The CSI Effect

Adrienne finished suturing after conducting the autopsy and was utterly confused over her findings. There had been no tell tale signs of any foul play but there was definitely something very wrong.

She made her way through the bustling police station, ringing and chattering filling the air. Hopefully she would be able to find Mike here, she had been trying to call him all morning but could not get a hold of him. Luckily he was sitting in his office, buried under a pile of paperwork.

"Hate to say it but I think that doctor may have been right" she said in place of hello.

He looked up her, dismayed.

"Great, because that's just what I need, another case. So, what did you find?"

"His organs, they were frozen"

This he was not expecting.

"Frozen? As in stored in a freezer frozen?"

"I'm afraid so. He's definitely been dead a lot longer than 48 hours and had to have been kept at a temperature around minus ten".

"Crud. I'll go talk to the son again, snoop around a bit. How long would you say he has been dead for?"

"Well, freezing doesn't stop decay, just slows it down so from the state of putrification I'd estimate anything from two to four months."

Mike although now no longer surprised about anything he learned on his job was still in slight disbelief. A man had been dead for months, not days, months, and not a sole, not even his own son had reported it.

"You wanna tag along?"

______________

"Mr Myles, this is Adrienne Nesser, Chief Medical Examiner, we have some questions we'd like to ask you about your father"

The man tried to act casual and understanding but they both could see right through his act. They glanced at each other and followed him down his narrow hallway, into the sitting room.

"So you said that last time you spoke to your father was Friday” Mike asked, taking out his black notebook.

"Yeah, that's right. I really should have checked on him over the weekend, he said he was feeling poorly but you know how it is with work and family."

Mike made the pretence of agreeing but with the knowledge that every word was a lie.

"Forgive me, but I don't really understand why you're here, he was 86, he just died of old age"

He was starting to sweat and was fidgeting with his hands, classic signs of guilt.
Mike was ready to go on the attack.

"It would appear that way Mr Myers but you see, what I'm having trouble with is that your statement is not matching up with Dr Nesser here's findings..."

It was now Adrienne's turn to interrogate.

"Your father has been dead for much longer than the weekend sir, and what's more somebody had stored his body in a freezer, possibly to make us think he hadn't been dead all that long".

His face had turned pale white, and his heart could be seen beating heavily against his chest, caught out in his own lies.

"So you see the position I'm in, Mr Myers, if I'm going to believe your statement then I'm going to have to disregard the autopsy results and I just can't do that" He said with a fake tone of sympathy.

"Give him the benefit of the doubt Mike” Adrienne said, their act coming together nicely.

The fool had a look of hope.

"I did do that, that's why before we came out here I asked around and found out some very interesting information. You want to know what I learned Mr Myers? I found that you've been collecting your father's pension for the past three months. Now what's a dead guy going to do with all that money?"

He knew the game was up and immediately started protesting his innocence.

"I didn't kill him, I swear. OK, yeah, he's been dead all this time but I didn't kill him. I just, needed the money that's all, you've got to believe me, I didn't kill him!"

"I don't have to do a damn thing” Mike said as he got up and placed him under arrest.