Free Murder My Love by Victor Keyloun

light up.
    The chief then repeated her question. “Why do you suspect the other victim is a woman?”
    Alice took in a deep breath, almost a sigh. “Because I believe Linda was fooling around with someone else.”
    Wilson did not respond. She remained impassive, displaying not one whit of emotion. She tented her hands, thumbs together, and the tips of her fingers barely touching. She absently looked at the construct they made and was struck by the conformity of her fingers. They were in the shape of an upside down heart. How symbolic, she thought. She wondered how much to reveal. While considering this, she was able to look at Alice more thoroughly. Alice had a trim figure. Her jet-black hair was parted in the middle and evenly combed straight down each side to frame her face. While her makeup was a mess, her skin was smooth, except for a beauty mark on her left cheek. Her green eyes were rimmed in red but they sparkled nevertheless. Silver earrings shimmered in the light from the window. She was an exceptionally attractive woman. She thought of how many men would be drawn to her and would give anything to be in her company. What man would not want to have such a beautiful woman at his side? Or, in his bed? And like many men who judged beautiful lesbian women, she also wondered why Alice had chosen the life she led. Or, was it a choice at all? In a fleeting moment, like a flash of light, she wondered if she, herself, could ever be attracted to a woman like her? Or, any other woman? Was she attracted now? Could she see herself wrapped in the arms of this gorgeous creature? She snapped out from her reverie and said, “The other victim was a young man.”
    “Well, that’s a bit of relief.”
    “I hope you can help identify him.”
    Alice assured Wilson she would do whatever she could to help solve the murder. Wilson asked her if she was up to looking at a few photos. She responded affirmatively. Wilson walked into the conference room to the locked evidence file-cabinet to retrieve photos of the crime scene. She quickly sorted through them and selected two that were the least horrific. She returned to her office and gently placed the photos on the desk in front of Alice who quickly glanced at them and turned away. Her furtive look suggested that she was fearful that a trick had been played on her. Would the Chief show a photo of another woman instead of the young man, one that she knew? She didn’t want confirmation that her lover had cheated on her, and that it may have led to an act of violence. She looked back at the photos, picked them up and studied them. She placed them back on the desk and said, “That’s her cousin from Pennsylvania. His name is Klopowitz. Don’t ask me how to spell it.”
    Wilson then asked if she knew a person named Rita. Alice said she knew the name, but not the person. She never met her, but Linda had told her that a woman named Rita was Linda’s former lover.
    “Do you think she could have committed murder?” she asked.
    “I don’t know. I doubt it.” Alice said she was told Rita was “a short dumpy grandmotherly type.”
    Wilson was incredulous. “A short dumpy grandmother?”
    Alice looked at her squarely. “You don’t know much, do you?” She sighed audibly. “When you’re tired of a dildo, it’s any willing partner, even an older woman.”
    The Chief made every effort to withhold comment either verbally or with a gesture. She thanked her for her cooperation and told her she understood how devastating the news had been. She also told her she could not return to her home because it was still a crime scene and had not yet been released by the medical examiner. She offered the service of the department to locate living accommodations. Alice wanted to know for how long she would be displaced. Wilson said she didn’t honestly know. She offered that homicide of this magnitude was something new in West Warwick. One thing they did not want to do was contaminate the crime scene.