The Widow Of Magnolia Lane

Part 10

Tuesday, September 26, 2017, 8:24 am

The room, on the lower level of the 3rd district police station, in Silver Spring Maryland, had seen better days.  The dust had begun to settle along the baseboards, complimenting dingy walls and a robust cobweb that had taken home under the fluorescent light fixture.  Bare and seemingly forgotten, room 17's only company was a large white dry erase board and a long brown Formica table with six chairs, now occupied by three detectives. 

Detective Carter pulled out a yellow legal pad and glanced over at Mendez and Neil. "What do we have so far?", he said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What do we have? Mendez threw her hands in the air out of desperation.  "Everything we needed was taken away by a rich white lady and a dog.  I don't know why we are even here trying to put clues together when you know damn well 'Robert' that she killed him".

Detective Carter's calm demeanor was not deterred by Mendez's frustration.  He had more than 20 years of experience.  Mendez was still a rookie, serving only 3 years in homicide.  Carter knew the hunger all to well to solve a case.  He understood her passion.  He also knew that not everything was at it seems.  He scooted his chair closer to the table, looking at the determined detective inquisitively.  "Explain why do you think she did it?" he asked earnestly.

"We get there and it's just her and the kid.  She's covered in his blood and there is a 'freakin' knife in the chair where she was sitting.  That very well could have been the murder weapon".  Mendez folded her arms, satisfied with her answer.

"Did you observe the knife?" Carter began to flip through his legal pad.

"I was standing there Robert when you took it from her.  So yeah, I observed the knife".  Mendez rolled her eyes and looked away.

"And you noticed that the knife was clean and dry? Not one drop of blood on its blade or wooden handle". He nodded to her waiting for her answer.

"Yeah...So. It just means that she had more than enough time to clean the knife before we got there.  And she had a motive. She had a bruise under her right eye. Her husband was probably beating the shit out of her.  Everything ties together". She leaned forward and looked at Carter.

"The knife's handle was wooden.  If she had of washed it, it still would have been wet to the touch.  No matter how well it was dried.  As for that bruise...He could have hit her or she could have hurt herself roughhousing with her young son.  We cannot make assumptions until we receive all the pieces to the puzzle".  Carter looked over at Neil.  "What's your take?"

"I agree with you 'Lone Wolf'.  Neil opened a blue folder.  "This guy was twice her size.  She would have had a hell of a reach to strike him directly in the juggler.  I am not saying she could not have done it, but in all likelihood, it's damn near impossible"  Neil looked over at Mendez.

"How do you explain her peculiar silence and the fact that she was covered in blood?" Mendez looked at both men, her eyes pleading.

"There is no explanation as to how someone grieves.  I have seen people laugh, cry, scream, and pass out when losing a loved one. I also agree with Neil.  If she stabbed him, her nightgown would reflect the blood splatter consistent to rupturing such a large blood vessel".  Her gown did not show that".  Carter continued flipping through his legal pad.

"I also found mud near a shoe rack.  It hasn't rained in weeks.  Where would that have come from?  I had the plates ran on both the cars.  Mrs. Randall's car was cool to the touch.  It was obvious that it had not been moved since earlier in the day.  Mr. Randall's car was warm.  He left out hours before his murder.  Also, there was an altercation at some point between the husband and wife due to a busted grill and decapitated water statue on the front lawn.  It looked as though she backed into his car and made a semi-donut in the driveway".  Carter took a sip from a fresh cup of coffee that had lost its heat.  He cringed his lips at the cool liquid.

"I did manage to get a record log of Joseph Randall's phones.  Neil sat up, removing tissue from his pocket to wipe the fresh sweat, dripping on his forehead and upper lip. 

It looked as though on the day of his murder he made over 12 calls to a 'Sweet Plumeria'  Neil said pushing back his glasses.

"Sweet Plumeria?" Mendez furrowed her brow.  "Who is that?"

"I don't know.  That's what Mr. Randall had saved into his phone". Neil shrugged.

"Another thing, the TracPhone that was in his pocket, did not belong to him.  It belonged to the wife.  She had received over 30 missed calls from someone named 'Akoni James'.  Neil cleared his throat.

"That name sounds familiar".  Carter scratched his head.

"So, the only thing that we have to turn into Windsor is a phone record?" Mendez sighed.

"I'll handle Chief Windsor.  Mendez, I need you to get a call over to the lady that took her and have her bring the witness in now!   Neil...follow up with forensics about that mud sample".  Carter closed the pages of the legal pad and stood up.  The other two detectives followed suit.

"Are you going to go and talk to the Chief now?" Mendez asked taking a sip from her coffee

"Yes.  But not yet.  First I am going to find out who Akoni James is.  I have heard that name before".  Carter tossed the cold coffee in the trash and followed the two detectives out the door.