100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 66: Murder of the 15th XI

11 AM, Present-day

Sam sat on the bed, leaning against the bed frame. She was wearing peach-colored silk pajamas, listening to the long-winded explanation of the doctor that afternoon. She couldn’t see the specialist face, but she could tell by the tone of his voice he was lost.

Having had enough, Sam sighed.

"I understand perfectly how the human anatomy functions, get to the point. Can you fix it or not?" She spat. Elle sent the specialist an apologetic smile, she knew the redhead wasn’t being rude on purpose, she was just impatient.

Dr. Llyod pursed his thin lips, he honestly had no idea, what’s gone wrong. Her eyes were responding perfectly. But as to why she can’t process the images must be due to the unknown drug injected in her.

"No, I’m sorry, Dr. Gray. Physically there’s nothing wrong with your eyes. Everything functions perfectly, your eyes dilate and react to light as it should. But as to why you can’t process the images you see is entirely different, it must be neurological. Even with a transplant, there’s no way...I’m sorry." The doctor explained.

"It’s not you who caused this, Dr. Llyod. Don’t apologize." Sam said, understanding her dilemma.

"I want to be left alone, thank you for your time," Sam added dismissively, the doctor adamantly left the room with Elle in tow. The two left the redhead alone as she asked.

Sam gritted her teeth and fisted her hands. And she cried, not the sobbing kind, no. She simply sat there on the bed, eyes wide open, hands shaking in both fury and fear, and tears kept flowing freely down her cheeks. She was afraid, she was truly afraid.

’Your eyes make you special, it’s these eyes that see everything. Without it, you are nothing." A voice echoed in her head, ’Some people are greater than their parts, others have parts greater than the whole. In your case, you are the latter’, the voice continued with its taunts.

Sam cupped her ears attempting to muffle the voice away, but she could still hear it perfectly.

’Without it, you are nothing.’

’Without it, you are nothing.’ It repeated, over and over again.

And she knew, it was all in her head.

She knew there was something wrong with her.

It wasn’t just the eyes that couldn’t see, it was her memories too, a jumbled mess.

Her brain was sluggish. It wasn’t like the jet she was used to, right then it felt like a fast train.

Just a train.

Far slower than the Jet she was used to. Is this how normal people feel? Why does it take so much time to think?

Images didn’t come to her as fast, and she kept telling herself it’s the drug. That whatever it was, was affecting her. And all this was just temporary.

She’ll get her sight back, right? When the drug is off her system? Right?

Balance of probability, she thought.

But what if it doesn’t?

What if she stayed blind?

What then?

She’ll be disabled and unemployed.

She would be a burden. And her heart pounded harder against her chest.

.....

Anna sat in her office, in her hand was the redhead’s medical file given to her by the specialist. After reading it, her shoulders sagged noticeably and she groaned.

"This proved to be more trouble than I originally anticipated." Anna thought out loud. She rubbed her temples in frustrations.

The older Fredricksen will not be pleased to hear this, she thought.

....

2 PM, Guy’s Morgue

Clark Dawson stood before the morgue sink, washing his hands aseptically. He had just assisted Dr. Summers in a routine autopsy of a woman named Elisa Fielding. She died from natural causes, she was 88.

Clark flicked the water off his hands and looked at the mirror. A fairly attractive man with average built and height, with blond hair and blue eyes, looked back at him. He sighed, recalling his mentor, Dr. Gray.

He had first met her ages ago in a seminar in Dublin, she shared some personal tricks she had developed over the years of studying and practicing forensics. He could still remember how the packed lecture room cheered in applause after her closing remarks, and she smiled at him over the crowd. That was 6 years ago, he could still remember how brilliant her crimson hair was, and how green her eyes were. And the smile on her face was filled with childlike wonder.

Since then he worked hard in hopes of working under her, learning from her genius. And maybe one day, work beside her as colleagues. She was so full of life, he could still recall, and he found that trait of her charismatic. Even after facing numerous gruesome, horrifying things in her job, she never lost her smile. And Sam Gray smiled the brightest after providing the authorities with a solid lead.

She always took pride in what she did, in what she accomplished. She dedicated herself to her work of ’being the voice of those who can no longer speak’

It was almost 2 months ago when he last saw her in Guy’s Hospital, that was around the time she formally took over the Murder of the 15th case. The press even blocked his path a few times coming to work, just to get a statement from the staff regarding the lead pathologist.

Clark peaked through the small glass on the door of her personal lab, wondering if he could provide any assistance. With Sam, were Jones and Jimmy. They were all busy analyzing evidence from the last victim.

And due to the fact that the redhead’s hands were full, he had been (for the meantime) assigned to assist Dr. Summers instead.

She didn’t have time to be a teacher, understandable, considering life and death were more pressing. And a lot more was at stake, people may die if they don’t catch the killer as soon as possible.

But Clark had hoped that he’ll be reunited with his mentor soon, for the Case to be over. Be it turning to a cold serial case or them catching the killer, he truly didn’t care... For the things he learns from her were far more valuable than he gets from Dr. Summers. No offense to the senior pathologist, but Sam Gray had a way of doing things that were faster and far more efficient. She had a process she stuck into, knowing it works.

She also happened to know things your regular forensic pathologist doesn’t, tricks under her sleeves that make things more effective. The redhead was a one-man team type of woman. She could do most things on her own, if she was honest she prefers doing things on her own, considering she had issues with inconclusive test results. She didn’t like repeating her work, she considered it a waste of time mostly. Saying that ’If you do it right, once is enough.’

If Clark was honest he’d admit that he was generally jealous of the camaraderie between the ’Master’ and the Sleuth. The man was not only allowed to drop by her lab any damn time he pleases, but he also happened to have full access to her laboratory equipment, not even the senior staff had that kind of privilege.

Not only does the Director help Mr. Jackson with his private cases, which most people considered odd in the first place. The two were nothing alike, but then they didn’t know either one well enough in the first place.

Clark glared at his reflection in the mirror, he glared at his hair, his roots were starting to grow in. He needs to dye it soon.

He honestly hoped that things played out differently. And that she was still there with them.

.....

4 PM, Sam’s Lab

Levi sat inside Sam’s Lab, reading through the test results of the latest victims. His phone started ringing from his pocket, he grabbed it and answered after reading the name.

"She’s...awake," Anna says before Levi can say anything.

Levi paused, there was something more based on his sister’s tone, and that annoying pause she made.

"There’s....more?" He asked, looking at Marco who was busy reading through some of the past victim’s files. Trying to figure out what linked them.

"Yes." Anna answers.

Another pause, followed by an exasperated sigh.

This was stressing her out.

Stress is not good for her skin.

"She’s blind, permanently or temporarily we cannot tell at this stage. She’s seeing a specialist right at this moment" The platinum blond revealed, rubbing her temples.

Levi tensed in his seat, a million things running in his mind a millisecond.

Marco noticed the blond’s reaction, his hazel eyes were wide open, an expression of surprise was in his face. And it wasn’t a good kind of surprise.

"Levi? Are you okay?" The bearded man asked, concerned.

Levi’s eyes scanned his surroundings, they were inside her Lab, he took notes of every machine, every equipment, everything in her Lab.

All of it needs sight to be operated, to be used.

She may never be able to use it.