100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 63: Revelation II

Ivan Fredricksen sat in his office, elbows leaning against his 18th-century mahogany table. His eyes swept upon a Turkish man standing across him. He had dark brown hair, a chiseled face, and a freshly shaven beard, wearing a jacket over his blue shirt and dark blue denim pants.

With his reading glasses on, Ivan read the file in his hand to confirm the information. Then handed it to the waiting man opposite him.

The Turkish man flipped the first page, and looked at the photo clipped on the right side of a blond man in a crisp suit, and read the name. It said,

Levi Knight Jackson.

He looked at his employer for instructions.

Ivan leaned back to his chair, removing his glasses, and looked up the man in a bored manner.

"Once Target confirmed, kill on sight." He said.

....

11 PM--7 Eastbourne Rd.

Levi sat on his armchair, long legs crossed one over the other. Sat on the sofa was Anna, wearing a red empire dress. Her ears and neck adorned with gems.

"What is so important that you can’t tell me through the phone?" Levi asked, annoyed that his precious time on solving the case was being wasted by his sister.

Anna cocked the younger Jackson with a raised brow, she pursed her ruby red lips. "Dr. Gray’s brother, do you know him?" She asked.

The look that flashed in Levi’s face said that he didn’t know who exactly her brother was.

"What about him?" He asked, wanting to get it over with.

"Ivan Fredricksen. Tell me you’ve at least heard the Family name," Anna said, annoyed that she needs to explain things to him.

Levi sent her a ’do you think I’m stupid?’-look?

Of course, he’d recognize the name. Ivan Fredricksen is the CEO of Fredricksen Co. A security company.

The slicked blond had seen him on different business, IT, or programming magazines. Even in newspapers for his philanthropic works.

"Of course, Leading Security Technology Company in Europe," Levi says, basing it off on the magazine he read a few years back.

"In the World." Anna corrected, removing her heels for a moment to massage her sore foot. Beauty has its price.

"Fredricksen is a household name. A partner of all the safest banks and prisons in the world. They even provide security to the Crown when needed." She explained.

"I get your point," Levi says, annoyed that she was treating him like he was stupid.

Anna looks at him, this time with a hint of annoyance.

"The head of that Company is your girlfriend’s older brother." She says.

"She’s not my girlfriend." He retorts, earning an eye roll from Anna. He could be so stupid at times, she thought, to a point that even he was unaware of his feelings.

"Ivan Fredricksen is a very wealthy and powerful man. Unknown to the public, he is also a sophisticated highly intelligent hacker. Capable of hacking the best programs in the country. How could he not? He created the Programs, he could disarm it." Anna continued. She looked straight to Levi’s eyes for effect, "Do you know what that means, baby brother?" She challenged him.

Levi glared at his sister, "I know what you mean," he spat, not liking how she was explaining it to him like he was an eejit.

"He could threaten the security of the British Government, end the Queen’s bloodline simply by selling it to the highest bidder, or if he just felt like it. He could wreak havoc on the whole western Europe if he wanted to. He is extremely unpredictable." She said, attempting to have her brother understand how grave the situation was. For his stupid selfish brain to understand, that there are bigger things at stake.

"Get to the point, Anna. I have work to do." Levi huffed.

With narrowed eyes, she said, "The point baby brother is he has threatened the British Government if you fail to catch his baby sister’s would-be-killer in 70 hours." She said, looking at the time.

Levi clenched his teeth at the news.

Anna sighed seeing Levi’s expression,

"Yes, he is quite protective. Figure it out, baby brother. Before the big bad wolf comes out and plays. He is not a forgiving man, believe me." She says.

She bent and placed the heels back on her feet, "I did warn you not to involve yourself with her." She said, standing up and looking down at her younger sibling.

Levi looked up at his sibling about to leave.

"How is she?" He asked, tension leaving the room from his sudden change in tone.

Anna grabbed her coat from the rack by the door, "Unconscious. The initial diagnosis was brain death, but it was inconclusive. Fortunately, she’s recovering fast with her body flashing the drug off her system." She said.

Her face turned serious for a moment, "The drug, is still under investigation, our best chemist can’t seem to figure exactly what it is. It both slowed down her heart and brain significantly. It’s like it put her to sleep." She says, buttoning her coat around her waist.

"The symptoms resemble paralyzing agents, psychiatric meds, or relaxants of some kind, but this type is far more extreme. Something that is not in the market, we reckon it’s an experimental drug." She finishes.

Anna pulls the front door open, then turns to Levi. "I’ll update you on her status. No need to worry." She teased.

"I’m not worried," Levi retorts.

Anna’s lips tugged up into an amused grin, "Is that what you tell yourself, baby brother, when you sleep at night? If you even sleep." She says hinting on the bags forming under his eyes.

"I’ll send your love," Anna said, stepping out of the flat.

.....

62hours left

Levi stood glaring at the whiteboard in the middle of his living room, he had the boys carry it up from his office hours before.

"It doesn’t make sense! It doesn’t make sense!" He started shouting, pulling his hair in frustration.

Marco sat on the sofa watching the blond pace around his flat, frustrated.

"Calm down, Levi you’ll figure it out. You always do." He assured. Just hours ago he was summoned by the blond to assist him in the case, and because it was for Sam and it sounded urgent he came immediately.

Levi stomped his foot looking at the whiteboard, where all the facts he knew were attached to it, each victim, each death. Her death. The drug in her blood, the drug no chemist seems to identify.

What was it?

What did he miss?

It’s staring him right on the face.

What did he miss?

"The pattern. Why? How? Why?" Levi talked out loud, conversing with himself in an attempt to get an answer.

"Why, what?" Marco asked, they had been working on the case for 8 hours straight, no sleep, and Levi had been chugging coffee like it was water.

Levi pointed at the picture of Sam pinned on the board like the other victims. Next to the picture of Rona, her dog walker. "Why her?" He asked.

Marco narrowed his eyes, he didn’t like it, the way he fixed her picture on that board. It didn’t feel right, to be staring right at the smiling face of their friend.

The photo used was one taken from Lizzie’s birthday, Sam was smiling, hair a brilliant shade of red.

That morning, Mrs. Whitehall became incredibly upset when she saw her picture on the board when she brought them tea. She demanded it to be removed immediately, and as usual, Levi told her to shut up.

This wasn’t how Marco expected Levi to cope. Not in that particular way, he was obsessing.

He had every right to, Marco thought. He was obsessing too, thank god Lisa had been supportive and even said,

"Get the son of a bitch, Marco. For Sam."

They had to catch the bastard who did it soon. They had to catch their friend’s killer.

This was personal now.

Marco furrowed his brows, thinking over his question. "Because she led the Forensics team because she saw the pattern." He answered.

"Yes, but why? This is an Obsessive Compulsive we are talking about, look at the difference Marco, the previous murders and...her murder." Levi said, pausing for a second. He gestured to the two sides of the board the left part was of the different previous victims. And on the right was Sam Gray, Rona, and Mo.

"Look at it," Levi demanded. "What do you see? What’s different?" He added.

"Marco, I’m gonna need you to put those few remaining brain cells together and work with me, okay?" He said after receiving silence from the bearded man.

Marco glared up at him then continued to look at the whiteboard.

He could only see one different thing.

"The blood," he answered, staring at the photos. His eyes were glued on the shocking amount of red on Sam’s floor. Rona’s blood.

"BANG ON!" Levi exclaimed. He tapped his hand to the left side, then to the right of the board. "No blood. Blood," he said.

"So what changed? What changed?! It’s staring me right at the face. What is it? What is it?" Levi hissed, frustrated with himself. He had to figure it out.

"He changed his M.O?" Marco suggested, Levi, snapped to look at him.

"No, it can’t be that simple, Marco. A practiced killer, someone who worked for years perfecting his trade of murdering people in secret, safely hiding in his anonymity. Going to all that trouble of making it look like natural causes, suddenly changes into this? A complete mess. It’s like comparing Monet with a 3-year-old with crayons! Look at it!"

Marco’s mouth hangs agape upon realization, "Are you suggesting it’s a different person?" He asked.

"I am not suggesting Marco. I am confident it’s a different person! Two killers, Marco." Levi says, grabbing his phone and texting Davies to inform him of his findings.

"Are you saying there’s two of them working together?" Marco asked, disgusted at the notion.

Levi turned to Marco, thinking

"Working together? I hope not!" He muttered, grabbing his coat and walking out, Marco ran after him.