Over Her Dead Body

by Bradley Bigato

  “And…?”

  “Well, he kind of looked shocked. He didn’t know what I was talking about. He was still claiming that he didn’t do anything.”

  “Well, what did you say?” April asked.

  “I didn’t say anything really. I stepped back and let the detective and officers move in to arrest him.”

  “And they didn’t?” April asked.

  “Well, they tried to…but he dove into the river. They’re out looking for him now.”

  April’s face looked bewildered. She couldn’t picture Michael escaping from the police once much less twice. She shook her head. “I don’t understand. This just doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t seem like the type to run from police…or anything really.” April said.

  “Well…about that…” Becca began and looked around not sure how to break it to her that her husband had been tortured by police officers. Finally, not finding anything of importance for her to focus her attention on, she turned back to her sister and looked her in the eyes. “Apparently the police who took him from the crime scene…?”

  “Ya?” April nodded.

  “Well, apparently they took him somewhere and tortured Michael.” There, she said it. “And that is why he escaped and probably why he didn’t let them take him into custody again.”

  April cupped her hand over her mouth and stifled a gasp. Her eyes had went wide. “Wha..what did they do to him?” She asked.

  “I don’t know. He didn’t say. But he did say they attempted to rape him. He referred to them as torturing rapist cops.”

  April turned and vomited. It was too much. She was too weak. She couldn’t handle anymore. Her face had gone pale. She was leaning over now, crying, and another wave of nausea hit her but there was nothing left to throw up. “How..”she began with spit hanging from her mouth. She spit it out. Becca had leaned forward and was rubbing her back and trying to pull April’s hair back so it didn’t get in her vomit or spit. “How could this happen? How could this happen to him? To me?” She was sobbing. “I don’t understand…” April stood up. “I’m sorry about your floor. I’ll get some paper towels.”

  Becca stood up and grabbed April’s hand and turned her around. She pulled her close and hugged her. “I’m sorry this is happening to you. I really am.” She stood there for a moment hugging her. After a couple of minutes she pulled back and looked at April whose eyes had gone all puffy again. “I’ll clean this up. I want you to go lie down and get some sleep.” April nodded and Becca led her to the bedroom. Becca was about to get her sister into the bed but she was running the scenario through her mind. Tell her now and be done with the bad or tell her later and drag it out? She wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was. She knew that if she didn’t tell her, it could come back and bite her later and her sister might not forgive her for it. She decided to get it over with now. April began to head for the bed when Becca grasped her hand. “Hold up a moment hun.” She said. “Let’s go get your face cleaned up a bit first.” She led her around the corner to the bathroom. Becca opened a cabinet and took out a wash cloth and ran it under some cold water. She dabbed at her sister’s cheeks. “There’s more…” Becca said quietly while looking down. She didn’t want her sister to see the worry in her eyes.

  Becca looked up but vacantly and began dabbing April’s face again. April’s hand came up and gently stopped Becca’s. “What is it?” April asked looking for an answer in Becca’s face and finding none.

  “Sis, they uh…” Becca began but turned her head. She was crying now. “They…” She sniffled and was holding back an all out emotional breakdown.

  “They what?” April asked as she reached out and turned Becca’s head so she was facing her. She could read it now. Something had happened. Something had happened to Michael. “Becca…what happened?” April asked with a little sternness in her voice. “What happened to Michael?”

  Becca had tears running down her cheeks. She clasped her sister's hands that rested on her face. Her sister with such a gentle, soft, kind heart. Her sister that she loved. Her sister that was a broken mess. “They shot Michael.” She blurted out and collapsed into her sister’s arms bawling in total emotional chaos. “They shot him. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know they’d hurt him. I’m so sorry.” Becca was crying in her sister’s arms. April’s face had gone pale and expressionless. Her hands had grasped her sister’s shirt and had formed fists full of cloth. Becca pulled back and looked at April. Her face had gone from pale to red. She wasn’t breathing and her face was vacant. Her knees began to shake and she suddenly collapsed to the floor unconscious.

  Becca scooped her up into her arms and took her to the bedroom and slid her into the bed. She pulled the covers up and over her and tucked her in, drying her own eyes with her sleeve in between bouts of sniffles. She had to take care of her sister now. That’s all that mattered. She would feel better when she woke up. She hoped. Becca collapsed in a chair that was in the corner of the room. She was running all the events through her mind. He just didn’t look guilty. He didn’t look like a man who had just killed someone. The thoughts haunted her and carried her off to sleep.

  Chapter 26

  Detective James looked down at his watch. He was standing on Jerick Stanton Bridge downstream from where Michael had jumped into the water. He had been watching it closely for any signs Michael may have floated downstream. He was standing just over the rail on a small gravel patch. He glanced at his watch again. Damn. It had been about three hours and there was no sign of him. The detective glanced upstream again. Nothing. He turned and stepped over the guardrail and went to the other side to look downstream. The sun was beginning to set and he put his hand up above his eyes to block out the light. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of a bobbing head, a person swimming, or even Bander floating…but he could see nothing. Damn. He looked at his watch again. Time was running out. He needed to have a net thrown across the river to catch his body in the event Paul had more than wounded him. He could be dead floating on down to Pennsylvania by now. There wasn’t enough money or manpower for a net. So if Bander was dead, they weren’t likely to find him. They would drag the river tomorrow but he didn’t expect to turn up anything. The water was too shallow and moved too fast. The best odds were that he would get hung up on some rocks or branches and a fisherman would find him. That wouldn’t help his case though. Dead men don’t talk. Dead men don’t confess. Still, something was nagging him about this Bander guy. All the evidence was pointing one way but his gut and instincts were telling him something different. He had seen his face when that girl had told him about the DNA and him having a kid. It was a genuinely shocked and surprised expression. He had no idea that he had a kid. It wasn’t uncommon of course for a guy to have a kid and not know about it. It happens all the time. But for a guy to be found with a dead kid that he didn’t know he had…that was a different thing altogether.

  The detective lowered his hand and went back over to the other side of the bridge and continued looking upstream. He had a walkie talkie clipped to his belt and listened in to the boat and land chatter as the men continued their search. He looked at his watch again. It was getting late and they didn’t have enough manpower to continue the search into the night. With each passing minute, the odds of finding him diminished. He wondered if he had made the right decision allowing the girl to approach him. The detective shook his head. No, that wouldn’t have changed anything. Bander would have hit the water no matter what. And who could blame him after what had happened to him? What guy would want to risk being tortured again guilty or not? This was going to be a mess for the DA and difficult to prosecute. Detective James’ cell phone rang. “Detective James.” He spoke as he flipped the phone open and put it to his ear.

  “Are you sitting down?” The voice was from Dr. Crane, the supervising CSI.

  “Oh, hey Doc. No, I can’t say that I am. Bander escaped again and I’m up here on Jerick Stanton trying to find him.”

  “He jumped in the river?”
<
br />   “Yep. We’ve been searching for damn near three hours. No sign of him. Hell, he may be dead for all I know. Paul took a shot at him when he leaped. He hit him but I don’t know how bad.”

  “Did you put a net up to catch him?” Crane asked.

  “Nope. Not enough men, not enough money. You know the speech. Just couldn’t do it. Hell, I don’t have enough guys to continue the search. And they’re talking about making more cuts next month. You believe that Doc?”

  “Oh I’ve been paying attention. I sent the board a letter but I believe it was likely used to line the bottom of a bird cage somewhere. This will come back to bite them in the gluteus maximus.”

  “The gluteus maximus Doc?”

  “Yes, the buttocks in layman’s terms.”

  “Oh it’ll bite them in the butt Doc. Let me ask you Doc; you keep a spare tire in your trunk?”

  “Of course. One never knows when a flat or blowout may occur and leave one stranded.”

  “Well did you have a flat today?”

  “No.”

  “Yesterday?”

  “Nope. Can’t say I did.”

  “Well, one could argue that the spare isn’t necessary since you’ve gone so long without a flat.”

  “Yes, I see your point. The city is arguing that the extra manpower isn’t necessary because of the low crime.”

  “Exactly. And you don’t get rid of your spare because you know the day will come when you will need it. Well, this week it might be a murderer gets away. Next time it might be a terrorist. Either way Doc you are right. This will bite them in the gluteus maximus.”

  “Agreed.”

  “So what news have you got for me Doc?”

  “I’m afraid this isn’t going to make your day any better. Or perhaps it will, depending on how you look at it."

  “Well, what is it Doc? Don’t keep me in suspense.” Detective James was craning his neck to look at something. “Hey, hold on a minute Doc.” The detective opened a pouch he had attached to his belt and took out a small pair of binoculars. He put them to his eyes and stared out onto the river. He set his phone down on a guardrail post and pulled out his walkie talkie and pushed a button. “Water teams one and two come in. Over.” There was a pause and then a click and both water teams on the boats checked in. “I’ve got some movement under some branches on the northeast corner of the cove on the eastside of the river. Can one of you check that out please? Over.”

  “Water team one. We’re right near there, we’ll check it out. Over.”

  The detective put away his walkie talkie and picked his cell phone back up and watched through the binoculars as the boat approached the cove. “Sorry Doc, go ahead with what you were saying.”

  “We ran the DNA test from the swab you had taken from the girl.”

  The detective was busy watching as the boat inched in closer. He could just make out something white moving under the branches. “Ya, you already told me that Doc. The test matched alleles with the Bander guy.”

  “I’m not talking about the DNA from the vic Detective. I’m talking about the DNA swab you had taken on the wife. Bander’s wife.”

  “Ya, go on…” The boat was having a hard time penetrating the bushes and trees.

  “The wife’s alleles are also a match.” There was a pause. “What I’m trying to tell you Detective, is that Bander’s wife is the mother of the girl you found.”

  “Wha..” The detective dropped his phone. He reached down and picked it up out of the dirt and brushed it off. “What?”

  “You heard me correctly. The Bander’s are the girl’s parents.”

  The detective was stunned. Who would have seen that one coming? I must be losing my touch. He thought as he remembered comforting the grieving wife. He felt cold chills run up his spine. “Alright Doc, thanks.” The detective hung up the phone and placed it back in its pouch at his waist. He held the binoculars back up and saw an officer in the boat lift up a milk jug into the air. The walkie talkie crackled and a voice from water team one came through.

  “Sorry Detective. Someone set out a trot line and attached it to the jug. There was a few fish pulling it around. Nothing more. Over.” The officer threw the jug back under the bushes and the boat pulled out away from the cove.

  The detective ran his hand through his curly hair and sighed. This was getting complicated. He pulled out his phone and speed dialed the officer who was tailing the wife. “Where is she?” The detective asked. The officer ran through the details with the detective. Nothing much to report. The wife had gone straight to the sister’s house and hadn’t left. The sister arrived home about an hour and a half later. “Alright. Go ahead and bring her in for questioning.” The detective turned and headed toward the car. “And one more thing…consider her and the sister armed and dangerous. Check her for weapons before you put her into the car and don’t turn your back on either one of them is that understood?” There was an agreement on the other end. “Ok. Be careful.” The detective sounded worried as he hung up the phone and got into the car. He got behind the wheel and sighed outloud shaking his head. “It’s going to be another long night.” He said to nobody inparticular. “I’m getting too old for this shit.” He started the car and headed for the station.

  Chapter 27

  Officer Harris hung up the phone with the detective. He and his partner were going to have to bring April Bander in for questioning. This was not something he had expected, or hoped for. He wasn’t sure what to expect from the girls. What he knew for certain is that when it came to arrests, he would rather bring in a guy anytime over a girl. Girls fight harder, they are more clever, and no guy ever likes having to fight with a girl. Guys on the other hand, usually went calmly, and those who didn’t got the rough treatment and usually they didn’t put up a fight for too long. Officer Harris looked over at his partner. “You ready?”

  “Are we arresting her?” Officer Fitch asked. Both officers were new to the force. Officer Harris was only twenty-four years old and had a good complexion with a short, high and tight haircut. Officer Fitch was twenty-five and had dark curly hair. Both were strong, young, and energetic. Neither of them were too keen on having to collar a female.

  “Nope. Just bringing her in for questioning.” Officer Harris said.

  “She gonna go easy?”

  “Do they ever? We’re to consider them armed and dangerous.”

  “Jesus” Officer Fitch said with the unexpected news. “This shit just keeps getting stranger by the minute.”

  Officer Harris put the car in drive and headed from the road down the long gravel driveway to the sister’s house. He pulled in behind Becca’s car, put it in park, and turned off the engine. Both officers shared an expression before getting out of the car.

  The house was a beautiful log cabin ranch with a huge bay window overlooking the front yard. The front porch was made to look like something out of an old western. It was rustic looking but clean with potted plants scattered about. There was a glass storm door and a doorbell beside it. Officer Harris reached out and pushed the button. A chime could be heard from inside. After about ten seconds footfalls could be heard coming toward the door. Becca opened the big wooden door and pushed open the glass storm door. Her expression was not pleasant.

  “Yes. What can I do for you Officers?” She asked gruffly.

  “Ma'am, we need to speak to Mrs. Bander please.” Officer Harris said using as polite of a voice as he could muster.

  “Well, she’s sleeping. You’ll have to come back later.” Becca said and began closing the door.

  Officer Fitch was on the right and caught his hand between the glass and pulled it back. “I’m afraid it can’t wait, it is important that we speak to her now ma'am.” Officer Fitch said politely but sternly.

  Becca looked back over her shoulder and stepped out of the storm door forcing the officers to take a step back. She shut the storm door behind her. She had on baggy pajama looking pants and a white cotton shirt. Her blonde hair hung down p
ast her shoulders. She lowered her voice to a near whisper. “Is her husband dead? Did you find him?” She asked.

  The officers looked at one another and then back at her. Officer Fitch shook his head. “No ma'am, we haven’t been able to locate him.”

  Becca’s mouth was slightly ajar. She had assumed they would have found him by now dead or alive. She looked distant picturing him on the run, maybe coming here. She shook the thought away and eyeballed the police officers angrily. “Well, then why are you here? What do you want with my sister?”

  “I’m afraid we can’t discuss that with you ma'am. We’ve been asked to pick her up and take her down town. They just want to ask her some questions.” Officer Harris said trying to maintain a level of politeness. Becca’s confrontational demeanor was begging to poke at him like little daggers.

  “Do you have any idea what this poor girl has been through the last two days?” Becca looked from one officer to the other. “She just passed out from stress not two hours ago. I’ll be damned if you’re going to march her down to your little station and inflict more trauma on her than has already been done.” Becca was shaking her finger at the officers.

  Officer Harris was about to respond when he looked past Becca as the storm door opened and April, hair in a tuffled mess, looking like she just got out of bed, stuck her head out of the door. “Is everything ok Becca? What is it?” April had overheard her sister raising her voice at the officers and saw her jabbing her finger at them.

  “They want you to go down town with them to answer some questions.” Becca said. “I told them now was not a good time.”

  “I don’t understand.” She looked from one officer to the other. “I’ve already spoken to Detective James and the sheriff. I’ve told them all I know.”

  “I’m sorry ma'am. We were asked to bring you in. They didn’t say why. I’m sure they wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important.” Officer Fitch said.