Jacob

Once Kevin agrees to solve my crime scene, I see Annabell disappear down the hall. I get into position and wait.

Kevin is walking around the area carefully inspecting the blood, medicine bottle, and kitchen chair.

"I see a fingerprint, but it's obviously not yours. Hmmmm, someone must have wanted you to take some extra medicine for whatever reason. You struggled so knocked over the chair," he says.

Jacob sits up and smiles. "That's right. Do you know who the perp is?"

"Hmmm, well, I don't recognize the fingerprint. I don't have access to AFIS," Kevin says.

"You know about AFIS?" Jacob asks gleefully.

"A bit although I can't remember what it stands for. All I know is the Fibbies operate it."

"Automated Fingerprint Identification System."

"Right. I should have known that. Karen told me that once." So, let's see, it couldn't be Annabell who was the perp. The fingerprint is much too big for her hand. Let's see… Caleb? No, he's never been here. Sara? No, she wouldn't do something like this. I give up, Jacob. I have no idea who did this to you."

"Phyllis," he says.

"Phyllis? The vision teacher? But, she's never been here."

"She was here last night and left behind an empty pill bottle. I fumed for prints so that's how I knew her print was on the bottle."

"You got me, Jacob."

At that moment, Annabell wanders sleepily into the kitchen. "Did he solve it, Jacob?" she asks in a sleepy voice.

"Sort of. He got the actual crime but couldn't figure out the perp."

"I'm glad to hear that. Thanks for doing this, Kevin. My brain wouldn't have been able to handle forensics now. That lady did a number on me."

"No problem. Now that I've had my CSI fun for the day, I should be going. I have a student waiting," he says.

Just then, I hear my cell phone ring. I figure it's Mom because she told me she'd call at this time each day while I was visiting.

"Hi, Jacob. How are things in Candyville?"

"Pretty good. I wanted her to solve a crime scene, but she said she was too tired. Her mobility teacher came over and did a so so job. He couldn't figure out the perp."

"Why did her mobility teacher come over?"

"Some lady said she needed help crossing a street, and she got into an argument with her. I tried to explain the rules, but the lady wasn't listening to me. Then when she left and Annabell tried to cross, she broke the rules. Did you know blind people listen to traffic sounds to cross the street? And she didn't do that." I take a breath.

"That sounds like it was really stressful for Annabell."

"She said it was, but I don't get it. She's been blind all her life and should be used to this kind of thing."

"Jacob, listen to me. When someone interferes with a blind person's concentration as he or she is listening to traffic sounds, it can be very disorienting. It's very confusing with too many sounds. You know how some environments are too loud for you and have too much stimulation? It's the same thing here. She needed to focus exclusively on the traffic sounds, but that woman talking to her distracted her. She wasn't able to focus until the woman was gone. Even then, I'm sure her mind wasn't in a good place to give her complete attention to the safe crossing."

"I suppose, but why can't life be simple?"

"You're learning a lot there, and I'm proud of you."

As I'm talking to Mom, I hear familiar sounds coming from the other room, sounds I don't like.

"I have to get under my blanket," I say.

"What's wrong, Jacob?"

"She's using that computer again, the one that talks in this weird voice. It's too much for me to handle."

"I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense…."

It's getting better, but I can still hear the sounds. Almost immediately, the sound stops.

"That's better," I tell Mom. "The voice has disappeared for the moment."

"See, Jacob? You're doing better with that sound. You didn't have to be under the blanket for very long."

"Phyllis? The vision teacher? But, she's never been here."