Chapter 147: The Clown Killer Arrives
"Boss, is my work finished?"
Mr. Heckles's twin brother, Mr. Heckles Jr., asked when the performance was over.
"It's finished,"
Chuck nodded.
"Okay."
Mr. Heckles Jr. walked out.
"Aren't you going to stay and visit your brother's apartment?"
Chandler shook off Chuck's "I'm just messing with you" attitude and looked at Mr. Heckles Jr. who was about to leave.
"No!"
Mr. Heckles Jr. said this and walked away without looking back.
"Why is he like this?"
Phoebe was disappointed: "This is his twin brother."
Monica couldn't help but hug Phoebe.
Everyone showed knowing looks.
Phoebe was obviously thinking about her own twin sister. She also had a twin sister who showed no sisterly affection toward her.
Chuck's phone rang. After answering, he said something and hung up.
"Are you leaving?"
Monica said reluctantly.
"There's a case in Brooklyn that needs me there."
Chuck nodded.
"Brooklyn?"
Chandler shuddered. "Can you take me with you?"
"OMG! Chandler's lost his mind!"
Joey exclaimed.
America's crime rate is centered in major cities, New York's crime is concentrated in certain boroughs, and Brooklyn has some of the worst neighborhoods in the country. Even Detroit, with all its problems, can seem safer.
"I'm not crazy,"
Chandler grumbled. "It's just that the most thrilling thing I've ever experienced was taking the subway to Brooklyn at night and making it back alive. Seeing Chuck's 'performance art,' I suddenly remembered his earlier suggestion. Maybe it's because I'm too sheltered that I'm not as sharp as he is. And since this case is also in the same area, I really want to go."
"I don't think that's the reason. It's because he's richer than you,"
Phoebe said honestly.
"..."
Chandler's mouth twitched, finding the words particularly painful.
"Are you sure?"
Chuck looked at him.
"I'm sure!"
Chandler gritted his teeth and said self-deprecatingly, "I've seen ghosts when I was caught off guard. What else can I not handle?"
"Fine,"
Chuck nodded.
Chandler's sense of humor was among the best he'd encountered, and crucially, his attitude was incredibly resilient. He might even bring some levity to the investigation, which could be useful.
"Do I need to prepare anything?"
Chandler rubbed his hands excitedly.
"Yes!"
Chuck nodded. "Go back and change your clothes, especially your pants!"
At this point, he glanced at Monica. "Any antacids? Give him some."
"What?"
Everyone was speechless.
"He said he's been having stomach issues,"
Chuck said matter-of-factly. "And he's going to a crime scene soon, so it's better to be prepared."
"You're quite the comedian,"
Chandler quipped.
"I'm not joking,"
Chuck said expressionlessly.
Chandler: "..."
New York.
Brooklyn.
An alleyway cordoned off by NYPD tape.
"It's a crime in an alley,"
Chandler said, having changed his clothes and following Chuck. He felt a mixture of apprehension and excitement. "In the comics, this is where superheroes do their work, and the NYPD always shows up last to clean up the mess."
"You think this is different?"
Chuck asked, then walked over. The patrol officer maintaining the perimeter glanced at Chuck and immediately lifted the tape, letting Chuck and Chandler through.
"Cool!"
Chandler followed Chuck closely. "I see on TV that people are supposed to show their badges at times like this. Don't you have one?"
"I don't need one."
Chuck led him inside.
"Because everyone knows you,"
Chandler observed.
"No,"
Chuck shook his head. "But anyone who has worked with me remembers me."
"Our star consultant is here."
Once inside, a theatrical voice rang out, and Brooklyn's 99th Precinct Detective Jake Peralta began his usual routine.
"Oh, who's this?"
"My assistant, Chandler."
Chuck introduced them. "Chandler, this is Detective Jake Peralta and Detective Amy Santiago."
"Hello."
Detective Amy Santiago warmly shook Chandler's hand and greeted him.
"Hello."
Chandler, taking in Amy Santiago's attractive appearance, the added appeal of her detective status, and her friendliness, immediately gave Chuck a look, implying, "I've fallen in love with this job."
Chuck ignored him and asked directly, "What's special about this case?"
The 99th Precinct wouldn't call Chuck for a routine case.
"The victim was Noah Valli, a mathematician,"
Detective Amy Santiago said. "I thought you might know him."
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded. "We participated in a math conference together."
"He died from a gunshot wound to the back,"
Detective Amy Santiago said.
"Have you ruled out suicide?"
Chuck asked.
"Sorry, what did you say?"
Detective Amy Santiago was stunned and speechless. "Didn't you hear? He was shot in the back..."
She couldn't continue. She caught Chuck's expression and immediately understood that Chuck was making a dark joke about questionable police shootings. She gave a helpless smile. "Very funny, but this time it definitely wasn't suicide. Someone saw him being chased by a clown and shot in the back. His right index finger was severed."
"Mathematician, clown..."
Jake laughed at Chuck. "Isn't this an interesting case?"
"OMG!"
Chandler looked from Chuck to himself and exclaimed. "Mathematician, clown, that's quite a combination."
"Dude, you're funny."
Seeing Chandler's reaction, Jake was immediately amused and offered Chandler a fist bump.
"We have several suspects in custody."
Detective Amy Santiago felt her head hurt from all the joking and quickly returned to business. "But there's a clown convention nearby, so we need your help."
"Is this a regular event, or was it organized specifically for today?"
Chuck asked.
"Someone organized it,"
Detective Amy Santiago nodded. "Someone posted online asking for clown performers to come in costume today."
"Detective, have you discovered something we don't know about?"
Jake teased.
"This killer is a psychopath,"
Chuck said.
"Why do you say that?"
Detective Amy Santiago asked.
"Because Noah had coulrophobia—he was afraid of clowns,"
Chuck said. "When he saw a clown approaching, he turned and ran into the alley. The killer knew this, so he disguised himself as a clown to make it easier to corner him and escape afterward."
With that, he walked out.
"Where are you going?"
Jake called out.
"To see his fiancée, Daphne,"
Chuck said without looking back.
"You suspect his fiancée?"
Detective Amy Santiago quickly caught up.
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded. "Ninety percent of domestic homicides are committed by intimate partners."
"But this wasn't a domestic dispute," Detective Amy Santiago said, puzzled.
"It's simple. Since Noah's a mathematician, he must be a bit of a nerd,"
Chandler couldn't help but chime in. "In this kind of relationship, the traditional gender roles are often reversed..."
Seeing everyone looking at him, he suddenly seemed uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"
"Now I know why you became Chuck's assistant,"
Detective Amy Santiago said with a smile. "Not only are you funny, but you're perceptive."
"Oh, nobody understands relationship dynamics better than me."
Chandler was both pleased by the attractive detective's praise and couldn't help but laugh bitterly at his own experience.
He really didn't want to be an expert on dysfunctional relationship patterns.
"In traditional relationships, one partner typically handles finances while the other manages domestic affairs,"
Chuck nodded. "The last time I met Noah and Daphne, Noah didn't have steady employment, just occasionally publishing mathematical papers. That wasn't enough to support them, and Daphne's waitressing job was covering their expenses. Furthermore, Noah's introverted personality made communication difficult, preventing him from even securing a teaching position. Daphne handled most of their social interactions. When the traditional breadwinner role is reversed, it creates psychological stress for both partners. Society's expectations about relationship roles can create resentment, especially when financial pressures mount."
"Let's go meet this Daphne,"
Detective Amy Santiago was completely convinced.
This analysis, combined with domestic violence statistics and the fact that the murderer used Noah's phobia against him, clearly indicated someone who knew him intimately. Unless something unexpected had happened, Daphne was the prime suspect.
"Where are you going?"
Chuck paused, looking at Chandler, who was following closely behind.
"Of course, I'm going with you to meet this real psycho,"
Chandler said self-deprecatingly. "You know, I was voted class clown back in school."
"You stay here with Detective Peralta and examine the scene."
Chuck shook his head. "That's what you should try first."
"Okay."
Chandler didn't want to see the body, but when he caught the encouraging look the attractive detective gave him, he had to put on a brave face and stay.
"You've got this!"
Detective Amy Santiago cheered him on with a fist pump.
Chandler suddenly felt energized. He felt like he'd finally made the right choice coming along. To hell with the idea of a lonely future—he was much more interesting than Mr. Heckles.
Just look at how the beautiful detective was responding to him!
Maybe he could even get a date with her tonight.
"Hey, buddy, come on, I'll show you around."
Jake put his arm around Chandler and walked toward the crime scene.
"Does Detective Santiago have a boyfriend?"
Chandler's mind was now focused on the attractive detective, and as he followed Jake, he asked his most pressing question.
"Nah, who would want to date a workaholic like her?"
Jake said dismissively.
"Perfect..."
Chandler was overjoyed. He'd just finished speaking when he saw the actual crime scene. He immediately turned around and leaned against the wall, retching violently.
"This is the most honest reaction to a crime scene I've ever seen."
Jake took out his phone, snapped a picture, and texted it with a grin.
(End of Chapter)
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