To Catch A Killer

“ Look, I don’t care about your territory. I’m here for one reason only.” She said not caring.

Samatha was so excited to spend the day with your best friend, June. They had been friends for just about half of their lives. They met in high school, in Mrs. Tea’s English class. They laughed so much in class that Mrs. Tea threatened to send them to the principal's office on more than one occasion. But, they didn’t care. Samatha believed that you only live once and you only go to high school once so you better enjoy the ride. So, they continued to pass notes to each other and laugh under their breaths when they read the notes for the whole year. They also had Spanish class together and neither of them learned more than three words of Spanish and they both managed to pass the class, barely. Once they graduated from high school each of them went their own ways. Samatha had gone to college and June had gotten a job with her uncle at his landscaping company. June worked her way up to assistant manager and was practically running the company five years after she started there. She and Samatha kept in touch over all those years and June even went to Samatha’s college graduation. 

Samatha stood looking at herself in the full length mirror which covered her closet doors and smiled to herself. She had put on a little bit of weight but she didn’t care. She loved her body with the extra ten pounds or so she had gained over the years. 

“Shoot, college was stressful.” She mumbled to herself as she pulled up her best pair of black jeans over her curves. 

“I still look good.” She said to her cat, Gruff who was lying on the bed a few feet away.

Samatha turned down the street of June’s quiet neighborhood. She always joked that nothing ever went on in her neighborhood because mostly ederly people lived there. June would laugh and tell her that she liked it that way and not to make fun of older people. Her neighbors were the best. She loved them all except for Mr. Brown across the street. Mr. Brown didn’t like anyone. He was a grumpy old man who always grumbled at people and never said hello to anyone. He only came out of his house twice per week. Once to walk his dog, Nan, and the other to water his lawn.  He hired a dog walker to walk Nan the other days of the week and had all of his groceries delivered a few times per month. 

Samatha was shocked to see at least five police cars blocking off the street where June lived and the red lights flashing from the sirens on top of the police cars. Samatha didn’t remember parking her car; she only remembered getting out of the car and running towards the police cars. She knew that something was wrong with June. Her gut was telling her that. She ran until she got to the yellow caution tape and tried to break through it. She had to get to her friend. A large man wearing a police uniform stopped her. He gently pushed her back and told her she couldn’t cross the yellow tape. Samatha was not one to take no for an answer. She only got more determined to find out what was going on behind the yellow tape. Just as she was about to go to the other side and try to push her way through again she heard a voice behind her.

“Samatha? Samatha McCall?” The voice asked.

Samatha turned around slowly and blinked her eyes rapidly. She couldn’t believe who she saw.

“Sonny? Sonny Mayberry?” She muttered.

“Yeah, that’s me. What are you doing here?” He asked.

“My friend lives on this block. We were supposed to have lunch together. I was supposed to pick her up and now I see this crime tape and a million police officers who won’t let me cross the tape. I need to know if she is okay.” Samantha explained.

“What’s her name? Maybe I can help.” Sonny said motioning for an officer to come over where they were standing.

“You a cop?” Samantha asked.

“Yeah, it’s been a while since I saw you and yes I am a cop. Actually, I am the chief of police.”

“Why are you here? Usually the chief doesn’t come out unless…” Samantha’s voice trailed off as another officer came running towards them.

“Wait right here.” Sonny told Samantha.

Samantha had a mind of her own and nobody was going to tell her what to do or where to wait. She was right behind them when they moved; they lifted up the yellow crime tape and went underneath it. She tried to blend in with the other people there. She knew she could probably pass for a reporter or something and they didn’t even notice she was three steps behind them. 

Sonny and the officer walked towards June’s house. Samantha hung behind them a little bit. Although, she was anxious to find out what, if anything happened to her friend, she knew that if they discovered her behind them she would never know. She saw them enter June’s house. She also saw the blood. 

Samantha’s heart sank. She felt like her heart was in her throat and she had no words. She stood there shocked and probably as white as a ghost. She couldn’t move. She was frozen. She wanted to know what happened but then she didn’t want to know at the same time. She was still standing, frozen in place when she saw something else. 

“Aren’t you excited to see me?” June said over the phone the day before their lunch date.

“I am. It is like having lunch with your favorite rock star.” Samantha laughed.

“I only made one record. It’s not like I won a Grammy.” June said laughing too.

“I know but how many people can say that they were in the top 20 on the Billboard List back in the day?” Samantha said to her friend.

“Not many that you know.” 

“Guess what? I am playing your song now. It is in my music rotation and I listen to it at the gym.” Samantha said smiling into the phone.

“No, you don’t. Stop teasing me.”

“I really do. Who would have thought that my best friend would be a singer and songwriter?”

“I guess you are right. Who would have thought that. Who would have thought that two nerdy but loud teenagers from Mrs. Tea’s English class would be a singer and a private eye.” June said laughing.

“Not me. I thought that we would end up in a home for wayward girls as Mrs. Tea put it.” Samantha said jokingly 

“I will see you tomorrow.” June said hanging up the phone.

Samantha played that conversation over and over in her head. Was that the last conversation she would ever have with her friend? The words, “See you tomorrow” echoed in her head now. She wondered if there would even be a today or tomorrow to see her friend. But, she couldn’t get there. She could not go to that dark space her gut was pulling her to. She had to believe. She had to believe that June was okay despite what her eyes were seeing.

“Miss, you can’t be here. How did you get past the officers?” A female voice asked Samantha.

Samantha looked up at the face talking to her and she didn’t recognize her. She wasn’t wearing a uniform so she must not have been a cop. Samantha didn’t say anything. She just looked coldly at the woman and pointed to the house where her friend, June lives.

“Do you know the person who lives there?” The voice asked.

“Umm. Yes. She is my friend. We are like sisters.” Samantha managed to say.

“Okay, but you still can’t stand here. You have to go behind the yellow tape. Come follow me.” The voice said, trying to gently guide Samantha to the other side of the crime tape.

“It’s okay, Officer White.”  Sonny said as the women were walking towards the crime tape.

“She can stay.” Sonny continued.

The woman let go of Samantha’s arm and joined the rest of the officers who were standing in front of June’s house.

“Is she okay?” Samantha asked Sonny. 

She really didn’t need him to answer as she already knew the answer. Her gut told her before her eyes saw the answer. 

“I’m sorry.” Sonny said.

Samantha didn’t hear a word after “sorry”. She knew that when someone starts a sentence with “I’m sorry” that nothing that comes after those words is good.  She wanted to run past Sonny and run to her friend. She wanted to see her. She wanted to hug her. She didn’t want the “I’m sorry” to be true. 

“Samantha, I can’t tell you anything more. The best thing you can do now is go behind the yellow tape and wait.” Sonny said, trying to guide her to the tape.

“No!” Samantha shouted.

“No! I want to see June. I need to see her and I need to see her now.” 

“Samantha, you can’t see her. You have to leave now.” Sonny said trying to be understanding but firm.

“Look, Sonny, that is my best friend inside that house and I need to see her. She needs to know that I am here. Now, move out of my way!” Samantha screamed.

Later that night the news about June was all over the television and internet. Now, everyone knew what Samantha already knew hours ago. June was dead. She was murdered. She was found in her bedroom and police are investigating. That’s all the news said. They didn’t mention any other details. Samantha knew she had to find the killer herself. She had to do it for June and she wasn’t going to let anyone stop her.

“Samantha, what are you doing here?” Sonny said looking up from his desk at the police station.

“I’m here to find out what you know about my friend’s death. I am here to catch a killer.” Samantha said looking him straight in the eye. 

“Sam, let the police handle it. You will only get in the way if you try to find the killer. We are on it.” Sonny said standing from his desk chair.

“It’s been over a month and you haven’t found her killer yet. So, why should I have any faith that you ever will. Do you even have any leads? Have you talked to Tad yet? Have you talked to anyone? I know nobody has talked to me and I am or was her best friend.” Samantha yelled.

“Sam, calm down. We are working on it.” 

“You aren’t working fast enough. You need my help.” Sam said looking around at all the other cops looking at her.

“Let's step over in this room.” Sonny pointed to a room marked “interviews” and motioned Sam to follow him. She did.

“Sam, you aren’t a police officer. You are a private eye. You are a good one and I have heard about your reputation and that is good too. I also know that in the past you have helped the cops on certain cases but this one is too close to you. June was your friend. You can’t be objective. You can’t help with this one. Do you understand? I know you are in pain and you want to help but not this one.” Sonny said.

Samantha arrived at the house of June’s boyfriend, Tad. She pulled into the short driveway and got out of her car and walked the short walk to the open green door. Tad was there standing behind the door waiting.

“Hey, Sam.” Tad said as he pushed the door open wider for her to enter.

“Hey, you know why I am here right. I need to find June’s killer.” Sam said as she walked past Tad to the living room.

“I already told the cops that I don’t know anything.” Tad said.

“Where were you the day she got killed?” Sam asked.

“Sam, you can’t possibly believe that I would kill June. I loved her.” 

“A lot of people kill people that they claim to love, Tad. Now where were you when she was killed?” Sam asked.

“I was at work. I can prove it too.” Tad answered.

“Okay, so you can prove it. Well, when was the last time you saw June? Alive that is?” Sam asked.

“I saw her the day before she died. We had dinner together and then we came back to my place and watched a movie until around 1am and she left because she said she had to work the next day and needed to get some sleep. That was the last time I saw her. I swear.” Tad said, sounding irritated. 

Before Sam could ask him anything else there was a knock at the front door.

“Open up, Police.” Sonny’s voice said from the other side of the door.

Tad opened the door and took a step back. Beside him was Sam.

“Sam, what are you doing here? I told you to stay out of it.” Sonny said annoyed.

“I told you that I was in it and I am not staying out of anything. You need me.” Sam said.

“What I need is for you to go home and let us handle this.” Sonny said.

“Fat chance.” Sam said as she left the house. 

Sam had talked to everyone that she could think of who knew June over the past few weeks. She was sure that she knew who killed her and why but she needed proof. The proof she didn’t have. 

She called Sonny and told him to meet her at the docks at 6pm that evening. He agreed and Sam got ready.

“What is this all about?” Sonny asked Sam.

“I know who killed June.” Sam said.

“Now, didn’t I tell you to stay out of it?” Sonny said walking closer to Sam.

“You did. Don’t you want to know who did it?” 

“Sam, I should arrest you for something.” Sonny said.

“For what? Solving a murder that you couldn’t solve?” 

“How do you know that we didn’t solve it, Sam?”

“Because the killer is still walking around free.”

“Sam, we know who did it too. But, we don't have any proof. No evidence and without that no case. You know how that works.” Sonny said.

“Yes, I do. That’s why you need me.” 

“Sam, I don’t need you. I can’t have you risking your life.”

“Sonny, look, my best friend in the world was murdered and we both know who the killer is but you can’t prove it. Let me help you prove it.” Sam said.

“And how are you going to do that?”

“I am going to get a confession.” Sam said.

“A confession? How do you plan to do that?” Sonny asked.

“I am going to wear a wire. You and your officers will hook it up and when I get the confession then you will have evidence to arrest him.” Sam said.

“Sam, this is not  Hawaii 5-0. I can’t risk your life. This is real life, not some TV mystery movie.”

“I know that. Don’t you think I know the risks? But, I am the only one who can get this confession. Now either you help me or I take matters into my own hands. What’s it going to be?”

Samantha made the phone call and was ready. She was going to meet the person the next day at this same dock. She was ready.

Sam stood there and waited for the meeting. A few minutes after she got there a black car pulled up and a figure got out wearing all black. Sam took a deep breath and asked if Sonny could hear her through the tiny camera on her jacket they placed there earlier.

“Well, I’m here. What’s this all about?”

“I know what you did.” Sam said.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I am talking about. Do you want to tell me or do I go to the cops?”

“How do you know?” 

Sam stared straight into the eyes of the killer and took a deep breath and said, “I know because I was there. I saw you.”

“No, you couldn’t have been there.” 

“Oh but I was.” Sam said.

“Look it was an accident. I didn’t mean to kill her. I was just going to talk to her. I just wanted her to leave Tad. We were arguing and then the next thing I knew she was dead. I didn’t mean to kill her. You got to believe me. It was an accident. I loved June.” 

“What happened?” Sam asked.

“You said you were there right so you already know what happened. I set up a meeting to meet June at her house a little before noon. I knew that she had a lunch date at 2 pm so I wanted to get there before all of that took place. She agreed to meet me to talk. I wanted to tell her that I loved her and that I didn’t want to be her secret anymore. I wanted her to break it off with Tad and be with me. She told me that she couldn’t. She said that she was not in love with me and that she loved Tad and I was just a fling. I got mad. I hit her and knocked her to the ground and then I picked up a poker from the fireplace and I don’t remember what happened next but she was on the ground bleeding and I ran. I ran out of the back door as fast as I could. I didn’t mean to kill her I swear.” 

“Thank you, Sam. We got her.” 

“Yes.” Sam said.