Seeking the Prey

It was the morning of December, Monday on the busy day of London, the pool of people swarming at the market of Covent Garden, there can be seen the police mobiles parked in front of a bakery shop. Detective Jackson stared at the crooked window for a while before concluding that there wasn't a break-in at the store.

"What made you say that there wasn't a break in?" Asked Lieutenant Crow.

" It's obvious. If someone tried to break in, the shattered glass would be on the inside but if you look outside the debris is out there. The person who did this must be an amateur." Said Detective Jackson while spanning around trying to conceive the matter of events.

"Well it wasn't that obvious to me, it's a bit strange though, there's nothing else missing except a bottle of vanilla. " Said Lieutenant Crow, stroking his chin. 

Detective Jackson is a very notable investigator in London. He is currently investigating a possible break-in at the bakery shop located in Covent Garden, he approached the seemingly devastated Mrs. Hudson who is the owner of the store, she has beady eyes and red nose which is evident that she was crying. 

"We're going to ask you a few questions if that's alright with you." Asked Detective Jackson.

"Sure." Mrs. Hudson stated while blowing her nose at her handkerchief

"What happened here last night after you left?" Asked detective Jackson. 

"Well I left the store at around 7:30 pm like what I always do, there wasn't anything suspicious that occurred last night, I left Carl in charge, maybe you can ask him later when he arrives ." She said.

"Are we safe, detective? Last Friday one of my employees just died and now there was a break in at my store." She added, asking the detective while on the edge of crying again. 

“Is there anyone else who has a key on this store?” asked Detective Jackson.

“No, just me.” she mutters before giving up and cries once again.  

Lieutenant Crow is trying to calm her down when they hear the bell on top of the entrance door which indicates that someone has entered the store. 

A tall man dressed in one of the uniforms of the store entered the busy room, he happens to be Carl, one of the persons who work at the store. He approached the devastated Mrs. Hudson. 

"What's happened?" Asked carl. 

"Someone broke in at the store, dear. Nothing else was stolen, just a small bottle of vanilla." Said Mrs. Hudson while sniffling.

"Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Asked Detective Jackson. 

"Not at all." Said Carl while caressing Mrs. Hudson's shoulder. 

"You're the last person in this shop last night weren't you?" Asked Detective Jackson while scribbling down on his notes. 

"Yes. I'm the one who locked up the store." Said carl.

" Are you sure that there wasn't anyone else inside the store before you left?" Asked Detective Jackson.

"Inside? No, but there was a suspicious-looking man on a trench coat that I saw eyeing the store last night." Stated Carl.

"What could he be looking for? Did he run out of vanilla in his pantry?" Asked Lieutenant Crow, jokingly causing Detective Jackson to sneer into laughter.

"The question is, why did he or she choose to steal only a bottle of vanilla? What's so special about it?" Detective Jackson wondered, posing in a manner of thinking.

"We'll have a final look around the place then we'll go." Stated Lieutenant Crow. 

Detective Jackson and Lieutenant Crow are just about to head outside when Carl goes out to follow them. 

"Are you sure? Don't you need me for more questioning? Maybe about the guy that I saw last night? I just thought maybe I could help because of what happened to my co-worker." Said Carl. 

" I understand your concern Carl, we'll give you a call whenever we need you." Said lieutenant Crow patting Carl's shoulder. 

“I think it’s him.” said Carl, holding out a piece of paper waiting for either the confused-looking Detective Jackson or Lieutenant Crow to take it.

Lieutenant Crow took the small sheet of paper that Carl was grasping and said “This is a heavy conjecture, son.” 

Written on the piece of paper is the scribbled name of Mister Johnson the father of John, John is the old employer of the store who died just last week. Under it is a phone number scribbled and was written in a hurry.  

“Ever since John Died, Mister Johnson has been eyeing the store from time to time now. Especially me, I have no idea why he’s looking at me funny sir.” Stated Carl.

Detective Johnson and Lieutenant Crow drove away. Lieutenant crow dialed the number written on the sheet of paper and there answered Mister Johnson, unlike what their perception of Mister Johnson, he is very soft spoken and great-mannered in fact, Mister Johnson had invited them into their house for a lunch which they politely obliged.  

They stood in front of an old looking four story apartment, the paint on the wall seems to almost perish and the trace of vines growing on the tinted walls. It is visible that this apartment is old and has been neglected for cleaning in a long time. They went inside the apartment and went to find mister Johnson’s room, they knocked softly and there stood an old man in his bathrobe probably in his 60s; his hair is white and beard looked as though it was fresh from shaving. He let them in and the two detectives sat on the dusty sofa while they faced the back of Mister Johnson who was making tea. 

“We wanted to ask you about your departed son, John. has he left anything to you of some kind? perhaps a note? Have you searched his room?” asked Lieutenant Crow

“All questions at once please lieutenant.” said detective Jackson 

Mister Jackson, who was finally done making the tea, held the tray shakily which might have been caused by old age and put it on the center table. He sat himself on the rugged couch and lit his pipe to smoke. 

“My John is a very kind person, he’s my only son. Maybe he’s too kind or too honest that it upset someone that caused him to..” Mister Johnson coughed before he could finish his statement. It is evident that he is fighting the urge to cry once again as if a certain memory of his son would leave him to pieces. 

Lieutenant crow handed him a glass of water to calm him down which he took and sighed before drinking all the water on the glass. 

“He was a very good son and he died in such a mysterious way.” Mister Johnson couldn’t stop himself from crying that he covered his face in distress “And to answer your question, no, he didn’t leave anything here at all,” added Mister Johnson who was having a hard time constructing a sentence. “Is it true that you’ve been eyeing the store for a while now since he died?” asked Detective Jackson 

“Yes indeed, I can’t help it, I keep on wishing that anytime maybe my son would show up at his work that he loved so much. He never missed a day at work you know." He sniffed, his eyes red from bawling.

Detective Johnson started to wonder what could possibly be the connection of the murder of John to the Missing Ingredient, and what's so important in it and what could possibly be the motives of the 'break in'.

On the next day, Detective Johnson insisted to Lieutenant Crow that they should visit the store yet again however, this time it would be just the two of them to not draw much attention to the crowd. Detective Johnson went on to search the trash bin on the back of the store and to his surprise when he threw all the trash onto the floor a 'clunk' sound had hit the ground and there was a small bottle shaped, wrapped in what seems to be a piece of paper with a few words written on it.

He took it and unwrap it and the only visible is the bottle of vanilla, the paper has only a few words written on it which seems to be a list of ingredients that wrote:

* 1 cup sugaR

* ⅓ cup cocoA powder

* 1 Cup flour

* ½ tsp saLt

* ¼ cup vegetable oIl

* ½ tsp baking powDer

* ½ tsp milk powDer

* Pinch of salT

* ¼ cup mIlk

He wondered why some of the letters were highlighted and began to wonder what it meant. He immediately called Lieutenant Crow and went straight to the police station to investigate the possible evidence. 

When they arrived, Mrs. Hudson and a disturbed-looking Carl were sitting on the corner, his hands folded over his head as if he was waiting for someone, they immediately stood up when they saw the two detectives enter the hall. 

"I heard you found something? What was it? Is it anything concerned about John's death?" Carl asks while momentarily following them. 

Those words stopped Detective Jackson on his track. “Why would it have anything to do with John’s case?” he asked. 

"I'm just concerned. I wanted to make sure that me and Mrs. Hudson is safe." Carl sighed.

"I told you son, we'll give you a call whenever we need your help." Lieutenant said patting Carl's shoulder. “I’m just concerned,” Carl said, holding his hands up in the air. “I wanted to make sure that me and Mrs. Hudson is safe.” He added and sighed. 

“Actually, Can I ask? What is this for?” Detective Jackson followed, holding up the vanilla and the wrapping sheet with it. 

Mrs. Hudson pointed at it and said “Isn’t that the missing thing? We always wrap the bottle with the paper in it because it’s always leaking.” 

“I see.” Detective Jackson said, stroking his chin while looking at the bottle. “The funny thing is, someone had left a clue not on the bottle but the least important thing that comes along with it.” He said smirking as if he was hanging onto a single thought. 

He diverted his attention to the piece of paper and the highlighted letters. R, A, C, L, I, D, D, T, I. He looked puzzled for a moment but then a thought of clarity passed his mind, he started to unjumble the letters and came up with the words ‘car’, ‘lid’ and other words had passed through his mind and then it hit him ‘CARL DID IT’. he looked at Carl and his sweats were visible. 

“You did it didn’t you?” asked Detective Jackson. Even from a few meters away you can hear the rapid rhythm of Carl’s pulse. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Carl said, putting his hands on his hips for support.

“I think you know what we’re talking about,” said Mrs. Hudson. The three of them looked at the sudden change of emotion on Mrs. Hudson's face. 

“Mrs. Hudson, I don't know what you’re talking about.” Carl said, almost laughing nervously. 

“You killed John. I’ve been keeping my eye on you for quite a long time now, but I saw you did it.” said Mrs. Hudson.

“We can’t just point our fingers here, Mrs. Hudson.” said Lieutenant Crow stepping onto the way. 

“Before, I didn't have the proof but now I do, the bottle of vanilla had poison in it. I saw it because Carl put some of it in John’s coffee, you can test it in your laboratory if you want to. I had to fake a break in at the store just to catch the police’s attention and wait for the right moment to catch you.” said Mrs. Hudson staring intently at Carl. 

“But why would he do it?” asked detective Jackson.

“Because he’s jealous. He heard that John is getting promoted as the store manager even though John has only been working here for two years, in fact, Carl had confronted me and even yelled at me and said that he was supposed to be the store manager since he’s been working for me for the last five years and even insisted that I have my favorites. Well guess what Carl, I don’t. I chose John to be the store manager because he is deserving. He never had any absences, late or whatsoever and if you think that if you get rid of John I would give you the store. You are so over your head young man!” 

Before Carl could even have the chance to attack or lay his hands on Mrs. Hudson, the two detectives got a hold of the now furious-looking man. 

“So what if I killed him? He bloody deserves it!” Carl yells while being taken away and locked up at a prison cell.