Mrs. Marsha Egeth gave her wristwatch a cursory glance. 10 minutes had passed since 9.00 a.m. She rounded a corner and started down Bridge Street in her 1988 Ford Mustang. She drove at a sedate speed for 5 minutes, humming Whitney Houston's tune I Wanna Dance with Somebody that wafted from the music player in the dashboard. A black trash bag was leaning at the corner of Water Street when she swung her automobile across the sidewalk. "Damn!" She muttered an expletive. No more summonses, please. In the past month, I have already received four from the Sanitary Department. I'll move that bag right away and put it somewhere else. She then personally opened the gate to her parking area, drove her car in, and parked it. She hurriedly secured the gate and strode over to the black bag. She made a quick grab for the bag, but quickly withdrew her hand. She suddenly froze in shock as bloody liquid oozed out of the bag's corner as she felt a tingling feeling travel down her spine. She stood there for some time, contemplating. She quickly called 911 after running to her workplace in the steel industry building next to the parking lot. She then descended and waited while standing near the trash bag.
She pointed out the trash bags to the two police officers as they arrived on the site while she was still waiting. When the officers opened the bag, they found that it was filled with human body parts.
Freeman yelled, "Officer Bay," one of the officers went by that name. "We can't handle this one alone. Let's send the patrol supervisor to the location right away."
Officer Bay answered the Supervisor with "All right." The detective team of the 84th Precinct was summoned as soon as the supervisor spoke up, and they swiftly came, cordoned off of the place and started processing the scene and the body pieces discovered in the waste bags.
* * *
Victor Oliver, who worked at Champion Steel Company in Brooklyn at 202 Plymouth Street, had just gotten his bonus salary and had promised his girlfriend a special treat at MacDonald's that night. As a result, he had his Buick meticulously detailed at the car wash. In front of #195 Plymouth Street, he parked the vehicle. His phone rang when he was about two or three steps away from the building. He spotted several flies and bees swarming around a black plastic waste bag that was next to a green dumpster as he answered the phone. He spoke into the mouthpiece, "I'll call you back in a moment," and then hung up after giving the bag a good long look. He was already aware that the first bag had been found.
In order to speak with the police officers gathered there, he walked across Plymouth Street toward Water and Bridge Streets. He was addressed by Detective Wilson of the 84th Precinct (Police Detective Unit) in Brooklyn. The bag was pointed out to the police investigator by Mr. Oliver as the two men quickly approached the second trash location. When Detective Wilson looked inside the bag, he discovered more human body parts. Other police officers were soon called to his assistance, and they immediately began examining the scene and the body parts.
* * *
Raymond Steehle, a transit police officer assigned to the York Street subway station between York and Jay Streets, was standing on the escalator when, at precisely 18.00 hours, a well-dressed black man of about 30 years old, standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall, and donning two wandering, eerily large eyes approached him. He had clean-shaven cheeks set over a square jaw. Officer Steehle noted his apparent swagger and minor hesitancy when lifting and planting each foot as he drew near. The individual claimed to live on Bridge Street and had seen the female body parts being revealed earlier that day. According to Officer Steehle, he also observed it.
The man whimpered, "Come with me. I believe I have found another bag,"
The eyes of Officer Steehle suddenly opened wide.
"Oh where this time?" He muttered.
"Same location."
"Awww!" Officer Steehle followed him right away.
The black man remarked, "I spotted a brown plastic garbage can with several black garbage bags in it. I observed it while both of us were walking down Bridge Street. And I saw something that resembled human fresh when I glanced through a tear in the sack.
"Oh no!" Is there no hope of escaping this nightmare?" Officer Steehle shrieked, his excitement visible on his face.
The group arrived at their location in the interim, and the well-dressed black man pointed out the garbage can before quickly vanishing. Officer Steehle had obviously forgotten to ask for his informant's name and address in the midst of his excitement.
* * *
Det. Kenneth Wilson of the 84th Precinct Detective Squad was signaled by Officer Bay of the 84th Precinct of the New York City Police Department and arrived at 50 Bridge Street at 09.55 hours. Det. Wilson was a tall, powerful police detective who would do whatever it took to solve a murder. He had long, melancholy face hidden by carefully styled silvery, curly hair. His hazel eyes were placed low within their sockets and were beady, close-set, and penetrating. He hardly ever seemed to blink. He now had a menacing, savage appearance that could compel submission. About this detective, there was a general aura of uneasy dark curiosity, with underlying affable decency fused to outward arrogance.
He noticed and examined the plastic garbage bag holding the human body pieces, and then reported his discovery to the Crime Scene Unit. Det. James Sullivan from the Brooklyn Crime Area Unit arrived at Water and Bridge Streets at 11.20 a.m. to examine the scene. Sullivan and his partner took numerous pictures of the scene under Crime Scene Run Number 90/2610. A thigh, a lower right leg with a foot, a lower left leg with a foot, and right and left breasts were among the five body parts they discovered in the first bag. In the bag, they also discovered a bloody towel, a sock, and a black bra cup.
After that, Det. Sullivan relocated to 195 Plymouth Street in Brooklyn. Like before, he took several pictures of the bag and what was inside. He discovered a thigh, right and left arms that had both been stripped of their hands, and a bag.
The third crime scene was the last to be visited by the Crime Scene team. Det. Sullivan discovered a human torso after taking pictures of the area, the bag, and its contents. All told, the body was missing the two hands, the head, and much of the neck.
Now, whose bodily parts were those? How would one be able to identify the owner of a body part lacking hands and a head?
The body parts were autopsied in the Kings County Morgue under case number K90/7058 from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Michael French. All of the components, according to Dr. French, are from the same individual. According to him, the suspect was a white female over 50, between the heights of 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-7, and weighing about 195 pounds. The dismemberment happened after death, the doctor determined as a matter of fact. He discovered two 12-inch abdominal wounds. He believed that the hands and legs had been cut using a band saw, and that the arms' shoulders and hips had been cut with sharp implements like a carving knife and a hacksaw. His judgment was based on the marks left on the bones and flesh.
Det. Wilson received word from the police station that a woman had observed Joey, the manager of a courier service at 50 Bridge Street, handling a black rubbish bag at around 6:00 that morning. Det. Wilson then requested to speak with Joey in front of the receptionist's desk at 13:05 that day. Det. Wilson started to fill out the form that the receptionist had provided him when she punched the intercom button and called her manager. He requested the receptionist to usher the guest in after a brief delay brought on by some question-and-answer sessions. The front desk agent opened the door gently and made room for Det. Wilson. Det. Wilson entered the office with panache. Their eyes brushed as the manager looked up from his notebook. The front desk agent locked the door after her. Det. Wilson grinned broadly as the manager motioned for him to take a seat. Det. Wilson sat down with style and kept grinning as he took in the office's opulent décor and impeccable taste.
Det. Wilson nodded in agreement, "This is my idea of an office." But I don't think a luxury like this is appropriate for individuals like myself who spend almost the entire day looking into cases. My misfortune, I admit. I'll have to put up with it till I retire. His grin turned into full-throated laughter. His host also laughed too.
The green parrot at the manager's left started imitating Det. Wilson at this moment.
She was immediately addressed by the manager. Keep your mouth shut and never interrupt others, please.
"Okay," the parrot replied.
"Bah!" Det. Wilson exclaimed while sighing. He struggled to keep his dismay to himself. He sighed once more after realizing he was losing control.
"I'm Det. Wilson, Kenneth Wilson of the 84th Precinct Detective Squad," he introduced himself. "I take it you're Joey?" And he displayed his ID card.
"I'm Joseph Wyatt, or Joey."
"You oversee Galactic Express, right?"
"Right."
"I'm sure you've seen some odd police movements and activities in your neighborhood today. And without a doubt, you have heard or seen something about the dismembered body pieces in a waste bag.
Joey halted his writing.
His heart skipped a beat as he said, "Yes, I heard about it and I also saw the bag."
Det. Wilson grinned mischievously and said, "I'm looking into the garbage bag case," which made Joey's pulse beat like a gyroscope.
He was a middle-aged man with a scar on his left temple and on his forehead. He had a protruding jaw and a beard that was pencil-lined. He was so completely white that it was almost never possible for him to hide his emotions. His face still went red.
I stopped by to see whether you had heard or seen anything.
Joey's skin brightened, and the redness vanished entirely.
Det. Wilson kept a tight eye on him.
For around twenty seconds, Joey remained silent. He then extended his hand to get his pack of cigarettes. He lighted one and handed the packet to his visitor. After recognizing the Camels, Det. Wilson lighted one.
For a brief period, both men smoked in silence. Joey sighed, and a deep scowl formed between his bushy brows.
He dared to say, "To be honest, I was going to say I never saw or touched that bag. But after a while, I realized it was a pointless resistance. I decided to put all of my cards on the table.
Det. Wilson grinned and gave a jubilant nod. Go ahead, he beckoned.
Joey rubbed his throat before proceeding quietly. "I personally unlocked our gate this morning so that one of our vans could bring in some supplies from our headquarters. As I was doing this, I noticed a black trash bag in front of the gate. I was furious. Our business was recently penalized for improperly disposing of waste. I was determined not to pay any additional fines as a result. The garbage had to be dragged to the intersection of Water and Bridge Streets."
"Was there blood leaking from the bag? Detective Wilson asked."
"I'm not sure. Maybe I was too enraged to pay attention. I did, however, find out later that the bag I removed from the scene contained human remains. Can you even begin to comprehend the anguish and utter contempt I began to feel?"
"At the time, did you see anyone or notice anything?"
"Not especially. Even though I later saw some blood smears on the location where I took the bag out. Additionally, where I had dragged the bag, there were some blood stains on the sidewalk."
Det. Wilson growled, "My men already found the blood stains. Are you aware that if you had attempted to lie, you would have been in some sort of trouble? I'm working under a tipoff."
Det. Wilson grinned before rising. Joey also grinned.
He admitted, "I could never have lied about it. I always come clean, thanks to my natural lie detector."
"I have great faith in you. I'll head out right away. I might come back to see you on another occasion."
Joey exclaimed, "You're always welcome here," and he led the man to the door.