Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 18: In the Dead of Night-Part 1

A few days after the Daisy Thompson case, Jones and Marie were called in for a night shift. Even though they weren't feeling the greatest because of the Angel Dust injections, they agreed to come in. As they were sitting at their desks writing reports, Jones slumped back in his chair and said, "Hey Marie, don't you just love working the night shift? Nothing's more fun then waiting for insomniac killers to make a move."

"Will you stop complaining! I'm not feeling the best either. In fact, just after you left my apartment, I started to cough up blood and now I'm getting this addiction for more of those stupid injections," Marie said to her partner.

Suddenly, Ramirez showed up at their desks and said, "Sergeant, we just got a call in! Someone's reported a murder!"

"Do you have the details Ramirez?" Marie asked and the officer nodded and told them that a young boy called and told him that someone has been shot in the middle of Cooper Park but he didn't give them his name.

Jones then stood up and told Ramirez that they're on it and soon the two officers left to go on a "midnight stroll." When they got to the park fountain, Marie's eyes went wide when she saw a boy who looked like he was in high school leaning on one of the trees and he had an arrow shot in his eye. Jones then looked down sadly and said, "Good god, I know this kid. His name's Freddy Stewart and he used to cause us problems in the past, but nothing to deserve this kind of cruelty."

Marie then took her hand and closed Freddy's only open eye and she said, "We should send the poor kid to Nathan, I'm sure he'll find something useful."

Jones then walked over to the bushes and picked up a discarded crossbow. He then looked it over and said, "It seems the arrow that was fired from this crossbow, it is also identical to the one on Freddy's body. There's no doubt this is the murder weapon."

Marie then looked down the path and saw a middle school kid watching them and she said, "That must be the kid who called us. We should go and talk to him." And Jones nodded in agreement.

As they approached the boy, Marie crouched to his level and asked him what his name is and he told her that his name is Julian Ramis. Jones then smiled at the boy and asked him, "It's nice to meet you Julian. Are you the boy who reported Freddy's murder?"

The boy then started to tear up and said, "Y-yes I am. I-I was just walking down the park path, when I heard two people arguing. Then the arguing stopped and I heard someone running away. I went to see what happened and that's when I found Freddy; I couldn't even look at him! Freddy was my friend and the two of us used to hang out at the abandoned treehouse together."

Julian then started to cry and Marie pulled him into a hug and started to shush him to calm him down. Julian then sobbed, "I don't even know how to tell Freddy's sister Ramona! The two of them were so close and she's my friend too. I want to tell her myself!"

Marie then pulled the boy away from her and pat his head and told him, "Don't worry Julian, we'll tell her ourselves. We're also gonna look at the treehouse to see what can help us find your friend's killer."

After they talked with Julian, Jones and Marie headed to the Stewart residence and when they arrived, the two officers stood in front of Freddy's sister who was holding a cigarette in her hand and Jones told her, "Ramona, we're really sorry, but your brother Freddy got killed tonight."

The girl looked down sadly and said, "I can't believe my brother's dead, I just can't. I mean, what happened?"

"We're really sorry Miss Stewart. Do you know anyone who would want to hurt you brother?" Marie asked and the girl shook her head no.