valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:39:47 GMT -5
4
Rush and Valens waited outside Jennings Lawn and Garden Center. Terrance stepped outside. He hadn’t changed much from the pictures they had seen apart from the fact that he had a mustache now. The pair flashed badges. “Are you Terrance Jennings?” asked Rush.
“My assistant said you wanted to see me?” asked Terrance.
“Detectives Rush and Valens, Philadelphia Homicide; we have a few questions about Mitchell Davis,” said Scotty.
“My sister said you were asking questions about him; this wedding has us all turned around,” Terrance insisted.
“I see you’re still in the landscaping business. We’ve heard that’s how you worked your way through school,” added Lilly.
“I guess I just took to it, and then years ago I started my own company. It’s been tougher these past few years, but I still do okay,” insisted Terrance.
“How did you get along with Mitchell?” asked Scotty.
“We were tight; he was my best friend at that school,” Terrance informed.
“Were you still tight when he started dating your sister?” asked Lilly. She took a quick look at Scotty and said, “I’m just asking because a guy I know dated my sister once and I wanted to strangle him. I figured it was my best option since I didn’t have any hedge clippers handy at the time.”
Terrance threw up his hands. “I didn’t kill Mitchell; he was my friend.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and in my experience friendship goes out the window when one guy finds out the other guy is doing his sister,” insisted Scotty.
Terrance shook his head. “Was I thrilled when I found out about that? No. But you never saw Mitchell and Quinn together. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought he was the girl.”
“What do you mean?” asked Scotty.
“He was like a mother hen around Quinn; always trying to help her with the simplest things because of her condition. He was more protective of her than I ever was; he would not have done anything Quinn did not want to do,” insisted Terrance. “Trust me, if I thought he hurt her; I would have kicked his ass.”
“So maybe you reserved the ass kicking for when your friend wanted to become family?” asked Lilly.
“What are you talking about?”
“We know about the engagement ring. Dating your sister was one thing; marrying her was something else entirely,” Scotty added. T. J. looked flustered. “Is that how it went down? He tiffed you off when he told you what he was planning, and then you ran him through!”
“Wait a minute, he didn’t tell me jack! You have to believe me; I didn’t know about any engagement ring! … Son of a b*tch, that must have been what he wanted that night!”
“What night?” asked Lilly.
“The night I kept getting busy signals…”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:41:24 GMT -5
Seal: “Kiss From a Rose” “Back then people weren’t exactly glued to their cell phones like they are now, so I had to call him from a pay phone in the lobby. I called him once, and the line was busy. I waited five minutes, tried again, and again the line was busy. This went on for about an hour; I had to keep going back to the change machine for quarters.
“I was down to my last dollar bill when I finally got through. ‘Mitch, what the hell are you doing? I’ve been trying to reach you!’
“’I’ve been trying to reach Quinn! What’s going on?’
“’That’s why I’m calling; it’s about Quinn!’ I said.
“’What do you mean? What’s happening?’
“’Remember when I told you how Quinn was getting headaches and feeling dizzy two days ago. I figured she just caught that flu that’s been going around. Then today I come home from work, and I see Quinn sitting on the couch slapping herself silly,’ I explained.
“’What?’
“’She said she’d been doing it all day and she couldn’t seem to control it. Then she went to stand up and… that’s when she… fell!’
“’Fell!’
“’She just collapsed on the floor! I followed the ambulance here; my gardening tools are still in the back seat of my car!’ I yelled.
“’Ambulance! ... Where the hell are you?’
“’I’m in a lobby at Jefferson Hospital. They ran some tests, and it looks like her shunt broke down. She’s in surgery now,’ I explained.
“’Where is your father?’
“’Still at the restaurant; I left three messages there too!’ I said.
“’Okay, … did you say Jefferson?’
“’Yeah.’
“’Okay, I’m on my way! Meanwhile, find a receptionist and ask for Nora Davis! My sister is a nurse there and she’s on call tonight! Maybe she can tell us what’s going on!’ Then I hung up the phone.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:42:17 GMT -5
“I came home later and found the answering machine blowing up with messages for Quinn,” Terrance added. “That was also the night Quinn lost her sight; the pressure from the fluid buildup in her skull destroyed her optic nerve.”
“Exactly what night was this?” asked Lilly.
“December 7, 1995; it’s the date on all the medical records,” insisted T. J. “Besides, it’s hard to forget the night you get robbed.”
“Robbed?” asked Scotty.
“You’d think a hospital would be safe, but when I went back to the parking lot I found my back seat windows were busted in and someone had stolen my tools,” T. J. explained.
“We can check that out, Terrance,” insisted Scotty.
“You said Nora was there that night?” asked Lilly. Terrance nodded and Lilly turned to Scotty. “She never told us that.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:44:12 GMT -5
Stillman and Jeffries walked around the table in the interview room where Nora was seated. “The next time I have to go to Jefferson Hospital, remind me to request that I don’t get you for a nurse,” said Jeffries.
“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Nora.
“Well, you have such a bad memory. You forgot to tell us that you gave Mitchell your old car, and you neglected to mention that you were the nurse on call the night Quinn went in for surgery,” Jeffries added.
“I didn’t think it mattered,” insisted Nora.
“You didn’t think it mattered/” asked John leaning over the table. “We know Mitchell went to the hospital to see Quinn that night! So here’s what I think happened: Mitchell arrives at the hospital, he finds you, you break the news about Quinn, and he takes it badly and tries to kill the messenger!”
“No! I didn’t find out anything until her brother did! Quinn was a close acquaintance of a relative; hospital procedure took priority! As soon as I saw that it was Quinn they were operating on I had to recuse myself! I didn’t know anything more than he did!” Nora explained.
“So you told him that and he didn’t believe you and decides to kill the messenger! Either way you two end up fighting in the parking lot, Mitchell gets aggressive, and so you broke into T. J.’s car and stabbed him with the hedge clippers you found!” Stillman responded.
“I never touched any hedge clippers! Print me if you don’t believe me!” Nora exclaimed.
“There were no prints on the weapon; which only makes me doubt you more!” insisted Jeffries.
“Rubber gloves in a hospital isn’t that much of a stretch,” John informed.
“Quinn’s surgery was two days before my brother was killed,” insisted Nora.
“Or two days before the body was found,” said Jeffries.
“Once again, a nurse knowing how to handle a corpse isn’t that big of a stretch,” explained Stillman.
“I came to you with this! Why would I do that if I was guilty?” asked Nora.
“Because you’re guilty. I’ve worked cold jobs a long time and I’ve seen it before; people who want to confess but don’t know how,” informed Will.
“Well, I can’t confess to something I didn’t do! I never broke into T. J.’s car; I wouldn’t have even recognized it to do a break in! Until that night, I barely knew who T. J. was!” Nora yelled. She folded her hands and put her head down on the table. Then she looked up. “Alright, I do know something, but I swear I don’t know what happened after that something.”
“Start filling in the gaps, Nora, or we’ll have no choice but to fill them in ourselves,” insisted Will.
Nora sighed. “Mitchell came to the hospital to see Quinn that night, and someone else came there to see him…”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:47:28 GMT -5
Sheryl Crow: “Strong Enough” “I was in between rounds that night, and since I wasn’t allowed anywhere near Quinn I figured I would head for the lobby and see if my brother had shown up yet. I got off the elevator and saw Mitchell at the reception desk. ‘Finally, front of the line. I’m looking for Quinn Jennings…’
“’Mitch!’ I called out. He turned around to see me.
“’Nora, what are you doing down here? Is Quinn out of surgery? Is she okay?’ he asked.
“’I don’t know; it’s like I told your friend. I’m too closely acquainted with Quinn, and…’
“’And so you can’t assist with the surgery. I guess I didn’t think that through. Damn it!’ Mitchell yelled shaking his head. ‘What about Terrance? You said you met him.’
“’I did meet T. J. He is on the third floor waiting area; I can take you to him,’ I said. That was the first time I had seen T. J. and I had been somewhat surprised. From what Mitchell had described I was expecting someone taller.
“We took the elevator to the third floor and then Mitch spotted T. J. in one of the green chairs. ‘Mitch!’ T. J. called out as he jumped up.
“The pair hugged briefly before Mitchell finally asked, ‘Have you heard anything about Quinn?’
“’Quinn made it; she’s been out of surgery for about an hour. But I’ve been waiting for you because I have to tell you…’
“’Where is she?’ he asked.
“’ They put her in room 322, but I … Mitchell, wait!’ T. J. yelled. But Mitch was long gone.
“When we did catch Mitchell he was outside Quinn’s room having a conversation with another nurse who was trying to deliver a tray of food. ‘I think it’s a simple question; does or does this fruit cup not have strawberries in it?’
“’I think it does. Why?’ she asked.
“’Quinn is allergic to strawberries; are you trying to get fired?’ he asked.
“’Are you sure?’ she asked.
“’I’ve known the girl for over a year now, so yes I think I’m sure,’ Mitch said.
“’Well, according to this chart… for Jenna Quincy. It seems the assistant gave me the wrong file,’ the nurse replied and took the tray away.
“’Yeah, find your assistant and take that poison with you! I hate hospitals!’ Mitch yelled back.
“’You didn’t have to do that; I wasn’t exactly going to eat it right now anyway,’ Quinn said suddenly. That’s when my brother turned around and got a good look at a then bald Quinn. He reached out to touch her bare scalp. ‘They shaved me.’ He slowly pulled his hand away. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to come tonight.’
“’T. J. called me,’ Mitch said.
“’And now you’ve seen me bald. Thank you T. J.’ Quinn said.
“Mitchell lifted Quinn’s hand. ‘Quinn, I love you, and I’m here now. So just tell me what you need.’
“’How much has T. J. told you?’ asked Quinn.
“’Well, he told me where you were and I … kind of just bolted. But T. J. and Nora are both behind me now,’ he told her.
“’They are?’ she asked.
“’Yeah. What, you don’t see them? How could you not notice T. J.’s ugly face?’ he asked.
“’Well, I can’t,’ she replied.
“Mitchell seemed to lose his breath. ‘What exactly are you…’
“’That’s what I wanted to tell you. The fluid buildup destroyed Quinn’s optic nerve. She can’t see us,’ Terrance explained.
“The room went dead silent for a time until the other nurse came back with the tray. ‘A strawberry-free dinner is served.’
“’Thank you… nurse’ Mitchell said as if he had just come back to life.
“’Mitchell, I told you I’m really not hungry right now,’ said Quinn.
“’Maybe not, but you should at least drink the water,’ Mitch insisted. ‘I’m putting the tray on the left side table, and the water is right on the edge of the tray.’ Quinn felt along the edge of the tray until she knocked the cup of water to the floor.
‘Okay! That’s … perfectly fine! That’s the thing about cups; they can be refilled.’ Mitch retrieved the cup from the floor and refilled it at the sink in the room. ‘I guess this time I’ll just give it to you. And you’re losing half your blankets; I can fix that.’ He handed her the cup and started to fix the bedding.
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:49:02 GMT -5
Cold Case Soundtrack: “A Good Death” “As it became clear that I was no longer the real nurse in the room, I figured I should get back to my regular rounds. I turned to leave, and that’s when I saw her. ‘Mom, what are you doing here?’
“’I’m here for Mitchell. Quinn’s father left a message for him on my machine; apparently he forgot that Mitchell lives with you now. I called and he explained the situation,’ she explained.
“’You called our home?’ T. J. asked. My mother nodded. ‘So he’s home! Unbelievable! I’ll be back; I have to make another phone call!’ Then he stormed out of the room.
“Mitch pulled our mother out into the hall. I left to return to my regular rounds, but I could still here the conversation. ‘If you came here to tell me to give up—‘.
“’I didn’t come here for that; I came because I heard what had happened and I thought I could help,’ she said.
“’Quinn already has help: she has Nora, she has T. J., she has me. She doesn’t need anyone else.’ Mitch replied.
“’I’m just saying I have a little more experience in this area than you do,’ my mom explained.
“’I’ll admit I just had a bomb dropped on me, but I’m doing what I can,’ Mitch insisted.
“’I did see some of that attention as I was coming up the hall, and now I’m really curious as to where all this care and devotion was when your father was sick?’ she asked.
“’Oh, I should have known! I should have known that you would start playing that song again; I didn’t help enough with dad!’ Mitchell yelled back.
“’You came to the hospital once and sat on the sideline most of the time; you didn’t exactly fuss over him!’
“’Dad didn’t need me fussing over him; you and Nora were already doing that!’ Mitch replied.
“’You abandoned him!’
“’Do you think I just sat on my ass the whole time dad was sick? Let me ask you something! While you were taking care of dad, who took care of you? I did! I’m the one who prepared your bills every month, I’m the one who kept the house from falling apart, I’m the one who walked that stupid mutt every damn day, and I’m the one who answered all the calls from hysterical relatives! Everyone said I was doing a good job helping out; everyone that is except you! So, if you will excuse, I have to be there for Quinn now!’ he shouted. Then Mitchell went back to Quinn’s room and mom walked back down the hall.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:49:43 GMT -5
“I went back to my normal rounds at that point. Mitchell stayed with Quinn most of the night; I swear I don’t know where my mom went after that,” insisted Nora.
Rush and Valens were listening in the observation room next door. “So mom went to the hospital and had another fight with her son. Funny how she never mentioned that,” said Lilly.
“Yeah, and I’m guessing that, unlike Nora, she would have known T. J.’s car to see it,” Scotty insisted. “I hope we can fight the husband off long enough to bring her in.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:51:44 GMT -5
5
“I guess you weren’t kidding when you said you weren’t Mother of the Year material, Mrs. Logan,” insisted Scotty in the interview room.
“This is beyond belief! You still think I know what happened to my son!” Colleen shouted.
“Lady, your own daughter is in the other room giving you up!” Scotty replied.
“Nora? What could she have given you?” Colleen demanded.
“She told us how you went to the hospital on the night of Quinn’s surgery, and that you and Mitchell rang the bell for the next round,” Lilly replied.
“Of course, another personal highlight of mine,” insisted Colleen.
“I’ll just bet. I’ll bet Mitchell tiffed you off that night, didn’t he? So much so that you found T. J.’s car in the lot, stole his hedge clippers and waited for him to come out!” said Scotty.
“You were losing him. No matter how hard you fought he just kept going back to Quinn. So maybe you figured if you couldn’t have him anymore, then neither could she,” insisted Lilly.
“That’s not true! I went home after that argument!” yelled Colleen.
“Where you lived alone at the time. Not much of an alibi,” insisted Lilly.
“Well, it’s the truth. Mitchell’s words stayed with me after that fight. I went home to think about what he said for awhile,” Colleen responded.
Scotty threw down a picture of the ring box in front of her. “Do you recognize that?”
“That’s the ring that they found on the body. I still have it actually,” informed Colleen.
“Did you know he was planning to propose?” asked Lilly.
Colleen shook her head. “Every time I think I’ve moved on.”
“What happened, Colleen?” asked Lilly.
“I went to see Mitchell … that day. When I showed up at Nora’s place, that’s when I first saw the ring box,” Colleen explained.
“And you had another argument?” added Scotty.
“No, just the opposite! After our words at the hospital…” Colleen stopped to catch her breath. “I went there to tell him I was done fighting; I went there to let him go…”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:53:43 GMT -5
Madonna: “I’ll Remember” “I knocked on the door to my daughter’s apartment and Mitchell answered. I could tell he was on his way out because he was wearing the white coat I got him for his birthday three years earlier. He seemed surprised that it was me. ‘Mom. If you’re here for Nora—‘
“’I’m actually here for you,’ I said.
“’Alright, I’m sorry for the fight. It was a stressful night, I was tired, and to top it all off I have finals next week,” he added.
“’Actually, I’m here to—‘ That’s when I noticed the velvet box in his hand. ‘Is that what I think it is?’
“’It’s an engagement ring; I moved my money around and bought it a couple of weeks ago. Quinn just came home today; I’m actually on my way to see her now. And before you try to talk me out of this—‘
“’Mitch, I’m not here to fight. I actually came here to apologize to you,’ I said.
“’You?’
“’What you said at the hospital may have been blunt, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t true. I never realized how much I’ve relied on you these past few years. You have done a good job taking care of me and I do appreciate it,’ I admitted.
“’Well, thank you. I appreciate you telling me that,’ said Mitchell.
“’I can’t fault for wanting to move on; who knows I might even be able to do it myself some day. So if Quinn is what you want, I won’t stand in your way anymore.’ I told him. ‘But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t tell you this is not an easy path you’re taking. You’re still young, marriage is tough at any age, and a girl like Quinn is going to have a lot of issues.’
“’That’s why I’m doing this. I want Quinn to know I’m never going to give up on her,’ said Mitchell.
“’That’s another thing; don’t be surprised if she says no. Given everything that’s happened to her she might not be ready for an engagement right now,’ I added.
“’That’s a chance I’ll have to take.’ Mitch insisted.
“’You’re mind is made up it seems. Then I’ll wish you the best of luck,’ I told him. He actually hugged me before he left. I wasn’t expecting that.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:54:19 GMT -5
“It’s funny, after all these years I’ve never seen the actual ring. I didn’t even think to open the box after Mitchell passed, and every time I’ve looked at it since has just reminded me of how much we fought toward the end,” Colleen explained.
Lilly pushed her hair back. “You swear you never touched that ring. Well, there’s one way to verify your story; bring the ring in and have us print you.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:55:08 GMT -5
Colleen and Harry came back later that day with the ring. They stared across Lilly’s desk directly at her. “It shouldn’t be too much longer,” said a nervous Lilly.
A few minutes later Vera and Stillman came up to Lilly’s desk. “The test results are back on the ring. Do you want the good news, the bad news, or the screwy news?” asked Vera.
“Somehow, I think screwy will cover all three,” Lilly added.
“Apparently the cops back in 1995 only tested the box, and when they only found Mitchell’s prints on it everyone jumped on the suicide theory,” Vera explained.
“What do you mean they only tested the box?” asked Mr. Logan.
“They never tested the ring. We found a print on the stone setting for the engagement ring; the good news is that it does not match the prints for Colleen,” Stillman explained.
“Are you happy now? My wife did not kill her son, and you’ve been harassing us for nothing! You will be hearing from my lawyer…”
“There’s something she should know!” yelled Stillman. “The print didn’t match the prints we have on file for Mitchell either. Someone else touched that ring.”
Vera shook his head. “I’ll be damned; the blind girl bluffed us.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:57:12 GMT -5
“Well Quinn, I could tell them to put you in the dark, but I don’t think that would phase you,” said Vera as he sat across from Quinn in the interview room.
“I’m getting married in a few days, and I’m still putting the wedding together. Why am I here?” she asked.
“Because you lied to us.”
“Like hell I did.”
“Quinn, we know you were with Mitchell the night he died. We know he proposed to you,” Vera replied.
Quinn’s voice cracked. “He did not!”
“We have the ring! It has a print on it that I can only assume belongs to the old girlfriend!” Vera added.
Quinn’s voice cracked again. “Take all the prints you want; I never touched that ring!” The room fell silent for a minute. “This right arm is partially paralyzed; it only bends about half way. Even with my good hand I can’t exactly move at light speed. Do you really think I killed him?”
“When you put it that way, I guess not. Yet I still don’t think you’re telling me the whole story,” Vera insisted.
“Please, like you would really understand my story!” insisted Quinn.
Vera stood up and reached into his coat pocket to pull out the blindfold. “Probably not, but I’ve been trying to,” Vera walked to Quinn’s left side and put on the blindfold. He took her hand and touched it to his face. “This is an old sock that I’ve been using as a blindfold. I’ve been trying to experience what you must deal with everyday. I won’t lie; I’ve tripped over my own shoes more times than I can count But I have adjusted to some of it; for one my other senses have gotten stronger. Like right now, I can hear your voice getting caught in your throat, I can hear your heart beating a mile a minute through your chest, and I can sense the elevated smell of sweat in the air—all signs of somebody with something to hide. If you truly loved Mitchell, you need to do him justice now. What happened?”
Quinn shook her head. “What happened was I was young and sick, and when more stuff starts going wrong you start doing math in your head: I was born with paralysis, 18 years later I went blind, and I figured by 36 I’d probably be dead. At the time I didn’t figure anyone could love a girl that was falling apart, and I also knew that Mitchell would never break up with me. So when my father told me Mitchell had just pulled up; I told him to send him away. Then I heard … shouting. I couldn’t make it all out, but it was something like ‘he doesn’t care you stupid bastard!’.”
“Something about that doesn’t add up. Are you sure you remember that right?” asked Vera.
Just then there was a knock on the door. It was Jeffries with a piece of paper in his hand. “Vera, there’s something you need to … see.”
Vera removed the blindfold and followed Jeffries into the hall. “What is it?”
“I finally heard back from Burglary Division. This is the theft report for December 7, 1995.”
Vera took the document and looked it over. “Are you sure this is all of it?”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 17:59:30 GMT -5
It was Kat Miller and Will Jeffries’ turn in the interview room now. “You really had some bad luck in December 1995 didn’t you, T. J.?” asked Miller. “First your sister goes blind, then the robbery, and then your friend dies.”
“It wasn’t exactly a merry Christmas for any of us that year, but what exactly is your point?” T. J. asked.
“I’m just saying it must have been tough: broke college student, working your way through school, and taking care of your sick sister almost singlehanded with your father out of the house so much,” Miller replied.
“Well, my father worked a lot,” said T. J.
“Yeah, but to not even show up at the hospital after Quinn’s surgery? To me that just sounds cold; almost like he didn’t care,” insisted Miller.
“Yeah, that was frustrating. But I’m struggling on my own now too, and now I understand his exhaustion. I couldn’t even imagine having a sick kid on top of it all,” added T. J.
“Well, you’re more forgiving than me,” Miller responded.
“What does any of this have to do with Mitchell?” asked T. J.
“He’s right, Kat,” said Jeffries. “Let’s talk about that robbery. What exactly was taken?”
“All my landscaping stuff: my water cans, my shovels, and like I said my hedge clippers,” T. J. informed.
“It seems like odd stuff for someone to steal,” insisted Jeffries.
“Well, those tools get expensive,” said T. J. “Must not be that expensive if you never bothered to report the theft,” said Jeffries. He opened a file and showed T. J. a piece of paper. “That’s a record of all burglaries reported on December 7, 1995. None of what you said is in here. You never filed a theft report, Terrance.”
“Why bother? I knew I wasn’t getting that stuff back,” insisted T. J.
“Your car was on your dad’s insurance policy; you have to have some insurance to drive in this state. Why not file a report just to get some money back?” asked Jeffries.
Terrance shook his head. “Fine, you got me. There was no break-in. I was an idiot and forgot to lock my car doors. I didn’t report it, because quite frankly it was embarrassing.”
“Here’s the thing. Changing your story like that makes me wonder what else you’re keeping from us,” said Jeffries. “I think there was no theft. We know Mitchell came to your house that night. I think he came there to break up with her,”
“No, you’ve got that backwards. Mitch loved my sister.”
“Maybe he did, but losing her sight changed all that!” said Jeffries.
“No, you’re wrong about him!”
“You found out your friend was about to break your sister’s heart, so you got tiffed and stabbed him with the clippers!” Jeffries shouted.
“Mitch didn’t come to my house to break up with her! If anything he was more determined to stay with her than ever! He was going to ask her to marry him that night; I saw the damn ring!” T. J. shouted pounding a fist on the table.
“I thought you didn’t know about Mitchell’s plan. That’s what you told the other detectives,” said Miller. T. J. froze; it looked like he was about to swallow his tongue. Miller pulled a photograph of the ring from the file. “Whoever killed your friend left a print on this ring. There’s one way to clear yourself; let us print you.”
T. J.’s head fell to the table. “You don’t need to do that; I touched the ring. Look, could you just tell Quinn… I never meant to hurt him. I just wanted him to get out of my way.”
“What happened, T. J.?” asked Miller.
“It was poetic really. Mitch took care of his mother, he took care of Quinn, he protected everyone but himself…”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 18:01:30 GMT -5
Cold Case Soundtrack: “8:03 AM” “I was in the yard trimming some branches when I heard Mitchell’s car pull up in the driveway. He rang the doorbell and my father answered. ‘I’m here for Quinn,’ he said.
“’Quinn just came home today. She’s not really up for anything right now,’ my father answered.
“’Look, I understand if she’s not up for going out right now, but if I could just stay…’
“’Quinn is not really up for visitors right now,’ my father interrupted.
“’I won’t stay long. I just… need to see her…’
“’Mitchell, try to understand this. She’s not the same girl anymore. Quinn needs rest and time to adjust to this,’ my dad explained.
“By this point I’m boiling. How could he have known what she needed when he wasn’t even there when it happened. ‘Will you let him in for five minutes? Like you’re the expert on what Quinn needs anyway!’
“My dad stepped around Mitchell and yelled back, ‘What the hell does that mean, Terrance!’
“’It means where the hell were you when all this went down! I can’t even remember how many times I left messages trying to reach you and still you never showed! I get that you work a lot and that’s why I’m home with Quinn most of the time with Quinn, but you didn’t even come to the hospital for your own daughter! Mitchell did! He was there the whole night with her and he did it again the next day! So if you ask me he should be allowed to see her because he obviously cares more than you do!’
“’SHUT UP!’ he yelled.
“’Yeah T. J., what are you doing?’ asked Mitch.
“But my father didn’t hear him. He just kept yelling. ‘You think you know it all! There’s a reason I work so much! We need money! We got something in the mail from Jefferson Hospital today, and it sure as hell wasn’t a thank you note! It was a bill; $25,000 for a two night stay! Even with insurance I’m still on the hook for $5,000! If I can’t pay for what Quinn needs what happens then? … Yeah, silence! Talk about a few more things you know nothing about!’ Then he stormed back into the house.
“Looking back I get it, but at the time I just couldn’t let it drop. I went for the door, but Mitch blocked me. ‘Get out of my way!’
“’T. J., just take a breath. You’re saying things you don’t even mean.’
“’No, I’m on your side here! You were there and he wasn’t! He doesn’t care!’ I yelled.
“’He cares, it’s his daughter! Look at least put the clippers down!’ he said.
“Clippers? What clippers? I couldn’t even register what he was saying I was so angry. ‘No, get out of my way! He doesn’t care!’ Then I put my hands out to push him aside, and that’s when I realized what clippers he meant; they were the ones sticking out of his chest. I swear I completely forgot they were even in my hand. Mitchell fell back against the side of the house bleeding from his chest. ‘You stupid bastard!’ I cried out. I’m not even sure if I was yelling at him or myself.
“Then I heard a voice. It was Mitchell gasping for breath. ‘Q-uinn.’
“I just ran to him without thinking. ‘Quinn’s not here. It’s T. J.’
“He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out this box. ‘Quinn… will… you… maaaahhhhhh…’ And then all his strength was gone. The box fell to the ground popping open and the ring fell on to the grass.
“I stepped around the body and bent down to pick up the ring, but I had some trouble getting a grip on it with my gloves so I took the gloves off. I turned the sparkling object in my hand a few times before dropping it in the box. ‘You’re not dead. I need you. Quinn needs you. You can’t be dead.’
“But he was gone, and when I realized that I guess survival instinct kicked in or something. I dragged his body to his car, dumped him in the trunk, found the car keys in his pants pocket, and drove away. I can’t deny my guilt in this anymore, but I swear… I never meant to kill him.”
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 18:02:54 GMT -5
Counting Crows: “A Long December” At the station John Stillman and Nick Vera loaded Mitchell’s file box onto the shelf and marked it CLOSED.
At the Logan house Lilly and Scotty were explaining the final moments leading up to Mitchell’s death. When Lilly explained that she believed that T. J. never intended to hurt Mitchell; Colleen asked what would happen to him.
Quinn was hearing the same explanation at the chapel from Kat Miller and Will Jeffries. As officers they had to charge him. They explained that they would make a case to the D. A., but it was his decision as to charge him with murder or manslaughter.
A preacher motioned for everyone to come inside; it was almost time for the ceremony. But they still had some time, so Jeffries pulled Nora Davis aside and asked her a few questions.
Inside the church Quinn stood at the altar between her father Alfred and her new husband. As the man turned to face Quinn, Nora saw past him to the ghost of her brother as he faded from sight.
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 27, 2019 18:11:57 GMT -5
Audio PowerPoint slides now available.
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Jul 28, 2019 10:53:33 GMT -5
So, it seems demand for these audio presentations is not exactly skyrocketing. Let me state here once and for all that I do not charge for these presentations. I make no money off of the Cold Case Virtual Season 8; I never intended to make money off of this. This is just a passion that I have had for several years because I thought the show deserved a better ending. Even if I wanted to make money off of this, I would most likely face serious copyright claims due to the amount of music and background audio that I use.
The audio presentations consist of my slightly adlibed narrations of the five acts of each episode. Flashback sequences also play featured music just like in the show or I use selections from the Cold Case Soundtrack. I also treat listeners to a brief commentary after each episode. I suppose I could just post those After the Show segments here as messages, but I just thought the audio component would be a nice addition.
I thought about learning how to post these presentations on YouTube, but, once again, copyright laws.
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valrush
Senior Detective
Posts: 539
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Post by valrush on Aug 11, 2019 15:27:17 GMT -5
AFTER THE SHOW
Truth time, this was a tough one to look back on. First, I think you need to know something about me that will explain some of these characters along with some characters going forward. I am what they call legally blind; I have been this way since suffering a lack of oxygen practically at birth. Legal blindness means that a person can see but not as well as someone with full sight. Legal blindness can take many forms; in my case it takes the form of tunnel vision and extreme nearsightedness where I also rely on magnification software and magnifying glasses for reading. This episode came out of a time in my life when I was out of work and filled some of my days by going to lunches and support groups sponsored by my local blind association. That is also how I met the girl that Quinn Jennings is based on.
So you might be wondering where truth deviates from fiction. This episode is based on a time of a lot of highs and lows in my life. I had lost my father to a lung condition much like Mitchell Davis in the story and I saw what grief did to my mother. For a long time after that, i had hoped that she could find a way to move on and find someone else. About a year after that I met the girl that Quinn Jennings is based on who had also lost a parent years ago and was in fact completely blind as a result of being born with the same condition. Congenital hydrocephalus is a legitimate medical condition where excess fluid builds up in the skull and can put pressure on the brain. The condition can be managed by surgically inserting a plastic shunt and tubing into the body to drain the fluid out of the skull.
So Quinn Jennings was true and Mitchell Davis losing his father was true. The racial incident in the school student union was not true; the base girl was also Afro-American, but that never happened. The fights that Mitchell Davis had with his mother were partly true; they were not based on the Quinn Jennings girl but rather another girl who we fought over. The scene where Mitchell's sister catches him with Quinn is not true; I would have to have a sister for that to have happened. The way Quinn lost her sight is true. Mitchell buying an engagement ring is not true. It will be the biggest could've/would've/should've question in my life. The Quinn Jennings girl and I were together for nearly 8 years, but I never had the guts to buy a ring. The one thing I knew a condition like hers required was money, and at the time I was on disability and going through lengthy periods of unemployment and underemployment. Then, when things started to look better for me, they got worse for her. She had another bad fall that, combined with the "rehab" she received, severely limited her mobility; it got to the point where she could barely move around the downstairs floor of her sister's apartment and they had her drugged to the point where she could barely speak a lot of the time. The last time I tried to speak with her, her phone was disconnected, so I can't even say for sure where she is now.
Regarding my book-end songs, I chose The Rembrandts's "I'll Be There for You" because, much like Mitchell Davis, I was full of hope at the beginning and I too learned what "I'll Be There for You" really entails. Let's just say I now get why my mother has not remarried; they say you only really fall in love once. I went with Counting Crows's "A Long December" at the end because it wound up being a long December for the Jennings family. Everything went down hill for Quinn that December, and the family was still dealing with the consequences of that.
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