You've been left with no choice! If this isn't the decision you wanted, feel free to return to Chapter 94!
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The story you are about to read was written by Tana, MT_Reade

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Logan stared at the corpse in surprise. The sight disturbed him, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. The young Virgil Sanders was lying under Marian Bridge, his lower half completely submerged in the water of the small river. Virgil's clothes were soaked with a mixture of water and blood, one flowing from the east, the other flowed from the open, clean cuts across the base of his neck, and along the heart of both of his wrists. Virgil's eyes were open, the deep brown of them staring endlessly and lifelessly into the detective's own. Logan felt as though Virgil was guilting him. Staring at him as if saying "this is your fault."

Virgil's skin was so pale and drained, it looked almost grey. His hair was matted and slicked down against his forehead. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his grey suspenders were snapped. His pants were ripped in several places, indicating quite the struggle. The plant life and pooling water around him were drenched with blood.

This kidnapping... was now a murder case.

***

"Constable Kingsley!" Logan called as he strode into Station House No. 7.

"Yes, sir?" Remus Kingsley smirked up at him, his feet kicked up onto his desk, stroking his mustache idly.

"Not you!" Logan said, trying to keep his evident panic under control. He couldn't get the help of Remus, especially since Logan was certain that he was involved in this somehow. It also didn't help that Logan, quite honestly, didn't want his help.

Remus pouted. "Oh, why not? I am much more easily persuaded to follow orders than my brother."

"Because you are a suspect in a mu--" Logan caught himself. "a kidnapping." He corrected quickly, before brushing past Remus.

Logan spotted the back of Roman in the inspector's office, talking feverishly to Thomas Sanders, who looked incredibly confused. Logan took a moment to compose himself as best as he could, before knocking on the door. He did not want to alarm his boss, and definitely did not intend on revealing that he'd found the body of his late little brother just yet. It didn't feel like the right time, and he wasn't quite ready to admit it to himself yet, either. Virgil's corpse was a physical sign of his failure to protect him, to save him, and that had been the detective's job. Had it not?

"Ah, it's the detective. Come on in, Christie." Thomas said through the door. "What have you?"

Logan stepped inside.

"Kingsley here was just telling me about a novel he's in the midst of writing." Thomas gestured to Roman with an amused grin. "It's about some Egyptian curse."

Roman nodded. "Would you like to hear about it, sir?"

"Um... no thank you, Roman." Logan said. He wasn't really one to entertain fiction. "Maybe another time."

Roman nodded, looking a little defeated. Thomas clicked his tongue. "What can we do for you, Christie?"

"Oh, uh.." Logan tucked his hands behind his back awkwardly. "I require Constable Kingsley's assistance, if you don't mind, sir."

Thomas sat up a little straighter. "Oh, not at all. Have you found anything to do with my brother?"

Logan took a deep breath, his stomach twisted uncomfortably. "Nothing definitive, sir. Just a hunch I'd like to investigate." The lie burned in his throat.

"A hunch?" Thomas stood. "Would you like me to come with you? I could help if you needed more direction."

Logan looked down, avoiding the inspector's gaze. "Actually, sir. It may be better if you stay here. I need you to write up a suspect list." He said, a little too quickly.

"Oh. Why not have Remus do it?"

"Well, sir, Remus Kingsley is one of our suspects."

"Ah. Whose names should I be writing up, then?"

Logan was a little surprised at the fact that Thomas hadn't questioned the fact that Remus was a suspect. He must not be the only one catching on to Remus' sketchy behaviour.

"Remus Kingsley, and well... you, sir."

Thomas paused. "Ah. I see."

Logan kept his gaze on the floor. "Come along, Roman." He left without another word, with a confused Roman Kingsley trailing behind him.

"Sir, if Remus can't write up a list because he is a suspect..." Roman said as they mounted their bikes. "Why can the inspector?"

"Actually, Roman, it's simply because I've found a new development in the case, and I think it best that the inspector not find out by seeing it himself."

"Oh. What kind of development, sir?"

Logan hesitated. "I'll explain when we get there."

"Get where, sir?"

"Marian Bridge."

***

"Good lord, sir!" Roman exclaimed, police helmet drawn to his chest in shock and respect, as he stared frightfully down at the remains of Virgil Sanders. Logan nodded solemnly, not quite sure what it was that he was agreeing with.

"I can see why you wouldn't want the Inspector Sanders to find out this way. It's just dreadful."

Logan nodded again. The two stood in silence for a moment. "Are you alright, sir? You seem bothered. You don't usually react this much when we discover a body."

Christie sighed. "I can't help but feel... somewhat responsible." He admitted. "I was supposed to find him, and I didn't in time."

Roman hesitated, before placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "No disrespect, sir, but you shouldn't blame yourself. It's no fault of yours that he's dead. It's the fault of the man that killed him! There was nothing you could've done." Roman said, still gripping the rim of his helmet with his free hand.

"I wish I could believe that, Roman." Logan said, shrugging off the constable's hand.

A moment passed, and Logan got hold of his emotions. "Roman, we will need to move the body, and bring it to the city morgue."

"Yes, of course." Roman nodded.

"But, before we do, let's take a look around. See if we can find anything of significance to help allude to what happened here."

"Right away, sir." Roman pulled his uniform helmet back over his head. He then took out his baton, and began to beat his way through the reeds around the brook, looking down at the ground for anything hidden there. Logan followed suit, climbing up to look at the bridge itself once again. Perhaps the killer had left something behind.

"Detective Christie?"

"Yes?"

"When do you intend on telling the inspector?"

Logan paused. "I'm not sure yet. Possibly when we get back to the station. Why?"

"Well, I thought perhaps it would be better if I broke the news to him." Roman said. "No offence, sir. But you aren't the best when it comes to emotions."

Logan wasn't sure whether to take that personally or not. "Ah."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Don't worry. There... was no offence taken."

***

After what seemed like ages and ages of searching, scrutinizing every little stone in the area, Logan heard Roman shout out: "Sir!"

"What is it, Roman?" Logan stood up, turning toward where Roman was, bent over in the field a little ways away from the bridge.

"I believe I've found something!" Roman used his handkerchief to lift something out of the reeds, as to not disturb the evidence. The object was small and metallic, glinting in the evening sunlight. However, it was too small for the detective to be able to tell what it was at this distance. He made his way down to where Roman was.

"What is it?"

"If I'm not mistaken, sir. I think we've found our murder weapon." Roman handed him the handkerchief. Inside, was a small, incredibly sharp scalpel. The blade and handle were crusted over in what appeared to be dried blood.

"Good work, Roman." Logan said, turning the scalpel over in his hand. "Let's bring this back to the station house, I can test it for fingermarks. I think we've exhausted every corner of this area by this point. We should head back now, before the sun starts to set."

"Actually, sir, there is something else." Roman said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Oh? What is it?"

Roman bent down, and lifted up a folded piece of paper, bound to a rock by string, presumably as a weight to hold it in place. It was meant to be found alongside the murder weapon.

Roman held it out to Logan. "It's... I-It's addressed to you."
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