The L.A. Ripper

[TheRevenant]

"Don't run too far in front." Sally Decker called to her son as he ran down the pavement. The clouds in the sky were becoming a dark grey, looming heavily with the promise of rain.


Sally had to get some new shoes for a job interview she had the following morning, but being a single mum meant she had to bring her ten year old boy with her since his school was closed for the holidays.


To her right were the rows of semi-detached houses, the curtains were drawn and there was no sign of activity. It's still early morning. Sally reflected. Most people are either at work or still asleep.


To her left was a stretch of wasteland where new builds were supposed to be going up, but the projects had been abandoned on account of the war. It's a shame... Sally thought to herself.


She took her son by the hand and continued down the sidewalk she started humming a tune to herself until something in the long grass to her left caught her attention, at first she thought it was an abandoned, broken mannequin, but at second glance she realised it was actually the dismembered remains of a woman.


Sally screamed and instinctively covered her son's eyes. She spun him around and took him by the hand, running across the road, practically dragging her son behind her.


She reached one of the houses across the road, banging frantically on the door. "Somebody please!" She yelled, as she saw the distorted shape of a person through the frosted glass. "Please! Call the police!"

 

[TheRevenant]

The rain cascaded down heavily, bouncing off the ground. The window wipers of the car swept back and forth continually. Barry Vaus cursed as he pulled onto Spooner St. Where the alleged victim had been discovered. As soon as he pulled onto the street, the flashing blue and red lights of police cars could be seen in the distance.


"Fucking reporters are already on the scene!" Barry snapped in annoyance. "Absolute Fucking vultures!" He sparked up another cigarette and pulled the car over at the side of the road across from the crime scene. "Don't forget the camera." He said as he climbed out of the car.


Barry was a large built man with narrow eyes and a huge bulbous nose. He was dressed in a grubby green blazer and trousers and wore a brown tie that was slacked off so much that the knot was half way down his chest. Various stains covered his white shirt and several buttons had been left unfastened.


He walked towards the yellow tape beckoning his new partner to follow him. He picked up his pace into a jog and splashed through puddles, waving off the crowd of reporters that were all trying to ask him questions at once. "No comment, no comment!" When the two detectives reached the yellow tape they ducked underneath to investigate the horror that awaited them on the other side.


Barry raised a hand to his mouth and uttered a profanity. A woman had been cut into pieces consisting of the head, the torso was in two halves and the arms and legs had been severed. All the pieces had been rearranged where they were supposed to be.

 

[Hellkite]

"Got it." Charlotte grunted, taking a bulky camera from the glove-box and slinging the strap around her neck. Opening the car door, she climbed out onto the pavement, skirted around the car and jogged to catch up with Barry. As she reached her partner Charlotte slowed her pace to walk beside him, turning up her coat collar to ward against the rain. As they walked she threw a sidelong glance at her new partner, lip curling in with a hint of distaste. Barry's choice of clothes did little to imply elegance, or indeed cleanliness, and Charlotte had been grateful to escape the man's car to get some fresh air. As the pair reached the yellow tape they ducked beneath. For a moment Charlotte was grateful to escape the clutches of reporters. A moment later she wished she could be back on the far side of the tape. She looked away from the grisly corpse in front of her, trying to master her churning stomach. She heard Barry swearing beside her.


"First case on the job," She groaned, still looking away. "And I get a weird one. It's just my luck."


With an effort, she forced herself to look back at the body. Dismembered into six parts, the woman stared blankly up into the sky, the rain diluting the dried blood that had collected around each body part. Charlotte crouched, wrinkling her nose, to give the body a closer look.


"I suppose this is were we start, then." She murmured, before turning to one of the cops keeping the reporters back. "Has anyone moved the body at all, or was this how she was found?"


She then glanced at Barry.


"I reckon we should have a look at these wounds, see whether they're clean cuts or something more ragged."

 

[TheRevenant]

"This is how she was when we got here." A police officer replied, pulling his blue coat about him with a shiver.


Barry sparked up another cigarette and inhaled deeply, sighing with the relief the large breath of nicotine gave him. He nodded in agreement when Charlotte suggested looking the body over.


The crime scene was a complete mess, reporters and beat cops left countless trails of foot prints in the mud surrounding the body. The body itself had been dismembered with almost expert precision, leaving little frayed flesh at the end of each limb.


The body had been dumped here, the long grass leading from the sidewalk to the spot where the victim now lie was flattened, suggesting the body, or at least parts of it. Had been dragged through the grass and dumped here. Barry scratched his brown hair under his trilby hat and took another pull on his cigarette.


"Any evidence left on the ground has likely been destroyed." Barry observed, casting a venomous glance at the reporters that swarmed behind the yellow tape.


Further inspection revealed to Charlotte that the organs had been removed and the body had been completely drained of blood. The woman's hair had been savagely severed off with a blade, leaving it really short and ragged. The woman's mouth had been stitched shut and There was very little blood on the crime scene.


A black car pulled up and a tall, slender man with a bald head and a hooked nose stepped out and made his way to the crime scene, he ducked under the yellow police tape. He was wearing a black suit and a red tie that was smartly fastened up to his neck.


Barry tapped a chubby finger on Charlotte's shoulder. "Charlotte, this is the Grim Reaper." He said with a chuckle. "He's the coroner."


The Grim Reaper cast Barry a dismissive look and stepped forward to greet Charlotte, "Pleasure to meet you, detective." He extended his long arm forward, stretching his hand out, offering a handshake. "My real name is Larry Conner." Larry's eyes were like two icey pools of water, they didn't even glance at the body and he showed no signs of disgust or revulsion at the barbaric spectacle that was strewn on the ground before them.

 

[Hellkite]

Charlotte nodded her thanks to the shivering cop, considering the scene for a moment before making an initial assertion.


"Judging from the way the grass has been flattened over there," Charlotte gestured at the offending foliage, "And the lack of blood it seems as though the body has been moved from she was initially killed. I'd guess that she was dismembered prior to this, those wounds look too surgical to have been a hack job with an edged weapon."


Charlotte stood, plunging her hands into the pockets of her coat.


"That leads me to two things. A theory and a question. Firstly, why dismember the victim, move the pieces and then reassemble them elsewhere? It seems gratuitous. Either the killer is a thrill seeker and sadist simply looking to break the rules, or he needed to fit the body someplace small to transport it here. A bag, or a car boot. Stitching the mouth requires a lot of effort just to keep one victim quiet, and the organs and hair are unnecessary. If I had to guess, I'd say that the killer is looking to provoke. He wants a chase, he wants to make a scene.


She glanced at Barry, trying to gauge his reaction to her question.


"Now for the theory. The cuts the killer made are clean, precise. I'm thinking industrial machinery at a first bet, and that would fit with the new builds over there."


Charlotte gestured towards the unfinished houses.


"I reckon there might be a few industrial saws left behind there from before the war which the killer could have used, meaning that our victim might have been killed somewhere in the vicinity. Its not much, but it does give us an initial line of inquiry.


Charlotte ceased her speculation as the coroner arrived. The corner of her mouth quirked slightly at Barry's Grim Reaper quip, but she thought she hid it well. Charlotte gripped the man's outstretched hand.


"I'm Charlotte." She replied. "And the pleasure is mine. Its good to have someone who reads bodies around, especially with cases like this."


She gestured towards the corpse.


"Mind if you give her a quick look over before you take her to the morgue? I'd like your professional opinion."

 

[TheRevenant]

Barry listened to Chatlotte's theories, nodding enthusiastically with each assessment. When Charlotte mentioned the killer transporting the parts of the body he nodded vigorously in agreement. "I'm thinking he cut her up so that she was easy to transport. And so he could move her quickly." Barry dropped his cigarette butt into the muddy grass and scraped his shoe over it.


"As for the industrial saw thing though," Barry shook his head doubtfully. "Too much noise. Why stitch her mouth closed and then use a saw like that? I mean, we could ask the neighbours, see if they saw or heard anything." Barry offered, shrugging his shoulders.


When Charlotte glanced at him he stared back at her blankly, wondering if she was giving him a que to speak. for the most part his face was expressionless, with the smallest glimmer of confusion.


"In my professional opinion, I'd say that those cuts were made by someone who knew what they were doing." Larry said, in response to Charlotte's question. "It seems likely that we're dealing with a single killer. Hence the fact the body was dismembered to make for easy transportation. I'd estimate time of death... approximately between 4 or 5 pm yesterday afternoon." He scratched his head. "I'll be able to provide you both with more details tomorrow, after I've given her a thorough examination." He looked at Barry and then Charlotte and then gestured to the dead woman. "As soon as you're both finished here I can take her to the morgue."


"Thanks Grim." Barry said, giving Larry a pat on the back as he left. "Let's summarise!" Barry clapped his hands. "Our vic is dismembered and drained of blood before being transported here and ditched on this stretch of wasteland. The cuts are professional! Which means the guy knows how to handle a blade..." Barry looked unsettled at that... "We need to get an I.D. on the lady, maybe we should let Grim take her to the morgue." Barry opened his packet of cigarettes and offered one to Charlotte.

 

[Hellkite]

Charlotte declined the cigarette with a gesture.


"I don't smoke, thanks."


She considered the corpse for a moment longer, before turning to Larry.


"You can take her to the morgue, see if you can get an ID on the victim, or at least some hint about who she is or where she came from let me know when you have something."Charlotte paused, then nodded in final confirmation before glancing at Barry.


"Did you get the details of whoever found the body?" She asked. "We ought to pay them a visit and get a statement."


Charlotte surveyed the scene once more. Several ideas buzzed in her mind, but she didn't voice them, not without anything to back up her speculation. She turned to a nearby policeman.


"Has the area already been searched for evidence?" She asked. After the reporters had trampled over the crime scene Charlotte doubted that there would be any evidence left, but it never hurt to ask.

 

[TheRevenant]

Larry nodded in affirmation. "I'll find out what I can and get back to you at your desk or at home. If we have her on file an I.D. should be easy." He said, before he ducked back under the yellow tape.


Barry shrugged as Charlotte dismissively waved away his cigarette. He shrugged impassively and slid the cigarette back into the packet before lighting his own.


"We have the address of the woman who found the body." A young police officer said. His face was riddled with acne and he had big wide eyes. He pulled out a notepad, trying his best to protect it from the rain. "Mrs Sally Decker." He said, as he flipped his notebook closed and slid it back in his pocket. "She lives only a few streets away on Hutton St."


"Thanks." Barry said in response to the police officer, tipping his hat slightly as a gesture of gratitude. "The ground has been trampled all over." Barry said angrily. "The reporters have walked over everything. We could have got a footprint or something. We can't get anything now..." He shook his head in disgust. "What should we do now? Back to the station? Or should we pay Sally Decker a visit?" he held his hands out in the rain. "Let's just get out of this rain!" He declared, ducking back under the tape and breaking into an awkward skip as he tries to run back to the car.

 

[Hellkite]

"Thanks, Larry." Charlotte called after the coroner as he departed, before turning and nodding her approval to the young officer.


"Good work. I'll pay her as visit."


Charlotte nodded at Barry's proposal to escape the rain, and was hot on his heels as the man ran back to the car. Once she had climbed inside, Charlotte turned to her partner.


"I reckon we ought to get a statement off Decker." She said. "While she still remembers the details. Once we've done that, then we can go back to the station, have a coffee, and start working this thing out."

 

[TheRevenant]

"That sounds like a good idea to me!" Barry declared in agreement. "I'll drive us over to Sally Decker's place now."


Barry turned the keys in the ignition and the car came to life. He pulled away from the sidewalk, raising a middle finger to the reporters stood staring from the sidewalk.


"Pieces of shit!" He spat bitterly. He drove with one hand, rummaging in his drenched blazer for his cigarettes. He pulled one out of the packet with his mouth. He lit the cigarette, filling the already stifling car with smoke.


Barry pulled the car up outside the address that Sally Decker had left with the on scene officers. "It's doubtful she knows anything useful." Barry muttered doubtfully. He breathed out a huge puff of smoke, coughing intensely.


He got out of the car, spitting a blob of phlegm into a puddle as he walked up the cobblestone footpath leading to Sally Decker's house. Barry dropped the remnants of his sodden cigarette and scraped it under his shoe before he tapped on the door.


A nervous looking woman in a floral patterned dress opened the door and eyed the two detectives warily. "Y-Yes?" She said softly, almost in a whisper.


"Sally Decker?" Barry inquired, putting on his 'official' tone of voice.


"Yes that's me... Can I help you both?" She asked timidly, her eyes darting between the two detectives.


"Detective Barry Vaus, homicide." He showed her his I.D. "and this is my partner, detective Charlotte." He gestured at his partner. "We just want to ask you a few routine questions, mind if we come in?"


"No... Not at all..." She stared at them blankly for a moment before stepping aside and opening the door fully. "Feel free to hang up your coats and take a seat in the living room." She made her way to the kitchen, inquiring if the two detectives would like a cup of tea or coffee.


"I'll have a tea please." Barry said, throwing his coat on the coat rack. He hung his trilby next to it and made his way straight to the living room, leaving muddy footprints on the wooden floor in his wake.

 

[Hellkite]

Charlotte scowled as her partner walked mud around the woman's house, but made no comment.


"Tea as well, thanks." Charlotte kept her coat on, and followed Barry through to the sitting room, perching on the edge of the sofa and studying the room. She fully expected Sally's statement to be little more than a formality, but it ticked a box for the investigation, and Charlotte was one to do things by the book. As she waited, she glanced at Barry.


"This isn't going to be an open-and-shut case, is it?" She mused. "I've a feeling that we're going to be chasing this guy for a while."

 

[TheRevenant]

The living room was small, consisting of a two seater sofa and a small arm chair with a matching design. There was a small television sat on top of a glass cabinet with various ornaments inside. On the mantlepiece were several pictures of a man in an army uniform with medals wrapped around them. Crucifixes hung from the walls, with rosary beads wrapped around them.


Barry waved a dismissive hand at his partner "Don't worry about it." He said impatiently. "We'll get the guy."


Sally Decker appeared in the sitting room doorway, she glanced at the mud footprints in distaste, but Barry either didn't notice, or didn't care.


"Two teas." She politely offered two teas on saucers to Barry and Charlotte.


Barry placed his saucer on a side table and blew his tea before slurping at it loudly. There was an awkward moment of silence before Barry spoke.


"Mrs Decker," he said, placing his cup on the saucer. "We have some questions we'd like to ask you."


Sally nodded her head gloomily. Her lips had become a thin line and she swallowed nervously. "I know what you want to ask about." She said, anticipating the questioning with abject dread.


"Can you retrace your steps this morning for us?"


"Okay... I got up at around 7 and walked over to Spooner street, it's the quickest way to the shoe shop. James ran in front and that's when I saw the..." she put a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry..." tears rolled down her cheeks.


"Take your time Mrs Decker." Barry said compassionately.


"I saw the body, i didnt want James to see it..." she wiped away her tests with the backs of her hands. "I'm so sorry... That poor girl... Who would do such a thing?"

 

[Hellkite]

Charlotte jotted notes on a pad of paper as the woman spoke, pausing at Barry's compassion.


Not such a bull in a china shop after all.





"That's exactly what we're trying to uncover, Ms Decker." Charlotte paused for a moment, studying the pictures on the mantelpiece before continuing. "I understand that this is difficult for you, but do you remember seeing anything unusual when you..." She allowed her words to trail off. She only wanted to see whether the woman could turn up any evidence, not stir unpleasant memories. After all, Sally Decker had seen the crime scene intact, before the reporters had arrived.

 

[TheRevenant]

Sally Decker held a hand to her throat in an attempt to prevent the rising bile. "At first I thought she was a broken doll. But then I realised it was a woman. I turned and ran towards the closest house so I could ring the police."


Barry leant forward. "Is there nothing else Mrs Decker? Anybody suspicious in the area?" He prompted, tapping his foot impatiently.


"I'm sorry, I really have told you everything I know. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."


"Okay." Barry exhaled. "If you remember anything else." He produced a card from his pocket and handed it to Sally. "Don't hesitate to give us a call."


Sally looked over the card dazedly and nodded.


Barry got to his feet and made his way to the front door. He put on his blazer and trilby and turned to face Charlotte and Sally. "I'll be in the car. Join me when you've finished talking to Mrs Decker." He said to Charlotte. "Good day Mrs Decker." Barry tipped his hat to her and left the house.


Sally Decker turned to Charlotte; "I'll let you know immediately if I hear anything strange. Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?"

 

[Hellkite]

Sarah considered for a moment asking Sally about the photos, but then decided against it. The woman wasn't a suspect, there was no need to raise other, potentially equally difficult questions.


"No, Ms Decker." Charlotte smiled at the woman, getting off the sofa and starting to make her way towards the door. "Thanks for your time. Like my colleague said, if you remember anything useful relating to the investigation, don't hesitate to contact us."


Once Charlotte was outside, she jogged to catch up with Barry.


"Well, at least we can fill in a few more details now." She commented as she headed for the car. "Decker found the body at 7, but Larry places the time of death at around 4 the previous afternoon. The body must have been dumped some time that night so that it would only be discovered the following morning. But why wouldn't the killer dump the body immediately after removing blood and organs? Why did he wait, unless he wanted some sort of headstart?


As Charlotte reached Barry's car she leant on the roof, ignoring the rain.


"A headstart on what? Either to escape, which from the nature of the crime I doubt. The guy didn't take much effort to hide the body. Had he needed time, he could have bought more by not taking pains to rearrange the body parts so close to a road. This wasn't a crime of passion, this was cold and clinical. I'd say our murderer wants a game, and I'd also guess that he plans on striking again."


Charlotte looked disconcerted.


"We should get back to the station. I want to see whether Larry's been able to ID the victim.mthe faster we start running this guy down, the better."

 

[TheRevenant]

Sally Decker smiled cordially and escorted Charlotte to the front door. "Don't worry. I'll let you know if anything comes up." Sally assured, closing the door behind Charlotte.


Barry was smoking a cigarette when Charlotte caught him up. "It is odd how the body was found..." Barry said. "It wasn't well hidden which says to me amateur, but the way the limbs had been placed rather than just dumped..." Barry trailed off, a look of concern on his face.


They reached the car and he stood to face Charlotte as she leant on the roof of the car. He also ignored the rain, which had started to slow down now. The grey clouds had started to part, revealing rays of sunshine and blue sky behind them.


"It's probably a whack job ex boyfriend or ex husband. I seriously doubt that we have a potential serial killer on the loose...." But Barry looked nervous in spite of himself. The idea frightened him and he didn't want to dwell on it. "In any case, serial killer or no, I agree this bastard needs to be caught. Let's go see Grim and see what he's managed to find out."


Barry got in the car and waited for Charlotte to join him. "Do you have spare clothes at the station? Or should we swing by your house?" Barry rolled back his sleeve and checked a golden watch. "It's just after 1:30p.m."


Barry turned the key and brought the car to life, pulling away from Sally Decker's house.

 

[Hellkite]

"Ehm..." Charlotte considered for a moment. "I think I've got what I need in my locker at the station. I assume you have what you need?"


She was silent for a moment, watching cars as the whizzed past.


"Hopefully in a few hours, we'll have a few concrete leads we can start chasing. It all depends on whether Larry can get that ID, y'know?"

 

[TheRevenant]

Barry nodded in agreement. He was silent for the majority of the journey to the station, contemplating the case thus far with an uneasy look on his face.


"I just wanna catch this son of a bitch!" He said vehemently.


He pulled the car up outside the police station and went to get changed. He changed into a white shirt, red tie and brown slacks. After that he met Charlotte and went with her to the morgue.


The morgue was down in the basement of the police station, down a stone staircase and through some wooden double doors at the bottom.


"It's like something from a horror novel." Barry joked as they reached the bottom of the staircase.


Inside the morgue, Larry Conner was stood by his desk looking through some files. He smiled when the two detectives entered. "Good news!" He declared. "We have a name for our victim." He pointed at the remains strewn out on a metal table. The stitching had been pulled apart so her mouth gaped open, with parts of the stitching still protruding from her lips, giving her a truly horrific appearance.


"Her name is Melody Carver. She was arrested two years ago for being drunk and disorderly, so we had her fingerprints on file and they match."


"Melody..." Barry said with a grin. "Like music to my ears." He looked at Charlotte, chuckling to himself.


Larry cast Barry a serious look. Then he continued. "I spoke with the chief and it appears that Melody was reported missing two weeks ago." He pointed his index finger at her mouth and made circles with his finger. "These stitches are the most bizarre part about it. Originally we surmised they'd been to keep the victim silent, but as it turns out that isn't the case, my tests indicate these stitches were made post mortum. And here's the reason why." Larry opened a drawer and produced a plastic bag containing a piece of paper and a small chess piece. "If you know chess detective," He said to Charlotte. "You'll know this piece is called a 'pawn.'"


Barry slapped his forehead in frustration. "Looks like you were right Charlotte! This bastard is playing a game with us!"


Larry nodded in agreement. "I'd say that the perpetrator has a god-like mentality in regards to his intelligence. He obviously intends to prove he's smarter than the police."


Larry opened the bag and showed Charlotte and Barry the note which had been typed out on a typewriter.


'What does man love more than life,


fear more than death or mortal strife;


which poor men have, the rich require and all contented men desire,


The miser spends, the spendthrift saves,


And all men take it to their graves.'

 

[Hellkite]

Charlotte studied the note.


"A riddle?" She groaned. "I hate these..."


Turning away, she looked at the chess piece.


"So this woman, Melody Carver, is merely a pawn-the weakest piece on the board." Charlotte turned to the two men. "So this is only the start."


She shrugged.


"At least we have a name now, and something about the killer. That I can work with. Larry, do you know if this woman had any close family we could talk to? I want to know more about her, and why she was the first victim. In the mean time, we'd better look at solving this riddle. If this guy is playing a game, then this clue could disclose what his next move will be."

 

[TheRevenant]

Barry snatched the note and read it to himself aloud two or three times before thrusting it back to Larry in frustration. "Fuck if I know!"


Larry studied the note. "I'll let you know if I work it out. The note itself was soaked in gasoline before it was placed in Melody's mouth, this means the killer didn't leave any finger prints. Also; if it's of any help, the note was typed with a royal typewriter." Larry turned back to the victim. "Ah yes! The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The victim was struck to the head by a blunt object before she had been mutilated." He gave the remains of Melody a pitying look before continuing. "She was bound by the wrists and ankles before she was killed." He pointed to the dull ligature marks around her wrists and ankles with a gloved index finger.


"This fucker had her locked away for the two weeks she was missing!" Barry offered. The disgust evident in his tone.


Larry gave a solemn nod in response. "She was likely tortured and then bashed on the head before being dismembered."


Then the chief entered. He was a broad chested man with brown hair, brown eyes and a brown mustache. He had an envelope with him that he handed over to Charlotte. "Here's an address of the guy that reported her missing; his name is Michael McCreary, young irish fellow." He gave the two detectives a stern look. "Go home and get some rest. Tomorrow you're going to be chasing leads." With that he turned and left just as briskly as he'd entered.