Majoring in Murder

Chapter 15

That evening when I went downstairs, my mom was sitting in a recliner reading a book. My dad was tinkering with his tools in the garage and my sisters were upstairs. I watched the six o'clock news for any mention of a body found at the Marietta Country Club, while my mom sat across the room engrossed in her novel.

The murder was the lead story on every channel. I learned early on that Lou had been an A. D. A. Apparently, an Assistant District Attorney's death is more important than a robbery, an allegation of child molestation, or a police officer in Atlanta who had gotten a D.U.I., all leading stories yesterday. However, learning that Lou was well respected among his peers, I became anxious and found myself biting on my fingernails before I knew it. I suddenly felt like I could throw up. Our home no longer felt as safe and cozy as it once had, but instead, as if it was a beacon for the authorities and they would be coming for me at any moment. I drank some of my soda, wishing it was liquor, and took a deep breath to help calm myself. I knew I had to concentrate on something else or I'd go insane from worrying. The news report hadn't given any indication that police had any leads. Hell, I was there and I'm pretty sure no one saw me. I knew I hadn't left anything behind.

Once I was a little calmer, I tried puzzling out why Carlo would want Lou dead. Obviously, a prosecuting attorney would have plenty of enemies on the opposite side of the law, but Lou Harben must have done something very wrong to get Carlo's attention. I contemplated this, but only briefly. After all, knowing I had killed a person with Lou Harben's connections wasn't something I needed to dwell on. It was best to push it out of my mind since the job was finished and the police weren't specifically looking for me. The only pertinent information the police spokesperson gave was that the assailant most likely hid in the woods to commit the crime. That was a no-brainer given the location of the body.

If anyone has information regarding this crime or has information about a suspicious person in the vicinity between twelve and two, please call our tip-line at...

The tip-line displayed on the screen beneath the officer's face. I was a little apprehensive about someone calling in my description, but dismissed it when I remembered that only one car had passed me as I exited the woods, and even then, it was already heading away from me. I would most likely get away with what I'd done.

It was a few minutes after six when the story ended. I turned off the TV and placed the remote on the coffee table.

"I thought you were going to watch TV," mom said, looking up from her book.

"Nah," I said. "It's too depressing. All they talk about is crime and death. Even the weather's boring this time of year: hot and humid."

I went up to my room and shut the door. I pulled out the bottle of whiskey I had hidden in my closet and pounded down a good bit of it, then plopped down on my bed. When I closed my eyes, I could still see the number for the police's information line. It made me reconsider my actions. Even if there was no evidence pointing to me, the forensics team could examine the bullet lodged in Lou's head. From that, they could determine the type of rifle, the direction the shot came from, and, maybe, find some fibers where I had sat. Thinking about what I couldn't change made me nervous, so I focused on the bullet and the rifle.

Maybe I should ditch the gun, I thought. Getting caught with it would be very bad.

I decided I should ask Carlo for another weapon, one similar so I could still shoot from a distance, but a different gun so they couldn't trace the bullet back to me from previous hits. Also, I would ask Carlo for a small handgun. Oh, and a knife. I couldn't forget the knife. It would definitely come in handy, but I could get that myself. They don't do background checks or require registration for knife purchases.