Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 78

The Murder Mystery of the Old Depths of Shanghai
Bradbury School, Lee, Charlotte - 10
H
oney, we have a case!” Charlotte bellowed across the office to Shaun, her partner.
“I’ve got it. Where?” Shaun replied, dropping his cigarette into a trash can.
“Um…” Charlotte rummaged through her papers. “Shanghai, dear!” she yelled. Shaun took off his sunglasses and
snatched her papers.
“Shanghai?” He asked with a cocked eyebrow. “Hmmn. Let’s get going, then.” He stood up with a grunt, and down
they went from the FBI office to Appleseed Avenue Airport. As they were boarding, they got a call from their boss,
Mr. Alleycon. Shaun flicked open the cover of his mobile and pressed the ‘answer’ button.
“Sup, boss.” Shaun murmured casually into the phone.
“Hi Shaun, could you do with another pair? I’m sending Mr. Lamosa and Ms. Reines.”
“Timothy and Sue? Oh, great!”
Shaun thought. He shrugged and hung up. Soon after, Charlotte and Shaun met
Timothy and Sue at Shanghai Pudo ng International Airport. They were driven to the crime scene and there was a
man with a colossal hole in the side of his ribs, sprawled on the floor. Sue knelt down and drew a dagger out of his
bloody stomach.
“He’s been stabbed.” Sue grimaced and shuddered at the thought. Timothy nervously paced around and saw an old
man running towards them, wailing for help.
“What seems to be the matter, sir?” Charlotte calmly questioned.
“Evidence...Sheshan Basilica...blood...glass...help, oh help!!” he gasped.
“Sheshan what? ” Timothy oddly pronounced.
“The Sheshan Basilica, officially the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan is a prominent
Roman Catholic church in Shanghai, China.” Sue blabbed.
“Allll right then! We’ll be there before you can say ‘Total And Absolutely Useless Nerd’.”
Shaun sighed. Sue gave Shaun an icy glare and looked away when Shaun turned around to roll his eyes.
“Guys! Stop squabbling! We have absolutely no time to waste. Let’s go!” Charlotte exclaimed and dashed off to the
Shanghai Metro and in a while they slid off the train and made their way to the evidence. And as soon as they cast
their eyes on the bloody mess, they realized it was just as the man had explained. Glass was all over the floor and each
shard was smothered in thick red blood.
“Gather the glass shards, they are guaranteed to have fingerprints. And Timothy, come with me to grab the body
and the dagger to bring to the autopsy lab.” Shaun ordered, pointing to each of them. They all nodded while
Charlotte and Sue knelt down and fingered at the shards, picking them up two by two while Timothy and Shaun
took the train back to the case scenario. While they sat in the crowded train, Timothy had a very deep question.
“Shaun?” Timothy shyly questioned to Shaun, who raised his eyebrows but didn’t look up from his magazine.
“You know how there are two evidence areas?”