"Chief, your daughter's body…has been stolen

"Chief, your daughter's body…has been stolen."

Vendetta

Chapter 2: Theories and Investigations

Death Toll: 2

Ludwig swiftly slides into the passenger side of the police cruiser, as Charlie starts the car, not waiting for Ludwig to get his seatbelt on.

"Chief Charles Swan?"

"Chief Swan, for now," says Chief Swan.

"Ah, yes, well, where was the body last?"

"That's where we're going," says Chief Swan to Ludwig, speeding down the highway, "There is no a morgue in the hospital; our hospital is too small. Hopefully after these killings, the hospital will be enlarged."

"Ah," remarks Ludwig.

"She was at Port Angeles," continues Chief Swan, "There's a bit more tourism there."

Ludwig nods politely and scribbles some notes in a small dark notebook. Once he's done that, he asks Chief Swan, "Anything else? Did they find any DNA or anything of sort on her person?"

Chief Swan sighs and then replies, "I don't know. We sent it in to Seattle, but it might days, weeks."

"Oh," shortly remarks Ludwig, "Then I suppose we cannot depend on DNA samples, at least not anytime soon."

"Right." (Short pause) "Oh look, we're here," announces Chief Swan.

"Oh, this is Port Angeles," comments Ludwig.

"Yes, not much different from Forks, huh?"

"Too true."

Within no time at all, Chief Swan parks the car and Ludwig observes a group of frantic police at the hospital. As they approach the group, Ludwig discovers that the group is worried about where the body may be. But to Ludwig, there's a more pressing question than the whereabouts of the body, 'Why did they steal the body?'

Finally making his way amongst the sea of panic-stricken officers and onlookers, Ludwig finds the classic aftermath scene. Yellow caution tape surrounds a room in the morgue and faded white chalk marking outline where they believed the body once was. Ludwig slips on his gloves and puts on a monocle. Not just an ordinary monocle, this monocle had a magnifying glass built iin, or rather, Ludwig turned a magnifying glass into a monocle. He carries a brief case filled with many small tools and gadgets for detective work. He may be a "fledgling detective," but he is prepared.

He makes his way under the criss-crossed caution tape and steps into the crime scene. Here, he makes his way around the yellowish white room (in his mind the room should be repainted), taking pictures with a small digital camera. He photographs every corner, nook, everything. In here, he notices no security camera. Huffing at such limited resources, Ludwig goes back to bare basics. Walking toward the bed, he notes something rather unusual. The bed sheets look neat. Whoever stole the body was not in any hurry to do so, so much that the thief made the bed to a degree. (The police had assured him, nothing had been touched.) The sheets were neatly folded at the end of bed.

Why?

Sighing in confusion, Ludwig walks toward the bed, looking around carefully for any clue who might be the thief. Who may also be the murderer.

"That's a bummer," says Chief Swan in the cruiser on the way back to Forks, "No clues, no nothing."

"Not a single trace of evidence," says Ludwig, "Clever, very clever indeed."

"Clever?"

"Why yes!" exclaims Ludwig, "Not a single thread of evidence, even when the thief went so far as to make the bed. Very clever…"

"Hmph," replies Chief Swan, "You call it clever; I call it an annoyance."

"An annoyance? Hardly so, sir."

"Please don't call me 'sir'."

"I'm sorry," apologizes Ludwig.

"Anyway, how is it hardly an annoyance?" asks Chief Swan.

"Well, it enlightens us about the thief-"

"The murderer, you mean."

"We cannot make any assumptions," interrupts Ludwig firmly, "Not until we have evidence. As I was saying, the thief knows both towns well…"

"What do you mean?"

"I believe that the murderer and/or the thief are much closer than you think. Someone who was trusted, perhaps by everyone in the town," concludes Ludwig, "This is no outsider."

Chief Swan stays quiet.

"I don't believe we've discussed all the possibilities," says Ludwig as they enter Forks City Limits.

Chief Swan considers this. Then he agrees, "Yes, you're right. Let's discuss at my house. Would it help if you saw her room?"

"Immensely so."

"Then it's settled," says Chief Swan, "We're going to my house."

"Please, make yourself comfortable," says Chief Swan.

"Thank you," replies Ludwig as he sits in the sofa in living room. Chief Swan's house is very small, with only two bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs. The rest of the house had the essentials: kitchen, laundry room, and living room. Ludwig has already seen Chief Swan's daughter's room. After making last minutes notes in his notebook, he looks to Chief Swan who is sitting down in a recliner.

"So, what other possibilities do we need to discuss?" asks Chief Swan.

"First," begins Ludwig, "What do you think happened? With regards to the crimes."

"I think that the killer killed Bella, Tyler and stole Bella's body."

"Why?"

"What?" asks Chief Swan, slightly shocked.

"Why do you believe so?"

"Well…"

"There are other possibilities," says Ludwig, "You said that she has a boyfriend?"

"Yes, Edward Cullen."

"He could be involved in this somehow."

"What do you think?" asks Chief Swan.

"Well, I don't believe he murdered your daughter," says Ludwig, "What may have happened is that someone else murdered her, and…"

"And what?" presses Chief Swan.

Ludwig suddenly shifts thought, "What is your opinion of Edward Cullen? When you first said his name, you seemed somehow reluctant…"

Chief Swan sighs, "I don't trust him. Not one bit. You see, he left her for part of her senior year. No calls, no messages, no visits, no nothing. Then he randomly comes back and Bella races back in his arms like nothing ever happened. She even threatened to move out when I said she couldn't see Edward again."

"Oh," says Ludwig, "I did not know that."

"So you think it was Edward now?" asks Chief Swan. Ludwig notes that his tone sounds rather hopeful.

"Hmm, I will have to visit him and Dr. Carlisle Cullen as well."

Chief Swan nods with a smug expression.

"What were you going to say before?" he finally asks.

Ludwig takes a deep breath, "There could be as many as three persons involved: the murderer who murdered your daughter, another person may have murdered Tyler, and a different person may have stolen the body. Yet, I do not believe three different persons are involved."

"So, you think there's two different people?" asks Chief Swan.

"Yes, I do. Tyler and Isabella were not murdered in the same fashion," Ludwig pauses, the says, "Two different murderers, one of which is the thief."

Chief Swan encourages him to explain.

"Chief Swan, whoever killed Tyler might have done so out of response of Bella's murder. Perhaps stole her body, too? No, Bella's killer must have stolen her body."

Chief Swan considers this, opens his mouth to say something, but changes his mind (so it seems) and says something different, "Do you have any suspects?"

"Currently? No, I do not," says Ludwig, "I will need to interview quite a few people."

"But you think the murderer or murderers live in Forks?"

"Of that I am most certain."

"Where will you start?" asks Chief Swan curiously.

Ludwig considers this and then states, "I will start with Edward Cullen."

Finished Chapter 2! Next chapter Ludwig meets and interviews with Edward. Not too much action there, but it's nice to know how Edward feels. Ludwig with also shares information about the cases that we didn't know about. I don't think the chapter will be too long. We'll just have to wait and see.

Your thoughts and criticism are most welcome!