Serial Killer At Large
The case of the mysterious salt shakers
The Metropolitan Police Department’s chief detective Gilberto Antonio Rodriquez brought his unmarked police car to a stop in the middle of the street. He quickly exited his vehicle and proceeded to the crime scene. Making his way through the gathered crowd of on-lookers and past two parked police cruisers with their lights flashing, he came to a scene that had become all too common as of late. A dead body covered with a white sheet.
Detective Sammy Samuelson was on his knees next to the corpse. He had a latex glove on his right hand and with that hand he was dropping a salt shaker into a plastic bag in his left hand. Seeing that Chief Rodriquez had arrived, he stood up, holding up the bagged salt shaker for his boss to see.
“Oh my God! Not again!” Gilberto slapped his hand to his forehead.
Detective Samuelson paused for a moment then spoke, “Chief, this is the seventh death in just the last month and every single one of the victims were holding a salt shaker in their hand. I think maybe we’re dealing with a serial killer.”
Looking down at the sheet-covered corpse, Chief Rodriquez asked, “So what’s the scoop on the victim?”
“According to the driver’s license in his wallet he was Chad Binkelhouser, age 57, five feet seven, a hundred ninety pounds, thinning gray hair, glasses. No gunshot wounds, no stabbing, no signs of violence. It appears he just keeled over from a heart attack or stroke or something.”
“Just like all the others.”
“Yes chief, just like the others…. and with a salt shaker in his hand just like the others! It’s almost like a serial killer leaving his calling card. It’s creepy. Anyway, we’re working on getting more info on the victim. I’ll have a full report on your desk as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Sammy. And make sure I get a copy of the autopsy as soon as it’s available. And also the lab results on the contents of that salt shaker.”
“If it’s like the others it’ll just be plain table salt.”
The chief massaged his chin with his thumb and forefinger, “Oh, and Sammy….”
“Yes, sir?”
“I want you to go over to St. Mildred’s Hospital or maybe to the university. See if you can find a nutrition expert who can come down to the office and maybe help us solve this salt shaker mystery.”
“Got it.”
The chief dropped his hand from his chin and looked detective Samuelson in the eyes, “Sammy, we’ve got to solve this case as quickly as we can. If these deaths continue at this rate it won’t be long before the entire city erupts in panic.”
Public Service Announcement
The scene portrayed above is something that happens hundreds of times every single day all across America. How can you be safe? Some medical experts claim that excessive salt consumption can lead to hypertension, high blood pressure and eventually cardiovascular problems. Others disagree. Whatever the case, it could be helpful to monitor your daily salt intake. Most importantly, if you do not want to become yet another chalk outline on the dusty streets of the metropolis it is critically important when you go out to leave your salt shaker at home!
Copyright by White Feather. All Rights Reserved.
Follow my publication, Writer On Foot Getting Bread
And don’t miss my short story, The Old Man and His Snippers
