October 15, 1920
The four of them got up earlier at the normal time and after having breakfast at the inn where they also discussed their next move. Which they quickly decided would be to head to the police to see if they would give any information. Though that is doubtful as the police seem to view this case as a threat to their reputation. As the recent events are quite unprecedented in this somewhat sleepy town and as such it has become a popular subject to gossip about.
Either way they decide to head to the police station to see if they can get them to spill anything. They do so in a single car as it is more convenient. However before that she decides to go and call the Police chief of New Bristel to make a call to the local police chief and tell them that they can bring on Lucia as a consultant. Which would allow the police to take credit for whatever Lucia does. Which is something that Lucia doesn’t mind since she doesn’t do it for the fame. Though it did take a bit of convincing to get Matthew to agree, since he doesn’t particularly like some of the practices of Lucia. However he wasn’t willing to let his personal biases interfere in his professional career and after hearing about the situation from Lucia. He determined that it would be wrong for him to refuse to recommend Lucia as a consultant. As if he didn’t someone else might die that Lucia could have prevented. So he ended up agreeing to do so.
She made that phone call at a nearby shop. After they did that they continued their trip to the police station which they arrived at a couple minutes later.
Lucia then realizes that it would be better if she had the rest of them go out and go through the vast amount of rumors to see if any commonalities in them to get some baseline information. So she tells them such and they agree to meet in around an hour from now.
So they go their separate ways and Lucia walks into a one story brick building that has a large sign that says police station. As she walks through the door she walks into a reception area that is closed off with another door being the entrance to the rest of the police station. She first sees a desk being the first thing she sees being manned by a female receptionist who looks to be in her mid twenties. She looks up as the door is being opened.
“Hello what can I do for you?” The receptionist says nicely.
“Hello, can I make a meeting with the police chief if he is available.” Lucia says politely though in a way that makes it somewhat unclear if she is actually asking or demanding it. The receptionist takes it as the latter and she twitches and some annoyance briefly shows. Though it is only for a moment before her professional attitude returns.
“I apologize but I can’t do that, you can try and make an appointment or you can see a different officer to address whatever you have come here for. Though unfortunately you will be unable to get a police chief appointment for the police chief today.” The receptionist said that politely but it could help Lucia from noticing a slit smugness to it.
How annoying, she didn’t have to be smug about it. Did she really get that annoyed at what I said? Lucia thought before responding to the receptionist in her usual mostly emotionless voice.
“ The police should be expecting me, so can you just tell him that Lucia Belladras is here to see him.”
The receptionist paused when she said her full name and before she grabbed the phones she must have realized something as she turned back to Lucia and asked Lucia.
“Is anyone in your family politicians? Since I remember a newspaper with a politician with the same last name. It was something about the governor if I remember correctly.”
Lucia then quickly responded to the question. “Yes many people in my family have been and still are politicians. The governor that you were mentioning was most likely my Grandfather as he is a former Massachusetts.”
With that the receptionist was slightly surprised but then made a few connections of information and quickly picked up a phone and dialed a number before telling Lucia to wait a moment.
Around a minute later a police officer came in and signaled that she should follow him. Which he did as he led her through the police building where the police officers were giving her slight glances.
After they finally reached the office the police officer knocked on the door and said “ Boss I have Lucia with me.”
A deep voice replied “ Let her in and thanks Bob.” The police officer named Bob opened the door and let Lucia in before returning to whatever he was doing.
Lucia then saw the police chief who was in his mid 40s. He had short brown hair and brown eyes. He was clean shaven and was wearing a neatly worn police uniform.
He did not stand up to greet her but he did indicate for her to take a seat in front of the desk.
“Hello Mrs. Lucia, I have gotten a call from New Bristel Pd about a case that you did for them and they said that you could be of assistance in our case. Is that true, though I have also heard that you have come here on the request of another private citizen. Are you doing this so that you can make money off of this? Ah, before that I should introduce myself. My name is Nathaniel Sullivan.”
He asked since he had learned from the police officer that they had interacted that he saw several private detectives who had come to look into the case. Nathaniel had asked this because he didn’t want Lucia to join just so she could get information that she could profit off of. Though he would still be reluctant to refuse her as he could honestly use all the help he could get.
Meanwhile Lucia had guessed that he might ask something of the sort. So she confidently answered “ No, I did not do this to monetarily gain from. Since I am charging my client only 50 dollars on the case. The main reason is to maintain fairness. Though to be honest, paying 20 dollars is nothing to me. Since the only reason that I do it is because I can’t offer my services for free. Besides I am the type of person who has many concerns about money. So I can assure you that the main reason that I am doing this is that so I can also help the police alongside my client. Since if the police and my client do have the same goals. So if I help the police, I also help my client.”
( Authors note: I lowered it from 50 to 20 since I realized that paying the equivalent of 600 dollars for private detectives by a relatively poor farmer was too much. I have also changed it in part 1.)
Lucia said in a voice that is attempted to be persuasive though it still ended up being rather emotionless to the police chief.
Nathaniel then nodded before speaking, “ I see, you're not wrong about your client and the police having the same goal of catching the culprit. I am also painfully aware of who you are and I realized that it was unnecessary for me to ask if you were joining the police to make money. Since I know who your family is.” Nathaniel said before muttering “ You probably don’t even care about making money, you're just doing this because it interests you.” Though thankfully for him the last part did not make it to Lucias ears.
Lucia then nodded before Nathaniel continued on. “ Well anyways I did here that the New Bristel police chief did say that you did help the police in the past and it was a big help. So I am willing to allow you to join the team to help. Though that is only yourself and not the rest of the people that you brought with you. So they won’t be allowed at police scenes since I don’t want a bunch of civilians wandering around the police station or crime scenes. Though if we do need to make an arrest or raid a building then I might allow them to join in. Anyway now that you have officially joined let me fill you in.”
He then proceeded to tell Lucia what happened, though she knew most of it already. Though there were a few new details that were about the dead farmer named Bob Smith. He was apparently found dead by his wife early in the morning of the 30th of September. He was found dead in the barn having been stabbed to death and then carved with the image on his back. Though when Nathaniel said that Lucia saw him visibly flinch and slightly shiver in terror at what he must have seen. Anyways at the scene of the crime a cow was also found to have been severely injured with a knife wound. Which was determined to have been the same as the one on not just the body of the farmer but also the other animals that were murdered. Besides that information the police have started looking into a possible suspect named Maggy letterman. Who was seen on the road walking to town the night of the murder by a neighbor at around midnight. Which was marked as being odd to the farmer who reported it to the police October first. As he thought it was odd that Maggy was there, so late at night. Since she lived in the village proper and had no relatives or friends in the area and even if she did they would have had her walk back at midnight. Unfortunately it was too dark to see anything other than who she was. So he couldn’t say if she had blood on her body or clothes.
Though the fact that she was seen in the area around the time of death puts her a possible suspect.
Though besides that, there are no other leads or clues to further the investigation.
When Nathaniel finished giving all the details Lucia decided on the first thing she should see, though before she did she would have to meet up with the rest of the team. As they were due to meet up in around 10 minutes. So Lucia decided to ask about doing it after meeting up with the rest of the team today.
Though before she could Nathaniel asked her “ Well what do you think of it and is there anything you want to see?
“Yes, there is one thing that has piqued my interest the entire case so far which is the symbol that has been carved onto the bodies of the victims.” Lucia responds, though Nathaniel tilts his head in confusion and asks “ What makes the carving interesting, though it is extremely disturbing I don’t quite get what you going at.”
Lucia nods and decides to fully explain herself.
“The reason that I find it interesting is that the symbol is how we know that all the incidents are connected and done by the same person or possibly the same group of people. Though nothing suggests that this is anything more than a single person. Next it is something that can help determine the motive since it was done deliberately and time was taken to do it. So it should have some meaning in it. Which can help not only to a motive but also a suspect. Since the culprit must have some skills in carving this sort of symbol. Thus it is important that I take a look at it since it is a major part of the case. So I think it would be best to take a look at the one carved into the human victim. Though I will have to meet up with my colleagues briefly and explain what will happen beforehand. After that is done, I would like to head to the morgue.”
Nathaniel nodded and then took out a piece of paper and wrote what Lucia believed to be a letter to allow Lucia to view the body. As well as to investigate her participation in the case. After finishing it he handed it to Lucia and said. “ Here, it is a letter for the coroner at the morgue. Also the directions are on the top of the paper.”
“Thanks for all the help and see you later.” Lucia said as she made her way out of the room. When she did Nathaniel let out a sigh and started to ponder what Lucia had said about the symbol carved onto the victims back.
Meanwhile Lucia headed to the meeting spot and was not surprisingly the last one there since her meeting with the Police chief took longer than expected. So when she did she explained why she was late and what had happened. She then asked them what they found which was unsurprisingly nothing much as they already have all the information that is available to the public.
Lucia then said where she was going and that she would drop them off at the inn before heading there since they will do their own thing for the time being. Which was to find out who this Maggy is that the police suspect. Though in a way as to not draw her suspicion.
So after Lucia drops off the rest of her team at the inn she takes the car to the Morgue which is not too far from the police station. It is a brick building that has its windows with blinds always closed.
The morgue handles all the deaths that happen in the city before they head to a funeral home. So it is not just the police that use the building, though they have their own wing as well as their own entrance. Which is on the other side of the building and is guarded by two police officers. Since the security was apparently tightened due to the recent incidents. When Lucia walks towards the door the police officer steps forward to stop her but before he could say anything he is handed the note from the Police chief and after reading it he nods and he opens the door and leads her inside so that she won’t be questioned again.
They then bump into a man in his late 30s or early 40s that is wearing a lab coat. Who appears to be a coroner. As the police officer whispers something to him before heading back outside.
The coroner then looks at Lucia and says “I heard from the Police officer that you will be joining the team and want to see the victim's body. Though I should warn you that even I am terrified by what I have seen and I have worked as a coroner for over a decade. So are you sure that you can handle it?” The man said with genuine concern though Lucia brushes it and replies to the man.
“ I am quite sure that I will be fine but I appreciate your concern.” Lucia says to assure the man that she will be ok.
The man then nods and says “ Alright but if it ever becomes too much, please leave before you throw up and if you do. Don’t do it in the examining room, do it in the garbage can or toilet.” The man said, with a chilly voice that would send a shiver up most people's neck at such a statement. Though Lucia is unaffected as she knows that she won’t throw up.
Though the man soon realizes something and says “Ah I forgot to introduce myself, I am Dr. Hubert.” Before turning back around and continuing to lead Lucia to where the body is being located which is only a short walk away and threw a set of large thick insulating doors. That keeps the cold inside the room which has 2 tables in the center and on side several cabinets that have numerous supplies in it. While on the other it has the containers that contain the dead bodies from murders or deaths that need police investigations.
Hubert then heads to one of them and pulls it out exposing the dead body of Bob. Lucia then walks over and sees that on his chest is a symbol carved in it which immediately confirms several things into place as to what the symbol is. Which is of a blood god called Sangrietus. It also confirms that the murderer is either part of a larger cult or a lone worshiper of the god.
Though it also causes there to be more questions as one becomes clear to Lucia as being the biggest one that she has to answer before any others can be answered which is. What is the end goal of the culprit?
