The Widow Of Magnolia Lane

Part 4

Tuesday, September 26, 2017, 5:06 am

Detective Carter had known sleep all of his life, with the exception of the last 15 years. When he was fresh meat on the street, sleep waited for him to get home and climb into bed. Rocking him in her arms after a long night of patrolling some of the toughest parts Charm City had to offer and caressing him for hours until he awakened.  

Their relationship was intimate and mutual. After becoming lead homicide detective for Montgomery County police, sleep had begun to elude him. No longer a faithful companion but transgressing into one night stands. Coming unexpectedly and leaving early. He had slowly begun becoming acquainted with her again until he got a call of a possible murder.

He pulled up to the residence of 46201 Magnolia Drive. The palatial colonial stood like a modern castle. A backdrop amidst yellow tape and a dozen or so red and blue lights. He pinched the bridge of his nose between tired eyes, hoping to beckon a burst of energy. He grabbed a cigar out of the glove compartment. A fresh Monte Cristo. He always smoked one when investigating a homicide. It brought him clarity and eased tension. He exited the black Chevrolet Caprice and lit the cigar. His keen eyes observed the area. A manicured lawn with vibrant red and pink Azaleas adorning the walkway.   He would have been in awe of their beauty if not for the large water fountain toppled over in the soft grass.  

There was an attached three-car garage with two luxury cars sitting in front of it. A black Mercedes coupe and a white Mercedes. He walked up to the vehicles and placed his hand on each hood. The white car, scuffed and scratched,  was as cool as the fall air. The black one had warmth. He stepped back and noticed that the grill was bent on the black car with hints of white paint.  Looking over at the white car, he noticed a hint of black paint on its bumper.  He took a mental note and walked over to the tall water fountain laying haphazardly on the ground.   He followed the circular tire marks from the driveway leading to its demise.  He stared at it for a moment.  It would be a clue to something or an answer to everything. He would deal with it later.  

He climbed the steps and walked into the house. A beautiful 3-tiered chandelier greeted him. It hung proudly, showing it's grandeur and illuminating sculptures and paintings. The house was immaculate and stunning. He took another pull off the cigar and stepped outside to pluck the stem off, leaving its embers to cool on the doorstep. He looked down and noticed shards of fresh dark red mud near the doorway by the shoe rack. He motioned for a tall lanky brown officer to come over to him. He was young. His face still scarred by recent pimples. 

  "Get someone over here to collect this mud. It ain't rained in weeks. We need to know where this came from."

The young officer smiled broadly, "Yes sir!

Carter gave a lazy smile to the young man and continued through the house. He spotted his partner, Lucinda Mendez, standing in the family room talking with deputies and holding two cups of coffee. She locked eyes with him, walked over, and handed him a cup while sipping from the other. She set her cup down on an end table decorating its lid with her bright red lipstick. He took a sip. Smooth and bitter. Just how he liked it. Mendez knew him better than his own wife sometimes. Mendez pulled him in a corner near a massive bookcase to obscure their conversation.
"Who made the call?" he continued to sip his coffee

"The wife".  Mendez studied his face.

"Anyone else here?" Carter squeezed his eyes and pushed back a yawn.

"A three or four-year-old boy".  Mendez shrugged.

"Where's the body?" Carter took another sip of the coffee and finished it. 

"In the office".  Mendez grabbed his empty cup.

"Any witnesses?"

"Nope. There is a neighbor out front, an older white woman. Says she saw some "scary men" yelling with the victim a couple of weeks ago in the driveway. I got Radford getting her statement now."

"What do you think happened?" Carter gave Mendez a look of intrigue.

"I think the bitch did it".  Mendez smirked.

Possibly...Hopefully, this is going to be an open shut case. Where is she?"

"Over in the living room covered in blood".  Mendez pointed over to the couch.

"His blood or her blood?"

"Don't know. Got paramedics over there now tending to her". Mendez tossed his cup in the nearby trash can.

"Find out what that neighbor saw. She may hold the answer"

"On my way out there to her now." Lucinda grabbed her coffee and headed out the door. Carter made his way past officers and EMT to go in the home office. The area was still open.
"Come on guys...get this area closed the fuck off ASAP! This IS an investigation! God Forbid if the area gets contaminated.
Men scurried about quickly to do as he asked. Carter's presence was dominating. He was highly respected on the force. Every call, whether it be a missing cat, car accident, or murder, he took it seriously. He didn't like lazy officers who would prefer to be spectators instead of men enforcing the law.   He walked over into the office stepping over the lifeless body joining the other officer.

Detective Hanson was standing 2 feet away from the victim with white gloves on.  Balding, with a potbelly and a porn star mustache, he pushed his thick glasses back on the bridge of his nose and smiled at Carter.

"What's up Neil?" Carter patted the veteran on his back while reaching for a pair of gloves on the desk. Hanson gave his colleague a toothy grin.

"What's going on Lone Wolf?"

"What we got here Neil?" Carter stooped down to take a closer look.

"52-55-year-old black male. Injury to the left temple with a sustained puncture wound to the right side of the neck".  Neil pressed his glasses against the bridge of his nose.

"Has the time of death been confirmed yet?" Carter took a pen from his pocket and pressed the end of it, shining a light on the wound.

"Waiting on the coroners now. Looks like it was a hell of a struggle in here." Hanson grabbed a tissue out of his pocket and wiped sweat from his brow.

"A fight ensued perhaps". Carter looked around the office.  Chairs were turned over, papers were strewn about, and blood was everywhere. The room had been destroyed. Carter took a closer look at the body.
"He's got a black eye."

"Yeah...Someone gave him a hell of a shiner". Neil bellowed.

"It started to heal. Must have happened a week or so ago, Maybe, whoever did that...did this. Wife saying anything yet?"  Carter stood up and shook his head at the body.

"Not really. I think she's in shock or at least pretending to be" Hanson put the tissue back in his pocket. Carter left the office and walked over to the ivory couch where Natalie was seated in the living room. She was covered in blood and clothed in a flimsy nightgown. She sat hugging her shoulders with tears continuously forming and falling from her beautiful green eyes.

Carter pulled a nearby ottoman up to the couch where Natalie was sitting.  He removed his gloves and stuffed them in his pockets.  He eased himself down in front of her.  

Natalie never took her eyes off the body.  It was moments like this that he hated about the job.  People in their grief were the hardest to communicate with.  Her tears were no different than the hundreds of others he had seen throughout the years.  It was his job to hold back emotion and find the truth and he would stop at nothing to get it.

"Mrs. Randall. I am Detective Wayne Carter. I am so sorry for your loss. I want to help you but I need you to help me."