Chapter 12 - Chapter 12

Arthur leans on the counter as Brian cleans his wound, apply ointment and tie a bandage on Arthur's hand. "Here! I'll change the dressing after two days," says Brian like he is a doctor and Arthur his patient. Brian turns on the tv, they are on news. Brian sits down in his revolving chair and Arthur sits on two boxes of medicines.

Visuals of police vans and officers under the bridge can be seen on the television. As a female cop walks out of the crime scene all the reporters swarm her. A reporter from the local news channel asks the police officer, "Officer! Do you think the police will ever be able to find out who is the Autopsy killer?"

The new officer is Margaret, a tall lady with bun hair and a strong physique. "I can assure you; this was the last of the killings. As I take on the case from today, the killer has not much time before he is thrown in a cell," said Margaret. Arthur looks at Brian, but Brian's expression is unreadable, if he is threatened by the new cop, he hides it well.

Arthur looks back at the television. Another reporter asks, "Has the police changed its investigation tactics?" Margaret says, "that's something I can't talk about on television but we are expanding our search horizon, we will use methods we haven't used before, we will go to places, we haven't gone before and we will question people who thought nobody will ever find them."

Brian looks at Arthur, "I think we have to clean your motel room soon!" Arthur replied, "She could be bluffing."

"99% bluff, but there is 1% possibility that she searches the whole town and the motels outside the town. And I can't take that 1% chance," reasoned Brian.

They look at the television again. Another reporter asks, "Is there any new evidence?"

"Yes, the killer removes the heart of his victim. Only a heartless person can do this," she looks with a determined expression directly into the camera.

Brian turns off the tv, "Heartless! She doesn't even know," Brian stops mid-sentence. "She is trying to provoke you," explained Arthur. "I don't get provoked," replied Brian coolly, looking at the bandage on Arthur's hand.

"If only she knew, why I do, what I do, she wouldn't call me heartless!" said Brian. "And why you do this?" asked Arthur. "Long story, will tell you some other day. Right now, we have to pick up some chemicals to clean your room," said Brian.

Brian went behind in the storage and took out a bottle of Dnase. He showed the bottle to Arthur, "Forensics use Luminol to find blood and DNA traces even after the surface is thoroughly cleaned. But with Dnase we can at least destroy the DNA so, they will never know if the girl was ever-present in that room. Arthur nodded as he had no clue about what Brian was talking about.

Arthur and Brian reached the motel in Arthur's car. The case was too hot right now to drive Brian's truck from one corner of the town to another in daylight. They worked synchronously took the bedsheets and pillow cover to the laundry. Then Brian cleaned the whole bed with soap and then DNase.

They even looked for any fallen hair of the girl. Arthur found one and gave it to Brian. Brian kept it in a small evidence bag he had brought with him. They cleaned the floors and doors too.

Arthur asked for new bedsheets and covers from the owner. The owner sent them soon and Arthur spread them with Brian's help. "I think we are done," said Brian looking at the cleanroom. "What are you going to do with the hair?" asked Arthur. "Will dispose of it somewhere," said Brian.

Arthur and Brian leave for the pharmacy. Arthur had been driving at ease when he saw barricades at the city entrance. A couple of cars waiting by the roadside. Police officers checked the vehicles. Arthur presses the brake harshly. The car comes to a standstill after slipping on the road a bit.

"Don't stop now, you will only make them more suspicious! Just drive ahead," ordered Brian. Arthur started to drive, "But we have the hair!"

"Do you have a lighter?" asked Brian. "I don't smoke," replied Arthur. "Dammit," curses Brian. But then Brian spots a police officer smoking. "Don't worry Arthur, you just stay calm. I'll get rid of the hair," says Brian.

"Why don't you just throw it?" Arthur says now almost reaching to the barricades. Brian points out at the right-side corner Officer Margaret is there with a binocular. "She will see if I open the windows," says Brian.

The car reaches the barricades. An officer signals Arthur to roll down his window. Arthur rolls down the window with some effort, "Sorry officer, it's jammed." The officer looks at the sorry condition of the car and nods, "ok! You two, come out and stand on the side."

Arthur and Brian come out of the car. Arthur is scared. His pulse is so strong that it is giving him a headache. "What are we going to do now?" mumbles Arthur. "Stay calm, it's all under control," Brian says coolly and Arthur wants to believe him. He is the only person who can save his life now.

Thinking about this he almost laughs, the guy who was in my room to kill me will save me from the police now. Wow! What a turn of events! But Arthur didn't realize Brian had started to care for him. He bandaged him, cleaned the room with him. But how will he save him now? In front of so many officers.

Brian walks to a nearby officer. The officer warns him, "Hey! Just stand on the side!" Brian smiles, "Can I get a smoke. I think you guys will take some time and I saw you smoking and couldn't resist." The officer gives him a cigarette and a lighter, "Ok but get back to you where your friend is standing."

Brian takes the cigarette and turns his back to the officer, "the wind" he excuses and while lighting the cigarette he burns the hair too. He gives the lighter back to the officer and goes back to Arthur, "Evidence destructed!"

Arthur takes a sigh of relief. But maybe it was too soon to be relaxed because Officer Margaret was walking towards them.