Chapter 7

The panel commenced shortly with the senior officers having all hands on deck. They were all seated across the round-table, poised to have a showdown. Miriam braced up for the moment looking to make a case for herself against Salim and to defend her jurisdiction as much as she could. It was her city; she presided over it. For her, the serial killer's identity was unknown and an investigatory process was in the works to unravel the mystery. But, for Salim, he was cocksure about the killer's identity as much as the identity of the one who sent a death threat to him. Much to Miriam's discontent, he was quite confident that Jack Banning was behind the bloodfest in the city.

Exchange of pleasantries and side talk was still ongoing amongst the seating officers before Williams waded in with his baritone voice to address the congregation in a bid to open the floor.

''Comrades and colleagues, we have converged here on this platform in the sole interest of the state and for the dignity of our profession,'' he paused, taking a moment to feel the impact of his words. ''It is with the prompt of the Director General that we are gathered here to iron out crucial security matters affecting affairs of the Vegas county and it's neighboring cities.''

The chief of police, Williams, proceeded with his address, having noticed that he commanded attention and quiet of the seating police officers.

''Well, we've had murder cases, assassination, blooding spilling--name it--of our beloved statesman, Senator Kasidy, and a business aristocrat in Westgate, in the space of just a week. It's shocking, comrades.''

William's tone of voice was such that punctured the officers' egos and called their competency to question in a rhetoric fashion.

''Worse still, not one of you and your forces have apprehended the culprit behind this mess, still.'' Williams continued in a rather admonishing tone. He paused for a bit and swallowed calmly. ''Perhaps, your investigatory reports and findings so far might give us an insight into why the culprit behind this criminal bloodshed has not been brought to book and has been left roaming alive all over.''

In this moment that Williams decided to take a momentary breather, then a voice dared to cut in from outside the round table discourse.

''The ravening beast has no other home than our system,'' Donell yelled from a distance as he advanced petulantly towards the convergence. ''The beast lies with us. We only need to search within.''

The sight of Donell drew attention of other lieutenants and seating officers as they all switched their focus on the oncoming Donell who was obviously behind schedule. His uninvited interruption caused even more slight with the chief of police who wouldn't condone his casual attitude.

''And where have you been, Inspector Donell?'' William asked, unable to hide his fury.

''To have the devil's piss, chief,'' replied Donell. ''We shall need some devil's spirit to combat this ravening devil, shan't we, chief?''

Donnell's words provoked a hushed laughter across the table. His sense of humour might be pettish and irrelevant, but then, he could surely devise his way out of trouble anytime. He had seen the four walls of power as much as he had dined with big shots during his failed adventures in politics. He was an old lad. Without doubt, he surely had it all: the experience, guile, courage and secrecies. He had been in service for quite a long time and he had no fear whatsoever for Williams who happened to be his former colleague before his successful political adventures which earned him a place in the Governor's heart and as the chief of police. His mannerism, however, didn't go down well with Williams who made to lash at Donell.

''This attitude is unacceptable, old geezer,'' Williams snapped at Donell, banging his fist on the surface. ''If you're tired of this job, then take up a place in the catacomb, Donell.''

''I would rather await the killer to take me down there--the catacomb--than to have me sent there, chief.''

His clever replies could not be missed by his fellow inspectors and officers as they listened attentively and reacted in equal measure. Donell, however, joined in and took to a seat at the table.

Williams chose to keel mute over Donell's last reply. He would rather ignore his senseless talk. The older geezer was not worth the effort, she thought.

''Comrades, we have the life of another statesman at risk,'' Williams continued, this time, with much steel and seriousness reflecting in his voice. ''You won't fold your arms and watch killer shame this profession, will you? And if any one of you feels too lax on the job, I would advise that you resign now, or I give you your marching orders.''

''Here with me is Prince Addullahi Salim,'' he said, pointing towards Salim who was seated right beside him at the head of the round table. ''He received a mockery phonecall from Jack Banning and a death threat came in the next day with a date of execution. That's utterly disrespectful of the Jack Banning to this profession. It's disrespectful to your dignity and to you all as a reliable force.''

The conversation heated up as Williams took it a duty to psyche up the cops and question their competence. In this moment, he set himself to take the pressure to the individual officers who were duty-bound to answer to his challenge.

''And what says you inspector Miriam?''

even more slight with the chief of police who wouldn't condone his casual attitude.

''And where have you been, Inspector Donell?'' William asked, unable to hide his fury.

''To have the devil's piss, chief,'' replied Donell. ''We shall need some devil's spirit to combat this ravening devil, shan't we, chief?''

Donnell's words provoked a hushed laughter across the table. His sense of humour might be pettish and irrelevant, but then, he could surely devise his way out of trouble anytime. He had seen the four walls of power as much as he had dined with big shots during his failed adventures in politics. He was an old lad. Without doubt, he surely had it all: the experience, guile, courage and secrecies. He had been in service for quite a long time and he had no fear whatsoever for Williams who happened to be his former colleague before his successful political adventures which earned him a place in the Governor's heart and as the chief of police. His mannerism, however, didn't go down well with Williams who made to lash at Donell.

''This attitude is unacceptable, old geezer,'' Williams snapped at Donell, banging his fist on the surface. ''If you're tired of this job, then take up a place in the catacomb, Donell.''

''I would rather await the killer to take me down there--the catacomb--than to have me sent there, chief.''

His clever replies could not be missed by his fellow inspectors and officers as they listened attentively and reacted in equal measure. Donell, however, joined in and took to a seat at the table.

Williams chose to keel mute over Donell's last reply. He would rather ignore his senseless talk. The older geezer was not worth the effort, she thought.

''Comrades, we have the life of another statesman at risk,'' Williams continued, this time, with much steel and seriousness reflecting in his voice. ''You won't fold your arms and watch killer shame this profession, will you? And if any one of you feels too lax on the job, I would advise that you resign now, or I give you your marching orders.''

''Here with me is Prince Addullahi Salim,'' he said, pointing towards Salim who was seated right beside him at the head of the round table. ''He received a mockery phonecall from Jack Banning and a death threat came in the next day with a date of execution. That's utterly disrespectful of the Jack Banning to this profession. It's disrespectful to your dignity and to you all as a reliable force.''

The conversation heated up as Williams took it a duty to psyche up the cops and question their competence. In this moment, he set himself to take the pressure to the individual officers who were duty-bound to answer to his challenge.

''And what says you inspector Miriam?''

Williams asked, setting the floor for Miriam who was poised to make things right. ''Have you marshalled your force to capture Jack wherever he is. That beast is still roaming free. It's a shame!''

Miriam sat up and set to launch into a furious speech, but then, she held back her emotions and, instead, applied some logic in her approach.

''Thank you having me on the floor, chief,'' she said calmly but with an obvious courage in her voice. ''As we know it, the Vegas county has a high concentration of elites and the political aristocrats in thus nation. It is most safe to submit--from the pattern so far--that that the killer in question is after the political big wigs, making it a pure a coincidence that the Vegas city has witnessed a high death toll in the space of a week.''

Miriam looked round, adjusting the table microphone as she noticed that all attention was poured on her. Of course, she had a grip on her fellow inspectors and officers.

''I assure you that the Vegas metropolis have never folded arms in the face of this adversity,'' Miriam continued as she made to calm Williams down. ''I have marshalled my men to the nooks and crannies of the city--not as uniformed cops--as secret agents in a bid to boost our chances of capturing the killer in question.''

Williams nodded, wanting to hear more from Miriam as his attention was fixed on the details the inspector had to offer.

''In addition, I have engaged the services of expert investigators and top-notch detectives who, so far, have their findings to report.''

She looked in the direction of Donovan who was seated across the table in his glistening black suit.

''Mr Daniel Donovan has been a huge help in the past few days,'' said Miriam, fixing a gaze on Donovan. ''Trust me, he's a top-notch detective given his experience in unravelling murder cases in the civil crisis in the far-east Japan and India. He's well travelled too, and I can confirm to you that he's had a near encounter with the killer in question.''

Donovan looked still as the officers' attention switched towards him, but he managed to summon up some ego. He was not expecting Miriam to chip in his near encounter with the killer. Recalling Natasha's death in the central ward, that piece of fact made him look weak as he couldn't nail the killer that night. But then, he found some positives in that fact. No one had come in contact with the killer, after all, he concluded, taking pride in his conclusion.

''But I must urge Prince Salim to desist from granting interviews to the press for the time being,'' said Miriam, looking diagonally at Salim who steeled his countenance at hearing the mention of his name by the inspector, ''because this is certain to expose you to danger even more. We're doing everything to have you covered, Prince.''

''You're doing absolutely nothing! Nothing at all,'' screamed Salim as he sprang to his feet while banging his fist on the table as if to attack Miriam. ''All you've done is to attempt to ruin me. You shout down my hotel and arrested my personnel. Where is this done?''

Miriam was taken aback by Salim's reaction. Although, she had sensed that Salim was not particularly on good terms with her, yet she had not expected such outburst from a man who had maintained quietude and sanity all along.