostiness.”
“Really? Why?” Esther returned her hands to her pockets, suddenly uncomfortable again.
“She likes solid police work. Hard evidence. She rejects anything fancy.”
“Cryptography is fancy?” Esther raised an eyebrow with suspicion.
“To her it is. Give it time. She’ll come around.” Doctor Fowler handed Esther one of the forensics bags, inside was the toy owl. “Here, take this. Must mean something. It’s not a usual thing for me to find beside a dead body.”
With that word, the doctor turned away again and slowly made her way towards the exit.
Esther looked up from the owl around the courtyard. Bit by bit, the forensics teams were packing up. The floodlights were being lowered, replaced to lighting bags. Extension cords were being rolled away and police tape taken down.
Dakota was talking to someone in a messy suit, apparently the general manager of the Roman Baths.
Beside them, laid out on a stretcher, was the body of Bryn Vaughan being wrapped in a black body bag.
Esther swallowed, feeling sick at the sight of the black plastic closing around the man’s face. She looked away again, back at the pool and the owl clutched in her fingers. She brushed the plastic as though trying to reach the stuffed owl fur itself.
“Right, Zhi,” Dakota’s appeared at her side. “Time to go home. We can’t do any more until tomorrow. We’ll start afresh then.”
“I don’t think I’ll sleep much tonight.”
“Your first one, huh?” Dakota’s voice softened slightly before she shrugged, drawing Esther’s gaze. “You get used to it. Over the years, it will become easier to sleep. Poor guy, we’ll find who did this though, that always helps a good night’s sleep too. Come on. Time to go.”
Dakota turned away, but Esther did not follow. She clutched the owl tighter in her hands.
“Zhi! I know you’re terrible at orders, but I’ve never known anyone so reluctant to ignore the order to go home before.”
“Why the call?” Esther looked up from the owl and turned to face Dakota.
“What?”
“Why the call?” Esther held her arms out in a question as Dakota stood watching her, tapping her silver heel again. “As you said, he was warning us. Why bother warning the police if you’re going to kill someone?”
“Sick mind. Wants to play games is probably all.”
“Right… that’s the thing.” Esther stepped forward, holding out the owl. “If this is a game to him, then this means more than just completing the clue.”
“I’m not following, and I would like to go home to my bed, so instead of walking me towards your thought, would you just hurry up and say it?”
“The man’s clue pointed towards Minerva, right?”
“So you said. To the temple steps.”
“Yes, but there’s something else.” Esther held tighter to the bag in her hand. “The owl is a symbol of Minerva. She is the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare.”
“And your point is?” Dakota waved at her to hurry up.
“What if this is a declaration of war?” Esther walked towards Dakota, handing her the owl. “What if he intends to do this again? Or worse than that, again and again?”
“You’re getting all of this because the killer left a stuffed toy next to the body?” Dakota took the owl from her hands with a scoff.
“Why else leave it?” Esther’s voice raised in fear. “There is no reason to leave that unless it meant something.”
“The owl is what then, a sign?”
“I think he’s throwing down the gauntlet. He’s declaring war and saying catch me if you can.”
“Are you telling me we have a serial killer here?”
“I think we do.”
To be continued…
The story continues…
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Let’s Begin The Game
(God and Satan’s Talks Book 2)
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Matthew Paisley is an International Bestselling Author. Ever since he was a child, he’s always liked detective games.
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A Declaration of War (God and Satan's Talks Book 1) Page 4