Justice by Oleander - 2012 Watty Awards, Finalist

Chapter 3

All the victims had been found in their homes; all but one – Antonio Castelli.  Being called to Castelli’s murder scene was the first scene that Xavier had been to for that case in particular.  Making a short note of that, he decided that after spending a few hours on his living-room floor, he was more than entitled to a break.  Choosing a run instead of heading to the gym, he changed and headed out the door.

Mika had just finished cutting some fresh flowers for a few vases in her home.  There was simply something about freshly cut blooms.  It made a home feel much happier, enjoyable, and inviting somehow.  Grabbing the leftover blooms she had pruned off of some of the bushes, she headed over to the kitchen.  It was time to get to work.

Setting the blooms into a fishbowl-type vase, she left them floating atop her kitchen dinette.  Using the trimmed stems and leaves, she dropped them into a pot of water and set it on the stove.  For the amount she needed, she didn’t have to wait too long for the contents of the pot to start boiling.

After separating the solid mush of the stems from the residual liquid, she had popped the remainder liquid back on the stovetop to condense it, thus rendering the mixed juices of the stems, leaves, and water to a higher potency.  When all was done, she moved the tiny pot to the side to let it cool.  Mika couldn’t help but anticipate and imagine the reaction he would have to her little potion.

She headed to her office to do a little studying on her latest interest.  Firing up her laptop, she began her search.

“Oh my!  Mr. Denton, you’ve been a very bad boy!”  She mumbled aloud to herself.  As she read media reports, interviews, personal blogs and other sources, Mika realized that they all stated the same thing – Lance Denton was a physically aggressive and short-tempered individual. 

Poor Becky, she thought to herself.

Continuing her recon efforts, she searched for his favourite haunts, additional extra-curricular activities, simply something that could offer her an in which would provide her with the opportunity to get close to dear sweet Mr. Denton.  It was amazing what one could find while Google-ing ones name.

When she was sure she had the information she needed, she quickly went through the motions of wiping all traces of her searches.

It didn’t take long for Xavier to take his run to a mad sprint back to his front steps and manically grasp his phone and call the hotel where Antonio Castelli had been discovered.  After the third time of being put on hold, he was becoming quite frustrated.

“Can I please speak with management?”  He requested in a slightly irritated tone.

“Is there something I can assist you with sir?”  The woman asked over the phone.

“I’m done waiting.  You’re the fourth person in the last ten minutes that I’ve spoken to.  Do you not understand that I’m the lead detective in an ongoing investigation for one, Antonio Castelli who was found deceased on your premises yesterday?”  He blurted out in an elongated breath.

“One moment Detective.  Please…” she began but Xavier was tired of being pushed to the next person in line.

“I will not hold!  I don’t need your damn lobby music in my ear.  Just put the handset down and patch me through to your boss’ office this minute!”  He demanded in a now clearly irate tone.

“Right away sir,” she said meekly.

Ten seconds passed, twenty, thirty…

“Detective?”  He heard in the receiver.