The Crime on Wall Street

             It was a quiet day in the town of Rockville and a quiet day on Wall Street. Josh was trying to obtain more clients for his new investigation business; he was not succeeding. He was new in the business and people that actually needed big cases solved always wanted someone with a lot of experience. He had no clients that day; so he decided to go home. When he got home, he had a little snack and immediately fell asleep.

The next day he woke up, he realized he was late for work. When he was heading out the door, he saw the police and an ambulance at the Wilson’s house. He walked over to Laney Wilson, who was crying, and asked, “What is going on?”

She said, “Poor Daisy was murdered!”

He felt a huge rush of sadness and anguish, for Daisy was a very sweet young girl in the neighborhood. Josh had gotten used to her laugh and had fun watching her play in the yard in front of her home. He had to sit down beside Laney because he would have collapsed otherwise.

             Josh asked, “How did it happen?”

Laney sobbed, “I don’t know. She was fine when she went to bed. We didn’t hear a raucous at night, but when we woke up, she was dead.”

He knew what he had to do to make this a business opportunity, while not sounding like he was just trying to make money. So, he said, “Laney why don’t you come down to my office and we will find out who did this.”

She said, appearing distressed, “Okay.”

He had finally found a client! But this was no time to rejoice because he just lost a dear friend. His emotions ran the spectrum on his way into work. He contained his sadness by repeating the words, “Act professional! Act professional!”

When he arrived at the office, he called his team over to discuss the incident. He wanted to start the investigation right away. He and his team left for the crime scene. When they arrived, they noticed the body had already been taken to the morgue for the medical examiner’s processing.

On scene, they began searching everywhere for any evidence. They looked for gun shells and other items. They questioned all neighbors in close proximity to the scene of the crime. Their questioning of the nearby neighbors revealed there was a gunshot heard at 1:34 in the morning; but witnesses did not know where it came from. By the end of the day, they were all tired and ready to go home, with little evidence to show for their work. However, the Medical Examiner did find out that a rifle was used in the killing.

The next day Josh woke up before his alarm, ready to start the investigation. Today, instead of investigating the scene, they continued to ask around to see if anybody saw where the shooter might have been. There was a nice couple that said they were out having an anniversary dinner and arrived home very late. They did believe they heard a gunshot from the South. The investigation team also spoke to a man that said he might have seen who did it, but there was no tangible evidence. However, this man did describe the person he saw.

Josh thought to himself, that description sounds similar to someone I have seen. But who?

Josh pondered a bit and then blew it off as it could be anyone fitting that vague description; about five-foot-nine inches tall, dark hair, dark eyes, wearing dark clothes, no identifying marks, but the man stated one of the ears on the suspect was deformed.

 “Hum. Interesting.” Josh stated. He does know someone in the neighborhood that has had an ear injury, who also has dark hair and dark eyes is about five-foot-nine-inches tall. Ralph, one of his employees fits this description; however, he has never seen Ralph in dark colored clothing.

Josh thought, No. I am just being suspicious. I have no solid proof.

He did recall he had noticed yesterday that Ralph was a little hostile and laid back with their new client, Laney. Ralph had been pretty unlike himself lately and covering up good evidence on other cases, too. Josh believed Ralph was not taking this case seriously.

Josh thought to himself, but we all have those times, don’t we?

 Josh thought to casually question Ralph on their way to the coroner’s office to observe the body and Medical Examiner’s evidence.

“So, Ralph”, Josh inquired, “did you hear anything at the time of the murder?”

Ralph looked kind of uneasy and said, “No, I was asleep at that time.”

When they arrived, the Medical Examiner was pulling the body out of the cooler while discussing his findings. When Ralph viewed the body, he looked away quickly and kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with Josh and the doctor.

Then Josh saw, the look in Ralph’s eyes. Does he know something he is not telling us?

The Medical Examiner asked, “Ralph, are you okay? You look pale. Do you need to sit down?”

“I am fine!” Ralph snapped back at him, “I have seen all I need to see!” He turned and stormed out of the room.

Josh had one more question for the Medical Examiner, “Any DNA found on the body?”

“Nothing on the body. But the bullet was recovered and it is up in forensics as we speak.”

“Thanks, Doc’! We will head there now.” Josh responded.

Josh and Ralph headed toward the Forensics Laboratory (Lab).  Just as Josh’s phone rang. It was Grace, one of Josh’s co-workers.

She said, “We figured out where the gun was fired. South of the house, on top of the bank, about 300 yards out from the crime scene.”

“So, we might be dealing with someone that has sniper training. Interesting. Okay, I will be there in a few minutes. Thanks!” Josh was recalling that Ralph was trained as a sniper some time ago when he served in the Armed Forces. What am I thinking?! No way would this be something MY friend and employee could be involved in! It is just a coincident!

Arriving at the Forensics Lab, the technician stated they had recovered a fingerprint on the bullet; it was only a partial print but it was being run through the database now. Josh thanked her for the information. She said she will contact him if and when a positive match is revealed. Finally, they found a fingerprint, some solid evidence!

Josh rushed over to the crime scene, noting it was getting late he told Ralph to go home. Josh met Grace and they ran through the scene again. Marked the shooter’s probable location. The noted trajectory of the bullet. Tied up loose ends and finished thorough notes.

A phone rang. It was Josh’s cell. “The Forensic technician,” He said to Grace, as he answered.

 “We ran the print through the scanner,” she said.

She told him who it was. RALPH! There was no surprise for Josh, truly, but to have confirmation! One of his own friends! Pretty much a brother to him, had killed a child! He couldn’t believe it, but he had to. It was him! The proof is unavoidable. He told Grace what the tech found and not to tell anyone.

Josh said to Grace, “I will get the police to the office by morning. Go home and make sure nobody is following you.”

Josh did not sleep that night. The next morning, was the morning he would dread. He had to set this up perfectly or Ralph would get away. He started walking to work. When he arrived, he opened the door. He almost fainted! Grace was dead with multiple bullets in her! He was so sad! He told her to make sure that nobody was following her!

Then Ralph turned the corner.

That murderous, little lowlife, piece of garbage had some nerve to show his face here after what he did. Josh had already called the cops and made sure they came quietly because he didn’t want Ralph to get away. It took everything he had, not to bash Ralph’s face in the ground. But Ralph held the gun!

“Ralph! What are you doing?! Why did you do these things?! What purpose are you serving by killing these innocent people?!” Josh got more furious when Ralph started talking.

“Grace was never good at keeping secrets! I tortured her until…,” he started saying but stopped stunned. Zazazzazzap! Ralph screamed as the chief of police shocked the daylights out of him with a taser. They cuffed him and dragged him off.

Josh looked at Ralph sitting in the back of the police car.

“Why did you do it? Why did you kill them?! You had no right to take that poor girl’s life! You had no right to kill Grace to cover your tracks! You deserve everything that comes your way!”, Josh said.

Ralph hung his head in shame, as the police drove him away. Josh said his thanks to the police and sat down on the curb, exhausted from the last few days of stress.

The end.

Thank you, mom, for helping me edit my story and fix any grammatical errors.