Rookie Lady

She nodded. "The question is: Who would murder an innocent wallflower?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I can't see a motive there. She lived a normal life, never did any big wrongs."

There was a clicking sound. "Then what if there wasn't a motive? What if the killer did it just for fun?"

I looked at her. The clicking came from a lighter she held in her hand, switching it on again and again while watching the flame.

"What are you doing?", I asked a bit confused.

"Oh." She looked at me. "Sorry. That helps me think."

"Did you ever burn down a house while thinking?"

"Not yet." She turned the lighter on again. "But what if it's a serial killer?"

"You think so?"

"Yes... somebody who just enjoys killing."

I looked back at the files. "It could be possible. But if it really is a serial killer, there might me more victims."

"That's the problem. We don't know that. If we're lucky, she was his first one and there aren't any others yet."

"Assuming that's true, how should we find him? We don't know any pattern."

"Well, then we'll have to go with what we have." She took the file of Victoria Scott. "Her."

I always felt uncomfortable in the autopsy room. It wasn't because of the dead people. As a detective you get used to them somehow. But I never got used to the smell. Germicide and decay.

Madame Eldur didn't seem to have such problems. She put on some rubber gloves and examined the body of Victoria Scott without any disgust or hesitation.

Not that I doubted her, but her elegant appearance just didn't fit her actions. It was an image like a noble woman eating food out of a trashcan. Surreal and not fitting.

"Found anything?", I finally asked when she moved away from the body again.

"It's impossible that her skull got fractured like that from a fall, someone hit her with a hammer or a similar device, that's true. They attacked from the front, but she didn't defend herself. She was working as a secretary at a construction company so tools in reach aren't unlikely. The culprit must have had access to the company in some way and know her, since she wasn't suspicious. So, it's most likely a colleague at work."

"Yeah, we checked that. But all her closer colleagues have got an alibi."

"Can I see them?"

"Sure." I handed the files back to her and she flipped through the list of alibis.

"The boss hasn't got one.", she finally said.

"Yeah but he is a well-known man and..."

"...not any less suspicious than anyone else." Madame Eldur closed the files and looked at him. "Everyone is equal in front of the law. I won't let anyone get away with a crime only because he is well-known and respected."

That was the moment when I knew that I really liked her.

Richard Dolarhyde was a famous businessman in town. His company had the most influence and nobody even dared to come close to him.

Nobody except for Madame Eldur. She just entered the headquarters and walked straight through the office rooms, right into Dolarhyde's office. All the employees were far too surprised to stop her, and I just tried to keep up with her.

This was a dumb move and would cause us a lot of trouble. I didn't even know why I came with her. Maybe because some part of me knew that she was right.

"What are you doing in my office?!" Richard Dolarhyde stood behind his desk, glancing at them.

"I have a few questions about Mrs Victoria Scott.", Madame Eldur said calmly, not even slightly impressed.

"I already told the cops that I don't know what happened to the poor girl!"

"Well, thing is, I think you do know." Madame Eldur let one of her hands slide into a nearly invisible pocket in her dress and put out a lighter and a cigarette.

"Hey, you can't smoke in here!", Dolarhyde shouted.

"Oh, can't I?" She lightened up the cigarette and put it between her red lips.

"Who do you think you are?! I'm calling the security..."

"Oh yeah, do that. Then you can tell them to get a new job." Madame Eldur blew smoke into his direction. "Because you will go to jail."

"You want to accuse me of murdering that woman?!"

"That's what you said. If you think you're going to jail because of that... maybe there is some truth to it."

"You're being ridiculous! You were just talking about her, that's a normal conclusion!"

"For a killer."

"I'm not a killer!" Dolarhyde's fist slammed onto the desk and his face was red in anger.

"You haven't called your security yet. Why?" Madame Eldur stepped closer. I thought that was the worst thing she could do while he was raging like that, but she was calm. Not played calm, really calm.

"I will now, trust me." The anger dropped Dolarhyde's voice.

"You haven't called them yet because you know I am right. We have proof and we will use it against you. Unless... you make an offer, I can't refuse." She sat down on his desk, giving him a bedroom glance.

I couldn't believe what I saw. For a moment I thought I completely misjudged her, but something told me to stay out of this for now.

"About what kind of offer we are talking?" Dolarhyde's whole behavior changed in a second. He seemed very aroused and I could understand why.

"Tell me the truth. You won't regret it." She leaned in, almost touching him.

Dolarhyde licked his lips. "I did it."

"What did you do?" Madame Eldur asked it in such a sensual way that I felt my own body responding to it.

"I killed her. Victoria. With a hammer."

"Why did you do it?"

"Because it's so much fun."

"I see... did you have fun with others as well?"

"Yes. Three ones. Malcom Wallace. Fran Allison. Rita Davenport."

I cut out of the sexual trance Madame Eldur was creating and took out my notebook to write down the names.

"Like I said, you won't regret it." Madame Eldur moved back, dropped the cigarette on the floor and stepped on it. "Because you are a sick bastard without any feelings."

With the testimony Madame Eldur coaxed out of him, we were able to arrest Richard Dolarhyde. Even though he had lots of influence, he couldn't escape jail. He could get linked to the disappearances of all the persons he mentioned and didn't show any regret in front of the judge.

That case opened my eyes for a lot of things. But mostly for how happy I was to get such a skilled partner.