Within The Urban Jungle

[SimonW]

( chapter 3, part 1… )

Chapter 3: The Body’s Story…

It was a sad day today. The two rookie patrolmen did not enjoy this part of their job. They were instructed by Chief Detective Fonda to follow up a potential lead.
‘At least we don’t have to deal with the kid’s parents,’ morosely thought Officer Roger Merkley to himself.
His partner, Officer David Stevens, was driving their patrol vehicle towards their destination. They were given strict instructions by Chief Detective Fonda to go to the high rise apartment of one Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge to inquire into a piece of evidence found at the crime scene earlier this morning. As to why they were given this task, Officer Merkley could not fathom.
He voiced his opinion to his partner as they were on their way towards their destination.
Officer David Stevens simply shrugged his shoulders in response while still keeping his attention on driving.
“I don’t know, partner. Could be he wants us to take the initiative finally,” Officer David Stevens said plainly as he took a sharp turn around a corner without slowing the speed of their patrol car.
“Could be,” murmured Officer Roger Merkley in serious thought.
The rest of the ride was a silent one until they finally reached the apartment complex that was their destination.


Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge had partaken her morning meal after her coffee and had taken her daily bathtub scrub routine.
She still had on her stylish red bathrobe that acted as her morning attire, another of her designs from last Fall’s catalogue ensemble. She had just finished her deep cleanse morning yoga exercise before hearing her penthouse doorbell chime.
Glancing down at her left wrist, her digital aide showed the time to be nearing nine-fifty. She was not expecting anyone presently, so with curious trepidation, Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge took it upon herself to remain calm and graceful as she sauntered over to her apartment door.

( to be continued… )

 

[Copperfox]

Your analogy with wildebeests, a few posts back, was pertinent. People can temporarily become afraid of, or enthusiastic for, something which at last is revealed to be wrong and/or trivial.

 

[SimonW]

Your analogy with wildebeests, a few posts back, was pertinent. People can temporarily become afraid of, or enthusiastic for, something which at last is revealed to be wrong and/or trivial.

Well, it is called Within The Urban Jungle. Seems pretty appropriate I gather.

( chapter 3, part 2… )

Glancing through her door’s fishbowl lens peep hole, Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge was slightly surprised to witness two policemen standing just outside her apartment doorway.
Hastily opening her door, she bundled herself more firmly within her red bathrobe to appear more put together with the two male officers present.
“Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge?” inquired the slightly younger looking one of the two as the door was opened to Officer Merkley and Officer Stevens.
“Yes, I am she. How can I assist, officers?” Henrietta questioned, stepping to the side to allow the two unexpected visitors inside.
Officer Merkley and Officer Stevens did not allow this invitation to go to waste, they humbly took off their uniform hats as they entered past the threshold of Miss Suffridge’s apartment.
Henrietta availed herself and went over to her settee, sitting gracefully down as the police officers in question sat opposite side by side upon a lounge facing Miss Suffridge.
“Well, ma’am. We have to inquire into a magazine with your visage found at a scene,” haphazardly muttered Officer Stevens as the senior partner of the duo.
Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge blinked blankly for a moment in response before her face grew stern with intense curiosity and concentration as these words sunk in.

( to be continued… )

 

[SimonW]

( chapter 3, part 3… )

“Well, in what way, pray tell, do you mean my visage?” inquired Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge with sincere curiosity.
The two officers gave slightly hesitant looks to one another before the younger of the two produced a magazine enclosed within a transparent plastic police evidence bag towards Henrietta’s face at eye level so she was able to see her circled with red marker face upon the cover.
“I see. And this was found at a crime scene?” Henrietta asked incredulously.
Officer Merkley bulked slightly upon his face at this question, obviously showing his inexperience as a rookie officer.
“We are not at liberty to say, Miss Suffridge,” quickly stated Officer Stevens as he noticed the change in demeanour upon his partner’s face.
Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge just slightly smirked in a belligerent manner and raised her eyebrow at this response.
The two officers seemed perturbed at talking to a woman of her renown, obviously showing their lack of training at trying to hide their incompetence in front of her.
“I trust that you understand me perfectly, officers. Am I a person of interest in this case of yours?”
Officer Stevens took this question in stride, answering it to the best of his ability.
“We have reason to believe so, yes. The victim of our case had it in his pocket,” Officer Stevens said plainly.
“Victim? So, a murder?” asked Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge in mock surprise with bated breath.
Inwardly kicking himself the fool for revealing information best left unsaid but unable to put the cat back in the bag, Officer Stevens resigned himself to merely nodding in the affirmative and replying bluntly, “Yes, Miss Suffridge,” .
Henrietta merely gave a curt laugh in reply at this as Officer Merkley sheepishly withdrew the evidence from her field of vision and placed it back within the inner jacket pocket of his uniform. The two policemen just shied away their downcast faces of shame from Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge until she spoke up once more.
“Please, do not trouble yourselves. I have never held a grudge for the boys and ladies in blue. If there is anything I can do to help, I am more than willing to aid you, officers,” Henrietta said without a second thought, her words of clarity and understanding making the two rookie officers ease upon their faces and demeanour instantly.
Henrietta knew that the world was a trying place at times and she meant what she said, willing and eager to do anything to help the city she lived in. That was, after all, her purpose in the Fashion world.

( to be continued… )

 

[SimonW]

( chapter 3, part 4… )

“We are grateful for that, Miss Suffridge,” piped up Officer Merkley in a curt manner, possibly to satiate his and his partner’s embarrassment earlier.
Henrietta Delores Suffridge just acknowledged this with a soft nod in reply to the rookie officers to placate her own growing bud of curiousity.
“So, am I a suspect, then?” she asked fluidly, trying to gauge the reaction as she noticed mild shock upon the faces of the officers at her question.
“Not at all, merely a person of interest, possibly,” haphazardly responded back Officer Merkley, not noticing the chagrin look upon his partner’s face.
Officer Stevens merely coughed lightly at this response from Officer Merkley, stating with haste, “At this moment, we believe that there is no links to tie towards you and the victim, Miss Suffridge,”.
“Well, I should hope not. As you officers could plainly see, that magazine is a cent in a million of copies out there. No, if I hazard a guess, that circle around my picture is more than likely a threat towards me,” Henrietta announced without a second thought, which made her have a worried expression upon her face as she hastily stood up from her chair.
The officers followed suit, standing up from the settee with serious concern also plastered upon their own visage, eager to stand as if proper decorum announced it so to ease her fears.
“If that is the case, Miss Suffridge, we shall see to it you are safe with police protection,” Officer Stevens muttered with genuine concern etched upon his face.
“I am glad, thank you for offering your services, Officers,” Henrietta responded as she gently led the two of them back towards the door of her penthouse without being forceful.
“Of course, never fear Miss Suffridge. We shall avail you and be ever present so not to worry,” offered Officer Merkley as Miss Henrietta Delores Suffridge opened the door and the two officers left her penthouse apartment before she shut it behind them gently with a reassuring smile of thankfulness upon her face.
The two rookie officers stood outside of the doorway in the hallway with slightly confused and yet determined resolve upon their faces.
“What just happened?” Officer Merkley asked to his partner beside him.
“I think we just got recruited to Bodyguard detail,” responded back Officer Stevens with an outward sigh. “At least we can keep an eye on her as we do it.”
Officer Merkley just nodded in the affirmative to his partner’s statement as the two of them started walking down the hallway.



( to be continued… )