"Yes," said Theo, "the image in the mirror is of me, but I was not there" Detective Mike Saborno scratched his head. He was the lead investigator into the killing of Theo Taylor's wife Melissa and three other persons as yet unidentified at their holiday home in West Palm Beach, a town with, on one hand, some of the wealthiest people in the US, and at the same time some of the poorest, situated on the East coast of America, six hundred miles north of Miami Florida. Detective Soborno's problem was that on the night in question at around 3 AM a reflected image of Theo Taylor was caught in a mirror by a CCTV camera situated on the ground floor of the property, and although the suspect freely admitted that the image was of him, he completely denied being there. It was 5-30 PM the afternoon following the discovery of the bodies by a Fed- Ex delivery driver, who in his determination to get a signature had abandoned banging on the front door, he made his way round to the rear of the property and looked through the patio doors. His eyes were met by three bodies slumped in piles of blood on two large white couches. In the far corner of the room a half naked woman was prostrate across the dinning table with her hands tied behind her back, her throat had been cut. Detective Soborno and his partner Detective Rusty Richards recorded their arrival at precisely 8-56 AM. The scene was carnage, but no sign of a struggle, this killer was organised and calm. There was no identification on the three victims on the couches, two men and a woman all around their mid thirties. The young woman on the table on the other hand had her photographs plastered all over the walls, she was clearly the owner of the property and the one to whom the Fed-Ex driver was delivering to. Her name was Melissa Taylor and from the pictures on the wall she was an actress, an actress in adult movies. "I thought she looked familiar" said Rusty Richards sheepishly. Around twenty of the Coroner's best arrived and took over the scene. Soborno and Richards moved around the property inside and out careful of anything tagged by the Coroner's team. "CCTV camera" said Soborno, "Up in the far corner of the living-room" They traced the cables to an office on the far side of the property. "My god" said Richards, "Every room is covered" Soborno pressed rewind back to midnight. It was clearly party time at the Taylor's house, all sorts of things were going on and then at exactly 2-35 AM a fifth person entered the room. The exuberant four began to panic, he was clearly unwelcome and unexpected. There was no sound the video was mute. The fifth man clearly knew the whereabouts of the cameras keeping his back to them at all times. He was holding a hand gun and a large knife. The four were on the floor between the couches completely naked save some erotic looking equipment they were either wearing or holding in their hands. The assailant was clearly shouting orders at the four, one man and a woman moved to the couch on the right hand side while Melissa Taylor and the second gentleman sat on the left hand one. The gunman calmly walked towards them and shot the two on the right in the head, and turning to the other hysterical couple, shot the man in the same way, Melissa Taylor dropped to her knees begging the gunman to stop. He hesitated for a few seconds putting the gun down on a nearby coffee table before grabbing his last victim by the hair and dragging her to the dining table twenty yards across the room. Forcing her face down on the table he tied her hands behind her back and forcing himself inside her from behind. Everything he had done was carried out slowly and calmly even the ending as he pulled her across the table until her head was hanging over the edge whereupon he cut her throat and left her to bleed to death. The two friends stood in silence, in their combined thirty five years with the Miami Police Department they had never witnessed such a cold blooded slaughter of human life. As they watched the gunman calmly walk towards the front door he unexpectedly paused and whereas he had continually kept his back to all of the camera's he had now glanced a look at a large mirror just inside of the front door. Why? "Who is he? asked Richards, "He seems to know his way around" "His picture is on the wall above the fireplace" answered Soborno, "It is a wedding picture, his wedding, he is the husband of Melissa Taylor. Get the office onto it Rusty, I want to know were he is and right now" Within fifteen minutes they new everything there was to know about Theo Taylor. He was twenty nine years of age, had qualified top of his class at Harvard Law, gained degree's in Literature and Social Studies before joining the Law firm of Jacobs, Jacobs and Paterson at their offices on the east side of West Palm Beach. He married Melissa Gooding the daughter of a prominent Car Dealer at the age of thirty one and divorced her three years later. "He is more likely to be boarding a plane at Miami International" said Rusty Richards, scratching his nose than anywhere near his place of work, but we gotta start somewhere" Thirty minutes through the rush hour traffic and they were parked outside of the offices to Jacob, Jacob and Paterson. To their amazement the receptionist in the extravagant entrance hall calmly told them that Mr Taylor had just arrived and could be found on the fifth floor, "Just ask for Natalie" she said, "She is Mr Taylor's secretary" Natalie as it turned out was a stunningly beautiful African/American woman who had no hesitation in pointing to a conference room where she assured the two Detectives that Theo Taylor was attending the Monday morning Partners meeting. "This cannot get any more weird" said Soborno, "surely he cannot be here? But here he was sitting top left and side to a table covered by one dozen men all seemingly dressed the same. "Can I help you gentlemen? asked the elderly Layer at the head of the table. Ignoring his request the two Detectives walked smartly around the table, both laying hands on each of Taylor's shoulders. "Theo Taylor" said Mike Soborno, "I am arresting you on suspicion of murder with regards to your now late wife Melissa Taylor" and he read him his rights. Soborno would later read from his note book that the surprise etched on the suspects face seemed more than genuine. "Stop right there" said the suit at the head of the table, "I don't know what is going on here but I am Samuel Jacobs and what ever it is I will be representing Mr Taylor" "I hear you Councilor" answered Rusty Richards, "You are more than welcome to follow us down town where you can speak to your client, but until then he is ours so back off" By the time they reached the station all of the details they had requested regarding the suspect was at their disposal, but there was one more hurdle, Captain Molly Maguire, She ran her Station like a Green Beret Barracks and nothing but nothing could proceed without her say so. "Herself is waiting for you" were the first words of the duty Sargent. "Ok," answered Rusty, "Take his details, book him on a charge of murder and lock him up" "I hear the both of ye have been busy" were her first words, "now Saborno what do you have for me and make it quick there is a heavy duty Lawyer on his way with steam blowing from his arse" Mike Soborno related what they had seen and the fact that Theo Taylor's image reflected in the hall mirror. She stalled for a moment and then, "OK, guy's interview yer man, we have forty eight hours, I am sure his Counselor will remind you of this. Keep the interview short, gather evidence and we will speak again" The meeting was indeed short as Theo Taylor said absolutely nothing on the advice of Samuel Jacobs. Their next stop was Taylor's Apartment which was situated in an expensive block on the up market West Side. It was large, clean and tidy, much as you would expect from a smart suit. There was substantial evidence of a female's presence, he had a live in girl friend. The Detectives seized two Apple Laptops, an answer machine and a rubbish sack full of paperwork before turning their attention to the cupboards, drawers and clothes closets. "What was he wearing in the video? shouted Richards from the master bedroom. "Black track top with the hood over his head, grey bottoms, black gloves and white Nike trainers" answered Soborno, and as he spoke his partner walked into the living room with the outfit he had just described. "Got him" said Soborno, "Our next meeting won't take long. On the way back to the Station Mike Soborno turned to his partner, "There is something not right Rusty" he said, "The calm way he was sitting at that meeting was not the demeanor of a man who has just murdered four people, one of whom is his wife, something sucks" At the Station Molly Maguire decided to take the interview with Mike Soborno. Present across the table, Theo Taylor and Samuel Jacobs, who was first to speak. "My client refutes all allegations laid against him, he knows nothing of what your charges relate to. Further more his girlfriend Naomi Cruise will testify under oath that my client never left their apartment on the evening in question. Now if you have any evidence to the contrary, I would love to see it? Soborno watched as Molly moved her hand towards the record button and slowly switched it off. "Now you listen to me" she said quietly, "What you have just said is for the courtroom where I agree you are in charge, but right now you are in my interrogation room and I have no more interest in what you say than if Sean the Leprechaun was standing on this desk whispering into my ear, Molly what he say's is correct. But he isn't saying that, he say's that you are a small, overweight Jewish person who thinks that having some, paid for by your father degree from a paid for University gives you the right to dictate in my Police Station. This I am afraid is not the case. We have yer man who is facing a charge of murder on four counts, we have the CCTV footage of yer man brutally killing his estranged wife and three others yet to be identified. therefor for the next forty eight hours he belongs to me, now can we carry on with the interview" "Very calm" thought Soborno, "the tranquilizers must be working" he turned to the suspect, Where were you at around 3am this morning? Theo Taylor glanced at his Lawyer. Jacobs nodded yes. "I was in bed asleep all night until I rose for work at 6-30. My girl friend can confirm this, she stayed the night. Mike Soborno removed a photograph from a large brown envelope and placed it in front of Taylor, "This is taken from the CCTV camera mounted in the hallway of your late wife's home as the killer was about to leave" It was the image in the mirror shot, "can you explain this Mr Taylor? he asked. Taylor once again turned to his Lawyer, this time the shake of the head said no. "No comment" answered Taylor, and then, "The image in the mirror is me but I was not there" Molly Maguire hesitated, "Michael Taylor you are charged with the murder of your wife Melissa Taylor on the morning of Monday the 3rd of September, the details of which will be presented to the Florida District Attorney. Until his findings are known you will be held in custody with access at anytime to your Solicitor, do you understand? Once again he sheepishly looked at Jacobs, the nod was yes. "I do" he answered. Molly Maguire shook her head, "Take him away" she said.
YOU ARE READING
The Reflection
General Fictiona quadruple murder , but does the reason justify the crime
