Guns And Roses

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Sebastian Walker stepped out into the typical cold February air, famously characteristic of New York. Initially having had certain qualms about it, it had soon become his favourite season. He had lived for twenty-seven years in New York, now; a true New-Yorker, as many would say. Breathing in the night air, he stepped into his fashionable Pontiac Vibe. The night masked its true red colour with a shade of light green. He had received an option of using a Police car, with those noisy sirens on top before he had purchased his Pontiac. He’d refused. What sense did it make to let everyone in the vicinity know that a cop was in the car coming towards them? Sure, it helped to reach one’s destination faster, but it proved to be lethal if the criminal in question heard of it. It was as obvious as pulling out a placard in public and yelling, “Hey there! I’m coming to get you, so you better run now! Yes, YOU my friend! ” Absolutely ridiculous, he thought, as he pushed down the throttle and set off to Bay View Lane, in his comfortable Vibe.

It took him about half an hour to get there. The residents of Bay View Lane didn’t seem to care for the New York City stereotype, the one of “New York never sleeps”. He checked his watch. 12:07a.m. While coming here, Walker had noticed that the lights in more or less all the houses were still on. Here, however, even though there had been a murder, everyone seemed to like tucking in early. Actually, Walker thought while turning off the ignition and getting out of his car, the murder might be the reason that everyone had gone to sleep. Well, in any case, according to the Chief, publicity was to be kept as limited as possible. Thankfully something was working out in his favour at the moment.

These thoughts soon left him, as he approached the crime scene at 112th Street. The custom yellow “Do not enter, Police Investigation” tags were in place along with two porky, middle-aged officers on duty. Knowing, of course, who he was, they let him pass on.  

“Hello, there Detective,” called out Chief Rutt as Walker got on to the footpath beside the road. “Good evening, sir,” replied Walker in a steady voice. Chief Rutt was a man in his mid-fifties, and with a combination of predominant white and black hair. He wore a brown overcoat and underneath it, he wore his favourite dark blue striped shirt. He was not great in height; nothing, when compared to Walker. But whatever respect he lost from people due to his stature, was made up for by his warm grey eyes and firm manner of speaking as well as addressing people. “Well, here I am, Chief. Mind telling me the name of the victim now?” asked Walker calmly, curiosity bubbling inside of him. “I think you should have to see this one by yourself to believe it, Sebastian,” said the Chief. Something in Rutt’s tone caught him off-guard. He had never, in the many years of working for him, heard him speak in this manner. Something’s wrong here, surely, thought Sebastian Walker. Yes, something was very wrong...