THE DARKNESS IN ISABELLE

CHAPTER 13 - MADE-UP SUICIDE CASE

ISABELLE

FRIDAY, 6:06 AM

2022

Several police cars parked at the entrance and the people crowded around suffocated me.

''Please make way and don't click pictures!'' Cops yelled as we walked into the hotel. The fifty storied building was now empty. Ryder nodded to the manager to lead the way and we walked to the end of the floor.

''Name's Maria. 25 years old, a college student. She had come alone for vacation here and her parents are at the station. She loved travelling on her own and the worker who discovered is at the lobby.''

The door was open and not a single thing was displaced. The bathroom was the only place that proved a crime had taken place. The naked woman laid peacefully in the tub as if she had been sleeping the entire night. I watched Tyler pull on his gloves and run his thin fingers against her body.

''Judging by the rigor mortis, she had been dead for last nine hours or more, around nine last night, reason of death – excess loss of blood, used a small pocket knife to slit her throat, the weapon is right here...'' He held a wet knife in his gloved hands. I walked around the room slowly, observing each and every detail.

''So, it is a suicide, isn't it?'' I heard Char ask.

''Probably''

''I don't think so.'' Ryder spoke.

''Why? There isn't a single drop of blood on the floor, so she might have cut her throat in the bath tub and the weapon is still here, which means it fell from her hands. No other evidences either...anyone could tell it is a suicide.''

''Bella, what do you think?....Bella?''

''Hmm?'' I turned around to see the others in curiosity. I pulled out a few papers from my pocket, ''This –is what I got from the victim's family. She had been suffering from abdominal pain for the past 10 days and the prescription says it is urinary tract infection. According to her doctor, it would have taken a few more weeks to cure it and she claimed it wasn't that painful too. So, she might have experienced stress...''

''I will investigate further.'' Jeff nodded.

''But there is something else bugging me.'' I squatted beside the table again, ''She did have meat last night.''

''She shouldn't have meat if she had a tract infection.'' Tyler told immediately and I nodded.

I looked at the hotel manager, ''Can you do me a favour?'' He nodded slightly.

''Do you have your own office in this building?''

''No mam.''

''At what time were you here?''

''Three, in the morning.''

''Did anyone notify you of the murder?''

''Yes mam, a trainee.''

''What time do you think it might have been?''

''Close to five in the morning.''

''Your name?''

''Elias''

''What time did she order dinner?''

''Seven thirty.'' He blurted and I raised my eyebrows at him. Jeff, Noah and Char looked at him surprise.

''How do you know that?''

He spluttered, ''I...I was told by someone.''

''So, why are you sweating this hard?'' I asked him, the AC was switched on and there is no chance one could perspire this hard. He pushed Jeff back and tried to run out, but Ryder was faster. He pulled the man back by his collar and locked his arms behind his back, holding him in place.

''We need you to co-operate Mr. Elias.''

''I don't know anything. Really!''

''Tyler, there is something else I need you to check too'' I pointed at the leftover food on her table.

''You suspect she was poisoned?''

''I am not sure but it wouldn't kill to check, will it?''

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''Elias admitted he did blackmail her with her photos of her affair. She was engaged with a man in her hometown last year, when she was in love with someone else but her parents wouldn't agree. Maybe, that was the reason she killed herself.'' Jeff explained.

Tyler barged in the room in a hurry, holding a few samples. ''No, Bella was right, Maria was poisoned with Ethylene glycol. It wasn't added in the meat but in her drink. Ethylene glycol is colourless and odourless, so, there was no way she expected that. And, it wouldn't cause sudden death.''

''Noah, did you investigate other details?'' Ryder asked, his eyebrows crunched together in concentration.

''I did, she was a really kind person and had not offended anyone. She had a lot of friends and travelled every year, just like what Jeff said, she really wasn't interested in her wedding but talked to her fiancée once a week. Her boyfriend studies in the same college. They had been dating for a year and a half but he doesn't know she was engaged.''

''So, the main suspects probably are, her boyfriend and fiancée''

''Does her fiancée know she's dead?'' Char shook her head, ''he is still in his place.''

''We shall know after we investigate them''

Ryder got to his feet, ''Jeff, Char, get both of them here, Bella and I will go through the crime scene again.'' He grabbed my wrist and pulled me along with him. I had no choice but tag along.

''Why are we going there again?'' I asked him.

''You don't get all the clues at first. Visiting the scene again might get you something more interesting. You still have a lot to learn from me.'' He had that silly grin plastered on his face which probably meant I was going to be stuck with him for a really long time.

I fastened my seat belt and Ryder checked his phone.

He didn't take his eyes off it, ''Do you want to have something for breakfast?''

''No''

''But we are still going because I am hungry''

Idiot! Why did he have to ask me then?

He grinned at me like he knew what I was thinking.

''What are your friends doing right now?''

I looked at him sideways and damn, he was even hotter while driving.

''You mean, Nick and Benny?''

''Yeah.''

''They got in the other branch together.''

I pretended like he was invisible until the car parked at a restaurant.

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I'm sorry I didn't update earlier, I had my exams going on! 😫😫