So Many Murders

 

The Suspect was being arrested...

"That's number 16 for Carlotta , Tyriq and Jimmy....I can't thank you enough for your help Sharon." said Lt. Sissy Van Buren of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Philadelphia Police Department.

"It was really Carlotta, Jimmy and Rico's hard work that helped with these busts...We just backed you guys up." said FBI /ATF Deputy Special Agent in Charge , Sharon Hopkins..

"That's number 16 for us Boss Lady.." said a very happy Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace, my pretty wife..

"I for one am exhausted...but it feels good out on the streets solving murders...Not being undercover ,chasing some drug kingpin or organization.."said Detective Tyriq Pile..

"This one was satisfying..."said Detective Jimmy Barlow..

"It will certainly be nice to have some down time.."said Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace.

"Between Keith being in court and you working on these cases, I guess you two haven't seen each other much...I know Sirena 

and I have just been passing each other both at home and at work.."said Detective Tyriq Pile, speaking of his wife, Detective Sirena Pile, who was also in our unit.

''Same with me and Angie..It'll be nice to have some down time.." said Jimmy, thinking of his wife..

Detective Angela Belton-Barlow...Also in our unit and working other murder cases..

A day later...Another arrest was made..

"That's number 16 for us...We've caught up with my husband, Carlotta and Jimmy partner.."said a very happy Detective Sirena Pile, High fiving her partner, Detective and newly minted Attorney Tony Hopkins.

"Yeahh partner...We've been closin em like a champ the past few weeks..." said Hop...

"I'm very proud of all of my detectives....You know when the Deputy of Operations asked us to help out with the preponderance of Homicides...I thought this was going to be a big hassle, but you guys really toughed it out, did some hard nose detective work and didn't even stay over night that much...None of you."said Sissy..

''You can thank your friendly neighborhood FBI and ATF for that.."joked Sharon..

"Such a show off...Show off me in bed tonight.." whispered Hop as he kissed his wife..

passionately...

"Ohhhhh I plan to." said Sharon...

"I need to get home to my husband.."sighed Sirena..thinking of her husband, 

Detective Tyriq Pile...They hadn't made love in two weeks...both were too tired...

"He'll be glad to see you...I imagine you two have been criss crossing each other lately...Working different cases.."said Sissy..

and a night later...Another arrest is made..

''Well Partner...That makes 17 for us.." said Detective Angela Belton Barlow..

''Yupper... What a run..."said Detective Edwin "Duke" Barlow... "This is a lot of murders..in such a short time.." he added..

"I can't thank you guys enough , Duke, Angie, Sissy for giving Robbery-Homicide a hand in these murders...We were getting an overload and you know who was no help.."said Lt. Danny Ho of Robbery-Homicide...

"Yeah Siss...You guys have been stretching yourselves thin lately, working with Vice, Narcotics, Robbery-Homicide...I'm exhausted just thinking about all of the busts you guys have made."laughed Gary Lockwood, An Investigator with the D.A.'s office..

''We've been keepin em honest." joked Sharon Hopkins..

Her FBI and ATF agents were a great help to all of us, rounding up these killers..

"Yes she has....That's 49 murders we've cleared." said Sissy..

"The D.A.'s office is happy..." I said.. "This makes us look good... I hate to bring his name up..but Lt. Tragg's goof ups lately, arresting the wrong suspect.. and having defense attorneys actually solve his cases were really making us look like goofs...When this spike of murders came along and the Deputy Of Operations put you and your  detectives on them...I breathed a sigh of relief..I knew they'd make good cases.." I said..

Philadelphia was on par this year to top last year's rate...We were clearing a lot of them, but just as many as we were clearing, it seemed as though that many more were occurring... I'm not a cop...My name is Keith Wallace..I'm the Assistant District Attorney...I prosecute Homicides....

II-

They were a close knit group of detectives..Before they all became a part of Sissy's Unit, They had known each other most of their professional lives..

Duke, Tyriq and Angie had gone to the Academy together...All three were honor Graduates..

Then Detective Sissy Van Buren saw something special in these three recruits...She urged them to take the detectives exam and she helped them study for it...on her own time, after shift was over.. All three passed with flying colors and put on their Gold shields

and became detectives...Sissy went on to make Sergeant and then Lieutenant, never forgetting her three protoge's...They never forgot her either.

When a spunky and brash young Puerto Rican girl, my future wife, Carlotta Rodriguez, put on her gold shield and became a detective..

Tyriq and Duke took her under their wings and trained her, Taught her about really being a detective on the streets...

They did the same for Carlotta's fellow Academy graduate, Detective James Barlow

And Tyriq's future wife...A spunky and brash detective named Sirena Harris, Now Mrs. Tyriq Pile.

Tony Hopkins had dropped out of law school....He was a patrolman...I talked him into taking the detectives exam and he did and passed with flying colors.. I helped him get back into law school and get his J.D.  I'm so proud of him...

After all of the marriages and hook ups....We had all wound up buying  homes in a new Cul de Sac development...Thanks to our friend,

 Kevin's wife, Realtor, Sepia Morris and her partner Bonita Foxworth..

Tonight we were all over Sissy and Eddie C's house for a dinner..

Eddie C. , Sissy's husband was a one time drug dealer, who did three years in Federal Prison..Once freed, he got his life together and began working at the local outreach program to steer kids away from a life of crime...A strange person for a Lieutenant in the Philadelphia Police department to marry, but he stole her heart..

Eddie C. was a friend of ours , whose nose was always on the streets and had helped us numerous times..

Tonight we were having a dinner at his and Sissy's house..

There was Fried Chicken...

Fried Fish...

Greens

Potato salad..

Candied Yams

and plenty of Beer

Tonight..

Carlotta and I were joined by,

Tyriq and his wife, Sirena..

Duke and his wife, Deputy Coroner and Forensic Specialist, Dr. Hazel Baylor,who was most happy when she was working a case with one of us...Anybody other than Lt. Tragg...

Jimmy and his wife Angie..

and Sharon and her husband, Tony Hopkins..

This was our regular group..We were joined tonight by our friends..

Lt. Danny Ho and his girlfriend, Investigator , Jade Lee....

and Gary Lockwood, Investigator for the D.A.'s office

and his girlfriend, Attorney Yvette Jones.

Good Food, Good Friends....

and good music!

"Thank you all for coming out tonight...Before we eat...I want to toast all of my detectives and our friend Sharon Hopkins of the FBI/ATF....for a job well done...We closed 49 murder cases..49...Tonight the city is a little safer thanks to you all..You've got the next two days off...Now..let's eat!"said Sissy..

We all clapped and cheered and chowed down..

while we ate, some of us played Spades, while others played Pinocle..

while good music played throughout ......

A good time was being had by all..

III-

Of course , not everyone was happy about the latest developments..

"I don't believe it...I don't believe it..The Deputy Of Operations cut my legs from under me...I'm the Lieutenant of Homicide..ME...ME..Not Sissy Van Buren...I was a lieutenant when she was just getting her gold shield..when many of her detectives were patrolmen, just happy to get my coffee for me..Now look at her..a Junior Lieutenant, with her detectives...taking on cases that should have been mine.."snarled Lt. Tragg..

''Artie..Let's be objective...You've made several busts in several big time cases...all on the news and in every single one of them...You were screwin the pooch...Arrested the wrong suspect and defense attorneys like Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her crew..

and that uh Yvette Jones and her snot nosed kids as you call em..

not only won every case...but proved that you arrested the wrong guy...The actual killer was revealed during the trial, which meant that their investigators did a better job than you...

When all these killings began to spike..The Deputy of Operations had to put people on the cases that he could depend on to get the right suspect...

I know you hate to hear this...but Sissy and her detectives are 49-0 in the past month..."said Curley Howard, the owner of the bar and a former Homicide detective..

"He needed results..The Mayor and the commissioner were breathing down his back.." said Curley..

"I could have gotten results...I've been begging the guy to let me put together a task force...we could've done the same thing Sissy and her detectives done and quicker.."said Lt. Tragg..

"Artie, you don't like to work with people..You're just like your dad and your uncle...Loan wolfs...Sissy worked closely with Vice, Narcotics, Robbery-Homicide and the feds...and they made those cases...she got the job done...While you arrested the wrong person in several cases.. The ADA's don't want to work with you...They come in here....I hear em talkin...The women cringe when they hear your name...All the groping...running your hands up their skirts...It's a wonder you haven't been brought up on charges Artie...and the men, they shake their heads in disgust when they hear they have to work a case with you..Get it together Artie..Get it together."said Curley...

"BAHHHHHH" groaned Lt. Tragg...He tossed some dollars on the counter and stormed out..

Curley shook his head...

IV-

ONE WEEK LATER-

Lt. Tragg barged into our headquarters.... Sissy and I were having a cup of coffee, it was mid aftrnoon..

''Siss, I'm still  full from that dinner last week at your house."I joked..

Sissy laughed..

"Me too!"

We enjoyed a second cup of coffee..

"Lieutenant Van Buren...A word please.." said Lt. Tragg..

"I'll be going Sissy...Tell Carlotta I'm coming to pick her up at the end of shift..." I said..

"I will."said Sissy, who sighed...She hated when Lt. Tragg came to their new headquarters, which was built to give them a certain autonomy during sensitive investigations...

"YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE PAST TWO COMSTAT MEETINGS LIEUTENANT!!" he said..

"Yeah I know...Oh how I miss those meetings..(Sissy and every Lieutenant and Sergeant she knew hated those meetings) but see, I was busy solving murders..." she said and smiled devilishly...

"YOU ARE STILL SUPPOSED TO COME TO THOSE MEETINGS!" he snarled.

Sissy pulled out a letter , that was in her desk...

"Read it!  It was signed by Captain Eddie Cantrell and the Deputy Of Operations..

"Danny Ho has one too if you're thinking of going to his office next...and so does the Lieutenants and Sergeants from Vice and Narcotics...They were helping our guys crack nearly 50 murder cases...But don't worry...We'll all be at the next one...When is it..next week?" laughed Sissy.

"YOU FIND SOMETHING FUNNY? I'LL CALL THE DEPUTY OF OPERATIONS RIGHT NOW!!" he threatened...

Sissy passed him a phone..

"Call Him..Be my guest..."said Sissy dryly...

Lt. Tragg knew he wasn't exactly on the top of the Deputy Of Operations list at the moment...He gave her the phone back and angrily stormed out of her office......

She laughed and leaned back in her chair..

MIDNIGHT-PENNS LANDING....

A Small Yacht sat by itself.. Quietly....on the yacht in the hull lay Benjamin Gold, 56...A married millionaire on the floor, face up, lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling..in his boxers and black socks...

Crime Scene Investigators snapped photos and dusted for prints...

"Doc...It's the strangest thing...No prints, NO DNA anywhere...This place has been bleached down.." said one CSI man...

"No broken bones...No stab wounds or gunshot wounds..Not sure what the cause of death is.."said another man..

Hazel looked at the body...

"Judging by the dilated pupils and the bluishness in the face...I'd say either he was poisoned or  it was a drug overdose.."

"Look Doc...A Puncture wound on his neck...He was injected with something." said the new Assistant Coroner...

Hazel considered herself lucky...She had worked 49 straight cases with Carlotta, Rico and Jimmy, Sirena and Hop and her husband, Duke and Angie.. No sign of Lt. Tragg on either one..She knew her luck was going to run out soon, but she prayed not tonight...She really didn't feel like seeing him.

She was so relieved to see Carlotta, Rico, Jimmy, Sirena, Hop, her husband, Duke and Angie walk onto the Yacht..

Carlotta put on latex gloves and observed the body...

"No broken bones, no stab wounds, no gunshot wounds.." she said.

"Rigor has set in...He's been dead for a few hours.." said Tyriq..

"This is Benjamin Gold, A Millionaire software engineer....He's been missing for three days..His wife called Missing Persons.."said Jimmy.

"The CSI and Forensic Guys say the boat has been wiped clean...No prints or DNA...Not even his."said Sirena..

"Over here, in the sink...Two drink glasses...One with lipstick on it... He was on this boat with somebody...a woman.."said Hop..

"In the bathroom, Two loaded condoms...There is your DNA..."said Duke.,.

''He's in his boxers and socks..He was partying with somebody..."said Angie..

"There is a puncture wound on his neck..He may have been injected with something...I'll know when I get him to the M.E.'s office." said Hazel..

Sissy walked aboard...

She looked at the body....

"That's him, Bennie Gold..He's been missing for three days...This one, if it's murder is a big one..The Deputy of Operations is going to want action on this fast.."said Sissy laughing..knowing she was quoting Lt. Tragg..

"Stopppp." I said laughing...

We weren't laughing for long...Lt. Tragg and six uniformed officers walked on the Yacht behind us..

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?  THIS IS MY CASE.....I TOOK THE CALL!" snarled an angry Lt. Tragg..

"It's my case now.!!!.. My detectives got here first."said Lt. Sissy Van Buren..

He looked at Hazel..

"You called them didn't you?" he asked.

"Nope!...But they did arrive here first and they are finished their initial investigation...Guys, can we release the body?" asked Hazel dismissing him...

"Yes, release the body." said Carlotta.

"I called them....Uh we've been working with them on a slew of other murders and I just thought they were the ones to call ." said the new Coroner and Forensic Investigator..

"You thought...You thought...No you didn't think...There is a pecking order around here....I am the Superior Officer...Those other petty murders was okay..but I get called for the BIG ones.." he said.

Jimmy could no longer control himself...He burst into gales of laughter as he and some of the other officers left the boat...

"JIMMY!!! Stop it.." said Sirena, who was worried that Lt. Tragg would suspend him...

Lt. Tragg was incensed at Jimmy's laughter...

''Come on..Let's get this body off of here..You didn't do anything wrong..."said Hazel

as she and her colleague walked away...

"DOC GIBBONS WILL HEAR FROM ME ABOUT THIS!" Lt. Tragg threatened..

Sissy, Angie, Tyriq, Duke,Hop, Sirena and Carlotta all followed

 Jimmy out into the street..He was still laughing...

Hazel and her crew loaded the body into a body bag and moved it off the boat...

and prepared it for transport..

I followed everybody out...

We left an angry Lt. Tragg behind , howling at the moon...

We had a big murder case...The kind this unit was put together to solve. Soooo Many Murders

(TO BE CONTINUED)