6 CHAPTER SIX: TONY’S PHOTOS

Tony's Residence

July 12, Saturday,10:42

Alex took Caesar to see Tony. He lived in a run down part of the town in a shoddy two room flat. He was very pleased to see them and even happier to hear that Caesar was a script writer rehearsing ideas for a Jack the Ripper like home movie.

"So you would like to see the photo's?" asked Tony eagerly.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea" Caesar said casually.

"Hold on for a minute, let me fetch them".

He disappeared behind a filthy curtain that covered the door to the bedroom.

Alex winked at him.

"Told you it will work."

Caesar smiled and told him to shut up. Tony returned promptly, holding a brown manila envelope plus a plate of apples.

He presented the envelope to Caesar like it contained the Beria Papers.

"Witness evil at it's purest" he said dramatically. Caesar eyed him thoughtfully.

"You don't get off on these, do you?" he asked suspicously.

Alex chortled then joined him on the settee. Caesar opened the envelope and pulled out the glossy prints. They both peered at the pictures and grimaced. They were horrible all right.

They showed the remains of the four victims from every conceivable angle. Caesar stared grimly at the prints trying to pick out every sick detail.

Tony had studiously labelled each of the photos and there wer about six different close up shots from different angles of each of the victims. He would label them in this way:

Shot 1, Victim 1; Shot 2, Victim 1; Shot 3, Victim 1; Shot 3, Victim1; Shot 1, Victim 2 and so on.

One thing was apparent from the photos: the wounds escalated with each victim

Victim 1 was stabbed a few times though parts were missing. Victim 2 had double the number of stab wounds and it continued in this way to Victim 6. They were fifty stab wounds on that victim. All the victims had essential parts missing.

"Well it seems the wounds increase with each victim," he commented.

"Yes" agreed Tony.

"What do you guys think?"

"The other cops thinks it's the work of ritual killers."

"Why should the victims be stabbed so many times if it's just the parts that the killer or killers are after?"

"My own view exactly."

"You think it's a serial killer, right?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because the killings look pointless. Why kill young women like that? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe someone wants to disrupt the security of this town" suggested Alex.

"Then why not kill someone important?" asked Tony stubbornly, "Why women?"

Alex shrugged helplessly.

"There's also something else" Tony continued, his tone increasing in gravity, "Now this is all confidential information and I'm just disclosing it because Alex here is my close pal. Those victims weren't just stabbed and cut up. They were raped."

"Raped?" echoed both Caesar and Alex.

"Yeah. Sperm was found on all the victims after a doctor did an autopsy on the bodies."

"So," Caesar said heavily, "These women were stabbed, cut up and raped."

"Yep."

"This is becoming sicker every minute" complained Alex.

"You guys must be dealing with a very very sick person" Caesar commented to Tony.

"Now do you believe me when I say this is the work of a serial killer?"

"Yes," agreed Caesar, "No ritual killer rapes his victims."

"You guys are calling this sick?" asked Tony smiling, "I haven't told you the sick part yet. Those women were raped after they were killed.

"What?" the two friends chorused again.

"The doctor reported that rigor mortis had actually set in before they were violated."

"Oh God" moaned Alex, "I don't think I want to hear anymore of this."

Then it must be a serial killer" said Caesar with finality, "This is utterly diabolical."

"Thanks for finally coming over to my side. You are enlightened enough to know the truth. Why shouldn't it be a psychopath? We copy so many things from the westerners it shouldn't come as a surprise if one of our own decides to emulate Jack the Ripper."

"Unless it's one of the foreign workers that are behind the killings" suggested Caesar dryly

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"That's possible too" agreed Tony, "But I don't think so."

"So there is no clue that can lead to the killer?" asked Caesar urgently.

"Not even a footprint. The killer is smart. He covers his tracks completely.""Hasn't any of the victims been identified?"

"Nope. Facial features were mutilated beyond recognition. All the bodies were found naked so even their clothes couldn't be used. This guy thought of everything."

"What about Missing Persons?"

"Nothing. None of them were women."

"So these victims have no friends and relations or what?"

"I can't understand it. Maybe the killer researches into his victim's background like a real serial killer."

"So these are cases of premeditated cold blooded murder?"

"Yeah. I like that too." He laughed and chomped down on an apple. Caesar wondered how he could be in possession of such gore and still maintain a healthy appetite.

"There's got to be an explanation for all this " Caesar said his face screwed up in thought. Alex gave him an amused look.

"Shh," He said to Tony, "Sherlock Holmes is thinking."

Tony chuckled and continued to nibble at his apple.

"Aren't you guys still interested?" he asked raising the plate of apples" There's plenty for everyone"

"Are there crocodiles in the marshes?" asked Caesar suddenly.

"Excuse me?" asked Alex in surprise.

" A few" replied Tony. "Why?"

"How come the killer only dumps the bodies near the marshes but not actually inside them. He doesn't want the body to sink and disappear and he probably doesn't want a crocodile making a meal of the bodies."

"So? " asked Alex curiously.

"So that means the killer wants the body found but at the same tine doesn't want it recognized by mutilating it."

Tony was watching him with interest. "So what are you trying to say?"

" I don't know. Too many things don't make sense. There's something else here. All the stab wounds are not of the same size."

"What?" asked Tony incredulously.

"Some of the wounds look bigger than others. Like they were made with different sizes of some sharp weapon."

"You looked hard enough at those things to notice that?" groaned Alex in disbelief.

"Is the killer carrying a set of knives or is it a group with different sizes of weapons?" suggested Tony.

"Your guess is as good as mine. How is it that he always manages to pick a victim even though by now every girl is Kebby Creek must be watching over their shoulder. I suspect the victims might know the killer."

" Know him?" asked Tony surprised.

"Yes" said Caesar, "And trust him. That's why he can pick up his victim so easily".

" What makes you think he picks them up easily?" demanded Tony.

" Because there are no reports of a scuffle, right? If the victims are prostitutes then maybe the killer is a regular patron."

"We are not sure if they are pros." Tony pointed out, "Why do you like hinting that?"

Caesar bit his lip. He'd better be careful with the young cop. He was razor sharp.

" Just a hunch. But let's say they are. He could lure them with money and some empty promises just to get their trust."

" Even if you're right how can the police track him down? Every oil worker in the town uses the services of the call girls."

" Except me!" objected Alex, " At least not since I met Isabelle".

Caesar eyed him malevolently

" So you say."

" Find a girl and settle down, Caesar, it might do you some good."

" Even if I do I don't think she'll come from a town like this. How would I know I'm not married to a mermaid?"

" Why should you care? Mermaids are pretty aren't they? And at least you'd be sure of plenty of sea food." He guffawed loudly.

" Let's keep focused on the case" Tony interjected.

"The same advice goes to you, Tony" continued Alex changing target, " you are more interested in dead girls than in living ones"

"At least the former don't talk back at you" said Tony evilly.

"My goodness! " exclaimed Alex, "I'm in the midst of misogynists,"

" I'm not" Caesar objected " I just don't have the patience for them."

"Neither do I, " agreed Tony cheerfully "I just don't like them."

"Are you batty?" asked Alex suspiciously.

" No look at it this way. You may not like going to the loo but you have to do it, right? I treat women basically the same way."

" Oh my God."

" Maybe we should go back to the topic at hand, " said Caesar hastily " I don't think delegates at the Beijing conference will find our discussion amusing. How far have the police gone with cracking the case?"

"To put it bluntly we're f---. The D.P.O. is screaming for results and he promised us hell and brimstone if we don't give it to him. The oil workers are harassing him and so are the locals. The tension in the air can only be cut with a chain saw."

" Not good. Not good at all."

" Not good? It's worse. If my own theory of there being a serial killer is right then this means the killings will go on and on and on.. Which means this town is a keg of gunpowder with a very short fuse."

Suddenly a beeping sound came from his pocket. His mobile phone was ringing. He hauled it out and answered the call. Caesar and Alex witnessed his crestfallen expression. He put the phone away.

"There's been another murder. A body was found around the same spot. Same wounds except this time the chick's head was cut off."