Ghost Pepper Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Early the next morning, Penelope’s phone buzzed insistently. Seeing Dr. Martens’ number on the screen, she answered immediately. “Dr. Martens?”

“Yes, Detective. I have the official causes of death for the Williams case,” Dr. Martens began, her tone as clinical as always, though Penelope sensed a deeper urgency. “I thought you and Detective Clifford would want to know.”

Penelope nodded to Tony, who had been listening on speaker phone. “Go on, Doctor,” Penelope prompted.

Dr. Martens continued, “As you might have suspected, Steve Williams’ cause of death was manual strangulation. His throat injuries match the same pattern as the previous male victim, hand bruising, force applied consistently to cut off airflow. And for Betsey, it’s as you thought, a single gunshot wound to the left temple. Likely a small-caliber weapon, possibly fitted with a silencer. I’d estimate death was instantaneous.”

“Consistent with what we’ve seen so far,” Tony murmured.

“But there’s more,” Dr. Martens went on. “There were faint injection sites on both their necks, exactly like those on the Carters. And I can confirm that they were both injected with the paralytic drug: Succinylcholine.”

Penelope’s stomach tightened as she stated, “This was becoming a pattern, this would incapacitate them.”

“Yes, Detective. It would act quickly, paralyzing their voluntary muscles while keeping them conscious for about an hour, unable to move or resist.” Dr. Martens paused, her tone serious. “It suggests someone wanted complete control over them before…finishing the act.”

The silence lingered as both detectives absorbed this information.

“This only reinforces what we suspected,” Penelope said after a moment. “We’re dealing with someone who knows exactly how to subdue and stage these scenes. And who’s been meticulous about it.”

Tony looked at her. “Meticulous and…obsessed, maybe?”

“Thank you, Dr. Martens,” Penelope said into the phone. “Your insight is invaluable here.”

With a last word of confirmation, Dr. Martens ended the call, leaving them to prepare themselves for the press conference. Penelope knew they would have to walk a fine line, reassuring the public without letting critical details leak.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later, in front of a small crowd of reporters gathered at the precinct, Tony stepped forward, adjusting the microphone. He turned to Penelope, nodding for her to take the lead.

She took a steadying breath and addressed the room with calm authority. “Good morning. As many of you know, we’re investigating the deaths of Steve and Betsey Williams. This follows a similar case from last week. While we can’t reveal specifics, I can assure you that we are working diligently to piece together these events.”

A hand shot up from the back. “Detective Peppers, are the police looking into this as a serial case?”

Penelope answered, “We are aware of similarities between the two incidents and are investigating all possible connections.”
“Can you tell us about the cause of death?” another reporter pressed.

She kept her answer cautious. “We’re awaiting some final forensic reports. We know both cases involved…tragic, violent means, but we don’t have enough evidence to confirm anything further at this time.”

A murmur of voices passed through the crowd, and a reporter in the front row spoke up. “Should residents be concerned about someone lurking in the area?”

Penelope held his gaze, answering carefully. “We encourage everyone to stay vigilant. Keep an eye out for unusual activity, and contact law enforcement if you see anything suspicious.” She took a brief pause, then added, “Specifically, if you see an Amazon delivery truck that seems out of place or stays in one location longer than expected, please let us know.”

Her words seemed to ripple through the crowd, cameras flashing as reporters scribbled notes and traded theories in low voices. Tony gave a slight nod, signaling they’d provided as much as they could for now.

“Thank you,” Penelope said, as she concluded the briefing. The detectives turned, making their way back into the precinct as the murmurs of the press faded behind them.