Croonford
Detective Case 19: Going to the Dentist
Author's
note: There may be medical inaccuracies in this story by my choice.
It's also
shorter than most previous stories, again by choice.
Please
comment on the story here
Croonford
School grounds
2022
"Happy
belated New Year!" The students across the various years greeted each
other with handshakes and hugs. There were more greetings and congratulations
for Michelle Summers who nearly got blown up during the Christmas period.
"I forgot
to thank you for calling the police," Chelle thanked her classmate,
Heather Smiths.
"No
problem, at first I thought it was even having you bound to the flagpole and
gagged, " the taller girl joked. "No Chelle, I couldn't leave you freezing
or getting blown to pieces." She hugged her with Heather's 34C pressing
against Chelle's smaller breasts. "Just don't jump on me and truss and gag
me again?"
Chelle agreed
although she wasn't certain if that would be true. After thanking Heather again,
she drifted over to Lin Ling who was chatting with others, including Reinhard.
Chelle heard them finishing a discussion regarding the school’s science club.
"Planning
on creating any new gadgets?" She asked the two 'science experts'.
"Perhaps,
depending on what cases we face,” came the obvious answer from Lin.
"It's
takes time to construct them," the newest member of the team added.
"I can
make them quickly..."
"Hey
where's Jennifer?" Reinhard suddenly asked.
Both Chelle and
Lin turned their heads and saw the shortest girl detective was nowhere in
sight. Chelle immediately questions Jenn's classmates but all assumed she was
late this day. "Maybe she's found another case and didn't warn you two.
Typical for her?"
Chelle ignored
that remark from Jenn's male classmate but gave it a thought and send her
friend a WhatsApp message. Just then, Jenn rushed pasted the school gates and
nearly collided with Chelle and Lin.
"Sorry,
the usual and lovely town dentist passed away and his replacement is fully
booked out..." Jenn's explanation was cut short as the morning bell rang.
Just as Lin reached her classroom doorway a male foot shot out and she was
about to strike back until the foot quickly moved away.
"Trying to
make me trip Art? That's trick I'll never fall for," Lin glared at Art
Morton, one of the class and school bullies.
"No, I
didn't see you…ladies first," the ginger-haired boy stammered. Lin decided
not to pursuit the issue and Chelle was glad with her friend's glare in
response. All students were kept extremely busy with the subjects they chose
for their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). Thus, the three
girl detectives only met back during lunchtime.
"So, you
dentist passed away and..." Chelle began to summarise.
"That
doesn't why you were so frantic or late today; you're usually as early as both
of us," Lin finished of the sentence. Jenn picked out a piece of bread
with a toothpick before answering.
"Yes,
well, Doc Wilkins was not just a wonderful dentist but also a grandfather-like
figure to the town folk - you two never visited his practice?" Her friends
shook their heads.
"Well now
his office has been now taken over by some newbie dentist..." Jenn flipped
through her phone then showed her fellow girl detectives a profile that showed
a picture of a lean middle-aged man with mostly black hair with streaks of
white hair in his fringe.
"Dr.
Callum Shatford," Lin read. "BD, KCL, and DMD, UWA." That translated
to Bachelor of Dental Surgery from King's College London and a PhD in Dental
Medicine from Western Australia.
"So,
what's your worry?" Both Chelle and Lin asked simultaneously.
"Well,
nothing first but there's a growing feeling that he might not be as friendly as
Doc Wilkins."
The others two
paused once again and initially thought to dismiss it, then all three agreed to
gather all the teen detectives at their headquarters later.
Teen
Detectives Headquarters
Afternoon
The first two
teen detectives in their headquarters were Lin and Reinhard, the science
experts. As they were creating it, the short boy was trying hard not to look at
how his fellow science club member was dressed. Lin out of her coat was,
despite the averagely warm interior provided by a portable heater, she was in
sleeveless light maroon top and dark blue mini skirt that reached just two
centimetres above her purple tights-covered legs. It wasn't the 50 denier
tights or the shiny mini skirt that he was interested in. Her top was quite tight
fitting therefore revealing the full outline of her bra, pushing her boobs
larger. As he turned his eyes towards her, Lin remarked, "sorry, keep
working," and dashed out of the converted caravan. Did she centimetres
notice me glancing at her boobs and legs? I'm a dead guy. I thought she's a
great student and science club member and beautiful girl and now I messed it
up, shaking his head. Lin returned minutes later, throwing something into the
waste bin.
"Sorry for
that, let's continue," Lin remarked and Reinhard heaved a sigh of relief
internally but still wondered why she dashed out. Toilet...no..'female issues',
that was ho his mother would call it and end it. He had to look up the issues
of puberty himself....
The door
clicked open, interrupting their constructions and his thoughts. Mark Cadvish
was hugging his girlfriend until they sat down. "Hi you two love birds, is
Jenn behind?" Lin teased and received a negative reply. Chelle thought
back to Caddish the last few cases and quickly sent Jenn a WhatsApp message.
Instead of a reply, the third girl detective rushed in.
"Something
frantic again?"
"No..."
Jenn took a large drink of water. "I just came from giving further
statements to DCI Heath regarding those kidnapped girls locked in a
chamber." Jenn started. "And I've also to travel down to give another
statement regarding the so-called plane crash my cousin made." DCI Heath
was of course Detective Chief Inspector Nikki Heath, the teen closest ally in
the local police force. She was also referring to the last two cases she was
deeply involved in.
"So..this
Dr. Shatford requires or rather demands that all patients and would-be patients
get a full medical examination before he sees them," Jenn continued.
"Yes, that is normal for most dental practices, however, hr requires a
detailed medical examination, which Doc Wilkins never asked for. Now it's
creating a huge queue of would-be patients and current patients steered
away."
"Demanding
dentist," Chelle observed. "Ok, that may be something to look
at." The whole team search but a general web search found nothing
incorrect with that requirement. Part of the way in their searching, Jenn
received a text message.
"Darn, the
MOD police want me down in an hour," Jenn complained.
"Wait,
here's the latest gadget," Lin remarked as Reinhard passed out three old
purses to the girls and two wallets to the boys. Just as Chelle was going to
open hers Lin yelled stop. "That's the incorrect way. If you do that a
latch will clamp down on your fingers and cut through them. Like a mouse or
animal trap. You must push the small button on the 'south west' side," Lin
explained.
"Amazing!"
Jenn exclaimed. "Sorry gang, have to go. Meet up some time again?"
They did again
during the weekend with Jenn only managing to book her medical appointment.
"The local clinic now is filing up due to the new dentist's requirements,”
Jenn explained to the others.
"What do
the usual patients say about him?" Chelle asked.
"Good idea
I know a few, will ask them."
The others
didn't have any serious questions and still promised to search details
regarding this particular dentist. Lin suddenly handed bottles of facial
moisturiser to Chelle and Jenn. "Spread this around your lips, your lower
jaw and your cheeks near sides of your lips." The two others raised their
eyes but complied.
"Ok, tape
our lips," she passed a roll of grey duct tape.
"What?!"
Mark exclaimed.
"Do it;
I'll explain shortly." Mark complied but hesitated as he taped his
girlfriend’s lips. Lin set a timer then shortly the adhesive on the tape weared
off and the girls easily peeled them off.
"Two and a
half minutes, may make shorter," the science whizz read from her
electronic stop watch. "Yes, it's a cream that reduces the strength of
adhesive tape."
"Does it
work on all sort of tape?" Jenn wondered.
"I haven't
tested on all kinds but it should apply to most."
"What
about us?" Mark and Reinhard chimed simultaneously.
"Well,
boys don't usually use moisturiser on their face...and neither of you have been
bound and gagged."
The boys just
grimaced and before either could respond, Chelle remarked, "I guess we're
just girl detectives always bound and gagged."
Most of the
team were kept busy with their school work and activities. Chelle was kept busy
by her senior Louisa in the Literature and Media club, Lin and Reinhard were
focused on improving the school' science club and Mark with his rugby practice.
Only Jenn had managed to finish her drama club and debate practice fast and she
took her free time looking up this suspicious dentist. Nothing on the Internet
so she focused on the idea of other patients at the dentist. She knew a certain
Mr Nathan Tugendhat whom they chatted with at the old office and she knew him
as one of the local librarians.
"Hi
Jennifer," Mrs Paige Tugendhat greeted her. Jenn was comfortable enough to
let the couple call her by her full name. "Won't you come for a cup of
tea?'
"I'd love
to but is Nathan at home?"
Mrs.
Tugendhat's eyes narrowed. "He suddenly shivered, not because of the cold
and headed to the hospital. I'll be visiting him shortly."
Jenn responded
with her sorrows then rushed to the local hospital noting that she had some
visiting spare time. Naturally, without any appointment or relationship with
Mr. Tugendhat she was immediately rebuffed by the receptionist. Trying to
plead, she suddenly heard a grunt.
"Hi, Jenn
haven't seen you visiting in a while," Jenn smiled, recognising the
familiar face of Dr. Gordon Holdon who treated her for common childhood illness
such as chickenpox and now and A&E doctor. "Questions about Nathan
Tugendhat? Follow me?" She did with the receptionist bewildered.
Jenn shortly
saw the elderly gentleman lying with an oxygen mask, an IV drip running into
his right arm and wires connected to a heart monitor. "He was a very
healthy and active person then entered A&E shivering constantly. I got the
shivering stopped with normal antibiotics but his heart rate is irregular and
dropped occasionally. I've never seen anything like it."
Jenn asked what
he ate or drank recently or who he visited. "Normal foodstuffs and a
dental visit to reset one of his dentures." That sparked a thought in her
mind and further questioned. "Of course, I asked him about the visit when
he was stable. It was a normal procedure with normal aesthetic, Novocaine.
That's an older aesthetic that takes time unlike like Lidocaine hydrochloride
but it still works."
Jenn wasn’t
sure of those names and the doctor concluded that he examined the patient for
other marks and sent blood and saliva samples to be further examined. "It
will take..." The doctor's sentence was cut off as a staffer knocked and
passed him a folder.
"That's a
fast examination completed," Dr. Holdon thanked the laboratory assistant.
He ran through each line carefully with Jenn trying to comprehend the medical
names. "Novocaine dosage. That’s very high, and he mixed it with…oh an
experimental antidepressant added?!"
Jenn also gave
a yelp and quickly learn the name, Wyomintic, how it was not formally approved
by the General Dental Council and most likely contributed to Mr. Tugendhat's
illness.
"Are you
going to report it?"
"Jenn,
there's not much medical information on this drug. My duty is to my
patient," was the reply and she asked for a copy of the specific page that
covered the controversial antidepressant. "Why...oh you're part of that
girl detective group?"
Jenn nodded,
not bothering to correct him and the doctor made a photocopy, reminding her to
be careful. Back outside, Jenn quickly her fellow teen detectives and DCI
Heath, sending them all soft copies of that page from the lab examination. She
waited but no one replied, she still had time so wildly made her to where the
town dental practice was.
"Miss
Thompson? Your appointment is not due to Friday," the new nurse with name
tag reading 'J. Watkins.'
"I would
like to wildly see Dr. Shatford," Jenn announced and repeated herself. The
nurse tried to bar Jenn but the teen managed to charge through. Shatford was
slouching at his desk as Jenn announced what she learnt. He calmly rebutted
her, stating Wyomintic was perfectly safe and he knew what to do when fixing
Nathan Tugendhat. The argument started to heat up then Jenn felt something bite
her right arm and she collapsed, the photocopy falling near the desk.
"I never
like arguments," the dentist stood up, towering over the unconscious teen.
"She'll be a good test subject," he nodded to the nurse.
Jenn awoke with
the familiar feeling of tape sealing her lips. She knew she was also bound but
with...she tried to lift herself up but felt her wrists and ankles held her
down. She wasn't on the floor but restrained to the dental chair with leather
restraints. She quickly noted her ankle restraints spread her leg out. That's
so out of place for a dental chair, she thought grimly. Jenn had spread the
special facial moisturiser around her lips and the sides of her cheeks and
already felt the adhesive wearing off. Suddenly...
A bright light
shone directly above, nearly blinding her. "Welcome, any high dosage, any
you be out for a full day," the dentist, now in full gear including facial
mask and googles. "Trying to talk me down over what I use on my patients?
Well, best you stay at school girl." The evil dentist shifted down and
Jenn felt him dig into her jeans pockets then scream as the metal clamps of
Lin's newest device bite into his fingers.
"Twit!"
He swore and she naturally heard him wash and bandage his hand. Returning, he
growled and torn off her gag, not noticing how loose it was. Before Jenn could
utter word, something rubbery was wedged into the back of the set of her teeth,
keeping her mouth open.
"Now
you'll get what you mention to me," he growled again as Jenn screamed
'ah!' both from her mouth forced open and the threat of being injected. Just
before she saw the syringe full of liquid the door slammed open and Dr.
Shatford's figure was literally pulled away.
"Mark, the
net's not holding him! Tackle him!" Jenn heard the familiar voice of Lin
and shortly the mouth prop was quickly removed and Lin used her pen laser to
cut away the leather restraints.
"The
nurse! The nurse! She's also involved!" Jenn cried as she got up.
"We have
her. Thanks to you junior detectives," DCI Heath entered and announced
that the dentist was under arrest for using unlicensed drugs.
The next day
in their headquarters
"Once
again, the girl detectives in Croonford have solve a case, finding that Croonford
new dentist use controversial drugs and highly unusual methods to treat his
patients. Police are also investigating whether Dr. Callum Shatford indirectly
caused the death of the town's former dentist Dr. Jon Wilkins..."
"They
never mention us boys," Mark turned down the video on his phone.
"Patience,
you two just join us," Lin
"Murder?"
Mark asked then learnt that Nikki Heath and her team found match evidence that
Shatford poisoned Wilkins' drink.
"Really
evil guy. Thanks for rescuing me," Jenn rubbed her cheek although there
wasn't any more pain. "Those gadgets really worked well."
As the team
exited, Lin stopped Reinhard. "You were staring at me the other day as we
were finalising the fake wallet." He trembled and admitted so.
"Did you
like what I wore?"
"Ye..s."
She smiled and
moved away.
Michelle,
Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark and Reinhard will return in 'The Truth Is Out There.'
The End.