The Hot Wife Photos Ch. 02

"I see." I said. "So it looks like the criminals were looking for something in particular, besides loot. Do you have any idea what that might be?"

"No sir." said Cassie. "I can't think of what they might want."

"In searching for clues to this burglary," I said, "we have come across photographs of your friend Emma Washburn. She is your friend, is that correct?"

"Yes, we're good friends." Cassie said.

"How long have you known her?"

"Uh," Cassie said, thinking about it, "several years. Five or six. Since she and her husband moved into the house across the street."

"And you were taking pictures of Emma so she could send them to her husband?"

"Er... yes." said Cassie. "Her husband liked them. Some of them got pretty... risqué. He was on assignment to Alaska, and it was something she would do for him. I... well, I don't want to be rude or uncooperative, but that's kind of private stuff between them, so unless you think it has a bearing on the burglary in my house, I'd rather not discuss it."

"It might have a bearing, ma'am." I said, perhaps a bit severely. "Do you know Emma's husband, Chris?"

"Yes, of course." Cassie said.

"How would you describe him? And for that matter, their relationship?"

"He's... okay. Seems nice enough, but he could be kind of pushy." Cassie replied, seeming to choose her words carefully. "He and Emma seem to have a good relationship, even though they've been apart for months with his deployment." Cassie said.

"How long had he been gone?" I asked.

"He had an 18 month deployment, and got to visit home for two weeks every six months. He just came home for the second visit, so he's been gone a year."

"And when did you and Emma start sending the photos?"

"Uh, shortly after his first visit home, six months ago." Cassie said. "Emma said that they'd talked about it, and they thought it would be a fun thing to do while he was gone. I agreed to help them by taking some pics."

"Mrs. Sanderson," I asked, "do you know or did Emma ever tell you of any time that Emma and her husband fought, or if he hit her?"

"Uh, not that I know of." said Cassie, her voice beginning to sound nervous and thoughtful, as if she were choosing those words carefully. "But he's been away so much, I don't see them together a lot, so I can't say they've never fought or that he wasn't abusive.

After a pause, Cassie said with a bit more emphasis: "I will say this: Emma had some bruises on her last weekend. She wouldn't say where they came from, even when I asked about them. She used some makeup to help cover up the bruises, too. I can't openly say what I think about that because I have nothing to back it up..." she let the sentence hang.

"Okay, I understand." I said, not needing to ask to know that she suspected Chris Washburn. "So let me ask, did you or Emma send the pictures you took to Emma's husband?"

"She sent them." Cassie said. "I would give her the files on a jump drive, and she would take them home and send them from her computer at home. I'm not sure which of the pics she actually sent."

"What about printed or developed pics on photographic paper?" I asked.

"Emma had me print out some of the pictures." Cassie said. "She said her husband might be without electricity for periods of time, so she would send prints so he could look at them without needing a computer."

"And when was the last time you saw Emma?" I asked, peering at Cassie.

"Sunday afternoon." Cassie replied. "Five o'clock, six o'clock or so, before I went to church."

"Do you remember what she was wearing at the time?" I asked.

Cassie sighed. "A... a blouse, light green, kind of filmy if you know what I mean. White pants..." She made a shrug, as if to suggest she couldn't really remember.

"Mrs. Sanderson," I asked, "did Emma ever mention having enemies? Do you know of anyone who would wish to harm Emma Washburn?"

"No, she was a very sweet lady." said Cassie. "Everyone really liked her.... look, I don't want to be uncooperative, but what does any of this have to do with the break-in of my home? You said earlier you didn't think Emma was involved in that. So what is going on here with Emma?"

Joanne looked over at me, her eyes silently saying 'What now?' I knew that now was the time to tell her.

"Mrs. Sanderson," I said, "On Monday morning Emma Washburn's body was found. I'm sorry to say your friend is dead."

"What?!" Cassie exclaimed, her hands going to her mouth. "Emma's... dead? Oh my God! How?"

"That's what we're trying to ascertain now." I said. "So again, are you sure there is no one that to your knowledge might have reason to harm Emma?"

"No... no, I don't know." Cassie said, shaking her head as her glazed eyes looked past us. "I... uh... no, I don't know... oh God, poor Emma..."

"If you need a minister, we can call our Chaplain for you, or Pastor Westboro if you prefer." I said. "In the meantime, please stay here for a moment." With that I got up and signaled Joanne to follow me out and into the anteroom.

"She seems shocked." said Cindy after the door had closed.

"Sir," said Joanne, "is it suspicious that she started getting defensive when you kept asking about Emma?"

"No." I said. "Put yourself in her place: if you'd just reported your home burgled, and the Police are asking exclusively about one of your friends, wouldn't you want to say 'What's this all about?'?" Joanne just nodded.

"Okay, I'll get to Sean next." I said. "Unless he suddenly confesses to something, I think we'll have to let him and his mother go home. Keep her there until I'm finished with him, though. Theo, you're with me on this one." With that, I headed for I-Bravo, which was the door a few feet down from I-Alpha.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hi Sean," I said, "thanks for waiting. I apologize for keeping you." I sat down, Theo Washington next to me. "This is Detective Theo Washington, and you know me, Commander Troy, already."

In case you are wondering, I was saying my name for the benefit of the camera recording every bit of this.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Sean asked.

"We've got to get your statement." I said. With that, Theo asked clarifying questions about the times, which corresponded to his mother's answers and corroborated by Marlena and Ryan, then about his guitars that were stolen. He said he had seen Emma early Sunday afternoon, then went to visit friends on the University campus. Then it was time for me to hit him with the hard stuff.

"Okay, Sean," I said, "we've come across pictures of your neighbor Emma Washburn. What was going on with those?"

"Like I said before, my mom was photographing Emma for her husband. Emma would pose and the pictures would get more provocative and sexy. Emma would take off more and more clothes, like a strip-tease."

"Were you present at these sessions?" I asked.

"Some of them." Sean said. "Sometimes Mom would make me leave before they got too hot. But sometimes I was around even after Emma started showing off her tits or pussy---- er, womanly parts."

"So you posed with Emma?" I asked.

"Well..." said Sean, beginning to falter a bit, "I... sometimes Emma would have me come to restaurants, or on a picnic, or walk around Town like we were on a date, with my mom photographing us. Emma said her husband liked pictures like that, like he and she did when he was home."

"For lack of a better term, how 'heated' did those pics get?" I asked.

"We'd hold hands while walking, or snuggle up a bit." Sean said. "I know there were a couple of pics where Emma said she wanted me to give her a good-night kiss after our 'date', so we kissed and my mom took pictures of that."

"Who sent the pics to Emma's husband? Emma, or your mom?"

"I guess Emma did." said Sean. "I didn't know anything about all that."

"Sean," I said, looking him hard in the eye, "did you and Emma ever go farther? Did you ever have sex with her?"

Sean's eyes widened for a second, then he peered back at me. "I... I think that's kind of a private matter."

"I'm asking because it's important to my case." I said.

"I don't see what something like that would have to do with our house being robbed." Sean said.

"So you won't answer the question?" I asked.

"No sir," said Sean with alacrity, and some spine, "not unless you show me why the question, much less the answer is relevant. I want to help you guys, but that question is crossing the line."

Theo was about to say something, so I stopped him by speaking up myself. "You have a point there, Sean. So let me ask this question before I explain the relevancy of my last question: when was the last time you saw Emma?"

"Uh... last weekend. Early Sunday afternoon, as I said." said Sean. "Why? Has something happened to Emma?"

Yep, time to answer. "Sean, Emma's body was found Monday morning. She's dead."

"Oh, geez..." Sean said, his voice lowering to nearly a whisper. "What happened to her?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out." I said. "And that's why I asked, and must ask again... did you have sex with Emma."

"Aw, fuck..." Sean said. "That really sucks. She was a good person." He then saw us peering at him. "Okay, the answer is yes. Emma and I had sex."

"For the pictures, or at other times?" I asked.

"Both." said Sean. "Sometimes the pictures got a little racy. Like one time Emma was posing in a bikini by the pool, then me with her. Mom had us make out, then we took some pics after Emma took off the bikini top, then Mom had me lie between Emma's legs... but her bikini bottom and my bikini were on the whole time. But after the pictures were done, I had a hard-on sticking out above my bikini and Emma was playing with it. So as Mom put a fresh memory card in the camera, Emma pulled her bikini to the side and I slid my dick into her. The pics came out like we still had our suits on, but I was nuts deep in her. Then after Mom finished, I began fucking Emma until I came inside her."

Sean continued, "Then, after the picnic shots, Mom had us simulate sex again. The sun was going down so Mom stopped taking pictures because it was dark. So I put it inside Emma again and we had sex for an hour. Mom left before we finished and I had to ride back home with Emma."

"So your mother know this was going on?" Theo asked, his voice one of shock... or awe.

"Oh yeah, she knew." Sean said. "At least those times. I don't think she knew that I went over to Emma's house a few times a week, and we would make love in her bed. No cameras, no Mom, just me and Emma hooking up. Like I said before, Emma was a really sweet lady, and she was great in the sack too. I really liked taking care of her... needs."

"Sean," I asked, "do you know if Emma's husband knew about you and her?"

"Hell, I don't know." Sean said. "Emma could've told him, for all I know. He was an okay guy, though. Before he went on his deployment, he asked me to help make sure Emma was all right while he was gone. I don't think he meant sexually, but who knows? And he was fine with me when he got back from his deployment a few days ago. He said he liked the pictures of me with Emma."

"Do you know if Emma and her husband had any arguments at all? Did he ever get rough with her?"

"Naw, nothing that I ever saw. He wasn't the real aggressive type, though he wasn't the timid cuck type, either. I know you know what I mean by that, Commander."

"Yes, yes I do." I said. "Okay, Sean, thanks for your candid answers. You and your mother need to stay in the County, and let the Police know if you need to go out of the County for any reason at all. This is a serious situation, so I'm not just suggesting this, okay?"

"Yes sir, I understand." Sean said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"All right," I said, "does Washburn have his lawyer?"

"Yes sir, and I might add the guy is pissed at being kept waiting." said Cindy. "We told him you were interviewing other suspects, but he's still ticked off."

"Suspects?" I said drily. "I wasn't aware we'd formed such opinions yet." Cindy peered at me with something bordering on anger as I took Theo into I-Charlie, telling her to watch from the anteroom with Joanne.

"Hello, Mr. Washburn, I appreciate you waiting." I said. I greeted the lawyer, Mr. Ferguson Stegall the Third, Esq., of the Men's Law Firm of Effim, Goode & Hart.

"With all due respect, Commander," said Stegall, "we've been waiting for some time, so if we can get right down to it..."

"Certainly, Counselor." I replied. "I hope Mr. Washburn has sobered up."

"He has." said Stegall.

"Okay," I said, "so when did you get back into Town, Mr. Washburn?"

"He got back late last week." said Stegall.

"I asked him." I replied. At that, Stegall and Washburn looked at each other, and Stegall nodded.

"On the advice of Counsel, I am invoking my Fifth Amendment right to not answer any of your questions from this time forward." Chris Washburn stated. Theo Washington looked totally stunned. Me, not so much.

"Ooo-kay." I said. "That's unfortunate, though. Does your client know what has happened to his wife?"

Stegall looked over at Washburn, who was staring at me. He looked over at his lawyer with a shocked look on his face, and shook his head.

"I'm sorry to tell you that your wife was found dead Monday morning, Mr. Washburn." I said. "My condolences to you."

Washburn looked as if a dump truck was bearing down on him at high speed. Then he broke down and began crying.

"Can I have a moment with my client?" the lawyer asked.

Part 7 - Rights and Suspicions

Some moments later, we were called back inside. Washburn had stopped crying, but still looked devastated.

"My client will maintain his invocation of his right to silence, but I'm instructed to tell you that he maintains his innocence in the death of his wife." said Stegall. "He was afraid something was wrong when she did not come home Sunday night, but he was afraid for his own safety to call the Police or do anything."

"If he's afraid for his own life," I said, "I need to know the situation so that I can protect him."

"I understand that." said Stegall, "but I'm bound by privilege to not say anything. I have advised Mr. Washburn to seek a criminal attorney, as I'm a divorce attorney and my expertise is there."

"That'll be between you guys." I said. "The only other thing I want information on is about the physical beating Emma was subjected to some days before her death."

"Again, Commander, my client has invoked." said the lawyer, which meant that on this matter he was not going to speak on his client's behalf, which was the way of giving information without the client actually directly speaking or confessing.

"Stay in Town, Mr. Washburn." I said. "If you try to leave my jurisdiction, you'll be arrested for suspicion of murder. When you get new legal representation, make sure that representation lets us know who he or she is."

With that, I got up and left the Interrogation Room, Theo following. In the anteroom, Cindy was about to explode.

"You're not arresting him?!" she asked incredulously. I stared daggers into her eyes.

"On what charge?" I replied.

"Uh, murder, maybe?" Cindy said sarcastically. "Or assault and battery? Domestic violence?"

"If you have some proof of those charges, Captain," I replied, "I would love to be made aware of it." That somewhat shut my partner up.

"Okay guys, meeting in the main Conference Room in thirty minutes." I said. "All of MCD that's on the burglary as well as the murder case, and the Miltons."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At the meeting in the Main Conference Room, which had sunlight that Classrooms 'E' and 'C' lacked, I took the seat at the far end of the table. Chief Harold Bennett was asked to attend, and he sat at the head of the table. Also attending were Captain Ross, Lieutenant Perlman, Detectives Cummings, Washington, and Nash, Supervisor Myron Milton and Master Technician Mary Mahoney Milton.

"Okay," I said, "I've contacted Jack Muscone of the FBI. He's going to get a Federal warrant and have FBI agents in Alaska examine Chris Washburn's quarters at his station in Alaska. The location is remote, so it might be a while."

I continued: "In the meantime, we have Washburn's computer and Cassie Sanderson's computer. We did not find a computer for Emma Washburn, which is strange because everyone and their mother has a computer these days, and how else would Emma connect with her husband through Skype and such things?"

"Maybe whoever killed her took it." Joanne Cummings said. "Or maybe she used a tablet or her cellphone."

"Possibly." I said. "Of course, we haven't found a tablet, either, but that could just mean it was stolen, too. Myron, did you download the contents of those computers into the evidence servers yet?"

"Yes sir." Myron confirmed. "Encrypted and with limited access, as you requested. I've also got all the Crime Lab pictures uploaded to the evidence servers, as well as the contents of all the cellphones that we've taken in."

"Good, thank you." I said. "The reason it's limited, everyone, is because of the potentially salacious nature of the videos and photographs on those computers. I'm going to begin looking at it after this meeting. I'll look at Washburn's computer first, to find out what he'd been sent and had seen, then Cassie's computer to see what was not sent to Washburn. And then I'll look at everything else."

"Do you think something in those computers is relevant to these cases?" asked Chief Bennett.

"Yes sir," I said. "Or more precisely, something is in the photographs or videos that Emma was sending to her husband."

"Sir," said Joanne Cummings, cautiously, "are we sure the burglary is related to Emma Washburn's murder? Could they possibly be a coincidence?" Everyone looked at her funny and there were some murmurings... until I spoke.

"That, Detective Cummings," I said, pointing at her, "is Iron Crowbar thinking. No, we have not ascertained that the crimes are related or that they're not. And anyone else in here making any assumptions should be cautious in those thoughts." Joanne was very happy, despite some not-so-happy looks in her general direction.

"I know you don't like to theorize early, Commander," said Chief Bennett, "but do you have any ideas about this case... er, these cases?"

"Not yet, Chief." I said. "Obviously there is her husband, her friend, and her friend's son with whom Emma was having a relationship. But just to round out the picture, pun not intended, I have to consider outside possibilities. I've really got to look at the stuff on the computers, and I want to hear what the FBI finds in Alaska.

"And in the meantime," I continued, "you MCD guys need to dig into Emma's past. What her daily routines were, who her friends were that we don't know about yet, things from her past that might have come back to haunt her. And obviously I need that for Cassie Sanderson, Sean Sanderson, and Christopher Washburn."

"Sir," Cindy Ross said, "I believe we need to do something about Chris Washburn. He is scheduled to return to his work in Alaska in a few days. As such, he's an extreme flight risk."

"Ma'am, we've notified his company of his wife's death," said Tanya Perlman, "and told them that he will not be immediately available to return to Alaska until our investigation is complete."

"Even so," Cindy countered, "don't we need to arrest him?"

"On what grounds, Captain?" I immediately asked.

"You yourself, sir, always say that the spouse is a suspect." Cindy said, her ice blue eyes boring into me.

"That's true, and he is a person of interest to be investigated. But we don't have any grounds to arrest and formally charge him with anything." I said.

"He took the Fifth." Cindy said.

"So what?" I said.

"Commander," said Cindy, growing angry, "if he has nothing to hide, why did he take the Fifth instead of assisting us in our investigation?"