Murder has Secrets, chapter 2
"Excuse me, excuuuuse me, MOVE THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!" Adie makes her way to the front of the crowd, but is blocked by the police, "no you don't understand. That's my husband... " her voice trails off as she sees Billie laying on the sidewalk. I pull her through the barricade and she runs to her husband.
"Billie... oh God. Why you? Why the fuck did it have to be you?"
"I put a hand on her shoulder, "Adie, there's nothing you can do... "
"It's then that she rounds on me, "You. Why the fuck did it take you an hour to call me? Or did you fail to remember it is MY husband LAYING DEAD ON THE SIDEWALK?!? Just slipped your mind did it Scarlett?" she yells.
"I called you as soon as I knew. I only got here fifteen minutes ago myself. It was Tré that called me!" I try to explain to her as calmly as I can.
"And how is it that Tré knew he was dead before his own wife?" she says, sounding exasperated.
"Because he was meeting me here for coffee." Tré says quietly, speaking for the first time in minutes, "It's all my fault."
Adies' expression changes from anger and frustration to empathy immediately. "Oh, honey. It's not your fault. It's no ones fault except for the asshole who did it." She pulls Tré into a comforting hug.
It's then that I receive a tap on the shoulder.
"We've got a witness." Says the same cop that briefed me earlier.
"Let me talk to them." I tare my eyes away from the horrific scene in front of me and follow the officer. He leads me to a teenaged girl of about 14, who looks extremely nervous about her company: two tall and husky police officers. I nod at them and they leave the two of us. The girl looks very relieved and gives me a small smile, I return it.
"I know this must be scary for you." I say, "but whatever you can tell us about this murder will help us a lot. I am Detective Scarlett Tudor, and you are?"
"Evelyn Ranger." She says quietly. Evelyn seems like she's about to collapse, so I put a comforting hand on her back and say, "Shall we sit?" and lead her to a nearby bench.
"Evelyn, I need you to recount what you saw earlier this afternoon."
She nods. "I was walking down East 12th, towards the mall, when I saw Billie Joe walking in my direction on the sidewalk. I'm a big fan of Green Days' music and was going to get his autograph, when he just... collapsed. It took me a couple seconds before I saw the blood, screamed, then I called 911." She breaths out, having just rushed through her account of what had happened.
"Did you see anyone hurrying away after he went down?" I ask.
"I was mostly worried about Billie Joe being ok, but I vaguely remember someone that had been walking behind him turning off into that alleyway," she points to an alley between a chapters and a Starbucks, "right after he went down."
"Do you remember anything of that persons' appearance?"
She looks up at the sky, clearly thinking.
"It was a woman she was wearing a black shirt and pants. She had a pair of those huge sunglasses on. I think her hair was blonde."
"Is that it?"
"I think so, Detective."
"Ok, thank you Evelyn you've been a huge help. The cops will probably take you back to their station, so they can record what you told me. And thank you again, you've helped me to bring this murder one-step closer to solving." I stand up to leave, when Evelyn speaks again.
"You knew him didn't you? Personally, I mean."
"What makes you say that?" I ask trying not to sound too accusing.
"I was in the crowd watching as you examined the body. You looked like you were about to faint when you saw who it was. Plus, you're crying."
I reach up to feel the hot tears on my face. I wipe them off with my sleeve.
"I've known him since we were four," I say, smiling as I remember what a happy child he was, we both were, "but that's really not any of your business Ms. Ranger."
"Billie... oh God. Why you? Why the fuck did it have to be you?"
"I put a hand on her shoulder, "Adie, there's nothing you can do... "
"It's then that she rounds on me, "You. Why the fuck did it take you an hour to call me? Or did you fail to remember it is MY husband LAYING DEAD ON THE SIDEWALK?!? Just slipped your mind did it Scarlett?" she yells.
"I called you as soon as I knew. I only got here fifteen minutes ago myself. It was Tré that called me!" I try to explain to her as calmly as I can.
"And how is it that Tré knew he was dead before his own wife?" she says, sounding exasperated.
"Because he was meeting me here for coffee." Tré says quietly, speaking for the first time in minutes, "It's all my fault."
Adies' expression changes from anger and frustration to empathy immediately. "Oh, honey. It's not your fault. It's no ones fault except for the asshole who did it." She pulls Tré into a comforting hug.
It's then that I receive a tap on the shoulder.
"We've got a witness." Says the same cop that briefed me earlier.
"Let me talk to them." I tare my eyes away from the horrific scene in front of me and follow the officer. He leads me to a teenaged girl of about 14, who looks extremely nervous about her company: two tall and husky police officers. I nod at them and they leave the two of us. The girl looks very relieved and gives me a small smile, I return it.
"I know this must be scary for you." I say, "but whatever you can tell us about this murder will help us a lot. I am Detective Scarlett Tudor, and you are?"
"Evelyn Ranger." She says quietly. Evelyn seems like she's about to collapse, so I put a comforting hand on her back and say, "Shall we sit?" and lead her to a nearby bench.
"Evelyn, I need you to recount what you saw earlier this afternoon."
She nods. "I was walking down East 12th, towards the mall, when I saw Billie Joe walking in my direction on the sidewalk. I'm a big fan of Green Days' music and was going to get his autograph, when he just... collapsed. It took me a couple seconds before I saw the blood, screamed, then I called 911." She breaths out, having just rushed through her account of what had happened.
"Did you see anyone hurrying away after he went down?" I ask.
"I was mostly worried about Billie Joe being ok, but I vaguely remember someone that had been walking behind him turning off into that alleyway," she points to an alley between a chapters and a Starbucks, "right after he went down."
"Do you remember anything of that persons' appearance?"
She looks up at the sky, clearly thinking.
"It was a woman she was wearing a black shirt and pants. She had a pair of those huge sunglasses on. I think her hair was blonde."
"Is that it?"
"I think so, Detective."
"Ok, thank you Evelyn you've been a huge help. The cops will probably take you back to their station, so they can record what you told me. And thank you again, you've helped me to bring this murder one-step closer to solving." I stand up to leave, when Evelyn speaks again.
"You knew him didn't you? Personally, I mean."
"What makes you say that?" I ask trying not to sound too accusing.
"I was in the crowd watching as you examined the body. You looked like you were about to faint when you saw who it was. Plus, you're crying."
I reach up to feel the hot tears on my face. I wipe them off with my sleeve.
"I've known him since we were four," I say, smiling as I remember what a happy child he was, we both were, "but that's really not any of your business Ms. Ranger."
