Note: I don't have any medical education so at this point I'm sorry for possible nonsense. :)
"Ah, you finally made it to the crime scene. I almost wanted to report you missing," Chief Anderson welcomed Alec with a big smile on his face. Alec stopped in front of his Chief and looked at him with the grimmest face he could do. Then he shook his head scornfully and passed by without saying anything. He never understood how someone can make such bad jokes and be so full with sarcasm when being confronted with such a cruel case as his Chief can.
The closer Alec came to the victim, the more policemen, forensics, photographers and even journalists blocked his way to the corpse. Journalists! Alec hated Journalists to the core. Journalists hampered his investigations already ten years ago. He won't let them do this again.
"Everyone who doesn't have anything to do with this case should leave the crime scene immediately!" he shouted. No one reacted. Alec repeated this sentence, this time louder. Finally someone turned around.
"Ah, DI Hardy! Can I ask you some questions please..."
"No! I am not going to answer any of your questions! I want you all to leave right now!" Alec was getting really upset.
"Well I was just asking a question, Sir," the Journalist said harshly. Then he left and with him the other Journalists who blocked the view. Now Alec could have a look at little Louise Tallis. She looked like a sleeping angel with her delicate face and the long blonde curls. She was wearing the same clothes as she was when she went missing: Pink shoes, blue jeans shorts, a white shirt and a white knitted jacket. And, of course, the most conspicious thing: The red rose in her hands. Alec kneeled down next to the girl to look at her more precisely. She didn't seem to have any external injuries. If I didn't know she's dead, I would think that she's only sleeping, Alec thought. He stood up and walked to the forensics doctor, who was taking down some notes.
"Hello Donald, what can you tell me about the victim?" Alec asked, although he knew that there won't be any new information for him as the procedure is most likely to be the same as ten years ago.
"Oh, hello Alec, good to see you here. Finally someone who's serious about this case." Dr Donald Abraham welcomed the Detective. Alec gave him a look. Obviously this was an allousion on the dubious way to work of Chief Anderson.
"The victim is Louise Tallis. She's five years old and lived in the city with her parents," Dr Abraham began to tell.
"Yes, I know. They wrote about her family in the newspaper last week," Alec interposed. Dr Abraham gave him a severe look. "Um... well... how did she die?" Alec asked. He was totally aware that the Doctor doesn't like interruptions.
The Doctor looked back at the corpse. "At first glance there are no obvious injuries. But look at her eyes..." He kneeled down next to the girl, signing Alec to do the same. "Look. Bloodshot eyes." He opened on of the girl's eyes to show Alec the red eyes.
"She's been suffocated," Alec determined.
"Yes, no doubt about that," the Doctor agreed. Alec looked at the clothes of the girl. They seemed to be completely dry.
"Can you already say how long she's been dead?" Alec wanted to know. The Rose Killer murdered his victims by drowning them. So actually the clothes of this girl should be wet. The contrary is the case.
"By her body-temperatur I'd say she's been dead for five hours now," Dr Abraham said. "But that's only an assumption. I have to examine her before I can give you the exact facts about her death."
"Okay, I understand," Alec said. "Oh and before I forget: Please keep the rose! I want to have a look at it."
"Of course. I will put both the rose and the full report on your desk after I'm finished with it."
"Good, thanks!" Alec took a last look at the victim, turned around and walked a few steps. Five hours. That's enough time to dry her clothes and also her hair. It seemed that the Rose Killer still followed his old procedure. Another thought crossed his mind: What about the person who found the girl? Alec walked to a young police officer.
"Hey you! What's your name?" Alec asked.
"I'm Sergeant Daniel Manning, Sir." Alec observed the young Sergeant. He had never seen him before. Must be new here.
"Hello Sergeant. Can you tell me who found the victim?"
"Yes, of course I can. It's the young man over there." The Sergeant pointed to a man who was sitting on a bench under a big oak. "His name is Julian Lucas. He was walking his dog here. The dog was also the one who alerted him."
Alec thanked and walked towards the park bench where Julian Lucas was waiting. A police officer told him not to leave this bench until he gives his permission. Alec sat down next to him.
"Hello. "I'm DI Alec Hardy and I'm the conducting Detective in this case. So you found the girl?"
"Yes, indeed." Alec surveyed the man. He looked very young, 18, maybe 19 years old. He made a shy impression on Alec.
"Why were you here at night? I mean even parks have closing hours and as far as I know this park is not allowed to be visited between eleven in the evening and six in the morning. So what were you doing here?"
Julian stared at the Detective. He didn't know that. "I... I was walking my dog like I do every night."
"Why at night?" Alec wanted to know. "Isn't it an unusual time to walk a dog?"
"Yes, I know, but I prefer to walk him at night because there isn't anyone out here." Julian looked at the Detective. "I love being alone here in the dark," he said with a quiet almost creepy voice.
"Um... okay." Alec was confused by that eerie reaction of the young man. "So... err... how did you find the corpse?"
"Actually Rico found the girl. My dog," Julian explained as he saw Alecs questioning look. "Usually he's such a obedient dog but tonight he just wasn't himself. He was unsettled and even barked once. This was so not him! And then he ran behind that bush over there and barked even louder than before. Of course I ran to him immediately and there she was. I instantly knew that she was dead. She looked so peaceful..." Julian looked down on his feet, suddenly he seemed to be deep in thought.
Alec put his hand on Julian's shoulder. "Julian? What happened then?" he sprang him from his thoughts.
"Um, yes, sorry." Julian looked up. "Then... then I called the police. That's it. Since then I've been waiting here." he completed his story.
"Thank you." Alec stood up. "Please don't leave the city without our permission in case we have some further questions."
"Okay. I rarely leave the city anyway," Julian explained.
"Good." Alec walked a few steps away from the bench without saying goodbye. He looked around. Seems that my work here is done for now, he thought. He went towards his car.
"Hey Alec!"
The DI stopped and turned around. What he saw was Chief Anderson running after him.
"What is it, Chief?" Alec asked.
The Chief stopped next to Alec. He was completely out of breath. I always tell you to do more sports, Alec thought.
"And? What do you think? Was it the Rose Killer?" The Chief asked in a croaky voice.
"All signs point to him. The age of the girl, where she was found, and even the rose in her hand. That's exactly how the Rose Killer did it." Alec sighed. "But I still have doubts. What if it's a copycat killer?"
"Then we will find out. At the moment we just give our best. We will find the killer. Whether it is the Rose Killer or a copycat."
They both walked a few steps side by side without saying anything when Alec suddenly stpped. His heart stood still for a second. Then it began to race.
"Kate," he whispered.
"Hello Alec? I couldn't get you on the phone so I'm speaking on your mobile mailbox now. I just wanted to tell you that I need a break. I'm at home noe, but only for packing some stuff together. I'm going to vacation for a week so I want you to take care of Kate. Please tell her that I love her. Thank you! See you!" Elizabeth hang up. She looked at George. "I'm wondering where he and Kate are..." She looked at the clock. It's six in the morning.
"Maybe he brought her to the kindergarten earlier today," she considered. George just shrugged. He actually didn't care about that. He just wanted to fly to Paris with his love finally.
"Come on, love, let's go." George urged.
Elizabeth cast a last glance at the living room and then they left the house together and got in the car.
"What do you tell Alec when you stay overnight at my place? Doesn't he ask you where you've been?" George asked while he was searching his pockets for the car keys.
"I always tell him that I work overtime or night shifts at the hospital," Elizabeth answered.
"And he believes you?"
"Yes. Well I think so. At least he never asks any questions about that so..."
"But why don't you finally tell him about us? About our relationship?" George wanted to know. He just can't understand why this was such a problem for Elizabeth.
"Because I don't want to hurt him, that's why," Elizabeth answered. "We have already talked about that, don't you remember? I don't want to tear our family apart."
"Families split up everyday, love. That's not that big problem anymore. We live in modern times," George said.
"But it's different with us. Alec loves me so much. And he loves Kate. He loves our family. He wouldn't be able to live without me," Elizabeth said. "And of course I would take Kate with me. She's my baby. It would break him not to have her around him everyday. He loves her so much." She looked at George. "He would give his life for her."
"But isn't that something every parent would do?" George said. To him all her excuses sounded very feeble. "Listen to me," he said. "I'm telling you this again now: You need to stop doing what's best for Alec. You have to think about what's best for you!"
Silence.
"Okay. You are right... you are always right. We can't go on like this forever," Elizabeth broke the silence. She sighed. "I will tell him," she finally gave in. She was sick of arguing with George about this issue. "But I want to wait until we're back from Paris."
"Well then," George said as he started the car. He was glad that she finally indulged. That's everything he ever wanted. A life with the woman of his life.
"Bonjour Paris!"