While Piko and Sugar were off getting lunch, Quinxian opened the case files. There were several pieces of standard white paper, which contained all the grisly details of the three confirmed deaths in one file, and the disappearance in the other, or the Kagamine murders as they became known. The fact that all four were grouped together under one name implies that someone believed that not only were the three incidents related, but that the Kagamine boy, his friend and that Gumi girl had actually been murdered somehow. Quinxian did have to admit to herself, the timing of everything seemed a little too convenient. But still, it felt more than a little insensitive to stuff them together, as if they had a connection conjured up by a tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorist.
Autopsies on the bodies had been performed earlier that day. It confirmed that Rin had had her throat slit with what appeared to be shears. She also had mud on her legs and back, and flakes of skin under some of her fingernails. The flakes were back at the lab being entered into computer systems, seeing if they could match it against anyone.
What was odd, though, was how her left wrist had been slashed, probably with the same weapon. Quinxian's first thought, after looking at the grisly photo, was that perhaps it happened during a struggle, but the cuts seemed too precise for that.
Another strange thing was the absence of blood on the body. Since Rin was found by the garden hose, Quinxian decided the killer must have washed off the body in an attempt to conceal or destroy evidence. She would be heading out to the scene today. Maybe she might find something those fancy-pancy out-of-Townies might have missed. She smiled at the thought and turned her attention to Len and Fukase.
They'd both died after being hit by the truck, that much appeared to be true. The poor traumatised truck driver, as well as several bystanders, had been interviewed and they all said that the boys had come running from the direction of the school field. No one, as far as she knew, had actually looked in that direction or seen what the boys could have been running from. Shit luck.
The witnesses also stated that the boys hadn't paid any attention to the traffic on the road until the truck was right on top of them. But by then, it was too late.
Quinxian furrowed her brow as she sat in thought. This really did sound like it could have something to do with Rin's murder. She would have to arrange interviews with the victims families, friends and schoolmates, anyone who might know something about them that was out of the ordinary.
She was about to reach for her phone just as Piko and Sugar walked in. Sugar tossed something into Quinxian's hands.
"I brought you a wrap from the cafeteria!" She said brightly.
Quinxian barely glanced at it as she put it on her desk and handed Sugar the Kagamine and Fukase's file. "Any thoughts?" She asked.
Sugar pretended she didn't see Quinxian toss the wrap aside and skimmed over the file. Piko read over her shoulder.
"I reckon those boys had something to do with it," Piko said. "Maybe they had an argument, killed her and jumped onto the road to kill themselves out of guilt."
It would explain why they ignored the traffic, but Quinxian didn't buy it. Bed she said so to Piko.
"Well, have you got any better ideas?" Piko sniffed.
Quinxian narrowed her eyes. "Just fuck off."
"Quinxian!" Sugar cried. "You have to be nice to him!"
Quinxian ignored her and picked up the phone on her desk. She looked at one of the phone numbers on the piece of paper next to her computer and dialled it. She rudely waved off the other two as she lifted the reviewer to her mouth.
"Hello, Mrs Kagamine? This is Officer Quinxian Mo from the police…"
Haku had showed Luo the passage in Eyes of the Moon that made her upset, and Luo was very understanding.
"Unfortunately we have to read it for school," she said. "But can we ask for a different book?"
Haku shook her head. "No. The librarian doesn't like me very much."
Luo sighed in exasperation. "Is there anyone in town that likes you?" She asked.
"There is, actually."
"Who?"
Haku smiled. "It's you, silly!"
Luo grinned back. "I'm very glad to hear that."
"And I like you too."
Luo couldn't help but let out a good-natured laugh. "I'm glad to hear that too." She wrapped her arm about her best friend's shoulders and pulled her close.