"Okay, so I'll sum up."
The detectives merely looked up at Ace at his loud offer. Only Landon pushed up his spectacles with his jittery fingers. Ace could even see Detective Liam doodling something in his notebook. Without any heed and ado, he continued:
"The first victim Rachel Gartner was found in the park, a few blocks down her house. No gore, numerous wounds stitched up, not a drop of blood at the scene."

Ace wrote down the points, he could derive easily and glanced at his colleagues. The Chief still sat glaring at Ace but Liam had straightened up and Landon was furiously taking notes, while the remaining two, whose name Ace never bothered to know, seemed uninterested.
'Typical', he thought but continued.

"Landon, please hand me the forensic report of Rachel Gartner. Yes, thank you.
Cause of death: Exsanguination, i.e., death from a lack of blood.
Now, she had numerous cuts all over her body, which, according to the reports, were stitched after or during her death."

A pin drop silence head-on suffocated everyone. The Chief leaned on the table, with an unexplainable look. The two uninterested detectives, looked utterly horrified. Landon had stopped taking notes and even let his spectacles slide down his nose. A pen dropped - Liam's, of course.

That reaction was inevitable. Everyday you don't get to hear cases like this where the killer induces cuts all over the body, let's the victim bleed to death and stitches the wounds up while the person is taking their last breaths in excruciating pain.

"Keeping this in mind. We move to the next victim. Lillian Victor.
Found in a vacant house in the same colony as her own.
Cause of death: Exsanguination.
Numerous wounds stitched up. Not a drop of blood leaking.
The resemblance is eery right? It gets worse.

The body we found last night, Isabella Warrington was murdered in the same way. Exsanguination but no unattended wound. Body found in an abandoned mansion.

In all the three cases, no resemblance was found among the victims.
Rachel Gartner was a divorcee, who lived alone.
Lillian Victor was a corporate worker with no found enmity with any possible person.
Isabella Warrington was a babysitter who lived in the mansion that was passed on to her by her aunt.

The neighbours in all the three cases have not heard anything nor seen anything, even did not feel the disappearance of the victims."

Ace finished with an eager look evident on his face. Frowning, the Chief commented,
"Suspects?"

Landon pushed up his spectacles and placed the notebook on the table, clearing his throat before speaking up,
"Rachel Gartner only had distant relatives, her parents passed away long ago. Her divorcee husband is out of town, currently and will meet us once he returns."
"I count him as a suspect", intervened Liam.

Ace nodded in disagreement,
"This is not a typical case. Look at the resemblances, these women had nothing in common, nothing. This is a case of-"

The room shuddered at the loud slam of the door, as a staff barged in, apologetically but nonetheless afraid.

"Sorry, sorry. But, the news is on. KVC News is talking about serial killers in Aronville."

~~~

Emily silently stared at the dead streets. Only a few buses, roared occasionally, stores were mostly closed and there was absolutely no one around, at least who wasn't out for their mandatory business. Emily stepped back to Oliver's. The store was wide open and welcoming, on complete contrast to the streets.

Jay was stocking the chocolates, when Emily came in.
"Woah, are you going to work?", questioned Jay, with a smirk.

"I think so...", Emily paused, fishing her mobile and sure enough, there was a text from Michele saying, the shop won't be open.
"No work for me, then. But, what's up today, though?"
"You're lucky. Look at the news."

Emily looked up at the small television that sat atop the shelves.

"Welcome back to KVC News.
The fear of serial killer definitely had its effects on Aronville. As we are showing you on the screen, the streets are terribly empty with very few transports available. Individuals are seen not leaving their household premises until extremely necessary. Many corporates have declared holidays, even.

We have Mr Telkinsmith with us today. I will ask him,
'Sir, what are your comments in this petrifying situation?'

'The fear that the people are showing, is quite obvious. After that massacre in Aronville, we did not have murder cases for so long that even that became scary. The people fearing their losses, have chosen to stay in their home's safety, which is okay. But, I, as a running candidate for the Mayor of Aronville, would suggest that this fear be given up.'

Thank you Mr Telkinsmith. We are returning after a short break. Keep watching KVC News!"

As the news segment finished up, Emily breathed a sigh.
"Mr Telkinsmith? Wasn't he the founder of Aronville Public School?"

Jay lightly shrugged at the question.
"That's politics. He will probably be the winning candidate, with all his noble deeds. He never really went in the school, actually. There was a rumour that he never graduated."

"The murders. What do you think about them? Is it really a serial killer?"

Startled at the question, Jay barely caught the chocolate slipping out of his grasp.
"I don't really want to think anything about it, actually. My uncle went up a notch to describe how he saw the mutilated body parts."
"I know right. It's scary."

Emily smiled looking at the old grandmother, who seemed to have not stopped her mutterings. Waving a goodbye at Jay, instead of going home, Emily went forward towards downtown.
~~~

The Detectives were utterly ridiculed at the news. The Chief looked like he had pulled off most of his hair, answering calls from seniors, who were screaming profanities that even Ace could hear leaning against the door.

He looked up to see the suspect woman approaching him.
"What? Did you choose to surrender?"

Not understanding if it was meant as a joke or threat, Emily asked what she came for.

"Another murder?"
"Did Justice air that as well?"
"No, I don't think so."
"How do you know there was a murder then? Is this a good opportunity to lock you up?"
"Honestly, Ace, I know that you know that I'm not the murderer."
"Whatever."

Rolling her eyes, at his attitude, Emily continued:
"Tell me one last thing. The victim, was she found somewhere that had an abandoned swing nearby?"

Ace dropped his leaning posture, absolutely straightening up. His stoic poker face looked sterner than ever.
"Did you visit the scene again? Wait, how would you even know where that is?"

Beyond the capability of answering, Emily's steps faltered. How did she know? That was the question.

How did she know?

-

Aronville is getting so much love! Thanks would never suffice it all. But, still, THANK YOU!
Especially to louiscardinalshi123 for correcting my faults.
I really look forward to each one of your feedbacks.
Thank you, again!
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