CHAPTER 9
It was some minutes past 2 pm. The butler was outside in the compound about going back into the house when he heard the sound of a car engine driving into the compound from behind. He stopped precipitously and turned back to know who it was. The black Peugeot drove in further and stopped on a spot having parked vertically. The engine died and highlighting from both sides of the front seat almost simultaneously were detective Conan and investigator Mrs Catherine. “Hello Mr Richard" detective Conan said out loudly from where the car was, detective Conan shut the car door while Mrs Catherine reached for briefcase before shutting the door. They started heading for the entrance door of the Parkers mansion, the butler replied “Hello detective” almost sounding anxious while welcoming them both. He rushed further to open the door for them while they entered.
The Parkers were already seated in the living room downstairs awaiting detective Conan who had earlier informed Mr Parker on the latest findings on the case and asked him to gather everyone for a quick briefing. They’ve all been seated, waiting patiently since past one o’clock, but Mr Parker who seemed far more anxious on what information the detective had in store for them continually urged them to remain calm and patient as they all waited in the living room obviously restless. While they were waiting, the entrance door flung open animatedly. It made a familiar noise that echoed in the large walkway. The Parker’s in the living room talking in low voices when they heard the entrance door open, they became silent and paused for a moment, out of anticipation they were anxiously hoping it was the detective. Mr Parker left the living room to go check out who it was to confirm. Gladly it was the detective and with him was the crime scene investigator Mrs Catherine who he first met a few days back at the crime scene. They met halfway in the walkway as they exchanged handshakes “welcome both of you, we've been waiting for your arrival “ Mr Parker reported. “sorry for the delay sir, and also, thank you for effecting the message I sent you earlier" the detective said. “Oh come on, what else would I have done detective, this way please!” he said ushering them into the living room. Mr Parker led the way into the living room where his family were, they were all relieved that their waiting was due, Mr Parker then took his seat. The detective gave a sigh of relief, then said “Good day everyone, my apologies for arriving late. Also, Thank you all for assembling here it shows you all are willing to cooperate. With me here is investigator Catherine, she’s with the Newville police department on forensics. She was here on the day of the crime scene to extract and obtain some samples and possible physical evidence. Luckily for her team, an autopsy carried out on late Mrs Lilian’s body produced some anecdotal information which would possibly help us to uncover more precise and resolute data concerning this case. He then paused and said, I think I'll have to stop here and let her report the case” he said, taking a step backwards and inviting Catherine with a hand gesture to take his spot. Catherine stepped forward, placed the briefcase in her hand down and said “Firstly I want to express my deepest condolences for your loss” She said with a firm voice that depicted her bold appearance, then she continued “I was here some few days back to investigate the crime scene and extract any physical evidence I could find surrounding the gruesome murder of Lilian, which I did and took to the Newville police department forensic laboratory for further investigation. Luckily we made some interesting findings that have levelled down so many barriers and therefore would hopefully help us get to the bottom of this case. Before we get to that, moving back to Lillian’s death an autopsy carried out showed visible proof of asphyxiation. Lilian suffered cerebral hypoxia resulting from blockage of the carotid artery and jugular vein in her neck region, her windpipe was also fractured which blocked the passage of air and so she suffocated. As a result, she suffered unconsciousness and died eventually. Short to say, she was strangled to death. The Parker’s were all shocked. “If she was smothered to death, then how come the blood in her mouth,” Gabriella asked inquisitively. “yes, good question, I was just arriving at that" Catherine replied then continued “After coming up with the conclusion of the cause of her death, we were still confounded as to how there was blood in her mouth. Further analysis showed that the bloodstains in her mouth weren’t related to her death nor was it caused by the smothering. In fact, the blood wasn’t Lilian’s blood”. We ran a DNA test to confirm it and it was affirmed. Now like I said earlier, this narrows down the case for us. It’s very obvious that Lilian tried to put up a fight with her killer, as seen from the displaced chairs in the dining room but she was overpowered. In spite of that, judging by the bloodstains in her mouth and teeth to be precise it’s safe to say she most likely tried to free herself from her killer’s grip with a deep bite that pierced her killers flesh and hence, the blood stains in her mouth, though we can’t possibly know what part of the killer’s body that Lilian bit. So moving on” She said, sounding very firm “having clarified you all on that, I think its time we move on to the next step in solving this case. We already have a warrant to obtain possible reference samples from you all that we can use to cross-match the unknown sample, which in this case is the killer’s blood found in Lilian’s mouth. In summary what I’m saying is, you all would be having a DNA test.
The Parker’s were all stunned, looking at each other mysteriously. Mr Parker then stood up and inquired, “come on, this must be a joke, are you implying the killer is amongst us Mrs Catherine?”. “Sir, its simply due protocols. Any attempt to not comply with this directive would be regarded as a criminal offence and will be charged for obstruction of justice”. Mr Parker then sat down, speechless. Detective Conan then added, “there is no need to be worried. It's simply protocols, no one is accusing anyone yet. It's just to prove your innocence and clarify the facts, okay”..... Mrs Catherine said sounding calm. She then knelt down to open her briefcase in order to get relevant materials ready for the sample collection.
“Isn’t there any other method we can approach rather than this sampling and DNA stuff" Mr Allen inquired, obviously not at ease with the investigators directive..... “I mean, we’ve all been interrogated by the detective so I don’t see any reason for all of this, no one here would want Lilian dead, isn’t that obvious detective,” he said, giving detective Conan a curious look. “Listen everyone” detective Conan said with a calm voice as if trying to pacify the already heated atmosphere... “we are talking about a homicide case, murder is the highest crime I’m sure we all know this, and so it’s not just going to be a question and answer approach to it but rather a much rigorous one. It’s not the first time we’ve handled such cases and so we always have to expect the worse and treat all odds carefully. Like Mrs Catherine here said, we have a court order warrant to do this so its no child’s play. We are fully backed by the law to use force if any resist is being made, or you might as well face possible charges. So please comply" he pleaded softly.
* * * * Mrs Catherine was packing up the kits and other materials used to collect biological samples back into the briefcase, carefully arranging each label and tagging it to its corresponding samples making sure there were no mismatches or disarrangements. She sealed all the materials and samples used in different compartments in the briefcase in such a way that it was impossible to have any two materials collide with one another. Mrs Catherine was obviously the best at what she did. Having bagged a bachelor’s degree in criminology and crime scene technology, the North winger University graduate proceeded to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences where she obtained more precise knowledge on furthering her career pursuit while taking courses on topics such as bloodstain pattern analysis, firearm identification, and latent fingerprinting. She had received good commendations as well as few awards for her cognitive and experienced approach towards solving cases from analysis of physical and biological evidences from crime scenes. Now she was done putting things in order in her briefcase, she stood up and signalled to detective Conan for their departure, he nodded and walked towards her and whispered something’s into he
r ear. She nodded silently in response and left the room. Detective Conan then turned back, looked around and said “I sincerely want to thank you all for your corporation, it’s been an honour working with you all and I assure you everything would come to light soon," he said with bold conviction in his voice...... “by the way, Bella, I’ll like to have a word with you outside, if you don’t mind". Everyone in the living room turned and looked at Bella who was standing by a corner beside Mr Richard as if she had done something terrible. She looked at him speechlessly for a while, wondering why in the world her attention would be needed. “Come on dear, Just a word, you and me," he said beckoning her to come along while he turned and left the room. She then sheepishly followed him from behind, walking swiftly to keep up with his pace. Detective Conan kept on walking quickly with no consideration for Bella who was struggling to catch up with him from behind. They left the house but he still didn’t stop he turned to his right as if heading towards the swimming pool, then he turned back and stooped sharply. “hey look" detective Conan said looking around as if trying to be sure no one was watching, “I need you to be really honest with me" he said in a manner that looked as if he was running out of time and would vanish very soon. “Bella, I know there’s something you’re holding back. Whatever it is Lilian would’ve wanted you to speak up, this I know for sure. Whatever it is and for the sake of justice be open with”. Detective Conan was no longer sounding like his calm self, he seemed desperate for answers from her and was becoming more or less pathetic as he spoke hurriedly with his countless pleads for cooperation from Bella. “You can’t always clean their mess” Detective Conan said, she recalled been told the same thing by Mr Richard. As if having a throbbing headache, she placed her left hand on her forehead and rested her head on it while crossing her right hand under the left one. She turned her head slowly while detective Conan kept on talking passively, convincing her to open up. “Bella, what do you know about your mistress and Mr Allen?”. Bella turned her head away towards the direction of the swimming pool and said calmly “a week ago, I and Mr Richard were in the kitchen having minor talks about our duties inside the mansion. We were chattering for a while before he asked after Lilian. And so I told him Mrs Jennifer sent for her about thirty minutes ago. It was up to about another ten minutes before Lilian showed up in the kitchen obviously looking worse than how she left. Her face was moody and sullen. Mr Richard tried confronting her but it was to no avail. Lilian was rather a cheerful person, but on that day she was quite the opposite. Soon the butler left, and I managed to talk to her. She was obviously troubled and looking morose as if something tragic had happened to her. She untied her apron and hung it on the shelf, then she paused, just standing still and facing the shelf where she had just hung her apron. “Mrs Lilian?....... are you okay?”.... I tried asking her, but I got no response in return and so I thought it was best to give her some space and let her be. Not until the next day, after the days work. We were about retiring for the night, she was her cheerful self again. On our way to our room, we got into a conversation about some notable men in history alongside some very infamous ones. It was there I felt it was safe to ask her about yesterday “Mrs Lilian? Can I ask you a question?”......... “Of course you can dear, what is it?” she said looking concerned. “It’s about yesterday, if you don’t mind, you seemed worried.....what exactly is the problem, lately its like you’re someone else. Mostly after going to answer Mrs Parker are you having issues with her?”.......she then looked away and replied me with a calm smile “Bella, just as we've been talking about great men, there are also those men who are quite the opposite of being great. Those who crave forbidden desires and things that are not rightfully theirs, I'm sure you’re familiar with the ten commandments Bella, the last two commandments most especially, beware of this kind of men dear” she said while she opened the door to our room and walked in leaving me in consternation. As I walked into the room slowly, I sat on my bed trying to ponder on the last two commandments and how they apply directly or indirectly to what has been causing her weariness. “Thou shall not covet thy neighbours wife.....Thou shall these not covet they neighbours goods" How these lines connected was still a mystery or how it answered her initial question on her issue with Mrs Parker.
Bella walked back into the house, trying her best to act normal. She entered the house and walked straight down through the walkway. She passed the living room where the Parkers were all seated, just as she was about passing she looked towards the direction of the living room and suddenly, Mrs Jennifer’s eye caught up with hers. She was struck by the gaze, but she somehow acted normal, looked away and kept on heading for the kitchen.
CHHAPTER 10 It was a rainy Friday afternoon, Mrs Parker was seated on her favourite chair which had its own small-sized table in the main living room upstairs which was at an adjacent side of the living room close to one of the windows and was also behind the main set of chairs. She sat calmly looking outside through the window as if carefully trying to monitor the raindrops that were drizzling and falling momentarily. She seemed lost, gazing at the large compound below watching how it absorbed the raindrops as if nothing fell on it. She then suddenly looked up at the sky as a flash of lightning accompanied by the rumble of thunder caught her attention and snapped her back to the consciousness of her reality. She now recalled the case of the Parker’s which began from the death of Lilian and has now escalated, leaving everyone wondering and pining for answers. Detective Conan sure thinks the culprit dwells within the walls of their home but who among them would ever want Lilian dead, she thought. It was far be it from anyone within to want to even do something as undeserving to someone of Lilian’s nature. Personally, she was convinced that it had to be someone from outside. She thought hard, Allen and herself were the last to go to bed that night, her husband Mr Williams had already dozed off, Bella obviously knows nothing about it while the butler was rather too close Lilian. Or perhaps if it was an outsider, that would certainly mean there was an inside job. But Allen already denied it, both of them had taken painstaking effort in silencing her from ever speaking out. Even if it was Allen, he sure would’ve discussed it with her so definitely it can’t be. Whoever it is, what exactly could be achieved from Lilian’s death? Or maybe she got caught in the way and had to be put away to avoid loose ends. It was rather contorted for Mrs Parker who tried her best to view it from Detective Conan’s point of view. Now she started feeling sympathetic for Lilian, recalling how she had been too hard on her lately. She had mixed feelings, one of regret and another of fear of being exposed. While she was thinking, she heard footsteps and looked towards the entrance. It was Patricia, her sister...... “Hey there?” Jennifer managed to say. “Hi Jenny,” Patricia said walking towards Jennifer and taking a seat on the other end of the table “and what are you doing here all by yourself?” ..she further asked “Nothing really, just wanted to clear my head" Jennifer replied looking outside the window, “Things has been too intense this past few days you know, can’t just wait for it to end" Jennifer replied shrugging her shoulders lightly. “Yeah right, I really can’t wait to get the hell outta here and never show up in this haunted house," Patricia said jokingly and they both chuckled. “Once the dust settles I'll quietly return home," Patricia said... “And what exactly are you returning to dear?” Jennifer asked curiously.. “You know what, don’t stress it okay, I know my life is a mess. Thanks for reminding me" Patricia retorted......Jennifer smiled and said “I didn’t say anything about your life being a mess, I'm just worried about you Pat, you don’t want to settle down with one man for a serious relationship, you still drink a lot, you always behaving like a naive high school girl. You’re not getting any younger dear you know this”......speechless, Patricia's eyes were already shimmering. “There we go again," Jennifer said out loudly.... “It's not like I want this okay, I know I’ve got issues, in fact, everyone has issues even you, don’t act like you’re the perfect one. You’re just lucky to have married a tycoon but he doesn’t know
the slut you were so don’t make it look like its just my thing" Patricia fired back with tears already running down her cheek. For a moment, Jennifer was silent as she turned and faced the shut windows, minding how raindrops lashed and splashed on it making momentary diagonal streaks of water that were accompanied with a thudding noise. Jennifer herself didn’t come up clean nor was she left out from the game of imperfections. Her too had tasted life and to the brink, before she accidentally met Mr Williams at a club. Before she got married, Jennifer in her youthful days was a physically endowed young lady, with great shape. She had blue eyes and a very calming tone or perhaps a seductive voice. She had strong legs, matured looking body figure for her age, also with an excellent and dashy set of teeth that made her smile compelling. But the beautiful appearance spoke not for her lifestyle, she was involved in several high-end lustfulness, from orgies to debauchery and night jobs. Even after meeting with Williams and Allen at a club, she actually preferred Allen cause she knew he was the kind of person with the same energy as she and was always clubbing, but when she found out about the humongous wealth attached to Williams name, she had to play both cards. And so she found her way to his heart and luckily for her it worked out perfectly. She looked away from the window and said calmly, “Look Pat, my marriage to Williams and the family we have now has given me a supreme sense of responsibility. I don’t I am happy with the kind of life I lived back then, trust me if you keep on that path you’ll only regret it. Accept my words of advise from experience, cause in the end, it all boils down to the question of if you are happy with yourself”. Patricia was crying sobbing..... “ Every time this issue about you comes up you end up shedding tears like its genuine, but in the end, you still repeat your same mistake,” Jennifer said raising her hands. At this point, Patricia buried her face in her hands, still sobbing. Jennifer then let out a deep sigh, stood up and walked towards Patricia on the other side of the table, she placed her left hand of her shoulders as if trying to pat her and said “I’m sorry, It’s okay its okay pat. Mom would be happier to know that you’re a strong woman” on hearing this Patricia revealed her face, and dried her eyes with her sleeves. “That’s the spirit dear, you just have to be strong but remember, like dad would always say ‘Do what is required of you when appropriate’...Patricia then smiled and hugged Jennifer at the waistline.
The Case of the Parker's Page 5