cared about her. He didn’t want to find her dead. She was a kind soul.
Officer Troy couldn’t find a parking space, so he parked across the street. The chief muttered to himself, “Katz, you’ve paved your way to heaven with your kindness to others.”
“What was that you said?” Officer Troy asked.
The chief didn’t answer, but hurried down the drive. Officer Troy followed. The chief stepped down into the classroom, and approached Jake.
“I’m sorry,” the chief said. “This is a terrible shock to you, but I need you to leave, so we can do our jobs.”
He walked past the firefighter into the mechanical room, and then into another. There, lying on the floor, was a badly burned woman. Burns covered her entire body except for her face, which was still recognizable, but turned to one side. A small foreign object was stuck in the back of her neck. An EMT got up and shook his head. “She’s dead.”
The chief knew the EMT. “Hey, Charlie, is it Katherine Kendall?” he asked solemnly, not really wanting to hear the answer.
“Nope.”
The chief was relieved, then felt a pang of guilt for the victim on the floor. “Who is she?”
Charlie answered, “Take a good look at her face, Chief. It’s Judge Hartman.”
“I’ll get a call out to the coroner,” then he asked, “Cause of death — acute burns caused by explosion?”
Charlie paused uncomfortably. “Chief, I’m not a forensics expert, but I’ve watched enough TV to suspect that she died before the fire.”
“How’s that?” the chief asked, processing the EMT’s theory.
“Look around this room. The thing that stands out is there’s hardly any debris in here. How would a six-inch-nail end up in her neck?”
“Good observation. Want to work for the police department?”
“Also, we found her wrapped in an old rug. It seems awfully heavy for a woman in her condition to wrap herself in it.”
“I see what you’re sayin’. Probably someone else was down here, less injured, and tried to help her, by putting out the flames.”
“Could be.”
“Thanks for your input.”
When Officer Troy walked in, the chief took him aside. “We may have another murder investigation on our hands.”
“The fire was deliberately set to cover up a murder?”
“Yep.”
“Is the victim Katherine Kendall?”
“No, it’s Judge Hartman.”
“What’s she doin’ here?” the officer asked, confused.
“Didn’t ya get my email? Katz and Jake were married here today. The judge presided over their wedding.”
“Okay. Okay. I got it. But why is the judge in the basement?”
“Don’t know.”
Officer Troy shook his head. “If I lived here, I’d never let anyone down here. It’s like wearing a red shirt on Star Trek . As soon as ya see it, you know they’re gonna get it.”
The chief agreed. “Well, this is a fine can of worms,” he said. “I’m anxious to hear what the fire inspector has to say.”
A firefighter nearby overheard the chief. “Chief London, Inspector Emrich is on his way. He was out in the country investigating a fire at the old county asylum. He’ll be here shortly.”
“That’s a tad bit of overkill. The asylum burned down years ago,” the chief noted.
“He said it was a small fire behind the asylum — some kind of storm cellar.”
Interesting,” the chief said, noncommittally, then to Officer Troy. “Get the coroner over here, and call the State Police. I’m off to talk to Jake.”
“Why Jake?” Officer Troy asked, curiously.
The chief looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Because he thinks that woman in here is his bride. Get it? After that, I’m driving over to the judge’s mother’s house, and break the sad news. Keep me updated.”
“Yes, Sir,” Officer Troy acknowledged.
The chief didn’t relish notifying next of kin. No police officer wanted that job, but as chief, he usually was the bearer of bad
Officer Troy couldn’t find a parking space, so he parked across the street. The chief muttered to himself, “Katz, you’ve paved your way to heaven with your kindness to others.”
“What was that you said?” Officer Troy asked.
The chief didn’t answer, but hurried down the drive. Officer Troy followed. The chief stepped down into the classroom, and approached Jake.
“I’m sorry,” the chief said. “This is a terrible shock to you, but I need you to leave, so we can do our jobs.”
He walked past the firefighter into the mechanical room, and then into another. There, lying on the floor, was a badly burned woman. Burns covered her entire body except for her face, which was still recognizable, but turned to one side. A small foreign object was stuck in the back of her neck. An EMT got up and shook his head. “She’s dead.”
The chief knew the EMT. “Hey, Charlie, is it Katherine Kendall?” he asked solemnly, not really wanting to hear the answer.
“Nope.”
The chief was relieved, then felt a pang of guilt for the victim on the floor. “Who is she?”
Charlie answered, “Take a good look at her face, Chief. It’s Judge Hartman.”
“I’ll get a call out to the coroner,” then he asked, “Cause of death — acute burns caused by explosion?”
Charlie paused uncomfortably. “Chief, I’m not a forensics expert, but I’ve watched enough TV to suspect that she died before the fire.”
“How’s that?” the chief asked, processing the EMT’s theory.
“Look around this room. The thing that stands out is there’s hardly any debris in here. How would a six-inch-nail end up in her neck?”
“Good observation. Want to work for the police department?”
“Also, we found her wrapped in an old rug. It seems awfully heavy for a woman in her condition to wrap herself in it.”
“I see what you’re sayin’. Probably someone else was down here, less injured, and tried to help her, by putting out the flames.”
“Could be.”
“Thanks for your input.”
When Officer Troy walked in, the chief took him aside. “We may have another murder investigation on our hands.”
“The fire was deliberately set to cover up a murder?”
“Yep.”
“Is the victim Katherine Kendall?”
“No, it’s Judge Hartman.”
“What’s she doin’ here?” the officer asked, confused.
“Didn’t ya get my email? Katz and Jake were married here today. The judge presided over their wedding.”
“Okay. Okay. I got it. But why is the judge in the basement?”
“Don’t know.”
Officer Troy shook his head. “If I lived here, I’d never let anyone down here. It’s like wearing a red shirt on Star Trek . As soon as ya see it, you know they’re gonna get it.”
The chief agreed. “Well, this is a fine can of worms,” he said. “I’m anxious to hear what the fire inspector has to say.”
A firefighter nearby overheard the chief. “Chief London, Inspector Emrich is on his way. He was out in the country investigating a fire at the old county asylum. He’ll be here shortly.”
“That’s a tad bit of overkill. The asylum burned down years ago,” the chief noted.
“He said it was a small fire behind the asylum — some kind of storm cellar.”
Interesting,” the chief said, noncommittally, then to Officer Troy. “Get the coroner over here, and call the State Police. I’m off to talk to Jake.”
“Why Jake?” Officer Troy asked, curiously.
The chief looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Because he thinks that woman in here is his bride. Get it? After that, I’m driving over to the judge’s mother’s house, and break the sad news. Keep me updated.”
“Yes, Sir,” Officer Troy acknowledged.
The chief didn’t relish notifying next of kin. No police officer wanted that job, but as chief, he usually was the bearer of bad
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