Chapter 1: The case of Jennifer

     Catharine Maximo rushed her way from her house to the address her senior deputy told her to investigate. Said he received a call, that there has been a murder. For ages, cases like this was not heard in Paradiso City. It remained a peaceful town except for the missing people reported last year but that did not cause big commotion unlike now. The reason probably, as Catharine investigated months now, was the victims are not based in this place. Came a year ago and no family even bothered to track them down and  report them missing to the police. But beyond that, no certain crimes have been reported.

     Paradiso City is a small town with population less than two thousand. Located at the end of the country, it is a town most of the people want to live in. She fished her keys out of her pocket and maneuvered to the address Senior Deputy Maxwell have given her. It's still 4:00 am yet she have to drive an approximately 2 kilometers distance without bothering to at least drink coffee to somehow make her feel alive from deep sleep of only four hours. Thinking about it, she does not need one anyway. The apparent case already makes her blood alive. It's not as if she feels happy when there is murder, she just cannot wait to unravel clues later and arrest the mastermind behind this mystery.

     Coincidentally, the crime scene is located near the restaurant she used to work for as a part-time while waiting for the results of her exam about  two years ago. Last month the restaurant close because of bankruptcy. She parked her car in front of the close restaurant. Her partner, Alex Perez approach her who obviously came first than her.

         

     "You need to take a look at this. Let's hear what would you say. It has already been taped by the police and coroner of the next town. The first to discover the body was, sorry for the term used, but the primary suspect is a crazy woman. She hysterically yell which made people look her way. We tried to stop people as there is a chance that suspect was around but no one seemed to be suspicious. There were only the owner of the bakeshop and his staffs. " He handed a pair of latex glove to her and lead the way, Catharine tailing him. He came to a halt, motioning to pile of garbage beside an old establishment. There are other people looking; some are taking pictures but the police told them to not interfere.

     Catharine took a closer look and removed the trash. As what she expected the body was covered by the garbage. The victim, a woman, seemed to look at her. The smell of the body permeated the air. Judging by its odor, Catharine assumes that the victim was killed a day ago and thrown to this area. Nevertheless, they still need a medical examiner to estimate the time of death with degree of accuracy. Thinking of that, she told Alex to contact Mr. Joseph Timmons, the medical examiner in the next town. He lives in Paradiso but work on the next town for Paradiso does not have cases like this before. Alex told her he already did. Joseph Timmons is on his way now.

         

     Catharine scrutinized the body. The person behind this is definitely a psychopath. The victim was killed from cervix to throat. An atrocious crime. The slit on the woman's part told Catharine that obviously, it had been cut by a sharp object possibly a can made purposely for her.

         

     "The murder weapon was nowhere to be found. I found a cellular phone near the victim and placed it in a zip lock bag. Haven't studied and read it yet. You can examine contents in it and see if you can get some clues," her partner told her and hand her the thing. She unlock it and turn the phone on. It contains nothing that could help them solve the case anyway, just pictures of the victim when she was alive. A pretty blonde now killed. It has little to no resemblance to her past pictures. She decided to keep it and hand it to the forensic laboratory and see if there are other fingerprints on it that could be a lead to the case. 

     Minutes passed and Joseph Timmons came rushing to the place. He is a man on his fifty's with fat belly and mustache beside his mouth. He carries an attaché case and approached Catharine and Alex.

         

     "This is strange. Paradiso never have case like this," Joseph said to them. He placed his case not far from the victim and took a closer look of it. Like Catharine, Joseph also pities the victim. After examining, he stood. "Studying rigor mortis, the victim was killed twenty-six hours ago. The force of a sharp object, a can probably, subjected to the victims part with an idiotic speed I can say marks her end of life," Joseph declared to them.

         

     "That's what I thought. We could've captured the suspect had the body discovered earlier. Alex, when did you say the victim was found?" Catharine asked.

         

     "Just early 1:00 am. Although given the state mentioned, we tried talking to the primary suspect but as expected, we get nothing that could be of use. We assumed that she found the body perhaps while looking for food. The scene made her even more shocked," Alex answered.

         

     "Tell me where she is. Maybe I could get some information." Catharine want to try her best luck. Alex motioned her at the back of the establishment. There, a woman lies, shaking from her head to feet. She's biting her dirty hands. Catharine slowly approach the woman so as not to scare her. Her hair is almost covering her entire face. The woman's once pretty face was now filled with dirt.

         

     "Hi, Ma'am. I'm detective Catharine from Paradiso City Police Department or PCPD. I just want to ask how you find the victim. Don't worry we won't harm you. Instead we would try our best and bring you to custody." Catharine managed to calm her voice. A pair of green eyes looked up to her. She really is shaken but nevertheless managed to speak.

         

     "M-man. Black. Blue eyes. E-eency W-weency song," the woman said. After she said this, a song suddenly plays out of nowhere. It's a nursery rhyme. The title, Catharine is sure of, is Eency Weency Spider.

         

     *An Eency Weency Spider went up the water sprout. Down came the rain and wash the spider out. Up came the sun and dried up all the rain so the Eency Weency spider went up the sprout again.*

         

     Then, an annoying chuckle of a kid followed. It sent shiver through Catharine. She looked back at the woman but she's no longer there. Assuming she ran away because of fear, Catharine return to the place where the victim was place. She found a small card below it's feet. *Stop, little cat,* the card reads.

__________

     The corpse looked to Catharine in a pleading way. Bruises the size of hand added to its skin. With one hand full of blood, it tried to reach Catharine. She stood there, mouth gaping. Frightened by the movement of the victim. It managed to utter few words, "Stop, please."

         

     Catharine woke alarmingly. Her nightmare made her so. She sighed in relief when she realized it was just meant to scare her. Lifting the comforter, Catharine scooted her way out of the bed to take a cold shower. God knows how much she needed one. She took off her clothes from investigation that morning. She just realized it now. Inside the bathroom, she rinsed the happenings including her nightmare. It seemed real but she remembered there was no way the victim could survive from death knowing she also have checked its pulse. Dead.

     Catharine walked out of the shower and got dressed. The evening breeze gets through her hair. It's normal for her to experience this. She purposely bought the house near the beach to help her freshen the mood but now it just feel impossible. The air just added to the bad feeling she's having. Thinking of that she tried to contact her sister, Carmela, to tell her what happened. To her dismay, the call routed to voice message.

         

     "Hi. It's me Carmela. Please leave a message after the short beep." The recorded voice of her sister was heard. "Hi, I was wondering if I could talk to you. Give me a call when you hear this," Catharine said. Not long after, an unknown number call Catharine. At first she was reluctant to answer as there might be a possibility that the culprit behind this mystery is the person trying to reach out but convince herself that it could be an important matter maybe from her parents. She took the phone and brought it closer to her ear.

         

     "Good evening Ma'am. This is Mrs. Lila Mendez, your sister's adviser. I just want to inform you that she did not attend my class again today. I also want to ask if she's in your house right now," Mrs. Mendez notified.

         

     "Good evening Ma'am. She's not in my house. Actually. I tried to call her but it just routed to voice message which is unlikely her. She always answers my calls and text me wherever she is. Don't worry Ma'am, I would call our parents and see if Carmela's there," Catharine answered and hung up the call. She punched digits and call her mother's line. After a ring, Mrs. Cory answered it.

         

     "Hi, sweetie. How's your life going on there?" she asked in a with an accent. Cory is an English Mom. Hearing the surroundings, Catharine is sure that her mother is working on the grass lawn in the house. Her mother is a dedicated garden lover. She field their house with almost all kinds of flower. Even their comfort room was shone by greens.

         

     "I'm fine Mom. Thanks for asking. I was just wondering if Carmela is there or if she happened to drop by? Her adviser just called saying Carmela's absent in her class again. I can't contact her which is odd." Catharine tried her best to be calm.

         

     "No, she haven't dropped by in the house. Maybe she's in a friend's house? Just let her for a moment. Maybe she's trying to get fresh air without us intervening. Don't get me wrong sweetheart, I love my daughter, the both of you but maybe she just need to take a break from things. You know her, she's quite secretive," Her mother assured her.

         

     Catharine sighed. She is not fully assured yet. "Okay, Mom. I would wait for maybe two hours from now. If she can't answer my calls by that time, I'm going to PCPD. Have to hung up now Mom. Regards me to Dad. I love you. Bye," Catharine stated.

         

     "Okay, I'll tell him. He's quite busy with his stuffs. You know, cars matter to him. I love you more sweetheart. Bye." Then she hung up.

         

     Sighing, Catharine put the phone down and sit at the edge of the bed. It is not long when another number call her. What's with the calls? She asked herself. She accepted it anyways. For a moment, the other line was dead. Again, she greeted the caller hello.

         

     "Hi, it's me Alex. Sorry for not uttering a word at first. I was getting a document while ringing you up. I have the personal information of the victim. It says here she used to be a working student who came in this town a year ago but eventually was missing. I don't know if the family has been notified about this. They live two cities after Paradiso. What do you suggest we do? Personally go to them?"

         

     "If we want to get more information then I believe we should go. You have the house number already?" Catharine asked.

         

     "I do. Just wear extra jacket so you won't get cold. I'll drop by your house," her partner reminded her. If it would be another girl, she would put malice to words Alex spoke. But knowing Alex, Catharine already put to mind that he is just kind of sweet. Minutes passed by and the doorbell rung. She looked through the peephole to make sure that Alex is outside. When convinced, she opened the door for him.

         

     "Hi. I suggest you put surveillance cameras in your house. It's quite big for one person," Alex spoke in a solemn manner, his tone ominous.

         

     "I've been thinking 'bout that. Have you heard about results of the phone? Fingerprints might be helpful."

         

     "I still haven't. PCPD was worn out with the news. Who could've imagined this would happen in a perfect family place," Alex said to which Catharine agreed. Having discussed the plan, they drive to the victim, Jennifer's home.