Content warning: Description of murder scenes and causes of death.

Chapter 29. Answers

The following morning the family reported to the medical centre after breakfast to get their genetic samples taken. Bucky, even though he was already tested when he was being treated, allowed the Wakandan medical staff to take blood, saliva, skin and a hair sample so that the children could see that he was cooperating. Julia allowed the same samples to be taken. Rebecca wouldn't consent to the blood sample, hiding behind Bucky's leg but she liked the idea of spitting into a cup and didn't mind when they pulled a single hair from her head that included the root. To obtain a skin sample Julia suggested they push Rebecca's cuticles down and trim them. It helped that Shuri promised to paint her nails after. When it came time for Billy to give a sample he wouldn't spit but the doctor suggested that a fresh lemon be put near his nose to activate his salivary gland and obtain a saliva sample that way. Julia was then able to obtain a cheek swab from inside his mouth. She also agreed to pull a single hair from his head and was successful in acquiring one that still had the root attached.

From there Shuri accompanied them to an indoor playground where the two children were encouraged to climb and jump as part of regular play. Shuri made it clear to both Bucky and Julia that if they ever felt the children were climbing too high or jumping from an unsafe distance to feel free to shut the session down. It never came to that as both children showed they were fully aware of their own abilities most of the time. There was a moment when Rebecca did climb too high and looked anxiously at her parents for a moment. Just as Bucky stood up to rescue her, Shuri put her hand on his arm to restrain him and told him to watch. Billy climbed up to her and put his hand on hers, smiling encouragingly as she slowly shifted herself away from the edge of the highest part of the climbing structure. Slowly, with him holding on, she put one leg down, then another retreating to a lower level until she felt more secure. Then he smiled broadly at his older sister.

"Good job, Becky," he said.

It was a sweet moment between siblings and in her report, given to Bucky and Julia upon their return home, Shuri referred to it as the first emergence of the protective nature of the Barnes super soldier genetic strain in his male offspring. The desire to keep someone from harm was strong and had always been part of Bucky's original nature. Suppressed during his years as the Winter Soldier, once he was freed from that programming it became evident in many of his subsequent actions. That it showed up so early in his son was seen as proof that the serum had made that which was good in a person even better. It wouldn't be the first time Billy displayed this protective ability and even Rebecca showed it on one instance while they were there.

Several days after their first session at the indoor playground the family went to see the Border tribe. Accompanied by Shuri, Okoye, and Ayo the family were permitted to pet the young rhinoceroses. Both children were thrilled at the experience when suddenly one of the young animals shrieked in pain. Before anyone could react Rebecca kneeled down and pulled a large sharp thorn out of the space between the toes on the animal's foot. Then she wrapped her arms around the young creature's lower neck and shoulder, crooning softly to it until its cries subsided. The handler was amazed at her lack of fear. The animal accepted her comforting gestures and actually bonded with her, following her around, which made leaving difficult but not impossible.

On the way back from that amazing excursion a message was sent to Shuri on her kimoyo bead bracelet. The message, spoken in Wakandan made almost everyone including Bucky stiffen up. Only Julia and the children didn't react, although she noticed the tension.

"What is it?" she asked. "What's happened?"

"The third murder," said Bucky.

"Mrs. Barnes, Julia," said Shuri. "Please help us with this case. I can make the files on the first two murders available to you and we can proceed to the crime scene after we drop the children off at the palace. This is so distressing to our country."

Julia looked at Bucky for guidance. "I'll stay with the kids," he said. "Perhaps it would be a good opportunity to take them to the village I lived in. We can stay there for a couple of days so you can focus on the case. They wouldn't ask if they didn't need your expertise."

"Alright," said Julia, becoming very businesslike. "The crime scene, has it been secured?"

"Yes, and our forensics team is currently there identifying evidence," replied Ayo. "They will not remove anything if you wish to see the scene in its original condition."

"Yes please," replied Julia. "Context is important and if I can see it before evidence has been removed then it is more meaningful for me. Is there an office somewhere that the files from the first two murders can be taken? I really don't want them in our living quarters."

"Of course," said Shuri, who brought up an image on her own bracelet, asking the person there to set up a private office for Julia Barnes and to bring the files of the first two murders to the office for her use.

"Make sure there are several large tables there," said Julia. "I like to spread the photos around and place the evidence near them. It's part of my process."

Shuri passed on the requirement and signed off. As the large Talon fighter flew back towards the capital she, Okoye, and Ayo looked at each other apprehensively. This murderer had to be found and face judgement for what he or she had done. As planned Bucky took the children into the palace while the others transferred to a police vehicle. The driver took them to a beautiful building, covered in greenery which Shuri explained was part of their plan to reduce temperatures in the capital, as well as provide shade to the residents which reduced air conditioning use. Stepping out of the vehicle they were greeted by Captain Lwazi, a man in his 30s.

"Your Majesty, we weren't expecting you to attend to this latest development personally," he said, escorting them into the building.

"Captain Lwazi, this is Julia Barnes, a forensic expert," said Shuri. "We were on an excursion together when the call was received. We are most concerned about this latest crime inflicted on our nation. Of course we are attending to it personally."

Her last sentence was said almost with vehemence and the Captain said nothing more on the elevator up to the apartment. Every other apartment on the same floor had their door open and Julia saw the residents being questioned on anything they may have seen or heard. At the apartment where the crime occurred a police officer saluted and moved aside for the four of them to enter. An officer just inside handed each of them booties for their shoes and latex gloves for their hands. There were several people in full coveralls who were marking everything they perceived as a clue. Shuri looked at Julia.

"Please, you have control of this crime scene," she said.

Stepping inside Julia did a quick walk around of the apartment stepping carefully then she returned to where the body was. It was a man, face down, with a deep wound in his head. Kneeling down she looked at the floor around him then looked up and saw blood splatter on the ceiling.

"Has the murder weapon been identified?" she asked. "This blood spatter indicates they pulled it out using great force."

"No, not yet," said Captain Lwazi. "We are checking the garbage chute and bin in the basement to see if has been thrown down there."

"Check outside on the balcony as well," said Julia. "It was likely dripping with blood, based on the amount of spatter on the ceiling, as there are several drops on the floor leading to that door. There may be signs of it out there if it was thrown outside. If the medical examiner is here I would like to watch as the body is examined on site."

The medical examiner came in to the suite and gingerly rolled the body over onto its back, revealing a man in his mid 20s to early 30s. He lifted the man's tunic and inserted a thermometer into his body then quickly checked the airway. At the same time he and Julia both noticed something in the man's mouth. She watched as he pulled a flower out.

"A type of bougainvillea, not native to our country, but popular in home gardens," he said.

"It's meaning in the language of flowers is passion or beauty," said Julia. "It's also known as the perfect flower, having both the stamen, the male part of a flower and the pistil, the female part but they need cross pollination to produce seeds. The flowers appear in groups of three, meaning the stem this one came from is down to two flowers." She looked up to see the medical examiner, captain, Shuri, Okoye, and Ayo all looking at her strangely. "I read, a lot. I have a preliminary theory for this murder already but I would like to see the evidence of the other two murders before I say anything."

The time of death was set for more than 15 hours previous as the body was in full rigor mortis and its temperature was the same as the air conditioned room. After finding blood on the balcony several officers went down to the main floor and began searching the ground outside the building. The handle of a tool was found sticking out of the ground and when pulled out revealed a trowel covered in blood. It was bagged for transport to the crime lab. Knowing that it had been dropped from the balcony meant that people living in other towers nearby would be canvassed to see if they saw anyone come out onto the balcony from that apartment.

When they returned to the palace Julia was shown to an office where three large tables were arranged. On top of one of the tables were the file boxes from the first two murders. Julia began unpacking one of them, looking at each piece of evidence and laying it out on one of the tables. Then she opened the envelope that had all the physical pictures, which apparently were printed out just for her as they normally kept only a digital file. She matched the pictures to the physical evidence. The victim whose evidence was in the first box was male, in his mid 20s to early 30s. He was killed by garrotte, strangled, indicating the killer was stronger by the force used to make the deep cut into his throat tissue. There was also something found on his person, a small dead snake, garden variety, non lethal, found inside a pocket. She looked at the image of the snake then stepped out to the hallway where a Dora Milaje stood guard.

"Excuse me," said Julia. "I need access to a computer. A tablet is fine. I just have to look something up."

The guard nodded and brought up her kimoyo bead bracelet putting in the request. Julia smiled.

"I guess I could have done that," she joked. "Thank you."

Shuri herself brought the tablet about ten minutes later, stepping into the room where Julia was poring over the pictures.

"Here is the tablet," she said. "May I ask what you're looking up?"

Julia studied her for a moment then shrugged. "This small snake," she picked up the picture. "Are you familiar with it?"

"Yes, it's a common garden snake," she said. "Similar to a garter snake in North America. That would be a young immature snake."

Julia nodded. "I read voraciously," she explained. "For some reason that snake reminded me of a science fiction novel I read once. It was originally written as a short story then expanded into a full novel by the author. I was just going to look it up."

Shuri watched as Julia entered the search terms "dream snake". Several books came up but Julia picked one written by an author called Vonda N. McIntyre, titled Dreamsnake. After reading the synopsis of the book Julia nodded again.

"One of the features of the novel was that the main character was a healer, using snakes as her means of treatment," she said. "One of them was a dreamsnake, a creature not of Earth, but brought to the planet by an alien species. She had two other snakes – meaning she used a combination of the three to treat her patients. When her dreamsnake was killed by an anxious parent it left her short of her trio of snakes. The dreamsnake also only mated in trios. It's my guess that the killer knows this story, putting the dead snake in the victim's pocket to represent the dead dreamsnake."

"So along with the three flowers of the bougainvillea you believe the number three has significance?" asked Shuri tentatively.

"Yes, I do," said Julia. "It connects the two murders. So do the choice of victim – young, healthy males aged mid 20s to early 30s. They were chosen for a reason but I don't think murdering them was the primary reason. I think they were chosen for something else, then when they fulfilled their purpose were eliminated. Are you sure there have been only three murders?"

"Yes," said Shuri. "Positive ... unless there were similar aged victims who suffered an untimely death which was not thought to be murder at the time. If the killer isn't married to his method of killing it's possible an earlier death may have been ruled accidental instead of criminal."

Julia smiled. "Very good," she replied. "I was thinking that same thing. Any chance you can find out if there have been any deaths of healthy young men between the ages of mid 20s to early 30s which were declared accidental? One other thing ... can you get me a large pizza, loaded?"

Shuri flashed a brilliant smile and rushed off to start the next inquiry and to find Julia a large, loaded pizza. While she was gone Julia laid out the evidence and photos of the second murder. The young Queen returned half an hour later with the pizza, two plates, and bottles of water. On the tablet she showed Julia where to find the results of the inquiry. Sitting at the third table Shuri asked if she could share the pizza.

"That was my intent," said Julia. "I want to bounce some ideas off of you while we eat."

"Please, I'm fascinated by your process," replied the young Queen.

"What do you know about the mating habits of whales?" asked Julia, biting into her own piece of pizza.

Shuri almost choked on her food. "Whales? We're landlocked," she replied. "We don't have whales."

"No, you don't," said Julia, "but the second victim was wearing a Save the Whales pin. He wasn't Wakandan, at least not by birth. He was born in Uganda, worked all over the world with various wildlife rescues, then joined one of your NGOs helping wildlife. I think, at the time of his murder, it was believed he was a member of Save the Whales, as part of his wildlife rescue background. I don't he was. I think that pin was put on him."

"What does that have to do with whale mating habits?"

A smile crept across Julia's face. "Whales have been known to have threesomes," said Julia. "It's been documented in grey whales. It's always two males and a female, and it's consensual. One of the males helps the other, supporting them as he and the female mate. Sometimes, he even gets some of his own while being supported by the first male. Combine that with the bougainvillea flower having both male and female parts in all three of the flowers of the stems, and in the Vonda McIntyre book, the reveal that the dreamsnake was used in healing as part of a trio of snakes and can only mate if it is part of a trio. These murders are related to threesomes, likely involving two men and a woman."

She opened the tablet and began looking through the files that Shuri had compiled. There were three more deaths, the first victim fell from the top of a waterfall, his pockets full of rocks, indicating a belief he committed suicide.

"Are there many suicides in Wakanda?" she asked Shuri, who shook her head no.

The second death was a fall from a mountain hiking trail, no witnesses, just the body noticed by someone walking the path. Julia was going to pass it by then she noticed something. The picture of the man's wallet contents showed he was a client at an IVF clinic in Birnin Zana, the capital. Going over to the two other files laid out on the tables she found the men's wallets and pulled on latex gloves so she could open them. Both of them had the same card identifying them as clients. She showed it to Shuri who opened a hologram on her bracelet and asked for a list of dead men, mid 20s to early 30s who were clients of the IVF clinic. While they waited they both looked at the third death that was ruled accidental while continuing to eat their pizza. He was a member of the police department and died of a bee sting, not knowing he was allergic. Julia looked at his picture and shook her head.

"His death was accidental," she said. "His features are different from all the men. Can this bracelet display the faces of the other three supposedly accidental victims plus the three murder victims together?"

Shuri opened her bracelet up and requested the pictures be displayed side by side. The two women looked at them noticing they all looked similar.

"That's uncanny," said Shuri. "Why wasn't that noticed before? They look like they're from the same tribe but they're not. As far as I know there's no relation."

"The deaths happened elsewhere, mostly," noted Julia. "If different investigators and medical examiners did the autopsies they wouldn't make the facial connections. I didn't, not until I saw the one who died by bee sting looked dramatically different. I think the IVF clinic is the key. None of these men were married, right?" Shuri nodded her head. "That likely means they were sperm donors." She thought some more. "What if they were privately contracted to provide sperm as part of a threesome? They were all young, virile men in their prime. Collecting sperm is quite cut and dried, especially in a clinical environment. What if our killer wanted them to impregnate his wife and he deliberately chose men who resembled him, offering them a taste of the wild side. Then, when the pregnancy is confirmed he gets rid of them, gets rid of any claim they may have on his children because he does see them as his children, I'm sure of it."

Shuri took a big bite of her pizza and chewed it slowly, going over Julia's theory in her head. She said nothing as she ate the slice up then she looked at Julia with admiration.

"First of all, I now love loaded pizza," she said. "It helps me concentrate. I don't why but it does. Secondly, you are brilliant. I have to admit I was intimidated by your abilities but now I am in awe. You made connections that would never have occurred to me, to our top detectives, to anyone of my acquaintance. We are looking for a man who resembles these five, is a father of at least five children, has been a client with his wife or partner of the IVF clinic, and has a reason to be in the assorted parts of the country where the deaths occurred. Someone who may be a member of the Masu, or Merchant tribe. Their business takes them all over the country."

Julia smiled. "I didn't know that," she said. "You made that connection, not me. He may also have a bougainvillea plant in his yard."

Shuri's kimoyo bead bracelet chirped and she touched the bead. Three more pictures came up, two resembling the other victims. The third was just different enough to not be included as a victim of the killer. Just as Shiri was about to request a search be made for a living man who resembled the dead men she stopped.

"Why would he need a sperm donor?" she asked.

"Because he's impotent," said Julia. "Either physically or psychologically. It's all part of his pathology. His sense of worth is tied up in being a father but he's unable to impregnate his wife. By finding someone willing to be part of a threesome he feels like he is part of the conception of the child. Then when the pregnancy is confirmed or even as late as when the child is delivered he removes the third party, the willing sperm donor. That's what I got from the single flower left in the mouth, the snake left in the pocket and the whale pin fastened to the collar. He's removing the third party literally and figuratively."

"You have to do keep doing this," said Shuri. "I know that you went through the wringer when you discovered your first husband was a serial killer but you truly have a gift and you can bring closure to many people. This case was so beyond our capabilities and you solved it in 24 hours."

"Have we been at it that long?" asked Julia. "It feels like only an hour or two since I got in here." She looked out the window then asked her bracelet to show the date and time. She had been there for more than 24 hours. "I missed this. More than I thought I would. Having you to bounce ideas off of really helped and maybe I need someone back home that can help me with that. I'll consider your words."

Smiling, Shuri put in the request to find the living man, possibly a member of the Masu tribe, who resembled the dead men confirmed as the victims of a serial killer. Then she and Julia packed up the evidence and photos, returning them to their file boxes. They each had another piece of pizza then walked together to the residences to get some sleep. Ayo walked behind them, far enough behind to give them privacy but close enough to fulfill her duties as personal guard to the Queen. When they got to Julia's door she put her hand on Shuri's.

"Thank you for your help," she said. "You're pretty brilliant yourself. I know that you care about Bucky and by extension me and the kids. We just want to live as normal a life as possible even though they are all exceptional."

"You're welcome," smiled Shuri. "In the morning, after breakfast, we can fly you out to the village so you can see where your husband found peace after his treatment. It is well worth the visit."

Julia nodded and entered her quarters. It was very quiet and she felt a little lonely. Then she touched one of her beads.

"Can I connect to Sergeant Barnes?" she asked.

A holographic version of Bucky appeared and his face broke into his brilliant smile. "Well, hello beautiful," he said. "I was getting worried. A full day since you started and no word. Have you cracked the case?"

"Shuri and I did it together," she replied. "It made me realize how much I really miss it. I'm not sure I can do the murders with sexual violence but maybe regular run of the mill murders. They're going to fly me out to you tomorrow so I can see the village. How did the kids do?"

"They loved it," he replied. "They still have some of my baby goats, except they're not babies any more. They remembered me. We're in a hut, with two beds. I just put those two down and I'm sitting outside taking in the night sky. I wish you were sitting right beside me and I had my arm around you."

"Me too," she smiled. "I'll be there shortly after breakfast. It was the right thing coming here. We needed answers and so did they. I think we helped each other."

Bucky gave her a soft smile and she felt a part of her melt inside at the sight of it as it made him appear very handsome. "They are good people," he replied. "Sleep well, my love. I'll see you in the morning."

He kissed his fingers and extended them to her. She did the same.

In the morning before she left, Shuri advised her that an arrest was made overnight. A 35 year old member of the Masu tribe who suffered a gruesome injury as a child that required reconstruction was identified as the likely perpetrator. Although he was declared fully functional the psychological damage made him impotent. He did marry and with his wife tried the IVF clinic to conceive. They successfully had one child then he decided to take matters into his own hands. Convincing his wife that a threesome wouldn't be cheating he recruited seven men who were sperm donors at the clinic, all of them resembling himself. After the first two expressed a desire to remain a part of their children's lives he made the decision to eliminate them once the pregnancy was confirmed. He would have got away with it until he became fixated on the threesome aspect and sought out instances of mating involving the number three. Leaving the clue behind was his way of discarding the third member of his mating ritual. He did have a bougainvillea plant in his yard, one stem on the plant had only two flowers on it. All the children were being tested to confirm their parentage and his wife was undergoing counselling.

For Julia, it was taken as an indication that maybe she should go back to working on cold cases. As she flew to the village where Bucky and the children were she thought of the seven families who now knew the truth about the death of their sons. Perhaps by focussing on that aspect of a case the other aspects would have less effect on her. The arrival of the flyer at the village interrupted her reverie and she noticed Bucky was holding both kids in his arms as they clapped at the landing of the aircraft. Unbuckling her belt she stepped down the back ramp and was bowled over by her daughter, excitedly telling her everything they had done the day before. Bucky had his soft smile on his face again and put his free arm around her, kissing her tenderly. One of the villagers took her bag from the pilot and she thanked him for the safe flight. Then she waded into the crowd of people who gathered to see the wife of White Wolf. Surprisingly, she didn't mind when they touched her arm as it seemed it was done with respect. She understood now why Bucky loved this country and felt good about being there.