by Malcolm Rose
“That’s strange.”
“That’s why I’ve told you. You’re an investigator.”
“All right. I’ll check him out. Just don’t expect me to be nice to him.”
****
The budding architect had not locked his room. It was plastered with drawings and computer-generated plans. Mostly, Vince’s sketches featured streets and structures but sometimes they portrayed people. The one that caught Luke’s eye was a close-up of Jade’s face. Vince had captured her warmth, her wicked smile and the endearing chaos of her hair. Tearing himself away from the drawing, Luke called out, “Vince? Hello?”
Nothing. The apartment was eerily quiet.
Luke pushed open the door of the bedroom but it was empty. The bed had not been slept in or maybe Vince had made it as soon as he’d got up. There was an untidy pile of clothes on a chair in the corner of the room and a pair of shoes underneath.
For some reason, Luke’s heart pounded as he approached the bathroom. If Vince was still at home, he had to be inside. Gingerly, Luke slid back the door and he froze immediately with a shocked grimace on his face.
Vince was a crumpled mess on the floor by the sink. He was wearing pants and nothing else. His bare chest was blotched with blood and pink foam had solidified around his mouth. The mirror, white porcelain and tiles were spattered with deep red stains. The bathroom looked like a battlefield and on the floor lay the discarded weapon.
“Malc,” Luke stammered, nodding towards the massacre.
The mobile flew over Luke’s shoulder and into the bathroom while Luke stayed exactly where he was. His training told him not to encroach on the scene of the crime in case he contaminated it. Every other instinct told him to back off and run away. But a fully qualified investigator could not cave in to normal human impulses.
“There are four puncture wounds to the chest, each caused by a rounded instrument.”
Luke pointed to the tool, about fifteen centimetres long and heavily bloodstained. “Like that?”
Malc scanned it. “It is consistent with the wounds.”
“I can’t make it out. What is it?”
“It is a glass cutter.”
Luke paused and then exclaimed, “A what?”
“A glass cutter.”
“You mean, one of those things with a little wheel at the end that scratches glass?”
“Correct.”
“But...” Luke let out a long breath. “Nothing.” Malc was just a machine. He was never surprised. He simply identified weapons and reported to Luke. It was left to Luke to register amazement and horror. To himself, he muttered, “Who kills with a glass cutter? Probably the same warped brain that came up with an arrow and snake venom: Demon Archer.” Then he shook his head sadly. For a moment, his thoughts went back to last night. Jade had said that Vince would not go away. But now he had.
“Any prints on it?”
“None detectable, but my scan is obscured by blood.”
“Vince’s or someone else’s as well?”
Malc did not answer right away. After analysing some of the sticky brown residue, Malc said, “I detect only one blood group. It belongs to the victim.”
“Take temperatures, Malc. His body and the room. This time, there’s no wind or variation to complicate things. Assume the central heating kept the bathroom at this temperature all night and he had a healthy body temperature when he was attacked. Calculate the time of death.”
“It occurred between ten thirty and midnight last night.”
“While he was getting ready for bed,” Luke muttered, still in the doorway. “Is that a toothbrush there? In the pool under the sink.”
“Confirmed.”
“Okay. Analyse the stuff around his mouth. It’s a mixture of toothpaste and blood, isn’t it?”
Within a minute, Malc replied, “Correct.”
Luke was beginning to overcome the shock and settle into the investigator’s routine. On the wall near the mirror, there were red stains, each one like a little exclamation mark. Luke recognized the gruesome pattern. It came from the cough of someone stabbed in the chest. The splashes of blood, saliva and toothpaste had hit the tiles at an angle and tapered in the direction of the cough. He said to Malc, “Video everything – all the stains – and scan the body. Pay particular attention behind the fingernails. But I bet there’s nothing there.”
Completing the test, Malc stated, “I detect only soap.”
Luke nodded. “He’d just had a shower, I imagine, and he was cleaning his teeth. He was so stunned when someone burst in, he didn’t manage to put up a fight. He just turned towards the door, dropped his toothbrush and stood there, perfect position for being stabbed. Can you measure the wounds’ entry angles?”
“Yes, but they vary. I have no way of deducing which blow was the first. Two were probably delivered while the body was falling and the final one came when the victim was on the floor. All the blows were aimed from the right so the assailant is almost certainly right-handed but I cannot estimate height. To do that, the victim would have had to stand still during the attack.”
Luke let out a long breath. “Working on something like this, Malc, you must think us humans are awful.”
“I am not programmed to give opinions.”
“I bet there’s a circuit in you somewhere that thinks you’re lucky to be made of metal.”
Malc replied, “Irrational. I am neither lucky nor unlucky.”
Luke stepped back from the doorway. “These tiled surfaces are great for fingerprints. Do a check and throw every enhancement you’ve got at it.” He turned his back on the room.
After a minute, Malc said, “All fingerprints belong to the victim.”
“There are three footprints marked in blood. Are they Vince’s as well?”
“Confirmed.”
Luke sighed. “Have you alerted The Authorities?”
“Confirmed.”
Malc was about to make another observation but Luke jumped in first. “I know what you’re going to say. You want me to consider the motive. This is the third one where things look bad for me.”
“You requested information on both of the last two victims before they were murdered. In addition, Crispin Addley was your academic rival and Vince Wainwright was your romantic rival.”
“Yes, but I was with Jade last night. She’ll confirm it.”
Malc said, “Her testimony would be unreliable and inadmissible.”
“You mean, she’d lie because she wants Vince out of the way as well?”
“Correct.”
“Look, Malc. Let’s be sensible. Whoever did this went away bloodstained, possibly splattered a lot. You can test all my clothes if you like.”
“I have already logged that task.”
“For now,” Luke said, eager for an excuse to turn his back on the bathroom, “scan the entire place, particularly the doors for fingerprints. Sample the air as well. Analyse for any foreign deodorants or other smells. And, don’t forget, any evidence that I’ve been in here isn’t significant. I’m here now. I admit it.”
At the end of the process, Malc said, “Last night, you requested information on feline traces. There are fifteen cat hairs, eleven in common with those on Ms Kee’s clothing.”
“Ah! He was another link in the cat smuggling chain, then. Jade said he was Ms Kee’s pet student. Now I know why. Tell me, have you spotted any of those fluffy willowherb seeds?”
“Yes. There is one adhering to the trousers in the bedroom and a second attached to the laces of the right shoe.”
Luke nodded, feeling pleased with himself. “There was willowherb on the way to the animal sanctuary.”
“I caution against deducing too much from this finding. Willowherb is not an uncommon weed. Also, when I scanned Travis Myers, I detected seeds on his trousers and trainers after he had been running in the area.”
“Okay. You’re equipped with a short-range X-ray probe, aren’t you?”
“Confirmed.”
> “If you use it in here, do I have to wait outside or am I safe to stay in?”
“It is highly directional,” Malc answered. “As long as you keep out of the beam, you will be safe.”
“All right. Take a look around with X-rays. I’m interested in hidden metal tools.”
Malc found what Luke wanted in a corner of the living room. Under the carpet and a loose floorboard, there were metal cutters and heavy pliers.
“There you are,” Luke said triumphantly. “Everything you need to break into a cat compound at the animal sanctuary. He’d only need a box and he’s nicely set up for lifting a few cats. So, I think we’ve got the boy who was spotted at the conservation park.” Luke paused before adding, “Maybe the glass cutter was part of his toolset.”
“What is your conclusion?”
Luke shrugged. “Only that there’s a message for me here.”
“Explain.”
“Come on. When murderers get up in the morning they don’t say, ‘Off to work today. Where’s my glass cutter?’ They grab a knife or a gun or something. This one’s really weird, even leaving the glass cutter behind to make sure I saw it. And if Demon Archer’s behind all three cases, it comes after an arrow and snake venom. I don’t understand the message but I know it’s there – in the weapons. Every murderer has a favourite way of going about the business. Someone who kills with poison sticks with poison. No one uses an arrow, venom and a glass cutter without a very good reason. So what’s the reason? What’s the connection between them? Answer that and I have the message.”
Chapter Fifteen
In the living room, surrounded by Vince’s drawings, Luke asked, “Is there any sawdust, wax, magnesite or white paint flakes, especially on that pile of clothes in the bedroom?”
“Not on the clothes,” Malc replied. “There is a fine deposit of sawdust on the carpet by the entrance. That is all.”
“Show me.”
“It is too small to be visible to your eyes.”
Luke said, “All right. What shape is it?”
“The sawdust lies in a rough curve of 2.1 centimetres.”
“So it could have fallen off a shoe?”
“That is a possibility. It cannot be linked to the intruder for certain.”
“True,” Luke agreed, “but is there any sawdust on Vince’s shoes?”
“No,” Malc answered.
“Interesting.” Luke thought for a moment before saying, “You know, it’s strange there’s no sign of Vince’s blood anywhere apart from the bathroom. The killer must have got splashed with it so there should be trail across the floor. A drop or two at least.”
“What is your conclusion?”
“Well, whoever did it could’ve put on a waterproof overall – something like plastic or nylon – while Vince was in the shower. After the stabbing, Demon Archer could have washed it down in the shower and flushed all the blood away. Or wrapped it up, taken it somewhere and destroyed it. He – or she, I suppose – could’ve just brought a spare set of clothes.” Again, Luke paused. “Of course, no one would take any particular notice of a caretaker or technician wandering around in overalls or carrying a bin bag.”
“Do you have such an overall?”
“Me? No,” Luke answered with frustration in his voice. “Let’s keep to the point. Would I be right in thinking you’d need to be pretty strong to stab someone that thoroughly with a glass cutter? It’s nowhere near as sharp as a knife.”
“I cannot measure the force used without the results from a post-mortem but the attack would require considerable power.”
“Like a man or an athletic woman. Like the strength needed to make the shot that got Crispy.”
“That is probable.”
“Tell me about fingerprints.”
“Fingerprints are the unique patterns left behind...”
“No,” said Luke. “I mean, tell me what you’ve found here.”
“Over ninety-five per cent of the fingerprints are those of the victim. I have not yet assigned the others to individuals with the exception of...”
“Yes, yes,” Luke interrupted. “Apart from mine.”
“Correct. However, yours may be the result of this visit.”
“Nice of you to say so.”
“It is unlikely that fingerprint evidence will be helpful because only yours and the victim’s appear on the bathroom door. If another person opened the door, he or she must have been wearing gloves.”
“Okay, Malc,” Luke said. “Let’s wrap it up here.”
“Explain.”
“Finish off. Call in the pathologist’s team and then seal the apartment. I’ve got to go to Jade and tell her what’s happened. Then it’s on with the case. Glenfield and Cadman.”
****
Amazingly, after three days, Jade was still blonde. She hadn’t yet got bored with her appearance and changed it once more. “Hiya,” she said brightly. But when she saw Luke’s expression, she began to frown. “What’s happened?”
“It’s Vince.”
“What do you mean?” she muttered.
Luke looked at her but the words didn’t come to him.
“No, not another one! But... That’s terrible. He was...” She shook her head.
Luke put his arms around her.
They stood there in the music studio for several minutes, neither daring to say anything. It would have been tactless to give vent to any feelings apart from the dismay of Vince’s death. When a boy’s life had been snatched away, they couldn’t allow themselves to think about the consequences for their own relationship.
Eventually, Luke pulled back. “Keep quiet about it for the moment, Jade.” Then, reluctantly, he added, “I’m sorry but, for the record, you’ve got to tell Malc what you were doing and where you were last night between ten thirty and twelve.”
“What?” Jade exclaimed.
“Sorry,” he repeated.
“Someone’s dead and all you can do is ask questions.”
He nodded sadly. “That’s my job.”
Jade was getting angry. “Do you suspect me? How could you?”
Luke shook his head. “No. Of course not. It’s just that your answer might help another suspect.”
Jade frowned, hesitated, and then said, “Oh, I see. You mean you.”
“Yes. But I can’t lead you to the answer. I’ve got to have it in your own words. Malc isn’t programmed to believe you anyway, but I still want what you’ve got to say on record.”
She glared at the robot and said, “He was with me, in my quarters. All the time.”
Malc accepted the statement in silence but he would not add it to the case notes.
****
Rick Glenfield was painting the doorframe in the old kitchen that he was helping to convert into a maths classroom. He was wearing worn and stained denim. With that mass of ginger hair, simple face and dumpy body, he reminded Luke of a teddy bear.
Luke looked at him and smiled. “Messy job.”
Suspiciously, Rick answered, “Yes.”
“Doesn’t the school give you some sort of overall?”
“Yes. But... er... I tore it yesterday and had to bin it. I’m waiting for a new one.”
“Tore it?” Luke replied. “How come?”
“A door handle. This one to be precise. I walked through the door and my pocket caught on it. There was a big rip, like thunder. I came through but a lot of the overall didn’t.”
“It couldn’t have been very strong. What was it made of?”
The caretaker frowned. “Nylon.”
Realizing that Rick was getting cagey about his interest in work clothes, Luke moved on. “Have you ever milked the venom from a rattler?”
Ill at ease, Rick laughed weakly. “No. I wouldn’t fancy my chances.” He stopped painting but kept the brush in his right hand.
“Were you out last night?”
“No,” Rick replied. “I used to socialize quite a lot but not these days. It’s not easy, you know. I used to mi
x with the instructors but I’m not one of them now. They’re awkward with me because they don’t how to react. But the non-teaching staff still think of me as an instructor. I’m... neither one thing nor the other. A fish out of water either way. So, I keep myself to myself. Besides, after Ms Kee and all, I didn’t feel like it.”
Luke looked around the classroom. Behind Rick, there were three rows of tables. They weren’t new but they had been smartened up, ready for use. “Big job, this. Have you been on it for a while?”
“On and off. It’s not all I do but, yes, I’ve got my work cut out.”
“You were working here the day before yesterday, then?”
“Not all day, but yes. Ms Kee sent me some students who’d misbehaved.” After mentioning the Deputy Head again, he shook his head sadly. “They did half an hour’s work in here after school as punishment. More trouble than a help to me, to be honest.”
“Who were they?”
Rick shrugged. “I didn’t take names. Ms Kee’ll have them.” He hesitated before adding, “Sorry. I mean, I suppose she’ll have left a record if you want to know.” Then he looked into Luke’s face and said, “Before you graduated, you would’ve been on the list. You were no angel.”
Luke nodded. “You remember me hacking into the exam scores.”
Rick looked away as if unwilling to think about it. Shutting down like a clam, he muttered, “Yes.”
“There was a loophole in the program that allowed me to sneak in.”
“I know.”
In an attempt to get Rick to open up again, Luke asked, “I got into deep trouble for it. Did you as well?”
Rick turned away as if he needed to compose himself before answering. Apparently unable to face Luke any more, he dipped his brush into the paint and slapped it onto the wood violently. “You’re not kidding. I got blamed, yes,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Sorry about that. You shouldn’t have done. You only installed it. It was me that broke into it.”
“It’s too late for apologies,” Rick snapped, spreading the paint over the doorframe with his back to Luke.
“Well, thanks. You’ve been very helpful.”