Riverside's Perfect Murder

Meet The Teller

"Smart ass," Rita said.

"Takes one to know one," James replied, "cause of death is not hard to figure out, but that leg wound looks strange to me. I am going to take a closer look when I get him back on the table. Also, unless I am wrong, which I never am, these were special slugs."

"Special how?" Rita bent over for a closer look.

"Hollow-point. Maybe drilled out with a special core. The back of this man's head is missing. Blown apart. Not normal. See." James rolled the stiff onto his side for Rita to see. "The leg is shattered as well. At this range, it should have been a through and through."

"Keep me posted."

"Don't I always beautiful," James said, smiling broadly.

Rita stared at him and reached for her gun. "Get out of here before I give you a through and through."

Rita could hear James laughing as she went to collect Mary Jean Thompson.

Rita led Mary Jean back to the office. "Come in. Sit, please. I am Detective Rita Rawlins. How are you holding up?"

"Ok, I guess," Mary Jean said.

"I like your dress. The floral print really shows off your summer tan," Rita said, trying to get her to loosen up.

Mary Jean's brown eyes sparkled when she looked up. "Thank you. My girls and I have spent a great deal of time outside, but I'm afraid it's starting to fade now." She took a deep breath and started to relax.

"I promise this won't hurt. Are you ready to begin?"

Mary Jean took another deep breath and then said, "Yes."

"Good. Can you tell me from the beginning what happened?" Rita opened her note pad.

"Well, OK," Mary Jean sighed, "at about ten o'clock a man wearing a large green overcoat walked into the bank. I didn't pay any attention until the first shot. When that happened, I jumped and spilled my coffee.

"I had a cup at my window. I wasn't supposed to, but last night I didn't get much sleep on account of the kids being sick. Anyway, the first shot was over my head. Same with the second one. It wasn't until after he left I realized the shots took out the cameras. 

"I thought at the time they were warning shots to get our attention. Then he turned and shot poor Dave in the leg. I watched him drop. Maybe Dave was going for his gun. It all happened so fast, but I don't think so. I mean I don't think Dave even had a chance to move before the man shot him.

"Next he walks up to my window and hands me a note."

Rita leaned in. "I wanted to hear more about that note. What exactly did it say?"

"Oh. All right. Let's see. It was addressed to me personally." She closed her eyes for a moment and then spoke. "Mary Jean. I want you to take a bank bag and fill it with all the cash you can in sixty seconds. If you trip an alarm or put in any dye packs, I will come back and kill you and all your family.

"When I looked up from reading the note, he tapped his wrist with the gun like he was tapping a watch. So I hurried and did what he said."

"Did he speak or say anything?" Rita asked.

"No, but he whistled when a minute was up. Just a short burst." Mary Jean put her lips together and tried to imitate the whistle.

"And you handed him the bag?"

"Yes. I handed the bag of cash to the man. I didn't put any dye packs in the bag. I was too afraid. I suppose I should have, but I didn't." Mary Jean looked down.