The Bathtub
folder
Angst › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,450
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Angst › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,450
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
The Bathtub
The Bathtub
This is based on real events and an unsolved homicide.
The night oozed heat, as I pulled into the driveway of a very respectable looking house in the picturesque subdivision of Germantown, TN about eight thirty on April 17, 1984. My captain had called me and asked me to come by here twenty minutes earlier. My beat was Memphis, but he said I might have some information regarding the reported homicide inside this deceptive quiet house. I personally had no idea what he was talking about at the time. Right now I was a lowly officer, Justine Cartwright, and I had six years on the force and I wanted to make it to twenty-five.
When I walked into the house the CSI team was scattered about doing their various jobs. I walked through the house and asked Murphy the fingerprint tech I knew who was in charge. He directed me to Waterhouse in the bathroom. Kalter Waterhouse had an excellent reputation as detective. He had been with MPD fifteen years before he moved over to the Germantown PD. He claimed it was less stressful. Not tonight it wasn't.
When I walked in the bathroom, the room looked like a nightmare. The bathroom under normal circumstances was dreamlike. It was large and airy with lots of counter space and shelving not to mention a fabulous antique claw foot tub and shower. But now the entire space was covered in blood. Wedged behind the lovely claw foot tub as far as possible was the lady of the house Lucy Reaf"¦dead. Not just dead, but quite obviously stabbed to death many, many times.
"Hello, Officer Cartwright," greeted Kalter.
"What," I asked, "killing her once was not enough?"
Kalter looked at me and shook his head, and then proffered a response, "This is more than just hate, this is out of control rage. She's been dead about four hours according to the prelim of the coroner, which puts the time of death between four and four thirty. Plus, the killer was kind enough to leave the knife in the victim's chest. The knife was a steak knife from the victim's kitchen. Ms. Reaf had a matched set. The reason I called you in tonight, Justine, was I have evidence that one of your neighbors was having an affair with the deceased."
"Charming, which one?" I inquired.
"Sean Lingle, do you know much about your neighbors?" Kalter replied.
"Only when they cut their grass. His wife Cassie is not going to like this at all," I retorted.
"Well, just in case I want you to be there when I question him," ordered, Kalter.
"Yes, sir," I softly confirmed as I marveled at this viciousness before me.
We went to my neighbor's home, actually about ten minutes away from the victim's residence, only to find his wife Cassie there. She answered the door. She informed us calmly that her husband had called her and told her he would be having drinks and dinner with some co-workers. Cassie gave us the name of the restaurant without any fuss and we didn't tell why we where looking for Sean, her husband. Both Kalter and I thought he should be the one to tell he was messing around on her.
Sean was found at the Green Bottle Inn on Beale Street. It's the sort of hole in the wall locals patronize. Once there Kalter and I sat down with Sean Lingle and explained the whole situation to him. That's when things moved quickly.
Upon hearing that Lucy, his paramour, was dead and the manner in which she had been killed. Sean ordered a Dewar's neat. He downed in one shot. He then admitted to having an affair with her. He said he had been at the Green Bottle Inn since he left work and he had been at work all day. At that point, he ended the interview, went the bar, paid his bill, and left the restaurant. He looked like the devil himself was after him.
Kalter and I sat at the table for a few minutes after Sean Lingle left. I looked at Kalter and finally said, "He looks more frightened something else than us."
"Good point. I want to speak to his wife," concludes Kalter.
We go back to the Lingles. When we arrive at their residence we see Sean Lingle packing his belongings and Cassie Lingle in the kitchen making tea. Kalter and I split up at that point. I talk to Sean while he talks to Cassie.
I go over and interrupt Sean, "Hey, looks like you've made some quick decisions here."
Sean looked and said, "Yes, I told Cassie that I am leaving as of now."
I asked, "Why now. Why not when Lucy Reaf was alive."
Sean stopped for a minute and looked at me, then said, "I can't talk about it."
I pursued this line of questioning with Sean and he wouldn't budge. He ended the conversation as quickly as possible and continued packing as rapidly as he could.
Kalter was not having much luck with Cassie. According to her, she had been at home all day by herself. Not much of an albi, and plus, she had a lot of motive. I listened to the tail end of their conversation and it was evident her story did not wash.
As we left the Lingles' residence, I told Kalter, "She is either very controlled and smart, crazier than a shithouse rat, or a little of both."
"I would go for both. Have you ever seen someone handle a police interrogation to nanchantly?" he inquired.
"I would be a nervous wreck," I admitted.
"So would I. She is my first suspect," concluded Kalter.
So taking Sean Lingle's actions and vague statements, and Cassie's lack of albi into account Kalter was able to get a search warrant for the Lingle residence. It didn't hurt that Ms. Reaf was a prominent members of the community. The CSI team searched every inch of that house five times and never found a bit evidence that placed Cassie Lingle at Lucy Reaf's at the time of her death.
Sean Lingle was interviewed on numerous occasions even after he divorced his wife and he never said a word as to whether she was innocent or guilty. He just clammed up!
But time has passed as it habitually does. Cassie still lives beside me in the same house. Amazingly enough she is one of my better neighbors. I get a call from Lucy Reaf's relatives every now and then to see if she is still alive. I suppose Lucy's murder will be solved when Sean or Cassie die, but who knows.
I have been in law enforcement now for over twenty years now and if its one thing I have learned: everyone has one good murder in them.
This is based on real events and an unsolved homicide.
The night oozed heat, as I pulled into the driveway of a very respectable looking house in the picturesque subdivision of Germantown, TN about eight thirty on April 17, 1984. My captain had called me and asked me to come by here twenty minutes earlier. My beat was Memphis, but he said I might have some information regarding the reported homicide inside this deceptive quiet house. I personally had no idea what he was talking about at the time. Right now I was a lowly officer, Justine Cartwright, and I had six years on the force and I wanted to make it to twenty-five.
When I walked into the house the CSI team was scattered about doing their various jobs. I walked through the house and asked Murphy the fingerprint tech I knew who was in charge. He directed me to Waterhouse in the bathroom. Kalter Waterhouse had an excellent reputation as detective. He had been with MPD fifteen years before he moved over to the Germantown PD. He claimed it was less stressful. Not tonight it wasn't.
When I walked in the bathroom, the room looked like a nightmare. The bathroom under normal circumstances was dreamlike. It was large and airy with lots of counter space and shelving not to mention a fabulous antique claw foot tub and shower. But now the entire space was covered in blood. Wedged behind the lovely claw foot tub as far as possible was the lady of the house Lucy Reaf"¦dead. Not just dead, but quite obviously stabbed to death many, many times.
"Hello, Officer Cartwright," greeted Kalter.
"What," I asked, "killing her once was not enough?"
Kalter looked at me and shook his head, and then proffered a response, "This is more than just hate, this is out of control rage. She's been dead about four hours according to the prelim of the coroner, which puts the time of death between four and four thirty. Plus, the killer was kind enough to leave the knife in the victim's chest. The knife was a steak knife from the victim's kitchen. Ms. Reaf had a matched set. The reason I called you in tonight, Justine, was I have evidence that one of your neighbors was having an affair with the deceased."
"Charming, which one?" I inquired.
"Sean Lingle, do you know much about your neighbors?" Kalter replied.
"Only when they cut their grass. His wife Cassie is not going to like this at all," I retorted.
"Well, just in case I want you to be there when I question him," ordered, Kalter.
"Yes, sir," I softly confirmed as I marveled at this viciousness before me.
We went to my neighbor's home, actually about ten minutes away from the victim's residence, only to find his wife Cassie there. She answered the door. She informed us calmly that her husband had called her and told her he would be having drinks and dinner with some co-workers. Cassie gave us the name of the restaurant without any fuss and we didn't tell why we where looking for Sean, her husband. Both Kalter and I thought he should be the one to tell he was messing around on her.
Sean was found at the Green Bottle Inn on Beale Street. It's the sort of hole in the wall locals patronize. Once there Kalter and I sat down with Sean Lingle and explained the whole situation to him. That's when things moved quickly.
Upon hearing that Lucy, his paramour, was dead and the manner in which she had been killed. Sean ordered a Dewar's neat. He downed in one shot. He then admitted to having an affair with her. He said he had been at the Green Bottle Inn since he left work and he had been at work all day. At that point, he ended the interview, went the bar, paid his bill, and left the restaurant. He looked like the devil himself was after him.
Kalter and I sat at the table for a few minutes after Sean Lingle left. I looked at Kalter and finally said, "He looks more frightened something else than us."
"Good point. I want to speak to his wife," concludes Kalter.
We go back to the Lingles. When we arrive at their residence we see Sean Lingle packing his belongings and Cassie Lingle in the kitchen making tea. Kalter and I split up at that point. I talk to Sean while he talks to Cassie.
I go over and interrupt Sean, "Hey, looks like you've made some quick decisions here."
Sean looked and said, "Yes, I told Cassie that I am leaving as of now."
I asked, "Why now. Why not when Lucy Reaf was alive."
Sean stopped for a minute and looked at me, then said, "I can't talk about it."
I pursued this line of questioning with Sean and he wouldn't budge. He ended the conversation as quickly as possible and continued packing as rapidly as he could.
Kalter was not having much luck with Cassie. According to her, she had been at home all day by herself. Not much of an albi, and plus, she had a lot of motive. I listened to the tail end of their conversation and it was evident her story did not wash.
As we left the Lingles' residence, I told Kalter, "She is either very controlled and smart, crazier than a shithouse rat, or a little of both."
"I would go for both. Have you ever seen someone handle a police interrogation to nanchantly?" he inquired.
"I would be a nervous wreck," I admitted.
"So would I. She is my first suspect," concluded Kalter.
So taking Sean Lingle's actions and vague statements, and Cassie's lack of albi into account Kalter was able to get a search warrant for the Lingle residence. It didn't hurt that Ms. Reaf was a prominent members of the community. The CSI team searched every inch of that house five times and never found a bit evidence that placed Cassie Lingle at Lucy Reaf's at the time of her death.
Sean Lingle was interviewed on numerous occasions even after he divorced his wife and he never said a word as to whether she was innocent or guilty. He just clammed up!
But time has passed as it habitually does. Cassie still lives beside me in the same house. Amazingly enough she is one of my better neighbors. I get a call from Lucy Reaf's relatives every now and then to see if she is still alive. I suppose Lucy's murder will be solved when Sean or Cassie die, but who knows.
I have been in law enforcement now for over twenty years now and if its one thing I have learned: everyone has one good murder in them.