No Evidence

By Rafael Lima

Paul is an experienced detective in the homicide division. He has investigation skills that guaranteed him the solution of many cases throughout his career.

 

Paul's work also includes the investigation of suicides. But in this type of crime, the analysis is shorter because the victim and the murderer are the same person.

 

During a suicide investigation, the path of Paul crosses Claude's path, the coroners' chief.

 

He approaches Paul and shows him something is taking place in the city. The number of suicides is above average. Besides that, the victims' families are convinced their beloved ones did not commit suicide.

 

Paul was not convinced that anything is happening, but he decides to investigate the suicides with Claude. They evaluated all the details of the cases, and the investigation led them to a big question: "Could there be homicides instead of suicides?"

 

The two make efforts to seek an answer to this question, and with each new piece of evidence, a new answer is found, and a new question emerges…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rafael Lima
• Release date: Apr 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223647232

Rafael Lima

Brasil, 1989 Graduado em Processos Gerenciais e M.B.A. em Gestão Estratégica de Projetos pelo Centro Universitário UNA. Cristão pela Graça de Deus. Apaixonado pela escrita (português, espanhol e inglês), poeta e romancista. Um poeta e escritor, que compartilha seus pensamentos através dos versos dos poemas e dos capítulos dos romances. Também escrevo em inglês e espanhol para alcançar mais pessoas em mais lugares. No tempo livre, gosto de videogames, filmes e séries. Fico pensando no dia em que um de meus livros será a base para uma destas produções…

Book preview

Is Anyone Investigating?

If you have already gone to a police station in a big city in Brazil, you know how boring is. You see too many people on their desks, using their computers. Telephones ring the whole time, and nobody answers. So far, everything is working as usual. In Brazil, most of the public services work like that. But when you are there, you feel that nobody wants to give you attention.

Francis is facing this situation. He is a middle-aged black man with light brown skin and short grey hair.

He was waiting for the attendance of one detective. He was sitting for more than thirty minutes.

He already saw people getting in and getting out. Many police officers entered the room, and none of them asked what he wanted.

The commissioner arrived at the police station. He was a middle-aged white man with fair skin, tall, average weight, and his ear-length hair had some white strands.

Francis recognized him and got up. He had an average height and weight. Francis said, Commissioner Gerald!

Gerald looked at Francis and thought, Oh my God! This man is here another time.

He replied, Are you Francis?

Yes. I’m. Do you remember me?

Yes. I do. What are you doing here?

Two weeks ago, I came here, and the detective in charge of my daughter’s case said he would call me, but he didn’t call.

All right. I’m sure there’s a reason he didn’t call you. Maybe he’s in another case. You know we are few people, and there are many cases.

Yes, I know about the difficulties the police officers face every day. But homicide is a case that deserves attention.

Gerald sighed and said, Francis. I know it’s hard to believe. But there’s no piece of evidence of a homicide. Everything indicates that it was a suicide. The detective has already said it to you.

Francis said firmly, looking into his blue eyes, But commissioner, I’m sure my daughter didn’t commit suicide!

Gerald got discouraged because he had already had the same conversation with Francis. He said calmly, looking into these determined light brown eyes, Francis. I’m a father like you. And I know that my children don’t tell me everything they do. They have their secrets. Your daughter also had her secrets.

Francis said seriously, The commissioner is right. She had her secrets. But she would never take her own life.

Gerald knew there was no use arguing with Francis. He said, All right. I understand your point of view. Let’s talk to the detective in charge to know the news about the case.

Francis followed Gerald, and they went to the desk of a middle-aged black man with brown skin and black buzz-cut hair. He was using the computer to see personal subjects and closed everything when he saw Francis and Gerald.

Gerald said, Detective Paul. I think you have already met Francis.

Commissioner Gerald. Yes, I met him. He’s involved in a suicide case.

My daughter didn’t suicide. I’ve already said. He said firmly.

Gerald said, Paul, I think he deserves updated information about the case. Could you help him?

Paul gave a false smile and said, Of course!

Gerald said, Francis, please sit down. The detective Paul will check the information for you.

Francis sat in a chair in front of Paul, and Gerald went away.

Paul accessed the police system and said, Francis, say the full name of your daughter Samantha.

Samantha Oliveira Silva.

He typed the name and said, Okay. The system is searching for information.

All information about the case was shown on the screen, Name: Samantha Oliveira Silva – Deceased. Birthdate: 14/07/1995. Date of death: 10/02/2022. Cause of death: Suicide by hanging. Investigation state: Concluded. Final consideration: The victim was found hanging in the garage of her house. There were no witnesses at the moment of the crime. The first person to see the body was the father, Francis Oliveira Silva. He freed the body, trying to help her. The death was confirmed by the medical team. The victim was dead when the father found her. The coroner did not find any signal of homicide.

There was no new information. Paul said, I’ll check with another detective. One moment, please.

Paul got up and went to the bathroom. He washed his face, looked in the mirror, saw his dark brown eyes and thought, This man doesn’t accept the suicide of his daughter. I can’t take him anymore. Almost all week he comes here. What does he think? New proof and information about the case will appear?

Paul came back to his desk and said, Francis, there’s nothing new. I’m sorry.

Francis got discouraged by these words. He was tired of that situation. He sighed and said, Detective, be sincere to me. Is there someone investigating the case?

Paul looked around and said in a serious tone, Francis. The case of your daughter was a classical suicide. There were no witnesses, no signal of homicide. No suspect. No proof. Then, there’s nothing to investigate. I can’t imagine your suffering. But what you’re doing is only enlarging it. You’re convinced yourself that your daughter was murdered, and you believe in it wholeheartedly. You must accept that she committed suicide. And this is the end of the story.

Francis said firmly in a little loud voice, But I’m sure she didn’t commit suicide. Our family is evangelical. She considered life a gift from God. She would never do this.

Some people around them looked at Francis. He noticed and continued in a low tone, Besides that, she was happy about her life. She would go begin to study in Europe. She had plans for long life. She didn’t give any signal of suicide.

Paul wanted to believe in Francis. He had two sons and thought about their lives. But he could not be influenced by his personal feelings. He was a detective, and his judgement was based on facts and proof. He said, Francis, you need to understand the investigation job. We work with proof and clues. In Samantha’s case, there is nothing new. Some weeks have passed since the suicide. The police have no resources to keep investigating one case like that. If it was a homicide, we would have more people to investigate.

For a father, it was hard to hear these words, but innermost, Francis knew what Paul said was true. He was fighting for a kind of investigation that had no piece of evidence. Francis said discouraged, Okay, detective. I understand the situation. But please, don’t give up on my case. If you see anything new in this case, call me.

All right. I’ll call you if there is some news.

Thank you very much.

You’re welcome.

Francis went away. He went to a hill. That was a usual place for people to pray. Francis seated down on the grass and said sadly, Oh, Lord! Why did this happen to me? Why did I have to lose my beloved daughter?

He downed his head and began to cry. Francis remembered many moments he