Over Her Dead Body (8 page)

The two officers trodded off toward Michael, muttering something about the sheriff being an asshole. The sheriff ignored it and turned back toward the body. Some of the CSI team had already begun their work. There was a young CSI wearing glasses and slightly balding taking pictures and working around the crime scene in a counterclockwise direction. Two others were canvassing the area with flashlights. They were at arm’s length moving side by side in the same direction working the area like a grid.

“What have we got here James?” A rough voice came from behind the sheriff. Detective James appeared on his right and looked down toward the girl. “What do we know?”

The sheriff looked toward the detective and then back toward the girl. “Well…about midnight last night I came across the perp’s truck sitting vacant in the road. His name’s Michael Bander. Frank and Gary just took off with him. Did you see him?”

“Ya, I seen him,” the detective said. “he in his skivy’s and t-shirt in the middle of the woods?”

“Yep. He was last night too. Claimed to be sleepwalking. Don’t know if I believe him, but I had to fire my gun to get his attention. He seemed genuinely confused.”

“Where’s he live?”

The sheriff glanced back toward the road. A car was leaving and a couple more flashlights were coming in their direction.
Probably the coroner and lead CSI
. He thought. “He lives about
fifty
yards to the west.” The sheriff pointed in the direction to his right.

“Did he say anything? Did he mention who the girl is?”

“No he didn’t say anything other than he didn’t know how he got here. Threw up over there when he found out there was a body here.”

“That’s not the reaction I would expect from the guy who put her there. He does match the description though.”

“Description? You got a case?” The sheriff asked.

“Well, it’s about seven months back, but maybe this is her. Had a girl come in saying that her and her sister were abducted. She got away but her sister was killed. She didn’t know exactly where, but she said it was out in the country with no houses nearby. She claimed to have run through a lot of woods. The girl disappeared before we could find the place.” The sheriff nodded and the detective continued, “I remember the description she gave us of the perp was tall with dark hair. I know it describes half of Angel Falls, but this guy’s not looking too good both matching the description
and
being at the crime scene.”

“You think this is her? You’re not missing any others?” The sheriff said. He realized it was a pretty stupid question once he said it. This was Angel Falls after all and people just don’t get murdered here every day. But then again he hadn’t heard of this missing girl either. “I mean from a while back?” Another stupid question and the sheriff realized it the moment he said it. The victim’s arm wasn’t in
full
decomp which mean that the girl had been buried in the last six to twelve months. “No, she’s gotta be recent huh?” The sheriff said correcting himself before the detective did it for him.

“Well, the girl who was reported missing, or murdered rather, was said to have been wearing orange fingernail polish.” The detective nodded toward the girl’s hand. The whole area was lit up by lights and the CSI had already begun working the soil around the body. They used gloved hands to carefully pull away at the soil while another scooped the soil into large evidence bags to be taken back to the lab and searched for trace. “I’m just bettin this is our girl.” The detective said.

“Maria,” the sheriff said.

“That’s right. The girl who’s missing name’s Maria. So you have heard of the case.”

“No,” the sheriff said, “The Bander guy was muttering something while he was digging. I remember…he was saying
'
Maria
'
over and over.”

The detective took out a notebook and jotted something into it. “If this guy’s not our killer, he sure is in a whole lot of trouble. He got any family?” The detective asked.

“Wife. Spoke with her last night. She seemed pretty nice. She said he’d never sleepwalked before last night. They haven’t lived here that long.”

“How long?” The detective asked looking up from his notebook.

“I don’t know. Couple of months maybe? I can’t say for sure.”

“You going up to talk to the wife?” The detective asked.

“Ya, someone’s got to break the news that her husband’s in a whole lot of shit. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled knowing the m
an she falls asleep next to, get
s up and comes out into the woods to dig up a murder victim and is most likely the killer.”

“Find out how long they’ve lived there will ya? And see if she knows of anybody named Maria. I’ll call in a warrant so we can search the place.”

“Alright. I’m on it. Good luck
D
etective, it’s going to be a long night.” The sheriff took off in the direction of his car.

Chapter 8

Michael was riding quietly in the back of a squad car. The two officers who had taken him were discussing quarterbacks in the front. Michael’s
wrists were burning and his skin
was bruised. The officers had made sure to inflict maximum pain by yanking upward on the cuffs as they pushed him through the woods and toward the squad car. They forced him to trip several times and made sure to pull him up hard by the cuffs. He felt like his wrists were broken and he had scratches all over his legs. The officers talking up front grew to a whisper and the one on the passenger’s side leaned over and whispered something to his partner while making glances toward Michael. Michael was already feeling sick to his stomach, confused, and scared. The look the officer was giving him, the look that said he was planning something sadistic, made Michael’s stomach churn and he felt like he was going to vomit again.

Michael’s suspicions were confirmed when the squad car went off course from the station and veered through dark streets on the bad side of town. The car came to a stop and parked in
front of an
old run down ranch style house that was overgrown with weeds and vines. It was clearly vacant.

The officer in the passenger seat turned back looking through the metal grate at Michael. “What do you think Frank, we gonna get this guy to talk?” The officer sneered and then looked over at his partner.

“Oh he’ll talk alright,” Frank turned around and looked back toward Michael, “They might be tough at first, but they all talk by the time I’m done with’em.” Frank gave an evil smile back at Michael. Michael just glared at them. He wasn’t sure what he was in for, but he was starting to doubt he would ever see April again.

“Anything you want to tell us before we get started?” Frank said to Michael.

“I told you I don’t know anything.” Michael said calmly but sternly.

“Well I’m convinced. Aren’t you Gary?” Frank said sarcastically.

“Oh I’m convinced alright. Convinced this guy’s full of shit. You think you’re going to convince us that you strayed into the woods by accident and just accidently began digging where a dead girl was buried? I think he thinks we’re idiots Frank.”

“Well Gary, let’s educate this son of a bitch shall we?”

Gary revived his sneer “Let’s do it,” he said and they both turned and got out of the squad car.

When they opened the door, Michael tried to lean the other direction so they couldn’t grab him, but it was in vain as they grabbed him by the feet and yanked him out hitting his head on the bottom of the door frame and then the ground. Michael began thrusting around like a fish out of water. Gary drew his arm back and was about to strike Michael in the face when Frank grabbed his arm. “Whoa, easy there buddy. I told the sheriff that we wouldn’t put any marks on him and I intend to stand by my word.” Gary began to let his arm drop. “So hit’em in the stomach.” Gary grinned and drew his arm back and laid out a full force punch into Michael’s gut. The wind was knocked out of him so forcefully that he nearly passed out for lack of air. Michael was still gasping when Frank reached behind him and dragged him up to his feet by the cuffs. Michael was in so much pain from the blow that he couldn’t feel the cuffs cutting into his skin. “That ought to tame you down some. Now fucking walk or he’ll do it again.” Michael was still doubled over but managed to keep his feet moving as they led him toward the door. Gary tried for the doorknob.

“It’s locked.” He said to Frank.

“See that rock over there?” Frank nodded to the left. Gary pointed to a small grey rock. “No, the red one to the right of it.” Gary pointed to the one to the right. “Ya, that one. There’s a key underneath. Put it back when you’re done.” Gary turned the rock over and found the key. He unlocked the door and put the key back. Michael was shoved through the door and into a room on the left. Gary flipped on his
Maglite
and flashed it around the room. Frank was holding Michael up by the cuffs with one hand. He pointed with the other. “See that door over there?” Gary turned the light in the direction that Frank was pointing. There was a brown door, dirty with black spray paint on it. The words ‘death to malboc’ was written on it in terrible handwriting and there w
ere
symbols scribbled below it. “That’s the basement. Let’s take him down there.”

Michael’s mind was beginning to clear as he was being led down the wooden stairs into the basement. They couldn’t mark him up and they had to get him to the station before too much time had gone by or there w
ere
going to be questions. How bad could they possibly hurt him? April’s gotta be worried sick. He’d need to call her as soon as he arrived at the station. If he really gets a phone call that is. He was starting to think that was all just in the movies. He didn’t see a phone call in his immediate future.

“Here, hold the prisoner.” Gary grabbed Michael’s cuffs where Frank had held them. “Let me see your light.” Gary handed Frank the
Maglite
. There was a dividing concrete wall that ran down the middle of the basement dividing it in two. There was a doorway cut into the wall but Frank didn’t go into it. He leaned down next to the wall. There was a car battery resting on
top of a couple of two by four
s. Frank grasped a couple of metal clamps and connected them to the battery. The room was lit up by two lamps. One lamp was in the far corner and the other was directly in the middle. The basement wasn’t very big, in fact it didn’t seem to be more than fifteen feet to the back of the wall. There was a wooden bench underneath the light in the middle. It was stained red in various places
.
Michael assumed
it
to be blood and his heart sank when he began to realize that this was going to be worse than a few punches to the gut.

“So how are we going to get him to talk without making any marks?” Gary said looking over at Frank. Frank smiled.

“Ever hear of waterboarding?” Frank said.

Michael’s eyes went wide and began to jerk back and forth trying to break free of Gary’s grip. Frank quickly rushed over and landed a solid blow to Michael’s gut and grabbed him by the throat and jerked him up into the air and onto the table. Michael was trying to push off the table by his feet while frank was holding him down by his throat. The cuffs bore into Michael’s hands even further underneath him.

“Grab his feet and hold’em to the table.” Frank said to Gary. Gary had trouble catching Michael’s feet as they flopped about. Finally he was able to grasp one and then the other and hold them down to the table. Michael was still trying to wiggle but Frank had his neck pinned so hard to the table that he was losing circulation. His vision was going blurry and he felt like he was about to pass out. “That a boy.” Frank said. “You just calm down now.” Fran
k
kept his left hand over Michael’s throat and reached to the right of the table. Hanging on a nail on the side was a nylon ratchet strap. He put one of the ends in his mouth and uncoiled it. He laid the strap over Michael’s throat and let each end dangle over the sides. Frank let go of Michael’s head and disappeared under the bench to grab the other end of the strap. Michael tried to lift his head up but had
got
jerked back down when he felt the strap tighten on his throat. He heard the clicking of a ratchet and felt the strap go tight against his throat threatening to cut off his breathing and circulation if it went any tighter. Frank stopped tightening the strap and came back up to check his work. He tested the tightness with his finger to verify that Michael could still breathe. Once he was satisfied, he grabbed another strap and strapped his feet to the table just below his knees. This strap he pulled much tighter. Gary watched Frank work with a grinning sneer on his face. He would chuckle or laugh when Michael would grunt or make any sounds of pain. Frank stepped back and observed his work.

Michael tried to move but couldn’t. He was helpless. He began to worry he might not survive. He and April had only been married for such a short time. They never even had a chance to take a honeymoon or a vacation. He wanted to swim in the ocean. She wanted to show him the Bahamas. Michael often wondered if they would have children. They had never really discussed it. What would they have looked like? Would they have had a boy or a girl? Would he have taught him how to fish, hunt, or work on a truck? Would she have looked like an angel in a prom gown? Images flashed in Michael’s mind of a family that he had never had, and dread came over him as he realized that he probably never would now. Even if he survived, how would he convince anybody of his own innocence? He wasn’t even sure himself.

“Look at’em Frank. He looks scared don’t he?” Gary said.

“He looks guilty to me.” Frank said. “What about it boy? You guilty? You ready to talk yet?” Michael just laid there looking straight up at the ceiling. The metal lamp was swinging back and forth on its cord. There wasn’t much of a ceiling. The basement was never intended to be a finished one. Michael could see floor joists and hardwood floors. He let himself get lost in the swinging lamp. “You look at me when I talk to you! You hear me boy?” Frank grabbed Michael’s hair and pulled his head up slightly and slammed it hard against the back of the table. Michael continued to look up, lost in the lamp. Frank snorted and spit in Michael’s face. Michael felt the spit burning his eyes and a glob ran down his cheek. His eyes were welling up with tears. He didn’t want to give them the pleasure, but despite his fighting it, a tear fell down the right side of his cheek.

“Aww now ain’t that cute Frank? You gone and made him cry.” Gary said.

“I’ll bet he didn’t cry for that girl before he killed her. What about it asshole? Did you cry for her? Did you make
her
cry?” Frank yelled at Michael. Michael looked straight ahead at the lamp emotionless. “So you’re not ready to talk yet eh? Welp, we can fix that right quick let me tell you.” Frank grabbed an old towel lying on a wooden chair nearby. “Gary, see that gallon of water over there in the corner? Ya, that one. Bring it over here.”

Gary grabbed the water and brought it to Frank. “Now here is how we solve crimes where I come from. Pay attention newbie. We’ll have this bird singin in no time.” Frank said as he threw the towel across Michael’s mouth. Michael’s eyes went wide and he tried moving his head from side to side in panic. He had heard about waterboarding and knew what was coming. His body flexed hard ag
ainst the straps but he couldn'
t
move. Each time he tried to move his head, he felt the straps cutting into his neck.

Frank unscrewed the cap to the water jug. He looked at Michael and smiled at the panic in his eyes. “Calm down, calm down now.” Frank said quietly. “We gave you the opportunity to tell us what happened and you refused. Is that our fault?” Frank said quietly.

“I don’t know what happened. I’m telling you the truth. I didn’t kill anybody. I was s-s-sleepwalking.” Michael said from under the towel.

“Well, that’s a cute story and all buddy, but it just don’t add up. You see, you couldn’t have been there unless you done it or was with the person who did. So, you just need to quit the bullshit and tell us what you know. Savey?” Michael looked at Frank expressionless. He couldn’t believe this was happening. That this guy, this “cop”, was going to torture him.

“Alright Gary, you keep the towel pulled tight over his mouth. Got it?” Frank asked.

“Good God Frank. This damn thing stinks. What the hell you got all over it?” Gary asked as he pulled the towel tight over Michael’s mouth.

“Oh I may have wiped my ass with it a time or two.” Frank said.

Michael felt as if he was going to vomit. He didn’t want to open his mouth to breathe. He knew very shortly he was going to though. He focused on the lamp again. Gary had hit it with his head and it was swinging again causing all the shadows of the room to move. He began to drift to a happier place. For a moment he was back at home with April and they were sitting on the couch. He had his arm around her and she had her head buried into his chest. They were watching something on TV though he couldn’t tell what. He could smell the apple blossom scent in her hair from her favorite shampoo. He could feel the softness of her shirt and the skin underneath it. He could almost…Michael was pulled away with a rush of water across his face. The towel soaked it up instantly and clung to his fac
e like peanut butter on a
knife. Water streaked down the sides and even went into his eyes which became immediately blurry. He was still calm but as the need for air built within him, he could feel panic rising from within. He strained against the straps trying to move his body, trying to move his head, to get out from underneath the towel. His lungs began to burn and he could feel the fire within his head as his body cried out for air. But no air came. Michael continued to hold his breath and Frank continued to pour the water ever so slowly across his mouth and nose. Michael felt the world begin to spin. The light above was swinging slower now but became blurry. There were two lights now swinging slightly overhead back and forth. All at once Michael’s need for air overtook him and his body tensed as he sucked in for air. The towel that now gripped his face tightly pulled slightly inward sending small sprays of water and feces into his mouth. But he couldn’t pull enough air through the towel. His eyes began to bulge and became bloodshot. Michael’s head began to thrust and the towel across his mouth made little indents as Michael continued to try to pull air through the towel. But Frank kept pouring the water across it and the towel was so saturated with water that the air just couldn’t come through. Michael was suffocating. He may as well have plastic wrapped across his face. He felt himself fading out of existence. His body began to relax as his eyes rolled back in his head. The lamps were not swinging anymore. In fact the lamps ceased to exist. The room went black and Michael found April sitting on the beach beside the ocean. He went to her. She looked up at him and smiled. Michael offered her his hand and she took it. He pulled her up close to him and they embraced in a sweet passionate kiss. Michael and April turned toward the ocean and watched the waves come in. It was so peaceful. He put his hand around her lower back and together they walked toward the water. As they approached the water, the sand grew wet and the next wave came up and the cool water surrounded their feet and ankles. Then bright
light
appeared overhead and Michael was brought back to reality with a foul burning in his nose. He looked up to see that the lamp was moving once again and Frank was holding something under his nose. An ammonia capsule.