BBDW 63 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

Section 65 (UNEDITED)

"-Well, can I get going now?"

The Chief, who was scratching his head with a few irritating thoughts - Damn it, when the hell is this gonna be over? When did you ever get off work on time? The day after tomorrow is your daughter's birthday party. Can you even show your face? If you retire later, you might just get divorced. - He turned his head to the mumbling voice from behind his back. It was Jeremy, the man who continued to suffer from statements after carrying the grey-haired old man here. The Chief glanced at the clock before answering. The time was 10 o'clock, pointing to the middle of the night.  

"I have to go to work tomorrow….. and I'm a little tired. I think I've already said everything I can."

Jeremy's face, who couldn't even change his bloody sportswear, was crumpled as it could be. His fingertips were trembling slightly as if he had a neurosis. Well, after hours of interrogation at the police station, even people who didn't have neurosis can have that happen to them. The Chief's eyes felt a little sorry for him. The Chief, who was looking at him for a moment, who was a bit unkempt, because he couldn't wash his face although he was sweating, soon nodded.  

"Sure. I'll find you if I have any more questions."

"Yes, yes. Anytime."

Jeremy smiled awkwardly at the Chief. Soon he turned his back and walked outside, limping very faintly on one leg. It's not easy to turn a blind eye to it - although I didn't admit it - the Chief shouted at his back and asked.

"Are you hurt?"

"Ah, I sprained one leg while running with Mr Stanberg on my back... I didn't even know I was hurt."

The Chief, who said goodbye to him with a dry smile on his lips, soon turned his head and stared at Daisy and Heine, found Jude and Tim's seat empty and clicked his tongue briefly. He said he was going to come back soon, but where the hell are they wandering? - While he was thinking about making a phone call, the door of the police station suddenly opened briskly.

Appearing through the door were two strangely tired-looking detectives. Tim, looking exhausted with his shirt sleeve up to his elbow -and his usually neat dark brown hair was a bit messy- and a slightly lively Jude, who found Daisy and Heine as soon as he came into the police station with a bag of evidence in one hand. Jude found them first and waved his other hand that didn’t hold the bag. He looked a little elated too. Although it was lamentable that the level seemed no different from the elation shown when a child found a pretty shell on the sandy beach. But he must have found something – The Chief put down the document he had in his hand for a moment and headed over there.

"-Ah, Daisy!"

"Jude, you're here now? What's that?"

The female detective, with her red hair tied at the back, looked closely at the bag hanging in Jude's hand. The Chief also focused on it with his slanted eyes to see what the detective, who usually played dumb but when he didn’t he can sometimes make a big splash, had fished up. And Jude lifted what he had in one hand with a smile that he didn't know whether he was tired or bothered.  

"Oh, Pell’s head."

"….Well, well, that's..."

At the moment, the Chief doubted his eyes. Inside the bag was the head of something crushed and soaked with blood. It was obvious that it belonged to a small animal, not a human, and the cut surface of the neck was not sharp. It was crushed as if someone strong had forcibly ripped it off or hit it with heavy rocks several times. Heine, standing next to Daisy, barely closed his mouth and pointed to the dog's head in Jude's hand.

"….Pell, what the hell is that..."

"That's the dog he asked on the phone earlier. It's Mr Stanberg's pet dog."

Tim replied, throwing his outerwear over the chair. Seeing the way he pulled one more button off his shirt and slightly fanning himself, it was obvious that they had searched around quite actively outside. Daisy stuttered a little and asked.

"But….why did you bring it back?"

"Why, because it seems like a good clue. Oh- we had a really hard time finding this. But it doesn't have maggots yet. Well, that's a relief."

"Why is it just the head? The other parts?”

"Oh, there are other parts, but the important thing is the head. By the way, the culprit hated it so much that it was hit until its head was badly mangled. So I just put its head in a bag. It's a bit bulky. The rest was roughly collected and we wrapped them outside. We can't call an ambulance to carry a dog's body."

"What do you mean…..the head is the only thing that matters?"

"I'm glad Pell was a faithful dog."

Jude grinned and turned to Tim. Tim, who was shaking his head, soon took another bag of evidence out of the pocket of his pants. In the small bag, there was a small piece of cloth soaked in blood. To Daisy and Heine looking at what it is, Tim said succinctly.

"It was in Pell's mouth."

"In the dog's mouth? So?"

"According to Mrs Stanberg, the dog has lived with this couple for more than 10 years. It couldn't have abandoned its owner and run away. If it had bitten someone who had a quarrel with its owner, it wouldn't have let someone hit him with a pipe to kill its owner."

A light of understanding struck Heine and Daisy's faces. Daisy nodded and pointed to the bag with Tim.

"So, it's a piece of... criminal's clothes.”

"Yes, and if it had bitten the clothes to the point of tearing them apart, the culprit couldn't help but get hurt. If we intensively investigate a neighbour who has a dog bite on the leg or arm, it will come out soon. I think we'll be able to detect the culprit’s DNA if we look into this head. Teeth or something."

A smile spread over Daisy's face as she listened to Jude's insensitive words. Her eyes looking at the dog's head were still a little stiff, but the long red-haired woman put her hand on her waist and looked at Jude with fresh eyes. The cool eyes smiled faintly.

"I’m surprised, Jude. Your skills are pretty good?”

"Oh, my God, what are you talking about? My skills are always good. You're the only one who doesn't know. Did you just hear me? We're going to start investigating the neighbours tomorrow, so.... in advance, sir? What's wrong with you?"

The Chief puffed briefly with a slightly pale face. Looking at the blank stare directed at him, the Chief shook his head and spoke in a bewildered tone.

"Well, I don't think it's a big deal."

"Exclude all the excuses, just briefly state the situation."

"What happened?"

Jude's annoyed voice and the worried Tim's voice rang at the same time. I'm crazy; I can’t believe I actually put such a bully and a model student together. No, it might be a surprisingly good combination. They're good at their job. The Chief, who had been thinking about something else for a moment, soon hesitated, pointing out of the police station.

"Well, Jeremy just stepped out, and he was limping a little. He said he sprained while he was carrying Roman on his back, so I thought he was just...."

Jude's face was distorted. A grudging sound burst out.

"Ah-Chief! So vexing!"

"I'll be back!"

Tim and Jude, who threw up a short cry, soon jumped out of the police station and disappeared. The Chief, who looked at their back with a very slightly guilty heart, soon sighed and seriously agonized over the vacation between the two detectives.

*        *        *

R.I.P. Pell. I don’t have a dog but I do have a pair of rabbits and 6 cats and gosh if anything like that ever happened to them I’ll definitely put someone in jail. But anyway, be responsible for your own pets.