100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 174: The Wilson’s Double Murder Case V

Twenty years ago, Dr. Martin’s Clinic. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Kevin looked at the young redhead; he had known her for almost ten years. And the wisdom her eyes held he’d not seen in many. Even to those around his age. "Honestly?" He asked, knowing full well she wouldn’t back down.

"I wouldn’t have it any other way," she answered as he expected.

"I don’t know." He confessed, leaning back to his chair.

Sam scowled at him; it can’t be; he should know. "Not specifically ’what’ caused it but from my years of observation and study of your mental health, and undeniable-remarkable growth. Something traumatizing caused it, something so bad--" he started to explain,

"I repressed it." She finished for him, causing him to chuckle under his breath, impressed. She must have been absorbing books after books on psychology. He knew she was the type to go big, never half-assing things.

"Yes, like you may already be aware. Psychological repression is an automatic defensive mechanism based on Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic model in which people subconsciously push unpleasant or intolerable thoughts and feelings into their unconscious." Kevin said, earning Sam’s full attention. She had learned that, as well.

"In layman’s terms, when situations or memories occur that we are unable to cope with, we push them away." He added, using jargons he knew she could fully comprehend.

He released the pen in his hand, letting it roll on the table till it stopped on its own. He looked at the teenager before him; she was his most superb patient. And it won’t be long he knew till he would no longer be her psychologist was near. She was no longer a child, after all. "It’s something your mind, your understanding as a child at the time couldn’t handle. That it chose to bury it deep within your subconscious, that’s why you can’t remember", he said.

"Why?" she asked, the very question she had been asking herself for the past weeks. Something she wanted most to know. She needed to know.

"It is a primary ego defence mechanism...To protect your sanity, to cope so that you can move forward like normal. "Kevin explained, fingers intertwined together as he watched her process every information he provided.

"I’m anything else but normal." She said. She knew she was something else entirely; she knew that since she started interacting with other kids. She thought them slow, but then again, to her, most adults also seemed slow. However, there are people like Dr. Martin and her grandfather, who she found tolerable enough.

Kevin smiled, nodding softly, "You are extraordinary." he complimented, but she brushed it off. Her mind had been praised numerous times before.

"What could it be?" Sam asked out loud, and Kevin considered for a moment, "It could be anything at the time--it could be as ordinary as a ball, a shadow, the sound of thunder...as long as it scared you enough." he explained. Her eyes narrowed at him, "Or it could be something really bad---something really scary." she interjected, knowing full well he was hiding something from her. He sighed, his eyes darkening for a second.

Noticing the man’s expression, she fisted her hand. "You know something!" She accused him.

Kevin shook his head, "I don’t. I really don’t." He said firmly, honestly, trying to calm her. He had his suspicions, of course, and his suspicions were something horrible. Perhaps, a childhood abuse--he did try to investigate her past, he had checked her medical records before her grandparents took her in. But they were spotless, no history of hospitalizations, accidents, no physical scars, but emotional--plausible. He knew that there had to be a reason why Sam had difficulty trusting people. Why at 4, she decided to stop talking.

Someone caused it.

Someone from her past.

"Yet, it had, and still influences my behaviours subconsciously." She pointed out, knowing whatever it was still haunts her to that very day.

"Yes, it is manifesting themselves in our discussions, your dreams, and emotional reactions in your everyday life." Kevin agreed.

"I want to know." She said, her voice breaking, Kevin noticed.

"We both know it’s not that easy, Sam. It’s buried in decades of memories, you repressed it for a reason--" he started, "but it can be remembered, right?" She interrupted with a determined look—the fire in her eyes he could see.

He sighed; she was such a headstrong young woman. "Yes, it’s possible." He admitted.

Sam stood, looking down at the doctor seated behind his office table.

"Then, I want to remember." she started, and he listened to her every word.

"If I remember it--- if these repressed memories could be brought up to a conscious level. It could help me be--not be so afraid anymore. It will help me understand....ME." the redhead proposed confidently. Her standing so tall, so proud, was something he knew she only showed to those who she trusted, this was who she truly was, not the girl who always made herself subconsciously little to the world as if trying to make herself unnoticeable as possible. If only she weren’t so afraid, she could be so much more, he thought. She’d be someone that could make so much difference in whatever field she decides to pursue.

’If only..’ Kevin imagined she could conquer the world.

Sam placed her hands on the table, looking the man more than twice her age straight in the eyes. "And you will help me. You are my Doctor after all", she claimed.

Kevin looked back at the red-haired teenage girl in jeans, overalls, and sneakers making demands in his office. He smiled, both amused and impressed. Of course, he will help her; that’s why he was there after all.

....

Present Day. Lab, Guy’s Hospital,

Elle walked through the halls heading towards her boss’ lab. She was worried, to say the least, she hadn’t seen the redhead that focused on a case in her life, not since the Murder of the 15th--which people may not believe, but she had not stopped working on. Whenever she had some available time, she would still review the case. It always bothered her, the killer is still out there free, blending in with the crowd somewhere. And even though there were no longer any reports since her attack, she had an inkling saying he was still doing what he did best, subtle killing. Natural deaths. And to her, perhaps he or she was just too good to be noticed.

On the other hand, the Double-murder Case, in some way, Elle thought she was taking personally. The anger burning in her eyes was something she hadn’t missed.

Why? She doesn’t know. She had asked the redhead directly, but the ginge merely dismissed her presence.

"Any update from the blood spatter analyst?" Sam asked when she entered the automatic door. She had asked a colleague of hers who was a specialized analyst that could perform additional forensic science duties for a task. Unfortunately, she hasn’t received any reports from the specialist yet.

"No, not yet," she answered, watching the redhead readjust her microscope.

"Alright, thanks." the redhead dismissed her as she analyzed an article of clothing with stains, which she believed to have the suspects semen on it. She had checked the stain under ultraviolet light and had double-checked by exposing it to specific chemicals--both result positive.

"How about a break," Elle suggested, worried, and she honestly can’t tell if her boss’ razor-sharp focus on the case was because of the case itself, or if it was because of what happened with Levi and her, something they had caused.

Something she had been subconsciously calling as ’the breakup’.

"No," Sam stated firmly, not bothering to look at her.

Elle moved closer to the redhead; she forced a smile on her face. "How about I make you tea? You need---" she started, wanting her to at least take a short breather, and not be hunched down with a microscope, or a computer for a second or two.

Sam whiplashed to Elle, annoyed, her eyes focused on her. And the way she was looking at her Elle found intimidating. "What I need is silence while I work," she said, her patience thin. She didn’t want her time wasted by trivial things that didn’t help with the case in hand. It didn’t matter to her if she didn’t solve any other case in the future, as long as she solved this one. That’s all that mattered to her.

There was a pause, and Elle opened her mouth to speak, admittedly she was hurt but at the same time worried. Sam rarely snapped, and if ever she did, it was for a significant reason. She knew the redhead had a lot on her plate, to the degree that even her brother had informed her to watch out for her since their grandmother was ’on the move’. What Denise Fredricksen was plotting the brunette could only fathom to be sinister and devious.

"Do I need to tell you to leave?" Sam said, glaring at her assistant, who had yet to leave her in peace. Elle sighed, and she turned and exited the room.