100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 59: Der Tod I

Two weeks later.

8:01 PM- Saturday

Levi played with a tennis ball in his hand, bouncing it over the wall and catching it just to throwback again. He did this over and over while sitting in his chair facing the window inside his flat. Wearing a white shirt under his blue colored vest and pants. His suit jacket draped over the back of a chair.

He gazed upon the view out the window and noticed that the weather had been particularly grim. Something not unusual, London was famous for its fickle weather after all. But somewhat to him, it felt different.

And his thoughts returned to the still ongoing case of the Murder of the 15th, in 3 weeks, someone else would die.

They had reached another end to their investigation.

No more leads to follow. For now. Whoever this person was didn’t leave any hard evidence again. A practiced perfectionist, but fortunately for them he did leave some vital information as well. All from that simple note, he left, ’Hello, Dr. Gray’.

A psychological profile that they got from Graphology. Graphology is the analysis of the physical characteristics and patterns of handwriting that may indicate the current psychological state at the time of writing or evaluating personality characteristics. All of those they learned can be used to narrow down their search.

He and Sam would just have to wait things out, they just need something hard that they could nail him with.

Circumstantial evidence is easy enough to question in court, they wouldn’t want to take the risk considering their adversary was highly intelligent.

Patience.

That’s what they need to practice.

While Levi sat there waiting, he knew the killer was plotting his next kill.

Who was Rosalind? he wondered.

How does he choose them?

It can’t be random.

There’s always something, something they’re missing that these victims have in common.

They have to figure it out, or it will be another body on top of Sam’s Examination table.

Levi shifted to his side, hearing his phone ring by the door. He approached his coat hanging by the rack. He stuck his hand in its pocket, and pulled out his mobile phone, together with the access card of her lab...his mind for a moment drifted off to how he got it almost a year ago.

******************************************************************************************************

11 Months ago

Sam’s phone rang, vibrating, and ringing on her bedside drawer. Waking her. A groan escaped her lips, and she grabbed it, blinding her from the light temporarily.

Levi Jackson, the name on her screen said.

Accepting the call and pressing it against her ear, "What?" She groaned annoyed, it was after all a Sunday, 3 in the morning. Her day off.

Levi said something about a case, demanding to use her lab. Sam didn’t say anything and just ended the call and closed her eyes again. Until her mobile dinged on the bed beside her.

Message Received:

Levi Jackson: ’Guy’s, meet me now.’ the text said. Again she ignored it, and before she could drop her mobile on the mattress to go back to sleep, she received another text.

’Its life and death’ it says.

Sam groaned frustrated and rolled off her bed in one bundled mess. While changing to more presentable clothing, she grabbed her mobile and dialed a number.

"Miss?" A man answered on the other line. "Sorry for waking you up, Bill. But can you drive me to Guy’s please?" Sam said, embarrassed to have woken up her driver.

The cab he drives was merely a Front to the public, he wasn’t really a cab driver. But her personal driver.

"Of course Miss, I’ll be there in 5minutes."

"Thanks."

Guy’s Hospital

Sam walked through the empty halls leading to her lab, standing by the door impatiently was Levi, beside him was Marco looking very embarrassed.

"You’re late." Levi commented as she approached them, "Levi!" the bearded man chided.

Marco turned to her apologetic, "Sorry, thanks so much for coming, Sam." he apologized, for being such a tall bloke he had a gentle voice, Sam realized.

"Stop apologizing for this prat, Marco," Sam said, glaring at the tall blond. She tapped her keycard to the door opening it.

The two walked in while she held the door open for them. "Do you need help?" She asked but she hoped not. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"No," Levi says, removing his coat and getting to work.

"K," Sam says, walking out the door to head back to bed.

That same morning at 10:30, she came to work. By this time Levi had enough clues to solve a missing dog case. The case was interesting enough for the blond himself to deal with, apparently, there was a whole family drama involving said K9. And the sister of the woman who used to own it dognapped it from her very own niece and threatened to kill it for money.

Elle walked in her office, placing a pile of papers that she needed to sign,

"Elle, did you get me what I asked?" she asked. "In your drawer." the brunette replied before walking out to get back to her cubicle just across. "Thanks." the redhead said, starting to work.

That same afternoon, Levi came by Guy’s, with a pack of biscuits as Marco insisted he brings them to the woman. Informed him that it wasn’t ’nice’ or ’decent’ to wake the redhead in such an ungodly hour and ’demand’ to use her lab. The lab that she was generous enough to allow him to use.

Levi knocked on the wooden door of her office, and he walked in with his signature fake smile on his face. Sam eyed him suspiciously while signing some paperwork before heading to the Lab later.

"Hi." he greeted, too enthusiastically for it to be genuine.

"What do you need, Mr. Jackson?" Sam asked, getting back to the files.

The smile disappeared immediately from his face, "I brought you this. As an apology and a thank you." he said.

Her eyes bounced from paper on her desk to the psychologist,

"You mean, Marco forced you to bring this to me?" She said, brow raised.

"Yes," he admitted without any sign of remorse. Sam paused, and she laughed at that. "Don’t bother, Levi. It’s fine, I am well aware you’re an insufferable prick. Thanks for the biscuits." She says, accepting it from his hand and placing it on the table. Levi nodded and was about to leave when she called to him.

"Levi, before I forget." She says, the blond turned to look at her. She pulls something from the top drawer of her table and throws it to him, he catches it with both hands in the air.

He could feel the cool surface of plastic against his palms.

He opened his hands to see an Access card on it. A security badge with his own name printed on it.

"That can only open my Lab, and it registers every time you use it. Don’t touch my Records and Files, and clean after yourself. Lastly don’t bring other people in my lab without my knowledge." she said, Levi sent her a look on the last part, slightly offended. What does she think he’ll do, have sex in the lab?

"If you fail to follow this, I’ll retract your access immediately," she says looking at him in a warning, then looking down to the paper.

Levi’s eyes bounced from the access card in his hand to the top of her head as she continued to work.

"So, next time you don’t have to wake me up if you need the lab. I insist you don’t wake me up." She says not bothering to look at him while she signed the paper in hand.

He watched her for a brief moment dumbfounded.

My own key to the lab, he thought.

That happened faster than he predicted, he was plotting on bothering her more in the wee hours of the night in the future just to get it.

He initially expected it would take some time seeing as she had some security concerns with others using her lab.

Elle had complete access to it, yes. But that was understandable as she was her personal assistant. But she only came there to pick up stuff or bring her papers to sign or tea. She never messed with her machines or touched any of the stuff lying around.

Even Sam’s supposed ’disciple’ Clark, rarely worked there with her. And he had no access to the lab independently.

Levi wonders, does she trust this easily?

’No’ he thought.

So, why him?

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Present Day.

8:02 PM- Levi’s Flat

Levi held his mobile in his hand grinning at the memory of how he got that access card, his phone rang a third time, on the screen was the name, Sam.

He couldn’t help but smile when he clicked the accept button and was about to greet her with his signature You know I prefer to text, when he paused, hearing the worst sound he never imagined hearing.

It was her voice screaming from the other side,

"LEVI!!!"

He heard the phone hit the floor, followed by smashing noise and the call end sound echoed back to his ear.

Toot

Toot

Toot

Levi ran towards the door grabbing his coat, and he ran down the stairs. He crossed the street in a hurry getting in his car and starting the engine. He knew she was at home, she texted him an hour ago, informing him she’ll be coming with Mo to his flat earlier than usual for their Game night. Something about her dogwalker preparing for a party.

He dialed her landline at home putting it on speaker while he drove, his heartbeat pounding.

Her landline kept ringing.

Ring

Ring

Ring

He looked back at the short call, based on the sounds he heard, he can only assume that someone grabbed the mobile from her and crushed it with their feet.

The landline kept ringing, filling his whole car.

Ring

Ring

Ring

But no answer.

And Levi stepped on the gas harder.