Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1)

by Renee Benzaim

  "Thank you, I appreciate that very much."

  Tom hung up the phone and called the next police department on his list. Each police department in Kern County would receive the same call and information.

  * * *

  In the meantime, Annie searched missing person's databases online.

  Tom hung up the phone and looked over at Annie. "Anything in the databases?"

  "Nothing that matches our victim and this time frame, no."

  Annie said. "This doesn't look good." She picked up her coffee cup, took a sip, and immediately thumped the cup down on her desk. While she searched, her coffee had turned cold.

  "Well, we need to get her picture out to all the towns in Kern County as well as on major media statewide," Tom said, as he walked over to the break room and poured Annie another cup of coffee. "I have a bad feeling about this. We're not looking at a 'crime of passion'. There is no doubt in my mind that we are looking at a deliberate, pre-meditated murder," Tom said.

  "The autopsy bears that out, Tom. Someone held our 'Jane Doe' for several days and tortured her with spiders," Annie said, with a shiver. "I can't imagine the terror and pain she experienced."

  Annie wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her hands up and down her upper arms, while the knot in her stomach, got larger.

  Tom looked up and said, "I hope we don't have a psychopath on our hands and I hope he or she doesn't plan to strike again."

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Wednesday, 15 August 2012, 10:00 AM

  "Is Jesse meeting us here?" Tom asked Annie as they entered the Technical Investigations office.

  "Yes," Annie said. "He needs to stay up to speed on anything that Laine finds. Especially evidence that might help us determine who 'Jane Doe' is and where she was between her abduction and when her body was placed at the crime scene."

  When they entered the conference room, Laine looked up from the head of the table and greeted them. A few minutes later, Jesse arrived.

  "Sorry I'm late. It's been one of those days," Jesse said as he sat down across the table from Annie.

  "They're all 'one of those days'," Annie said as she laughed. "I rarely have a day that isn't 'one of those days'."

  Laine handed them each a packet of reports and other papers.

  "This is what we have so far," she said. "There's not much here yet. What trace evidence we found is in the process of evaluation. Mainly, there were dirt samples from under the body and around the boot print and tire track, some olive leaves and twigs, and the second black widow spider that was in the dirt. We didn't find her missing earring."

  Laine continued, "There was a tire track in a wet spot along the west side of the roadway just beyond the space between the rows of vines where he placed the victim. The direction of the track leads us to believe that the vehicle was coming from the north on South Fairfax Road. The way the vehicle pulled off the side of the road left the front of the vehicle, including the doors, beyond where the track was so the driver, when he exited the vehicle and removed the body - assuming that's what happened here - wouldn't have been aware of the wet area and the tire track left by the vehicle.

  "There were no footprints around the vehicle that we could ascertain. Therefore, when he removed the body he only stepped where it was dry and the wind probably blew any tracks away.

  "However, we did find one boot print in the vineyard, shielded by overhanging vines, just to the left of where the victim was placed. We checked the weather and there had been a slight breeze the night before which explains why any other boot or footprints weren't discovered.

  "This boot print is rather distinctive. It wasn't from a common boot, but appears to be from a line of boots the government developed for the military for Desert Storm. See the DESX on the bottom? They aren't available commercially, but can sometimes be found at Military Surplus outlets. It's definitely not from a boot that you would find at Wal-Mart or KMart. An expert in military footwear verified this.

  "I'm also running checks on boot prints found at other crime scenes to see if I can find a match, but no luck so far."

  "Do you have any indication as to what kind of vehicle left the tire track?" Tom asked.

  "It appears to be from a larger vehicle, probably a truck or SUV. We are running a comparison right now to see if it's standard issue on any particular vehicle. The tread isn't worn down, so the tire is relatively new. There's no way to know if it's original issue or a replacement tire. In addition, there were no distinguishing marks on the print we lifted that would definitely tie it to a specific tire.

  "I've included all the photographs and sketches from the scene as well as the boot and tire tracks."

  "Thank you. I will see that they get placed in the Murder Book when I get back to the office," Annie said.

  "Does anyone have any ideas about this case, or the perp? I've never seen a murder by black widow before. Dr. Richards says the actual cause of death was a ruptured brain aneurysm and he is leaning towards the venom from the spiders raising her blood pressure to an extreme level, resulting in the burst blood vessel. His thought is that the vessel was probably weak to start with and couldn't handle the rise in blood pressure," Jesse said.

  "Does Doc know the approximate time of death yet?" Laine asked.

  "He's estimating less than 12 hours from the time we arrived at the scene. However, the condition of the spider bites indicates that the first one occurred between 8 to 10 days prior to her death. She probably suffered horribly," Annie said, cold chills running up her back at the thought.

  "I suggest you talk to a Criminal Psychiatrist to find out what kind of person would kill another person this way. Maybe an FBI Profiler could be of help. I have a friend who is a retired FBI Profiler, and a Criminal Psychiatrist. He teaches Criminal Investigation and Profiling Terrorism at the Modesto Junior College in their Administration of Justice Program. Would you like his contact information so you can give him a call?" Laine asked.

  "Yes, that would be great," Tom said. "I don't want to involve the FBI at this point, but a talk with a Criminal Psychiatrist could only help."

  Laine picked up her phone and punched in a number. "Merilee, would you check my Rolodex and get me the phone number of Dr. Lydell Goodkind?"

  A few minutes later, Merilee entered the room with the requested information and handed it to Tom.

  "If that's all for the moment, we need to get back to work," Jesse said.

  Laine looked up from her reports. "That's about it for now. As more info comes in, I'll keep y'all posted."

  * * *

  "So, when are you going to ask her out?" Annie said, as they walked out to their vehicle.

  "Who?"

  "Laine."

  "Laine?" Tom asked.

  "Yes, you know, Laine DelMonte, our esteemed Chief Technical Investigator."

  "Why would I ask her out?"

  "Why not?"

  "Quit answering my questions with a question," Tom said.

  Annie laughed.

  "Well, she's beautiful, intelligent, available, she has long blond hair, that sexy Texas accent, deep blue eyes, she's available, she sings 'Yellow Rose of Texas' better than her namesake, Lane Brody, she's available...

  "Did I mention she's available?"

  Tom laughed. "I don't date," he said. "I don't have the time."

  "Yea, I know, your goldfish really demand all your free time," Annie said.

  "Did you know Laine is a regular singer on Saturday nights at the Crystal Palace?"

  "I heard something about that, yeah."

  "Have you ever gone to see her sing?"

  "Nah. The Crystal Palace is too noisy for me. I should have been born in England. Give me a glass of Stout - or whatever - in a nice quiet pub where the loudest sound is some idiot throwing darts at a dart board and missing, and I'm content."

  "Oh, come on. You're not that old. Don't you like to have fun? A little romance?"

  "You should talk. Jesse is crazy about you and you won't give him
the time of day."

  "That's not true. We go out from time to time."

  "Yeah, but you don't want to get serious do you? Or make a commitment."

  "How do you know?'

  "He told me."

  "You and Jesse talked about me?"

  "What else do guys talk about except girl problems - or NASCAR? Did you and Laine talk about me? I bet you did."

  "Well, yes, now that you mention it, your name did come up a time or two."

  "What did she say about me?"

  "I'll never tell. Girl talk falls into the same class as talking to a Priest in a confessional."

  "Oh, give me a break," Tom laughed.

  "So, Tom, you've never been to the Crystal Palace?"

  "I didn't say that. I went to see Collin Raye once. He's one of my favorite singers."

  "Mine, too, he's really good. Puts his heart into his music. Did you know Collin Raye is from De Queen, Arkansas? That's only 40 miles from Mena. We could be related. We have Ray's in our family tree. I did a little genealogical research once, but didn't get far enough to find a connection. However, everyone is related to everyone in Arkansas," She laughed.

  "I did find out that my great great grandmother was a full-blooded Choctaw Indian from Yalobousha County, Mississippi."

  "Well, hells bells, girl. That gives you a lot in common with Jesse. What's he, Cherokee?"

  "Yeah, his people hail from Cherokee, North Carolina. Both of his grandparents on his Dad's side were full-blooded, documented Cherokee who lived all their lives on the reservation. His maternal grandmother was also Cherokee and married a white man, who's Polish."

  "Jesse sometimes dances at the Pow Wow here in Bakersfield every June. He's a grass dancer," Annie said.

  "Grass, like in pot?"

  "No, silly. The job of a grass dancer at a Pow Wow is to flatten the grass in the arena for the other dancers. 'Grass' doesn't refer to the grass in the arena, however, it refers to braids of sweet grass, an herb that they tie on their belts. You should see his outfit. It's gorgeous. You'll have to go next June. I have some pictures on my computer. I'll show them to you some time."

  "Do you dance at the Pow Wow?"

  "I could, but I never have. I don't have the regalia."

  "What's regalia?" Tom said.

  "The right costume, or clothes," Annie answered.

  "I bet you'd make a cute squaw," Tom laughed.

  "Oh, shut up," Annie said, as she reached over and gave his upper arm a punch.

  "Listen, Tom, I have a good idea that I'll probably regret."

  "Oh good, that's the best kind. What's your idea?"

  "Let's you, me, and Jesse go to the Crystal Palace Saturday night to hear Laine sing and then invite her to have dinner with us afterwards. What do you say?"

  "Are you trying to set me up with Laine?"

  "No, I think we should try to match-make Jesse with Laine, don't you? That would solve my problems with Jesse and you wouldn't have to step out of your comfort zone and ask Laine for a date."

  "What? That sounds stupid. You can't be serious?"

  Annie laughed so hard at the incredulous look on Tom's face that she thought she would pee her pants.

  "I'm just kidding, Tom. I do think you should give Laine a chance, however. I think the two of you would be great together."

  "And what about you and Jesse?" Tom asked.

  "I'm working on it," Annie said.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Wednesday, 15 August 2012, 1:00 PM

  "Detective Weston," Tom said as he picked up his phone.

  "Detective Weston, this is Sergeant Harry Jamison from Arvin PD. You spoke with one of our officers the other day, Officer Orlando Lamantia, and asked to be informed if we received any new missing person's reports of a female. Well, unfortunately, we have."

  "Thank you for calling me. Can you tell me about her?"

  "Sure. Her name is Carmen Chalina Gutierrez, 5'5", 130 pounds, brown and brown, twenty-three years old, DOB 13 February 1989. The last time anyone saw her was around 8:30 PM on Monday, August 13th, in the vicinity of the La Mexicana Market on Bear Mountain Road in Arvin, cross of C Street. She talked briefly with a female friend, AnaMaria Lupita DelaFuentes. She walked into town to go to the market and get some dinner for herself and her brother. Her parents were out of town at the time and arrived home Tuesday morning. Her brother. Julio Curito Gutierrez is 16 years old.

  "Julio says she was wearing faded blue jeans, sandals, and a dark blue tank top. She has pierced ears, and usually wears a gold cross on a gold chain around her neck.

  "Her parents contacted us the morning of August 14th when they returned home from a visit with relatives in Modesto and Officer Jose Rubio went to their home around 4:00 PM to take a report.

  "They gave us a picture, so I will email both the report and the picture to your office. It includes the statement of the brother and the girlfriend who talked to her briefly outside of the market.

  "She had a boyfriend, but he's supposedly returned to Mexico. Mr. Gutierrez said he was illegal, so I doubt that we'll find him. She graduated from Bakersfield City College in June of 2006 and has been working part-time at Arvin Lumber in Arvin. I have officers out talking to her co-workers today to see what we can find out and we are canvasing the neighborhoods between the Market and her home to see if anyone saw anything. As soon as we have more information, I will send it to you.

  "That's about all we have at the moment."

  "Did anyone you've talked to so far indicate that she might just be off visiting friends?"

  "Her parents, brother, and her friend all stated emphatically that this is not normal behavior for Carmen. She was a responsible young woman. That's why the parents felt comfortable leaving her in charge of her brother when they went out of town."

  "OK, thank you Sergeant. I'll get the information from my email. I appreciate the heads-up. If we hear anything, we'll contact you immediately."

  * * *

  Tom sat at his desk considering the information on the missing young woman from Arvin. What did she have in common with their 'Jane Doe'? The area where both crimes had occurred was the same. The vineyards where their 'Jane Doe' had been found weren't that far from Arvin, where the missing girl lived.

  However, he didn't want to draw any false conclusions until he had more information to go on. He would read the email from Sgt. Jamison when it arrived. That case was out of his jurisdiction, since it was in the city limits of Arvin, so it wasn't his place to alert anyone. Of course, he would tell Annie about the missing person so they could keep it in mind.

  When the information arrived in his email, he printed out two copies, read it over, and put them in a new file on the corner of his desk.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Thursday, 16 August 2012, 9:00 AM

  When Tom arrived to work the next morning, he remembered the call from Arvin PD when he saw the folder on his desk. "Arvin PD sent over a new missing persons report on a Carmen Gutierrez, along with statements from her family and friends," Tom said, when he brought Annie a cup of coffee from the break room.

  "Thanks," she said. "Sorry I'm running late. Have you looked them over yet?"

  "Yes, I read through what they sent and made two copies. I thought we could go over them together. Then, if we find anything that raises a red flag as far as our 'Jane Doe' is concerned, we can make note of it and update both Jesse and the Sarge."

  "OK, I'm ready."

  They moved to the conference room and spread the reports out on the table. They each read the information as they sipped their coffee.

  "Is it my imagination," Annie said, "or is this coffee getting worse each day? It isn't that old and it already tastes like sludge.

  "I don't think anyone ever cleans out the pot. For all I know, this batch of coffee has been sitting there all night. It sure tastes like it," Annie said.

  "No, I heard Sunnie making it fresh when I got here at 8 AM. At least, I thought that's what she was doing," Tom sai
d.

  "Well, I can't drink this, but thanks anyway," Annie said as she pushed her cup aside and reached for the next report.

  * * *

  After they had time to absorb the information in the reports, Tom looked up and said, "What commonalities do you notice between our 'Jane Doe" and Carmen Gutierrez?"

  "The only thing that stands out is that both females are Hispanic and young. And Arvin isn't that far from where our 'Jane Doe' was found. I wish we knew who she was and where she came from," Annie said. "I hate not knowing and that there could be people who care about her that are frantic to know where she is and what happened to her. Just like this girl's parents."

  "Carmen Gutierrez doesn't seem like the type who would just take off and not tell anyone where she was going," Tom said.

  "Also, the family doesn't have any money to speak of and there hasn't been any kind of ransom demand. She's been missing for three days. I don't have a good feeling about this. I don't like the fact that the two women resembled each other and our 'Jane Doe' was found in the south part of the County and Carmen Gutierrez lives in the south part of the County.

  "I talked to Sgt. Jamison at Arvin PD and made him aware of our concerns and the similarities between the two girls. It's too soon to draw any conclusions, but it won't hurt to give them a heads-up," Tom said.

  "Have them show the picture of our victim to the people they have already interviewed, including Carmen's family, to see if anyone recognizes her. They also need to post pictures of 'Jane Doe' around Arvin," Annie said.

  "I'm just afraid if it becomes necessary to post pictures of Carmen also, that people will start to panic," Tom said.

  "I know, but we need to do whatever we can to identify our 'Jane Doe'," Annie replied. "That's our main concern at the moment. Until we know who she is, we can't start to put together what happened to her."

  "I'll put a copy of this report on the Sarge's desk and email one over to Jesse so they're both aware of what's going on," Tom said, as he headed for the copy machine.