Chapter 3

ADRIAN

No one told me cases didn’t leave you at work, they followed you home, got on your walls and refrigerator surface. They got in your head, and when you rolled your eyes you no longer see brain matter but just cases, red ribbons, photographs and pens.

No one needed to tell me though.

I knew that would be the case with Damien, all consuming as ever. And me? Obsessive, crazy.

I through myself into the case immediately, it’s been just a week but it already felt longer. Everyone had something to do, a role to play and Mrs. Chen has been so wonderful training me, although she claims I know it all already, I am very grateful to have an older colleague showing me the ropes. 

Arrest had been made but asides that, it had not gone the way I had hoped. I expected the small gangs and street dealers to cave immediately but a large number of them chose to keep quiet, all had lawyers and we have had to let them go.

“Adrian?” I turned around to find Mrs. Chen, I didn’t miss the purple splotches under her eyes and it made me feel guilty.

“Oh? Mrs. Chen, I was just coming in to talk to the guy we just brought in.” I told her, and she drew a ragged breath, that was a sigh at the same time.

“Right. He is dead Adrian.” She said, sighing again.

I stared stupidly at her, I heard her words but they didn’t make sense to me yet.

“Dead?” I asked, a harsh whisper, that was more breath than words.

“Yes, we started with some questions while we waited for you. He started to choke when he said Damien’s name.

My brows drew together involuntarily.

“I know, I know. I am not inclined to think that way, but we have seen cases where minions swear oaths by their masters. It’s so easy to dabble in…”

It was rude, but I cut her off, “Well, I am not inclined to believe in any of that at all. I am going to see him.” I said and marched away from her, my anger rolling off me in waves.

I stopped short, and stared at the body. He was really dead, foam in his mouth. With leaden feet, I walked closer to him, willing him to somehow move, tell me the reason he would rather die than give information about a man who didn’t even care one bit if he lived or died.

A sweet smell reached me suddenly, making me heady and a but dizzy. But it was a good scent, one that I could sleep to.

Wait…I looked closer at the dead man.

“What is that?” I asked. Mrs. Chen was by my side in a beat.

“A flower.” she said. There was a tiny petal on his neck, partially concealed by his shirt collar.

“Yes, yes a flower. But what kind?” I didn’t take my eyes off the dead man.

“Adrian.” she said softly, and I looked at her then and almost rolled my eyes. She thinks I am losing my wits. It’s been just a week, for God’s sake.

“It’s oleander,” I stopped, and I did roll my eyes when she still looked blankly at me, but my look softened because I could tell she was tired. She was a mother too. “It’s poisonous.” I finished, and a new look came into her eyes then. Understanding.

“How did we miss that?” she asked looking closer at the dead man again.

Someone in here could have killed him, I thought, but didn’t say.

“That doesn’t matter, there are ways he could have done it. He could have feigned a cough and put it in his mouth, anything at all. I am more interested in the man who people are willing to die for and what on level he operates, what it would take to finally bring him down, look him in the face and ask him how it felt to be pulled down from his throne of bones, lives.” I was angry.

“We’ll get him, Adrian. Don’t let him get into your head.” Mrs. Chen said, her fingers on my arm. If only she knew.

I took in a steeling breath, “I’m sorry Mrs. Chen, I just feel frustrated.” I apologized.

“I know Adrian, we all are.” She said.

“How is it going with the banks anyway?” I ask.

“On it, but it is going to take some time. We don’t expect him to give his real name when he goes to the bank, reality is that a lot of accounts and deposit boxes all saved under different names. Marcus and House are looking into it.” She said.

***

At home, I was becoming one with my couch. I sat there and thought, and stared at my wall that was now full of charts, and maps, names and numbers beside them crossed out more than once. Everything we knew about this case was displayed on my wall, with a photograph of Damien at the centre of it all.

His first hit back came on the second week of investigating. A day we are not apt to forget for the rest of our lives. 

Yet another person had refused to talk, my patience was wearing thin, it was late in the evening, and Captain Morrison suggested we take a walk outside, around.

That was when it happened, we heard it rather than saw it happen. A loud boom…like an explosion.

“What was that?” I asked.

Captain Morrison just turned around and ran, I was behind him and Marcus came up rear.

“What is it?” I asked again, a car was engulfed in flames. I instinctively knew it wasn’t empty.

“Oh my God, it’s Sarah.” Captain Morrison crushed out.

No, no, no.

I made for the car when hands pulled me back, “Let me go!” I screamed, and stumbled forward with my release. At the same time I got to the car, people were there with an extinguisher and put out the flames. I didn’t wait though, I reached for the car’s handle and pulled the door open, only faintly registering the burn.

I keeled over and nearly lost my balance. Sarah’s face…half of her body was turned outward, like she was trying to get out of the car.

“Adrian get back.” Someone was saying, Captain Morrison maybe. I could barely make out words with the blood ringing in my ears.

People brushed past me, and pulled the body out and set it on a stretcher, and took her away. She was twisted, caught in the position she had been turning in. I couldn’t move though, I kept staring at the spot where Mrs. Chen had just been.

“Adrian, get back!” Louder this time, someone grabbed a hold of my hand and took off in a run, pulling me along. Literal seconds after, a second explosion sent us to the ground, I turned around and saw Mrs. Chen’s car covered in flames again. I broke then, and screamed, tears falling rapidly.

Everything after that was a blur, Mrs. Chen’s family was notified. I offered to do it, but Captain Morrison said he would, and it’s just as well.

I threw myself into investigating, finding whatever I could. The bomb was useless, it was hand-made and so there was no store to trace the parts back to.

I knocked and stepped into Captain Morrison’s office, the moment I got word he was back. Information had come in about a gentleman’s club Damien visited frequently, and I was going to check it out.

“No, Adrian, you can’t. You are going into this with emotions, I can have someone take over the case while you get some rest.” He said.

“Mrs. Chen is dead, we need to get him. I don’t need rest, I’m going in.”