This is a work of fiction, any similarity between organizations and individuals depicted in this story and any real organization or individual is coincidental.
The letter carrier walked up to Dedra Ann Watson and Mary Jane Abernathy's house. She deposited the usual bills, and advertising circulars, in the mailbox. But included in the mail that afternoon was very official envelope, addressed to Sgt Dedra Ann Watson from the US Air Force. The mail waited for one of the women to come home and collect the letters. Mary Jane was on the West coast for the next two days so Dedra Ann would collect the mail.
It was seven thirty when the lights from Dede's SUV pulled into the driveway. Since Mary Jane was away Dede would swing by the mailbox before going in the house. She thumbed through the stack of mail while opening the door.
"What the hell is this" she said when she came to the Air Force envelope.
Dede ran her finger behind the flap opening the envelope. She pulled the contents out and opened the letter.
"Sgt. Watson,
You are requested to present yourself to the nearest Air Force facility and present these orders to the Personnel Officer. You are to be inducted into active service for a period not less than 6 (six) months nor greater that 12 (twelve) months.
The Air Force has determined that we need personnel in your specialty to fill gaps in the service. You must report within the next two weeks. Failure to follow these orders will subject you to sanctions.
W. Davis Brig General
Director of Personnel"
Dede spent four years in active service and three years in the reserves, while finishing her college degree. She also started at the Greene County sheriff's office. She was placed in the inactive reserves which made her subject to recall when the Air Force needed her specialty. That commitment had three months remaining.
"This is bull shit. They can't find intelligence specialists, so need to get a retread like me? That is why I got out," said Dede out loud.
There were several sheets attached to the cover letter. But Dede wasn't in any mood to look them over. She would call in the morning to see if she can get the situation sorted out. Her phone began to vibrate and beep. This time she was hoping it was a case, to take her mind off the Air Force. But the display read MJ Abernathy.
"You I will talk to," said Dede.
"Been getting crank calls darling?"
"No, worse than that. I have orders to report back to the Air Force. Came in the mail today."
"But you've been out what for three years?"
"Yea but I was put in the inactive reserve, subject to recall and I guess my number came up."
"Well, I have good news, I'm finished here and will be home tomorrow," said MJ.
"Be prepared darling, I want to take you in my arms and make love until you scream, and cream."
"Well, that is the Dede that I have come to know and love," said MJ.
The two women signed off and Dede put the phone in her pocket. As much as she hated it, she got a frozen dinner out of the freezer and let the microwave to its thing. The oven's bell rang, and she pulled the tray out, placing it on a plate. She was almost finished when her phone rang, this time it was the office calling.
"Capt. Watson... Yes, I know where that is... I will be there in twenty minutes."
Dede hoped that it would be a quiet night, but the call put an end to those ideas. There was a murder in one of Greene County's sprawling developments. Dede was up for the case. Within twenty minutes she was pulling up to the scene. It was dark and the cool wind cut through the trees. She remembered how much she disliked the xenon strobes used on the county's patrol SUVs. The constant blinking made it difficult to concentrate.
There were four patrol deputies and three of her investigators walking around the scene. In the middle of the front yard, covered by a yellow tarp, was the victim. Behind the victim was a large single story "ranch style house." Dede quickly guessed that the house was a least five-thousand square feet. There was an oversized garage with the door opened. The light was off so Dede could not see if it had any significance to the reason why the person was lying on the ground dead.
"Fill me in Bill," said Dede to one of the patrol deputies, as she slipped under the "Crime Scene tape.
"The victim is Mary Stewart a thirty-year old female. She lives in the house with her husband, who is not here. We are waiting for a search warrant before we enter the residence. She was shot three times in the chest."
Dede scribbled in her notebook as the deputy gave his report. George Rogers, Mary Hampton, and Phil Crane, members of the homicide squad, gathered around Dede.
"let's break up and start interviewing the bystanders, neighbors anyone who can shed light on what went on here. Ask if the husband was here earlier or if he is away on business. Let's find out what happened."
The group broke up and started to find witnesses. Dede had the patrol deputies look for spent shell casings in the area around the body. The ME's van showed up and Dede supervised them as they moved the victim. She looked the woman's body over seeing if there was any evidence. The victim was dressed in what looked like a very expensive set of clothes. She examined the victim again but did not see any further evidence; other than the three bullet holes in the chest. She had the attendants put bags on the victim's hands to preserve possible evidence.
"Somebody wanted this woman dead," Dede thought to herself.
Dede's phone bussed and after a few minutes of conversation with Bill Roberts back at the station, she walked into the dark garage. Bill got the warrant that allowed them to enter the house. She pulled the powerful flashlight from her belt and set the beam to wide and slowly swept it across the garage. There was a lot of blood on the floor leading to the yard where the victim collapsed.
The door to the house was open so she moved into what looked like the living room. Dede continued to sweep her flashlight across the room. The floor was littered with spent shell casings. So, she determined that the shooting started in the house. The big question was who. In the middle of the room was another body with a gun in his hand.
"This is 637 tell the coroner's people not to leave I have found another body," said Dede into her radio.
