Page 30 of Criminology of a Character

“The autopsy will confirm, but I can almost guarantee that’s what killed him,” Lina said. “The skull damage is severe, but the plastic wrap is intact and there’s no blood. He was dead before he was wrapped.”

“We keep saying he,” Bel said as she leaned closer to look deeper into the wall cavity. “I’m using it as an all-encompassing pronoun, but the remains are tall. I think this body is male.”

“I agree.”

“Whoever did this had enough skill to create a convincing false wall.” Bel stepped back to get a bigger picture. “My guess is this death wasn’t premeditated if it was a murder, though.”

“Why not?” Griffin asked as he joined the women.

“I believe our victim died in this farmhouse,” she explained. “Disposing of the body would require the killer to move the remains, increasing the risk of being caught or the burial site being accidentally discovered. I think our killer panicked and built the body into the wall because he didn’t know how to dispose of it. The chances of the victim being discovered inside a private residence are low. If that tree had fallen a few feet over, we would’ve never found this because authorities wouldneed both a warrant and insider knowledge to search the walls. Whoever did this felt it was easier to buy construction supplies than to bury a corpse.”

“That theory works for an accidental death too,” Lina said.

“It does.” Bel spun slowly, taking in the rest of the house, and then she walked to the light switch and flipped it on. The overhead lights burned to life, and satisfied with the discovery, she strode to the kitchen. She turned on the faucet, and when water ran out, she checked the refrigerator. Cold air escaped when she pulled the door back to find some groceries on the shelves.

“What are you thinking?” Griffin asked from where he watched the scene.

“The utilities are on, which means the bills are being paid,” she said. “And there’s food in the fridge, suggesting someone lives here. The bank hasn’t repossessed the property or that truck out front, meaning someone is paying taxes and car loans. Whoever killed this man hid him inside the wall and lived their life as if a body wasn’t feet away from the couch. Who owns this farmhouse?”

“A Harris Walker… seventy-one, single, no kids,” Griffin read from his notes.

“I could be wrong, but I think Mr. Walker is our killer, or at least the one who hid the body,” Bel said. “The utilities still work, meaning someone walled up this corpse and moved on with his life. It makes the most sense it’s Walker, since he pays the bills.”

“He was just living here with a human being inside the walls,” Lina shuddered. “Uff, that makes my skin crawl. Especially since this body has been here for years.”

“Maybe this death was an accident to a certain extent,” Bel said.

“Blunt force trauma and concealed in the house’s construction?” Griffin said. “It feels more like murder to me.”

“It might be, but can you imagine living with a dead man in your walls?” Bel strode to the debris-covered couch and settled before it. “Can you imagine sitting here watching TV knowing that a body decayed feet behind you?” She glanced over her shoulder, illustrating how the fake wall stood in the perfect line of sight of the sofa. “If I murdered someone, I wouldn’t want my victim hovering over me. If you violently killed someone, wouldn’t you hide them in an out-of-the-way location? Somewhere you wouldn’t see every waking hour?

“That wall is visible from the kitchen and living room, meaning Walker constantly looked at the burial site. It would’ve been a daily reminder of death, so I think whoever that man is, he died by accident. Walker didn’t want the police to find out, but his guilt encouraged him to keep his companion close.”

“So, the victim was close to Walker?” Griffin asked.

“Why else would he preserve their remains in his home?” she asked. “You said Walker had no kids. Did he have any other family members or friends?”

“I couldn’t tell you,” Griffin said. “I didn’t know him. I don’t think I ever saw him around, either. This property is closer to the next town over than it is Bajka, so he probably ran his errands there.”

“We are pretty far out,” Bel agreed. “I didn’t realize this was still Bajka.”

“So, I unfortunately don’t know Walker. I couldn’t tell you if he has friends or family without research,” Griffin said. “I’ll put an APB out for him, though. Even if he didn’t kill this man, he knew he’d been built into the wall. He should be able to shine some light on what happened here.”

“We got the photos we needed, so I’ll transport the body to the morgue and perform the autopsy in the morning,” Lina said. “Will you be there?”

“Yes,” Bel said. “I’m eager to figure out who this John Doe is.”

“Do you need another look, or can we remove him?” Lina asked as Griffin stepped outside to place the All-Points Bulletin.

“Sure,” Bel said. “I’ll stay with the techs to document the scene, but between the debris and the years, I doubt we’ll find anything. Any evidence of what happened to him is probably long gone.”

“Hopefully, the autopsy has enough evidence for the both of us.” Lina gestured to the deputies to help her free the body. “I can’t believe someone like this lived in our midst unnoticed. Even if Walker didn’t murder this man, he still wrapped him up and hid his remains. It scares me how many monsters walk among us undetected.”

Bel slid a comforting hand against the M.E.’s back. If only she knew the truth of her statement.

“Good morning,”Lina greeted as Bel walked into the morgue the following day. “You ready?”

“Yes, and I’ll stay for the autopsy, if you don’t mind,” she answered. “I’ve never seen one of a body this old.”

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