Mystery in Misery

Episode 2

***
Ten minutes later, Joe was pacing around the sitting room. Since he made that call to Greg, his mind hadn’t been at rest. He thought he could have followed him instead as they were just a street apart at the time he called. Suddenly, the radio buzzed. It was a message from Greg. He had said – I’ve arrived on scene. A police patrol vehicle belonging to Officer Mark is found just outside Lakers bar with no sign of Officer Mark within the vicinity.
“Okay, check the bar and see what you can find,” he responded. Immediately, he dashed into his room and when he returned to the sitting room, he was putting on a blue T-shirt with CUI logo on it. It’s the unit customized T-shirt which was given out on the inauguration of their present captain. ‘Now, he’s leaving already just after 3 years of serving as captain. It was also the day, the police chief – ’
“And sir, there is a dead body. How should I proceed?” His thought was interrupted by Gregory’s voice over the radio.
“Whose body is it?”
“I can’t say.”
“Okay, secure the perimeter. I’m on my way.” He took his car keys in a rush and ran out of the house, not after carrying his gun.
He was already in the car when he remembered he didn’t inform the expert on crime scene investigation, his own daughter. He couldn’t go back to the house now. He has to report to the crime scene as soon as he can. He hurriedly dialed her number and thankfully she answered immediately. Before he could say anything into the phone, he saw her come out of the house wearing a bullet proof vest on a white plain t-shirt, with her equipment box on her right hand and her phone on the other, pressed against her ear.
She ran down the steps in quick succession and slipped into the passenger seat just beside him. He drove off immediately.
“How did you know – ”
“I heard you say seal off the crime scene, I’m on my way,” she interrupted.
He took a look at her and smiled. Then, the smile turned into a frown immediately. “You forgot your suit.”
She smiled. “I didn’t, it’s in my box.”
“Good job, dear.” He smiled back. Then, the smile vanished again. “They found a body and it’s likely to be Paul’s, though they didn’t say.”
“It isn’t your fault dad. It was his duty.”
“But I got the call. I should be the one to check out the location instead of sending him… I mean I was still at the station when – ”
He stopped talking at once, when he heard a voice that sounded like Sergeant Paul over the radio. He felt relieved and looked at Naomi with a happy face.
“I repeat Code Eight. Request for immediate backup. Suspect sighted on Crawford Lane around… Black hoodie...” The signal seemed to be jammed.
“It’s Paul’s,” he told his daughter. “He’s alive. We need to help him immediately.” He took his radio and requested all available units in the area to head towards Crawford Lane between 3rd and 4th avenue. He knew where Crawford Lane was even though he didn’t hear the sergeant say so. It was part of his job as a detective, knowing every nook and crannies of the city.

He pressed hard on the accelerator and passed right across Creston Bridge at top speed. He was heading to 3rd Avenue to find out what had happened there. He arrived there in no time and took a left turn. He had tried getting the frequency at which backup was called but the signal was lost. He just wished all was well.
He reduced his speed when he got to Crawford Lane. The street was deserted. There was no one out. Why would there be. It’s 12:53 AM. He continued driving until he arrived at a junction where he found two figures laying on the road ahead him. He hit the break immediately and ran out of the car, Naomi followed with her equipment box. The figures happens to be the lifeless bodies of Sergeant Paul and Officer Mark.
They were the first to arrive at the scene which makes him wonder if the whole police signal was jammed and they can’t communicate with one another. Not through the radio. He took out his phone and reported the murder while Naomi got to work.
“What did you find out?” Joe demanded as soon as he saw Naomi lift the tapes. He had been on call for the past 15 minutes, talking with other detectives in the field and of course the captain. The captain had informed him to handle the case as acting captain because he wouldn't be in until morning.
“They each took a bullet to the chest and died instantly,” she responded. “The shooter was very skilled. I suggest a ballistic report is carried out.”
“What else?”
“Shoe prints show that there are about three other people at the scene other than the two officers.”
“And?” He sounded impatient. All these clues aren’t going to help solve the case quickly. He needed evidence.
“This” – she handed over the ID card to him – “was found at the scene also. It belongs to David Cooper, a…”
“Student of criminology and security studies in Barbington University.”
“Yes sir.”
Seconds later, sirens were heard in the vicinity. Two police vehicles pulled over just beside Joe’s Peugeot. He gave instructions to the officers that just arrived and informed them of his next location. He was heading to the first crime scene.
“Naomi, stay behind and check for other evidence,” he commanded. “These officers will assist you with whatever you need. Ambulance is on its way.”
She obeyed and off he went to Lakers Bar, where Officer Gregory had found the first body. By the time he arrived there, the scene had already been barricaded and a crime scene investigator (CSI) was at the scene examining the body and the scene for evidence. He had a word with the officers on sight and found out that the dead body was that of Professor Johnson, a professor of education in Barbington University. There was no eye witness to the murder, same as the first crime scene.
He looked at the ID card in the seal bag given to him and said silently, ‘David Cooper, what’s your connection to the murders?’ He went back to the waiting police vehicle and returned to the station. As a lieutenant detective and the acting coordinator of both crime scenes, he needed to file an arrest warrant for David Cooper. As that was their only lead at the moment. It would take weeks before the Forensic unit finalizes the autopsy report of the three bodies and there was no such time. Moreover, there have been no other leading evidence.