Steve’s Shorts: You Know I’m Watching (continued)…
You Know I’m Watching
A “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco” Homicide Case
Copyright 2018, Steven M. Moore
Chapter Six
Was at my desk reviewing the CSU’s report. Also thinking about old Joe’s denial of being Sharon’s stalker. Why had he admitted to shooting her but not to the stalking? Took out the sheaf of papers from the evidence box again. Studied them. There were explicit details about what would happen to Sharon. No mention of a rifle attack, though.
The CSU hadn’t found one ‘zine in Joe’s apartment. Some CDs and a few library books. The guy didn’t even have a TV. Books were all non-fiction. European histories, mostly. Could understand that. I loved history.
“There’s another perp,” I said to Chen.
She nodded. “Eric and I were discussing the case. We thought of that too. The two MOs don’t match. Joe’s actions were reactive—a knee-jerk reaction to Sharon’s ultimatum. The stalker acted over a period of time.”
“Whoever it was had nothing to do with the shooting. An infatuation. Let’s go back over the list of co-workers.”
It took us several hours, but we soon homed in on some testimonies where co-workers stated that they admired Sharon and her boss because they often worked late hours. Some others did too, but not as a habit.
“Think Marvin Dunn became infatuated with Sharon Hill?” I said to Chen.
“A possibility. Let’s assume it’s true. How do we prove it?”
“Search warrant for Dunn’s work desk and his apartment,” I said.
“That’s going to be difficult. Captain and DA already think we solved the case.”
“So you’re going to have to convince them Joe isn’t the stalker.”
Reasonable suggestion because the captain thought I was a little too creative sometimes, and he thought Chen and her husband were the cat’s meow. The DA didn’t much care for me for many reasons, and sometimes she and the captain commiserated.
The judge took some convincing too.
***
Chen and a few uniforms raided Dunn’s apartment. I took a few uniforms to raid the workplace. Both teams had two CSIs with them.
Marvin Dunn just looked at the search warrant and shrugged, made a gesture toward his office, and said, “Be my guest. You’re barking up the wrong tree, Detective.”
Seemed a bit smug. Body language screamed “Guilty!” Maybe stalking couldn’t compare to murder, but there was no doubt the stalker had made Sharon Hill’s life hell. We all too often dehumanize the victims. But they’re all human beings. Because Chen and I work homicides, I should say they were human beings, people whose lives had been destroyed by violence perpetrated by criminals who, for whatever motive, committed the ultimate sin of taking a person’s life. The victims were often innocents too. What had Sharon been thinking when that bullet ripped into her neck? Had she just hidden the stalker’s letters?
I’d seen death on the battlefield. Every wounded soldier and dead soldier were victims of politicians who sent them to fight often senseless battles. Everything after the Second World War was questionable. Had often thought about that sitting on a carrier waiting for the choppers to dump me somewhere. No doubt in my mind about bad guys being bad guys, but was it our battle?
But it wasn’t the same with innocent civilians. I felt more empathy toward them. They weren’t on a battlefield in a far-off land. They were at home where they think they’re safe…until they’re not.
The NYPD’s job is to protect these innocents from harm, but the majority of our cases were reactive. Someone dies. The only thing we can do is bring the murderers to justice. Or, in this case, a stalker, who had made Sharon Hill’s life miserable. We already had Sharon’s murderer in custody.
I was perched in Sharon Hill’s desk chair when the two CSIs exited Dunn’s office. They shook their heads. Those rambling thoughts ended with a call from Chen at Dunn’s apartment. Nothing. Nada. Nil. Ничего.
“There’s a shredder and some shredding residue by a trash can,” Chen said. “Pentagon-quality shredding. We wouldn’t be able to put it back together.”
Watched the clean-up guy remove bags of shredded documents from the office. No way of putting any of that back together either, and here Dunn’s paper waste was all mixed up with others’ waste.
Watched Dunn return to his office and close the door. Knew he was guilty. Chen and I had failed this time. Wasn’t our first failure, but it always was painful. Promised myself to keep a close eye out for Marvin Dunn in the future. Sometime he would make a mistake.
Sharon Hill, may you rest in peace, I thought. At least we have your killer.
***
I hope you enjoyed this brief glance into the case history of these two detectives. Comments are always welcome.
Family Affairs. #6 in the “Detectives Chen and Castilblaco Series” describes the first steps taken by Castilblanco and his wife to adopt the children of one of his relatives. Another Castilblanco relative and her boyfriend are accused of killing an old boyfriend of his relative. Castilblanco believes she’s innocent. Proving that isn’t so simple when the case becomes entwined with plans for a terrorist attack. This ebook is on sale now at Smashwords for $0.99, but only for a week.
To end the series (or prepare yourself for the next novel—I’m thinking about it), please consider Gaia and the Goliaths, the seventh book. Environmental issues play a role as an energy conglomerate takes extreme measures to protect its business interests, starting with the murder of an environmental activist. Once again, that murder case leads to a conspiracy with national and international repercussions. Available in ebook format on Amazon and Smashwords and all the latter’s affiliated retailers (Apple iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc).
Note: If you like the series and/or this free novella, please check out the following: The Phantom Harvester (free download featuring Castilblanco’s adopted children) and Pop Two Antacids and Have Some Java (other Chen and Castilblanco cases). Also please consider the spinoffs, The Golden Years of Virginia Morgan and Rembrandt’s Angel. (The last two are also available on Smashwords.) All provide mystery, suspense, and thrills for your reading entertainment.
Have a happy and prosperous 2019.
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
