Chapter 60 - The investigation of the murder

"What were you doing on November 3rd between 5pm and 4am?" The policeman in his mid-forties began his interrogation.

There was horror in Alexandre's eyes. Horror and emptiness. As if he had lost something valuable. So precious that he just now realised how valuable it actually was.

While Bichot studied the face of the man opposite him, his expression was as hard as stone, no shadow revealed what he was thinking. He was a skilled murder investigator. His eyes were always on guard. In the course of his career he had seen a man's darkest depths. The most cunning criminals. His confidence in the moral nature of man was low. He knew that there were brilliant actors.

Bichot sat relaxed in his chair, lurking like a predator. Every wink, every drop of sweat. He could see everything.

He was trained to find out every little bit of information from his opposite.

" See, Monsieur de Valois. I am trying to reconstruct the events of yesterday of Mademoiselle Eliecieux. You can help me find the culprit..." Quietly he put his hands on the table. "Tell me. What you did with your fiancée yesterday. Who you met. When and where you spent time with her."

But the Alexandre did not even blink. Like he was somewhere else. His head was hanging down heavy. His eyes were closed. His breathing was faint, a soft hissing could be heard with every breath. He was in silence.

Bichot rubbed over his temples with his middle and ring finger. It would be a long interrogation, he thought bitterly.

He rose tired and left the room, leaving the man behind.

In the room had become quiet. Alexandre sat in his chair like a stone. He was too tired to move. Every breath was one movement too much for the young count.

He was trapped in his own thoughts, which were like chains around him. Paralyzing him.

The truth was brutal. He didn't want to admit it. Not to believe it. He wanted to deny it. Time passed, and passed by like running water. Nothing could wake him from the darkness of his own thoughts.

...

"We don't know much about the murderer." A calm voice shook him awake. As if someone had suddenly poured a bucket of ice-cold water over him. Frightened, Alexandre cringed and stared into the commissioner's dark eyes.

Bichot opened the folder. Again, he took out the photos.

"First of all, we know that it was a sexually motivated act." He pointed with a pen to the stab wounds on her Genital area and breasts, "Her female sexual features were only disfigured after death had already occurred."

Another wave of nausea rolled towards him.

"No traces of sperm were discovered. However, her vaginal area was injured, so we suspect forced sexual intercourse resulting in these injuries."

Alexandre held his hands over his ears. He didn't want to hear anymore. But Bichot's voice broke through the walls. Alexandre could clearly hear the man's muffled voice.

"According to the autopsy report, she was strangled. Her larynx was crushed. You can see the blue marks above her neck. Then the killer stabbed her before mutilating her. There were even attempts to conceal the victim's identity. Fingertips, toes and teeth were carefully removed. The killer only missed a small tattoo behind her ear. A tiny butterfly... " Said the investigator slowly and carefully considered his next words.

"We only know for certain how the mademoiselle was murdered."

Bichot was silent for a second.

" My suspicion is that the victim knew her killer..."