How earth shattering could something be in a murder investigation? You expect the worst and you usually get it. What kind of animal murders, anyway. Especially as gruesome as the three we've seen so far. The public is screaming for action. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to these senseless murders. Not that every murder isn't senseless, these I guess border on heinous.
Charlie pulled into the only available spot near the police department. Sam was a bit close to the edge, something was really wrong. When she called to find out how the investigation was going from his end, he almost came unglued. She was glad they were friends and he would give her current information.
Sam was out of his office talking to a couple detectives at their desks when Charlie entered the precinct. The clutter of desks and hum of the room reminded her of the newsrooms of several small town newspapers where she had worked. Desks that looked like hand-me-downs, papers and files piled high like dust rags, old lamps and coffee cups and behind it all perched some tired faces typing reports, some comparing notes, none laughing or carrying on nonsense conversations or gossip. She caused a stir as she walked through the room. Reporter was synonymous with poison in a detective's office atmosphere, she thought wanting to correct their opinion out loud as she walked through voices lowered to keep conversations private from the snooping press.
She caught Sam's eye and he motioned her into his office.
"Hope it's been awhile since you had breakfast," he said.
She sat in the only empty chair in the cluttered office across the desk from him. He pulled out a folder and sat down heavily as he handed it to her. "The X-ray we found in Henderson's car? We knew it wasn't a human skull, we were beginning to think it was alien. According to the FBI lab, it's a dolphin brain."
"A dolphin? What was Henderson doing with an X-ray of a dolphin brain?"
"We were able to track where it came from with the FBI's help. The doctor, witch doctor I'd say, but not in public company, is a firm believer in organ transplants, from pig hearts to dolphin brains. This guy is a regular Frankenstein."
"How does he tie in with Henderson? Was he after her body parts?"
"He says not. The good doctor says they were looking to transplant Henderson's brain with a dolphin brain because of the brain tumor, she apparently was not long for this world."
"Oh my God. Did she agree?"
"I don't know, but thinking of the consequences, you know dying in that kind of pain, she might have. We may never know the answer to that. From the skull music tape..."
"Wait, Skull music?"
"That's what the lab calls that cassette tape we found in the tape player of her car."
"I never heard about that."
"There wasn't much to hear. Sounded like a fan belt screeching or something, but the guys in the lab had heard it before. Now with a tag for the X-ray, it makes even more sense."
"How so?"
"Brain waves. For years scientists have been studying the electronic emissions from the brain. They also have been able to communicate with dolphins using this knowledge. The tape is the sound produced electronically from a brain."
"And the brain sounds like a squealing fan belt?"
"In this particular case, the lab said a terrorized brain."
"Okay, so let me see if I have the picture here. Professor Henderson has a brain tumor. Her brain's reaction to this tumor is terror. So some lunatic offers to replace her terrorized brain with a dolphin brain."
)
