Carter shuffled the papers, neatly arranging each of the documents in order. She looked at the pile and smiled to herself. Finally! The paperwork was done and she could go home. It was not unusual for the detective to burn the midnight oil and she liked to get her paperwork done in a timely fashion, which was more than she could say for Fusco. Carter looked up just in time to see said detective, coat in hand, headed out of the office.
“Hey Carter, you planning on being here all night? Remind me to get you a blanket and a pillow.” He said with a huge grin on his face.
“Very funny Fusco, I’m only here doing the paperwork someone left behind.” She said, feigning irritation.
“So I owe you one then.”
“Like last time, for some reason I’m not buying that.” She said, gathering her weapon and coat.
“So now I owe you two. Oh by the way they’re looking for you over at the morgue.”
She moved towards Fusco giving him a confused look.
“We have another case already?” She said, praying it wasn’t so. She was going to get carpal tunnel if she filled out one more form.
“Relax, Carter probably just some homeless guy they want to see if you know; that’s all.”
She sighed, nodding in agreement with him. Carter checked her watch and realized she had some time to spare.
“Might as well get it over with now.”
“Catch you later Carter.”
“Yeah, good night Fusco.” She waved down a cab and got in.
The ride took a little longer than usual and Joss suspected her cab driver was a novice because he had not figured out how to maneuver through the traffic of the city. Joss almost wished she hadn’t taken the subway to work that morning. She paid the cabbie and rushed up the steps to the morgue before they closed. She finally managed to get a personal day and she actually planned on spending it doing absolutely nothing tomorrow.
She made her way to the back of the building greeting a few familiar faces as they exited the building. She spent more time here than she would care to admit because of working homicide; so she knew most of the staff. There were a few newbies but that was expected witnessing death first hand day in and day out was not for everyone. She made her way down the hall and through the double doors of the morgue just as Dr. Meyers was pushing a slab with an elderly man into the drawer.
“Carter.” She greeted. “I’m glad you could make it so soon.”
Carter smiled at Dr. Meyers, she was one of her favorite people to deal with. The medical examiners of the past had grown callous and jaded before finally giving up on the position. Meyers had only been there about two years but she brought compassion to the job. She was professional and caring, she treated each body with dignity and she was one of the few people who always referred to the deceased by their given name. She never pushed her beliefs on anyone but those that worked around her followed suit, at least in her presence.
“No problem Doc. I’m just glad I could make it before you left. It’s pretty late even for you.” replied the detective.
“Actually I was planning on calling it a night but we finished the examination on this young man sooner than expected. I thought it best to contact you immediately.”
A familiar wrinkle formed between her brows. “I don’t understand.”
The doctor paused a moment. “They didn’t explain anything to you?”
The detective shook her head indicating her ignorance of the situation.
“The detectives found these in his pocket.” Said the doctor, handing Carter a business card and a bloodied piece of paper. She examined the business card,, recognizing it immediately. It was generic, at least a few years old, and had the address to her old precinct on it. She turned it over and saw the faded cell phone number and her name scribbled, in her handwriting, on the back.
“I thought you could help us identify him with this.”
Dr. Meyers motioned for Carter to follow her and they made their way inside the lab area where a body lay on the metal table covered by the light blue sheet. Carter wrinkled her nose, it didn’t matter how many times she visited the morgue; the smell always bothered her.
Dr. Meyers lifted the edge of the sheet. “I must warn you, it is a gruesome sight. Are you ready?”
Carter gave a nod, running through her mental list of past cases trying to determine who it could be. Her face twitched when the sheet was pulled back to reveal the man’s face.
Carter swallowed as she immediately recognized the face. His torso was covered in deep purple bruises that contrasted with his lifeless golden skin and the back portion of his head had a deep depression. The sheet was folded neatly at his waist and despite his arms laying straight she could tell that whatever caused the bruises also caused his limbs to break.
So many questions ran through her head. Who would do this? What trouble had he gotten himself into? Was it murder? If so, why didn’t John and his friend know about it? The sound of Dr. Meyer’s voice cut through her musings.
“Carter...” She said, reaching out to touch the detective’s arm.
“Sorry, his name is Darius Lee Griggs. I knew him from a case I worked a few years ago. What happened?”
“A neighbor found Darius behind the building and called 911. He fell from the roof and the police found an empty pill bottle and some alcohol consistent with substances found in his bloodstream.” Carter looked over the chart she was handed and read the detailed report. “After searching his body they found no ID, just your old card and the note. Does Darius have any family that I could notify?” Asked the doctor.
“His mother is in lock up and he’s got an uncle that lives in Queens.” Said Carter pinching the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes.
“I will contact them. All I need is their information” Offered the doctor placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
“No...No that’s okay, I’ll handle this one.” The detective lingered a while longer staring at the deceased before turning to leave the lab.
“I’ll send you his file and try and get the uncle down here to pick up his body. Thanks Dr. Meyers.”
Carter pulled out her phone; the bright numbers on the screen flashed 8:00pm. It was too late for her to contact the boy’s mom; that would have to wait until the following morning. She sighed walking towards the subway station and headed towards Queens to find Darius’s uncle Ray. She decided not to call; Ray could be a difficult man, and a phone call would only result in him ignoring her. Catching him off guard would be the best bet if she wanted to have a civil conversation with the man.
~~~~
Carter arrived thirty minutes later in front of the old brick building. The red brick was a darker color now with the grime of a few years covering the color. She guessed the super wasn’t too concerned with the aesthetics as long as he wasn’t violating any of the building codes. Most of the residents lived here for several years and had grown complacent about superficial things. There were a few teenagers hanging around the steps when she made her way up. Carter surveyed the street looking out for anything suspicious. School was out so the various stoops were populated with kids listening to music or chit chatting. She made her way through the group of teenage boys and up the stairs to the third floor. The inside of the apartment building was in better shape. The dull beige walls could do with a touch up and the stairs creaked some but those were minor things. She stopped in front of apartment 3C. The numbers were off center, it seemed things really had not changed. She knocked on the door and waited. The TV was blasting loudly through the door so Ray was home and ignoring her or he was trying to cover up something. Carter knocked again and was going in for a third time when the door opened.
“Raymond Griggs.” She said with a tone that meant business.
“It’s nice to see you too Detective. What’s it been, three years?” Said the man opening the door to let Carter in. She stepped into the apartment eyeing him as she passed. Ray flashed a sardonic smile as he waited for her to enter; he looked around either side of the hallway before closing the door. Carter walked around the living room, it was a exactly the same as when she dropped Darius off three years ago. The TV droned on with the latest coverage about the Olympic games until Ray made his way past her reaching to turn it off.
“Have a seat detective.” He sat down in oversized armchair adjacent to the love seat. She took a seat close to the edge. She could never find anything on Ray but something about him always made her edgy. Unfortunately she could not arrest the man for being an apathetic asshole so he remained free. He was in his mid forties now and worked as a garbage man. He was Darius’ paternal uncle and shared the same golden skin, although his was marked giving his complexion the texture of crunchy peanut butter, a result of a skin condition from his childhood. He lived in this neighborhood for most of his life and in the apartment for the last ten years or so. The apartment was decorated with the various treasures he found from his route. The mismatched furniture ranged in condition from gently worn pieces to those that should have been left on the corner.
“So detective you here about my nephew?”
“As a matter of fact I am. When was the last time you saw him Ray?”
He brought his hands up counting the time that passed with his fingers.
“About two years ago. What has the boy gotten himself into now?” He finally said.
Carter didn’t blink at his response she was actually surprised that it wasn’t longer. It was no secret the older man was not over the moon about taking in his nephew. The Griggs clan had strained family relations and Darius only needed a guardian for one year. He was seventeen when custody was given to Ray. When Darius became a legal adult he cut ties with his uncle and moved in with one of the kids from his old neighborhood. The last time Carter saw the boy was a few days after his nineteenth birthday about a year ago.
“He’s dead.” She stated matter of factly.
Ray looked at her, his brow furrowed and she almost thought he looked sympathetic but the reaction was short lived.
“How did it happen?” He asked.
“Suicide. Fell off the roof of his apartment building. A passerby found his body the next morning.” She did not mention the note, it wasn’t like the man cared anyway.
“Like father like son.” He mumbled running his aged hands over his salt and pepper stubble.
“You going to tell his mother or do I have to make the trip?” He asked not even attempting to hide the irritation in his voice.
“I’ll do it. All you have to do is come down and claim the body. I wouldn’t want you to burden yourself Ray.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“Who’s going to pay for the kid’s funeral? Huh? Last I checked the city doesn’t just set those things up for free.”
She headed towards the door and turned back to face the man.
“Would it kill you to at least pretend to be remorseful?”
“Look I told my brother that woman would only bring trouble into his life. Did he listen? No, and now he’s 6 feet under, she’s locked up and the kid is dead. There was nothing I could do for any of them. As far as I’m concerned they reaped what they sowed.” He said waving his hands around for emphasis.
“Yea Ray, sure they did.” She said and made her way down to the stairs and into her car. She drove down the empty street towards her apartment uptown. In the morning she would head upstate to inform Darius’s mother.
~~~~
The next morning Carter got up at 6 am throwing on a pair of dark wash jeans a red blouse and one of her suit jackets. The morning air was cool as she made her way to her sedan and headed out of the city. The last time she saw Darius’s mother was the day she was arrested for the sentence she was currently serving. Carter recalled her sickly appearance the result of her most recent vice. It had been a few months since her last arrest and Carter hoped she had learned her lesson. Since the suicide of her husband, Marlon Griggs, the woman used the precinct like a revolving door. Encounters with her were seen as part of the unofficial initiation to the NYPD.
Carter always tried to empathize with her, which resulted in her partner calling her soft. But the situation wasn’t that simple; Valerie was married to a man whose mental and emotional health had deteriorated over the course of their time together. On a good day she could get Marlon to eat and bathe but he could barely hold down a job. Carter suspected he was bi polar but when she mentioned it to Valerie, the young woman blew her off making up excuses for her husband. It seemed her love for the man would ultimately bring her downfall. Before his grandmother died, Darius would stay with her while his mother worked one of the several jobs she had. Marlon committed suicide when his son was twelve years old, leaving Valerie to turn to various legal and illegal ways of caring for their family. Carter arrived a little after seven and parked. She made her way through the security fairly quickly; one of the perks of being a cop. Regular visiting hours would not begin for two more hours so Carter waited alone in the designated visiting area. There was a guard by the door but Joss wasn’t worried. Valerie Griggs wasn’t one for confrontation.
The doors opened and a petite woman in shapeless navy blue scrubs made her way to the table and sat down across from Carter. Her face was thin causing her cheeks to sink in some. Her sienna complexion had dulled from her time inside and her curly hair was pulled into a tight, neat bun at the base of her neck. Valerie looked the detective up and down before speaking.
“When they told me I had a visitor you were the last person I was expecting.” She said.
“How you been Valerie?”
“I’ve been...good, actually. You know, considering.” She said, waving her hands around her surroundings.
“You don’t normally visit, so what’s up? Did Darius send you with a message for me?” Carter noticed the way her eyes lit up with the thought of Darius. “Last year it was just a phone call and the year before that was that good for nothing uncle of his. You know that man had the nerve to come here only to tell me to stop calling his phone because Darius didn’t live there anymore.”
“I was so shocked he came up here, but between you and me,” she said, motioning for Carter to lean in closer,” I think he was here for a conjugal.”
Carter chuckled sharing a knowing smile with the younger woman. She hesitated for a moment she actually wasn’t sure how to tell Valerie about her son. Unlike his uncle Valerie actually cared for Darius. It seemed strange to Carter because the woman was in and out of jail most of his life but she tried her best when it came to the boy. The death of her son could cause a relapse, erasing all she’d worked towards during her prison stay.
“Well Carter, what’s the message? Is he coming to visit or what?”
“Valerie, he’s not coming to visit. I’m sorry but Darius is dead.” Carter reached for her hand but the woman recoiled from her. The excitement drained from her eyes along with most of the color from her face. In that moment she bore a strange resemblance to her son’s lifeless body.
“So that’s why you’re here. Someone murdered him! Who was it huh? Tell me!” She cried, standing up from the table. The guard next to the door sprang into action but Joss held out her hand causing him to stop.
“I need you to sit down Val.” She said in a calm voice.“ You have to calm down or they’re going to force me to leave and I don’t want that.”
She waited for a moment before continuing. “They called me down to the morgue to identify his body. He was up on the roof of his building and somehow, he fell. At first they thought it was an accident but the autopsy found pills and alcohol in his system. They are ruling it a suicide.”
“Suicide?” She spat. Her face contorted at the unpalatable word. ”That’s not right, he wouldn’t do something like that. He wasn’t like his father.” Her small frame was trembling as hot tears descended her face.
“Val-”
“I said no, that’s not Darius. You know how it is Carter. Kids, they go up there and they get high, and drink, and they have accidents. That’s all it was; an accident.”
Carter moved around the table so she was sitting next to the woman. Placing her arm around her, the detective drew her into a tight embrace, running her hands up and down her arms.
When her trembling calmed down she turned her body looking Valerie in her eyes.
“There was a note.” She whispered, reaching in her pocket and placing it on the table. She gently pushed it towards the woman. “I didn’t read it.”
Valerie carefully unfolded the note her eyes darting across the page several times as she read it over and over before handing it back to the detective.
“I don’t know what it means. It doesn’t make sense” She refolded the note and placed it back in her pocket.
She looked at the younger woman concern etched in her face. “You got someone looking out for you?”
“Yeah I got someone, Carter. Don’t worry about me. I got my shit together, I’m getting out of here in a few years and I’m not coming back.” The determination colored her words and Valerie managed to smile in spite of her tear-stained face.
Carter offered a smile in return praying that this girl’s life could turn out all right. There was still time for her even if Darius’s life was cut short.
The guard approached the women; signaling the end of their visit. Valerie stood up to follow the guard but suddenly turned around and wrapped Carter in a tight hug. She gave one final squeeze before releasing Carter and disappearing through the exit from the visitation room.
~~~~~
The drive back was long and morose as Joss was left with her thoughts. She still couldn’t understand what would make Darius take his own life. The obvious answer would be in the note he left behind but if his own mother didn’t understand how could she? Just one year ago he was on the right track; he had a job, a place of his own, and he was planning on enrolling at the local community college. He had dominated their conversation; recounting his latest reads with an excitement she couldn’t comprehend. She’d never met anyone that loved to read the way he did. With his mother always gone or out late leaving him to his own devices, he lived in the library; devouring every book in his path. It was apparent now that it did not matter how engaging; the fictional world only provided a Band-Aid for the gaping hole that was his home life.
She parked her car in front of her building and entered taking the steps all the way through the security exit to the roof. The irony was not lost on the detective but a morbid sense of propriety would not let her leave. She walked the perimeter of the roof looking out at the city skyline before finding a set of chairs and sitting in one. She pulled the note from her jacket pocket smoothing it out as she read. Too many skies have fallen and I can’t go on. Joss choked out a sob, the words she once told him when she dropped him at his uncle’s place were twisted with his grief. Even in his pain, he remembered but it was moot; there were some demons he could not outrun… She cried for Darius and for Valerie as the sun fell into the darkness of the night sky…
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