Hello, dear readers! Wow, that sounded less goofy in my head… Anyways, I know, I know, I haven't updated or published anything since dinosaurs ruled the Earth, but I just haven't had the time. I've been revising like mad for my final exams (I leave school on June 1st, 3 days after my 16th birthday! In case there are any people from the US reading this, here in England you leave high school at 16, it's 18 in the US, right? :3) , and I just haven't had the time or motivation to write anything. School starts again tomorrow. Ugh. Why is it always on the last day of the holidays that you suddenly wish that you had just ONE more day off? I should be continuing with 'For Angie', but I'm having MAJOR writer's block with that, so that's been put on the shelf temporarily. This new story idea just came into my head, so it probably sucks. Terribly. Anyway! Enough rambling from me. Enjoy!
Oh, by the way? Ken. Gosh, I miss him. :'(
Chapter One
"Thank you for coming, Detective Fallon and Special Agent Williams." Captain Maria Yeong greeted. She was seated behind her desk, clutching two manila folders in her hands.
"No problem Captain. Got a case for us?" Mal Fallon said, eyeing the folders.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do, Detective. I realise that, after the drama of the Kraken case, you would appreciate being assigned to something a little less baffling."
"What can I say? I almost miss the days when most murders happened because somebody got pissed off."
At this, Natara shook her head, while Mal simply grinned.
Captain Yeong seemed non-plussed.
"Well, this certainly seems to fit the bill, Detective Fallon," she said, handing a folder each to Mal and Natara.
Mal flipped it open to a picture of a middle aged man, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. His head was partially caved in.
"Yeesh."
"The victim has been identified as 56 year old Gavin Andrews. It appears that he was beaten about the head. A wooden statuette, covered in blood, was found a few feet away from the body. I think it's safe to say that this was the implement used to kill Mr Andrews."
"Got any idea why?"
"Well, the victim was found dead in his home. The police were called after neighbours heard a scuffle in the early hours of this morning. They entered the victim's home and found him lying dead in the living room. The house was a mess. Drawers thrown open, their contents scattered about, cupboards emptied. It also appears that there was an attempt to break into the safe, which was unsuccessful."
"Seems like a robbery gone wrong. Maybe the killer broke into the victim's home with the intention of taking anything of value. The victim was awoken by the noise, went down to investigate and startled the burglar, or burglars, as the case may be…" Natara hypothesised.
"Yeah, and then the perp freaked, grabbed the statue and clocked him in the head." Mal finished.
"Well, I wouldn't have put it in such frank terms, but yes. That is what appears to have happened."
"Do we know what was actually in the safe?"
"Not currently, no. But Kai is already at the scene, along with Officer Bartaugh, processing evidence. We are hoping that he is able to find the passcode. If not, then we will send in the safecrackers."
"Alright Captain. We'll head over there now. I'm not sure how long Joe will be able to keep Kai out of trouble for."
"My guess?" Natara grinned, "Five minutes. Ten at the most."
Mal and Natara stood up and turned to leave before a thought struck Mal. He turned back.
"Uh, Captain?"
"Yes, Detective Fallon?"
"Um, how long has Kai been at the scene?"
"Around an hour and a half. Why?"
"Oh, no reason….."
Twenty minutes later, Mal and Natara pulled up outside Number 24, Pramhurst Avenue, in the upscale neighbourhood of Remington Grove. The house was spacious and, despite the garish crime scene tape plastered across the doorway, was beautiful.
"Wow. No wonder this guy got robbed. He must be loaded. Look, is that timber shutting? Solar panels?" Mal whistled with appreciation.
Natara simply rolled her eyes before tugging on the sleeve of Mal's jacket. He broke out of his reverie and followed Natara, ducking under the crime scene tape and finding himself in the entrance hall. The inside of the house didn't disappoint. It was just as beautiful yet tasteful as the outside. Well, it would be, if you ignored the blood staining the cream carpet and the books, ornaments and papers scattered just about everywhere.
Officer Bartaugh appeared from a doorway to their left, looking relieved to see them.
"Hey, Mal, Natara. The vic's in here." He said, gesturing over his shoulder into the room behind.
"Thanks Joe. Where's Kai?" Mal dared ask.
"Uh, he's examining the murder weapon."
"Uh-huh."
Mal and Natara followed Officer Bartaugh into the spacious living room. It was bright and airy, and about the same size as the entire precinct bullpen. Kai was bent over something on the far side of the room, humming some tune or other under his breath.
Gavin Andrews was sprawled in the middle of the room. A large crimson stain bloomed on the fluffy white carpet around his head. Well, what was left of his head. The various cabinets had their doors flung open and their contents scattered everywhere. A mahogany desk had been tipped over. Stacks of paper were no longer stacks, but heaps.
"Wow. The perps were certainly thorough in their search." Mal stated.
Natara was very quiet, saying nothing but simply staring at the body.
"Nat? You ok?"
Natara appeared to shake herself, and then looked at Mal.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just….. I just can't seem to shake the feeling that I've heard the name Gavin Andrews before. The victim isn't exactly recognisable anymore, so I can't be sure."
"Really?"
"Yes," Natara's eyes were wandering around the room now, "I seem to recall…." She suddenly stopped, and a realisation seemed to dawn on her, "oh…."
"What Nat? What is it?"
"Yeah, Agent Hottie, what is it?" Kai was now standing up, a number of plastic evidence bags clutched in his gloved hands.
Natara didn't seem to hear either of them. Instead, she walked over to a cabinet located on the other side of the room, stepping nimbly over the body. She bent down and seemed to look intently at one object in particular.
"I knew it…." She muttered, seemingly to herself.
"What? What is it?"
"Kai, can I borrow those gloves?"
Kai, dumbfounded, mutely nodded and produced a clean pair of latex gloves from his trouser pocket. He passed them to Natara, who pulled them on with a snap before reaching out and picking up a shiny metal object in the shape of a teardrop.
"What is that?" Mal asked, looking at it shrewdly. It looked heavy, and the sunlight bounced off the objects glittering golden surface.
"Look, Mal.." Natara said, turning the object so some engraved lettering was visible.
"Lifetime Achievement Award… Presented to Gavin Andrews… For his exemplary service to the business….. August 2011…" Mal read, "So, this guy got an award from some company… so?"
"Look at the company name, Mal!" Natara exclaimed, pointing to a smaller block of lettering located near the base of the award.
"Mansingh International…. CEO Raj Mansingh… Oh. That's…"
"My Father's company. He only presents Lifetime Achievement Awards to his most trusted and long serving employees. I knew I'd heard of Gavin Andrews before. He often attended Dad's meetings and dinner parties when I was a kid."
"So the vic worked for your Dad…"
"He didn't just work for my Dad. He was my Dad's right hand man, his second in command, if you will. With his death, my Dad's company has taken a big hit. Why do you think this house was ransacked? The killers were looking for something. I think they meant to kill him. One single hit with a wooden object would not cause this much damage."
"What, so they're trying to ruin your Dad? A business rival?"
"I don't know. But we need to find out, and soon. They might be trying to get to my father, or…."
"Or?" Mal wondered whether de dared ask.
"Or they're trying to get to me."
Meh, I'm not really feeling this story very much, but please review and tell me whether I should carry on or not. Thanks for reading!
~ Hannah ~