A Smidge of Magic

Chapter 6

Washington D.C. three years ago-

Anders leaned forward and asked with a hint of excitement, "So, you ready for our first case?"

Ian stood up from his desk with a forced laugh. He'd finished downloading the app on his new department-issued phone and began scrolling through the assignment feed. He stopped when he saw their initials, M.A. / I.M. Naturally, Ian thought, 'as if the others needed more or a reason to give me grief.

The application provided basic information on their case; code number, address, and a note that the initial 911 call had been forwarded to Anders' phone. 187 - Homicide at 1020 Oak Hill Avenue.

Anders plucked his jacket off the back of his chair and led the way towards the carpool. They moved out into the late spring day to the back of the lot, where Anders paused in front of his nondescript beige sedan.

"Alright kid, let's see what you got. Heads or tails? Winner gets to drive," Anders said while picking out a quarter from his pocket.

Ian wasn't sure why the game was necessary when neither one minded driving, but he decided to play along.

"Heads," Ian said.

Anders flicked the coin into the air and caught it in his right hand. Ian didn't see it but Anders cast a lightning-quick glance at the coin before he flipped it onto the back of his left hand. Upon removing his palm, the coin sat with the tails side facing up.

"Ha! I never win," Anders said. It was an old trick, but a reliable one. Had it landed on tails after the catch, he would have foregone the extra flip and merely revealed the coin in his right hand. Anders held out the coin to Ian, "Here, loser gets the coin."

Ian took the quarter, but he noticed the pensive expression on Anders' face. "What?" Ian asked as they got into the car.

Kid has potential, but either his perception needs some polishing, or he's got blinders on around the people he trusts. Anders thought.

Anders bounced back to his usual carefree tone, "Nothing, don't worry about it. We're heading to a fresh crime scene so let's go over the details. The lab guys are already on site."

Anders pulled out into traffic and started spouting off reminders about procedures to follow on the scene. Meanwhile, Ian reviewed the case in the assignment feed. He responded with a series of "mhm's" now and again.

A half-hour later they pulled into the rear gravel driveway of the two-story brick home. Ian would be able to recall the picturesque neighborhood with perfect clarity for the rest of his days. The manicured lawns, the white fences, the odd lawn gnome. All of it was so very middle-class American. There were already three other vehicles parked in front of them.

"Officers, CSI van, probably the victim's vehicle - pretty standard. If we ever beat the CSI guys we pretty much wait in the car if there's no immediate threat, so we don't muck up the evidence. But they can't start processing until we get here either. No ambulance means dead body. Let's get this show on the road," Anders said as he pulled himself out of the car. They headed up the driveway to meet the officer who was standing by the door. He was busy talking to the lab techs who were waiting to start their work judging by the packed-up gear that they had at their feet.

"Hey Harvey, how's it look in there?" Anders asked once in earshot of the patrolman.

The young black man, Harvey Freeman, shook his head with a grim expression, "Home invasion gone bad from the looks of it. Checked the pulse, did the standard sweep, tried not to touch anything and called dispatch. Bodys in the living room, through the kitchen. These guys just need your go-ahead to start collecting. M.E. is about an hour out." Harvey's eyes went from Anders over towards Ian, arching a quizzical brow.