Allure
[Location: Haiga Law Enforcement's 5th Floor]
He holds the cup out to the officer. The officer takes it without looking up from his computer screen.
Touwa makes to leave, but the officer stops him, grabbing hold of his arm. Touwa flinches in alarm.
Officer Baruka
Can you ah...
Officer Baruka
come take a look at this case?
Officer Baruka
And tell me if you see anything? Any clues... any connections?
Touwa's eyebrows raise, but he says nothing, standing behind Baruka and looking over his shoulder.
Officer Baruka
This right here is the security footage from outside Kakosha's gas station, inside which the body in question was found.
Officer Baruka
And this...
Officer Baruka
This is the profile we have on the perp so far.
Touwa
Show me the footage.
Baruka pulls up the camera footage and hits play.
The camera quality is poor, and the gas station lighting makes it hard for Touwa to see much, but he watches attentively anyway.
A figure enters the frame.
Touwa
I assume forensics has determined that this is our guy?
Officer Baruka
Yes. The time of death is estimated to be about 10 minutes after this shot.
Touwa continues to watch.
The man creeps across the pavement, swift, agile... almost animal-like.
Until this point his head had been turned to the ground, but his face lifts, and only his eyes are visible, gleaming in the low light.
Touwa watches his eyes twist into a smile.
His heart kicks in his chest and all of his limbs freeze despite being safe in the bright, warm, crowded office.
The man looks back to the road and shifts.
A lump of dead weight resting on his back catches the light.
Touwa
And that's Mr. Kara, the victim?
Officer Baruka
We assume so.
The man leaves the frame and the video clip ends.
Touwa
Can I see the sight of crime, please?
Officer Baruka
The camera footage inside the station has been tampered with. We can't access it.
Touwa
That makes it seem like...
Touwa
he wanted us to see him outside the building.
Touwa doesn't hear him, his mind twists and his heart pounds with excitement and residual adrenaline.
Touwa
Show me the pictures taken by the police on the scene.
Baruka nods and pulls up a gruesome picture. Baruka flinches, but Touwa grins and inspects it. He has always loved this. The allure of disgusting, cruel human nature is natural to him. He wants to laugh at the absurdity of his people.
A man hangs by a rope inside the freezers, mouth gaping, eye sockets and lips crusted with bloody icicles. The freezers are smeared with blood from one end of the store to the other.
Touwa
So there was a struggle...
Baruka clears his throat.
Officer Baruka
Forensics has decided that the... amputations... occurred before death.
Something tickles his stomach.
Touwa
It appears the killer lives nearby.
Touwa
He likely isn't killing out of sudden intense emotions.
Touwa
He looks like he has a motive.
Touwa
Look into the victim. Bring his family in for questioning. Figure out if he had any enemies, participated in crime, anything that could cause someone to harbor a manifesting grudge. Look for long-term effects, something that wouldn't cause someone to act on impulse.
Touwa
In the meantime, get the forensics report on his gait. Look into any drugs possibly administered to Mr. Kara before death...
Touwa
and... check the local psych ward files while you're at it. Look for connections, possible violent tendencies in escaped or released patients.
Officer Baruka
Okay... got it!
Officer Baruka
Thank you so much Touwa!
Touwa resists the urge to smirk as he turns away.
Touwa
You oughtn't mention to management which ideas come from me.
Touwa
If I ever actually get a case I might not always have time to help you with yours.
Touwa smiles once he gets onto the elevator, presses the first floor button. He has to pick up Officer Kaora's lunch from the front desk now.
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