The Greats On Writing and Life

Posted on | Thursday, July 28, 2011 | 4 Comments

While I'm contemplating digging into the durian sitting in the fridge, I thought to look up some of my favourite authors. Turns out they have plenty to say about life and the writing craft. Here are some of the more clever things they've said in the past:
Music is a good shorthand way to delineate character. If you want to tell the reader a lot about a character in a small space, just tell them what their musical taste is. You'll get their age, their background, whether they're gregarious or a loner.” -Ian Rankin

If from infancy you treat children as gods they are liable in adulthood to act as devils.”
P.D. JAMES, The Children of Men

What the detective story is about is not murder but the restoration of order.”- P.D. James

You can't get DNA results in 53 minutes.” Kathy Reichs

"A society gets the criminals it deserves." Val McDermid, Killing The Shadows.

While most of the things you've worried about have never happened, it's a different story with the things you haven't worried about. They are the ones that happen.” Ruth Rendell
It's criminal if successful authors don't support literacy. I challenge them all to write a check.” Patricia Cornwell

"There is nothing you can do about the past except keep it there." Michael Connelly, The Brass Verdict.

"You know what I did after I wrote my first novel? I shut up and wrote twenty-three more." Michael Connelly.

Red Ribbons (Chapter Five)

Posted on | Wednesday, July 27, 2011 | No Comments

Chapter Five

He was in the club with Alicia again. Smoke filled his nostrils, making his eyes water slightly. There were three teenagers, two girls and a boy, body slamming on the dance floor. Disco lights hung from the black ceiling. In fact the entire exterior was black, even the waitresses and bartender wore black. Why on earth was this place called Purple Room?

Alicia was hanging onto his left arm, a habit that he both loved and resented. It made him feel wanted by the most popular girl from school, yet there was a childish possessiveness in her touch that made him wonder sometimes if she was really with him or he was a trophy. With Alicia, he could never tell.

Paul. Paul, are you awake?” Someone shook his right shoulder but when he turned around there wasn't anyone there. He put his hand over Alicia's and continued talking to her. Suddenly, her voice seemed far away.

Speak up, Alicia. I can't hear you over this noise,” he shouted. But Alicia continued whispering and her face...her face began fading away. He reached out for her but she was so far away. He reached out one more time and felt a sharp pain in his arm.

Paul, wake up. You're in the hospital.” He recognised the voice. It was the inspector. But what was he doing at the Purple Room?

Slowly, Paul opened his eyes. A blinding white light made him wince and shut his eyes again. He heard the inspector call his name again. This time, he opened his eyes, shielding them with his right hand.

He looked around him. He was in a white room, with white walls and a white ceiling. Inspector Lawrence stood before him, with a grave expression on his face.

How did you find me?” Paul asked.

Lawrence sighed. “We paid a visit to Nicholas Lim. He told us about the night you met at the club in KL. After that, I had a tail kept on you. Why didn't you come forward? You almost got yourself killed last night.”

So what happens now?” Paul asked. He looked down at himself. His left arm was in a cast, so was his left leg. But why wasn't his free hand cuffed to the bed, like they did to all prisoners?

“There's an officer outside to ensure you don't try to bolt. But first, I want to hear it from you. Why didn't you tell us you were dating Alicia?”

Paul shifted a little and grimaced at the pain that shot through his left arm. “I couldn't. Alicia and I were dating secretly. She enjoyed keeping secrets, I went along with it because I loved her.”

Did you kill her?” Lawrence looked at him sternly.

No! How could I, I loved her!” Paul said, his voice rising.

Calm down, Paul. You have to admit it looks suspicious, you found her body and then you went back to the crime scene. A jury would deduce it was to destroy evidence,” Lawrence pointed out.

I went back to look for evidence. I saw something that had fallen down the stairwell, something metallic, maybe a pair of scissors. But before I could get it, I was run over,” Paul explained, his eyes wide.

The boy seemed to be telling the truth, but he couldn't be sure. Just like he still wasn't sure about Nicholas Lim. Still, he couldn't have run himself over so there had to be some truth in what he said.

“I want to believe you, really I do. Did you get a look at who ran you over?” Lawrence asked.

“No, whoever it was, hit me from behind. But I did get a look at the licence plate before I lost consciousness, the first two letters were “NW”,” Paul said.

'NW'...can you remember the make of the car?” Lawrence asked, as he jotted it down.

“It happened so fast. That was all I remembered before I passed out,” Paul said.

“Ok, it's not much, but I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, try to get some rest,” Lawrence said a little more kindly.

“Sir, how long before I can go back to work?” Paul asked, bracing himself inwardly.


Lawrence looked thoughtfully at him before speaking. “The doctor says you have to be in the hospital for at least a month. Besides, you're currently suspended from duty pending the investigation. It was what the higher-ups wanted,” he said.

Paul nodded. “I'm not surprised. I'm sorry for not telling you, sir. But I don't regret going back there, I'm sure I would have found something.”

“Get some rest, some of the boys from the station will be visiting you after lunch. I have a murder to solve,” Lawrence replied.

On his way back to the station, he stopped by the hospital to speak to Venkath. “Things don't look good for the kid right now,” he said, adding more sugar to his tea. The hospital cafeteria was quiet, save for the occasional clang of spatula meeting wok in the kitchen.

“True, but I believe him and I know you do too. I'm not going to say I told you so, but the lab results came back. The red fibres I found on the dead girl's dress came from a ribbon. I'll bet that if you have Nicholas and Paul's homes searched, you're not going to find anything there. They're both innocent,” Venkath said.

You still believe it's the same killer from Penang and KL,” Lawrence shook his head incredulously at his cousin.

Yes. Neither Nicholas nor Paul are the right age, for one. I checked with Nicholas' boss at the clinic. He was attending a seminar in KL on Sunday morning, so he couldn't have killed Alicia. As for Paul, well you may want to ask him where he was on Sunday, though I doubt he's your guy,” Venkath said.

You checked up on Nicholas without informing me first? I swear Venkath, sometimes you don't know where to draw the line between police work and being a doctor. You're lucky Nicholas isn't calling my boss about being harassed by the police. I told you...” His cell phone rang suddenly, interrupting his tirade.

What? When? I'll be there in ten minutes,” Lawrence said, hanging up. He muttered a few curses under his breath.

What is it?” Venkath asked, frowning.

“There's been another murder. Venkath, they think it's your wife.”

Red Ribbons (Chapter Four)

Posted on | Monday, July 18, 2011 | No Comments

Chapter Four

Paul watched as droplets of water rolled slowly down his body. He had been standing in the bath tub, staring at the wall, for what seemed like hours. The shower was turned off. There was no one home but him...it would so easy to...

The phone rang suddenly, making him almost jump. He grabbed a towel off the railing and wrapped it around his waist. The phone rang again. “I'm coming,” he muttered as he strode across the bedroom floor to the wall-mounted phone.

What?” he barked into the receiver, angry that his moments of solitude were gone. He had worked to get numb, and now the pain came rushing back again. All because of one stupid phone call.

What do you mean 'what'? Have you forgotten our date for tonight?” a female voice answered, sounding thoroughly annoyed.

Who is this, again?” Paul asked, hoping he sounded as unbothered as he felt. He grimaced as he ran his hand through his hair. It must have been the broad from the night before, though he'd been so hung over that morning that he couldn't remember much.

It's Kim,” the female caller said, sounding annoyed.

Paul stared at the receiver for a few seconds before hanging up. Relief and self-loathing warred within his chest as he walked to the bed and lay on it.

A soft touch on his left shoulder startled him. “When did you get this done? It's beautiful,” Alicia smiled as she ran her fingers down his tattoo. A shiver went through him and he reached out to her. His hands sank into nothing but air.

A solitary tear ran down his right cheek as he pounded the bed in frustration. She was gone to him now. Forever. All because of one stupid mistake.

He glanced nervously at the cell phone on the bedside table. Should he call the inspector? What would he say? “Hello, I found the body and I just happen to be her boyfriend. And by the way, it's my fault she's lying in the morgue.” He gave a short, sardonic laugh. It sounded false even to his own ears.

No, calling his superiors or anyone at work for the matter would be the final nail in his coffin. He wondered uneasily if he should go in to work the next day. He was fairly sure they he wasn’t on the suspect list, else he would be at the station this very moment. He had to lie low, and not show any interest in the case.

So what are you going to do, Paul?” he said aloud to himself. He rubbed the space between his brows thoughtfully. There was only one thing to do. Tired, his back bent like an old man's, he got up slowly from the bed and opened the window. He climbed out onto the ledge and sat there, his legs dangling. 

It was drizzling now, he felt the droplets of rain wet his body. His room was on the second floor of his parent's split-level home. Not high enough for certain death, but enough to cause serious injury or end his miserable existence if he jumped head first.

His mother would be terribly upset of course. At least Alicia was going to have an open-casket funeral; if he jumped, he'd go head first just to be sure. That would devastate his mother, not being able to look at the son the way she last remembered him. No, he couldn't do that to his parents, death was out of the question, easy though it was. It was easier than having to live with memories and ghosts.

He had to do something more than ruminating within the four walls of his room. An idea struck him. He strode over to the closet and pulled out a random t-shirt. He grabbed a pair of jeans from the laundry basket and pulled it on. He stuffed his car keys and wallet into his jeans pockets and quietly opened the door.

The hallway was dark and empty. He disarmed the home alarm system and sneaked out the front door, closing it quietly behind him. His car was parked outside the house, so he could leave relatively undisturbed.

He arrived at the car park at quarter past two. He parked his car outside the building and climbed the stairs to the second level, using his torchlight to find his way. Visibility at the second level was better as the lights were on. He turned his torchlight off and walked over to the spot where he’d found Alicia’s body.

Now, if I were a killer, where would I dump the murder weapon?” he muttered to himself as he scanned the floors of the parking lots for a clue, any clue really.

A light went off in his head suddenly. The stairwell! Neither of them had thought to search the stairwell, and if he was right, it was exactly what Alicia's killer had counted on. He went with his gut and began walking to the stairwell. He shone his flashlight down the stairs. Something silver glinted at the very bottom. It looked like a knife or maybe even scissors, it was too far down to tell. But if he was lucky, it could belong to the killer.

He fished around in his pockets for a handkerchief but came up empty. “Shoot,” he said aloud, remembering that he'd rushed out without one. There was a box of tissues in the car, that would have to do. He began running towards his car when a blinding flash of light stopped him in his tracks.

Paul held up a hand against the light and realised with horror that it was a car. Before he could move, it came into contact with his knees, sending him flying through the air. He heard a loud crunch as his body fell in a crumpled heap at one end of a parking lot. A shock of pain ran through his entire body, forcing a groan from his lips. He tried to move his legs, but there was only pain. He closed his eyes, biting down hard on his lower lip.

He heard footsteps somewhere ahead of him running down the stairs and then up again. A car door slammed and the engine roared gently as his assailant drove away. He forced himself to open his eyes, making out a “NW” as the car drove away. The world went black.





Red Ribbons (Chapter Three)

Posted on | Friday, July 15, 2011 | No Comments


Chapter Three
 
During the drive home, they discussed the details of the case. They both agreed that the ex-boyfriend was their main (and only) suspect, given cat hairs had been found on the body and that he worked at a veterinary clinic. Then there was his alleged obsession with her.

There's still about an hour before office hours end, let's pay a visit to Nicholas Lim,” Lawrence said. Venkath wisely nodded his assent. He still believed that they were on the lookout for a serial killer, as much as his cousin believed otherwise.

The veterinary clinic was a white brick building badly in need of a coat of paint. The gate was rusty and had a broken hinge that rattled every time the gate was opened and closed. However, the grounds of the clinic were clean and the grass cut, which made the premises appear almost welcoming to patrons and their human owners. Inside, the clinic was white from floor to ceiling and had a strong medicinal smell about it. It was a small clinic with two examining rooms and a small waiting area for people and their pets. Dusty old airline magazines were strewn lazily on a wicker and glass table in a corner. A water cooler stood next to it.

Hello, how may I help you?” A wiry young man wearing thick-rimmed glasses appeared from one of the examining rooms. He wore a white collared t-shirt and faded blue jeans. On his feet a were pair of shiny brown loafers.

We're here to see Nicholas Lim,” Lawrence held up his police badge.

The young man smiled, an oily stretch of the lips that struck the men as smarmy. “Yes, that's me. What is this regarding?” he said politely, but he didn't fool Lawrence. This was their man.

I'm Inspector Lawrence from the Kuala Pilah branch and this is Dr. Venkath Das, the chief medical examiner at Kuala Pilah hospital. We're here to ask you some questions concerning Alicia Ling's death,” he said.

The oily smile disappeared and Nicholas Lim stared at them in shock, his face almost as white as his shirt.

You didn't know?” Lawrence asked him.

No, wh—what happened?” Nicholas Lim said, finally managing to speak.

She was found strangled this morning in the Kinta car park. When was the last time you saw her?” Lawrence asked.

Sunday morning. I had been having—problems—and Alicia offered to help. We met for brunch in Bangsar, at a Spanish bistro we used to frequent when we were dating. Alicia left around two in the afternoon,” Nicholas replied.

What kind of problems were you having?” Lawrence asked, raising an eyebrow. He had a feeling that they were of the illegal kind.

The young man’s face flamed red. “I-I rather not say,” he stammered slightly.

Lawrence’s expression darkened. He closed his notebook and looked steadily at Nicholas. “I don’t think you appreciate the seriousness of the situation, Mr. Lim. There’s a dead girl who had a restraining order against you. Things aren’t exactly looking up for you right now,” he said.

Nicholas paled. He ran a hand nervously through his hair. “All right, I’ll co-operate. I asked Alicia to lend me some money. She said she would help me, for old times’ sake,” he said.

Why was Alicia lending you money after slapping a restraining order on you?” Venkath asked.

The restraining order was her father’s idea. Alicia and I were still friends, although we had broken up. I admit I tried to convince her to get back together, but her father forbade her to see me again. She chose her family, but I didn’t resent her for it,” Nicholas explained.

Because you wanted her help?” Lawrence interjected.

It wasn’t like that,” Nicholas explained. “Alicia felt guilty because the restraining order led to my scholarship being cancelled. I didn’t have enough money to complete my final year at university. I can barely make ends meet as it is with two jobs. She felt it was her fault and said she would lend me the RM8,000 I needed. I promised I would pay her back after graduating,” he added.

Where was Alicia getting the money from?” Lawrence asked.

From her trust fund. Tell me, why would I hurt Alicia if she was helping me?” Nicholas asked, his eyes wide.

Lawrence and Venkath looked at each other. The young man was either innocent or a convincing actor. In either case, they didn’t have evidence to prove he had anything to do with Alicia’s death.

“Besides, you shouldn’t be speaking to me, Alicia’s current boyfriend could probably tell you more,” Nicholas added, not a little unhappily.

Who was she dating?” Venkath looked surprised.

I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell me anything beyond that she was dating a new guy. But she didn’t know that I’d seen them together once at the Purple Room, a club in KL. I was there with some friends, I’m sure they didn’t see me,” Nicholas said.

Did you get a good look at him?” Lawrence asked.

I tried to, but it was dark and smoky in the club. He was tall, around six feet and a bit thin, not her usual type. But I did notice one thing: he had a tattoo on his left shoulder.”

A tattoo? Could you describe it?”

I think it was a dragon. Yes, I’m sure it was,” Nicholas said.

Are you sure?” Lawrence said, staring intently at Nicholas’ face. But the other man looked him right in the eye as he spoke.

Yes. I wasn’t drinking, if that’s what you’re asking,” Nicholas replied, looking a little chuffed.

Yes, it was. Thank you for your time, here’s my card in case you remember anything else that’s helpful,” Lawrence said, handing Nicholas Lim his card.

Nicholas took it and pocketed it with a little nod. His expression was unreadable, but Lawrence and Venkath didn't miss the trembling of his hand as he took the card.

But one thing doesn't add up,” Venkath said, as Lawrence pulled out of the clinic driveway.

What's that?” Lawrence looked a little annoyed. He had always resented Venkath's uncanny ability to read his mind.

Nicholas' age. The murders in Penang and KL were a while back, he would have been barely a teenager when he began killing,” Venkath said.

Or he could've read about it in the newspapers back then, the details were all there, right down to the RM 1 note. Psychopaths today are much younger than what they used to be,” Lawrence said a little defensively. Venkath was probably right, but Lawrence didn't like his ideas shot down by a civilian, even if he was his cousin.

If he did kill the women in Penang and KL, he would've been around eighteen. Hardly the age that killers are mature, leaving behind no trace evidence or DNA. Plus he's a veterinary assistant; most psychopaths start off by killing or torturing animals as children or teens. I'm telling you cuz, you have the wrong man,” Venkath said, ignoring the tone of Lawrence's voice.

It doesn't matter whether he's innocent or not, right now we have no proof. A case against him would hold no water. Which leaves us at zero,” Lawrence sighed.

7 Mystery Novels For Rainy Days

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The weather's been a little crazier than usual these past couple of weeks, with the sun and rain trading places faster than a blink of an eye. Both times, they've been kept company by thick haze, which has done away with my plans for outdoor exercise. 

But the rain, "how do I love thee, let me count the ways"! It's the best time to curl up with a good crime novel, and I've done so many a day. My favourites (so far) for these occasions and in no particular order:


1. Cover Her Face by P.D. James

P.D.James first novel centres around English village life and how that supposedly peaceful, orderly existence gets disrupted with the murder of a maid working in the Maxie household. The book was first published in 1962 and is detailed in its description of repressed, sufferingly polite characters and some not so nice ones. This may be a put off when you're just starting the book, but be patient, the waiting is worth it.

 
2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Alice Sebold's highly acclaimed novel doesn't fall strictly under the crime genre; it's more a of drama really. But it revolves around a crime all the same: the murder of teenager Susie Salmon and how her spirit tries to bring her murderer to justice. Dark, at times disturbing, yet deeply moving, Sebold's novel is a riveting read on the coldest of nights.


3. Dead Simple by Peter James

One of the more intriguing and fast-paced stories you'll find: depressed detective Roy Grace is tasked with finding a missing bridegroom, who dissappeared just days before his wedding. "Far-fetched but terrifying thriller" is how Amazon described it and I couldn't agree more. You'll find it hard-pressed to put this one down even to pee. 


4. The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Although he's Caucasian, Smith is African-born, which explains why his novel about a female Botswanian private detective is rich with details of African life and people.

5. The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan

An effortless crime classic is how I would describe this novel by Buchan, which is set in Scotland. The protagonist is Richard Hannay, who on his return from South Africa, gets framed in a twisted sequence of events that will leave you gripping the edge of your seat.


6. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

The year is 1954. The place: San Piedro, a small island where a local fisherman is found drowned. A Japanese American man is arrested for his murder but a white journalist who used to love the man's wife steps in to find the real murderer. Riveting and touching in parts, this book is a real gem if you can get your hands on it.


7. The Closers by Michael Connelly

Featuring reluctant hero Detective Harry Bosch, "The Closers" is a gripping crime drama about a cold case that Bosch has never gotten over. Already at the end of his career, Bosch goes searching for clues to solve the murder that has haunted him for nearly two decades. What he finds, is not what he expects and neither will you.


Red Ribbons (Chapter Two)

Posted on | Wednesday, July 13, 2011 | No Comments


Chapter Two

Venkath was done with the post-mortem by noon. There had been no bruises on the girl's body, no sign of any defense wounds on her hands, which meant she had known her assailant, or that she had had no time to react. Or both. There was nothing distinctive about the mud and grass on the bottom of her shoes; they could have come from any garden, field or park. The only thing of any use was the cat hairs, under the microscope they looked like they belonged to a grey tabby. The red fibres on her neck were nylon, possibly from a long strip of cloth or ribbon of some kind. Another dead end.

His cell rang after he'd examined the corpse a second time. It was Lawrence. “We know who she is, Venkath. Alicia Ling; her parents reported her missing yesterday morning. They're here to identify the body.”
Ling. Why was that name so familiar?
She's Alan Ling's daughter. As in Alan Ling, the real estate tycoon,” Lawrence's voice sounded strained.
Give me ten minutes to finish up here,” Venkath said, hanging up. There was a reason Lawrence was tense. The Ling family had founded Kuala Pilah from nothing when they'd emigrated from China in the 1900s. The case would have been moved to the top of Lawrence's list, almost definitely against his wishes.

Venkath gave the corpse a once over to ensure all the stitches were in place, then carefully covered her with a white cloth. He then placed a sheet of paper under her head and combed her hair carefully onto the paper, hoping he'd find some trace evidence. But her scalp and hair were clean.

Someone rapped on the door. “Come on in, I'm just about done,” Venkath said, without looking up.

The parents are here to identify the body,” Lawrence said, popping his head in at the door. His face was grim, his lips set in a thin line.

Come in for a sec. Close the door,” Venkath said, waving Lawrence over to the examining table. “We were right, the hairs were cat-hairs,” he said.

Anything else?” Lawrence asked.

Venkath shook his head. “By the way, how did the parents find out so quickly?” 

Lawrence looked sheepish. “They filed a missing person's report on Sunday when Alicia here didn't return home from her Saturday night partying. Her friends said she had left the club with a man and hadn't heard from her since. The officer who filed the report assumed she'd run off with a boyfriend until this morning. Apparently she was wearing these clothes the night she disappeared.”

Venkath frowned. “But that doesn't make sense, today is Monday. Yet her hair was clean and her clothes and makeup were fresh. If she'd been kidnapped she would have struggled, but her dress had no rips, her shoes no scuff marks.”

Unless of course, things went wrong with the boyfriend and he attacked her, caught her off guard. Then dumped her at the car park to buy himself some time,” Lawrence said.

Venkath looked thoughtful. “But it doesn’t explain the pyramid.”

A copycat killer perhaps?” Lawrence said helpfully.

Think about it, L. The trail went cold in Penang five years ago after ten murders. Only to surface again here after all this time. We’re not looking for a copycat.”

Officer Paul Ong stared glumly at the mountain of files on the floor. Once he was done printing out the photos and leaving them on Inspector Lawrence’s desk, he had been assigned to rearrange the latter’s filing cabinet. It wasn’t what he had planned; he had hoped that Inspector Lawrence would have recruited him to assist in the investigation. Although, truth be told, he had no idea what the case history was, except the hunch that they were looking for a killer who had been in Penang, where Dr. Venkath was originally from. Someone who left a RM1 note folded into a pyramid? Who would do that, he wondered? What did it even mean?

An idea struck him suddenly. Maybe, just maybe, the earlier case files were somewhere in this mess. Feeling quite the sleuth, he removed the remaining files from the cabinet and arranged them on a pile on the floor. Then he began sorting them into two piles: solved and unsolved. He glanced at the clock. It was 12.30pm. Inspector Lawrence wouldn’t be back for two hours at least, which gave him plenty of time to snoop.

By 1.30, he had isolated the unsolved case files. There were only ten of them, Kuala Pilah was, after all, a tiny town. Nothing escaped the town’s residents, hence criminals had nowhere to hide really. He began scanning the files, putting aside local cases. The tenth file however, was an out-of-town murder that had occurred four years ago in Kuala Lumpur.

Bingo! he cheered inwardly and began reading the Inspector’s notes: “Indian female...from Kuala Pilah...found strangled in alley behind a local nightclub at 2am...no identification...had an RM1 note folded into a pyramid tucked into her jeans pocket. No forensic evidence on victim or at the scene...possible suspects...waiter at the restaurant, college lecturer...dead ends.” Inspector Lawrence had been called in to assist with the investigations since the girl was from Kuala Pilah, however the case remained unsolved.

He scanned the remaining files, finding nothing except some recent home break-ins and muggings. The last file however, was of an unsolved case from Penang, exactly five years ago to the day. He retrieved the Kuala Lumpur case from the sorted pile and checked the date. The body had been discovered on January 21st, exactly one year before the Penang murder. His pulse picking up, he returned to the Penang case file. The murder victim was an Indian woman in her mid-fifties, also from Kuala Pilah.

Her body had been found in broad daylight, just after 10am in the neighbourhood park she went walking in every morning. She had left her house at 7am, a child cycling in the park had found the body three hours later. She had also been strangled, and no forensic evidence had been found on or around her, as in the Kuala Lumpur case. A RM1 note folded into a pyramid had been found inside her mouth. Who was the second victim and was Dr. Venkath related to her somehow, Paul wondered.

If you’re done with that, you might want to clean my desk. It hasn’t been touched for weeks,” Venkath stood at the door to Lawrence’s office, his arms folded. His expression was unreadable.

I was just finishing up,” Paul said casually, but he dared not look at Venkath any longer. Instead he tried to look busy by collecting the pile of case files from the floor and placing it in the cabinet. It gave him a few seconds to collect himself.

Yes, I could see that,” Venkath said pointedly. “I’m here to collect my wallet, left it on Lawrence’s desk when I was in here earlier,” he added. Paul turned red as a beet and handed the wallet to Venkath without a word.

A word of advice, Paul: lock the door the next time you plan on snooping around. Today you were a little sloppy,” Venkath said over his shoulder as he went out the door.

Paul looked at his retreating back speechlessly. Dr. Venkath was unlike any doctor he’d ever met. And something in the other man’s eyes had told him that poking into this case would land him into trouble. But if Paul lacked the street smarts of a more experienced officer, he more than made up for it with determination. So against his better judgement, he took out his little notepad and started taking notes from the case files.

That Ong kid was going over the old case files, wasn’t he?” Inspector Lawrence said after he’d finished his meal.

Venkath raised his eyebrows. “You knew?”

He’s a rookie, hungry for a chance to work on a big case. Got a keen eye for details that one, so I asked him to do the filing to see if he’d bite,” Lawrence grinned back at Venkath.

What are you up to, cuz?” Venkath asked, taking a thoughtful swallow of his iced tea.

Trying to give the kid a chance without making it to obvious to the higher-ups. Ong’s from a rich family, many people here feel that he needs to ‘earn his way up’ by doing grunt work, but the kid has potential. If he just ‘happens’ to notice a clue about this case, I’ll be able to bring him on board. And not that good-for-nothing Rahim my boss likes so much,” Lawrence explained.

But why this rookie in particular?”

A distant look entered Lawrence’s eyes. “You’re too young to remember this, but when I was twelve, my stepfather wanted me to quit school and go work in a factory. My mother was at the time working as a housekeeper and babysitter in Ong’s uncle’s home. When his uncle heard what my stepfather was forcing me to do, he threatened to report him and paid for the rest of my schooling. In this town, Venkath, we take care of our own.”

So you owe Ong’s family. But why on earth do you have the boy doing grunt work?” Venkath looked at his cousin in puzzlement.

Lawrence smiled wryly. “Paul went against his parents’ wishes and enrolled in the police academy after he returned from his studies abroad. They’re hoping that I can pressure him into leaving so he’ll go back and join the family business. So I do what they and the boss tells me, but I leave things lying around where he’ll find them. Smart and resourceful that one, it’s just a matter of time before he brings something to this case I can’t refuse,” Lawrence said.

Ok. So what now?”

We finish up here and pay a visit to the dead girl’s parents. Worst part of the job, but someone has to do it,” Lawrence said.

I’ll come with you,” Venkath said, calling the waiter over.

Only if you let me do the talking. I can’t have you bringing your issues into this case,” Lawrence’s expression was serious.

Venkath met his gaze unflinchingly. If there was one thing he wanted more than anything else, it was to catch this killer. “Whatever it takes,” he said, his expression grim.

Lydia Ling, the matriarch, who only a month ago had thrown a lavish dinner party in honour of her daughter's graduation from a prestigious business school in Britain, was pale and silent as her husband spoke to Lawrence. She sat in an antique armchair by the window, her body taut and rigid as she looked out the window. The only signs of life were the tears rolling softly down her cheeks. She didn't respond when they entered the room or when her husband brought her a glass of water. Venkath's heart squeezed in empathy for her.

I know this is difficult, Mr. Ling, but can list all your daughter's friends names and ex-boyfriends. Every little detail helps,” Lawrence said.

The creases on the older man's forehead deepened. “My daughter has...had...many friends, they were in and out of the house all the time. After returning from her studies, she spent most of her time in Kuala Lumpur. Sometimes she would stay over with her friends, but she always called to let us know where she was.”

Did she tell you where she was the night she dissappeared?” Venkath interjected, earning a mildly annoyed look from Lawrence.

Terrence Ling nodded. “She said she was going to a club with two of her friends, Boon Yee and Alice. She said she was staying over at Alice's house. Alice lives with her parents and we know them well so we weren't worried,” he added sadly.

But your daughter didn't spend the night there?” Lawrence asked.

No, she didn't. My wife called Alice's home the next morning to ask our daughter if she was coming home for lunch and Alice's mother informed her that our daughter hadn't stayed the night there. Alice wasn't even in town, she was in Hong Kong for a week for work. We tried calling our daughter's mobile, but kept getting voice mail. When we hadn't heard from her by the following afternoon, we filed a missing person's report with the police,” Terrence explained.

I see. What about your daughter's other friend, this Boon Yee?” Venkath asked.

She said that they were at the club until 1.00am. Then Alicia told Boon Yee she was tired and was going home. She told Boon Yee she was spending the night at Alice's place. Boon Yee said she didn't question her because that's what my daughter usually did.”

Was your daughter close to Boon Yee and Alice?”

Yes, they went to school and later to university together. We know their parents too, they come from good families. You are wasting time, my daughter was not the kind of girl to hide things from her parents,” Terrence said impatiently.

I understand how you feel Mr. Ling, I have a sixteen-year old daughter myself. But it's important that we get as much information as possible about your daughter and her friends so we can catch whoever hurt her,” Lawrence said gently.

The older man's expression softened. “So you know what a parent must feel like. It is just very hard for us, especially for my wife. She hasn't moved from that chair since the police called about Alicia.”

We're very sorry for your loss, Mr. Ling. I understand this is a difficult time for you and your wife, but if you can think of anything that may help our investigation, please give me a call anytime,” Lawrence said, handing Terrence his card.

I will have my secretary send you the numbers you wanted. Please catch this man, Inspector. Only then will I be able to sleep,” Terrence Ling said.

You'll be the first to know, I promise,” Lawrence said.

One more question Mr. Ling, did your daughter have a cat?” Venkath asked.

Terrence Ling's eyebrows shot up in suprise. “Yes, she has a Siamese called Persia, why do you ask?” he said.

A Siamese cat. Is it here?” Lawrence asked.

Yes, it's anout the house somewhere. Why is this important?” Terrence Ling looked bewildered.

There were grey cat hairs on your daughter's dress. What colour is your cat?” Lawrence asked.

“Why, brown of course, just like regular Siamese cats. So you think my daughter's murderer owns a grey cat?”

We're just investigating all possibilites. Do any of Alicia's friends have grey cats?”

Not Boon Yee or Alice, but I don't know about her other friends. Do you think one of her friends did this to her?”

Is there anyone you suspect may have wanted to harm her?” Lawrence asked.

Nicholas Lim.” It was Theresa Ling who had spoken. Unnoticed by the three men, she had been quietly listening to their conversation. “Alicia broke up with him last month, but he has been pressuring her to get back together ever since. He would call her all day, follow her wherever she went. It's he who did this, I'm sure of it,” she said, her voice weary and whisper-soft. She sank back against the cushion on her chair, as if speaking had sapped all of her energy.

How long had this been going on with the ex-boyfriend?” Lawrence asked.

About three weeks. The final straw for us was last Wednesday night, when he showed up at our doorstep drunk and threw a bottle at our front door, insisting that Alicia see him. She got a restraining order against him the next morning,” Terrence Ling explained.

Did he try to contact your daughter subsequently?” Lawrence asked.

No, he's smarter than that. But that doesn't mean he is innocent,” Terrence said, his brow furrowing in distaste.

Unfortunately, the law rules that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, Mr. Ling. If he's guilty, you can be sure he'll go to the gallows. Is there anything else you can tell us about him, Mr. Ling?”

He is training to be a veterinary doctor, I believe he's an intern with the government-run veterinary clinic in town. He is originally from Ipoh, I think,” the older man said.

Thank you, Mr. Ling, we'll take it from here,” Lawrence said, flipping his notebook shut. He glanced over to the sofa, where Mrs. Ling now lay fast asleep. There was something strange about the woman, even for one who had just lost her only child, he thought. But he couldn't put his finger on precisely what he found so unnerving about her.


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