Hindsight Excerpt
Unpublished.
After getting all the information they could from Sloan McDammond, the man Ben had found in Lily’s bedroom, he headed back to Ralph’s office. His mind mulled over what he had learned. Some of his questions were answered, while some new questions had emerged from their investigation thus far. Ben knew they had very little to work off, but he could only hope that what they did have would turn up something. Deep down he knew they might have to go back to the Ronin home and do some more searching.
When he had left the interrogation room, Dave had decided to call it a day, which angered Ben. Why was it that he was able to leave whenever he wanted and Ben felt he could not until this case was closed? Ben knew the answer to this inside his heart.
The hallways of the precinct had become quiet, as the day had progressed on. People had left to go home to their families while Ben had not. He had no one to go home to, so he welcomed the large workload he had.
Stopping in front of Ralph’s office, he hoped he was still there, which he was sure he was. Ralph was just like Ben, a work-a-holic. Neither man had anywhere else to be or anyone else to see. When cases kept Ben late, he always found solace in the fact that his forensics man was still busy as well.
Before Ben could knock on the door, it flung open.
“Jesus Ben, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” Ralph stammered as he held tightly to his heart.
“I’m sorry Ralph, but I thought I would come by and see how the Ronin evidence was treating you.”
“Sure, sure. I was just heading to the cafeteria for a caffeine fix, wanna join?”
“Sure,” Ben replied as he stepped back, allowing Ralph to leave the office.
Both men were silent as they headed down the corridor. After turning into the cafeteria, Ralph headed to the coffee maker while Ben surveyed the vending machines.
“How did the questioning go?” Ralph asked.
Normally Ben would have been concerned as to how he knew about Sloan, but he knew nothing much got by Ralph.
“It turns out he was sent to the Ronin home. He was even given a key,” he replied as he pushed the rotating buttons on the machine. While he watched the options pass by the window, he continued. “The person who sent him had specific instructions on what he was to do while he was there. They even gave him a map, can you believe that?” he asked as he glanced over his shoulder at Ralph.
Ralph sipped at his coffee while he leaned on the counter. Shaking his head, he responded.
“You know, in all the years we’ve been doing this, I’ve never understood the rationalization of some people.”
“Me neither.”
“What else did you find out?” he asked—inquisitively.
“He swears he had nothing to do with the dog’s murder or with assaulting Mr. Ronin, but…”
“But what,” he interjected, his eyes wide.
“It just seems fishy to me. Why would you agree to go into a stranger’s house? What could motivate someone?”
“Ah shit,” Ralph began, before rolling his eyes. “Why even try to figure that one out?”
Ben found what he was looking for. Hitting the button on the machine, he sent his treat down the chute. Leaning down, he reached his big hands into the seemingly small crevice to retrieve it. With his chocolate bar in hand, he turned back to Ralph.
“Did he say who sent him and why?”
“Yeah, he did but I have a feeling he’s holding something back. He just came out with it way too easy. Like he had it rehearsed.”
“What name did he give you?”
“Lily, Lily Ronin.”
Ralph looked quizzically at Ben.
“I know, I know. That’s what I thought,” Ben replied.
“Why would she go to all this trouble?” Ralph asked as he took a seat at the nearest table.
“See, that’s what I don’t get. Dave seems to think the case is cut and dry. That she is trying to set everything up to point to an ex lover of her husband’s while she gets away with shooting and possibly killing him.”
“But you don’t think that, do you?” Ralph asked.
Ben sat down next to Ralph.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“What do you think is going on then?”
“To be honest buddy, I don’t really know yet. But I do know that Lily has nothing to do with this.”
Ralph looked intently into Ben’s eyes. He knew what Ben would not want to admit—that he had already fallen for her. Even as Ralph wondered if his friend was being blinded, he still had to admit that he thought the scenario a little odd as well.
“So what do you propose we do?” Ralph asked as he took another sip of his coffee.
Ben looked up from his chocolate bar, took a bite, and then responded.
“I say we go over this evidence again and then re-investigate the home. Something isn’t right here, but I can’t put my finger on it quite yet.”
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