You've chosen to question Inspector Thomas Sanders! If this isn't the decision you wanted, feel free to return to Chapter 87!
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The story you are about to read was written by Tana, MT_Reade

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Logan looked up at the quaint little house with slight admiration. The house seemed to suit the inspector, with the white trimming and yellow walls suggesting a home-like cheeriness. Although the inspector sometimes seemed a little harsh, he had to be. It was his job. He really was quite the softy on the inside.

The house had a screen door in front of a thick wooden one. The roof was slatted and dyed to a brown that matched the door. The front porch was barren, so Detective Christie had no problem getting up to the door. Thomas followed up the stairs behind him, and used his house key to unlock the door, and let them both inside.

The two stepped into the front entrance, and wiped off their shoes before heading fully inside. Thomas closed the door behind them.

"So, Christie. Where to first?"

Logan looked around, stepping around the corner to reveal what he assumed was the main living space. "Why not start here?" The question was rhetorical, as the detective stepped into the room without waiting for the response from his boss.

The two searched the entire main floor thoroughly, opening cabinets and drawers, lifting couch cushions, pushing around the curtains, everything that they could think of. However, after searching for almost an hour, the pair were convinced that they'd left no stone unturned. They headed upstairs, and Thomas suggested that they start in Virgil's room on this floor. Logan agreed that his bedroom was a likely place to find evidence.

Likely indeed.

When they entered the room, Logan knew immediately that they found their "crime scene". The bedsheets were overturned, and one of Virgil's pillows were on the ground. Logan stepped inside, and saw an empty glass vile and cloth left behind on the top of Virgil's dresser. The detective stepped up to it, and reached into his pocket to grab his handkerchief; he didn't want to disrupt any finger marks that could be on the vial. The detective lifted it, and swished it around in front of one of his eyes. There appeared to be a little bit of liquid on the bottom still. Logan moved it under his nose and smelled the contents.

"Oh my goodness." Thomas stared at the room in terrified shock.

"Did you not come in here earlier, sir?" Logan asked.

Thomas shook his head. "Virgil never allowed me in his room. I-I opened the door enough to see he wasn't here. I was in such a panic, I was blind. I didn't see..." He trailed off. "What's that you're holding?"

Logan looked down at the vial. "I found it on his dresser, along with this cloth." Logan leaned over, and smelled the cloth too. He nodded. "As I suspected."

"What? What is it?"

Logan turned to Thomas. "Sir, I'm afraid that this was, indeed, a kidnapping."

"W-What?!" Thomas walked over to his brother's bed, and sank onto it. He put his head in his hands. "How do you know?"

"This vial contained a chemical. I recognize the smell. It's liquid cyclobenzaprine. It's used in medical procedures to help null nerves. However, in a high enough dosage, can knock out a victim if ingested." Logan explained. "This cloth is soaked with it. I can assume, based on these and the state of your brother's room, that this chemical was poured onto the cloth, and held over Virgil's mouth. He passed out, and the kidnapper took him that way. Based on the fact that the remaining liquid hasn't evaporated, I can assume that the kidnapping occurred sometime after two A.M. last night."

Thomas let out a long breath, and ran his hands through his hair. "So... you're telling me, that someone kidnapped my little brother, and I was... I was in the house at the time?? And I didn't... I didn't help him?"

Logan hesitated. "Sir... that's not what I meant."

"But it's the truth, isn't it?"

Logan didn't respond. How could he? What was he supposed to say to that?

"It's alright, Christie."

Logan knew that, of course, it wasn't at all alright. Not knowing what else to do, Logan moved to sit down beside the inspector. He put his hand down beside him on the mattress, and felt something unexpected and crisp under his fingers. Logan lifted it up, to see a folded piece of paper in his grasp. The outside read:

Detective Logan Christie

A note addressed to him?

"What is that?" Thomas asked.

"I don't know, sir. A note?" Logan said, before carefully unfolding the paper.

Dearest Detective,

I see that you found my little crime scene. It took you long enough, didn't it? I thought you were smart.

You'll be glad to know that little Virgil is alive and... somewhat well. But, he might not be for much longer.

Oh no... what to do? What to do?

Based on your progress so far, I suppose I should give you a little clue.

"Mary and Bri Edge."

This is not a hard one to solve, detective. So, I don't intend on giving you much time to solve it.

You have until 4 p.m.

Or what?" I can hear you say. Let's just say that your missing man might get a different "edge".

Hopefully you're as good as they say. Don't let me down.

See you soon ;)

"Well? What does it say?"

Logan passed it to Thomas in silence, his head spinning, gears turning.

"Good lord." Thomas said.

Logan couldn't believe it. This whole kidnapping... was somehow related to him? How? Why Virgil? What did Mary and Bri Edge mean?

"You know, Christie. I know a Ms. Mary Edge."

"You do?"

Thomas nodded. "She murdered her sister a couple years back. Supposedly because her sister was always the favourite, and her late parents were going to leave their entire estate to her. It was all over the papers."

"Could her sister have been named Brianna, or Bridgette, by any chance?"

Thomas shook his head a little. "I'm not sure. But, Christie. It's two o'clock. We don't have much time. We have to hurry. My... My brother's life could be on the line."

***

"Sir." Roman knocked on Logan's office door, before stepping inside.

"What have you, Roman?" Logan said, looking up over his glasses.

"Sir, I found that old case you asked about. The murder of a Ms. Aubrie Edge, killed by her own sister, Ms.--"

"Ms. Mary Edge." Logan finished for him.

The constable nodded. "That's right. But, I reviewed the case, and I can't find anything that could possibly connected to Virgil or the inspector."

"Is there anything that could be connected to... to me?" Logan asked.

Roman frowned. "No, sir. I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

Logan didn't respond, simply holding out the note that he'd found at the abduction site. The constable took it, and read it. He whistled lowly. "Well then... do you suppose this whole thing could be a slight at you, sir?"

"If it is, I haven't the faintest idea why." Logan sighed. "But right now, I need to focus on how our kidnapping is connected to the Edge's. I only have just over an hour left before the deadline."

Roman thought for a moment. "Perhaps this whole thing is a rouse."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, maybe the clue has nothing to do with the Edge case at all. It's meant to distract you from the true clue. A red herring, if you will."

Logan pondered this. "Well then, what do you suggest the 'true clue' is?"

Roman looked down at the note that he still held in his hands. "Mary and Bri Edge..."

Logan paused. That sounded familiar, when the constable said it like that.

Mary and Bri Edge.

Mary and Bridge?

...

Marian Bridge.

"Constable Kingsley, do you know the way to Marian Bridge?"

Roman frowned. "Indeed I do. It's about a fifteen minute bicycle ride from here. Why?"

Logan stood abruptly, startling Roman. "I have to go."

"Go where, sir?" Roman asked as Logan swept by him, grabbing his hat as he went.

"To find Virgil Sanders!"
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Go to Chapter 94