Accidents Will Happen

Chapter 3

            The sound of distant sirens were heard as the guests stared aghast.

            Detective Leo Bucci sat at his battered gray metal desk with the chipped vinyl wood veneer. He stared long at the glowing computer screen reviewing the police report on the Roger Trevellian murder he’d just finished typing.  It was about as open and shut a case as he could remember in his almost twenty years of police work. But something was not right and it irritated him that he couldn’t put his finger on it.

The facts were all there. Jessica Evans clearly had the means, opportunity and motive. She was seen by dozens of reputable witnesses staggering from the kitchen holding the murder weapon. She had been involved in a torrid, not so secret love affair with the deceased.

He pressed the Page Down button and his brows knitted in suspicion. Jessica was higher than a kite on a hallucinogenic drug. He rubbed his chin. The toxicology report stated the drug was unknown. Those boys must be getting lazy. He patted the pockets of his rumpled brown suit and pulled out the shiny Android cell phone and dropped it on the desk. His wife had bought it for him as a Christmas gift and his kids had loaded it with incomprehensible apps. He dug into the same pocket and pulled out a small memo pad and the nub of a pencil. He made a note to drive to the crime lab the next day.

Leo tapped the Page Down button again and leaned back in his chair. The interview summaries were enlightening and confusing at the same time. Academicians sure love to hear themselves talk. He chuckled deep in his throat. In the projects, I would just get a silent glare or some smart mouth backtalk.

Leo checked the first name on the page. Doris Trevellian, the victim’s wife. They were married close to ten years. There’s the obvious love triangle motive but she appeared willing to tolerate the triste. It seems the man had been cheating on her most of their marriage. “But he always came back to me.” She declared defensively during the interview. He rubbed his chin again. The deceased was a well renowned professor and writer; the woman stands to inherit a lot of money.  She did not seem to have many outside interests beyond throwing lavish diner parties for the city’s top social circles. Although he noted she had recently restarted her Masters work on Medieval Studies.

He looked at the next name on the list. Conan Farrell - he was the last person to see Roger Trevellian alive.  The man seemed to have a perpetual sneer on his face. He’s a Professor at the same university and specializes in Irish Literature and Celtic History. Leo grunted. The man made no attempt to hide his disdain for the deceased. It appears they were rivals, and Professor Farrell was quite adamant in declaring that the Pulitzer Prize selection process had become purely political.

Meet the author of this chapter:  John Caligiuri writes primarily historical fiction and has a life long passion for history and literature. His stories emerge from his keen interest in and study of ancient  and medieval Europe and asking "what if" at watershed events in history. His writings are in the style of Michael Shaara (Killer Angels) and Tom Clancy (Red Storm Rising). The research for his books took him deep into the studies of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. John has walked the roads and visited many of the sites referenced in his novels.

Writing is John's second career. He is semi-retired after spending many years developing consumer electronic products. He still assists the U.S. Department of Justice as an image forensic expert witness.