100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 138: The Practical Joke IV

Two weeks later, 7 Eastbourne Rd.

Levi could tell that Saturday was different the second the redhead walked in his flat for their weekly Game Night. For one, she was earlier than usual, and two, she had her laptop with her. And three was the most obvious; she was not wearing heels, no trace of makeup was on her face, and she wasn’t in a dress. And most of all, not even an ounce of perfume can be smelt on her.

Sam turned to the blond sitting on the sofa after hanging her jacket by the door. His feet placed comfortably on top of the center table, reading a book in his long elegant hands. "Mind if I finish my thesis here, while you work on something?" the redhead asked, making her way towards his work table in the living room. She propped her laptop on his study table before he could even answer.

The psychologist looked up from his book and said ’yes,’ then closed the book and threw it on the coffee table. Curious as to what could be this thing ’something’ she wanted him to work on.

"Okay---" Sam said, pulling a case file from her bag and handing it to him. She had worked on it a few weeks ago. It was an intriguing case, and she knew it was hard enough to keep him occupied.

Levi sat back down on the sofa, leaning back to get comfortable, and with an arched brow, he started to read the case file while she typed on her laptop. It was the mysterious death of Ruth Regan, a reasonably successful Newspaper Editor. She had been found dead in her bed by her husband a few weeks ago after arriving home. It was noted that she was soaked with her own sweat, something odd, considering it was close to the winter season. The woman had no known health issues and was deemed to be a healthy 38-year-old.

A toxicology report was done due to the initial suspicion of poisoning, but it came out clean. The cause of death was asphyxiation (by choking on her own vomit).

Levi furrowed his brows, intrigued, and he continued to read on.

Mrs. Whitehall came hours later with tea, smiling at the sight of the two. The comfortable silence, she grew to love between them.

Sam stretched her arms an hour and a half later, and her eyes bounced on the psychologist sitting on the floor, studying the files scattered around him. No suit jacket and vest, just in his white plain dress shirt and blue pants.

"Any ideas?" she asked him.

Levi had that determined look on his face, and he wondered if it was even homicide. "Are you sure it’s homicide?" He asked in return, not bothering to look at her. So far, he can’t see anything odd, except for the fact that the victim died drenched in her sweat, a toxicology test was done, but reports revealed nothing, twice. Sam concealed a smile, "Yes, I’m sure Levi." she answered, amused at his state. And even though he seemed to be having trouble with it, she knew he was having fun figuring assembling the pieces.

It was another hour later when Sam stretched her neck and fingers in front of her. "Finally done." she said in relief. She worked on that thesis for weeks now, and she was glad it was finally over.

Levi spared her a look from his position on the sofa. "Done with what?" he asked, still pondering on the case she gave him.

"My Sociology Thesis." Sam answered, getting up to use the loo. "Didn’t you get your PhD on that already?" Levi asked baffled. "That was Psychology, and when do you plan to get yours?" she shot back from inside the loo, curiously. The man was a brilliant psychologist, yet he hadn’t even bothered getting his Ph.D. after so many years of finishing his masters. "I don’t want to be called a doctor." the Irishman answered, earning a curious brow from the redhead when she stepped out of the toilet.

"What was the thesis about?" Levi asked, not giving her the chance to ask why. Understanding that he didn’t want to talk about it, she happily changed the subject and answered, "I did a social experiment months ago on change in behavior under the influence of alcohol in a bar--didn’t really go as I anticipated." Levi listened.

"And a month ago, I read an article called the Brain map of Love and Desire. I thought I’d do some social experiments more on human Male behavior." She further explained. Levi raised a curious brow at this, and Sam placed her laptop on the coffee table in front of him. To show the result to him.

Levi leaned forward, scanning her work.

It started with, ’It takes a fifth-of-a-second for the euphoria-inducing chemicals to start acting on the brain when you look at that special someone.

Twelve different brain areas are involved; these areas release a cocktail of neurotransmitters across the Brain, including oxytocin, dopamine, vasopressin, and adrenaline. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The Brain gets a similar ’hit’ from love as it does from a small cocaine dose.

Levi continued to read, slightly intrigued.

Then on with her experiment. It spoke of her dating two men at once; the first man was JD1 (John Doe 1), and JD2 (John Doe 2). It explained and presented a different approach to each. JD1- had the clingy female version.

JD2- had played with the ’push-and-pull" effect and how each one treated her or the woman she represented/played in a span of 40days. During that 40-days, she also did a general experiment on men in public, how they responded to the opposite sex in different settings, and perceived social, financial, and intellectual statuses.

Then it hit him, JD. It was the name on her phone book, with the messages he read before, and more. Scrolling down, he read more about how clothing, make up. She basically summarized how she was treated based on her appearance alone.