Neither Candlestick nor Phaser, Part II

Posted on Wed 6th Dec, 2017 @ 2:33am by Lieutenant Commander Andrew Eberstark & Lieutenant JG Kellian Michaels

893 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Phaser as Deadly as a Candlestick
Location: Alley Near Pale Moon Books
Timeline: MD 3, 0830

The investigation continues ...

Looking around at other areas where the body could have possibly been left less conspicuously, Andrew spoke aloud again, "Have you questioned the person who found the body?"

"Lt. Summerby's doing that now," Kellian said. "The victim was discovered by the daughter of the shop owner, Mr. MacBeth. She was on her way to school and noticed him on the bench."

Doctor Addams returned, carrying a satchel which she set on the ground outside the perimeter field and opened. She heard Kellian's statement, and glanced up. "Aiko? She's a sensitive child. I'll have to remember to look in on her, after I'm done with this."

Parts of the crowd were drifting away as other duties called, so Caroline's camouflage was dissipating. Mr. Oto's response had been interesting. She'd heard the Chief Medical Officer called many things, but never "Witch doctor", or in quite that tone of voice. She planned a follow-up there, partly out of curiosity and partly to be sure there was no threat implied to the doctor. Her own relationship with the realtor had been peril-free, but one never knew what lurked within the heart.

Slowly, she worked her way closer to the crime scene. The investigators' attention was all on the crime scene when Handsome arrived with his camera. "Ah, there you are. Before they realize we're here, and opaque the shield, can you get a picture of the body? I don't think we can get enough of the face for an identity, but do your best."

Handsome nodded and said with his usual few words, "Got one, coming in." He moved off to see what other angles he could find. Caroline watched him a moment, then took a deep breath and let it out. "Into the belly of the beast," she muttered as she moved into sight with a deliberate step toward the small force field.

"Don't look now, but here comes the media," Kellian said to Addams and Eberstark in a low voice. "Doctor, when I opaque the shielding, will you still have enough ambient light to see in here?"

"Excuse me," Post called, as she neared the murder scene. "Can you tell me if you have an identification yet?" She knew they could tell her, but would they?

"No, Ms. Post, no identification yet," Kellian said. "We'll issue a statement with more complete information as soon as we can."

"Pardon us," Addams said, and then, "Computer, opaque the field. Set for zero audio transmission." The computer beeped and complied, blocking sight of the other end of the alley. Addams stepped within the crime scene, a Feinberg scanner in her left hand. She watched the readings on her tricorder screen, then blinked and looked up. "He was killed with a stiletto," she announced to the pair of investigators with her. "The killer was left-handed, tall; a female with large breasts." She paused. "Fortunately, that last item disposes of me as a suspect."

Kellian blinked at Dr. Addams--twice, slowly. At last, he said, "By what convoluted method of Holmesian reasoning do you arrive at that description of the killer?" His tone wasn't irritated at all. In his experience, Addams was no end of entertaining. If she was saying something, she had a good reason for it, and he was all ears. He shot a glance at Eberstark to see what he made of it all.

Andrew was half focused on getting unnecessary distractions, namely Ms. Post, out of the way, he barely registered what the Doctor was announcing to them the first time. It took him a second to play back the words in his head and look at the confused face of Michaels to fully understand the situation.

Folding his arms, he slowly walked alongside Addams and got a real look at the man, "Well, I may not have believed what we experienced before, but this sure as hell goes a long way to changing my mind," turning back to the Lieutenant who still was left in the dark about this ever-worsening situation, "Dr. Addams? Care to explain just how you were able to deduce that?"

"Abduct," Kellian said under his breath as he extruded his laser measure to three feet and took an image of the victim's entry wound.

"Primis," Addams said, holding up her tricorder, "the wound is quite narrow and precise. It enters from the victim's right, strongly suggesting a sinister -- that is to say, left-handed assailant. The borders of the wound are cut, not torn, indicating that the weapon was sharp, thus, a stiletto rather than a letter opener. The wound descends slightly along its length, suggesting the assailant was standing above the victim, thus, tall." She paused, took a pair of mosquito forceps from her pocket, and carefully pulled back the victim's sleeve. "Though the ligature marks indicate the victim was tied to something, likely a chair. He was therefore seated, and the assailant's height comes back into question."

Addams looked at the pair of investigators, then used her forceps to remove the victim's hat and reveal his face. "Chordus, Mr. Eberstark and I witnessed this man's murder... after a manner of speaking."

Kellian blinked at Addams again. "I'm so glad you blocked audio transmissions," he said. "God only knows what hay Ms. Post would have spun into journalistic gold from that statement."

 

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