UM The Unsolved Murder

It was a sunny early spring day. The remnants of a cold and snowy winter remained. The pocket areas of grass were far and few between. The tweens were doing something between having a snowball fight and playing tag.

 Shawn slid down the round spiraling sliding tube, despite being in his middle twenties when he got together with Cindy it was like they were teenagers again. Cindy laughed before she ran to the merry-go-round and waited for him to push her on it. 

Shawn got it going really fast and took pictures of her laughing and giggling, her long dirty blonde hair flowed straight back in the breeze made from the spinning. Shawn put his camera down and gave it another push and hoped on himself. He walked across the bars making his way to her. 

The sound of a siren blared over the sound of children laughing, and happily squealing.  Within seconds two more sirens could be heard. The first cop car did a dramatic U turn and parked off the road a little over a half a mile away from them. The other two vehicles did something between and 3-point turn and a U turn and parked behind the first car. 

A small crowd was already starting to gather. Shawn said to Cindy “Let’s go check it out.” He didn’t wait for her reply he picked up his camera and was making tracks.

“Keep these people back” an officer said to another, who then started assisting the crowd to step back. Another officer started unrolling the crime scene tape. “ummn ahem excuse me throat, which scared the bejeezus out of her because she didn’t know anyone had come up be” a tall man with all black clothing and mirrored sunglasses had said to Cindy after clearing his hind them.

He made his way through the tightly packed crowd without spilling a drop in his coffee. “What’s going on here” he asked in a low tone to the officer in charge that was hunched over the body so the crowd could only see it from the waist down.

 Rather loudly, and annoyed the officer asked “Where’s that photographer? The scene has to be photographed” under his breath he added “and we need to get this body out of here!”

 An officer on crowd control replied back “just have the forensic team take detailed notes. Will is not going to be here he is down with the flu.”

“Dang nab it!” the officer in charge responded as he scanned the crowd. The forensic team was already busily scribbling away on their notepads. Officer Shilling looked at the body in front of him then he turned back and focused on the crowd specifically the area Shawn and Cindy were standing in.  “You with the camera around your neck” Shawn just stood there and didn’t even acknowledge the officer speaking to him. Cindy shoved him forward a bit as the crowd had sort of step a side to turn around and view who the officer was pointing to. “get in here.” Shawn walked forward and Cindy followed. The crowd control officer held the crime scene tape up for Shawn, but took his other hand and stopped Cindy before she was able to duck under. Shawn stopped. Shilling who had been again looking at the body yelled “are you waiting for an engraved invitation, what is taking you so long” as he was turning his head to search for Shawn. Shawn pushed on Cindy’s shoulder and she quickly ducked under the tape. “Snap some shots. Take lots of close up of each section of the body take shots of the whole 3-foot radius around the body” Shilling directed Shawn.   Cindy just stood back as Shawn did his thing.

Shilling received the autopsy, he looked it over cause of death homicide gun shot wound. Nothing to help solve it, he read each of his officers reports several times. Somewhere, there has to be just one clue. Shilling lifted up the photos and stared at the photos. Shilling said out loud even though he was the only one in the room “Craig who killed you, help me find your killer.” 

Craig had been dumped along the park’s parking lot in between snows. The foot and tire prints had been plowed away and snowed on again before anyone discovered the body. After briefly going through the photos Shawn had taking again, Shilling felt nauseous. He set them down and stared at the photo of the flag pole and War Memorial Shawn had amongst the pictures of Cindy. Officer Shilling had looked at them briefly as he made two stacks: one the crime scene photos and the other Shawn’s personal mostly of Cindy her in various poses on the playground equipment, one of her by the Memorial with a dog leash, another in the snow.  had set aside. 

Even the FBI had come in and looked at what little evidence they had collected, and had come to the conclusion that undercover cop, Craig Edmonds, murder would never be solved, unless a mysterious witness would come forward. 

Craig Edmonds was in between assignments; his identity was secure why would someone want him dead? The officers left no stone unturned, they checked out every aspect of Craig’s life he was a good guy. He was young and handsome, broke a few hearts but no ex that hated him enough to kill him.       

The guy that had wore the black clothing and mirrored sunglasses stuck his head into Shilling’s office better go home and get some sleep we have that dog fighting ring we broke trial tomorrow. “Thanks Brandon” Officer Shilling laid back in his chair and rubbed his eyes and sighed heavily, thinking Brandon had already left. Brandon heard Shilling’s sigh just before the door connected to the frame, he turned and walked back in to Shilling’s office right to his desk and told Shilling “You did everything you could.”

 Shilling almost fell out of his chair, as he was taking by surprise of Brandon being there. “Dang nab it! Brandon! You ninja you scared me half to death, you walk quieter than a monk.” Brandon’s eyes twinkled as his lip twisted up into a hint of a smile. Brandon picked up the pile of Shawn’s personal photos and flipped through them. Brandon pulled out another photo of Cindy with the dog leash near the Memorial and joked to Shilling “getting into porn?”

Shilling’s snapped back “no, their Shawn’s and don’t ever say something like that even in joking in front of my wife.”

Brandon took one more glance at the girl in the photograph before he put it back on the pile.

Everyone involved in the trial had to pass through the large protest group for animal rights to get to the court room. 

The Bailiff proceed to the center and announced “Court is in session the honorable Judge Winston residing…. the words drifted away as the lawyer looked for one of her key witnesses. Where was Brandon?

Shilling watched the lawyer closely he saw the desperation in the lawyer’s body language: this was not going to be an easy case. Shilling looked at the three defendants, one a very tall and large one, one small woman, and the third a guy that looked like even the woman could deck him in a fight. All three looked like they were already celebrating their victory, smiling, happily chit chatting, and looking at Shilling and whispering to each other. 

The proceedings went on. While the jury was in deliberation Shilling spoke to Mr. Boils, the lawyer, “looks like they are going to get off again with just a hand slap.”

Mr. Boils nodded in agreement. “They’ll be found guilty of the misdemeanors but they don’t carry stiff enough penalties for the austerities they performed, doubt whether Brandon’s testimony would have made any difference.”

The jury came back from chambers. As each charge was read the presiding juror said more times than not "guilty."  The big guy, Bergdorf, though couldn’t be linked to anything despite him probably being the brains of the operation. The judge sentenced maximum sentences he could to each of the charges but the woman only ended up having to serve thirty days, the small guy ninety days, and the biggest one was completely getting off no charges. 

The doors were opened. Those who wanted to exit the court room could at this time. Brandon his straight face, mirrored glasses, and black outfit. Entered with authority strode up to the big man placed him in hand cuffs and announced you’re under arrest for murder.

The spectator area stood in shock, as other officers carted the big guy to a holding cell. Brandon went to speak to the lawyer and officer Shilling. “You’ll have to hire that photographer, Shawn." 

  Shilling replied "I already did"

"That picture bothered me I couldn’t stop concentrating on it. There was a spot of red on the cement that held up the flag pole, maybe blood. I went to the Memorial and looked it over closely. As Craig died, he was able to find the name Bergdorf on the Memorial and put a smudge of blood on it. Then I went and talked to his neighbors he had recently rescued a pit-bull. Then I went to the animal shelter and sure enough among the pit-bulls collected from the raid was Craig’s. The blood on the cement proved there was a struggle before Craig was shot and only Bergdorf was large enough to take Craig down."

Shilling patted Brandon on the back “Dang nab it! Good work!”

Brandon replied “It was nothing, it was Shawn’s picture that put the pieces together.” 

  Shilling said “I wonder why he dumped the body so close to where he was murdered.”

Brandon nodded in agreement “You would have to ask him. Maybe just buying more time until the body was found, if it wouldn’t have been for the children building the snow fort on the other side and taking the hunks of snow and ice out of that bank, he would have been there a few more days.”

Shilling said “guess you got it all wrapped up nice and neat.”

Brandon replied a humble “yep, but I was up all night and I got that girl, Cindy’s, number so I’ll see you tomorrow. Brandon lip kind of turned up into a smile as he strode away.

   Shilling gave Brandon another assignment "on your day off think of an initiation for our new rookie, Shawn."