A key detail
Sadie hesitated no more and was off to get salvation for her husband. She left once the ambulance arrived and left Thon in the hands of the paramedics. She was off to find the best detective available. Sadie rushed to the detective department and she was introduced to a former, but of a good reputation detective G. They met at the investigation room in the department along with two other officers and Sadie insisted on getting right to the point.
“This is Sebastian Rober,” G introduced, pointing to a man to her right. He looked around thirty-five years old and was the most decent looking among them with a formal suit with a good Windsor knotted tie.
“Hi,” Sebastian said extending his hands towards Sadie. “I look forward to solving this case. And you can call me Seb if you’d like cuz my name can be pretty long”
Sadie shook his hands. His hands were firm and full of determination.
“Next, we have Mr Elbert here” G introduced.
Elbert was now laughing in his mind. Ah poor thing...came to investigate the case instead of throwing dead Thon off a cliff or something he thought.
“Hi!” I’m Elbert a” he said brightly.
Sadie nodded in recognition of her ‘team’. “So, let's get started”
“Tell us whatever you know,” G said. “Based on that, we’ll start our deducing”.
Sadie told her story and the detectives were out of clue for the possible way of killing. At some
point in G’s mind, he started to suspect Sadie and that was visible clearly on his face.
“G, do you have any suspects for now?” Seb asked.
“Yeah, I do...” G hesitated. “Sadie, isn’t it a bit out of the crowd for you to seek this much attention-getting revenge?” “Did you have any fights with Thon lately?” G asked. “I have a suspicion on you”
Elbert smiled. Ah bullseye! He thought.
“YOU’RE DOUBTING ME FOR SEEKING JUSTICE FOR MY HUSBAND!?” She yelled. She looked aghast and her cheeks were a bright shade of red. They could see her veins on her throat.
“Now...Now calm down Mrs Thon, calm down. Just so you’re suspected doesn’t necessarily mean that you are the culprit...or...you are to blame...you know?” Seb comforted her. “A detective’s first job after a case arrives is to find somebody to suspect and try to find clues so that the case can become easier to solve”
“Sebastian’s right” G added. “You’ve heard of algebraic expressions right Mrs Thon?”
“Yeah” she replied weakly. “What does that have to do here?”
“The suspicion in a case is what an ‘x’ or ‘y’ is in the algebraic expression” G said. "It just makes the case more easier to solve. Please don't worry."
Sadie relaxed and leaned back on her chair. She covered her face with her hands.
“I’ve despaired right now...I mean, why would somebody target my husband? He was a good man”
“Yes and I’m sure we’ll catch the killer” Elbert replied. A murderer giving hope to find a killer? How ironic he thought. “G, guide it”
G nodded and pulled up his sleeves and approached the whiteboard at the front of the room. He gave everyone a different colored marker and explained the task.
“Look, this is one of my ways of solving a case where we hear different kinds of opinions and suggestions on the best approach and therefore leading to a solve” G explained.
G first jotted down the time of Thon’s death and some of his activities before and also after the death that he would normally do if he were alive.
“Why do we need the what-he-would’ve-done-if-he-hadn’t- died? Sadie asked.
“Oh that is, if he were to go somewhere after that time normally, the murderer could’ve been observing him from a distance right?” G said.
“But my husband just sleeps when he is tired or does some work from home when its piled up” Sadie noted. “He hasn’t gone out anywhere after he’s returned home”
“If that’s the case, then it's not needed anymore.” G said as he erased that column. “Anything else?”
They all shook their heads.
“Okay, so we’ll move on to the possible killing technique used by the killer” G moved on to the other column.
“Probably he got infected by something” Seb prompted. “Cuz, he’s a virologist after all and now, I know they have all those protections but there might still be a chance right?”
“Sounds valid” G wrote it down. His handwriting was shabby and fast—just what you would expect from a doctor’s one.
“Now what I would spotlight for a moment is that, Thon didn’t have any physical injuries you say right Ms Thon?” G looked at Sadie.
Sadie nodded and G continued. “So, I think that was all—“
“What about gas?” Seb asked. “Like you know, the infectious gas which attack the lungs and other organs?”
G shook his head. “If that was the case, then Thon would probably would’ve noticed the killer was making his move. And, Sadie would have guessed something was not normal with the smell, or the color...anything in that case” G said. “Relevant thought though, Sebastian.”
On the couch next to Sadie’s, Elbert was enjoying the rising heat in the room. Sadie’s face was keen and determined. Gah pathetic. Serves him right he thought.
“Maybe somebody tried to... you know” he looked at Sadie “Poison him”
Sadie got up from her chair and approached Elbert. “And what makes you think that Elbert? Where’s the damn evidence for you to say that?” Her cheeks was flushed red.
“Now, now, Mrs Thon, you’re just raising the suspicion on yourself aren’t you?” Elbert said looking around the room now. “Am I not correct gentlemen?”
They shifted uncomfortably and almost nodded. It seemed to her that she was almost starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel but nowhere close to it as if she was moving away from it every moment.
Sadie was back into her consciousness again. She took a deep breath and sat down again.
“I have forgotten to tell a major detail before,” She said calmly, face overflowing with determination and hope. “And this would probably change your perspective on this case.”
“And what would be that?” Elbert asked almost mockingly.
“There had been a letter delivered just before Thon died. And I think that the letter would lead to the killer."