Murphy's Mysteries: Making Mary Cry

By Helena Patterson

Follow Detective Murphy on his journey as a skilled detective, as he is faced with unusual homicides to be solved in his town and surrounding areas. Every case will need to be approached differently and every outcome will have a surprising twist.

He will need to follow the clues, some of which are not clear for the eye to see; however, if you listen closely, you might find the final piece of the puzzle in an unexpected response or reaction from a potential suspect.

He will have to revisit some crime scenes and interview witnesses several times to ensure that he gets the right person the first time. Reviewing the coroner’s reports will always give him the edge in the investigation and his instinct is what helps him decide in which direction to go. Using all the methods available to him as an officer of the law and seasoned detective, he needs to solve these mysteries to keep his town and his family safe. These case files will have you wondering and intrigued until the end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Mar 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886930535

Helena Patterson

Helena Patterson is a person who appreciates spending time with her family and friends, however, making time to focus on her writing whenever a new story comes to mind. She adores her pets at home and she also has an adventurous side which she shares with her wife, Tammy, exploring new places and hobbies, always making the most of their time spent together.

Book preview

About the Author

Helena Patterson is a person who appreciates spending time with her family and friends, however, making time to focus on her writing whenever a new story comes to mind.

She adores her pets at home and she also has an adventurous side which she shares with her wife, Tammy, exploring new places and hobbies, always making the most of their time spent together.

Dedication

To everyone out there who enjoys a bit of intrigue and mystery in their lives.

Copyright Information ©

Helena Patterson 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Patterson, Helena

Murphy’s Mysteries

ISBN 9798886930528 (Paperback)

ISBN 9798886930535 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023901079

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Acknowledgment

Thanks to my spouse, Tammy, for believing in me.

Thanks to my publisher, Austin Macauley Publishers, for their guidance and assistance to publish this book.

Chapter One

Making Mary Cry

Rebecca is upstairs in her bedroom and she can hear her father’s voice from downstairs, talking to the police officers who have come to help her mother. She looked outside her window, and she can see two police cars and the ambulance in the driveway.

So explain to us what exactly happened this afternoon, Mr. Davis, the police officer asks the husband, Jake Davis.

I came home after I received a phone call from my neighbor, Mrs. Michaels. That was when I found my wife, on the kitchen floor, there was blood next to her and then I saw the knife… It was stuck in her back… I don’t understand what happened… Jake is trying to hold back his tears but the police officer can clearly see the distraught on this man’s face. Mr. Davis’s face seems pale and his hands are shaking, the detective knows that he is not allowed to make any assumptions at this stage of his investigation, but after 20 years on the job, he knows an innocent man when he sees one. This crime was not committed by Mr. Davis, so he needs to speak to the child upstairs to get more information.

I need to question your daughter, Mr. Davis, she might have seen or heard something that could help us find the person who has done this to your wife.

I will go and get her, I’m just glad that whoever has done this to her mother did not hurt her as well. Mr. Davis started crying. I don’t know if she will ever be able to process all of this, finding her mother like that on the floor, I don’t know what to tell her. The police officer walks over towards Mr. Davis and put his arm around his shoulder.

Don’t worry, we will find this son of a bitch, I promise you.

As the two men walks into the girl’s bedroom, she was sitting on her bed, holding one of her dolls and staring straight out in front of her while humming some unknown tune.

Rebecca, honey, are you okay? The police officer needs to ask you some questions, are you fine with that? Jake asked his daughter.

Daddy, are they going to take Mom to the hospital now? Can I come with you, I don’t want to stay with Mrs. Michaels, I want to go with you Daddy, please?

Oh honey, Mom is not going to the hospital, she is… I don’t know what to tell you, Mom is gone… sorry honey, I’m so sorry… Jake is shaking like a leaf and the tears are rolling down his face, he never imagined that this could ever have happened to his family.

Rebecca, I’m Detective Murphy, I need to ask you what you can remember today, can you do that for me?

Rebecca is a 10-year-old girl with big blue eyes and light brown hair. She seemed like a quiet kid and it was as if she might not have realized what has happened to her mother because Detective Murphy did not see any tears in the girl’s eyes when she looked back at him.

My mom picked me up from soccer practice, we got home and she sent me upstairs to clean up so that she can prepare lunch for us. I was busy in my room, changing out of my soccer gear and I washed my hands and face, like she told me to. When I came into the kitchen, she was lying on the floor and I could see that there was blood on the floor besides her, so I thought that she might have hurt herself while preparing lunch for us and I went over to Mrs. Michaels’ house so that she can come and help my mom. Mrs. Michaels came back to the house with me and when she saw my mom, she went to the living room to phone the police and my dad… I guess What seemed strange to Detective Murphy was that this girl hardly showed any emotion while talking about the incident. He has a 12-year-old girl at home and if there is one thing that he have realized about having a teenage girl, was that they are very sensitive and emotional at times, however, this girl, sitting in front of him on her bed, does not seem to show much emotion at all. It could be shock, he will have to indicate this in his report and might have to refer the matter to a child psychologist, just to be sure that this kid gets the help she needs, if that is the case.

Thanks, Mr. Davis, we will leave now, just need to go next door to Mrs. Michaels to ask her a few questions, you and your daughter must try to get some rest. The CSI Team will be busy for at least a few more hours, so if you can stay with relatives tonight, it will be best for both of you.

Of course, I’ll phone my sister and we will stay with her for a few days, we just need to get some clothes and then we will leave, thanks, Detective.

As Detective Murphy walks out into the front yard, he can see that Mrs. Michaels is standing on her front porch, looking at him. He walked over to her house. Hi, I’m Detective Murphy, may I speak with you for a few minutes, mam?

Sure, come on in. Mrs. Michaels is a 60-year-old lady. Her hair was well kept and you could see that she went through some tough times in her days because there where deep wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.

I’m so sorry about what happened to that poor woman, Jane was a good person. She would do anything for her family, she was a good mother. Mrs. Michaels just looked down at her hands, clenching them together. Can I offer you a cup of coffee, I sure need another one.

No thanks, but I will walk through with you, I just need to ask you if you have seen anybody hanging around the Davis’s house today, or recently? Anyone or anything that might seem out of place in the neighborhood these past few days?

Nothing out of the ordinary, I must say. I cannot recall seeing anyone near Jane’s house today, I do remember sitting in my kitchen, watching out the window, the car pooled in and Rebecca got out with her soccer clothes on, she looked upset because she slammed the car door shut and Jane was yelling something at her about slamming the door, then Jane got out of the car with a bag of groceries and walked into the house after Rebecca. That’s the last time I saw Jane alive.

So it sounds as if the two of them were upset with each other, or about something?

Seems that way… but they were fighting a lot these days, so that was not out of the ordinary to see.

As soon as Mrs. Michaels utter those words, she realize what she had said.

I’m sorry Detective, I did not mean it to sound as if I’m accusing anybody, I’m just telling you what I saw today. She looked at the cup of coffee in her hand and just started shaking her head. I cannot believe what I have seen in that kitchen today, I hope you catch the person who have done that to Jane, she was my friend. Mrs. Michaels started crying.

Detective Murphy knows that this is the time to leave the witness, the old lady is clearly still distraught and needs her rest. He will come again in the morning, hopefully she might remember something that can help his investigation.

Thanks for your time, mam, I will speak to you again soon. If you do remember anything else, even if it seems like the smallest detail or incident, please feel free to phone me, here are my contact details.

He gave the woman his contact card and left.

As he drove back to the station, he went over his conversation with Mrs. Michaels and he realize that he needs to speak to Rebecca again. He must ask her which grocery store her mother visited and then if there were any confrontations between her and her mother today. He will phone Mr. Davis tomorrow morning and arrange a meeting with him and his daughter. Something about the girl makes him uneasy and he needs to find out what it is.

The next day Mr. Davis came in with Rebecca, he still seems upset and distraught.

Thanks for coming in, sir, this won’t take long, I promise. They went through to the interview room and Rebecca went in first, look around the room for a second and sat down. Her father went and sat down beside her.

How are you feeling this morning, Rebecca? Detective Murphy started in a subtle way.

I’m feeling fine, thanks. My dad said that we need to sell our house and that means that I can help him choose a new place for the both of us, so that is going to be fun, I guess. Rebecca had that same doll in her arms as the night before, which is strange, because 10-year-old girls don’t walk around with dolls anymore, not that he’s aware of anyway.

Oh, well, you guys are going to be busy then. Detective Murphy cannot understand why this child is not showing any remorse for her dead mother. Something is just not adding up.

Tell me Rebecca, do you remember that your mom went to buy groceries yesterday?

Yes.

Was it before she picked you up from soccer practice or afterwards?

Afterwards.

Where did she stop for groceries?

At the local supermarket down the street from my school, she always buys stuff there.

I see; did you went into the store with your mom or did you stay in the car?

I stayed in the car, I was dirty from soccer practice and did not want to get out.

Of course. While you were waiting for your mom, did you see any suspicious persons or person lurking around the shopping center or anyone out of place?

Nope.

Was there anything that happened at soccer practice or during the drive home, that upset you or your mom?

Why would you ask that? Rebecca sounded annoyed by this question.

Mrs. Michaels told me that it seems as if you two where having an argument when you got home yesterday after soccer practice.

"What is going on here? Why are you