CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The following day, Det. Miller reported to work early. Still somewhat upset with Officer Hendrix, he made certain he drove his own car, and rode by himself, which made his wife very happy; even though she wasn’t the reason why he did so.
Sitting at his desk, he pondered over the crime files and lost track of time. A soft knock on his door announced Chief Hudson’s appearance.
"When did you get in?" Miller asked.
"Just a few minutes ago," the Chief said sipping coffee from his favorite blue mug. "Is Earl’s report on Terri Helms done yet?"
“I don’t know; I’ve been busy with this Bobby Taylor stuff.”
"I'll walk to Earl’s office and find out if he's finished," he said backing out of the doorway. Twenty minutes later the Chief returned carrying two folders.
"What’d Earl have to say?" Miller inquired.
“I think his drinking is starting to get at him. He keeps saying he already gave us the reports, that poor man. Someone should talk with him about tapering off. He just kept insisting, so I just grabbed the reports off his desk and bolted outta there. Those cut open dead bodies just give me the heebie-jeebies. You were right about the bull not killing Terri Helms at Darnell's place. A strange thing, her purse is missing, but as you saw she still had her earrings, wrist watch, and several rings on. We did learn that Terri Helms is twenty-six and separated from her husband. She was beaten and received injuries around her head, face, neck, chest and lower body. Her left arm was broken, and she received a hard blow near her lower spine," he read aloud from the report. "The probable cause of death is blunt-force-trauma. Also she was ripped up from the barbwire, with gashes and cuts all over her body. There were many cuts on her back, like she had been thrown against the fence several times. Earl wanted to know if you and Officer Hendrix, might have caused some of those injuries when you removed her body from the fence. He says you were in a foul mood at the crime scene."
"Does that jerk think we grabbed her by the ankles, and yanked on her until she came loose?!" Det. Miller exploded. The stress of recent events was now becoming apparent.
"Simmer down, I think he's still smarting from the lecture you gave him for stirring up dust on the lane," the Chief laughed. "Want to see the autopsy photographs?"
"Sure," he said taking a deep breath as he took the folder from him.
"I heard her husband is somewhere out on the east coast; run a check on him. He goes by Gary Helms and drives a semi-truck for some South Carolina company, I think. Here's Martha Camp's autopsy report, be sure Fairchild gets to see these reports. You know how he gets when he’s left in the dark."
"What's her report say?" Miller said reaching for the file.
"Hammer definitely was the murder weapon used. Also, there's no evidence of sexual disturbance, you know, rape or whatnot."
"These two deaths are completely different; except for the missing purses. Another strange thing, they're friends and both were heading for the bingo hall.” Miller imparted.
The Chief grunted and stared at the telephone; wishing he could place the muffled voice that reported the Terri Helm's incident. The more he thought about it, the more uncertain he was that it was a man's voice. Glancing over at Det. Miller, "Any ideas?"
Miller slowly lit a cigarette, “Nope.”
“Well, keep me informed if something shows up.” The Chief said as he ambled back toward his office.
Miller decided it was time for lunch. Walking out into the narrow hallway toward the main exit, he found Sherry Hendrix, who had just returned from her suspension practicing her fast draw, and aiming at the water cooler.
"Yes sir, just getting a drink, sir," she said uncomfortably as she snapped to attention and holstered her revolver; knowing full well she was already on thin ice.
"If the water cooler gives you any trouble, put the cuffs on it and lock it in a cell," he laughed as he passed on by. Det. Miller was not one to hold a grudge, or stay mad for any length of time. Sherry now felt reassured by his hallway banter, and knew she was back in his good graces; yet nothing lasts forever, as she would soon find out.