Murder On Fifth Street

CHAPTER 7 : BUCKS RANCH?

Jimmy pulled out the folder labelled DORIS PILLSBURY and handed it to the detective. Carl checked the folder and tore the red tape that crept across the top encasing all the evidence inside. He opened it up, and the contents spilled over the table. Photographs black and white others in colour and many bagged chunks of DNA such as hair and nails scrambled all over. Abigail leaned over the exhibit and placed her hand over a particular photograph; it was an old photo of a young girl. She wore a long black dress with laced boots and round spectacles.

"well there's no denying that's Doris," said Abigail "I reckon she's about 12 here," Carl said. They put down the old photo, chunks falling off the edges with each second that passes. The bagged evidence had labels across the mid-section detailing the confidential proof. They read buck Morris, "hey slim Jim," said Carl. That's the name used for jimmy around the precinct others thought it accurate for a slim man such as himself, but he thought of it as plain old torture. "what do you want shorty?" exclaimed jimmy. Touché carl thought.

"care to explain why there's someone else's evidence in Doris's folder?" he asked. Jimmy frowned. "how in Samael's name am I supposed to know that, maybe it's a mix-up," remarked slim Jim. Or perhaps it's the evidence from the crime scene thought Abigail. She checked the written report attached to the front of the folder and cross-examined the evidence, to find that Buck Morris old flame of Doris's DNA was found at the scene, but no link made between the murder and himself.

All that was known about Buck was that he owned a farm down on old tree crescent. Abigail grasped carls' arm and ran at full speed out of the precinct with him in tow. Just when they had almost crossed the street did it occur to carl what had happened. "um gingy what's the big idea here?" said Carl. "old tree crescent lets go "she replied almost out of breath. They hopped in the patrol car and sped down the street, swerving in and out of traffic as they progressed.

Halfway through the trip did carl take a second to look at Abigail properly. Since that night. She wore cherry red lipstick that inflated her already luscious lips and wore more makeup then carl cared to remember the last time she had been this gorgeous. "43 old tree crescent" she finally broke the silence between them.

They arrived at an old rusty gate with a mailbox older than carl and Abigail's ages combined. On the front was a small swinging sign, it read BUCKS RANCH.

"I'm no expert abs, but I'm assuming buck might live here," he said a giant smirk covering his face. Abigail gave in a small chuckle and hopped out the car. The two of them walked up to the gate and climbed over.

Littles walk along the pathway they realised that there was someone in a barn to the side of the property, they followed the strange path to the barn to inspect the mysterious figure. When both of them reached the barn, an older man hunched over with hands covered in milk looked up as slow as a sloth and pleasantly greeted them.

"morning youngins" he said calmly. "morning sir, mind if we ask you a few questions about the night Doris wa- Abigail didn't get to finish before buck said, "yes yes ask away detectives I've been wondering when you guys would come knocking. The older man had been interrogated various times in the past. He wore long overalls and a plaid shirt ripped at the cuffs; boots that covered in mud glistened in the morning sun. His droopy chin indicated lack of specific vitamins clearly due to the advanced age.

He wondered around while abs asked him the relevant questions. "ok lemme get this straight, that bastard is still out there killing off everyone that may or may not know about him?" said Buck. "pretty much" carl offered. Buck scrunched his face and let out a sigh. "did you have anything to do with her murder, buck?" said Abigail. "I haven't seen Doris since around the time our daughter was born" he replied. "wait hold the phone, you guys had a daughter?" they said in unison.

"We sure did, although it was Doris's idea to give her up to adoption" buck Morris replied. Carl and Abigail exchanged glances and returned to the task at hand. "Buck, I think it's our best option to take you into witness protection, if what you claim is true, then he might be after you next," said Carl. Buck looked at the detectives with a sorrowful look and accompanied the detectives to the car without saying a word.