Detective Freak

Ch.7: Sweet Death {Part Two}

Two hours had passed since Ian's death. The police surrounded the entire place, not allowing anyone to enter or leave. Jack, Ellen, Edward, Alice, Christian, and of course, myself were the only people who stayed. The shop was cleared from any customers.

I had immeditley called my uncle after the few seconds of Ian's death, and I told him the reason why I was here. On the other hand, I have been looking for any sign of Ian's ghost but found nothing. I wanted to talk to him and ask him about the case, but he was nowhere in sight.

Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I swear, I could feel a piercing gaze that watched my every movement.

Now, everyone was waiting for the paramedics' report on Ian's death. Of course, he was still in the ambulance car right outside since the police didn't know the cause of his death. I was sitting on the same barstool I sat on before. Ellen was standing at the door, waiting for my uncle, and so was Jack. Alice was on the other side of the bar table, as was Edward. Christian was sitting in the seat on my left.

After nerve-wracking seconds, my uncle emerged from the door with a piece of paper in his hand, Jessie and a couple of police officers behind them. "We have received the report about the cause of Ian Smith's death," my uncle announced.

Everyone shifted in their place, unbearable tension fogging the room.

"Apparently, the paramedics found poison running through Mr. Smith's veins. Also, they found traces of poison in his fork and his fingers," Jessie read.

Jack, Ellen, Alice, and Edward all gaped in surprise. However, my theory was confirmed.

"P-poison!?" Ellen's hands shook, glancing up at Jack, who brought her to his chest. Alice went to squeeze her mother's hand.

Since it was poison, the culprit must have put it in Ian's order. But that's the thing, how could the culprit know what Ian would order? Unless it was one of those three. It was hard and unsettling to imagine any of them doing that. But they certainly had the motive.

"Yes. Poison," Uncle confirmed.

"How so?" Alice asked.

"He might have been poisoned by something he ate from here."

"Are you saying that we poisoned him?" said Jack. Ellen gasped at that, edging closer towards her husband. Jack wiped his sweat with the kitchen towel laid on his shoulder.

"We're saying that we need to search your kitchen," Jessie explained, calm and collected.

"Why?" Edward finally spoke, walking to stand next to Alice.

"The poison might be in there. Now, can you please show us where the kitchen is?" Jessie put on her gloves, and Jack nodded, gesturing for them to follow.

Typically, I would follow them like usual, but I needed to check on something first. They disappeared into the kitchen, and Christian watched them with his back turned towards me.

I took that as an opportunity and slowly backed away, sneaking out of the shop. Something didn't seem right. I can feel it.

I was outside the shop without anyone paying attention. My uncle told us not to get out and stay there. I was hoping I would find Ian's ghost and talk to him before Uncle noticed I wasn't inside the shop.

There was an ambulance car right in front of me. Ian's body was lying on the stretcher with a white sheet covering it. The paramedics were at the front of the car, leaving the body unattended. Out of nowhere, Ian appeared right next to his corpse.

I took a breath and walked to the stretcher, standing at the opposite side and facing Ian, who kept staring at his body and not paying attention to me.

"Ian," I called, and his eyes widened at me.