Opaque (Part III)

Part I / Part II

Ronald Pascoe was having a tough time. The third murder made their schedules a bit more crammed up than earlier. Gerald blamed himself for the murder as they were just minutes away from stopping the same, or so he thought.

The cops had a list of people in their mid 40’s with no living relatives, and were just about to talk with Mike Newton when they realized he was missing. A search party was arranged for. He was last seen at the park, 2 days earlier.

A panic stricken call from a woman on her early morning walk had got the cops to the area.

‘I was out for my m..morning w..aa..lk, and usually lassy never runs away… and then she did.. and she started barking… the way you know… it’s was different, and … I saw lassy girl standing few feet away from the ma.. as in corpse .. and the I called … ‘

Ronald turned to Gerald and asked him to have the lady and her dog to be driven back home.

He turned and looked at the corpse. A “U” was drawn on his chest with a sharp instrument. Ronald knew he was missing out on something, the clues he thought. There was something he was definitely missing out. He straightened up and walked towards the outer perimeter and looked around checking for something , anything that he could trace back to the killer. But he couldn’t find anything. Lassy’s paw prints confirmed the woman’s story.

‘Ronny, did you find something’, Gerald called out. Ronald was just about to turn and say no, when something caught his eye. He walked over and saw a small silver shiny object on the damp ground. He picked it up and examined it closely, it seemed to have broken off something, only he had to find out what.

******

“How did it break Ken” Nay pouted, “I had to search high and low for this, and you cannot even take care of it “?

“I.. nay, I .. hmmm.. I’m sorry ,it just broke I’ll fix it up”, he grinned back sheepishly

‘Nay-nay, you should know whom you should hand out gifts to”, Mia added

“Oh c’mon Mia, he said he will fix it wont you, Ken?

“mmmm Yea, btw, just that you know Mia, was the one who broke it” , he guffawed looking at Mia.

“Yea maybe you should keep your hands to yourself Ken”, she walked out of the room.

“You what ken??? Oh no no no don’t tell me, did you, you guys?? Eeee, did you try snogging her? Hahhahaha, is that how that pendant broke, did she slap you” , Nay burst into fits of laughter.

*******

She couldn’t remember having slept more peacefully than she had in these few weeks.

******

Ronald was bent over the table looking closely at the pictures of the victims. He had jotted down the following on the board: Eye, left hand – 8, near right, U. he picked up the shiny silver. He knew it was dropped there recently, as it did not have traces of dirt on it. But it was found at a distance which couldn’t correspond directly with the murder as well.

*****

“This is your Favorite place?” she looked enquiringly at Kenneth.

“Yea, no one to disturb us, and especially at this time of the hour, no one.” He smiled at her

“you wanna walk a little into the woods”, he held out his hand. She ignored him and walked into the woods, and stopped when she reached a big boulder, she sat on it and looked around “it’s a bit eerie in here, actually”

“But your presence makes it beautiful Mia” , he knelt in front of her, and took her hands in his and kissed them. She jerked her hand away from his, and stood up and started walking away, when he pushed her gently  towards a tree, and started kissing her. She tugged at him in an effort to get away and held onto his chain, and pushed him, breaking the pendant as she did so. She slapped him hard, and started walking back, leaving him staring after her.

****

Ronald had always found the ‘New Gen’, as they preferred being called, adept in taking ‘shorter routes’, literally. They were attracted to ‘easy money’ opportunities, faster modes of transport, Short texts, even the language was cut down. He had seen Miasha making use of such terms when he accidentally went through her phone. He couldn’t make head or tails of the messages that she received – ‘w8 i'll b in a min’ or the ‘lol’ or ‘lmao’. He was hoping his daughter wasn’t part of anything illegal. It was later that he understood that she was a part of the ‘next gen’ and these were a new way to communicate – and totally legal at the same time.

***

Ronald knew he had to take a break his time He was working for 72 hours straight , and was in need of some rest. He instructed his team to take few hours off. Ronald headed home and relaxed at the very thought of snuggling into his bed.

He had other reasons as well. It had been a long time since he was aroused. Her calm demeanor and talks had made him all the more eager to head In  her direction. He could almost smell her, and feel her soft body against his. He smiled.

***

Gerald was still working on case. His eyes darted between the pictures and the board where Ronny had written down the clues. He positioned himself in front of the board, and walked back two steps. He took the three pictures, and sat down on a chair facing the board. Were the eyes placed on the slab to give away a particular location?, or was it just as Ronny stated a part of the ‘Scavenger hunt’.

Gerald walked to the cupboard and took out a map of the town. It showed every small lane and shops and was even more precise than an image a satellite could offer. He sat back on the chair, and placed the map on the ground; he parted his feet and bent down towards the map, marking the first place on it. The eyes he thought, he scribbled ‘Eye’ on his notepad, and tried to look at the direction as to which it was placed. There had to be a reason or it to have been placed on the slab, he had argued with Ronny.

He turned the map around, and focused more clearly on the direction the eye was placed as though ‘looking’ at something. ‘Hmmm, that’s kinda funny’, he said aloud, running his hand along the nape of his neck. He always felt funny around the nape when he was closing in on a case. The eye was facing a row of houses; one of them belonged to Ronny. Was it was too much of a coincidence?

***

She gingerly walked through the graveyard, holding herself tightly across her chest. She looked too fragile, like a leaf about to fall off. She joined the gathering to mourn the death of Mike Newton. One more and the town would be clean. She wrapped her shawl tightly around herself, and looked at the sky, a smile escaped her lips but it did not reach her eyes. It got lost between her lips and the bridge of her nose.

***

Gerald wasn’t sure whether he should inform Ronny about it. Was he just making assumptions but it was too much of a coincidence to be just an assumption. He remembered Ronny making fun of him when he had in earlier cases cited similar thoughts, it made Ronny refer to Gerald as a “Wuss”. Did he want to be called a ‘Wuss’ again?. He wasn’t sure of that, but he was sure of one thing – this time Ronny was in trouble!.

Gerald hadn’t come to figuring out what the ‘clues’ meant. However, when he placed all of the  3 murders together, they somehow seemed to point out to Ronny. The second murder wherein the hand was cut of was placed, and what later seemed , was forcefully pointed in the direction of the small row of houses, where Ronny lived. Similarly the 3^rd victim, on whom a ‘U’ was etched ever so brutally was again pointed in the direction of the same row of houses – too much of a coincidence!!

****

‘You heard about Mr. Newton Mia? ‘

‘Hmmm yea’

‘You know after what Yasmin told me about him, he deserved it, but not so gruesome right?’

‘After what he did to Yasmin, I think he deserved something far more gruesome than that, Nay’

‘What happened Mia, you only call me Nay, when you have something bothering you, are you ok, is it Kenneth?”

‘No love, nothing, I was just reading the papers, that’s all’

‘Hmmm, alright, if anything you know where to reach me don’t you’

‘Yea, at the back seat of Justin’s car’

They both burst out laughing, and said quick byes. Mia replaced the receiver, and smiled thinking about her Best friend.

****

You missed out on one more similarity in three murders. They were all Bastards, who thought little girls could be played with; they robbed us of our innocence behind closed doors, and were revered by society for their services. Not again, and now it’s your turn.

***

Ronald’s car screeched to a halt outside his house. He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself, before entering the house, he did not want his ‘Little girl’ to see her daddy all tired. He opened the door with a huge smile.” Love I’m ho...” The words got stuck in his throat.

***

1 day later

Gerald knew he had to inform Ronny of this. He picked up the necessary documents and rushed to his car.

***

Gerald called Miasha on her cell phone. He did not know how to break the news to her. But he had to. He remembered her when she was around 5 years old, running towards him wither arms wide open in a pink dress, her blonde hair bouncing and gleaming in the sun. He had seen her change after her Mom’s death, and had seen her grow into a beautiful woman, but all to quiet for her age.

‘Mia, this is Gerald, could you please come over to your home’

‘Sure Uncle Gerald, is everything alright?’

‘Hmmm, come over, I need to talk’

‘Ok , I’ll be there soon’

***

After Ronald Pascoe’s Murder, a sudden fear gripped the town. No one was safe. If the chief was murdered in his own House, who was to be safe? Gerald asked for a transfer after 6 months of trying to figure out who was behind all of it. Miasha left citing further studies. The town sympathized with her, she lost her mother when she was around 12, and now she lost her Dad as well. She promised Nay-nay that she would be in touch. Nay-nay knew it was better to let go than hold on to her.

***

8 years later….

Miasha was working as the Chief Head - Homicide with the FBI. She was strong, independent, fierce, and like her subordinates cited ‘The Hot Bitch’. There was not a case that wasn’t solved under her.

Following a government law, many old cases were being reopened. 10 of them landed on her desk, as she sifted through them, an odd expression clouded her face. She was looking at a file that read “Important”. She knew that case like the back of her palm. It had taken away her Dad.

She still remembered the day when she was asked to come home by Uncle Gerald. No sooner had she reached her house than she saw it being covered by the cops, a number of people ran in and out of the house, an ambulance sounded in the distance. A yellow police tape “Keep out” was being plastered around her house. She was confused as to what was happening. She sighted Uncle Gerald, and walked across to him.

‘Where’s is dad, uncle, and what’s happening here’

‘Miasha, Ronny was murdered’

Gerald couldn’t comprehend the look on her face. It was as though a small smile waiting to break out but suddenly it was reminded by a strict teacher that it was not his turn. Gerald was not good with woman, so he just let it go. He held on to Mia, and did not allow her to be a spectator of the brutal murder.

Mia was happy that Uncle Gerald was not all that smart.

***

She waited for Ronald Pascoe to come back home. Earlier when she spoke with him, she knew how he felt. He said that calm woman attracted him. That was what he had told her the first time he felt her without her consent. he wanted her to be calm, and let him inside her. She cried and begged him to stop, but he was an animal and did not stop.

It became a regular routine now; she cried for her mom, she cried and asked God to help her. But no one listened to her.

She hid behind the covers, and pulled it to her face, hoping that the nightmare would finish off even before it starts off. She heard the familiar sound of the boots across the floor. The closer they came, the stronger she held onto her blanket, tears streamed down her face, her eyes screamed for help, but not  a sound escaped her lips, the door opened and she welcomed her nightmare.

She knew she had to stop it she knew she had to be strong. But showing her strength earned her many bruises. That’s when she realized she had enough, and she Planned something for him, and many others, who were just like him.

No one saw Miasha among the crowd, and even if they did, they would have smiled and greeted her. She was a known figure among the locals. They would have assumed her to have come, to pay her respects to a man who was brutally murdered. She smiled as Simon Andrews was lowered into the ground. May the worms feed o your testicles, and may they touch every part of your body, just like you touched every other girl, who came to your house for Math tuition.

The murders kept Ronald away from home. She couldn’t remember having slept more peacefully than she had in these few weeks. Se knew how she could make them a continuous part of their life.

Ronald on the other hand hadn’t been home for the past two days, and was worried about Miasha, but she assured him that she would take care of herself, and wished him luck for the case. A smile spread across his face, it ironed out the creases on his forehead. He suppressed his desire as soon as it had started surfacing. He knew he had to get back Home and feel Miasha’s body against his. ‘ Gerald i'm sure there is something that links all of them together ‘ Miasha smiled as she hung up on him . Sure Dad there is.

You missed out on one more similarity in three murders. They were all Bastards, who thought little girls could be played with; they robbed us of our innocence behind closed doors, and were revered by society for their services. Not again, and now it’s your turn.

She knew it was time, she had finished off with Simon, Ian was the local old man who would invite kids to his house and fondle them, ad Mike had gone  a step further and raped Yasmin, his Grand daughter. Yasmin was never the same again, and Mia knew what it may have been. Yasmin confided in Mia and Nay, and asked them to not let anyone know.

It’s time for you Dad. She called him and asked him to come home and rest. Ronny never felt happier.

Ronald knew he had to take a break his time He was working for straight 72 hours, and was in need of some rest. He instructed his team to take few hours off. Ronald headed home and relaxed at the very thought of snuggling into his bed.

He had other reasons as well. It had been a long time since he was aroused. Her calm demeanor and talks had made him all the more eager to head in her direction. He could almost smell her, and feel her soft body against his. He smiled.

Miasha gingerly walked through the graveyard, holding herself tightly across her chest. She looked too fragile, like a leaf about to fall off. She joined the gathering to mourn the death of Mike Newton. One more and the town would be clean. She wrapped her shawl tightly around herself, and looked at the sky, a smile escaped her lips but it did not reach her eyes. It got lost between her lips and the bridge of her nose.

 She waited for Ronald to come back home.

Ronald’s car screeched to a halt outside his house. He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself, before entering the house, he did not want his ‘Little girl’ to see her daddy all tired. He opened the door with a huge smile.” Love I’m ho...” The words got stuck in his throat.

He saw her standing in front of him in a negligee. He failed to notice how her body had developed over the years. She had a very sensuous body which flirted with him in a black negligee, hat barely covered her. He was aroused, and she knew it. She smiled.

She glided towards him and gingerly took out his gun from his holster. He closed his eyes ready for the pleasures that awaited him. She ripped him off his uniform, and allowed him to touch her. She pushed him towards the kitchen, where she had designed his fate. Something pricked him , but he let that thought go. He was a man with needs that had to be fulfilled, and he liked the ‘game’ she had in mind.

Ronald couldn’t feel her around him and opened his eyes, to see her smiling at him from a distance. He felt groggy and smiled back. “Meeeeeaaaaa”, he stuttered, the words incoherent. She felt Rohypnol could have been avoided. But it was needed. He stirred. He felt a piercing pain.

‘Hey Ronny, how do you feel? Here take a look at yourself “she said, and placed a mirror in front of him.

“you know what the clues meant, “I hate u and the last bit is DAD”, Ronald couldn’t understand what she was saying as he tried to focus on the mirror in front of him. He was bleeding profusely. He tried to get up , but was pulled back again. He was tied down to the floor.

‘It won’t hurt Daddy, I Promise. just like it never hurt me’

Ronald eyes bulged in horror when his daughter’s words started making sense. He tried to force himself free, but he couldn’t, he felt weak. He had lost a lot of blood.

“Daddy, you know what the clue to the murders was she piped again”

“Mia, let go of me..’

“The Eye stands for the alphabet “I” ", she cut across" the second with the hand cut into eight pieced stands for h8, daddy are you listening it means hate, isn’t that cool???, and then ‘u is Y O U.”

Mia walked towards her Dad and slit his throat. “I hate you Dad”

****