The Blind Murder

"Fill in the blanks officer Jones". "Of course detective Carter. As you can see we have a female victim. Her name was Maria Jensen. She has one single gunshot to her head and bruises on her face and body. The gun is yet to be found. The neighbor Miss Daisy called in a gunshot and she tells us that no one entered the house before the shooting or left after. In the house were the husband Mr. Jensen, he and Mrs. Jensen's daughter Emily and Mrs. Jensen's dad Mr. Stone". The cop in front of me was standing straight and he was glowing with authority. After delivering his information, he shook my hand tightly before he went back to the other cops.

I was standing in the living room, looking down at the murdered woman. She was wearing a beautiful red dress with white flowers, her hair was braided and she was wearing white sandals. She was a gorgeous woman, but her beautiful blond hair was now colored red with blood from a hole in her skull. The living room was bearing signs of a struggle or a fight. Chairs had been knocked over, the shards at the dinner table told me that things had been rough and all over the floor was different types of trinkets. The house was incredibly quiet. All I could hear was the cops discussing the case and where the gun could be. "Excuse me officer, but where is the family"? The cop pointed upstairs, but never looked me in the eye. He was busy talking to his fellow cops. The stairs creaked loudly as I was halfway up to the second floor. I turned and saw that all the men downstairs gave me a judging look. Upstairs there were more cops. They were guarding what looked like the master bedroom. I showed them my detective badge and they let me inside. On the bed was a little and curled old man with a girl crying on his shoulder. Wandering around in the room was a middle-aged man with a worried and sad look on his face. "So you are the family. I am so sorry for your loss. My name is Detective Carter. I'll be direct with you. There are reasons to believe one of you are the murderer". There was no reaction in their faces. The girl kept crying, the man stopped walking and the elder kept comforting the child. Then I suddenly saw the white cane resting on the old mans leg. "Excuse me sir, but are you having trouble with your sight"? The man turned his head in my direction. His eyes seemed empty and they never reached mine. "Yes. I lost my sight a few years ago. My daughter was so kind and let me stay here, so that she would be certain I was safe". The old man started crying. His eyes got tearful and his face got all red. "Well we all se how safe that was", the middle-aged man said. The outburst was weird and it made me suspicious. A silence entered the room as a ghost. Everyone stared at each other. The girl curled up in her grandpa's arms again. Then, the middle-aged man spoke up again. "Can I speak with you alone Detective Carter"? I nodded before I lead the man with me out in to the hallway and in to what looked like the child's room. It was all pink and filled with toys.

"I'd like to confess", the man said. His appearance was proud and strong. It seemed like he was ready to face what ever was ahead of him. "So you are the murderer", I asked him. "Yes. I am the murderer of my wife". He hesitated when he said the word "wife", but kept his mask. Something about him seemed of. His eyes were red and wet from crying, his clothes were full of blood and he seemed way to proud about confessing. "May I ask what happened"? The man stared at me, trying to figure out his story. I could see him pushing his tears back and I could hear his heart break. "She and I were fighting. I had been out of town working for the last week and I had just gotten home. My head was so heavy and she was so happy. She was always happy. Everyone who knew her called her a sunshine. She was glowing with energy, and I guess it got too much for me. She was singing and it made me go crazy. My head started spinning and I started to yell at her. I told her to shut up and then I threw the plates from the dining table at her. She didn't do anything. She just went quiet. Then she came at me trying to comfort me. That was when I started hitting her. It is not the first time. She was always happy and sparkling with energy, but I am always tired. She couldn't work because she was diagnosed with cancer last year, so I am working for the entire family. It makes me exhausted. Seeing her all happy and joyful have been making me just wanting to hit her. I am working for us and being miserable, yet she gets to be home with her dad and our daughter being happy. So, we struggled for a while. The others did not do anything. They were upstairs playing. I guess I just got sick and tired of it all. I have a gun registered on me just for safety. I got it out from the drawer under our table in the living room and then I shot her". The man started crying his heart out. He couldn't get a word out. He was devastated. "I... I miss her so much. She was the light of my day. The last year, I know I have been awful to her". I stopped him. Anyone could have seen how heartbroken he was and that he had nothing more to say. He had confessed, but the whole thing felt wrong for me. I didn't think he was lying. It seemed like he told the truth, but something felt wrong.

Mr. Stone and the child were standing at the lawn, watching as the cops lead Mr. Jensen in to the police car. The sight of the grandfather holding on to his grandchild was moving. The girl had lost both her parents to this tragedy, but she still had him. She kept looking up at her grandfather, who was unable to meet her look. Tears ran from his eyes and down his cheek. One final look between father and daughter was shared, and then the cops closed the doors to the car. "STOP"!!! A scream filled the air. Suddenly everyone stopped up, looking around to find the source of the scream. I watched as the girl broke out of her grandfather's arms. "My dad did not kill my mom. He didn't"! Everyone started scratching their heads and their eyes were desperately trying to find answers. I walked over to the girl. She was short and only reached me to my waist, so I sat down on my knees in front of her. "What is you saying sweetie? Is your father innocent"? From inside the car I could spot a confused Mr. Jensen. He was desperately trying to listen. "Yes he is"! The girl turned around and faced her grandfather who was now being supported by two cops. "I'm sorry, but I was not at my room when my mom and dad started fighting. I was downstairs with my mom and grandfather when my dad got home. We were watching TV and relaxing. I tried to explain to my grandfather what the pictures on the TV were like. I tried to draw him a picture in his imagination. When mom saw dad, she told me to go upstairs. I didn't go to my room. I just went to the top of the stairs". The girl started to cry. Tears for the loss of her mother, and it seemed like it was for something else too. The girl looks over to her grandfather over and over. That makes her cry even more. The old man took a few steps against the girl. I could see that he desperately tried to hear where the girl was. He seemed helpless, so I went over and led him to the girl. He hugged her and then held his hands on her face. I think that was his way to see her. "It is going to be ok", he told the girl. "You are doing the right thing". I looked around and saw that the cops were all looking confused and I could even hear some of them making bets on who the real killer is. I walked over to face the little girl. "Is there something you want to tell us? Don't be afraid. I want nothing but justice for your mother, but also to keep the rest of your family safe". The girl looked at me. Her big blue eyes met mine and we looked at each other for a few seconds. Then, she started talking again. "My dad told half the truth. Yes, my mom and my dad fought and struggled for a long time. He punched her and she did nothing to stop him. She never did. I watched them fighting and tear our living room apart. Then, I heard the shot.

Mom fell to the ground and my dad looked shocked. He quickly got down on the floor to help her, but it was to late. I couldn't move and it felt like all my energy got drained out of me. My dad cried and screamed so loudly. Then I remembered my grandfather. I looked over at him. I was shaking, and in his had was the gun". By now even the stupid cops should have understood what had happened. The grandfather loves and supports his daughter that is in a terrible marriage. He has watched her being hurt many times and has had enough. The husband has a gun in the house that he manages to get to, but due to his blindness he shoots the wrong person. "I am so sorry grandpa. I couldn't just let my dad get taken away for something he didn't do. He is still a good man. He has just been having a bad period. I don't blame you either. Ok? Please be safe". The girl crawled up in to her grandfather's arms. A tear fell down his face as he felt his granddaughters hug. Officer Jones ordered his men to take Mr. Stone in to custody. They grabbed him and dragged the little girl out of his arms. It was brutal to watch. The girl screamed and panicked. I stepped in between the two cops that were taking Mr. Stone. "Do we have to make a scene guys? No need to make this even worse for that pore family". The cops looked at me with disgust. For them I was the outsider, but I was also the one in charge. After looking at each other for a while, they let the man go. "Let Mr. Jensen out of the car officer Jones". The father came out running to his daughter. He lifted her up and held her in his arms. Together they watched as I gently led Mr. Stone to the police car. He did not fight or anything. His movements were steady, but his face was pale as a ghost.

After the cops had left with Mr. Stone I went over to the morning family. "I know this is going to be hard, but you have to tell me where the gun is hidden". Mr. Jensen said it was hidden under a hollow step in the stairs inside the house. I went in to get it while him and the girl was outside. With the gun safe in a bag I was ready to leave the scene. "Thank you for your cooperation", I said to them both. Then I went face to face with Mr. Jensen. "You have been given a second chance, a chance to do right and to be a good father. Don't waste it". We nodded to each other. Now, everything felt right to me and I was finally ready to go.

This ends my report

Signed: E. Carter