Chapter 381 - Sonia’s Intelligence and Privacy
Chapter 381 Sonia’s Intelligence and Privacy
The police department had smoothly pocketed a huge amount of the unclaimed cash; that was definitely more important than cracking a few murder cases.
No wonder Elizabeth likes to work with Luke! Sonia mumbled to herself.
Selina asked in a low voice, “Are you really not going to do anything?” Luke said, “What are you thinking? We’ve got too many cases to work on. Let’s go. We’ll inspect your sunbathing spot today.”
Selina nodded, and they left for the forensics department.
Scorsese, a black guy with an afro, was already at work. He asked, “Have you seen the report on the girl in pajamas?”.
Luke nodded. “Yes, it’s already been handed over to Dustin. Just keep it to yourself and don’t mention it to anyone.”
Scorsese nodded. “Then why are you here?”.
Luke said, “For the body on the beach. It was sent over the day before yesterday. We’re here for the preliminary findings.”
Scorsese gave an “oh” before he walked over to pull open the door of a cold chamber.
The cold chamber was essentially an ice coffin. The tray was pulled out to reveal a female body.
Scorsese recited, “Wendy Bagir, female, 34 years of age, unemployed. We’ve already contacted her husband, Winston Bagir; he never filed a missing report for his wife.”
Selina was curious. “He didn’t know that his wife was missing for two days? Wait, how do you know that, Scorsese? You’re a doctor, not a detective, right?”.
Scorsese shrugged. “Sonia bought the husband here yesterday to verify the woman’s identity, and I was here. My memory’s pretty good, you know.”
Luke chuckled. “That’s great. We don’t need to talk to Sonia, then; she seems pretty busy.”
Scorsese was lost for words. “Actually, I’m very busy too. You have more than thirty detectives in the Major Crimes Division, but I only have three forensic doctors on shift here.”
Luke raised his hand to stop him. “Stop. Take your complaints to the big shots in their personal offices. No matter what you say to me, it’s not like I can give you a single cent.”
Speechless for a moment, Scorsese shook his head helplessly. “Fine, let’s focus on this Mrs. Wendy Bagir. Actually, we found one of her legs first.” He then lifted the sheet that covered the body.
Luke and Selina looked at the body, only to frown simultaneously.
Scorsese said, “The good news is that her leg was cut off after she died. Two guys were fishing at night when something got stuck in their boat propeller. They reached out, and hit the jackpot.” He pointed at Wendy’s left leg.
Luke asked, “What’s the cause of death?”
“Severe trauma to her forehead, which probably knocked her out instantly. She then died from an intracranial hemorrhage.” Scorsese pointed at the head of the body. “Also, she had intercourse before her death, and her right arm was dislocated. So…”
Selina asked, “Someone might’ve knocked her out and raped her before throwing her into the ocean?”
Scorsese shrugged. “You’re the professionals. Don’t ask me.”
Luke asked, “Here’s a professional question for you: Was there any semen left in her? What are the results of the DNA test?”
Scorsese said, “There was, but it’s not in our DNA database. Sonia helped us obtain a DNA sample from Wendy’s husband, and I’m afraid that it’s not a match.”
Luke remarked, “What a sad story.”
Scorsese said, “What’s even sadder is that the content of this lady’s stomach suggests that she died three hours after dinner, and the food was pretty good. Do you want to take a look?”
Luke and Selina both shook their heads. “You can just tell us.”
The food in a dead victim’s stomach wouldn’t be fresh; it was essentially vomit that hadn’t been discharged, and looked and smelled horrible.
Scorsese said, “Basically, it was lobster, fresh sea urchins, some cheese, and roasted clams.”
“So, she might’ve had dinner with a man who wasn’t her husband at a seafood restaurant, before she was dumped in the ocean?” asked Luke.
Scorsese shrugged. “It’s your job to find out. Do you have any more questions?”
After a brief silence, Luke suddenly asked, “Sonia has a boyfriend, doesn’t she?”.
Scorsese subconsciously shook his head. “No way, she doesn’t have a boyfriend.”
Greatly enlightened, Luke patted his shoulder. “Okay, thank you for your answer.”
Scorsese was lost for words.
Holding back her laughter, Selina left with Luke.
Only after they were some distance away from the morgue did Selina laugh out loud. Luke glanced at her. “For the record, he confessed himself; it’s not like I was prying into Sonia’s privacy.”
Selina nodded with a smile. “No wonder the reports which Sonia wants always come out faster. Hahahaha.”
Luke said, “That’s down to her personal charm; it’s not like she demands them. It’s got nothing to do with us. At most… we can ask Sonia to help us if we need a report urgently.” Selina nodded decisively.
The forensics department was actually even busier than the Major Crimes Division because they had less manpower.
There was a severe shortage of skilled forensic scientists like Scorsese in Los Angeles. Naturally, Luke and Selina had to make full use of the “lethal weapon” that was Sonia.
However, comparing Sonia’s athletic body with Scorsese’s small physique from spending all his time in the lab, they both shook their heads; these two getting together would be a feat.
After gossiping about their colleagues, they drove to the beach where the female body was found.
The place was slightly northwest of Santa Monica Beach, and had fewer tourists.
The year was only 2004. Even Malibu Beach, where Tony would establish his mansion, was still a desolate landscape. There was hardly anybody around.
They walked to a small bay. Looking at the eye-catching yellow cordon in one corner, Luke asked, “What do you think about sunbathing in this place?”
The place had quite a nice view of the blue sky and blue ocean, although the beach here was mostly pebbles and stones.
Selina looked around and nodded. “Not bad. Fewer people, less trouble. We can set up deck chairs where the stones are more level.”
Luke chuckled. “Then let’s go and investigate.”
Of course, they had to handle business first.
They were here in order to figure out how the female body had ended up in this particular stretch of ocean.