Mad Green Eyes

Chapter 7 - The Detective Whose Eyes Were Blue

7)    – The Detective Whose Eyes Were Blue

It was now March the 17th, and during the weeks between now and Ada’s encounter with the killer they had visited the scenes where Denise and Dulcy Tweed had been murdered – although there were supposed to have been at five murders, it was determined that the fifth one, Miriam Turner, was not one of the victims of the Wonderland Murders. Ada had moved back into Leo and Carol Pilkington’s house, which made it easier for her to actually get to Inkblot. Pilkington could drive her instead of her having to get a taxi – the taxis around the area were very slow.

Denise and Dulcy Tweed had been found dead in a children’s playground just north of London. Their uteruses had also been removed.

Ada chewed on a slice of apple while Clarke gave them the rundown of what his team had concluded.

‘We’ve d-d-decided that a-all of the organs – including K-Kael Reade’s – were r-removed with a s-sc-scalpel,’ Clarke stammered, embarrassed by the impatient expressions on his colleagues’ faces, ‘j-j-judging b-by how precise the i-incision were, we thought th-that it m-might be a p-p-possibility that the k-killer is trained in m-m-medical science...’

‘No, that’s incorrect.’

Everyone turned and looked at Ada. She was staring down at her cup of tea as though lost in thought.

‘I’m no scientist, Dr. Clarke,’ she said quietly, ‘but even I can tell that a lot of those incision marks were messy. She seemed to have improved somewhat in the removal of the Tweed twins’ uteruses, but even then you could see that the cuts were quite jerky, as though the hand were trembling. However, I do agree that a scalpel was used – perhaps one of her accomplices provides her with the tools she’ll need.’

She took a long sip of her tea.

‘But then again, I have had no proof so far stating that she actually has an accomplice. Thinking about it, if she did have one, she would have used them to meet me in the confessional booth on February the 27th. But instead she chose to meet me in person,’ Ada paused, ‘I don’t know what you’re playing at, Clarke, but if I can tell that the killer wasn’t a professional, then you should be able to.’

Xenos laughed quietly at the expression on Clarke’s face. It was like a mixture of frustration and guilt. He rose unsteadily to his feet and walked out of the room.

Koslovski frowned.

‘What was all that about?’ He murmured.

‘Maybe the investigation’s getting the better of him,’ Pilkington sighed, ‘it’s a nasty case to look at, and maybe it’s just making him nervous.’

‘Hmm,’ Xenos scowled.

‘I wanted to ask you something, Koslovski,’ Ada said, looking up from her tea, ‘why is it that the case has been called the Wonderland Murders?’

‘That’s the media’s work, not Inkblot’s,’ Koslovski replied, ‘probably to do with the victims’ names.’

Ada paused for a moment, and then nodded in understanding.

‘But at the same time,’ she retorted, ‘how can they name an entire case based on just four victims?’

‘I’ll never understand the press, Ada,’ Xenos chuckled, ‘I don’t think you will either.’

Pilkington had a very confused expression on his face.

‘Oh,’ Xenos looked at him with sympathy, ‘sorry, Leo. Do you know someone in the press?’

‘No, it’s not that. I just don’t...’

‘He doesn’t understand what Wonderland has to do with the victims’ names,’ Ada explained.