Chapter Ten

Grieving Widow

Charlotte Corman's car pulls up into the drive way of the Corman home. She is Roger's wife of thirty years. She's a modest looking woman who use to be in the film business but decided it was better to teach up and coming actors about the business. She got out of her car having returned home from a business trip out of town. She opened up the trunk and removed her suitcase from the trunk and made her way towards the house. She removed her keys from her purse and unlocked the door. She enters the house with her back to the living room where Roger's body lies on the couch.

"Roger, I'm home." Charlotte said as she pulled her suitcases through the door. She spins around and is met with the gruesome discovery of Roger's bloody corpse. She screams aloud. Her suitcases fall to the floor. She slowly stumbles over to the body of her dead husband. His guts sprawled out for the world to see. His face contorted with fear. There's blood all over the couch and the floor. Charlotte backed up taking her cell phone out of her purse.

"911 operator. What's your emergency?" asked the operator on the other line.

"I need the police." Charlotte cried into the phone.

The Corman house hold was swarmed with police officers, the ambulance and several hundred reporters. The officers have barricaded the scene. The reporters are undoubtedly trying to get their stories about Corman's death. Charlolte is sitting in the back of a squad car crying her eyes out. The police wouldn't allow her to go back into the house. They need to gather evidence. Both detectives Kincaid and Wallace show up.

"Mrs. Corman." Det. Kincaid said to the grieving woman. She looked up tears streaming down her face. "I'm detective Kincaid and this is Detective Wallace, we're sorry about your lost."

"Thanks." She said through her sobbing.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Det. Kincaid asked her.

"I had just returned home from a business trip and found Roger's body." Charlotte cried. "Someone murdered my Roger!"

"Do you know if Roger had any enemies that might have done this?" Det. Kincaid asked.

"None. He was a great man. Who could've done this to him detectives?" She asked.

"That's what we're going to find out." Det. Wallace said.

"Detectives..." Came the voice of an officer. "Take a look at this." Both detectives walked over to the officer. He was holding another picture of Maureen Prescott. This time there was a different message on the back of the picture. Det. Wallace took the picture and read the message aloud.

"Corman's Crime." Det. Wallace said confused. "What the hell does this mean?"

"Don't know." Det. Kincaid said. Det. Kincaid examines the photo.

"Excuse me detectives." Came the voice of John Milton. He had heard about Roger's death from Charlotte. She called him right after phoning the police.

"Mr. Milton what are you doing here?" Det. Wallace asked him.

"Charlotte called me. Roger was my friend." John said.

"John." Charlotte cried running up to him and into his arms.

"I'm so sorry Chare." John said holding her. Both detectives watched the scene for a moment. Det. Wallace decides to intervene.

"Uh Mr. Milton, if you we'd like to ask you a few questions." Det. Wallace asked.

"Sure." John said still holding.

"When was the last time you saw Roger Corman?" Det. Kincaid asked.

"Yesterday. We were in a meeting regarding the Stab film." John said.

"I understand you and Corman were close?" Det. Wallace asked.

"Yes. We got started in the business at the same time. He was like a brother to me." John said to him.

"Did he have any enemies? Anyone that would want to hurt him?" Det. Kincaid asked.

"Not that I know of." John said.

"Any disgruntle actors or actress who Corman fired and threatened to come back?" Det. Wallace.

"Detectives, we work with a lot of disgruntle actors and never had a problem with them wanting to kill Roger." John said.

"Ok. Thanks for your time. We'll have the officer bring your suitcases back out. Do you have a place to stay while the investigation goes on?" Det. Kincaid asked her.

"She can stay at my house." John said.

"That's sweet of you John but I'm gonna stay at my sister's house." Charlotte said.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes. Would you drive me?" She asked.

"Of course." John said as Charlotte nodded.

"Wallace, can you handle things from here?" Det. Kincaid asked.

"Sure, why? Where are you going?" Det. Wallace asked.

"I need to meet with Gale Weathers. We need answers." Det. Kincaid said walking quickly to his car with the photo in his hand. He got in his car and sped off.

At her apartment in the city, Gale had just come out of the shower. She entered the kitchen dressed in her bathrobe drying her wet hair using a towel. She made herself a pot of coffee before going into the shower. Gale pores herself a cup. She turns on the television in the living room and there on the tube are reports about Roger Corman's murder. Gale stared at the screen shocked. Just then a loud knock takes her attention from the TV.

"Who is it?" Gale asks setting the coffee cup on the table and heading towards the front door.

"Det. Kincaid." Det. Kincaid said. Gale opens the door.

"Detective, good morning." Gale said politely.

"Good morning Ms. Weathers. May I come in?" He asked.

"Sure." Gale said stepping aside to let Det. Kincaid into her apartment.

"Nice place." Det. Kincaid said.

"Thanks. I assume you're here to discuss the murder investigation?" Gale asked.

"You heard the news this morning?" Det. Kincaid asked her.

"No. Was there another murder?" Gale pretended to play stupid. Det. Kincaid saw the news on and turned to Gale. He stared at her as if he had caught her with her hand in the cookie jar. "Ok, so I heard about Corman's murder. Why did you wanna see me?"

"Well, another photo was found." Det. Kincaid said holding the photo. "This one doesn't make sense to me." He said showing Gale the photo.

"Corman's Crime." Gale read confused.

"That's weird. The first two photos only show Maureen Prescott. This one has writing on it. I was thinking that maybe Roger Corman knew Maureen Prescott a long time ago or he's somehow connected to her death." Det. Kincaid said guessing scenarios.

"Hm." Gale said thinking. She stares at the photo a moment longer.

"The writing suggest that Corman has committed a crime. What crime that is I don't know. The one thing we can tell is that the killer believes Corman had played some part in Maureen Prescott's murder." Gale said.

"That doesn't make sense. If the killer felt that Corman was indirectly responsible for Maureen's murder then wouldn't the killer have gone after Corman four years ago? I mean why wait until now to kill Corman? Maureen was murdered five years ago." Det. Kincaid said trying to figure out the connection between Maureen Prescott and Roger Corman.

"True. Maybe Corman did know Maureen years ago. You may have to look into Maureen's past to find out who's committing these murders." Gale told him.

"Well, that's another reason I came to you. I was wondering if you can do some background checking for me. It would really help the case." Det. Kincaid asked. Gale smiled at him.

"I'm on it Det." Gale said. Det. Kincaid smiled.

To Be Continued!