BLOOD DIAMOND (PART 2)

                A phone ring echoes in the forensic lab, Holmes answered while Watson continue on with what he does best. After a short phone conversation, Holmes suddenly fills with excitement, "Come on Watson! We have to hasten our pace. Our last pieces of puzzle is finally arrive!".
                 "I thought our last piece is going to be at any of these evidence?! Where else our last piece going to be?", asked Watson.

                 "No, Watson. Everything here are the leads that will guide us to the last piece. And now! Our last piece finally revealed itself!", says Holmes excitedly.
                 "And where exactly is our last puzzle piece going to be, Holmes? You know I'm tired of doing guesses feeding your mind.", says Watson in frustration. All Holmes did was flash a smile back at Watson and say, "The. St. Michael's. General. Hospital.", and left.
                  "Wait! What? The last puzzle in the hospital?", says Watson in a shocking manner. Holmes already got his coat ready and about to leave while Watson is still in a hassle grabbing his coat.

                   About 30 minutes passed, Holmes and Watson finally arrived, greeted with Graham's presence, "Hopefully you won't make me regret my decision doing this, Holmes. Not only will it get you in trouble but me as well.", explained Graham.
                    "We have wasted enough time now, inspector. The person lying on the bed inside is the key to our puzzle. I want you to promise me one thing, Graham. No matter what happen to that person inside or things bound to happen - NEVER INTERFERE.", says Holmes.

                    "Bloody hell, Holmes! How am I going to report to the Yard if anything happens to him?! It would costs me a rank or two off my shoulder Holmes!", says Graham in frustration. "Do you want to catch that beast? I'm just gonna make him talk himself out, NOTHING ELSE.", replied Holmes with that fierce eye contact that gives Graham a fearful but assurance of faith from Holmes.
                     "Alright, fine. Only if there's a threat towards him, I have to pull you out Holmes. MIND YOU.", explained Graham. Holmes proceed to the private patient ward without anymore words uttered. Watson only gives "don't mind him" expression on Graham and proceed following Holmes into the ward.

                      "Good day, Mr. Bowman! You looking fine.", greet Holmes. Still in weak condition, he utters, "Just call me Josh will do, sir.".
                       "Alright, Josh. Certainly your previous condition had wasted enough of our time waiting for your statement. Hopefully you are in shape for a long talk.", without holding back questioning. Josh gives a long stare then replied, "OK."

                       "Great! First for starter, would you take a look at these crime scene photos of your home? Can you tell us how it happened, Josh?", asked Holmes. Josh looks at it longer than usual. "I do not know who did it. I can only tell that I came home late that night and when I try to switch on the light, it wasn't working and then I was stabbed at the back. When I woke up, only do I realized my family is dead.", Josh sobbed.

                        "Josh, hopefully you understand how serious it is providing false information to the force. It's a serious offence, Josh.", explained Holmes. Not only Josh, but Graham and Watson as well were shocked hearing what Holmes actually says.
                        "Sir, I don't understand what you mean.", trying to calm himself and avoid Holmes' eyes.
                        "Holmes, what is this all about? What are you hiding from me?", asked Graham in suspicion. "Hush, inspector. You will have your truth soon.", explained Holmes further.

                         "Chess. You like chess game, yes? Now, I'll make you a deal. If I checkmate you 3 times, you have to tell us the truth - HOW YOU MURDERED THEM.", says Holmes.
                         Everyone was shock to hear what Holmes says. "What is the meaning of this, Holmes!", Graham asked in disbelief. "Hush, Graham. All will be reveal soon.", says Holmes.

                         "Let's begin shall we? Checkmate one - You killed your own family over some dispute with, let's say, your own FATHER?", questioned Holmes and yet Josh hardened his own heart.
                         "We just warmed up. Checkmate two - After killing them in cold blood, only then do you satisfy the beast within you. Unfortunately, your own sister. The innocent sweet sister of yours came out of her room after all the ruckus you made. Shocked. You murdered her as well after witnessed what you did. Only then, that beast of yours left and you gained back your own senses. This picture of circular blood drops explained you were thinking the next thing to do while holding that soaked blood drippings weapon.", explained Holmes and though he continues to hardened his heart, his beast within already knocking on doorstep.
                          "Checkmate three - After calming yourself, you plot your own burglary turned murder plan when in fact, that burglar and murderer is yourself. You were smart enough able to cleaned that murder weapon clean, wrapped it with a cloth suggesting the murderer wears glove but unfortunately, a small fiber of the cloth sipped in between cabinets' ledge. Giving reason enough you were trying to stab yourself with the cabinet's help, yes?", explained Holmes further yet again Josh hardened his heart further, keeping silence but the beast within him is about to escape.

                           "At first, your plan was perfect but 2 things betrayed your plot and turned finger against you, Josh. THE MURDER WEAPON. If a thief stabbed you from behind, the knife would enter at least between 40 to 45 degrees angle but your wounds were straight in - THE WHOLE KNIFE WHEN IN. You weren't plan to kill yourself only a minor stab wound applies. It was these two that makes you fail. THE DIAMOND that feeds on your greed and this a small SCRATCH MARK on the floor close to the cabinet.", Holmes explained while passing those photos to Josh.

                            "You were about to stab yourself on the back until you didn't realized there's one diamond lying there and you slipped and create that critical stab on your back. This, Josh. Diamonds were your motive of murder wasn't it?", asked Holmes further.
                             "IT WASN'T MY FAULT THAT I HAVE TO KILLED THEM!", finally the beast is released within him. "I were in deep debt from football betting schemes. I knew he wold not borrow me some cash to clear my debt so I stole his precious diamonds but he discovered what I was doing and gave me a beating. He even called me by names. My blood boils and I grabbed the knife and... and... it wasn't me at all.", confessed Josh.

                              "But... Where are the diamonds now?", asked Graham. "Your father loves his priced fish right, Josh?", asked Holmes.
                              "The clothes you wore that night had a little fungus substance on right sleeve which only grew in an aquarium suggesting you hid those diamonds there?", asked Holmes again. "There you go Graham, murder motive, the killer, and evidence. You may arrest him now after he is much better.", in an instant, Holmes and Watson left after solving another crime.

BLOOD DIAMOND (PART 1.)

                 There's been a murder crime scene happened in Piccadilly, where the streets vacant for it's fame of being fashionable and luxurious materials at it's best. A family of four, three of which being brutally murdered. A father, a mother and a daughter each received a brutal stabs which instantly killed them while an eldest son survived the massacre but still in critical condition receiving a deep stab to his back. The father runs a luxurious diamond deals which is basically an easy target for every 'beasts' in the street to prey upon.

                  Inspector Graham just arrived at the crime scene and were greeted by a familiar black coated figure examining the bodies, instantly, he knew just who might it be. "HOLMES, great to see you again. What are you doing here, may I know?", says Graham who only met Holmes once but already the inspector build a sense of dislike towards Holmes.

                 "You knew I love puzzles, good to see you again, inspector. I've brought a friend to the crime scene, if you don't mind.", says Holmes.
                 "Bloody hell, Holmes! This is not a playground and who grants you the permission to bring a friend to the crime scene?!", in an instant the inspector already disgust with Holmes attitude of stomping into the crime scene without authorization and bringing in another non-authorized person in.
                 "Hold your judgment for later. You need it. WATSON! Meet Inspector Graham, one of our Yard's finest gentleman and Graham, this is Watson, my partner. A former army man, medic and forensic.", says Holmes breaking the ice for both of them.
               
                  Although Graham wasn't pleasant with Holmes' actions still he play it steadily and shakes Watson's hand. Graham remembered what Mr. Hibbert says before that a crime can't be solved without Holmes advice. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Watson. And Holmes...I don't want another to happened. I'M WARNING YOU."

                   "So... What do we got for our main course, gentlemen?", asked Graham.
                   "The victims were James Bowman, aged 58, jewelry dealer as profession, Anne Andrews Bowman, aged 55, a housewife and the daughter, Jude Bowman, aged 24, currently still a graduate. The only victim that survived is their eldest son, Josh Bowman, aged 27, also a jewelry dealer and works for his father, sir.", says an officer.
                    "No sign of force entry, only two escape routes - through that door where we came in and another through that balcony which is four storey high, sir.", says another gentleman. "So... our murder victim is a professional cat burglar and a killer now?", asked Graham.

                   "Inspector, would you take a look at this blood pattern here? What do you see?", asked Watson. Graham gave a short thought and answered, "Blood."
                   "A horizontal bloodline is formed and vertically, it is dropping downwards at least two centimeters apart.", explained Watson. Graham looked at Watson speechlessly, "What do you suggest?".
                   "It means that the killer sticks the weapon into their guts and pulled it out repeatedly - WITH ALL HIS MIGHT AND STRENGTH. A suggested murder with revenge or anger happened in here, inspector.", explained Watson further.
                   "But based on his profiles and witnesses, it suggests that Mr. Bowman was a good and friendly fellow, his enemies is just less than 2 finger counts. Business rivals?", asked Graham. "Inspector, would you take a look at this blood stains on the floor. What else do you see?", asked Holmes.
                   At this point, Graham is out of patience for this duos' guessing game. "Blood?", answered Graham in an uninterested manner. "The blood stains were dripping in a circular manner suggesting he is still holding the murder weapon, walking around, trying to calm and think what he should do next. Part of the circular blood stains are missing suggesting a few blood drops stained his shoe while holding the weapon, possibly might be a person the victim knew. Mr. Bowman opened that door and allowed the beast in - IN HIS OWN WILL.", explained Holmes.

                    Again Graham gives a deep thought and asked, "So... Do you have in mind who the killer might be, Holmes?".
                    "At this point, I already have. Only 70% but I need to check the surroundings, go through the evidence and of course, wait for the son to wake up. By then, all of my puzzles will be complete.", says Holmes. Graham disbelieve himself that he actually have to comply with Holmes in order to solve the case as at this point, Holmes already did what he can in 3 days - ALL IN JUST 20 MINUTES.


                                                    - TO BE CONTINUE-