100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 119: The Artist VII
Jackson Detectives Agency
Levi and Sam exchanged looks, Marco saw the silent exchange, and his eyes widened; they were doing ’It.’ That annoying habit they do wherever they realize something together.
Are they actually aliens? And are they having a telepathic discussion right at that moment? He couldn’t help but fathom.
"Uhm, normal person here," he said, looking at the two with a tired look. It was hard to keep up with them at times like this, no, it had always been hard keeping up with them.
Levi and Sam turned to him; a stern look was on their faces. "What?" he asked, wondering if he did something wrong.
Levi turned away and looked at the whiteboard, thinking. While Sam sighed, the blond left the explanation to her. "Michael knew his killer from the start," she started, and Marco’s jaw dropped processing the information.
"What? How?? And why?" Marco stuttered, earning a glare from the psychologist. "Why didn’t he say anything, or stop it?" the bearded man asked, oblivious of the annoyed-look Levi was sending him. He was mentally pondering those questions himself.
"Because he wanted to die, Marco." the redhead said, a sad look graced her features. Marco tensed in response while Levi scowled. "He’s an eejit, he is nothing like you." the blond psychologist spat, annoyed with their latest findings.
"So, he just, he just took whatever his killer gave him?" Marco thought out loud, "BUT THAT’S INSANE?!" he exclaimed seconds after. The idea of wanting to die in itself was lost to him.
Sam sighed; she can’t understand it herself. But that’s what the evidence indicated; there was nothing they could do about it.
"He was smart enough to be vague about it in his journal entries. He clearly didn’t want anyone to know, why was he protecting the killer?" Levi commented, looking at the page where Sam found the statement.
"He must have at least told someone!" Marco said, earning a look from both geniuses.
"He must’ve trusted at least one person. You can’t just keep something like that, there must be!" he insisted after recognizing the look in the two’s eyes. Michael Scott was living a miserable enough life that he allowed someone to torture him for months. And in the end, take his life.
"It was five months of pain...why didn’t he tell anybody?" Marco said almost in a whisper. Sam’s eyes reddened; she could tell why; she could understand at least that part. "It’s because he didn’t have anyone, Marco. He was alone. And I think he didn’t have a reason to live." she said, looking straight to his eyes.
"But he had so much to look forward to, his work being displayed to a gallery! You guys said his painting style changed, that it became brighter and more colorful!" Marco reasoned.
"The change in his painting style, after so many years of depression, could have been a sign that he had finally made a decision. You know this, Marco," Levi said. He was hinting that one of the warning signs in most suicides is the sudden change in mood from depression to sudden happiness. It may mean that the person has finally decided to take their life. A sense of relief after days, weeks, or months of seeking answers. They finally found it, and that is death.
"Well, even if he knew it or not. The fact that someone caused his death means it’s a homicide investigation." Levi said, then turned to Sam.
"For now, keep reading. Marco may be right; he could have told someone. Or he could have at least left clues." the blond said. She nodded and got back to reading, her skills of reading 20,000 words per minute instrumental in that particular case. And like Levi said, she thought, this case was a homicide, no matter how they may look at it.
.....
It was 15 minutes later when the silence in the room was broken by Sam, "Levi, look at this." she said. And the slicked blond immediately approached her, it wasn’t anything, but to her, it felt out of place. Different from Michael’s previous writing pattern, and he emphasized it by writing a line under it. It felt different, a simple entry, days before he died in the hospital.
’So many words to say, but no one to say them...but what’s left unsaid says it all.’
"I don’t understand." Levi said, and Sam sighed, "Me either, but he emphasized it. He never did that before in all his entries."
"You could be reaching," the blond said, and Sam sighed, she too knew the possibility. She could be wrong, but it was her gut telling her something. "You may be right, but that’s all I got from all his entries. Nothing else stands out," she said.
Closing the journal and putting it in the box, Sam sighed after looking at her wristwatch and turned to the boys. "It’s late. I’ll see you tomorrow evening," she said, grabbing her jacket draped over a chair and exiting the office. Levi followed behind her, walking her out as usual. Almost two years of friendship, and he still does it like clockwork, unless he was cross at her. But even when he was, he allowed her to kiss him goodbye, at least.
Levi took note of the frustration in her face as they exited the agency’s front door and stood by the hallway,
"We’ll figure it out. We always do," he said.
Sam smiled up at him sadly, "Not always." she said, tiptoeing to kiss his cheek. Not always, he knew it meant the Murder of the 15th Case, that one had stopped suddenly after that last victim during her ’blind’ days. No bodies were found with the same pattern after, so Murder of the 15th remained unsolved. Maybe one day, they’ll figure it out.
"Well, let’s not let another one slip our fingers, I have a reputation for my outstanding success rates " he said in good humor, and she grinned in understanding.
"Yeah, let’s catch a killer."
.....
Next day, Scott’s Residence, Linsdell Rd.
Levi and Marco greeted the two women, shaking their hands as they entered their home. Charmaine Scott, from what Levi observed, was the perfect image of a person grieving. Her eyes and nose were both still red, even under her makeup. And her face was slightly gaunt, implying some sudden weight loss in a span of a short time—nothing unusual after losing a family member.
Pleasantries were exchanged, and the questioning commenced, "Ms. Scott, we’re very sorry for your loss. We know you were close with your brother Michael." Levi said softly, the actor in him aiming for an oscar.
Charmane nodded in confirmation, "Mike and I had always been close; I just can’t believe he would do this." the dark-haired woman said, then her eyes started to water. She wiped the tears off her eyes with the handkerchief in her hand.
"By this, what do you mean?" Levi asked, even though he knew what she meant. He just wanted her to be more precise.
Charmaine looked at him, "Taking his own life." she said confidently. Her mother had mentioned he had been down for months before, that’s why she had been checking up on him weekly. Worried of his state, he had always been far more sensitive than others. He was too pure of a soul for this world, she thought.
"Ms. Scott, whether this was suicide or homicide, is still not confirmed. The investigation is still ongoing," Marco informed.
"Homicide?" Charmaine looked surprised; she shifted to her mom in disbelief at what Marco had said. "Who would even do that?" the young woman asked, "That’s impossible, Mike is a kind soul. No one would want to cause him harm. He always kept to himself and didn’t bother anyone." Charmaine insisted she couldn’t imagine anyone even hurting her soft-spoken brother.
"He doesn’t even deal with a lot of people, and he’d been busy too. He told me about that show," she said, recalling how excited he was about it.
Levi and Marco exchanged looks, "He told you?" Marco asked.
"Of course, I’m his sister."
Levi took note of the surprise in Diana’s face, confirming Levi’s assumption that she wasn’t aware of it.
Charmaine turned to look at her mother seated beside her and said, "He told me to keep it a secret. He wanted to surprise you, and I was to go home too and support him. But now he’s gone."
The two women held each other, crying, but there was something that Levi noticed. This time he made sure to observe it closely. One of them had paler skin and puffy eyes, and her nails were chipped and brittle, and her lips cracked on a corner. Someone was very sick.
After asking more questions, the two men decided to take their leave, and so they bid their thanks and farewell, for now. Levi turned to look behind them, confident that they were now out of earshot he spoke.
"Mrs. Scott is paler than last time we saw her."
Marco looked at him, walking beside him, and said, "Yeah, and she doesn’t seem to be getting enough sleep. Her eyes are puffy."
Levi sent him his signature ’you’re an eejit, Marco’ look.
The realization hit Marco, and his eyes widened at the psychologist. "Wait, what do you mean?" he asked.
Reaching his blue Shelby cobra, he turned to face Marco standing on the passenger seat side, "She had clear signs of anemia, her skin pale, eyes puffy, her fingernails are also brittle, and her lips are cracked in a corner." the slicked blond explained. Marco realized what he was trying to say.
"Anemia is a sign of lead toxicity," Marco muttered, earning a nod from Levi.
"And a few days ago when Alex followed her, we learned that she went to the hospital with abdominal complaints. Also consistent with lead poisoning."
Marco’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. "Is someone poisoning her too? Marco asked in a hushed tone. Levi started to chuckle as he got in the car; Marco followed his cue.
The psychologist stopped chuckling and turned the engine on; what a pure soul he has, he thought amused.
The brunette looks for the best in people, while he is cynical and always thinks of others’ ulterior motives.
They really were different, like night and day: light and darkness.
He stepped on the gas, and he drove towards the gallery. They still have people to meet, leaving Marco’s question unanswered.
