The air was heavy with moisture, and the scent of mildew clung to the crumbling walls of the abandoned house. A faint trail of flies buzzed near the lifeless body sprawled on the dusty floor, half-shrouded in shadow beneath the flickering light of a police flashlight. The silence was thick, broken only by the crackling of a police radio and the muffled sounds of the officers outside securing the scene.
"Is there no CCTV in the area?" asked the lady, her voice firm but composed as she stepped closer, careful not to disturb any evidence.
"I'm afraid there aren't any," one of the uniformed officers replied, shifting uncomfortably.
"All right, we'll transport the body to the xxx Hospital for an autopsy," she said, her tone brisk and professional, betraying no emotion despite the grim sight before her.
"I understand, ma'am," the officer said with a respectful nod.
She turned away, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The peeling paint, the cracked floorboards, the air thick with forgotten tragedy—it wasn't just a crime scene, it was a story waiting to be uncovered.
A few minutes later, a tall figure in a dark coat approached her. His presence was grounded, his voice steady.
"Are you the new transfer here?" the man asked, his sharp eyes studying her with a mixture of curiosity and calculation.
"Yes, I am. My name is Alina, and I believe you seem to be Inspector Eldric Noor, am I correct?"
Eldric gave a small smile, not quite a grin. "I see you're well-informed."
"We'll do the introductions later," Alina replied without missing a beat. "Right now, I'd like a full sweep of the area. Check for any eyewitnesses, anyone who might've seen something—anything."
Eldric nodded, quietly impressed by the precision in her tone. She was direct, controlled. Not new to this.
Outside, the flashing lights of the patrol cars reflected off shattered windows. Officers fanned out under the dim glow of nearby street lamps, canvassing the area as stray dogs howled in the distance.
This wasn't just another body. Alina felt it. There was something off—the silence was too deliberate, too neat. And in her line of work, neatness often meant someone wanted it that way.
[At xxx Hospital – Autopsy Room]
The stench was immediate—putrid, clinging, almost alive. It invaded the nose, settled in the lungs, and stuck to the fabric like a lingering curse. Blood, feces, and rot—an unbearable cocktail of decomposition. Even seasoned officers braced themselves.
"Are you all right?" Inspector Noor asked, glancing at Lieutenant Leif Truman, who looked pale and defeated.
"I don't think so. I'm going to puke any minute now," Leif groaned, trying to breathe through his mouth.
"You have to get used to it. It's not your first time here," Noor said, gently patting his shoulder.
"I know," Leif muttered. "Still doesn't make it easier."
Just then, a man entered the autopsy room—a young professional with glasses, lab coat stained slightly at the cuffs, and the casual air of someone too familiar with death.
"Eldric," he said with a nod, before noticing Alina. "And you must be new."
"Alina," she said, extending her hand. "You must be Dr. Lim?"
"The one and only," he smiled as he shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet someone new around here who isn't dead."
Alina raised an eyebrow, then gave a short laugh. "That's one way to break the ice."
"I have worse," he winked. "But I'll keep it classy for now."
Eldric chuckled. "Save the gallows humor for later. What did you find?"
Dr. Lim straightened. "No signs of external trauma. No bruising, no lacerations, no defense wounds. Which is interesting... but there's something else. The cause of death appears to be cardiac arrest."
Eldric frowned. "Heart attack?"
"Yes. But take a look at this." He gestured toward a high-res image on the screen, zooming in on the victim's arm. "See that small puncture?"
"Injection?" Alina asked.
"Bingo. Still running tests to find out what was administered, but something was clearly introduced into his system before death. Could be the trigger."
"There's also a crescent moon-shaped mark on his back," Dr. Lim added, switching to another image.
"A birthmark," Eldric said, studying the picture. "That could help us ID him."
"Unusual enough to stand out," Alina noted.
"We'll let you get back to it," Eldric said, already gathering his thoughts.
As they headed for the door, Dr. Lim called out, "Hey, Alina—if you survive more than a week working with these two, dinner's on me."
She smiled over her shoulder. "I'll consider that a challenge."
"Goodnight, doc," Leif added with a grin.
"Stay safe out there. And don't bring me back another one so soon."
After leaving the lab, Alina stayed quiet during the ride, absorbing everything she had just seen. The car hummed through the city traffic, lights reflecting on the windshield like ghosts flitting through glass.
"So," Eldric asked, breaking the silence, "how long have you been in the country?"
"Three months."
"Are you a half-American?"
"No, I'm not."
"At such a young age, you must be extremely intelligent and talented. Took me years to get to where I am."
"Yes," Leif added with a grin, "and you're pretty too."
Alina smirked, her tone still even. "I'm just a hard worker."
"You're humble too," Eldric said, his eyes briefly meeting hers in the rearview mirror.
"You can call me Leif if you want," the other officer said cheerfully. "And him? Just call him Eldric."
Alina gave a nod. "You can drop me off here," she said, pointing at a towering condo building.
"This where you stay?"
"Yes."
"Alright then. Take care."
"Thanks for the ride."
---
As they drove off, Leif whistled softly. "She's a beauty. Smart, sharp, and clearly well-off."
"She's from the U.S.," Eldric replied.
"And now she's on our team. Things just got more interesting," Leif said with a chuckle. Eldric didn't respond, but his mind was turning.
Then Leif's phone rang.
"Sir," he said, handing the phone to Eldric, "it's the Chairman of xxx village."
Eldric took it and listened carefully. After a pause, his tone shifted.
"What? Do you have a photograph of the crime scene? We'll be right there. Don't go anywhere."
Without a word, Eldric swerved the car toward their new destination, urgency pulsing through him.
---
The Chairman, an older man with worry lines etched deep into his face, met them outside a modest home.
'How come you didn't say so you have what we need?'
'I'm very sorry for this inconvenience, Sir. You see, I'm keeping this secret from the neighborhood. Some used to dump garbage at that abandoned house, but I want to keep that place clean. I always tell them to stop, but people are hard to talk to even if there is already an ordinance. That's why I installed this hidden camera to catch those stubborn folks. If I told you about this sooner, word would spread, and they would be furious. I apologize for calling you this late evening.'
'It's ok; it looks like you really cherish that place.' Eldric asked curiously.
'Yes, Sir. The owner of that house is a well-respected family. The parents died in a massive fire 15 years ago, leaving their only child, a boy, alone. That cheerful boy would pay me a visit when his parents were not home. He has a distinct birthmark on his back that I will never forget, even though I have forgotten what he looks like hehehe, I'm quite old, you know. His relatives took him when his parents died, and I haven't seen him since he went missing ten years ago.'
'This birthmark, you say, what does it look like?'
'It appears to be a crescent moon.'
Eldric paused for a moment, deep in thought.
'Where is the video?'
He guided them inside and pulled up the footage on an old desktop monitor. Eldric, Leif, and Alina leaned in.
Four men, masked and efficient, moved like shadows through the scene.
"We can't see their faces," Leif muttered.
"They're professionals," Eldric said, narrowing his eyes. "Wait—look at that man's hand."
"A tattoo," Leif noted.
'Where could I have seen something like this before?'
"May we have a copy of the video?" Eldric asked.
"Of course," the Chairman said, handing over a USB.
"Thank you. Your help means a lot."
"I just hope we find out who that young man was. His family must be terrified."
'We'll do it; justice will be served.'
'Well, goodnight, mister,' Leif said, his eyes sleepy.
'Goodnight.'
The two officers left and drove away.
'How did Alina know there were accomplices?'
Eldric is concerned about the status of the case.
'Yeah, she mentioned being "them" earlier; we'll find out tomorrow.'
'And, thankfully, we now have some leads. I'm hoping this case will be resolved soon.'