Orphaned Mystery: Case Unsolved

Chapter 13

14th January 2021, Thursday

11:45 am

Marie-Lou's Home for the Homeless
Wendy furiously hung streamers from pole to pole and ceiling light to ceiling light. Marie-Lou miraculously volunteered to blow the balloons as Ashley hung them up in twos or threes. Jackie, however, was no help. It took everyone's effort to keep him from going to Mason's room. Jackie didn't sleep inside his brother's room last night, just in case he had trouble coming out. Wendy watched as her brother shook the presents set aside on the table one by one, listening carefully and trying to guess what was inside.
'This one's a racecar' he told Wendy after shaking a big blue box.
'Isn't a racecar what you want?' Wendy asked. Jackie had named only gifts he wanted for his birthday.
'Mason might want one too' Jackie replied defensively. 'How can he sleep through all this anyway? It's inhuman for anyone to sleep for that long'
It was true. Mason had been in his room pretty much the whole morning. It was inhuman to sleep for that long and yet maintain perfect health – but her brother made it look like an everyday occurrence. Wendy didn't know how. Some things even Google can't solve.
'OK, I think that's all' Marie-Lou called. Wendy shuddered at how easily she could switch personalities. One second, she is the best caretaker in the world. The next glance, she becomes a crazy mastermind behind two murders for an unknown reason.
'I'll go call Mason' Ashley popped Wendy's thought bubble. 'Be right back'
Wendy watched her sister run up the stairs, taking two steps at a time, tripping over one or two. She felt something hug her leg – it was Jackie.
'You think Mason's going to like it?' he asked.
'He better like it. I didn't wake up early for a disappointed face'
'What did you get him?'
'Well...' Wendy's face flushed. She wanted Mason to have one of the best presents he had ever received. She had been collecting and saving her allowance just for her siblings' birthdays.
'You got him something good, didn't you? You give the best presents all the time! What did you get? I won't tell! Pinkie promise! Please, Wendy?' Jackie put on his "first-class-you-can't-resist" puppy eyes. He gave Wendy no choice. She leaned down towards his ear and whispered.
'Well, since you and Mason watch a lot of movies together, I thought it would be OK to get a screen bigger than his phone' she started.
'A TV?' Jackie asked.
'What? No! Now, you're overestimating. I got him an iPad' Wendy finished.
'AN IPA-' Wendy covered Jackie's mouth and gave him an evil look.
'Right... but, really?' Jackie's voice was an avalanche of awe. 'You really do buy the best gifts. What are you getting me?'
'I can't say. Plus, your birthday isn't until the end of the year so I have some time to-'
Wendy was cut off by a scream from upstairs – Ashley. Wendy ran towards her voice, Jackie and Marie-Lou a few paces behind her. Ashley was frozen in front of Mason's bedroom.
Not another murder. I thought we could trust Freddie, Wendy thought.
'What happened?' she asked her sister.
Ashley pointed inside. 'Mason's gone' she said.
'What?' Wendy scanned the room. Sure enough, her brother was gone. The room was still intact – there was not a single thing out of place. Wendy's eyes caught something shiny on the carpet, right next to the beanbag. She went in and picked it up. A small glass cylinder with a sharp point at the tip – a blow dart. Why would anyone use a blow dart? The contents had been emptied, maybe on Mason. Wendy put the weapon in the pocket of her hoodie and retreated back outside.
'There's nothing in there' she lied.
'Who did it? How can he disappear through thin air?' Ashley asked.
'Search the house. If he isn't here, we'll call Sherlock' Wendy ran towards her room.
'Where are you going?' Jackie asked.
'To my room. I left something in there. Start searching. I'll be down in a minute'
Wendy locked the door and opened a small jewelry box from under her bed. Inside the box were the items from her last birthday – a gift she received from Mason. He knew that she loved reading mystery novels and had given her a detective set, complete with an ink pad, gloves and a magnifying glass too.
Wendy held the hand glass towards the dart and read the small printed writing on the body of the dart – DCTR – Doctor Chiyo's Testing-ground for Researches.
Doctor Chiyo... where did she hear that before. Wendy flashbacked to a conversation she had with Mason in the car on the way home.
'Martin mentioned that you got captured once, Mason. Is that true?' She whispered, hoping that he was awake. Fortunately for her, he was.
'Yeah. By a scientist, I think. Doctor Chiyo, that's what he called himself' Mason muttered drowsily.
Chiyo had Mason. Wendy was sure of it. But when did it happen? Jackie wasn't there, so he wouldn't know. They had to find him – fast – before the scientist could do anything to him. Wendy got up, stashed everything away, and went out to the living room. Jackie, Ashley, and Marie-Lou were waiting for her.
'Any luck?' she asked. The others shook their heads. Wendy groaned. Where was he? If Wendy was right, and Mason was really taken, he was probably long gone by now. Wendy had to hope he wasn't too far. She went for the phone and dialed Sherlock's number.
'Hello?' it was Sherlock. Wendy sighed with relief – it wasn't someone else's number.
'Um, hi. Sherlock? This is Wendy. We sort of need your help right now' Wendy winced at how weird she sounded. Not a way to talk to the best detective in the whole world.
'And how may I help you?' Sherlock sounded calm, but Wendy heard the slightly strained tone as he spoke – even Sherlock was tired of solving this.
'Well... Mason's gone' she peeped.
'What?'
'Mason's gone'
'Gone... as in he's dead?'
'Actually, gone as in not in this house and probably taken by somebody – say, a mad scientist in particular?' Wendy wanted to die. She hated talking to people she didn't even know. She always got tongue-tied.
A beat of silence followed. Wendy heard the unmistakable sound of an exasperated groan from the other end, followed by a series of thumps – it sounded similar to when she would smack her forehead against the table. It was safe to think that Sherlock was not happy.
'Sherlock?' Wendy called softly.
'Yes, yes. I'm coming in a few minutes' he sighed. 'You kids will be the death of me, you know that, don't you?'
Wendy knew better than to answer. She smacked the phone down on the receiver and ran towards the others. She didn't even want to see the phone right now.
'He said he's coming' Wendy managed awkwardly, trying her best not to turn red. Gosh, why did a simple conversation have to be this intense?
Sherlock came quicker than Wendy had expected him to. Usually, the agents never came on time. Some usually have a slight problem where their bikes run out of gas – looking at you, Martin.
'Alright, now tell me exactly what happened here' Sherlock told Wendy, his tone implying a secret message: and make it quick. Despite the fact that Jackie hugged his legs, the superintendent still looked heroic.
'Well, it's his birthday today, so we were decorating. I asked Ashley to bring him down, but he wasn't really in his room. We searched the house but there was no sign of him'
'You say he was taken?'
'Yes'
'How do you know?'
Wendy brought the blow dart from her pocket. Sherlock's eyes widened as he laid eyes on the weapon. He examined it.
'DCTR? Not any place I've heard of. I'm sorry to say, but I think-' Sherlock looked down. Jackie had put on his puppy eyes again. Wendy hoped that Sherlock would fall for it.
The superintendent sighed. 'Fine. I'll go search for him' Jackie's smile got even bigger. The agent got up from his seat and headed out, grabbing his coat and hat on the way.
'I'll let you know if I find anything. Keep in touch at all times' he said before letting himself out the door.
Ashley flopped on the sofa. 'Well, what do we do now?'
'We wait' Wendy replied without hesitation. The only question, how long would they have to wait?
Turns out they had to wait until nightfall.