Thrown Adrift

by Combs, Sasha

  Linda looked at Sergeant Rutherford; the officer that she needed to talk to. As she stared at him, she noticed that his eyes were fixed on the coastguard and she didn’t even know if he was aware that she’d arrived. If she were to follow the book to solve this case; procedures would demand that she talk to Rutherford first, before speaking to anyone else. Nevertheless, her eyes looked away from him because the river beckoned her to come closer. With each step, her paces took her in another direction, away from the Sargent. When she stood at the waters edge, she was joined by one of the first responders. The officer told her about Ollie the vagrant and how he’d flagged down his squad car. Then after telling her where their witness was being held, the officer asked if he could leave the scene. She didn’t understand his urgency but she jotted down a few notes, while logging mental perceptions about him and his report. She’d learned from law school, that a lot could be gained by observing a persons outward behavior. However, she still had not talked to Rutherford yet and Linda didn’t want any of the officers to leave until she’d talked to each of them. Keeping the officers idled would require a boat load of moxie on her part and her keen senses made her realize, showing her fear would greatly hamper her effectiveness in this case. Already the deck was stacked against her and she couldn’t risk sullying the waters by making things worse.

  “Pull her towards me...that’s it...”

  Three coastguards were working from their boat trying to determine the rivers current. While one steered and made course adjustments, the other two men leaned over the side, attempting to pull in the bobbing body. When they left their port, then piloted their craft through a narrow lagoon nestled in a portion of the island; it was then that their sighting confirmed the vagrants report. At first they all believed this would be a quick in and out job but retrieving the body had proved difficult for them.

  As and observer, at one point Linda had thought the police on shore stood a better chance to retrieve the body but as the water suddenly shifted, causing the stiff form to move in another direction. Now, the men onboard the small watercraft were in the best position to pull the body in. Linda watched as one of the men on deck positioned himself to lift the corpse from the rear of the boat. His move took a great deal of effort. The sound of loud grunting and cursing could be heard and she couldn’t begin to imagine the weight of his burden.

  “How long has this been going on...?”

  Linda turned to the familiar voice of the cities coroner, Gregory Stills. He was puffing on a cigar and she hated that he often times would blow the smoke from his deep inhalations directly into her face.

  “Not more than an hour. I got a call from Captain Billings before midnight and the call reporting the body was logged in through dispatch before he called me.”

  Gregory twirled his cigar in his mouth while pursing his lips in the shape of a circle. It was dark outside but the spotlights that had been positioned on shore cast a shadow of light and Linda could see Gregory’s eyes as they squinted due to the burning fumes. Exhaling a plum of smoke he said...

  “If they keep poking at her like that, there won’t be any need for me to hang around.”

  Linda had wanted to disagree with the impatient man, but Gregory had been the cities senior coroner for over thirty years and she had only been assigned to work in the homicide division two weeks ago. She knew, regardless of what efforts were taken to retrieve the body; the coroner needed to remain on site to be the first to officially assess the body.

  As she formed her mouth to state this point; Linda heard jubilant voices coming from offshore. The lights that had been illuminating the body from the coastguard were no longer on. She noticed the police officer who had been trying to fish the body in from shore when he lowered his pole. He walked in her direction appearing to look more defeated than relieved that the task had been completed.

  “The ferry boys got her. I guess that means we can leave now.”

  Linda didn’t know this officer personally but she’d seen him around the precinct. She read his name on his badge while issuing an order as if they were professionally acquainted.

  “Officer Hopkins, report to Sergeant Rutherford and tell him to coordinate assignments with Lieutenant Phillips. We need to be certain that the officers are working in conjunction with the CSI team. This is a big island and this area might not be the only spot that requires our attention. I would also like the area combed for any other possible witnesses. The vagrant that reported seeing the body may not be the only person who has seen or heard something.”

  “Will do...” he said with very little inflection in his voice. Until now, the rumor had not been confirmed but after receiving her directions Larry Hopkins understood the order of things. Detective Linda Gable was in charge of this investigation. Hopkins regarded her for a few seconds then he continued on, reporting to Rutherford as he’d been instructed. When the Sergeant walked away, Hopkins joined the other officers in the rear. She heard one of them saying something about a coffeehouse and donuts. She shook her head, unable to believe their callous disregard for the loss of life. Sure, it was late and everybody appeared to be cold and they were all stuck working on a holiday but a person was dead and that had to count for something.

  Looking at Gregory, Linda tried to tune out the other people on the island. She noticed that the coroner’s face wasn’t hiding his displeasure. She wondered if his sour puss expression had anything to do with the dead body, her being in charge or the chilly night weather.

  “Will you do your first assessment here or back at the...”

  In a loud voice, Gregory spouted out words that echoed through the darkness. Linda had been abruptly interrupted.

  “You don’t need to tell me how to do my job newbie! I was doing this job before you were a twinkle in you mama’s eye!”

  Gregory turned away from the waters edge, then left without adding another word. Linda was dumbfounded and she didn’t know what had sparked his outburst. She barely knew the man and during their short acquaintance, there had never been any disagreements nor altercations. But she had heard about Gregory’s short fuse and his unpredictable temper. Of course, Linda had also believed these were embellishments told to frighten her. However, now as she stood in the snow, with her eyes pinned in his direction. She was puzzled and she found it difficult not watching him as he stormed off in the direction of the coroners van. She was trying to make sense of tonights events and Gregory was the last person she needed to deal with. His unwillingness to cooperate would mess up her investigation. She didn’t have time to pamper him or his odd personality.

  Linda felt her anger churning to a boil. She needed answers and at this point she didn’t care whose toes she would have to step on. With her mind made up, her eyes searched to find Sergeant Rutherford but he wasn’t standing where he’d been earlier. While standing at the waters edge, she had gleaned a sense, telling her what she needed to know but she couldn’t solve this crime alone. She needed to be sure that assignments had been handed out. Murder investigations could be tricky and time was of the essence. The officers on the island held the keys that could keep the investigation smoothly rolling. As her eyes searched the area, her sweeping glance was cut short when she heard a gentle masculine voice talking to her from behind.

  “Don’t mind Gregory...he’s just upset because he wasn’t invited to the big party tonight at the mayors mansion.”

  Linda turned in the direction of the sound, knowing that the voice belonged to Hayford Mead. He was a reporter for one of the local newspapers and currently he was the last person she wanted to see.

  Moving away from him, Linda heard the sound of slushing snow and the noise matched her gait. Hayford was following her and she knew next would come the stream of endless questions. Given their past connection, she hoped for the impossible because in this situation anything was possible. Linda was hoping that Hayford had grown a heart because after dealing with Gregory and his hateful rant; she needed a morsel of sincere sympathy. She knew th
is hope against hope was child's play because as she approached her vehicle, Hayford disappointed her by being the reporter he was known to be.

  “This is a high profile case Miss Gable. Did Chief Billings know who was getting fished out of the water tonight...or was he to intoxicated to be bothered with this case?”

  Linda kept her forward motion, not stopping because she wouldn’t be drawn in by Hayford and his bating questions. Moving quickly, she passed the police officers who were still huddled talking outside by their squad cars. She noticed their stares as Hayford followed closely behind her but she also noticed not one of them did a thing to stop the reporter from irritating the lead homicide detective on the case. She knew most of the police officers who were on the scene that night. She also knew the ones who had taken the test for the detectives position but unfortunately she had been the only one in her class to pass the exam. She’d heard the rumors...rumors linking her and Chief Billings in a romantic affair. Rumors surrounding her father and his connections to many of the cities departments. It was all bullshit and Linda knew she really shouldn’t have cared. But, she did care and she really wanted these men to respect her authority.

  With her eyes fixed and her stride matching her unction; Linda moved with purpose because she really needed to get to her car to make a private call. If Gregory wasn’t going to exam the body at the scene, there was no need for her to remain on the island because the killer was here. She also considered Sergeant Rutherford and she wondered why he had not sought her out. No matter she thought as she trod firmly on the densely packed snow. As she felt the control that she’d manufactured in her head slipping away from her; Linda wanted to blame someone. Even though she hated faulting others for her misfortunes, in this case, she was quite certain her blame wouldn’t be wrongly placed.

  With her car in view, Linda was hoping that Hayford would stop to question the police offices. They were still talking when they should have been securing the crime scene and she wondered which of them had allowed a reporter to breech the barricade. Of course, except for Hayford, everyone else in the area had a purpose and most were actually doing their jobs. But this still didn’t stop Linda from praying for the distraction. In the past, she’d seen most of the officers laughing and trading jokes at the local bar with many of the cities reporters. As she thought this, Linda heard his footsteps as he quickly caught up to her then peppered her with another remark.

  “You’re new to the team. Why is Billings sending out new investigators for a case that is sure to rock the city when the sun rises in morning?”

  When she turned around to face him, in the distance she could see Sergeant Rutherford. He was issuing instructions to one of the other officers. Not far from him, where the bridge formed an underpass near the shore; the crime scene detectives were sifting through a bare spot where a pile of wet leaves had collect. When she first arrived on the scene, her perceptions had colored her view. Yet, now as she surveyed the area, her conclusion was quite different. The team that she’d been placed in charge was actually functioning without requiring her directions. They were all trained professionals and based on their actions; their petty jealousies didn’t seem to be much of a hinderance.

  For the second time tonight, Linda was reminded of her role as well as her responsibilities. She didn’t need to micromanage these people. They each had their roles, and when she needed their reports, she knew where she would be able to find them. As a cold chill gripped her by surprise, Linda was reminded of the snowflakes she’d seen while driving to the island. She had not listened to the local forecast but she was hoping that the weather would cooperate. They needed dry weather to preserve the crime scene while they collected their evidence.

  As her mind took in the question Hayford had placed to her, she knew his challenging words had merit and he deserved a valid answer. But on the other hand; Linda knew about Hayford’s supremely contrived tactics because she had experienced his brilliance firsthand. As the cities most well-known reporter, Linda knew that Hayford was trying to intimidate her. She had seen the looks from all the men at the crime scene and she was tired of people insinuating that she’d not earned her position as the lead investigator on this case.

  When she shifted her gaze back on him, her sudden move had caught Hayford by surprised. He blinked his eyes several times, then lowered his gaze to check his foot placement. He wasn’t certain why he did this, but for some reason he felt as if her stare held within it the power to tumble him over.

  When Linda spoke, her words were as crisp and icy as the winter air.

  “Mr. Mead...in the morning, there will be a press conference and my department will be issuing a formal statement. If you’re still looking for answers, I’m quite sure you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions right along with the other reporters. As for your other comments... I’m in charge of this case because it was Commander Billings call...not mines. Quite frankly, that’s all you need to know, but you are right about one thing. I am new to the department but I’m also more than qualified to handle this investigation.”

  Turning, Linda continued towards her car. She knew Hayford would have a clever retort but she had not anticipated what he chose to say next.

  “You may be qualified Ms. Gable...but in the morning, when one of the richest men in the city wakes to find that his daughter was fished out of the river...do you think you’ll be confident enough with your performance here tonight? Are you that sure of yourself? Will you be able to stand and look him square in his face when you tell him that you are the lead investigator, in charge of solving his daughters murder?”

  For a moment, Linda stopped...then as a few seconds passed she continued her forward motion towards her car. She wouldn’t give Hayford Mead the time of day...but inside her gut told her, Hayford had made more than a few valid points. As she turned the key, then started the engine. Linda pulled away from the other cars. She didn’t look to see if Hayford was following her, or if he’d chosen to remain on the island with the other officers. She told herself that she couldn’t be bothered with Hayford Mead or anything he might say. But if she were being honest with herself; Linda cared more than she should have. And right now, being honest was something she really needed to do.

  **********

  0100

  Linda made several calls while driving through the busy streets back to the station. One of those calls had been to Sergeant Rutherford. The man apologized profusely for neglecting to talk to her before she left the scene. Linda calmed his nervousness by telling him that she accepted most of the blame. During their quick conversation; the Sergeant brought her up to speed on all of their findings so far. After three officers searched the area, Linda learned that no one else had been found near the bridge. But Rutherford suggested that the body could have been thrown into the river from any point on the island. This assumption would suggest that the rivers current carried the body; then dumped it into the lagoon. As she considered this, Linda reminded the Sergeant about the vagrants report. Ollie had stated that he heard a sound when something splashed into the water. After that, the man reported hearing noise coming from a departing engine. The vagrants description would make Rutherford’s theory unlikely but she hated that there wasn’t anyone else to corroborate Ollie’s version of the events.

  Before ending the call, they each agreed that the bridge was still the most likely primary crime scene. Linda issued an order, telling Rutherford to continue focusing their efforts in that spot. After talking to him, she began wondering about the victim and the family. They were several approaches when making death notifications. Linda ticked each tactic off in her brain but not one of them seemed appropriate and she refused to recite the suggested words and phrases commonly used by the other detectives. As she worried over how best to tell the family about the death of their daughter; Linda grimaced. She needed to nudge Hayford’s comments out of her brain. She hated admitting that he’d been right, especially about the part describing the victims family. Soon, she woul
d have to tell one of the cities riches men that she was in charge of this investigation. Linda tried to force that picture out of her head by creating mental images. She made note of the traffic and the people out on the streets. As she did this, she was reminded of her role as a detective. Even though she’d blasted Hayford, telling him how capable she was a detective; Linda had more than a few wrinkles that she still needed to iron out of her persona. One of her wisely disguised ticks was that she hated traveling the streets alone at ungodly hours during the night. Each time she found herself in this predicament; Linda reminded herself that the late hours were a part of the job. As she played this mental game with herself; she used her weaknesses as her edge. Linda focused on the things she hated most, until Hayford’s voice was a distant memory, in the well of her brain.