I Never Heard Her Scream

We stood somberly on the street outside of my job as they put Tangi's body into a green body
bag and then loaded it into the Coroner's van. Sepia was in tears...So was Sheila and Mabel Jenkins.. Mabel's sister, Cora-beth, Clerow's wife held her tightly as the tears streamed down her eyes..They all knew and loved Tangi. Sean, Clerow, Conrad and I stood there on the street, motionless and blank...We couldn't believe it...Nobody in the crowd could believe that Tangi ,who always had so much life was dead.

My old "friend" , Lt.Sissy Van Buren of Philadelphia Homicide and two homicide detectives was on the scene ,along with the Crime scene investigation team, surveying the area. I decided to walk over to her and tell her what I saw and heard.

"So you're saying you saw the body fly past your window?" said one of the Detectives.

"I did and I heard it crash....I looked in the direction it came and I saw , like a shadow...like somebody was definitely up there and they ducked away." I said.

"Are you sure Kevin?? Are you sure you saw somebody on the roof?" said Sissy Van-Buren.

"Yes ,I'm sure." I said.

"Male or female?" she asked.

"I couldn't tell from where my window was." I said.

"We are dusting for prints and we are checking all of the exits and we can't find any evidence
that anyone else was up there but her." said Sissy.

"So...This is another suicide right? She jumped." I said.

"All I'm saying is that we can't find any evidence of anyone else up there." said Sissy.

"You should talk to her boyfriend. His name is Lennie....He drove by my house and picked her
up earlier this afternoon...He seemed a little rough with her." I said.

"This Lennie, he got a last name? an address??" She said.

"I don't know his last name , nor do I know where he lives." I shrugged.

" Well Kevin....you've been a lot of help." said Sissy sarcastically.

"Look Ms. Van Buren....Give me a couple of hours...I'll find something for you,okay." I said.

"That's my job Kevin, don't take this "Crime solving Blogger" thing too serious..You aint even
a private dick...Let the Police handle this...They why they pay us the big bucks."She said and she and her detectives got in their cars and drove off... Slowly, everybody began to wander back into the building...Sepia and Clerow stood around me....

"What's on yo mind Kev?" asked Clerow...

"You know something Clerow?? I just remembered something....Most people scream when they
take a jump like that or even if they are pushed....I never heard her scream...I just heard a thump and saw that body go sailing past my window. I think this whole thing was staged..I think she was dead before she got to the roof." I said.

"You can't prove that Kevin and you don't know that." said Sepia.

"Tell me somethin Sepia...You knew her, you saw her, just like I did..hours ago...you think
she was the type to commit suicide??" I said.

"No..of course not..." said Sepia.

"What you sayin mane?" asked Clerow.

"Suppose that boyfriend of hers got a little too rough and he had an accident.. Well, if he
dropped her off our roof..It suddenly looks like a suicide ,doesn't it???"I said.

"Yeah mane, but how you gon prove that?"asked Clerow.

"I don't know...but I sure am gonna find that Lennie and ask him.....if it's the last thing I do."
I said.

"What you got planned boy?" laughed Clerow.

"Feel Like going for a ride Clerow??"

"You know I'm down wit'cha boy." he said.

"We are gonna look for this Lennie charactor." I said.

"Hold up Kevin...I think I know who can find him and I think if you let me tag along,
I can get the information you need out of him." said Sepia.

"You?? What makes you think you can get through to him?" I asked in wonderment.

"He thinks he's somewhat of a lover...He used to come into the hairdressers trying to flirt
with me...I never gave him the time of day...but perhaps I can use my feminine whiles and
get the information you need." she said.

I pondered it over for a minute...then I said-

"Okay....let's play it your way Sepia...get in the car..." I said.

"But we don't know where he is Kevin." said Clerow...

"Don't worry, I know someone who knows where we might find him." said Sepia.

I again pointed to my car....

"Lead the way babe." I said.

(To Be Continued.....)