By Elise Gilmore
I slam the folder shut on my desk.
“Nothing useful?” Detective Rowe asks as he hands me a mug of coffee.
I take a sip, hoping it will provide some mental clarity. “It’s like everyone in that bank had a blindfold on.”
“Detective Williams?” I turn to see the patrol officer manning the front desk walking into the bullpen, a woman in her late twenties holding his arm.
“Whatcha got, Johnson?” I flick my gaze to the woman beside him, but her eyes focus somewhere over my head.
“This is Ms. Valerie Barne. She’s the missing witness of that robbery.”
I stand up. “The one at the bank a few blocks over?” I ask hopefully.
The patrol officer nods, and I feel a rush of relief. Finally a break in the case. “Thanks. I’ll take her from here.”
He pats her hand and exits the bullpen.
“Ms. Barne, you can take a seat.” I gesture toward the chair beside my desk as I sit back down, flipping open the folder. I find a blank sheet in my notebook and pick up a pen. The woman is still standing a few steps away from the chair. I look over at my partner, but he just shrugs.
“Thanks for coming in, Ms.—”
“Please, call me Valerie.”
“Of course. Thanks for coming in, Valerie. Could you tell me what you saw?”
She tips her head to the side. “Saw?”
“Yes, ma’am. Eyewitness testimony would go a long way in helping us solve this case. If we catch the guy, we’ll be able to use it in court, as well.”
“I’m sorry, Detective. There’s been a slight misunderstanding. I didn’t see anything.”
I let out a groan. Not again. I rub a hand over my face and take a deep breath. “Then why did you tell the patrol officer that you’d witnessed the robbery?”
“Because I did. I was inside the bank when it happened.”
I shoot Rowe a look over my desk. “But you didn’t see anything?”
She shakes her head as she pulls something from her bag. She snaps a few pieces into place and taps the long, white cane along the floor as she walks toward the chair, sitting down when she finds it.
Humiliation washes over me. She’s blind. I should have seen the signs. “I’m sor—”
“Detective Williams, I didn’t stay until the police arrived because I assumed eyewitness testimony was all you’d be interested in. If so, coming here was a mistake.”
I stay silent. Eyewitness testimony is crucial to getting a conviction.
“Ms. Valerie…” Rowe’s shoes squeak as he walks around to my desk and perches on the edge. “Do you have any useful information regarding the robbery?”
“Yes, I heard everything he said. Which makes me an earwitness.”
I huff out a deep breath. “The teller’s statement said the robber remained silent, holding her at gunpoint and motioning for her to open the cash drawer. None of the other customers we interviewed heard anything either.”
Valerie shrugs her shoulders. “She’s lying!”
Interesting. “Will you tell us what you heard? Start from the beginning.”
“I remember the bank sounded empty. I only heard two tellers helping customers and the room was quieter than usual.”
That checks out. According to the patrol officers first on the scene, there were only two customers and two tellers during the time of the robbery. We’ve talked to all four of them, and they had no useful information besides one mentioning another witness.
“The teller, Marilyn, called out ‘Next,’ and I was about to step up to deposit a check when a man pushed past me. He muttered ‘Excuse me’ as he cut in line. His voice was deep and a little gravelly. It reminded me of my dad’s and uncle’s voices. They’re both smokers. Maybe your guy is, too?”
I jot down her description of the man.
“His voice came from above me, so he must be taller than I am.”
“Your height?”
“Five feet, eight inches.”
I note her height in my book and look up at her expectantly. “And what did he say to the teller?”
“This might sound strange, but I think they knew each other. I heard the robber step up to the window and say ‘Hey honey’ in a low voice, almost a whisper. That’s probably why no one else heard.”
“But you did?” I ask.
“Yes, I did,” she says confidently. “I’ve been blind since birth, Detective, so I rely on my other senses. Mom nicknamed me Bat Ears when I was young because I could hear a conversation happening in another room, even if they whispered.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Impressive.”
She shrugs. “After he greeted the teller, he whispered, ‘Just a few more days and this mess will be over.’ After that, I heard the sound of a bag unzipping, some rustling—that might have been him stuffing the cash inside—and then a bag being zipped back up.”
“Did you hear anything else?”
She’s silent for a moment.
“Valerie?”
“Before he left, he asked the teller about me.” She pauses for a moment. “Marilyn responded, ‘Don’t worry about her. She’s blind.’” Valerie swipes a tear from her cheek.
My body heats with rage. I wasn’t terribly sensitive earlier, but a comment like that is despicable. “I’m sorry, Valerie. Is there anything—”
“Hey, Williams!” Detective Lawson calls from across the room. “Catch any breaks in that bank robbery?”
Valerie gasps quietly, and suddenly the puzzle pieces click together in my brain. Instinctively, I stand and step forward, blocking her from his view. “Nothing yet,” I lie.
“Too bad.” Lawson taps a fresh pack of cigarettes on his hand before leaving.
I lean over to Valerie. “You recognized his voice.”
She nods. “It’s him.”
“Johnson! Escort Ms. Valerie out, will you? Rowe and I have a lead to follow up on.”
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Loading...ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ooh, that was good. I did NOT see that twist at the end coming. Great job!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Whoa, what a twist! She turned out to be the perfect witness! Excellent story!
Thank you! She certainly did!
Oh cool! I loved the twist. This is a detective show I’d watch! Well done!!
Thank you! I’ll let you know as soon as the rights are picked up by a network! LOL
This was so great! And the twist at the ending was perfect!!
Thanks! I love a good twist in a mystery story.