This is the nineteenth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X, Part XI, Part XII, Part XIII, Part XIV, Part XV, Part XVI, Part XVII, and Part XVIII before continuing.
Charles was a free man, but the cops still wanted to question him about the murder. They took a very different approach to their line of questioning when they knew he couldn’t be the murderer.
Officer: You said you initially fell asleep in a park on the night in question, is that correct?
Witness #1: That’s correct.
Officer: Do you know which park?
Witness #1: I don’t know the name of it, no.
Officer: If I showed you a map, could you show me where the park was?
Witness #1: Probably. If you show me my spot under the bridge on the map, I can figure it out from there.
Officer: Here’s your spot under the bridge.
Witness #1: Then the park was … here.
Officer: You’re sure?
Witness #1: I’m sure.
Officer: What time did you get to the park?
Witness #1: I have no idea.
Officer: Was it dark?
Witness #1: Yes.
Officer: Was it sunset, just after sunset, or was it dark enough to indicate that the sun had been down for a while?
Witness #1: I would say the sun had just set. I remember watching the clouds turn colors as I left the West home.
Officer: How long would you say you stayed at the park?
Witness #1: I have no idea.
Officer: Can you guess?
Witness #1: I really can’t. I fell asleep in the park. I had some bad dreams. The next thing I know I’m waking up under the bridge.
Officer: What time would you say that was?
Witness #1: I don’t know. It was bright enough that the sun must have been up for a while, but I couldn’t tell you what time it was.
Officer: Where was the body in relation to you when you woke up?
Witness #1: He was lying next to me. But I was on my side and had my back to him. I only knew something was wrong because I smelled blood.
Officer: Then what?
Witness #1: Then I turned over to see where the smell was coming from, and that’s when I saw him.
Officer: Did you touch the body?
Witness #1: I thought I could wake him up.
Officer: Witnesses said his eyes were open.
Witness #1: They were.
Officer: You thought he was sleeping with his eyes open?
Witness #1: I don’t know what I thought. I must have known he was dead, but I don’t think I could accept it. How could he be dead? He had just shown me his toys and eaten dinner with me and helped me wash the dishes. How could he be dead? It didn’t make any sense.
Officer: What did you do when you touched the body?
Witness #1: I shook him a little. I think I slapped his face. Then I saw blood coming out of the gash in his stomach, and that’s when I couldn’t deny it anymore. That’s when I knew for sure he was dead.
Officer: So he was still bleeding?
Witness #1: Not really. The blood had started to congeal. I just dislodged a glob of it when I shook him.
Officer: What did you do then?
Witness #1: Nothing. I pulled back. I tried to make sense of what I was seeing, and that’s when Mr. West showed up.
Officer: What did he do?
Witness #1: Nothing. He ran up to us, but when he realized what had happened, he stopped. He just stood there and stared at the body until his wife came up behind him. He tried to keep her from seeing it, but he was too late. Then she started screaming. Then the cop car pulled up, and you know the rest from there.
To be continued…