100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 205: Puzzle Skin VIII

Riverside Memorial

Levi sat across the man named Aron Butler. His eyes scrutinizing every inch of him. Aron was of average build, a little overweight by a pound or two in the slicked blond’s opinion, with dark brown military cut hair.

Levi scanned the small office, it was clean, but old and reeked the scent of industrial bleach. His eyes rested on Aron, "Mr Butler, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you." he said smiling, legs crossed comfortably while the man seemed obviously tense at the situation he was in. It was just minutes before when he brought the body of a man after receiving a call. He was about to extract some of the vital organs while they were still fresh when the crisp suited man and his associates of three men barged into his business.

"I don’t understand why you’re here, who are you people anyway?" the brunet demanded, as his eyes swept over the open door leading to the back room where they performed embalming.

Three men in suits were snooping around the funeral home.

Levi rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue. He was wasting his time, pretending to be innocent.

"Aron, let’s not waste each other’s time and just tell us who you’re supplying the organs you’re collecting here." the blond suggested.

Aron remained silent, and Levi could see he was genuinely afraid for his life and it wasn’t because of their presence. It was for something else.

"Grey Gang, Selby, NPK Scotland Green, Reed Road, ferry Lane?" Levi started, deciding to give out gang names starting from the North London Gangs while observing the man’s reaction. Just North London had at least 46 gangs from his knowledge. All of which had areas or streets they are considered to take control of. Over 200 gangs in the whole of London.

"Mitchellbrook, Skrilla, SOC, Kilburn Bandits?" he continued, still finding no reaction. "It definitely won’t be the Mali boys." Levi thought out loud, this wasn’t their style.

He sighed, he can’t waste time enumerating over 200 gangs and waiting for him to react. He had to narrow it down, think of the viability of the organs he delivers.

At most Thoracic organs like the heart and lungs can only be viable for transplant within 4 to 6 hours. The liver can function for up to 12 hours, kidneys lasting the longest up to 36 hours.

"The Adams Family?" he tried, seeing that it was one of the closest to their location.

"Sabinis?" Still nothing.

Levi sighed, and his eyes narrowed wondering if it’s that new group he heard only whispers of recently that was monopolizing Elmington Estate with the illegal drug supply. What was their name again? He thought, searching his memory.

"Brass Crows," he thought out loud, and his eyes widened when he saw the change in the man’s body language. How his eyes dilated in fear at the mention of the name.

"Ah, the new gang," Levi said standing from his seat. He fished his mobile out of his pocket and sent Anna a text then he turned to Aron while beckoning one of Anna’s people who was happy enough to do as he was told. The man, Levi only knew was called ’Jay’, he doubts were even his real name wasn’t taller than him but he was close. And was over 20 pounds heavier than him. To say the least, he was an intimidating looking man, wearing a black suit.

"Aron, I’ve wasted all the time I’m willing to waste. I suggest you talk. Or... well, Jay here would be happy enough to force it out of you." the blond threatened.

Aron’s eyes widened, and cold sweat dripped down his neck soaking his collar. "I’ll talk! I’ll talk!" he exclaimed when Jay grabbed him by the collar pulling him up from the chair he was sitting on.

Jay turned to look at Levi and the blond nodded, and he released the man. "I was approached by an associate, they said it will be made use of. I thought, why not? these people are dead anyway!" he started to spill. "How much do they pay you?" the blond asked.

"A few thousand grand depends on the organ. Hearts and lungs are more expensive but it’s rare too" he said, "Yes, due to viability I assume."

"Who do you deliver it to? Where?" the blond asked.

Aron shook his head, "I don’t know any of that. I don’t know where they use it, or who they use it for. I’m just a supplier." he said, and Levi saw the sincerity in his voice.

"Then how?" he asked.

"I call a number and someone comes and picks it up." he shared. Levi grinned, "I suggest you make that call." the blond said giving Jay a look and the man took it as his cue to step out of the room.

"I just can’t do that, I need an organ" Aron insisted.

"We have one." the blond said, and Aron’s face paled. Wondering if he meant his? He wouldn’t do that to him would he? Or wouldn’t he?

.....

Marco sat in the passenger seat, leaning back with his eyes closed. He turned when he heard the driver’s seat door open, his eyes narrowed dangerously at the slicked blond, who had a victorious grin on his face.

"Still feeling woozy?" the blond asked casually as if he wasn’t at all responsible at his pathetic state. "What the hell did you give me?" the bearded man asked.

"Just some experimental drug from Anna’s arsenal called TTX-48 originally came from the pufferfish’s Tetrodotoxin. Due to its paralysis effect, it was initially meant to be used in the medical field as an analgesic to treat some cancer pains. Unfortunately, it failed." the blond said as he waited.

Marco’s eyes widened in surprise, "You poisoned me!" he spat.

"I read the research, I knew you’d be fine!" the slicked blond retorted, although he didn’t read all of them. He read the general gist. He’s alive, isn’t he? It was highly effective in his opinion, for after a few minutes of looking at his friend on the sofa he was so convinced he might have accidentally killed him. His body temperature went down drastically, and his heartbeat was barely noticeable. Not only that it rapidly paralyzed and weakened his muscles, of which included the respiratory tract. Making him the perfect dead.

The bearded man sighed, "At least tell me waking up in a body bag wasn’t completely a waste." he said. "Of course not. We learned a few vital things because of your participation." the blond said. Marco rolled his eyes, not willingly he wanted to say. But that didn’t matter anymore.

"What is it?" the bearded man asked.

"Aron Butler is a supplier working for a new gang known as the Brass Crows, not much is known about them but based on some intel they distribute illegal drugs. Who they work for or if they operate on their own is still unknown." Levi said, pausing.

He turned to Marco, "Although my theory is they work for someone. And Aron is just one of the many suppliers." the blond said, looking at his friend beside him. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"How about the burnt bodies found, is it the gang?" the bearded man asked.

"We have no definite answer for that yet, although we know that Aron is not involved."

"How can you tell?" Marco asked, opening a plastic bottle of water and drinking it. "Funeral home Marco," Levi said like it was obvious.

"You are slower today, must be the drug in your system" the blond commented. "They have a crematorium, Marco. The perfect way to dispose of a body. Why leave it somewhere if you can easily turn it to dust?" Levi said, eyes looking straight ahead. Something Marco noticed. Come to think of it they were not moving, simply parked there outside the funeral home.

"Are we waiting for something?" the bearded man asked, yes, he really was slower today.

"Yeah. We’re waiting for the courier." Levi said, the corner of his lips curling upwards.

"Courier?" Marco repeated, confused.

"Someone that would pick the organ from the supplier, Marco. He will lead us to the base of operation." The slicked blond said, eyes observing the empty road outside.

"Ah, so we’re on a stakeout?" Marco said, finding the notion exhausting. He was tired as it is already. "It won’t be long, Organs need to be picked up as soon as possible." the slicked blond stated confidently.

"So, these people have two sources of organs." Marco thought out loud, realizing that they don’t only steal it from the dead, but also the worst part, the living.

Levi nodded in confirmation. "As we assumed, this is bigger. This already has a local gang involved."

"And Jason Murdoch, how is he involved in all these?" Marco thought out loud, he, after all, was the very reason the slicked blond took the case in the first place.

Levi handed him his mobile phone with a photo on it, Marco took it and looked at the screen seeing a man in his 30’s sitting across Jason Murdoch in a posh restaurant in Central London.

"That’s Shay Watts, with him. Known leader of the Brass Crows. Swipe left." he added, and Marco did so showing another photo this one with Jason Murdoch was with a tall man in his late 40’s with greying black hair, "That man beside him is the crown prince of Morocco Mostafa Fadel." Levi informed him, the information he got from his sister.

"Anna’s sources state that he is currently suffering from severe coronary artery disease."

"Look at the third photo." the blond said, and Marco clicked the next image. This time he saw a woman with jet black hair walking alongside Jason Murdoch somewhere he reckons was in Asia based on the background. "That’s Desirae the Bull, a hitman. Famed for her MO of having the body of her victims chewed on by her pet bulldogs. She currently requires a new pancreas." the Irishman said.

"Are these his customers?" the bearded man asked.

Levi shrugged, "Jason Murdoch has enough money to last him a lifetime. He doesn’t do anything for money anymore, Marco" he shared.

Marco furrowed his brows, "then for what?"

"Favors. Power. IOU’s" the blond stated scoffing to himself. People who don’t do it for money are far more dangerous than those who do.