Creative Writing: The Crime Scene

Pleased to have protected the crime scene so diligently, George watched in horror as O'Shea urged his horses up almost to the body, then wheeled the vehicle round to deposit his passengers alongside it. McGuire and Murray alighted from the cab and looked at the body. A vast mass of flies buzzed over it; it smelled; there was a massive wound in the back of the head and a pool of dried blood beside it. "This man has been murdered," exclaimed Murray unnecessarily. Even the flies understood that. He called out to the women and children gathered nearby to leave.

Worried about further damage to the boot tracks, George pointed them out to McGuire, who remarkably, demonstrated no interest. Later McGuire and Murray claimed they made a thorough but fruitless search immediately upon arrival and detected no tracks or weapons.

Another cab arrived, this one conveying First Class Constable Seymour of the Criminal Investigation Branch, a plainclothes detective and Percy Le Vaux, a young solicitor. By this time the crowd of onlookers, emboldened by the preoccupation of those gathered around the body, slipped ever closer, up to within fifteen yards of the body. Detective Seymour said loudly, "No one should have been allowed near here." Some moved away. Some stayed.

Seymour and Le Vaux walked up to the body. "This is terrible," said Le Vaux, "It's Peter alright. Kanakas did this. He had a five-pound note on him."

As Detective Seymour commenced a search, McGuire asked Murray to check the trousers pockets. In the right hand pocket, he found an empty wallet - no five-pound note - and in the left, a pocket knife. The knife had no blood on it. In fact, while there was dried blood on the head, neck, coat and shirt, there was no trace of blood on the trousers or boots. Under the head, they found a broken chunk of false teeth. Peter's hat lay at his feet and McGuire placed the knife, wallet and teeth in