Dead or Alive

Dead or Alive by Michael McGarrity

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Authors: Michael McGarrity
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Newcomb. He gave Ramona the microcassette containing Newcomb’s tape-recorded witness statement.
    Ramona pocketed the cassette and asked Newcomb to stay with Officer Gavin until the detectives arrived and they could ask her about Jeannie Cooper’s personal life.
    Newcomb’s expression turned somber. “Do you think she was murdered?”
    â€œWe have to look at all the possibilities.”
    â€œI saw the marks on her face, but I just thought that Jeannie had mutilated herself again,” Newcomb said. “She always does that when she gets depressed. And besides, as far as a personal life goes she hasn’t had one since she started her own landscaping company in the spring.”
    Ramona smiled. “That’s exactly the kind of information that could be very helpful to us.”
    Radio traffic on her handheld told Ramona that the detectives and crime scene unit were five minutes out. She used the time to start questioning the residents in the other apartments. Two hours later, she had a homicide with no witnesses, no apparent motive, and no suspects. She huddled with her two detectives, Beatty and Olivas, while the MI and crime scene techs finished up inside the apartment.
    â€œWe could expand the canvass,” Beatty said, “but I don’t think it would do any good.”
    â€œAgreed,” Ramona said, “although I think come morning we should talk to the business owners in the neighborhood to find out if they saw anyone hanging around in the late afternoon.”
    â€œI’ll do it,” Olivas said, sounding dour, which was more his prevailing outlook on life than an attitude in need of adjustment.
    â€œOkay.” Ramona handed Beatty a notebook she’d found in Cooper’s truck. “There’s a list of her clients and jobs in there. Make some calls and talk to the people she has been working for.”
    Beatty, a thick-set, middle-aged man who suffered from serious allergies, sniffled and nodded. “Sally Newcomb told me who Cooper used to work for.” He consulted his notes. “His name is Daniel Peck. Owns a company called Milagro Landscaping. I found his home phone number and address in the telephone directory.”
    â€œI’ll talk to him,” Ramona said.
    Beatty rattled off Peck’s phone number and address.
    Ramona wrote them on her notepad. “Did Newcomb know if Cooper was seeing anyone six months to a year ago?”
    Beatty put his finger to his nose and sniffled. “She doesn’t think there was anybody special, and she couldn’t give me any names of who Cooper had seen in the past. But then, I got the feeling from Newcomb that she may have been interested in reeling Cooper in for herself.”
    â€œInteresting,” Ramona said. “Note that in your narrative, so we can follow up on it if need be.” She nodded toward the apartment. “This homicide has some wrinkles, but by the way the murder was committed, I don’t think jealousy or lust was the motive. The perp forced the pills down Cooper’s throat, which suggests he was angry at her for some reason.”
    â€œAre you thinking the perp is male?” Beatty asked.
    â€œThe bruise marks on Cooper’s neck suggest that,” Ramona replied.
    â€œFor a female, Newcomb has large hands,” Beatty noted.
    â€œI’m not ruling her out,” Ramona said. “The sloppy attempt made to mask the killing as a suicide tells me that the killer knew the victim. I’d like both of you to take another look inside the apartment. Find me something that will link the victim to a suspect—a romantic entanglement, an illicit relationship, a conflict with a neighbor, former colleague, or ex-lover—whatever. You know the routine.”
    â€œMaybe we’ll find some love letters or a diary containing revealing and damaging tidbits,” Olivas said as he started toward the apartment.
    â€œYou really think so?” Beatty

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