The First Murder (part 1) 

The First Murder (part 1) 

Police sirens were blaring all over the streets while the red and blue lights were flashing, effectively blinding anyone who was stupid enough to stare at them. Police officers were busy managing the onlooking crowd as they tried to get closer to the scene, and it was even more harder when the media arrived and bombarded everyone with questions. It did not help that the rain poured even harder, it did not help that it was at the dead of the night. Somehow, things just seem to get worse and worse.

“YOU! Yes, you there! Get the media away from here, they are disturbing us!” a senior police officer shouted at the young one. His brows were scrunched as he saw how problematic the scene was. Not only is it raining, in the middle of the night and has too many onlookers even if they should be inside their home at this hour, it does not help when the status of the person is something very popular. “Can someone please manage the crowd!?” he shouted again.

“Excuse me, can we ple—”

“This is Yulia reporting live. We are here in front of the residence of the famous—”

“Hello, can you please tell me what happened here?” one the reporters resorted to asking a resident near the incident. “Sorry, but i also do not know what happened, i just went out because of the sound of the sirens.” The resident was only able to tell that and nothing more. The said reporter could have asked more residents if not for the young police officer to shove them back and further and away from the incident, away from the police tape that was surrounding the building itself.

The young police officer was also apologising as he does, “please, i’m sorry but we have to give them some space to work.” she said as she pushed the camera away from the crime scene. The media, as well as the crowd could not do anything but to follow the young police officer. After all, the incident is quite sensitive. Aside from that, an important person has arrived at the scene. 

With that familiar black Porsche, with the distinct gold linings, they knew all too well who the car belonged to. “It's her. She’s here.” the crowd whispered to each other, while some were screaming her name. “Auria! Auria I’m a huge fan! Auria I love you!” The crowd then bursted into screams and shouts as the woman got out of her car. Her brunette hair was flowing as the air blew past them all, and her captivating red eyes were sure to mesmerise anyone who looked at them. She whipped her head from the crowd and into the crime scene. Noticing the police tape surrounding the whole place, she expected the worst. 

She walked towards the nearest police officer as tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. “Please, please, please someone tell me what is going on. Please, tell me, is he safe? Where is he?” Auria pleaded to the nearest police officer she grabbed hold of. “Please,please tell me something.” Auria shook the police officer, her eyes flowing with tears and her voice broke from all the emotion she was feeling. “Please…” her voice drowned out by the heavy rain. Shecontinued to cry in the rain and remain in her place, even if many police officer tried to take her to a dry place and away from the rain.

She remained there, under the rain, crying her eyes out and never knowing what had really happened. “I will take it from here.” a gruff voice said as Auria felt a coat being placed over her. “I would also  like to talk to the person holding this case.” the gruff voice said once again. Auria stopped her sobs and wiped her tears, although she was not sure if they were tears or just rain at that point. Looking up, she saw a familiar build, a lighted cigarette and a puff of smoke. “What are you still doing here? Are you trying to get sick?” Auria then felt herself being pulled up from the ground and getting dragged somewhere. 

Somewhere it was not raining. “Jack, get her dry. I’ll try talking to the detective in- charge.” 

“Noted sir. But please try not to make them mad again.” another familiar voice. Auria then wiped her vision clean and finally saw some features, then a whole face. A familiar blue eyes, and a blonde hair. Those glasses also. ‘Have I seen him before somewhere?’ Auria tilted her head, trying to remember. ‘Right, it was him and that guy.’ 

“Ms. Auria,are you okay? Do you need anything? Do you feel cold?” Jack, Auria now remembered. He was the boy from last week. When she visited that apartment— or rather— office. By the second floor, she remembers the answer now. ‘67th street, two buildings after the cafe. Located at the second floor of the beige building.’ Auria remembers now. “No, I do not need anything as of now. What I want is to know what is happening. Why are there police tape around the apartment of my fiancee?” 

Jack, putting another coat over Auria, moved and adjusted them. “All that we know is something happened. A report coming from the neighbours of Mr. Smith about some loud noise coming from his apartment.” he then looked over at the police tape. He observes how his boss, Mr. Tevyat,is talking to one of the uniformed personnel. They seemed to be having a deep conversation as the boss had abandoned his cigarette and kept on talking with the uniformed personnel. 

The brunette woman followed his gaze and saw Azrick and how he was talking to the person. She figured out that it was serious as their gazes were both intense as their brows were scrunched with each other. “How did you know about this? Even the media is late to know.”

It took a while before the blonde man answered. “It was actually me who was here first. I was walking the streets as to relax and then the police sirens came. I then called my boss and told him what is the current situation here. It took him some time to get here as he was just getting out of the pub.” 

“Taking a walk to relax?” Her voice was a bit strained and soft, but JAck was still able to hear it despite the heavy rainfall. 

“Yes, taking a walk. It's my way of releasing some stress from work and admiring the surroundings. Sir Azrick’s way of relaxing, on the other hand, is to go to pubs and drink,and also participate in the quizzes they have at times. He would sometimes take me there too to participate in those quizzes.” Jack said as he chuckled at the memory when Azrick, who was tipsy, knocked on his apartment door and dragged him towards the pub holding the quiz. It was spontaneous— to which he did not like at all– but the experience itself was fun. 

Auria stared at the smiling face of Jack, clearly walking down the memory lane. But both of their attention went back to the seriousness of the situation when they heard footsteps coming their way. Looking at the direction of the sound, it was Mr. Tevyat and a police officer. Jack straightened his stance and saluted. “Detective Olive. It is nice to see you again.” Jack greeted me with a smile. The uniformed personnel, Detective Olive, smiled and bowed his head towards Jack. “It seems we see each other again. And it is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Auria.” 

“Officer… no, Detective Olive. What the hell is happening? No one tells me anything! And where is John?! Where is my fiancee?!” Auria grabbed Detective Olive, demanding an answer from him. “Miss, please calm down for a moment.” 

“CALM DOWN FOR A MOMENT? HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FIANCE?!” Auria lashed out and Detective Olive did not know what to do as he was being flinged from left to right by Auria. Who knew the brunette woman was capable of having such strength. “He–help— help me.” Detective Olive pleaded to Jack and Azrick, to which Jack complied.

Jack grabbed hold of Auria’s hands, freeing the poor Detective Olive. “You go, I will explain it to her.” Azrick said as he patted the back of his former colleague. Auria then tried to calm herself down and stop her outbursts. With a few hics and sobs, she took her hands away from Jack. and she was sure that she saw him… smiling? 

“Just what the he—” Auria was cut off by Azrick.

“Heis dead.”

“What? Did you just say?”

“I said…your fiance, John Smith… is dead. He was found just this night, at 8 pm- ish.” Mr. Tevyat said, his face still stoic and emotionless. 

“What do you mean my… My John is dead?” Auria’s voice trailed off as the information slowly sinked in into her mind. Devastation and grief slowly overwhelmed her as she was frozen in place. Her whole body trembled but not because of the cold,her knees lost their strength as she fell back to the ground. “John, is dead?” she repeated again. She looked up to Azrick, hoping that he was merely joking,but the expression of the man— though stoic and unreadable– somehow confirmed what he said. “My love is dead…” Auria,once again, succumbed to tears.

Azrick went out of the shelter of the building and into the field,not caring about the drizzling of water. Lighting another cigarette and puffing a smoke, he looked to his left and saw Jackwalking over to him. “Sir, you should really consider others feelings before telling such a news to them.” Jack says, a frown in his face is present as he tries to reprimand his boss, though knowing well that his boss would say otherwise. 

Mr. Tevyatscoffs as he replies, “why bother, they will just get hurt in the end anyway.” 

“Yup, you will definitely say that. What happened anyway?”

Reports say that the neighbour of John Smith heard a loud noise coming from his building at 7 pm-ish. The said neighbour tried to check in to John Smith but after a while of no one answering,he let it go and went back to his house,only to hear another loud bang. And after receiving no answer from John Smith, that is when he decided to call for the police, the other neighbours also did as they were disturbed by the loud noise. 

They got the police to respond and waited. Once the police arrived, the house was opened and they were welcomed by a mess. Things were thrown out and about, the tables were upside down, the furniture was all over the place, broken glass pieces and even the chinaware are scattered all over the place. They ventured deeper into the house of John Smith and found that the whole place seemed to have been ransacked, it looked like a robbery had taken place there. They went to the upper floor and found the place still in disrepair. Clothes were thrown out and about, shoes were scattered all over the place and jewellery were also scattered. 

But what made the place a worse crime scene was the body of John Smith, in his bedroom, hanging from the ceiling, held by his necktie that was tied to the ceiling fan. Even more so, in his hand was an envelope, containing a letter. The content of the letter was yet to be revealed, but the things written on the wall was what disturbed the responding police officers more. In the colour of red, smeared and written, “This is a warning for you, Auria.” 

The police then found out that the thing used to write it on the wall was a lipstick, the same brand that Auria always wears, discarded at the crime scene. 

“This is gruesome.” Jack commented as he walked through the crime scene, doing his own observations. 

Mr. Tevyat scoffed and said, “you are just not used to this kiddo. There are things far worse than this. Crime scenes that are far more gruesome.” he then kneeled down and picked up the discarded lipstick. “It’s not even used to the fullest. If I were the killer, I would even put this to the face of the victim for mockery’s sake.” 

Jack cringed and looked horrified at his boss. “That’s disturbing, boss.” but Jack knew very well how his boss’ mind works; that is why he was able to solve so many cases while he was on the force. That is why he was considered one of the greatest detectives to ever work at the force, and that is why he looked up to Azrick Norton Tevyat to the point of following him into becoming a Private Investgator. He could not help but smile. 

Now, they just have to know if there is a connection between this crime and the death threat sent to Auria.