Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                      Chapter 16

                                                                                  Twist in the Tale

     Mr. Roberts hurried to get the small paper bag and brought it to Detective Burns.  "Put this over your nose and mouth and then take in easy slow breaths," he told Dave.  Dave nodded and then followed the detective's instructions, while Detective Burns took his pulse.  Through it all, Mr. David Clinton Sr., Dave's father remained impersonal and stiff in his posture.

     "Bert!"  the detective called.  "Yeah," the mechanic answered.  "The breaks on Dave's car; what shape were they in?"  "Well, they were okay, and also not."  "What do you mean?"  the detective asked him.  "Well, I drove the car around the block after I repaired it and the breaks worked fine.  And then all of a sudden when I drove it to the garage, they didn't."

     "What would cause that?"  Detective Burns asked.  "Lack of break fluid is one thing," Bert said casually.  Suddenly Dave pulled the bag from his face and asked, "Could that have happened due to the crash?" he asked Bert.  "I wouldn't think so.  There was no damage to the breaks themselves,"  Bert told him.

     "Then I don't understand," Dave said, clearly confused.  "What don't you understand Dave?"  Detective Burns asked him, not in an unkind way.  "I mean you probably hadn't checked your fluids lately and...."  But Dave cut him off by saying, "No.  That's not right."  Dave said in frustration.  " I had the car completely serviced before I went to pick up Sandra that morning, including all fluids."

     "I still have the receipt somewhere at home," Dave said passionately.  "Where did you have the car serviced?"  Detective Burns asked him.  "Jiffy Lube" on Cass in Elkhart.  Detective Burns scratched his chin, his brows pulling together.  "Are you sure Bert, that the crash couldn't have caused the breaks to fail?"

     "I'm sure in this case sir," Bert answered.  Detective Burns maintained the pensive look on his face as Dave asked, "Shall I continue my testimony now?"  "Oh, I think we can all concede the ending Dave.  You made it look like a suicide because you didn't think anyone would believe the truth," he said distractedly.

     "Well yes," Dave said, wondering about the detective's change of mind, of wanting to know every tiny detail of what happened.  "I would like to ask you one more question though," Detective Burns started.  Suddenly Dave groaned, put in his head in his hands again and muttered, "Why was I so stupid, selfish and cruel?  Why didn't I...."

     Detective Burns stopped him.  "I know why Dave," the detective told him.  "For one thing, you were seventeen.  And the other reason sits before us," Detective Burns said with a penetrating glare at Dave's father.  Mr. Clinton's only answer to Detective Burns statement was to become more stoic in his expression and stature and more red in the face with anger.

     Dave was visibly taken aback by the detective's understanding tone.  He was beginning to see that no matter what punishment was doled out to him, this detective was a good man.  "Paul," Detective Burns said to the Coroner, "Could Sandra's blunt force trauma have occurred from Dave's description of the accident?" he ask, still seemingly distracted.

     "Yes," the Coroner said simply.  Dave breathed a quiet sigh of relief feeling that Detective Burns believed that he, Dave had not purposely caused Sandra's death.  "Now Dave,.... remind me when you told Aaron about you and Sandra's evening drive?"  Detective Burns asked him.  "Um, after he and I got back with the groceries.  Around six p.m.,"  Dave answered with a quizzical look on his handsome face.