MVUTO

chapter 46 - we have ayes

"Now you can see why I thought your mention of the POI's mental health would be greatly affected by what he has already seen, was valid". Chief pointed to the female officer who had put her hand up at the last meeting. "... and also why we should find this person before it deteriorates further", he continued once everyone settled down to a murmur. "At this homicide, the MO is the same as the first, except one slight difference. The shrapnel had entered his body from all directions tearing at his clothes. But that wasn't what killed him. You'd think yeah, it would, nope, it didn't. He died from something forensics haven't seen since a fisherman detonated an explosive device in water to catch fish while someone was swimming close by. This victim's insides liquified from the pressure wave, probably coming from his own weapon. Maybe the last thing the witness heard him say was not misheard?"

"How the fuck is he doing that?"; "This is bullshit!"; "It can't be real!"; "I don't believe it, I can't". Were just some of the comments distinguishable in the cacophony that ensued.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. So here is the forensics report on the death." The report was projected onto the screen for all to see with their own eyes.

"internal organs unrecognisable?!

"WTF?!"

"Quiet! Quiet! Sit down! I have other footage I think you need to see... quiet! Shhh! Settle down and listen to this audio of the food poisoning incident!" While Chief played the recordings, "can you hear that? She called out his name 'Allure', and it seems as tho he responded. At the end she's talking to someone, is it really him? Typically, there is no visual for this incident, so we can link all the incidents to this same POI. The security cameras suddenly go black but not the audio. Which can only mean they are still rolling but with a black screen in front of the lens like someone forgot to take the cap off."

Chief pressed the shuttle button to open security camera footage from the Xtra-large nightclub at the time of the multiple homicides. "Take a good look again at the POI. Notice not once does he lift his eyes to the camera, like the guy beside him did. They arrived at the door together... then they both shuffled through the crowd around the dance floor... there they go down the hall to greet the guards at the last door, and once they go in, that's the last time we see the other gent at all ever again. No body, not a trace of him. He's been identified as Alan Bradshaw. His vehicle was found at the nightclub and has been scoured by forensics. It was clean. Apparently, his other job was as a detailer. His family weren't the one's who listed him as missing. We did. He had no family who wanted to hear of him. The neighbour directly next door to him didn't even know Alan's name. Alan has a list of priors a mile long and was on parole for the last one. Don't bother asking if he was on the nightclub's payroll, but my guess is if the guard at the door recognised him, then yes, he most likely was. I believe... after seeing and hearing all this. I believe the body count should be plus one. If someone can find it." Chief played the video in a loop of the door guards being shot then the door opening. Followed by a gradual darkening of the lens for a few moments before it dissipated and the bodies were discovered. "I don't see Alan in the crowd, did any of you?"

No-one did.

"I also have footage of what the very first witness had to say from an even earlier incident with the same MO. The 2 dead were also killed by shrapnel" Chief played the clip uploaded to an online video platform of a victim of crime laying in A&E thanking her rescuer, whoever he was. "now here's the footage of the incident in an alley known to us as a notorious location for criminal activity so we have our own cameras pointing in both directions in and out of the laneway." Chief played the recording from both cameras side by side. "So, where did he go? The woman was blinded by her own pepper spray. She couldn't see a damn thing in that condition! You all saw her eyes! The only other way out was up, and that's one hell of a standing jump to get to the roof."

"roof! If he's watching the road from the roof-tops, then he could have seen us waiting for him during the sting!"

The desk sergeant was sweating throughout the entire meeting, and if it weren't for the chair he was sitting on, the floor would have been his prop instead at this juncture.

"Hey, Sarge! You okay?" Susan asked with concern.

"This is a bit too much for me to take in all at once. And I thought I had seen everything, hah!" He joked sheepishly.

"ditto", most agreed outright.

"here, here"

"is that all there is to see, Chief?"

"yes, but... not all I have to say. Only a little more time is all I need. So hang in there, Sarge, okay?"

The desk sergeant nodded.

"Good. The last thing I have to say is this. Question number one, why now? Question 2, why here? Question 3, are we in danger? My answer to that is 'not likely' if he keeps avoiding us. Question 4, why is he avoiding us? Question 5, why hasn't he spoken or communicated with us in some way? We have crossed paths with perps many times, who just love to brag how they've outsmarted the police or think they have. So why haven't we heard from this one?"

"I hope he's shy and bloody-well stays that way!" Susan asserted.

"Good answer, I hope so too. Maybe that is actually the truth. Perhaps the POI wants this to stay just within our little part of town. Keep it local. I've heard nothing from the neighbouring precinct I used to work at. Their stats show the rate of recorded crimes have not dropped as sharply as ours... ah, I almost forgot there was something else you needed to see...." Chief projected the graph from the Bureau of statistics. "I received an email from the BOS complaining about our lack of data. Because I'm new here, I wasn't aware of last years crime rate for this precinct until I was made aware of it recently. This is the homicide rate for 5 years running. If not for that spike, we would be a little above the average. Now here's the crime rate without homicide included... it's the lowest it's ever been. Not my doing, despite the coincidence... so what's the go? I am being accused by the BOS of being negligent with data collection. Lately, I've become so obsessed with finding our POI, I thought maybe they were right? No... no, they weren't. Even our sergeant has noticed the only thing that's bothering us is this POI not an overwhelming pile of crime reporting."

The cadet raised his hand "sir!"

"yes?"

"I probably shouldn't mention this, but ah, I have also noticed my workload is easier this year compared to last."

"there you go! I wasn't seeing things! The crime rate truly has dropped! Still, I don't want anyone to brag about this to any other precinct. The last thing we need is for any of them to stick their noses into our business or notify ASO and have this case taken from us. Perhaps our POI gets chased off or worse. I want these stats to remain low! I want to sleep with some peace of mind! That our residents are safe either on the street or in their homes. I, too, want the dregs of society to stop dealing and pimping! Security cameras aren't scaring them all off. Unfortunately, there are bastards out there that just don't give a fuck about life or property. Their own or anyone else's. They think laws don't apply to them. Their immediate needs are their highest priority, literally! I don't want them here! I want the complete opposite, doesn't everybody? Isn't that why we are the police, protecting our citizens from lawbreakers? That's why I became a police officer to protect the innocent from harm. All that other stuff we do is secondary to what I feel I need to be doing. Protecting the innocent, protecting the people I care about, protecting our citizens, upholding the law! So what do we do about someone who's helping us a little in that regard? I'm open to suggestions and your thoughts on the matter. (sigh) I think you've heard enough from me about my opinions. It's your turn. If you want to think it over before opening your mouths or prefer a private meeting, that's fine. Just remember to keep any mention of our POI amongst ourselves until further notice. Savvy? The ayes have it. The meeting is adjourned."