Don't Scream (Complete)

Chapter 41

Eli Bensworth

"Check this out," Alberto said. 

Eli and Rhonda looked up. It was early afternoon on Tuesday. The two of them were back in the SFPD laboratory. Alberto, their lab tech, was once again helping them conduct research on the case as he had done with the Homewrecker. He opened up a tab on his computer. 

"Look here. I've been going through Mr Hoskins financial records and recently, he's transferred a notably large sum of money to a foreign bank account signed under the name Rebecca Santiago," Alberto said, scrolling down the page on screen. 

"Alright, I'll take a look into the alias Rebecca Santiago," Rhonda said, opening up her own MacBook and going onto the Internet. 

"And get this, from what I'm seeing, it turns out Mr Hoskins has a Vespucci Condo registered under his name. He must have bought it about three and a half months ago," Alberto said. 

"Send us the address, we'll check the condo out," Eli said. 

* 

Ten minutes later, both Eli and Rhonda were gathered outside a Vespucci Condo Unit #11. 

It was a magnificent unit. Eli and Rhonda walked up to the manager of the Vespucci Condominiums, who stood at the large gates, arms crossed and not bothering to conceal how cross he was. 

"I hope you have a warrant, Detectives," the manager - a Mr Sikes - spat. "Even if the homeowner is dead, I cannot simply hand over the keycard to grant you access and have you rifle through my customer's things." 

"Unless you have something to hide, I'm sure you won't mind handing over the spare keycard," Rhonda said, smirking. "After all, Mr Sikes, you should have a spare card." 

"Here," Mr Sikes scowled, handing over a small black plastic key card with the little inscription "Vespucci Condominiums" engraved on it. 

"Thanks," Rhonda snapped back. 

The three of them took the elevator up to the 11th floor. The elevator stopped at a corridor with two separate units, facing each other. 

"Who's the neighbor?" Eli asked Mr Sikes. 

"The place is rented out," Mr Sikes said, looking bored. 

Rhonda walked over to the door that led into Mr Hoskins' apartment, putting her hand on the handle with the key card millimeters away from being slipped into the gap when the door to the neighbor's house creaked open loudly. All three of them turned around to see a ratty, bedraggled man with his hair in a rat's nest and bleary eyes poke his head out and stare at the three of them in curiosity. 

"Ah, Monsieur Williams, how do you do?" Mr Sikes greeted the man. 

Mr Williams licked his lips, his eyes landing on Eli and Rhonda. "Who are these two, Mr Sikes?" He had a high pitched voice. 

"We're Detectives Bensworth and Willis, sir. Your neighbor, Mr Hoskins, was found dead in a mansion registered under his name and we're investigating all the properties that he owns. Do you have any important information pertaining to this investigation that you would wish to volunteer?" Eli asked. 

Mr Williams licked his lips nervously again. Eli started to realize something was wrong. He sniffed. "Do you smell something?" 

That was the cue for Williams. He turned around and darted back into his apartment. 

"After him!" Rhonda ordered. 

She and Eli brushed past a startled-looking Mr Sikes and Rhonda kicked in the door to Mr Williams' house, chasing him into the apartment. 

"No! That will cost you!" Mr Sikes yelled after them. 

Williams rushed into the bedroom, frantically pushing open the window and looking out down 11 storeys. 

Rhonda and Eli stood in the doorway. "Nowhere to run now, Williams. Why'd you scamper?" Eli demanded. 

"Screw you!" Williams cursed. 

Turning around, he perched himself on the windowsill and, to both Eli's and Rhonda's shock, jumped out. 

"Dear Neptune!" Eli gasped. 

He rushed over to the window. 

There was Williams...standing on a window-cleaner's elevator, heading down the length of the condominium. Eli saw him look up at him poking his head out the window and even from here, Eli saw the relief break out on Williams' face. 

"Think you can escape?" Eli spat. 

Without hesitating lest the craziness of what he was about to do hit him, Eli swung his legs over the windowsill and jumped out. 

For a moment, Eli hung, suspended in mid-air. The windows rushed past him and the wind whipped against his face, stinging his eyes. The ground of the elevator came looming up to meet him. Finally, Eli landed on the elevator, doing a barrel roll and leaping up onto his feet in front of the frazzled William. 

Letting out an enraged cry, Williams lunged at Eli and that was when he saw the glint of the sunlight glancing off the knife blade in Williams' hand. 

Eli's instincts kicked in. Being in hospital wasn't going to leave him weak. Eli ducked under Williams' swing and lashed out with his foot, catching Williams' in the stomach. The two exchanged a couple hits and Eli grabbed Williams' neck in a choke-hold. 

"Why'd you scamper? What do you know about Mr Hoskins' death?" Eli growled, pulling his muscles taut around Williams' neck. 

"I know nothing, man, let me go!" Williams' spluttered. 

As the window-cleaner's elevator continued its steady descent to the ground now three storeys below, Eli heard the unexpected sound of his cell phone ringing. Eli whipped it out. 

"The man's innocent, Eli," came Rhonda's voice chirping out of the phone. 

"What?" 

"He's innocent. I'm doing a sweep of the guy's apartment and he's converted his kitchen into a freakin' meth lab. The guy's cooking up drugs. That's all the crime he's guilty of. That's why he's scampered. Handcuff him and leave him downstairs for the cops to pick him up later. Then meet me back at the SFPD. I've got a new lead." 

* 

"Rebecca Santiago," Rhonda said. "Guess who she is?" 

"Ruby Santiago," Eli had guessed it a while ago. Santiago wasn't that common a surname to be used twice in such a coincidence. 

"Also, while you were chasing after Williams, I went into Mr Hoskins' apartment. I found some interesting tapes there," Rhonda said humorlessly. 

Back at the lab, she pushed her Mac over to Eli and pressed a couple keys on her keyboard. Eli sat, watching. 

"I guess Mr Hoskins was feeling frisky," Rhonda said. 

"I think it's time we paid Ruby a visit," Eli said grimly.