The Mind Man

Chapter six

It was a couple of days before Ted ran into Jack in the hallway of the Freeport Boulevard precinct.

"How ya doin' Ted, remember that one on the interstate you were asking about?"

"Yeah Jack, you come up with anything?"

"Funnily enough...not a thing."

"What do you mean? You thought a heart attack, right, and he was an old guy wasn't he?"

"Well middle aged actually - late fifties it seems, but no he didn't have a heart attack. He died from the injuries sustained in the crash; head injuries mainly."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying we couldn't find anything. He had no contact with another car, they couldn't find any vehicle malfunction; there were no foreign substances in his body to suggest drugs or alcohol and he was in good health. He didn't smoke and kept himself in fine shape, his heart and lungs were, in fact, extremely good for a man of his age."

"What will you put in your report...suicide?"

"Possible, but we have to prove that was the case beyond reasonable doubt. It may remain undetermined unless he went to sleep at the wheel, which is also probable I suppose. But not early in the morning, you wouldn't think, not a guy so fit and healthy. He was a businessman heading down to Los Angeles so you would've thought he had a good night's sleep beforehand."

Ted walked away but for some reason he was not convinced. He was in no way responsible. It was now up to the MCIU to deal with all the paperwork and protocol, but somehow he found the event puzzling and he couldn't let it go. Later, when he was back at his desk he gave Jack a call.

"Jack, can you tell me one more thing? His next of kin and work colleagues have all been notified, haven't they?

"Yes of course Ted they've all have been notified."

"Can you give me the company's name and address?"

"What are you thinking of doing? You're not involved now."

"Yes I know, but I just want to follow something up."

"The company is called Fortex and it is down at Florin in Power Inn Road. He was their CEO."

"Thanks Jack. I owe you one."

"No problem Ted."

***

Warren Turner was buried at the leafy and picturesque Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes. The overcast skies befitted the solemn mood of the ceremony. Ted stood beside his car and looked across the expanse of manicured lawn at the dark figures huddled around the open grave. He watched the proceedings with more than a casual interest. He had taken the trouble to come north of the city, not just to watch a funeral but to see who else turned up. He studied all the individual members of the group at length, and regularly scanned the lawns and trees to pick out anyone who might be observing from a distance. Murderers sometimes had an uncanny urge to see their victims buried.

Ted was too far away to hear what was being said but he watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground and the priest made gestures with his hands. Some people held each other in their arms to comfort and others simply wept, lost in their own private grief. He could identify Mr. Turner's widow standing nearby the priest, dressed elegantly in black with a veil covering her face. She was being supported by a younger man much taller than herself, presumably her son, Ted thought. The priest threw a handful of soil down onto the coffin and several people stepped forward to throw flowers into the grave as well. Then the gathering slowly and in its own time dispersed, as people bade farewell and offered their retreating condolences. The young man remained by Mrs. Turner's side and escorted her with a supporting arm slowly across to a waiting black Mercedes parked a little further along the drive from Ted's Chevy. Ted planned his interception carefully and just as they reached the car and readied to enter, he approached Mrs. Turner.