Letters to Maxine

CHAPTER 8

Maxine - 1 - Dead Body

14:40 Hours

Haley's Woods

Maxine McMenamin's first day as a cop didn't start as expected. Watch Command assigned her and two academy graduates to help protect the crime scene of a dead body found in Haley's Woods. Maxine, both first-day classmates and Sergeant Guldbrandsen, stood where the road met the gravel and the wood line.

"Don't speak or think," he said.

He choked up phlegm, turned away from them, and spat. He turned again, running his tongue over his front teeth.

"Your only job here is to look like you know what you're doing. So, don't do a freaking thing unless you're told."

He took a cigar from the inside of his jacket pocket with one hand. Then he took a zippo lighter from his front pants pocket with the other. The decorated silver case had a nude woman with butterfly wings and playboy's best 1983 written underneath. Three times he tapped it against his portable before flicking it open.

"Your job is to keep peepers, thrill-seekers, YouTubers, and the general populace of nuisance reporters away from the area."

He stared at the cigar head between puffs, unable to get the needed flame. Another lighter slap, this time with his palm, and he made another attempt.

"A lot of brass is heading here. Just stand there and look important."

He motioned to a giant pine tree towering over the rest. After inhaling, Guldbrandsen closed his eyes from the smoke.

"Christ on Friday," he snapped. "Just do your freaking job, and don't ask questions."

As he exhaled, the head of his cigar glowed bright red with little flecks of black ash. He pointed at her two former classmates, now comrades in arms. Then, he put the cigar between his teeth.

"You two. Wait here until I come back.

McMenamin, let's go. Ladies first."

He waved his arm, guiding her towards the old New York and Long Branch railroad bump. The sound of the creek got louder as they approached the taped-off area of the crime scene. Maxine felt awkward walking in the mud with a gun, portable, and full duty belt around her waist. She tugged on the HPD embroidered on her turtleneck and pulled the sweater from her chest. She felt the kevlar's unfamiliar stiffness against her torso and wondered if she'd ever get used to it.

By the time they reached the railroad bump, she smelled the creek bed.

"Keep your portable all the way up," he said. "And stay in this area. Don't go wandering off. Give yourself a break if needed and switch with another boot."

He looked at the huge pine tree where four Homicide Detectives and CSI assembled.

Guldbrandsen pointed back at her first-day classmates and coughed. "I'm leaving you in charge of the shit brigade. You're next Training Officer will be here in about an hour."

He took one more puff and stared at her for a moment. His eyes squinted, and his lips pursed. Maxine felt like he was trying to figure her out.

"Do me one more favor," he said. He continued to stare at the crew near the giant pine. They dressed in fine trench coats, scarves, and shiny dress shoes. "Stay away from those clowns. They're nothing but trouble."

"I'll be good, sergeant. And I'll watch after the shit brigade. Promise."

Guldbrandsen's lips drew back, and his cheeks raised into a smile. He shook his head and laughed.