Читать книгу Sqerm - James A. Moore - Страница 23

Chapter 19

It was morning, and the Phoenix sun made its appearance from behind the thick cement pillars of the parking garage. The surface of the garage was still warm from the previous day and heated quickly. Several police officers, medical staff, and forensic investigators stood in disarray and were investigating the scene. Some of them were trying to gather evidence, and a few were taking photographs. There were flashes of light from the cameras that competed with the morning sun.

The usual crime scene vehicles filled the garage and lined the street just outside the garage. The officials, investigators, and techs were having conversations. On the ground lay a body carefully covered with a blanket. As the discussions and inspections continued, Johnson exited his vehicle, straightened his clothing, and made a beeline for the victim’s body.

Amid the murmur of questions, theories, and suspicions, Johnson squatted by the body. His slacks tightened at his thighs and knees. He did a duck walk to position himself by the body near the rear driver’s side of the woman’s vehicle. Johnson stared at the woman’s body and pondered the last moments of the woman’s life. This scene bothered him more than most that he had investigated, and he struggled to understand why it had such an effect on him. While rooted in thought, his balance was nearly lost. He planted a hand to steady his body. The act lowered his center of gravity and adjusted his viewpoint. He caught himself before falling, and the lower angle allowed him to spot some small pieces of shattered plastic on the ground. He picked up a bit of the plastic for closer inspection. It was a small piece of a phone case. He reached into his pocket to retrieve a rubber glove.

As he pulled out the rubber glove to pick up the particles, he nearly lost his balance again. As he steadied himself, he looked to his right and spotted the victim’s phone; it had fallen and bounced underneath her vehicle. As he glanced around to see if anyone was watching him, he quickly placed the plastic pieces in an evidence bag and slowly sealed it. After he was confident that no one was watching him, he discreetly reached for the woman’s phone. He looked around to see if anyone had seen him. No one. Good, he thought and pocketed the phone.