Deeper than the dead

chapter 6

                                         Annie's Pov

"Why are we paying attention to this? You know how much I despise the news at ten o'clock. The only people who believe the news should be on at ten o'clock are those who live in Kansas and have to be in bed by ten thirty in order to get up at dawn to see the corn grow." My father stated

I ignored my father's grumbling, instead responding with the remote control by turning up the volume. The station was local, the field reporters had just graduated from junior college, and the news anchor was a failed Betty Ford Clinic alum. The body in the park was the headline story.

The reporter's glasses were crooked, and his sport coat was far too large for him, as if he'd borrowed it from a larger relative. He stood near the Oakwoods Park sign, squinting against the glare of poorly placed lights. This would undoubtedly be the biggest story for a child who usually covered town council and school board meetings.

"The corpse of a dead woman was discovered this afternoon by children playing in Oakwoods Park.

My father, a retired English professor, wept as if he had been injured.
"Moron!" He yelled. "Could they have discovered the body of a living woman?" Idiot!"

"Be quiet!" I snarled. "A murder triumphs over poor grammar."

"There was no mention of murder."

"It was a homicide."

"How do you know that?"

"I just know," I said as I pressed the volume button once more.

"The victim has not been identified," the reporter added. The cause of death is not known yet."

"Not yet known."

"I'm going to murder you," I said. (A.N note the sarcasm *goes back to writing.*)♡

"All right," my father said. "Then this moron can report that my dead corpse was murdered."

"We should all consider ourselves fortunate that he has this opportunity," I said under my breath. I pressed the volume up again as Sheriff Cal Dixon approached to speak with the reporter.

Dixon stated the basic details. The victim seemed to be a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. There was no identification found with or near the body. He had no idea how long she had been dead. An autopsy would be performed, and he would know more about the cause of death once the results were in. (A.N I swear I'm not a serial killer; I simply watch a lot of crime series.)

The sheriff took a step back to speak with Francis Feilds and a handsome Hispanic man dressed in slacks and a sport coat. Annie assumed he was a detective.

The broadcast was interrupted by a commercial for beds, with the salesperson yelling at the top of his lungs. Annie would never have noticed the phone ringing if it hadn't been on the end table directly next her. She picked up the phone and cringed as a woman's voice yelled at her.

"Your television is too loud!" "Everyone is trying to sleep!"

I pressed the mute button. "I'm really sorry, Mrs Iverson; my father is very hard of hearing you know."

Even as he called across the room from his recliner, my father fixed his gaze on me. "Sorry,Judy! We were watching the news when we heard about the murder. You should keep your windows closed and locked at all times. Do you want me to come over and look over your property for you?"

He would not have flown to the moon or gone out in the middle of the night dragging his oxygen tank to ensure Judy Iverson's safety. I pulled the receiver away from me.