RobinBradbery
16th June 2005, 03:08 AM
This story is a very short sort of a thing. Realy, just one of numerous little scenes/stories that plague my half asleep brain at night. If I don't write them down they will just keep bouncing around in there until I do. Pesky critters actually.
I must say it is still choppy in places but altogether "finished" enough to post. Please feel free to offer constructive criticism.
______________________________
Strange Afternoon
What was I thinking? My shift was almost over and I had ten minutes till the night supervisor took over. I should have let him take the call. I should have just gone home.
I didn’t.
It was late afternoon on a sunny Tuesday. The day had been relatively quiet with only the usual calls.
Usual. Now that was an interesting term.
I came up on the scene of the accident, an auto-pedestrian affair that looked like so many others. One beat up pickup with severe front end damage, must have been going pretty fast, one very upset toddler being checked over by paramedics, one very distraught driver being questioned by officers, a tow truck and an ambulance. And finally, one shrouded body laying on the pickup hood. There was also the usual amount of curious on lookers.
“So. Whats the story?” I asked a passing patrolman.
He flipped through his note pad. “From what we have been able to piece together Mrs Cole here, his pen pointed toward the driver, was driving eastbound when the boy, the ballpoint swung toward the toddler, ran onto the road from between those two cars. She slammed on her brakes too late. She hit something pretty heavy.”
“She obviously didn’t hit the kid. So someone pushed him out of the way?”
“That’s what we thought. We looked all over for a victim. Heck Bob even walked the ditch and checked peoples backyards.”
“You think there was a second victim?”
"Ah no. We were looking for the first victim."
“Are you blind or did someone move the body?” Maybe I was getting a little miffed. The sheet-covered body was still laying on top of her hood for Gods sake!
I took a deep breath. “Were there any witnesses?”
“No sir. Of course not.” He saw my hackles starting to rise and put up his hands. “You’d better just see for yourself. Your not going to believe me if I tell you.”
We approached the covered body. Spying the Coroner I beckoned him over. “Do we have an ID on the victim?”
He looked pale and a little scared. Interesting, James wasn’t often bothered by this stuff.
“No. As you can imagine we are having a bit of trouble in that area.”
“No. I can’t imagine.” I growled. I was getting real tired of this pussyfooting real fast.
“Well what do you know?”
“The body is six foot two, clean shaven and, um male.” He seemed a bit embarrassed divulging that last fact.
“And that’s it? A six foot plus male? What is his race? What was he wearing? Was there any ID, a name tag, anything?” My tone was a wee bit condescending but, come on! He should know this stuff!
“Ah no. He is err.. was, naked.”
“Naked?”
“Yep. Starkers”. The patrolman chimed in gleefully.
“Naked?” “And no one,” I swept the busy intersection with a telling glance, “noticed a six foot two naked man walking around in the middle of the afternoon?”
“No sir” he said lifting up the edge of the sheet.
Yep. I should have just gone home. Let Johnson handle this one.
Under the sheet you could plainly see the dented hood and shattered windshield. And that’s all.
No body.
No blood.
Nothing.
I took the edge of the sheet from him and lowered it back down. Clearly outlined, was a bent and battered body. I lifted the sheet once again and reached underneath, hesitantly prodding at the vacant space. My outstretched finger met something I could only describe as flesh.
The hair began rising on my neck and arms. I slowly lowered the sheet.
“The tow truck driver actually found the body.” The patrol officer offered “ He was sweeping away the broken glass when he tried to sweep off the hood and …well…..” He motioned toward the sheet.
“We figure this guy must have seen the kid, threw him to safety and took the hit but no one saw him because he's.”
He couldn't say it. I knew I couldn't say it. Heck, it hurt to just think it!
Right then two things happened at once. The kids’ mother arrived amidst much wailing and relieved crying and a second ambulance arrived.
As a cop, you learn to look for details an average person would miss. It was almost second nature. I noticed that the ambulance, while wearing the trappings of Mercy Hospital, was not the usual older type model driven by the Mercy staff. I also didn’t recognize the EMT’s. One new guy sure, that was not unusual. But all three were strangers. Very unusual. As they got their equipment ready, I noticed their mannerisms were not those of friendly helpful paramedics. Instead, they exuded military training in every calculated movement. Besides, I didn’t know of any paramedics that wore freshly polished dress shoes to work.
I turned to go question them when my cell began to ring
Deb, wondering where I was no doubt. I was supposed to call her right back when I decided to take this call.
But it wasn’t Deb. It was the Captain.
“Ed, listen, I know you’re a stickler about these things but you need to just let the Mercy guys take the body. I’ll take care of the report. Go on home. You don’t need this.” Just before he hung up I could have sworn I heard him say he didn’t need it either.
I gave the scene a final look over. The driver was getting a citation. The slightly scratched, but otherwise unharmed, toddler was being consoled by his anxious mother. The wrecker was backing up to hook onto the truck. And the shrouded body. The body was being strapped to a Mercy Hospital gurney……..
What body? I didn't see any body.
I got back into my cruiser and headed home. Dinner was getting cold.
I must say it is still choppy in places but altogether "finished" enough to post. Please feel free to offer constructive criticism.
______________________________
Strange Afternoon
What was I thinking? My shift was almost over and I had ten minutes till the night supervisor took over. I should have let him take the call. I should have just gone home.
I didn’t.
It was late afternoon on a sunny Tuesday. The day had been relatively quiet with only the usual calls.
Usual. Now that was an interesting term.
I came up on the scene of the accident, an auto-pedestrian affair that looked like so many others. One beat up pickup with severe front end damage, must have been going pretty fast, one very upset toddler being checked over by paramedics, one very distraught driver being questioned by officers, a tow truck and an ambulance. And finally, one shrouded body laying on the pickup hood. There was also the usual amount of curious on lookers.
“So. Whats the story?” I asked a passing patrolman.
He flipped through his note pad. “From what we have been able to piece together Mrs Cole here, his pen pointed toward the driver, was driving eastbound when the boy, the ballpoint swung toward the toddler, ran onto the road from between those two cars. She slammed on her brakes too late. She hit something pretty heavy.”
“She obviously didn’t hit the kid. So someone pushed him out of the way?”
“That’s what we thought. We looked all over for a victim. Heck Bob even walked the ditch and checked peoples backyards.”
“You think there was a second victim?”
"Ah no. We were looking for the first victim."
“Are you blind or did someone move the body?” Maybe I was getting a little miffed. The sheet-covered body was still laying on top of her hood for Gods sake!
I took a deep breath. “Were there any witnesses?”
“No sir. Of course not.” He saw my hackles starting to rise and put up his hands. “You’d better just see for yourself. Your not going to believe me if I tell you.”
We approached the covered body. Spying the Coroner I beckoned him over. “Do we have an ID on the victim?”
He looked pale and a little scared. Interesting, James wasn’t often bothered by this stuff.
“No. As you can imagine we are having a bit of trouble in that area.”
“No. I can’t imagine.” I growled. I was getting real tired of this pussyfooting real fast.
“Well what do you know?”
“The body is six foot two, clean shaven and, um male.” He seemed a bit embarrassed divulging that last fact.
“And that’s it? A six foot plus male? What is his race? What was he wearing? Was there any ID, a name tag, anything?” My tone was a wee bit condescending but, come on! He should know this stuff!
“Ah no. He is err.. was, naked.”
“Naked?”
“Yep. Starkers”. The patrolman chimed in gleefully.
“Naked?” “And no one,” I swept the busy intersection with a telling glance, “noticed a six foot two naked man walking around in the middle of the afternoon?”
“No sir” he said lifting up the edge of the sheet.
Yep. I should have just gone home. Let Johnson handle this one.
Under the sheet you could plainly see the dented hood and shattered windshield. And that’s all.
No body.
No blood.
Nothing.
I took the edge of the sheet from him and lowered it back down. Clearly outlined, was a bent and battered body. I lifted the sheet once again and reached underneath, hesitantly prodding at the vacant space. My outstretched finger met something I could only describe as flesh.
The hair began rising on my neck and arms. I slowly lowered the sheet.
“The tow truck driver actually found the body.” The patrol officer offered “ He was sweeping away the broken glass when he tried to sweep off the hood and …well…..” He motioned toward the sheet.
“We figure this guy must have seen the kid, threw him to safety and took the hit but no one saw him because he's.”
He couldn't say it. I knew I couldn't say it. Heck, it hurt to just think it!
Right then two things happened at once. The kids’ mother arrived amidst much wailing and relieved crying and a second ambulance arrived.
As a cop, you learn to look for details an average person would miss. It was almost second nature. I noticed that the ambulance, while wearing the trappings of Mercy Hospital, was not the usual older type model driven by the Mercy staff. I also didn’t recognize the EMT’s. One new guy sure, that was not unusual. But all three were strangers. Very unusual. As they got their equipment ready, I noticed their mannerisms were not those of friendly helpful paramedics. Instead, they exuded military training in every calculated movement. Besides, I didn’t know of any paramedics that wore freshly polished dress shoes to work.
I turned to go question them when my cell began to ring
Deb, wondering where I was no doubt. I was supposed to call her right back when I decided to take this call.
But it wasn’t Deb. It was the Captain.
“Ed, listen, I know you’re a stickler about these things but you need to just let the Mercy guys take the body. I’ll take care of the report. Go on home. You don’t need this.” Just before he hung up I could have sworn I heard him say he didn’t need it either.
I gave the scene a final look over. The driver was getting a citation. The slightly scratched, but otherwise unharmed, toddler was being consoled by his anxious mother. The wrecker was backing up to hook onto the truck. And the shrouded body. The body was being strapped to a Mercy Hospital gurney……..
What body? I didn't see any body.
I got back into my cruiser and headed home. Dinner was getting cold.