Four Square Ch. 01

"I like the nasty way you're telling it." Tanya said with a wicked grin. "So what's the 'strangeness', as our Commander would say?"

"We have the husband Tanu, the wife Ashwarya, and the neighbor Amit, who killed the victim." said Julia. "The victim's name is David Lang, and they said Ashwarya was his personal assistant at a startup technology company. Amit next door said he heard Ashwarya crying, and came in and saw a man on top of her and her husband tied up. He assumed the worst, grabbed the nearest object he could find, and whacked Lang on the head. The corner of the little statue he'd picked up embedded in Lang's head."

"But here's the thing." Julia went on. "These apartments are some of the most high-end apartments in the County. As you can see, they're very nicely furnished, and they have a lot of amenities though the HOA dues are much more reasonable than the Heritage Cloisters's dues."

"Do not let Captain Croyle hear you say that." Tanya admonished. "So, what are you getting at?"

"My point is that the building is very well-built, and soundproof between apartments." said Julia. "We asked neighbors if they heard anything, and none of them heard anything at all until the Police started coming in. There was nobody home in the apartment next door on the other side."

"Very good observation!" Tanya said happily. "So you're at least wondering how Amit heard Ashwarya crying out. Tell you what, let's get the Crime Lab to bring some decibel readers in, and we'll record ourselves testing that theory. Okay, where are our new 'friends'?"

"Ashwarya was taken to the Hospital," said Julia, "where they'll do a full rape kit and examination. Amit and Tanu were both taken to Police Headquarters for further questioning. We read Amit his rights and told him he was considered a suspect until we can fully investigate and clear him."

"Okay, good." said Tanya...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Definitely boot prints." said the CSI technician. "Looks like the person came in by the gate, stepped in the muddy soil near the gate, tracked some of it to the steps of the deck here. He came up to the sliding glass door, but there are no further tracks inside. There are other partial or lighter prints, but not enough to get any good data from."

"Any idea what kind of boots?" asked Jerome Davis.

"Military." said the tech. "It's the standard issue Army boot pattern. Pretty well-worn."

"Now why would someone wear military boots to a home invasion?" asked Teddy Parker.

"They're footwear made for running, all-terrain activity, possible combat." said Timothy Geiger. "Some drug gangs wear military-style boots to drug deals, especially potentially dangerous ones where they may have to run or fight."

"That's a good point." said Jerome. "Oh, hello Dr. Woodrow." He saw Dr. Lawrence Woodrow coming up after exhibiting his Police Auxiliary badge, which he'd kept after leaving the TCPD as the Crime Lab leader some time before.

"Hello, gentlemen." said Dr. Woodrow. "So he's dead?"

"Yes sir." said Jerome. "How did you know?"

"Oh, I heard the call for a Coroner's vehicle on the Police radio, which I still follow." said Dr. Woodrow. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"The CSIs are still gathering data." said Jerome. "If I can ask you a couple of questions, Dr. Woodrow?" Dr. Woodrow assented, and Jerome said "You called it in, saying Dr. Christian had missed an appointment with you. May I ask what the meeting was about?"

"Yes, it was about the book Dr. Christian was writing on the Consultant of Crime." said Dr. Woodrow. "Let me start from the beginning: Dr. Christian moved into this house about a year ago, after he'd became an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University. He found out that Pastor Westboro once lived here, and after several conversations with me, he decided to write a book on Westboro's reign as the Consultant of Crime. We were meeting today to coordinate me introducing him to Commander Troy, and asking if Commander Troy would agree to be interviewed for the book."

"Sir," asked Davis, "do you know if Dr. Christian found anything of value in the house? Or if he'd discovered something in his research that might cause someone to come after him?"

"No, at least he didn't say anything to me." said Dr. Woodrow.

"Did you visit Dr. Christian in his home?" asked Jerome. Dr. Woodrow said he had, and Jerome said "Would you mind coming in and looking around? Maybe you'll notice something missing?"

"Sure." said Woodrow. They went through the sliding glass door into the den room. Papers were littered all over the place, and there were two holes in the wall. One was very near the fireplace, and the other was in the wall opposite the fireplace, and was matched by a hole in the wall on the other side, in the hallway, with debris on the hallway floor. Detective Geiger had on latex gloves and was looking at papers on the desk. Detective Parker was watching Geiger with an uncomfortable look on his face.

"Obviously those holes weren't there." said Dr. Woodrow. "Charles's desk had a lot of papers on it even in the best of times. Mostly bills and stuff. I don't know how much of his research he did here at home."

Jerome Davis said "I've asked the Campus Police to seal off his office until we can examine it. We're going to secure everything under the search warrant we're obtaining."

"I understand." said Woodrow. As he looked around the rest of the house to see if anything was missing, Teddy came up to Jerome.

"I'm worried about Geiger messing with the papers on the desk before we can look at them." said Parker.

Jerome went up to Geiger. "Finding anything?"

"No." said Geiger. "Just routine bills. There's a computer hookup, but no computer, so the perps may have taken it, or it may be in his office on Campus."

"So what are you looking for?" asked Jerome, pretending to look over the desk.

"Just anything out of the ordinary, that might give us a clue to something." said Geiger. "We'd go through drug dealers's houses and find scraps of paper with dollar figures, or maybe an address written down, something that gives us a clue to go forward with. But I'm not seeing anything here."

"Okay, good work." said Jerome. "Have the Crime Lab people box everything in the room: the papers on the desk, in the drawers, on the floor. It's going to be tedious, but we'll need to look through everything."

"Sure." said Geiger, who moved out smartly to get a CSI.

"Not that big a deal." Jerome said to Parker. "And his Vice experience could help a lot at crime scenes."

"I still don't trust him, especially to have my back." said Parker...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Detective Christopher Purvis and Patrolman Johnson had taken the statements of everyone at the car dealership, and now Purvis approached Commander Cindy Ross to give his report. Chief Molly Evans was also there. Callie had taken Maggie and Betsy back to The Cabin.

"Must be a busy day, to send a Vice Detective for cross-training." Cindy said to Purvis.

"Yes ma'am." said Purvis. "All the MCD Detectives were already out investigating other deaths, so Captain Perlman called and said it was my lucky day to play MCD Detective."

"Lucky you." said Cindy. "And I mean that seriously: this is a good opportunity for you. So... what did you get?"

"We're getting a warrant to secure all the overnight video of the facility's lots here." said Purvis. "But they're being very helpful and have already given us copies on jump drives."

"Good." said Cindy "What about the employees? Anyone see anything on that car?"

"Not so far." said Purvis. "The manager came in when your sales agent Jamie called him. He's giving us the names of every sales agent that worked yesterday, Saturday, so we can interview them about the car, and if they saw anything strange."

"That'll help, but I'm hoping the tapes will show us more." Cindy said.

"That bloodstain was pretty obvious, especially at close range." said Molly. "I'm not ruling it out, but I'd think someone, a sales person or a customer, would've seen something if it was there. So I'm thinking the body was placed there last night."

"No wonder you made Police Chief." Cindy said flatly, but teasing her older sister. "The Iron Crowbar's got nothing on you."

"That's right, young Captain." Molly fired back, but with a grin. "Did anything come back from the fingerprints?"

"Not yet." Cindy said. "I sent them in to our guys for local analysis, and told them if nothing came up to send them to the FBI. So far, nothing."

Molly nodded. "Any guesses? Any drug or car theft cases lately?"

"I'll have to get with Captain Perlman and Lieutenant Mahoney-Milton, and see." Cindy said. "All I deal with these days is beans and bullets."

"Yeah, right." Molly said. "I know that in spite of what you always say, Don keeps you in the loop."

Cindy gave her sister a 'you're outta your tree' look, then said "Well, I can only tell you that I have no data on why there is a dead body in the trunk of a Ford Taurus on the dealership lot. I know most Fords suck, but worth killing over? I dunno..." Molly emitted one of her trademark bursts of laughter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Oh, Commander Troy!" said Mrs. Boddiker happily as I came into the lounge. "I finally get to introduce you to my friend, the Widow Athena Jones." I observed the woman with her, a shawl over her head and the obvious dull-silver-gray wig she was wearing, and I noted that she was wearing octagonal, wire-framed 'Mrs.-Veasley-ish' glasses, and not showing much of her face.

"I've had the good fortune to meet the Widow Jones." I replied with a slight smile. "She has been almost as helpful to the Police as you have been, Mrs. Boddiker." The Widow Jones's eyes narrowed but twinkled at that. "So what happened, here?" I asked.

Mrs. Boddiker repeated her story, then finished by saying "Mrs. Jones was very good with that sword cane, Commander. You should give her a crowbar."

I made my face looked wide-eyed and a bit fearful as I said "That is a very scary thought, Mrs. Boddiker. Very scary." The Widow Jones's eyes twinkled even more and she suppressed a grin. Lt. Rudistan had to turn and quickly leave the room before he burst out laughing.

"Detectives, has someone taken these ladies' statements?" I asked.

"Yes sir." said Theo. "I took Mrs. Boddiker's and Lt. Rudistan took Mrs. Jones's statement.

"Good." I said. "Why don't you have an Officer take Mrs. Boddiker wherever she wishes to go, and I'll personally give the Widow Jones a ride. She can... explain... that sword cane to me." Seeing as it was the same sword cane that I had had with me when in the hospital a couple of times, some 'splainin' was definitely in order.

I escorted the Widow Jones to my Police SUV and helped her climb up into the shotgun seat. Then I got into the driver seat and we drove off. As we drove, a transformation occurred. The shawl, wig, and glasses came off, and she sat up straight.

"Hi Mom." I said in my best Jedi Master Yoda grammar. "Secretly came to visit, you did. Tell your son, you did not."

"I was going to, son," my mother Phyllis Troy said, "but I went to visit my friend Mrs. Boddiker first, and we suddenly were in the middle of all this... excitement."

"So I see." I said. "And you just happened to have your Auxiliary Detective badge and my sword cane with you. Sheer coincidence, I'm sure." My mother smiled.

"Not much gets past you, son." she said. "It's too bad you didn't dedicate those powers of observation and deduction to your homework when you were in high school."

I grinned. "That's getting me back for what I said to Mrs. Boddiker about you, isn't it?" I said.

"Oh, I would never hold grudges like that." my mother said adroitly, fooling no one present.

"Nooooo, of course not." I replied. "And now Carole is showing a similar temperament. Like grandmother, like granddaughter. So... what did you think of that crime scene?"

"I am sure you will be very eager to read the autopsy report." my mom said. "Mrs. Boddiker said that Mr. Fitch was losing his memory, but he was still doing well physically, walking around, taking his meals in the dining room. His death was rather sudden, the staff said."

"What about the Grays?" I asked.

"Mr. Gray is very much the hothead, isn't he?" my mom said. "But his wife was also smoldering with anger, I observed. I believe there is a family feud between the mother and the daughter and son-in-law."

"Glad we don't have any of those in our family." I said. My mother's eyes cut over to me, a feature inherited by her granddaughter Carole, and I sensed I was getting a bit too near a live wire, there. So I said "Well, care to join me for a visit to another crime scene?"

"Certainly, son..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

We pulled up to the house that was once the home of one of the most brilliant but insidious criminals in history. I quelled my sense of foreboding as we got out of the car, and my mother took off the sweater that had been over her dress. She looked a lot more like the hot MILF that she really was now that the disguise was gone.

We gave our badge numbers to rookie Patrolman Hardy, then came to the front door, which was unlocked. Going in, we were met by Detective Jerome Davis.

"Hello Commander. Hello, Mrs. Troy, very nice to see you again." Jerome said, astutely being polite to my mother. She returned the salutation, then Davis said "I'll take you to the den, then the upstairs bathroom."

Going into the den, I looked around. "Are those the only holes in the wall?" I asked immediately.

"Yes sir." said Davis. "We think there may have been a laptop computer in the house that was taken, but other than those holes in the wall and papers all over the place, the house looks like it's pretty intact."

"Let's go upstairs." I said.

"I'll stay down here and talk with your Detectives, Commander." my mother said. I nodded as I followed Jerome up to the master bedroom and the bathroom beyond it.

"The water was higher than this when the body was removed." Jerome said. "It must be slowly draining."

"I'm sure it is." I said. "And these are the waterboarding utensils? Really? They abused a Kool-Aid pitcher like that? We had one of those when I was a kid growing up."

"My dad would not have allowed one of those in our home." replied Davis. "But this one was sitting there on the vanity, next to the cloth. They've already taken the body to the morgue for an autopsy."

"Not a heck of a lot of water on the floor." I said. "Or did someone wipe it up for analysis?"

"Uh, no sir." said Jerome. "In fact..." He got out his radio and asked Lt. Irwin to come up.

When Irwin came in, I asked "You found the body, Irwin?"

"Yes sir." said Irwin. "Corporal Kirkpatrick and I found it as we were clearing the house."

"Was there a lot of water all over the floor?" I asked.

"Uh..." Irwin said. "Come to think if it, sir... no, there wasn't."

"I see what you're saying, sir." said Davis. "This place should've been a lake if they were waterboarding him and he was thrashing around."

"You're on it." I said. "There's some water, but it looks more like what would've dripped when they took the body out of the bathtub."

We went back downstairs, where my mother was talking to Teddy Parker... about Janice Holloway. Hoo boy, gossip expert at work, I thought to myself.

"Anything of interest down here, guys?" I asked.

"Nothing new, sir." said Parker.

"Sir," said Geiger, coming up, "we're getting a warrant to search Dr. Christian's office at the University."

"Hmmm." I said. "Parker, Geiger, go on over to the office. Ask Dr. Woodrow, who I see on the back patio there, to go with you and let you in. You can't take anything out of there until the warrant is issued, but if he lets you in you can look around. And while you're on the way, and then there, look around to see if anyone is watching the building or the office." Geiger moved out smartly. Parker moved a bit more slowly, and had a skeptical look on his face.

"Davis," I said quietly, but within hearing of several Officers and CSIs after the Detectives had left, "what's the deal with Parker?"

"He's not...er... 'exceptionally happy' about having to work with Geiger, sir." Jerome said.

"He needs to get over it." I said. "We have a murder to solve, here."

I went outside, where J.R. Barnes of the State Crime Lab was supervising the collection of evidence. He pointed out the bootprints to me. "Yep," I said, "standard Army issue boots, and well-worn-in. Enough data to get an approximate height of the person?"

"No sir, just a print near the gate, one here on the steps to the deck, and a half-print at the sliding-glass-door." said Barnes.

"Okay." I said. I went back inside. "Davis, there was once a burglary here, and someone was looking for something. All of the walls were destroyed, not just the area near the fireplace." (Author's note: 'The Usual Suspects', Ch. 01.) "So read up on that old case. And it leads to two inferences. What are those?"

"Uh, the perps already knew the place had been destroyed?" guessed Davis.

"That's one." I said. "The other is that the perps had sonar when they came in, and only had trouble with it right around the brick of the fireplace, or else there were cavities behind the wall where they thought something was, and they thought there was something in the hall wall. Well, there is a third possibility: that those holes were created just to be a blind. My point is that the holes in the wall may not be the seminal point of this investigation."

"What is, sir?" Jerome astutely asked.

"The bootprints."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As we drove towards the apartment complex of the Indian couple and their neighbor, I asked my mom what she'd thought of the Westboro house case.

"I could say 'no data yet', as certain offspring of mine likes to say." my mom said, teasing me, "but it's pretty obvious that whoever broke in thought Professor Christian knew something and tried to torture it out of him, but found nothing in the two places they battered down the walls to look behind. I believe you were right to send your Detectives to his office to look for clues there."

"You're part right." I said. "But I don't think the waterboarding happened. I think they drugged him or knocked him out and then drowned him with him unable to really resist, then brought in sonar and looked for whatever they were searching for. Whether they found it or not, I don't know, though I'm tending to doubt it. But you're right: the answer might lie in Professor Christian's office."

We arrived at the apartment complex and went inside, then up to the apartments in question. "Oh, my partner in crime-fighting is here!" Tanya said happily. Phyllis gave her a warm hug, which was returned.

"How are you, my dear?" Phyllis asked, also happy to see Tanya. "How are the wedding plans coming?"

"Slowly but surely." Tanya said. "Oh. Let me show you and Commander Troy what's going on. The body has been removed, but we've got photos and video out the wazoo. The wife Ashwarya was examined at the hospital, then taken to Police Headquarters where her husband and their neighbor are."

"And you're still here?" I asked.

"The decibel meters just arrived." said Tanya. "We're going to do an experiment."

Just then, Julia Rodriguez came up. "Oh, good, Commander Troy, you're here. We need some people with a loud voice and powerful lungs."

"He definitely had those when he was first born." my mother said. "What is this experiment you are doing?"

"We're going to ask people to go into the bedroom and yell, and see what the dB meters tell us." Julia said.

Everyone set up. Roy McGhillie, me, and Patrol Officer Lisa Burrell were in the bedroom. Roy's iPhone chimed with a text to start. We began yelling, with a CSI videotaping us and the dB reader needle moving.