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All business now, Chu and Pro pulled out their service weapons and pushed past Luther. They moved into the room, Chu going low and Pro high as they had practiced again and again. They both led with their weapons, eyes scanning left and right quickly. The room was fairly dark, as the curtains were all closed, but also stuffy, as if the air wasn’t circulating.
Chu hit a light switch and the room blazed with illumination. The two detectives moved like a unit to the next doorway, and then past it.
Shouts of “Clear” came as the pair moved quickly room to room, finally ending up in the bedroom.
On the bed lay a man, heavyset with brown hair and a thin beard and mustache. There were ligature marks around his neck and a short yellow rope lay on his chest.
“Mike Mystique, I guess?” Chu said, holstering his weapon.
“That would be my thought. How long ago?” Pro gasped, coming down from the tension of entering the room with a drawn weapon.
“Not long,” Chu said as he pressed his fingers to the carotid artery on the dead man’s neck. “He’s still warm and there is no rigor.”
“There’s a wallet on the bedside table,” Pro pointed out. “Maybe it has his ID.”
“I’ll call it in,” Chu said as Pro pulled out latex gloves and put them on.
Chu spoke quickly to the dispatcher and used the necessary codes to let them know they needed Forensics and the Medical Examiner at their address.
By now, Pro was gloved up, and she picked up the wallet and gave a short cry.
“What is it?” Chu asked. “Is that his ID?”
“No,” Pro gasped and stared down at the leather billfold in her hands. “This is my father’s wallet.”
14. Multiplying Bottles
Hours passed, and the two detectives supervised the operation. Luther and his security guard partner, Jorge, were a very helpful asset when the other teams arrived and headed up to 12-C to view the former Mike Mystique. They were able to get them up the elevator with as little noise and fuss as a team of police entering a building could produce.
The room had quickly become a cavalcade of scientists and officers, who began to examine every piece of Mister Mystique’s belongings and life.
An officer arrived from the cyber division and asked to see the footage of the video surveillance in the lobby. Jorge escorted him to where the recording machines were kept so he could duplicate the footage from the previous night and this morning.
Pro and Chu moved to the hall as the investigators did their work. Pro had replaced the wallet where she had found it and watched a CSI technician photograph it and place it into an evidence bag before she left the room.
Though upset, Pro put on a strong face for her partner. “I guess I was wrong. My father is a murderer.”
“You can’t be sure of that, Pro.”
“Then how did his wallet get here, Tom? We know that locks don’t stop him. He just walked right in and strangled Mystique.”
“Pro, you’re not thinking like a detective. You’re better than this.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was no struggle at the crime scene. You saw the room. Now if Max just snuck in and started strangling Mike, wouldn’t he have put up a fight?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Mike let him in. I mean, everyone knows Max in the magic biz. Maybe they were just sitting around talking and Max got the jump on him.”
“Okay, let’s say I buy that premise. Mystique’s a big guy, got to be close to two hundred seventy-five. Your father is tall but lithe. How does he pick up Mystique and stick him on the bed?”
Pro considered this. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“I think Mystique was strangled in the bed. Notice how his shoes were off? Now, Max might have a lot of friends in the business, but why would he and Mike be talking in the bedroom?”
“Damn it,” Pro said. “I didn’t notice any of the details. Geez, I know better than that.”
“It’s like I said, Pro, you’re too emotionally involved. You are a great homicide detective and a great partner—”
