The Greener Field

The Search

The San Diego Police arrived for the second time that night, this occasion at the little market where a distraught Sarah was still shaking and in the back room. Mrs. Donner, the proprietor of the store sheltered her there. She had known Sarah for over a year and could tell by her shocked demeanor and overhearing the horrific call she had just made to the police that she needed her sanctuary out of sight from the public. As it was near closing time, the neighborly woman stayed with Sarah, trying to calm her as two officers finally rolled up in front of the market and strolled cautiously to the entrance.

"She's inside, officers. I know the young lady and . . . yes, she's been through something really terrible. She talks of a body back in her apartment."

Jim Wilcox, the investigative officer who responded to the call, along with his assistant, officer Sharon Vinchy, followed the elderly woman back into the storeroom office where Sarah sat with a cup of coffee untouched on the desk.

"Hello, Miss. We understand you had some difficulties this evening back at your apartment? You want to tell us about that?"

Suddenly the remote radio which officer Vinchy was carrying squawked open with a loud, "Do you Copy?" Then it hissed a few times as the young officer turned down the volume.

She spoke into it softly. "Yeah. We're with her now. Stand by."

Sarah looked up at the two and took notice of their police apparatus attached to their service belts She clearly saw their black revolvers and felt the gravity of what she had just witnessed come back to her powerfully and like a nightmare. Her ashen gray complexion spoke to the officers most obviously that she indeed had something extraordinary to tell them.

"Can you tell us your name and what happened, Miss?" asked the female officer.

"Bertram. . . Sarah Bertram."

"Do you have some identification with you, Miss Bertram?" It was now the male officer.

"No . . . I'm sorry. I just left everything there . . . and ran out! Everything is back . . . in my . . ."

The two officers looked at each other with a quick glance.

"So what happened there, Miss Bertram? Back in your apartment? We had a call that you reported a body in that residence? A male's body? Is that correct?"

"Yes! That's right! . . . Oh my God. He was lying there . . . in my . . . bed."

"And you live near here, ma'am?"

"Just up there . . . up the street. On Juniper Avenue."

"Shall we go check this out then, Miss Bertram?"

"I . . . I don't want to go . . . back inside. Please."

The female put her hand on Sarah's shoulder.

"That's fine, Sarah. We'll do the investigation. Just take us to your place. You can wait in the cruiser. We'll call another officer to stay there with you."

"Shall we go now ma'am?"

"Alright. Just don't . . .leave me . . . alone."

"We absolutely won't, Sarah. Shall we go?"

"Yes. OK then." Sarah's hands were still shaking as she stood to to follow them.