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" There are times, Jacobs, when you go off the reservation solving a case." The Assistant DA, Henry Greene, got up from his desk, and walked over to the window overlooking the river. " This last case has no definate suspect,uh, person of interest, does it?"
" None at the moment." I replied." I expect something by this afternoon."
The case he was refering to was the death of Harriet Blankenship, an Indiana University coed found strangled in Whiteford Park about six miles from the DAs' office. She was found by a morning jogger
" I'm going to have to make a statement to the media this morning. The usual boilerplate won't cut it this time."
His meaning was chrystal clear. Harriet Blankenship was heiress to Blankenship Mining, a vast empire founded three generations back by Merrill Blankenship at the turn of the last century. Thousands of jobs depended on the family business.
" Are you asking me as to what should be said ?" His disdainful look was all I needed.
" Just handle it by the book. I don't want some attorney picking our case apart with sloppy police work."
" That's not fair." I protested." If you have doubts about my abilities then assign it to somebody else."
Henry bowed his head as he made a throw away gesture." All I'm saying is make sure you get who's responsible, and they can't wiggle out of it by some technicality." He came over to where I was sitting and leaned back on the desk in front of me." What have you found so far?"
" We know she went out last night to celebrate a birthday with friends: two were her dorm mates, and a young man, a fellow classmate. They went to Sarnies, a local bar where alot of college kids go when they are in town. The party broke up around twelve O'Clock,and the last time any of them saw her was when she got into a taxi. I tracked the hack down, and he said he let her out on Canal Street. That's a good mile from where she was found."
" Did his story check out?"
" The taxi company had GPS tracking units installed last year. We checked the map, and confirmed it. That car wasn't anywhere near the park."
" Is there anyone you suspect?"
" Not at this time."
Henry got up and returned to his seat behind the desk. "Then get on it, Jacobs. Find the bastard."
I left his office, glad to be out of the confines of the legal beagles, and on the streets, where I felt at home.

I became an investigator for the DA three years ago, after serving as a homcide detective for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for five years. before that, I was in uniform for six years, making it through the ranks to Lieutenant before switching to the suit squad. Everybody thought I was nuts to give up my rank, but, I didn't like being camped out on a desk every day.
Henry was right about solving this one. I'm usually called in after the investigation has run it's course to fill in any blanks in the evidence, testimony, or witnesses. This time, was different. Blankenship was a major contributer to election campaigns. There was alot of pressure from the Mayor, even the Governor. the Blankenships were royalty in this neck of the woods. I hate politics; especially when it affects the job, and this case had no solid leads as yet. People tend to think the police can solve any crime in forty minutes after watching all the crime shows. They don't realize it's legwork, knocking on doors, asking anyone if they saw or heard anything. I drove out to the crime scene.