"We just received the results from the analysis, the person responsible for the stabbing was left-handed, just like the patrician killer"
"Interesting to see that they decided to switch from the regular gun wielding" Ethan notes
"Actually, the first three victims of the patrician killer were all stabbed to death. The killer only shot seven out of their twenty two victims"
"You should really read more about the case," Patty added
"Like i told you before reading all that will only cloud my judgement. The killer could be laying down evidence they want you to see rather that what actually is," Ethan stated
Patty sighs "just... Don't make an arrest without consulting me."
"That's the last thing I'd do" Ethan assures "we're partners, are we not? We go hand i-" he stopped,
"What is it?" Patty asked
"Deborah" he said causing Patty to raise an eyebrow "she was wearing her bracelets on her right hand. Autopsy report also shows the stabbing was between 8:30 to 9:15pm..."
"And Deborah was only at the party for around twenty minutes." Patty stated
"Yes. Majority of that twenty minutes I was with her but she did disappear for more than five minutes."
"Before i jump into conclusions..." Ethan says, "I think we should pay Deborah a visit."
"You go ahead and do that" Patty responds "I have a scheduled interview with Jamie. The man is almost always out of town so it's difficult to get a hold of him. I don't think we'll get another chance like this."
"Jamie Williams right, that's the owner of the shipping company?" Ethan asked and Patty nods
"Well, looks like we both have things to do."
"Yeah, i'll send you the location to Deborah's mansion, although i'm sure you wouldn't miss it,"
And she was right. Once Ethan got to Golden Hill, he saw a huge sign by the gate that had the direction to most of the places. On the sign was an arrow indicating the road to the Sinclair Mansion which Ethan follows.
The ride to the mansion was pretty smooth. There were barely cars on the road. The houses in the area were large and well arranged but the largest of all was the Sinclair Mansion.
He couldn't help but marvel at how large and beautiful the house was while also wondering what Deborah does for a living. The absence of a ring on her finger removed the possibility of her being married to a billionaire. Also Patty did say Deborah grew up here so maybe she inherited it.
Ethan exited his car, walked up to the house and pressed the doorbell. A bubbly Deborah opened the door but the smile on her face vanishes as she saw the detective.
"Good day," Ethan says
"Come on in" Deborah said as she moved to the side, the detective walked into the house with a "thank you"
The interior was somehow even more beautiful than the outside "I take it you weren't expecting me?"
"No, i just woke up." Deborah said as she walked over to a table and picked up a cup which was filled with light brown liquid Ethan believed to be tea and took a sip of it "I also ordered pizza so I thought you were the delivery guy."
Ethan noticed which hand she used to lift the cup. She was left-handed. "You eat pizza?"
"Who doesn't? There's this shop that just opened right outside Golden Hill called Essex Foods, great stuff. You want some tea?"
"No, thank you. You always buy pizza there every morning?"
"No, just as a midday snack. Rayleigh normally makes me something before she goes to work. She must have woken up late since she didn't today"
"Rayleigh lives here?"
"Hm...." Deborah said thoughtfully, "I guess you could say that."
"Are the two of you related or..."
"We kinda grew up together so I guess you could say that," she replies
"And there's no one who lives here apart from you and Rayleigh, no help, no nothing?"
"No, just us. I do the cleaning myself or hire a cleaning service when extensive cleaning is required and leave to let them do their thing. I tend to feel uneasy when i'm surrounded by too many people." Deborah answers
"Oh, that explains why you were—"
"Is there a point to all these questions?" she interrupted, "cause last night your partner told us at the party the killer ran away or was that a lie?"
"No, it was true. We believe there's a pattern the killer is following and we are trying to stay a step ahead of them," Ethan lied
"...and you think i might be next on the killer's list?"
Ethan remains silent, "well it's a good thing I have a gun then."
"Wait... You have a gun?" Ethan asked
"Yeah, I am legally authorized to possess one"
"Can i see your license?"
"Sure," Deborah nodded setting the cup of tea on the table before walking to her study with Ethan closely behind her. "I keep it here along with the gun itself."
Deborah pulled open a drawer and takes out the license which she handed over to the detective. Ethan could see glimpses of the handgun in the drawer. It was goldplated.
Ethan studied the license closely and notice that she got it recently "This was issued four months ago," he said
"Yeah, i got it when the killings persisted, for protection."
Ethan nods before handing back the license to her. "Hope it doesn't get to that," she said
"We would be tripling security around Golden Hill starting tonight." Ethan informed "Here's my number in case you need anything,"
The doorbell rang and Deborah walked over to the door and opened it. She later returned with a pizza "well, i'll be taking my leave now"
"You sure? The pizza just arrive"
"I'm good. Thank you for your time" he said before leaving the mansion.
As he got back to office, Patty had already returned "how was the interview?" He asked
"Great. Apparently, this guy owns a glock 19 which forensic ballistic experts have ruled based on the striation marks of the bullets found in the patrician killer's victims is the murder weapon."
"Glock 19 you say?"
"Yeah,"
"Deborah also owns a glock 19" Ethan revealed "you said the killer initially murdered their victim with knives. How recent did they start using a glock 19?"
"Around four months ago," she stated, "why?"
"Patty, Deborah's gun was issued four months ago"
.....