Summertime Blues (Blogophilia 27.6)

"For homicide detectives, the clock starts ticking the moment they are called. Their chance of solving a murder is cut in half if they don't get a lead within the first 48 hours."

“Memphis, Tennessee 1:30 A.M.”  {Long shot of a full moon over the Mississippi River}

“It’s a humid July night on Beale St and the clubs are singing the summertime blues.  The roosting birds on a wire scatter when a scream comes from on the sidewalk…”

                [rinnngggg…]

“Shelby County 911.   What is your emergency?”

“There is a dead body lying in the doorway.  I think we’re gonna need the police.”

“They are on their way…”

[Cut to the interior of a car.  A youngish, short haired woman driving]

 “Just sat down to eat dinner when I got this call.”  

“Sergeant Penny Farthing, a ten year veteran of the homicide unit has been assigned as lead detective.  Known on the force as “Cheap”, she has a reputation for her low expenses and high clearance rate. “

[Car parks and Sgt. Farthing joins the other officers on scene]

“Sgt Farthing meets her partner, Detective Rory Sullens, a 15 year veteran.  Sullens is known in the department as “Metal Head”, a result of a traffic accident when he was a rookie patrolman.”

  “So, what do we have, Metal?”

“Our decedent is a Male White, Cheap.  He has significant trauma to the head, but I can’t exactly from what, though. ME’s office will confirm what did it.  Really odd thing.  He is dressed up in a dog costume.”

“That’s strange.  Look. He’s also got this gold helmet looking thing on his head.  I’ve seen this before, but I can’t place it.  Has anybody turned up witnesses?’

“Just the 911 caller, Cheap.  Said he was coming out of the late showing of The Seven Samurai at the Orpheum and about tripped over the body.  I’ve already sent him over to the office for an interview. “

“Good, do we have an I.D on him?”

“The driver’s license is for a Commander Danny Kaye. Somehow, I don’t think that is a real name.  Who names their kid after a dead actor?”

“I’ve seen stranger things, Metal, and so have you.  Is that a blood trail leading into that alley?”

“Yeah, we traced it over to Peabody and it vanishes. I’m guessing he picked up a bus or taxi.  It 

looks like our suspect may have hurt himself while doing this. “

“We’ll canvass the local emergency rooms to check for patients.  I wonder if our suspect was volitorial? Anybody over that way see anything strange?”

“Not that we have turned up But we are still interviewing bystanders.“

The detectives are joined my Lt. Marvin Martian.  Long, long ago in the far off galaxy, Lt Martian lived with his dog in the City of Roscommon.  He moved to Memphis after getting out of the service and joined the force in 1994.  He’s been the command of the Homicide unit for the last three years.  A very small man with a short gait, he bobs his head feverishly when he talks.

“Cheap.  Metal.  I understand we have a different one here.”

Sgt. Farthing speaks. 

 “Yes, Lt.  A man in a dog suit and a helmet.  We I.D’d him as a Commander Danny Kaye.”

“What!  Are you sure?”

Lt. Martian looks closer at body.

“Oh, Dear.  Oh, My.  It is my long lost partner Commander K.  I lost track of him after he was caught with that bitch over on Poplar and he got booted of the force.  I always knew he wasn’t a real dog, but he was my pet." 

Martian kneels beside the body bag.

  "We’ll do our best to find who did this.  He is one of us."

Det. Sullens puts his arm around the shoulder of his distraught boss.

“We’ll head back over to the office, Lt.  and talk to the witnesses.  I promise you we’ll our best to find who did this to your partner.

{To be continued}