IQ 157 [ON HOLD]

Chapter Two

"Did Kallie get a time of death from the body?" Eula vaguely heard Tony ask her. She was lying on the sofa in their small office area and had been for half an hour after finishing that mornings breakfast of black coffee and a white chocolate and raspberry muffin, while Tony stood at a whiteboard on which was a line of black tape which marked the time-line in the middle and pictures of the crime scene tacked along the bottom.

"EULA!" yelled Tony, moving nearer her. She started and fell off the sofa. "Sorry," she stumbled, "What did you say?"

Tony frowned, annoyed, "I said, did Kallie send you the time of death yesterday?"

Eula fished through her pad and took the red board marker off the table. "Kallie said between seven and nine yesterday morning." She drew a line along the tape, high lighting the times.

"Okay, and when did the coaches leave for the trip?"

"Roughly eight thirty. Right in the middle of our 'kill zone'."

"Knock knock," said Seamus, walking through the door, "I haven't found the victims parent, Mr Lanton says they're abroad and he's been staying with his aunt and uncle, who have conveniently vanished."

"Have the neighbours seen anything?" asked Eula, taking the question right out of Tony's mouth, causing him to glare at her.

"The elderly couple across the street said a car left their house around 10am yesterday, which is in line with Kallie's time of death. The old couple are downstairs with Wilson writing statements just in case it's important." Seamus looked expectantly at Tony.

"Okay," Tony marked the time the car left the aunt and uncle's house on the board, "Seamus, I want you to phone St. Hermione's, I think Mr Lanton needs questioning, as do the four cleaners. Eula, make sure the computers and cameras are ready for the questionings in booth eight."

His two colleagues nodded and filed out of the room. Tony sighed and slumped into his office chair. Opening the Internet, he searched 'IQ 157'. Nothing special or worth notice popped up.

He tried again, this time searching St. Hermione's. Several million results appeared quicker than a second, including two news articles. Tony opened both up in separate tabs and began reading.

~

Eula stood with her, green woolly sleeved arms crossed over her chest. She was watching Seamus question the last cleaner through the two-way mirror, she could see them but they could not see her. The other cleaners said nothing of interest and this one was no different. She hit 'Stop Record'.

"Well thank you for coming in, we'll be in touch." Seamus stood up and followed the cleaner out of the room, to reappear seconds later in the booth with Eula. He gave Eula a look as if to say 'well that was a waste of time'.

Eula nodded in agreement, "Is Mr Lanton coming in?"

"He should be here in a minute. Are you okay?" he asked, noticing a pale tinge to Eula's face.

"Yeah, it's just horrible." she said. Seamus smiled kindly, "Well, this is our job. Horrible things happen, horrible people come and go, but you just have to remember that we're doing a good thing here, not everyone sees that though."

The door opened again and Kallie stuck her head in, "Seamus, Mr Lanton is here."

"Good, send him in." Kallie left. Seamus turned back to Eula and gave her a quick hug. "We're doing good." he reminded her and he left.

Eula hit 'Record' again and turned to the mirror. Mr Lanton was already sat down staring into space, she waved and got no response so stuck her tongue out at him. Again, nothing.