100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 202: Puzzle Skin V

1986, Doonbeg

Seven-year-old Levi held the bunny in his hand, one of its paws was caught in one of the bear traps lying around their property a few days back. And he had been secretly feeding it, caring for it since keeping it inside a shoebox with a cloth. He hasn’t named it, refused to if he was honest for he knew the chances of his father finding it and taking it away from him.

Giving things names after all, only made him more attached. That’s why he never gave the other kids names.

Russia was it? That’s where all the other kids who never returned went, his father had always confidently stated every time he asked when one of the kids staying in their shed had gone missing.

He wasn’t a fool, after all, he knew they were dead somewhere. He also knew that his father wasn’t a good man, but he was still his father, there was nothing he could do. It was just him and his siblings and the kids in the middle of nowhere in Ireland.

Levi released the bunny in his hand, coaching it to hop away, but it was still too weak to do so. It was safer out there in the wild than with him after all, and his father didn’t allow pets at home. Animals in his eyes were either for food, like cattle for their meat, or horses or herding dogs that helped around the ranch; any other animals who didn’t fall in that category were useless in his eyes and not worth any attention. He rubbed the bunny’s soft coat and put it back inside the box and draping the cloth over it partially then pushing the box under an old collapsed lumber, hiding it from view. Hopefully tomorrow it would be strong enough to fend on its own.

The blond turned, still wearing his school uniform, and headed home, he had chores he needed to complete or his father would be cross. None of them liked it when he was cross.

It was around 1 in the morning when he stirred, the noise woke him and kept him from falling back to slumber that night, the crying from the shed was too loud. Why they were crying he could only imagine, he had brought them food and water after dinner. His father must be ’playing; with them as he casually explained before.

Levi got up to get himself a glass of water returning minutes later. He paused in the hallway, noticing his younger sister peeking from her bedroom door, blue eyes looking up at him. She was only 4, he could barely remember his mother had left soon after she was born. She had blonde hair just like them. Her face he couldn’t recall, he was too young.

"Darcie, go back to sleep," he told her, pushing her back to her bedroom. "Wevi, can’t sleep," she muttered arms open up to him. He took her in his arms and carried her back, putting her in bed. He took note of the empty bed on the opposite side of the room. He scowled, Anna used to sleep there but she left them just like their mother.

"Darcie, sleep or Father would be cross" he whispered to her, he was well aware how their father particularly disliked his youngest sibling. He saw her as one of those hopeless, invaluable creatures who couldn’t do anything for him. "Anna is not here. She be back, yeah?" the girl asked, lying down as he tucked her in.

"Anna won’t be back," Levi said, his sister left. Those who leave aren’t allowed back. Those who leave aren’t welcome, his father always said. She had abandoned them, and he hated her for it. He should have taken them with her, but she left them there.

"She promised." the girl insisted, recalling the older blonde.

"She won’t." the boy replied, making his way out the door quietly. The girl scowled hugging the toy in her hand.

"Don’t be at the mercy of your emotions, Levi." Anna used to tell him when he cried. One he could still distinctly remember, sobbing when his father killed the stray cat he took home, telling him pets are useless.

.... 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

2008, 7 Eastbourne Rd

Levi’s eyes darkened looking at Marco, he’d rather not remember that. He wanted to forget about her. She was dead after all, just like the rest of them.

"Friends?" Marco said incredulously, making Levi snort in amusement. Of course, it wasn’t just him who found the notion of monsters making friends with other monsters funny. Did they drink tea and ate biscuits together? Yes, they did.

The Irishman turned to Marco, his tone back to business. "Regarding the call Anna made," he started catching Marco’s attention as they both stood looking at the whiteboard.

"What about it?" he asked, curious.

The slicked blond grabbed the file on his desk and handed it to Marco, and he scanned it for a second or two enough to realize this was a new file. An autopsy.

Levi watched him as he scanned through it, "Another body was found, this time male. Same MO, burnt, nothing that matches the missing reports records, and approximately 25-30 years old." the blond shared.

"So, this is a serial case." was Marco’s response.

"Yes and no." the blond said, eyes darkening. This very thing he realized was almost the same in his childhood. This wasn’t just your ordinary killing, this was a business.

Marco looked at Levi oddly, lost.

"A forensic expert was called to consult on the case, one that didn’t work under the government. And he learned that some of the vital organs were missing," he said, looking at Marco knowing full well that there was more going on than just a mere attempt to destroy evidence.

"What? Which one?" the bearded man asked, his medical brain working. Wondering if the victim had some sort of anomaly at birth, that would help narrow down their search to help identify the woman.

"Not missing, Marco. Taken." Levi said after noticing the bearded man turn silent as if recalling some of his medical knowledge. The bearded man’s brows rose as he looked at Levi, "Taken?" he repeated, "Was she possibly a donor?" he thought out loud, that would still narrow down their search, considering there aren’t really that many of them out there. Maybe they’ll get her name at the least and inform her next of kin.

Levi sighed, the bearded man thought the best of people he thought. Something he couldn’t be bothered with, he always thought the worst-case scenario in every situation, on how far someone could take it. "She’d be too gracious of a donor if that was the case Marco." the blond said, clueing on something the bearded man wasn’t certain of. "Because both her kidneys, heart, and liver were all missing," he added, causing Marco’s eyes to widen upon realization of what the psychologist meant.

"Oh my god," he muttered disturbed, the woman was harvested. And he reckoned it wasn’t voluntary.

"So this is something else entirely" Marco surmised seconds after. "Yeah, this is bigger than we initially assumed, this isn’t just murder. I reckon this isn’t the first, and won’t be the last." the blond confirmed, knowing full well that they could most likely be dealing with an organization. Dangerous enough to kill.

"So what now?" Marco asked, flopping down the nearest chair. "Whoever is doing this is harvesting people’s organs and probably selling it in the black market," he added, imagining the horror the victim must have gone through. Levi nodded in response, thinking it thoroughly.

"This is not something only two of us can deal with, Levi." the bearded man pointed out. Small cases were okay, he honestly didn’t sign up for human organ syndicates. "I know, that’s why Anna is working with us. She has connections, she’s currently gathering intel on any private facilities that provide such services. Although based on her rep not many would be willing to help, it may take a while before she finds anything valuable." the blond said, turning to Marco.

"So what can we do?" The bearded man asked, determined to put a stop to this.

"Economics, Marco," the slicked blond said with a glint of mischief in his eyes. Marco scowled, what does economics have to do with it? He wondered as he scowled at the amused grin spreading on the blond’s lips.

"This is a business, Marco, Think like every sleazy greed-driven murdering businessman" he urged the bearded man, as he waited patiently for him to get his point.

Marco’s eyes widened, ’Ah, that’s why he was amused’. "I’d rather not be in their heads, Levi." the bearded man chided.

He really shouldn’t be taking the case lightly.

"We’re dealing with unconventional people who harvest people’s internal organs for money. Don’t preach on me about ethics." the blond deadpanned, not in the mood for Marco’s nagging.

"So, the law of supply and demand." Levi thought out loud, earning a lungful of a sigh from the bearded man. He knew full well what the blond meant. Since they were dealing with a possible syndicate of illegal human organ selling, as bad as it may be, they should start thinking like them. Merciless criminals that were driven by the greed for money.

"So let’s start!" the slicked blond proposed too cheerfully for Marco’s liking. "First off customers. Where do they get them? Craigslist? I reckon it’s more exclusive than I originally assumed seeing as we haven’t received anything yet from my annoying sister." the blond started to brainstorm, pacing.

Marco frowned, looking at the burnt photo of the victim, something on the skin was slightly recognizable, a tattoo one he doesn’t recognize and he wondered if there were more of them out there.