Detective Karma - Chapter 6

“Mr. Paradox, I think we got company.” Secretary Eclaire burst into the office and said to Mr. Paradox, CEO of Paradox Industries.

“Mr. Eclaire, please don’t disturb me.” He said, as he flipped through pages of the book he was reading, “Pharmaceuticals: Medicines and Poisons: A List of Formulas by Dr. L. Wright”. Without looking up, he continued, “Well then, who is our ‘company’, as you put it?”

“The police, sir.”

Mr. Paradox looked up in amazement. “The police?” he echoed, “Are you really sure, Mr. Eclaire? Why would they be here?”

“Yes, sir. The police are coming, I just saw them.”

“Give me the remote, Mr. Eclaire. I want to see it for myself. Then I’ll believe it.”

Mr. Eclaire handed him the remote, which he pointed at a giant flatscreen TV. He pressed a button, which showed him the CCTV footages of the entire building. Then he really did see police cars driving to the building. “Mr. Eclaire, this is bad.” He said, “I want you to make sure that they, the police, will not find anything worthwhile. Like these,” he said as he opened his safe. “Cyanide bottles. Someone broke in here somehow and stole one of them. Dispose of them. Make sure the police don’t find them.”

“Yes, sir.” Mr. Eclaire said as he left the room. “I’ll make sure they don’t.”

“Good.” Mr. Paradox said, and when Mr. Eclaire closed the door behind him, he added to himself. “They better not find out my secret.”

Police cars were driving with sirens on towards the building, Paradox Industries: Pharmaceutical Corporation Main Building. Officer Karma, Byron, and Rodney were in the front. They were stopped by the security.

Detective Rodney opened up the window and said “We’re police. Let us in. We got a warrant here.” Detective Rodney showed the warrant to them.

“Oh, I see.” One of the guards said, after he finished reading the warrant, “Um, here you go, sirs. Enjoy your stay here.”

He opened the gate for them and they continued to the building. They stooped when they were there and they all got out.

“Right.” Chief Ahrest said to all the policemen, “We’re here to find out Paradox Industries involvement in the murder of the wanted criminal, so don’t take anything unless it’s for evidence, understand?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Alright, then!” he said, “Let’s get started!”

Mr. Paradox was sitting in his office, drinking coffee while reading a book when he heard talking outside his office and the door being opened. He saw an annoyed looking Mr. Eclaire, and Chief Ahrest and Detective Rodney.

“I said,” Mr. Eclaire said angrily to Ahrest and Rodney, “You can’t just barge in the boss’s office whenever you feel like it!”

“Well, we have a search warrant, so there shouldn’t be any problem, should there?” Chief Ahrest said to Mr. Eclaire, “Unless you want to be detained for resistance?”

“No, that’s fine, Mr. Eclaire.” Mr. Paradox said to his secretary, “Let them do what they must. Let them see that we did nothing wrong.”

“But, sir-” Mr. Eclaire stammered.

“I see there’s no problems, then, Mr. Paradox?” Detective Rodney asked Mr. Paradox. “If that’s the case, I hope you’ll let us search.”

“Of course.” Mr. Paradox said, “You’ll find out that we, or I, for that matter,” He looked at Mr. Eclaire, “have nothing to hide.”

“I see.” Detective Rodney said, pointing to a safe behind Mr. Paradox’s desk. “Well then, do you mind showing us what’s in that safe?”

“Oh, that safe?” Mr. Paradox said. “Okay then, you’ll see that there’s absolutely nothing in it.”

When he opened the safe, there really was nothing in it. “I see.” Chief Ahrest said, “Come on, Detective, let’s go look elsewhere.”

“Good luck!” Mr. Paradox said as they left the room. He turned to Mr. Eclaire when Chief Ahrest and Detective Rodney left. “So,” he said to his secretary, “Did you dispose of the bottles like I asked you too?”

“Yes, sir.” Mr. Eclaire said, “I threw them into the garbage-”

“The garbage?” Mr. Paradox interrupted, “The garbage?”

“Yes, sir. The police won’t search-”

“Why did you throw them into the garbage?!” Mr. Paradox yelled, “Don’t you know police always investigate trash cans?!”

“Sir, I just thought-”

“Get them out of there, and dispose of them like I asked you too! Don’t let the police find them,” he said, “Or else.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You do still remember which trashcan it was, right?” Mr. Paradox asked Mr. Eclaire.

“Of course, sir.” Mr. Eclaire said. “It’s the trashcan on the third floor, next to the bathroom.”

“You’d better hurry, then.” Mr. Paradox told him, “The police might investigate there, and eventually someone might want to use our bathroom. They also might rummage our trashcans, those filthy policemen.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll get on with it. But, what do I do once I get the bottles?”

“Dispose of the contents in the toilet.” Mr. Paradox said. “Oh, and bring me back the bottles.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll do it now.”

Mr. Eclaire left the room and headed for the third floor.

“Hey, Byron.” Officer Karma said. “Did you find anything?”

“No. Nothing.” Officer Byron told Karma, “These guys are really good at hiding their tracks. In fact, the only places we haven’t searched yet are these plastic plants in pots, and those trash cans.”

“Yeah. Well, come on, let’s search those plants.” Karma told Byron ” Who knows? We might find something.”

“Yeah, good idea.” Byron agreed. They searched the plants, and then soon, Byron found something.

“Hey, Karma, I found something!” Byron gasped as he held something up.

“Really? What is it?” Karma asked.

“Ten Mouhnes!” Byron said, holding up a small coin.

“Ten. Mouhnes. Is. All. You. Found?” Karma said, “It isn’t even worth one Mon! What do you expect to buy with that?”

“A donut. I love donuts. I’ll buy one at Donut Land” Byron said.

“Well, the cheapest donut is 5 Mons, so I don’t see how you can buy a donut at Donut Land”

“Well, my father owns Donut Land.” Byron said. “He lets me buy donuts for just five Mouhnes. Pretty great deal, huh?”

“Why doesn’t he just give you free donuts, then?”

“He doesn’t want to make people think that I have benefits.”

“Right.” Karma thought, “And getting cheap donuts isn’t a benefit.”

“I don’t think you should take that. Anyway, let’s continue searching for something more useful.” Karma told Byron. “We might just find something more-”

They heard someone opening a door. When they looked up, they saw the secretary coming out of the bathroom, with 3 bottles and they heard a flushing sound of the toilet. “Oh, hey, you! Who are you. We’re searching this place, so you shouldn’t be here.”

The secretary looked at them. “Oh, I’m Eclaire, the secretary of Mr. Paradox. I just used the toilet so I’ll just be leaving now-”

“Hey, you’re the secretary? Can I keep this coin, then? I found it in one of those plastic plants.”

“Huh, ten Mouhnes? Oh, okay then, I’ll be leaving now.”

“Hey, wait.” Karma said, pointing to the bottles he was holding. “What are those bottles for?”

“Ah, well. Private business. I insist, I have to go.”

As he rushed off, he ran past Officer Grand, who was spotted by Officer Karma and Byron.

“Hey, Officer Grand.” Karma called to Officer Grand, “Did you find anything? Because we didn’t find anything at all.”

“Well, about that.” Officer Grand said, “Did you notice anything strange about that Eclaire guy? He seemed in a hurry.”

“He is Mr. Paradox’s secretary.” Byron told Officer Grand, “Maybe he’s just busy with stuff.”

“Did you take a good look at the bottles he was holding?” Officer Grand asked Karma, “Because I think it looked like the cyanide bottle we found at the crime scene.”

“No, sorry. I didn’t manage to take a good look at it. When I asked him about it, he just told me that it’s private business, and he left.” Karma explained.

“Where did he come from?”

“Well,” Byron said, “we saw him come out of the bathroom, and we heard a flushing sound.”

Officer Grand froze. “Did you say flushing sound?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Oh, no! He must be trying to destroy the evidence!” Officer Grand Exclaimed as he ran into the bathroom.

“What’s the matter with him, though?” Byron wondered. “I just said that Mr. Eclaire came out of the bathroom and we heard a flushing sound, and he started doing that.’

“I don’t know.” Karma said, “Why don’t you ask him later, when he come out?”

When Officer Grand came out, he looked angry. “What’s wrong?” Byron asked Officer Grand. “Did you have to use the bathroom or something.”

“No.” Officer Grand said angrily. “I think he flushed the contents of the bottle down the toilet.”

“So, what does that mean?” Karma asked.

“It means that he flushed the contents down the toilet!” Officer Grand said angrily, “I think that the bottles he had were cyanide bottles, so he destroyed the evidence. As for the bottles, he’ll probably do something else. Give them to Mr. Paradox, maybe.”

“Are you always this untrusting of people?” Karma asked Officer Grand.

“It comes with the job.” Officer Grand said. “You’ll see. Anyway, this you search this trashcan yet?” Officer Grand asked, pointing at the trashcan next to the bathroom.

“Well, not yet.” Karma told him.

“Hmm, let me see if I can find anything.” Officer Grand said as he took out a pair of gloves and put them on. He started searching through the trashcan, when he found a bottle.

“Bingo.” He said, holding up the bottle. “We were lucky this time. He forgot one bottle. It’s full of cyanide, and is the same as the one we found at the crime scene.”

“How did you find that in the trash?” Byron asked, impressed.

“Well, it also comes with the job, I guess.” Officer Grand replied. “Come on, we better bring this back.” Officer Grand said as he slipped the bottle into a plastic labeled “Evidence”.

“Sir.” Mr. Eclaire said as he went back in Mr. Paradox’s room. “Here’s the bottles. I flushed the contents down the toilet, just like you asked.”

“Very good.” Mr. Paradox counted the bottles. “One, two, three.” Then he stopped. “Mr. Eclaire,” he said. “How many bottles did you get, exactly?”

“Uh, three, sir?”

“It was four bottles!” Mr. Paradox said, “We’re missing one! Mr. Eclaire, if you forgot one, it means that the police will probably have it by now!

“Sorry, sir. I think-”

Mr. Paradox stood up from his chair and interrupted Mr. Eclaire. “Go back and make sure you get that bottle! If the police get a hold of it, somebody’s going to pay for it! Get it by any means necessary, understand?!”

“Yes, sir. I understand.”

“Detective Rodney, Chief Ahrest!” Officer Karma called as he and Officer Grand and Officer Byron were running towards Chief Ahrest and Detective Rodney. “We found something! The exact same bottle as the one in Mr. Krimeenall’s room!”

“Really?” Chief Ahrest asked. “Let me see that. Doctor Brown! Could you analyze this for us?”

Doctor Brown came and analyzed the bottle. “Hmm.” He said, “This is exactly the same as the one in Mr. Krimeenall’s room. Even the composition is the same. This is no doubt the same as the one in Mr. Krimeenall’s murder!”

“Really? Great!” Chief Ahrest said. “With this, we start questioning Mr. Paradox, and his secretary, Mr. Eclaire.”

“Yes, sir. We did see Mr. Eclaire coming out of the bathroom with three bottles.” Officer Grand explained ” We also heard a flushing sound, so we think he tried to flush the evidence down.”

“I agree.” Doctor Brown said, “He could be trying to flush down the contents of the cyanide.”

“Well, we got him this time.” Chief Ahrest said. “Come on, let’s go bring in Mr. Paradox and his secretary, Mr. Eclaire, in the station for questioning.”