The Temptation

I was just notified there was a homicide of one of our brothers in blue in our jurisdiction. Everybody that was present was assigned to this case. My little black notebook with numbered pages, radio, and evidence kit were all in tow. Homicide detectives were on their way out to the scene as well. Supervisor Garcia glanced my direction, “Hey do you want to ride together?” “Of course!”

We had to walk a distance once we arrived to the scene due to the number of vehicles present. The scene was filling up with staff and eventually the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents would be on scene as well. It was rumored to have occurred in the connection to a local bank robbery. We checked in with the first officer and proceeded onto the dilapidated home.

We pulled out our cameras to begin photography of the crime scene. Another crime scene investigator had labeled items and placed them on the evidentiary log. We proceeded into the home. Officer Chavez was observed supine 6’ from the front door laying across the entryway in front of a living room closet. Upon walking closer to his body, I observed his department issued little black notebook 2’ from his left hand. The man had sustained a gunshot wound to the right side of his neck.

Garcia inspected a bloodstained footprint observed to the right side of the body in the direction of the back door. “Parker pick up that notebook and see if he has anything useful in his notes,” instructed Garcia. I did as I was instructed and picked up Officer Chavez’s little black notebook. Garcia followed the footprints out of the living room. I stepped into the hall to have adequate lighting to observe the writing.

Entry for February 15, 2019:

1540 I came up to the residence and the front door was ajar about a foot. I announced myself without response. Pulled my service weapon and entered the residence. Perimeter was cleared.

1545 4 black ski masks and one neon orange one was present on the left side of the couch. A bank robbery had occurred yesterday with items seen here. Radioed for backup to my location.

My gaze continued onto the next page in Officer Chavez’s notebook with a map drawn underneath the next entry.

1546 Observed a crude map with labels written in Spanish. Oye, pendejo, tus $2000 seran enterrados debajo del arbol en la ultima esquina del rancho de mi papa junto al sitio del Blackwater!

A thunderous bang came from the adjacent room. Simultaneously, the hand gripping the page I was on pulled away. I was holding this torn intact paper and shoved it in to pocket quickly. 2 police officers immediately passed my location into the office. We all were checking on fellow officers. No one had received any physical injuries. 3 officers near the computer were having difficulty hearing. These officers were sent for medical evaluation.

The suspects had rigged the computer to destroy the hard drive upon an incorrect password being entered. Luckily, the hard drive and explosive were in a framed and contained unit. We were all ordered to exit the home with any items that had already been bagged and documented for evidence. It was the consensus that more hidden explosives could be present and the scene had to be cleared for our safety. Since we were already an hour over our shift, both Supervisor Garcia and myself were instructed to turn in evidence and return tomorrow. We both matched evidence bags to the evidence log and everything aligned perfectly. “Too bad there wasn’t much in his notes. Go home and get some rest Parker,” Garcia stated. I clocked out and left the department with that page in my right pocket.