Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1)

by Renee Benzaim

  "That's when I knew someone wasn't just taking a nap in there.

  "That's about when you arrived and I told you I needed to return to the post office. The government is very picky about the hours we keep and I have several customers who come in to pick up their mail at the end of their lunch break. They know I usually return right before 1 P.M."

  Deputy Jones wrote down all the information in his notebook.

  "When you were driving north on Wible Road, before you noticed the trailer on the right side, do you remember seeing any other vehicles on the roadway heading south?" Deputy Kamaguchi asked.

  "No, I can't say that I did. There isn't a lot of traffic on Wible road once you get south of Taft Highway. It's mainly farmland and farms out there. No real reason for anyone to go that way."

  Deputy Jones gave Ms. Mason his business card. "Be sure to call me if anything else comes to mind. We'll be in the neighborhood for a while longer today to interview nearby businesses and residences. If you have anything further to add, give me a call on my cell phone. Also, it's important that you visit the Lamont substation in the next day or two and talk to the Officer on the desk. He or she will have a typed copy of your statement for you to review and sign. Thank you for your help."

  * * *

  The two deputies left the post office and drove back up Taft Highway to Happy Gas.

  "Afternoon, Mr. Singh," Deputy Kamaguchi said as the two deputies walked into the mini mart section of Happy Gas.

  "Afternoon, deputies. What can I do for you?"

  "You've no doubt heard about the body found in the cornfield right down Wible Road.

  "We were wondering if you have video surveillance cameras that tape the gas pumps 24 hours a day?"

  "Yes, I do, and please, call me Ranjit. I need to have a record in case somebody tries to mess with the pumps to get free gas. It's easier to just leave the tapes running all the time and then to reset them every so often when they get full."

  "We would like to look over your tapes for the last 24 hours. What we're hoping is that a portion of Wible Road shows on the tapes and we can see any traffic that drove south on Wible Road. Would it be possible to take the tape with us? We will return it no later than tomorrow."

  "I don't think it shows any of the road, just the pumps. You can take it, though. Just be sure to return it tomorrow. I only have two tapes and I'll have to switch them tomorrow evening. I'll go swap them out now."

  "Thank you."

  Deputy Jones turned to Deputy Kamaguchi. "What do you think are the odds that part of the road shows on the tape?"

  "Probably slim to none, but even if we get just the lower part of a vehicle, it will be a big help.

  "Also, let's hope the times on the tape are accurate, so we will know when someone went down the road. And maybe when they returned. The time interval could be critical."

  Mr. Singh came out of the back room and handed Deputy Jones the tape.

  "Here you go. Let me get you each a cup of coffee before you leave," Mr. Singh offered.

  "Thank you, Mr. Singh. That would be much appreciated."

  * * *

  After Deputy Coroner Schillings and his assistants left to take the body to the morgue, Laine and her crew begin meticulously investigating the crime scene to look for any evidence and to make sure it was bagged, marked, and preserved in case it may someday be needed in Court.

  There were tire tracks in the dirt along the road, right behind the parked trailer and she took impressions so they could be compared with the ones found at other crime scenes.

  In the soft dirt just before the rows of almost full-grown corn, she examined the boot prints pointed out to her. They were distinctive and looked familiar. Her intuition told her it was at the crime scene on South Fairfax Road.

  "Mike, come here and take several photographs of these boot prints. Scale them and get your mini portable light and shine it on them at an angle so the shadow detail stands out. I think we might have a match to the boot print found at our Lamont crime scene."

  Mike came over and looked at the boot prints. "I think you're right, Chief. They're unusual. Do you want me to shoot them first, or do you want to cast them?"

  "Go ahead and take your photos, but be sure not to disturb anything. The dirt is soft. I've already given them several coats of spray. The same holds true for the tire tracks, so make sure you get numerous photos of them. I'm pretty sure they're a match. Especially when you take into consideration the spider bites on both victims, it seems logical that these tracks and boot prints would be the same. However, we have to prove it in Court, so our collection techniques must be meticulous."

  * * *

  At 6:00 PM as the sun started its descent into the western sky, Sheriff/Coroner Mick Quinn again walked up to the podium in the courtyard of the Courthouse and stood in front of the bank of microphones. Behind him stood Deputy Coroner Schillings, Sgt. Collins, Jesse Greyeyes, and Detectives Avants and Weston. He waited calmly until all the representatives from the media settled down.

  "I think you all know who I am, but for those who don't, I'm Sheriff/Coroner Mick Quinn.

  "I have a brief statement to make. I will not be answering questions after my statement because there is no further information to give you at this time. The deputies are handing out copies.

  "This afternoon at approximately 12:45 PM we received a report of a possible body located on the east side of Wible Road, just south of Taft Highway in the Pumpkin Center area. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the body of a Hispanic female, deceased. Deputy Coroner Schillings, the forensics team, the investigative team, and a member of the District Attorney's office were dispatched to the scene.

  "An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning. At this time, we're not releasing the name of the victim and we don't have a cause or time of death.

  "That's all I have at the moment. When we have more information, we'll send out an updated press release. Thank you."

  "Sheriff, Sheriff, can you tell us if this is related to the body you found last week in Lamont?" Stella Lopez from KGET asked.

  "Stella, you've been around long enough to know that we won't have any more information until one of our forensic pathologists has done a post mortem. Now, please, no questions. I have nothing further to add and it's hot out here."

  "We heard she was nude like your 'Jane Doe' and had spider bites. Is that true?"

  "I have no further comment. Thank you."

  * * *

  The man stood at the fringes of the crowd and watched as Sheriff Quinn gave his canned statement to the media.

  It upset him that he didn't say anything about the spider bites. His statement was generic to just about any murder investigation.

  He smirked, and turned away. Cowards, he thought. They're afraid if they give out too much information someone will copy me. The thought amused him.

  On that note, he turned around and walked down to retrieve his SUV from the parking lot of the County Jail.

  * * *

  That evening at his home, Tom clicked on the television to watch the news. The first thing he saw was the story by KGET reporter Stella Lopez regarding today's grim discovery in the cornfield.

  Tom thumped his tumbler of Jack Daniels on top of his coffee table and rubbed the back of his neck. Frustration was ever present when a case bogged down.

  He slumped onto his brown Naugahyde couch and then looked up and spotted one of his goldfish floating on top of the bowl while the others swam forlornly around in circles.

  "Aw, shit. I'm sorry guys. You must be hungry. It's my fault for being so distracted. Poor little guy."

  He sighed and lurched to his feet. He removed the deceased goldfish from the bowl and flushed it down the toilet and then returned to the living room and sprinkled fish food for the survivors of his neglect.

  His returned to his kitchen where he was reheating leftover lasagna from the day before.

  "Smells good. I didn't realize I was so hungry," he said to t
he refrigerator, as he opened the door to get more Parmesan cheese.

  He looked around the kitchen for some bread to go with his meal and only found an empty wrapper.

  "I give up," he said, throwing his hands in the air. "This day just isn't going to get any better."

  His cell phone rang and he stomped back into the front room and pulled it out of the pocket of his jacket.

  "What?"

  "Wow. That's being a little curt, isn't it?" Annie laughed.

  "Hey, Annie, sorry. It's not been a good day. One of my goldfish died and I'm out of bread to eat with my left-over, microwaved lasagna, which I've no doubt overcooked again."

  "You made lasagna? I'm impressed."

  "Well, get over it. I defrosted store-bought lasagna yesterday and overcooked it. Today is a rerun of yesterday."

  "Ah, the joys of being a bachelor. Why don't you come over here and join me for dinner. I'm fixing southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob and biscuits."

  "Geez, Annie, how do you stay so slim if you eat like that?"

  "Frequent workouts at my health club - you know what a health club is? - and I ride my exercise bike when I read or watch television. Yoga stretches to wake me up in the morning. Besides, I don't cook like this too often. There just isn't time."

  "I hear ya'," Tom said.

  "So, can I set my table for two or are you bent on reheated lasagna with no bread?"

  "Thanks Annie, but I think I'll stay put. I wouldn't be good company right now. Bring me some leftovers to work tomorrow and I'll nuke them tomorrow night."

  Annie laughed. "OK, I'll make you up a plate. I know you have to eat your daily dose of microwaves every day.

  "But, why on earth are you in such a funk?" Annie asked.

  "Life in general, Annie, and I just watched the news coverage of our crime scene on Wible Road. Bubble head was spouting on and saying, as usual, nothing."

  "That's because we didn't tell her anything. She's expert at turning 'no comment' into a 30-second 'breaking news' sound bite.

  "Tom, I know you're worn out. It's been a long and hard fifteen years for you and five more years before you can retire might seem like an eternity. But hang in there, bubba. You're a good cop and I need you, OK?"

  "Yeah, OK, Annie. I hear you - and thanks for the pep talk. I guess I'll go eat my leftovers."

  "Bon appetite, Tom. See you in the morning."

  Tom clicked off his cell phone and, frowning, headed for his kitchen. "She never did say why she called."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Thursday, 23 August 2012, 9:00 AM

  Deputy Coroner Schillings, Annie, Tom, and Jesse suited up to join Dr. Richards in the morgue while he autopsied Carmen Gutierrez, the second victim.

  "Morning, Doc," Annie said as she took a position where she could see, but wouldn't be in the Doc's way or interfere with his autopsy assistant, Joseph Al-Fassi.

  Also present was Joelle Marchand, the police forensics videographer, and the police forensic photographer, Manny Espinoso, who would document everything that went on.

  As soon as Joseph placed the body on the morgue table, and Deputy Schillings had verified that it was the correct body, the x-ray technician arrived and took the films he needed and left to get them developed.

  Doc began his dictation.

  "This is the well-developed, mal-nourished body of Carmen Gutierrez, a Hispanic female, aged twenty-three years, with brown hair and brown eyes. The body is sixty-five inches long and weighs approximately 130 pounds. When Deputy Schillings examined her at the scene, he noted that rigor was partial and extended to her upper extremities. Today rigor is just starting to dissipate.

  "She has pierced ears - one piercing in each ear - but is only wearing an earring in her right ear. No other jewelry is found on the body.

  "On the lower portion of the front of her body are thirteen bites, which appear to have been inflicted by a spider, most likely a black widow spider. I will incise a section of several of the bites, at different stages, and will analyze them more fully at a later date. The condition of the bites indicates that they were inflicted at different times, with the oldest being approximately eight to ten days old.

  "Around the neck of the body is a yellow nylon cord of the type that is very common and available at several commercial outlets."

  He carefully removed the cord.

  "Embedded in the cord, between the neck and the cord, is a minute piece of flaked wood, which we will send to the forensics lab for analysis."

  The x-ray technician returned to the room and hung the x-rays on a light wall. Doc stopped his dictation and walked over to the x-rays. He stood there, studied them for several minutes, and returned to his dictation.

  "The full-body x-ray shows no fractures or metallic foreign objects within the body."

  He continued his visual exam of the front of the body and then helped Joseph turn the body over.

  "Stuck to the back of the body is both dried and fairly fresh feces. Stuck to the dried feces we find a few threads of a heavy-duty canvas material such as you would find in a camp cot. We also find some fibers that could be from a rug of some kind that may have been used to wrap the body for transport.

  "The fixed lividity is located in the back, buttocks, and lower legs"

  When he finished his visual examination and all the photographs and videotaping were done, he and Joseph turned the body back over and Joseph began the process for the Y-incision and the cranial examination.

  At the conclusion, the group left Joseph to his stitching duties and clean up and walked out into the lobby after discarding their protective clothing.

  Tom was the first to speak. "I see a lot of similarities to the autopsy of 'Jane Doe'. The condition of the body, how it was laid out at the crime scene, and, most telling, exactly thirteen spider bites. The media has asked about spider bites, but they were not given any information and, as far as I can find, no mention of spiders has appeared in the media. In my opinion, we're not looking at a 'copy-cat' crime, but one committed by the same perp. What does everyone else think?"

  "When the forensic lab finishes with the trace element examinations, the dirt found on the victim under the most dried up feces may be a match if they were held at the same location. We'll know more as the reports start rolling in," Doc said.

  Jesse looked pensive and Annie asked him what his thoughts were. "I'm just trying to find some kind of pattern in all of this. Both of the victims were missing about the same length of time, yet it appears they died within hours of being dumped. What concerns me is that he may be already looking for his next victim."

  "The Sheriff is starting to get heat from the higher-ups to catch this person. He knows how little information we have to go on and is patient, but he still has to answer to the politicians, and the public who elected him," Deputy Schillings said.

  "Well, all we can do is keep working and pray that something will come up soon to give us a lead. Thanks, Doc," Annie said as they all turned to leave.

  * * *

  "You were awfully quiet in there, Tom," Annie said as she, Jesse, Deputy Schillings, and Tom walked out of the morgue to their vehicles.

  "I was mulling over some of the things that Doc told us. Besides, you update the Sergeant better than I do, so I let you pay attention."

  "What kind of things were you 'mulling'?"

  "Did you notice on the Evidence Collection Log that both women had pierced ears, but on each woman the left earring was missing?"

  "Yes, I did, and the first thing I thought of was that they struggled with their abductor and lost an earring during the struggle. This would tentatively indicate that he or she was right-handed as a person being attacked by a right-handed assailant usually defends with their left side.

  "Carmen's brother said she always wore a necklace on a gold chain and it wasn't found on her body or at the scene."

  "Doc said there were no defensive marks or wounds on either body to indicate any kind of
a defensive struggle," Tom said.

  "What then? When he or she abducted the women he - I'm just going to refer to the perp as a he because I can't imagine another woman doing this - must have had a way to keep them subdued. A weapon of some sort."

  "Doc noticed rope marks on their wrists and ankles and took fiber samples," Jesse said.

  "Yes," Tom said. "Both women were bound at the wrists and ankles with some kind of nylon rope that is quite common, and their mouths were taped shut.

  "Doc also said that around the neck of the second victim he found a small sliver of wood embedded in her flesh under the ligature marks. He said it looked like old wood. It's being sent to the forensics lab for analysis. Maybe it will indicate where she was held."

  "Or, at least be a piece of evidence we can tie to a scene when we find one," Jesse said.

  Deputy Coroner Schillings got in his car and returned to the Sheriff's Office.

  Tom, Jesse, and Annie drove down Flower Street to have lunch at one of Jesse's favorite places, Bit of Germany. Neither Annie nor Tom realized that this small, quaint restaurant even existed.

  "This is a neat place, Jesse. I didn't know it was here. What are you going to order?" Annie said.

  "One of my favorites is the Bratwurst. How about you?"

  "I'm going to try the Bavarian Golasch," Annie said.

  "What's that?" Tom asked.

  "It says, right there on the menu, that it's tender cubes of beef served over noodles with the choice of German Red Cabbage or cucumbers. I think I'll go with the cabbage."

  "Then you'll have gas all afternoon," Tom laughed.

  "Well, cucumbers are no better," Annie said. "Haven't you noticed 'burpless' cucumbers for sale at the market? That should tell you something."

  Jesse ignored them both.

  "Have you decided yet, Tom?" he asked

  "Yeah, I think I'll have apple strudel with vanilla ice cream and grab some carne asada tacos after we leave."