'Detective Hanson Case#674: The Case of Undecided Victim'

“Detective, you should come to the station immediately! We have had a shooting at the train station. The shooter is in custody”, says the voice on the phone. Detective Hanson was used to such calls early in the morning and non-dalliance of pleasantries did not affect him at all. 

“I am on my way”, he replies in a humdrum tone.

 

Over his career spanning 30 years, Detective Hanson had developed some tricks of the trade. The biggest advantage of starting as a patrol officer was that Hanson knew the first responding officers were bound to report the facts as they were, without any dexterity, whatsoever. Consequently, he never read too much into these calls.

 

Detective Hanson picks up his badge and service weapon, and heads out the door. Just as he was locking the door, his partner, Detective Cook, pulls up the car near the curb. Hanson smiles at his partner and sits on the passenger seat.

 

Detective Hanson and Detective Cook have been partners for 2 years now. Detective Cook was younger and fiercer. He was the ‘muscle’ of the duo. The Sergeant must have paired them as a ‘brain and muscle’ duo, often thought Detective Hanson.

 

As the two ride to the station, Detective Cook gives an account of the recent shooting. Not that Detective Hanson was intrigued but Detective Cook just liked to natter all the time and Detective Hanson preferred to hear the facts than engage in personal intricacies. 

 

Detective Cook says, “The shooting took place at the train station in the morning around 8 a.m. The shooter was an old security guard, named Mr.Richards. He claims to have seen the victim carry a hidden weapon. He said that the victim was standing close to another guard and an old lady when the victim was about to pull out the weapon and fire away. The old chap says he saw things from afar and couldn’t have given the victim any warning or alerted the other guards.”

 

Detective Hanson interjects, “So it’s an open and shut case. The Prosecution and the Defence should meet and shut the case as a murder out of necessity. Can’t the newbies, who handed over this information to you, handle it?”

 

Detective Cook smirked for two reasons; first, he isn’t a newbie any more as per Detective Hanson and second, what he was about to say was sure to pique Hanson's curiosity. Cook says, “This is the best part. The first responding officers checked the scene thoroughly. There was no weapon neither on the body nor anywhere around it.”

 

Hanson gives a catatonic stare to the road ahead. That’s what experience does. You learn to hide all sorts of facial cues when you hear a conspiracy.

 

Cook says, “The old chap is nearing retirement. Must have wanted to do something heroic before he left. You can, literally, see through this excogitated story. How could he have seen from a really far place, given his old age? Must have placed a safe bet thinking that the young man, with sketchy appearance and tattoos, would be carrying a weapon. After all, every other person in the city carries a weapon these days. But it must be a cold day in hell when this guy ended up without a weapon.” Cook smiles wryly.

 

Hanson says, “Let’s just head to the train station and check the video recordings before we go to the  Police Station. I mean I am sure the newbies would like to impress you by holding the fort at the Police Station, right?” With a smirk, Hanson passes a knowing glance to Cook.

 

Cook couldn’t believe the fact that Hanson actually liked the theory Cook had proffered. Cook smiles, pulls out his cellphone with one hand to make the call and steers the wheel with the other hand to make a turn for the train station.

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After examining the video footage, Detectives Hanson and Cook head to the Police Station to meet the old guard accused of the shooting. On reaching there, Detective Cook heads to the interrogation room but Detective Hanson makes his way to his desk. Hanson whispers something to one of the young detectives, grabs a file and joins Cook shortly.

They both enter a caliginous interrogation room with two mirrors on opposite walls. The room has one light hanging right above a table. The table has two chairs facing one mirror and one chair facing the other mirror. An old man is already sitting alone on the lone chair. He has handcuffs and he is growing sullen with each passing minute. There are two cameras conspicuously placed to record the happenings of the room clearly. 

 

Hanson and Cook enter the room and confidently sit on the opposite side of the table. Hanson places the file on the table and opens it up. Meanwhile Cook starts by saying, “Mr.Richards we are homicide Detectives Hanson and Cook. We need to be sure that you have been Mirandised by the arresting officers and you still chose to speak to us without a lawyer. You have also been informed of the charges by our colleagues earlier. Am I correct?”

 

Mr.Richards nods.

 

Cook continues, “Let’s be honest here. I want to move on to some important cold murder cases as the District Attorney’s Office is really pushing hard to close as many cold cases as possible, as you might be aware.”

 

Mr.Richards is riddled with confusion by the murky jabber.

 

Cook says, “Mr.Richards, the quicker we close your case, the quicker we get down to other cases. And as you know your version of the previous concocted story doesn’t stand good any more, we would really appreciate complete truth from you.”

 

Mr.Richards says in a choking voice, “I did see that man carry a weapon. I am not lying. Why would I shoot an innocent man? Why would I do that close to my retirement? Why would I let an innocent man’s family go through the unspeakable ordeal?”

 

Cook chuckles and says, “Wow! I would have bought your act had I not known that the man had no weapon on him. Due to the early hours of the day, there were only a handful of people and no one saw what you claim to have seen. Our officers searched the entire premises thoroughly and they didn't find the weapon either. What do you have to say now?”

 

Mr.Richards, in a helpless tone, says, “Please check the video footage! Please talk to someone on the station! Someone must have seen him reach for his weapon. I swear I saw the weapon!”

 

Cook smiles and rhetorically says, “How very conveniently you positioned yourself to see from an angle where no cameras could? How very conveniently you saw what no one else saw? Accept it Mr.Richards. You wanted to have a story to tell your grandkids after retirement. You wanted that dauntless hero tag. You unscrupulously targeted an innocent young man, who you were sure was carrying a weapon. But alas! Your plan failed miserably when the poor lad had nothing on him. Isn’t it?” Cook leans forward and screams almost inches away from Mr.Richards face, “Isn’t it all true?”

 

Mr.Richards hopelessly bends down and buries his face in his cuffed hands. He sobs uncontrollably.

 

Hanson, who remained occupied with the case file until now, signals Cook to head out with him. Cook restores his calm and does so. 

 

As soon as they step out of the room, Hanson says, “I think Mr.Richards is the victim here.” Cook could not process how on earth would that happen. 

 

The young detective from the desk comes to them and says, “Sir, I did as you said. No one was there at the address. But I did find the information you were looking for.” He then hands over another set of papers, which were still warm and crisp because of the recent printing. Hanson started going through the papers at once and the young detective went back to his desk.

 

Cook felt jealous of the newbie for having been in cahoots with Hanson. 

 

Hanson, realising that he must no longer keep his partner in dark, turns to Cook and says, “Hey partner! Like I said- I believe Mr.Richards is the victim here. The young man was indeed a perpetrator.” This added to Cook’s confusion. Hanson continued, “This is what happened- the young victim was a part of a gang of robbers. They were planning to rob the city of its iconic King Henry’s sword. Remember the body was near the statue of King Henry at the train station? I checked the video recordings. He was canvassing the area around the statue for the gang today morning. But as gangs usually do, while one canvases the area around the target site, some of them canvas the area for cameras and some of them are always around the exits for helping all of them elope as a contingency.”

 

Cook wanted to interrupt and hurl questions but Hanson continues, “One of the gang members, who was looking out for cameras, saw a guard approach our, now dead, perpetrator and by creating a distraction tried to alert him. But little did they know that our old Mr.Richards might see him reach for the gun. And as Mr.Richards said, there indeed was a weapon on the victim.”

 

Cook manages to interject, “Where did the weapon go and who was that other member?”

 

Hanson smiles ruefully and says, “My dear Cook, you are asking the right questions in the wrong order. The aid that created the distraction was the old lady, who was also a witness and is now nowhere to be found. As you heard our newbie, her house is empty. She was going to warn our victim about the other guard who was approaching him. But she accidentally dropped her purse and the plans went awry. The guard instead approached the lady, to help her. The frazzled victim seeing a guard close to his ally went to reach for his weapon but our old Mr.Richards saw and did his duty well. The guard, who was helping the old lady, now looked around to locate the shooter and in the meantime, the lady, while gathering her things from the floor, clandestinely picked the weapon and hid it in her purse. She was afraid if we dig deep and ask questions around the dead guy’s circle, we might discover their robbery plans. It was easier to hide the weapon and make believe that our old guard shot an innocent young boy. You see these papers?” Hanson waives the papers in the air and continues, “They prove that our lady is an old felon and was once the foster mother of our victim. She and her other foster son are on the run now.”

 

Cook says, “But how did you know? What gave the old lady away? The video did not show her taking the weapon. No camera was placed in such a manner as to reveal it.”

 

Hanson says, “Call it a hunch.” Hanson passed a narcissistic smile to Cook and headed to the Sergeant’s office to brief him about the case. Cook went to his desk and struggled to find what gave the lady away.

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After getting briefed, the Sergeant who was sitting on his chair in a relaxed manner, now leans forward, chuckles and says, “Come on, Hanson! For old times sake, tell me how did you get this hunch?” 

Hanson smiles and says, “Just some tricks of the trade, Sir. I asked myself that why would an old man give up his secure future of lifelong pension and taint his good rapport days before retirement? That’s highly unbecoming of an old man, right? We old pals look for security and not risks. It was too risky for Mr.Richards to be killing only for a heroic act. And also, like my learned partner believes, who in the city would not be carrying a weapon today? The victim was young and the tattoo on his arm clearly showed he belonged to a street gang. How could he not have a weapon? And moreover, what was he doing at the train station early this morning? Young members of the street gangs don't step out until late, unless they are operating outside their street gangs. Then I looked at the crime scene footage. It was only the old lady and the guard who were near the body and only the lady had the opportunity to pick the weapon. All I did was ask the new detective to find a link between the old lady and the victim, while he asks the patrol officers to just pay her a visit. And voila!”

The Sergeant giggles and says, "Oh Hanson! You always ask the right questions. Good job!"  

He pauses to let the air of appreciation settle well with Hanson and then in a staid tone says, "As much as I would love to let you go and celebrate the closing of yet another case, I have to ask you to get ready as the District Attorney's Office has been calling me to assign you to another case."

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