Preys and Predators Part 1 Chapter 7

 

7              The Doctor

 

Doctor Watson was not used to examining the dead on the alleys or sidewalks, or even in the abode of the victim, but his association with the detective had widened his expertise. He was invited by the inspector there at the scene.

“I know it is unusual for you to attend, but the coroner is unwell, and the...” The inspector had tried to explain his request. He had avoided the briefing with the reporters and was to take an early evening off when the constable caught up with him on the street.

“Inspector, Sir. We have another one nearby.” The constable was huffing from the short tun to catch up with the inspector. The latter looked over the constable’s left shoulder. He saw no constable when he turned in at the corner, and it was a far corner. That was why the constable was huffing away. More to it, he could not make out any other coppers there on the street.

“Where did you see me?” Inspector Lestrade asked. He then looked at his waist watch; it was still within his working hours. Guess Ellen has the cold pillow to hold on for the evening.

“On the other street, and I rushed over.” The constable smiled. “Not my best, Inspector Sir. I have been out of training of late.”

"Age, or was it you just got married?” Inspector Lestrade was deploying the sarcasm tone.

“Young ‘un at home keeping us awake, Inspector Sir.” The constable smiled. They all smiled when talking about their family—the younger ones, though.

“Ok, keep at it. I meant the works... I meant let us see the murder, which I assumed you looked me up.” That was the prelude to the long walk to the alley, and having to see a familiar face among the onlookers, the inspector approached Doctor Watson.

“Inspector Lestrade, I cannot tell much, but she... I assumed we do not know her name... was or could be murdered two or more hours ago.” Doctor Watson had the inspector hold the lantern, which was not bright for the work he was to do. He looked to his watch, which showed ten o’clock then. “Most probably after eight after the rushing traffic.”

“This is not a busy area, Doctor. It is rather off the main streets.” Inspector Lestrade said. He will know as needed a discrete place for their rendezvous.

“Noted on that. As for the body, the organs were removed; crudely, I will concur based on the cuts and the trails of entrails. The doctor noticed the inspector was getting uncomfortable. “Did you have any meals just...”

“No, Doctor. I had seen my share of dead bodies and opened cavities, but this one is horrendous.”

“Yes, they are when we considered our intestines can be three times longer than our height.” Doctor Watson added on. “If it was shorter, we would be doing the potty more often than we peed.”

“Anyway, back to the body; the heart, liver, and kidneys, and even the stomach was removed, but they seem not to be around.” Doctor Watson saw the coppers investigating the alleyway. There were several boxes and trash there. “They may...”

“I doubt so, Doctor. The last victims; we found nothing.”

Doctor Watson crouched down to examine the groin and told the inspector the womb and uterus were removed.

“I doubt there was any violation sexually, but dissection was done.” The doctor moved to the head and then reported an unusual finding.

“She was lobotomized too. I will say by a crude tool by the tears on the nose and near the left eye.”

“Savage!” Inspector Lestrade sighed. “How long before... she died?”

“Quick dead, I believed. I can see the tear at the neck to indicate a bite that was deep and severed the jugular there.”

“Thereafter, no screams.” Inspector Lestrade was most descriptive. “Convenient, and the alley...”

"Dark, which is probably why the organs were...” Doctor Watson was closely examining the cuts. “I can concur it was extracted by force.”

“It could have taken no more than... ten minutes, or if assisted, five minutes.” Doctor Watson added. “Murder for body parts, also known as medicine murder; not to be confused with "medical murder," to excise body parts to use as medicine or for other purposes like witchcraft. Medicine murder is often termed ritual murder or multi murder, although there is evidence to suggest that the degree of ritual involved in the making of medicine is only a small element of the practice overall.”

“Presumably, so but not conclusive. Till now, even to surgeons, the human anatomy was still poorly understood, and fresh cadavers for dissection and anatomical study were sometimes difficult to obtain. Mortuaries remained the most common source, but in some cases, murderers killed their victims and sold them for study and research purposes.”

“Medicine murder is difficult to describe concisely, as it has changed over time, involving an ever-greater variety of perpetrator, victim, method, and motive.”

The good doctor had given the next prints a fantastic write, and if it sells, then it will be published.

“Medicine murder!” The headlines screamed across the city.