The Greener Field

Dead Men Tell No Lies

That afternoon Carrie accompanied Sarah back to her place on the coast. Entering with her friend, whom she knew was armed, gave her great comfort. The apartment was just as she left it—a stripped bed, but everything else in its place. While Sarah packed some clothing and articles from the bathroom to take back to her parents' house, Carrie did her own investigating, mainly of the bed and the carpet around it. Into a small vile with a secure top she had collected a few long and short strands of hair. It was meticulous work and Carrie spent considerable time on her hands and knees taking these samples of forensic evidence.

As Sarah entered the bedroom with several shopping bags full of clothes, bath soaps and a separate bag containing shoes, Carrie, from almost a prone position on the carpet spoke to her dutifully and mater-of-factly.

"Can I ask a personal question, girlfriend?"

"Sure."

"How many different men have you had in this bedroom over say the last several months?"

"What?"

"Just the number, Darling . . ."

"Sarah . . . what kind of girl do you think I . . ."

"Was there more than one?

"No! Of course not!"

"Jess for sure, right?

"Well . . . um yeah. Just Jess. But that really doesn't even count because . . ."

"Because what, Sarah?

"Because he actually didn't even get in bed with me. I was in bed but he . . . just left."

"Sweet. You are one interesting person, Sarah."

"OK. Well we made love. But earlier, at a hotel. He just brought me home that one time so I could make my appointments the next day."

"Mr. Smoothie, I see. OK then, that makes sense. See I'm not getting any body hair or pubic hair . from anybody, just a few head samples."

"Wow. Can you really tell that? Wait, a few?"

"It's a talent. Now I've got your  hair, his  hair, and who's the old lady you're sleeping with?

"What? Carrie!"

Tell me about creepy Derek's hair."

"Well, it was . . . long and . . ."

"Gray?"

"Yup."

"OK. No grandma, then. That's Derek. See? . . .  You're not crazy, Sarah. He was definitely here. In this bedroom."

"Oh my God. Don't remind me!"

"Now. Dead or alive?  That's something my talent just can't tell us. If the bed sheets were here . . . maybe I could. But . . ."

"Carrie, can we go now? This creeping me out again. I just want to get out of here."

"Sure, sweetie. Just looking for something else kind of tell-tale . . . either guy may have left here, pretty classic really . . ."

"What's that?"

"Well, didn't find any . . . And you don't want to know"

"Oh my gosh. Yucks!  Let's just go, Carrie!"

"Alright."

She put the top on the small glass vile with the hair samples and carried it over to her purse.

"Now normally, we'd do a full fingerprint run on this place. But we got DNA hair samples on your two video makers now so . . . let's just go find them."

"What?  Yeah, right."

"I actually expect you're going to be contacted by Jess again soon, Sarah. Probably a text message, an email or phone call. It's consistent with these kind of guys."

The two made their way out of the bedroom, through the living room, and out the front door into the sunlight.

"Is there any point to even locking this place?" she asked Carrie.

"No. But do it."

As they got back to the car, Sarah's smartphone gave a small melody that she had received a message—it was from Jess' phone.

"Better take that now Sarah. I'll drive us back to Fairbanks."

Sarah got into the passenger seat, and held her breath.  She then opened the message and read aloud to Carrie:

Hello there, Beautiful. So who's your cute friend? Did you come back looking for your bed sheets? Actually, they were quite dirty and needed the laundry. But don't worry. They've been sent out and cleaned. I'll bring them back if you wish, love. All fresh and clean. Now about that pesky video clip you seem so worried about. Jess tried to get me to destroy it. But it's just too hot to let go! You're very cinematic, Sarah, should you be looking for a new career. We'll be in touch. And you might hope not too personally, because I'm already dead. And it all depends on what you say.  Or don't say. To anyone!

See you in the movies. --Derek

"Oh my God, Carrie. Can you believe this?"

"Wow. This is getting interesting," Carrie said, smiling.

"So what are we going to do?"

"Didn't you ever hear? Dead men tell no lies?"

"No."

"Well we definitely need to talk to our 'dead man,' Sarah.."

Carrie deftly commandeered the car from the main roadway to the freeway, en route to the home of Sarah's parents.

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