Chapter 10: Pressure to find
"Another victim's body!!" the commissioner exclaimed with despair. "The public is growing concerned and impatient about why we haven't caught this murderer when we have all the resources to do so."
Right now, the inspector, the sergeant, Jane, and a few other officers stood in the commissioner's room, trying to figure out how to catch the scarecrow murderer.
"We're doin' our best ter find this person, commissioner," Sergeant Gruger said, who stood next to the inspector. "We increased the patrols at night and informed the other parish houses outside the town as well. I'm afraid the murderer we're seekin' for does not live 'ere. Or he's constantly movin'."
The commissioner stated in a sharp tone, "It has been months since this case came to our attention, and there has been no development other than the increase in body count." He shook his head, then turned to face the detective in the room. "Miss Reinhart, I hope you have found something on your end."
"Yes, commissioner," Jane replied with a nod. She continued, "My team and I have been trying to find out where the scarecrow doll came from. We have looked through the doll shops around, hoping to find out where the murderer has been purchasing these dolls."
"And what did you find?" the commissioner inquired, leaning forward and lifting his eyebrows.
"None of the shops in and around Riddleford sell these dolls," Jane explained, and the commissioner sighed. "I have already sent out letters to all the other doll shops around the state, if they have produced any scarecrow dolls and have asked them to contact me."
"That is still not the answer I am looking for," the commissioner stated, sitting back in his chair and displaying an unhappy expression. "Miss Reinhart, I gave you permission to work on this case because you wanted to work on it, but we might need to reconsider if we aren't able to find this ruthless murderer, who has been killing women after women."
Sergeant Gruger intervened, "Commissioner, I gotta say, it's a bit peculiar for the police to be workin' with a woman, who I'm not entirely convinced can keep up with such a complicated case."
Jane glared at the sergeant, who was dissatisfied with her working on the case. "It would be easier to work if you didn't lock up the bodies so that I don't have immediate access to them, Sergeant Gruger," she stated with a polite smile.
"Is there a problem, sergeant?" the commissioner asked, and the inspector kicked the sergeant's foot to silence him. "If you have nothing of value to add to the report, you can stay quiet."
"Commissioner, there's something else I found out about," Jane said, and the sergeant huffed.
"Here's what I mean, sir." Sergeant Gruger stated with a puzzled expression, "Hidin' details from us and refusin' to cooperate."
"I wasn't sure about it until the recent body turned up," Jane said quietly, disregarding the sergeant in the room. "I had my doubts before, but now I am certain because it does not appear to be a coincidence. Whoever it is, the murderer has chosen to kill the women during the night of the crescent moon following the disappearance."
"Crescent moon?" the officers in the room murmured.
"Yes," Jane nodded. "And I don't think it's a coincidence. I dated every gore murder in this case and discovered that it occurred around the time the crescent moon appeared in the sky."
Sergeant Gruger laughed and remarked, "Are we goin' ter chase after the moon now?"
"It seems very likely that the next murder will occur when the moon reappears as a crescent moon," Jane explained to the commissioner, who was listening. "There have been no similar murders in the remaining days. I also have a request."
"What is it, Miss Reinhart?" the commissioner asked, while the men in the room watched her.
"I'd like to be informed immediately when the next body is discovered so that I can examine it. Right at the crime scene," Jane requested the commissioner. "Preferably the first person there to make sure to pick up all the evidence."
"Are ya sayin' we are changin' the crime scene—"
"Sergeant Gruger, I don't remember you being the commissioner," the commissioner said with a pointed look. He immediately turned to Jane and agreed, "Permission granted. I'm expecting you to solve the case quickly because you are the detective in this case. Otherwise, we'll have to transfer the investigation to someone else."
"Yes, commissioner." Jane bowed and left the room, while the inspector and sergeant were made to stay behind.
She exited the building and met up with one of her assistants, named Addison. He asked, "How did it go with the commissioner, Miss Jane?"
"Not bad, but not good either," Jane replied as she approached the carriage. Once she climbed inside, Addison followed her before the door closed and the carriage began to move. "This time, we will achieve better results. We will catch the murderer," she declared with confidence.
Despite being a part of the case, she had been unable to meet with the commissioner and make any immediate requests due to his hectic schedule. Every time she heard about a murder, by the time she got to the crime scene, the victim's body had already been transferred to the morgue, making it difficult for her to detect any additional clues.
"If we manage to obtain a fingerprint from the perpetrator, we could match it with our suspects," Addison commented, then added, "However, if we collect evidence from previous crime scenes, it's all likely contaminated."
"We will be there the next time before anyone tries to contaminate the scene," Jane said, wondering what the murderer's motivation was. She went on to say, "Sometimes I feel Gruger is helping the murderer with his stupidity."
Jane was dropped off at her house, and she made her way inside, where her caretaker greeted her. "Welcome home, Miss Jane. Would you like me to prepare the table for lunch?"
"Maybe later, Martha," Jane replied, handing her coat to the older woman.
"There was a call for you around an hour ago. From some doll shop," Martha informed her, and Jane turned to meet the elder woman's gaze.
"Did the person leave a number behind?" Jane asked, her eyes subtly wide.
"He sure did," Martha responded. "I noted down his number and name right next to the telephone."
Jane rushed to the living room, where the telephone was. Reaching, she picked up the number and name written in the book. She quickly rotated the dial after each recoil and positioned the earpiece next to her ear. As the other end of the line rang, she patiently waited for someone to answer and then heard someone speak, "Hello?"