Match Play Read Free Page B

Mrs. Bloomfield, Betty Bloomfield, and my husband is Don.” She wheezes as she finishes her story, out of breath from the excitement. Barrios adds her information to his notebook.
    Barrios turns his attention back to Sarah McClane. “When did you last speak to your sister?”
    “Friday evening after work. She was home and said she did not have plans except to play golf on Saturday. She’s a good golfer; sometimes plays at Wild Fire.” She pauses momentarily, and then starts to cry again. “I mean, she did play…oh my God!”
    While Barrios waits for Sarah to calm herself, he motions to Jackson to keep the spectators back. He turns his attention back to Sarah McClane. She is an attractive, middle-aged woman, even though her face is red and swollen from the crying. “Please, Ms. McClane, tell me about your sister.”
    “Her full name…Deborah Susan Beatty. She’s forty-three, divorced, Beatty is her husband’s name. She is a paralegal for Hubert, Sexton and Brant, a law firm on Scottsdale Road. She’s worked there for about ten years, I think. She’s my only sister.” Her shoulders droop and she starts shaking.
    Barrios turns to Mrs. Bloomfield. “Do you think we could move Ms. McClane to your apartment and give her a glass of water?” Jackson has just about taped off the area; this would be a good time to get Ms. McClane some privacy.
    “Oh, sure.” Mrs. Bloomfield helps Sarah to her feet. “Come with me, dear.”
    Jackson pulls the yellow tape up over their heads so they can pass. Barrios stops momentarily to give him instructions. “Keep this area clear. I’m going to try to get more information from the victim’s sister. We’ll be in the manager’s apartment, 111. Do not talk to anyone. Wait here for the detectives.” He follows the women.
    Inside the Bloomfield’s apartment, Ms. McClane appears more composed after water and a change of scenery.
    “Can you tell me how you discovered Ms. Beatty, and the approximate time?” Barrios wants to have the preliminary information in his notebook when the detectives arrive.
    She glances up at him. “As I said, I came after work. Her car wasn’t in the carport, but I thought she would return shortly. Since she wasn’t answering her phone, I assumed she was ill and had gone to the pharmacy or grocery. Still, it did not make any sense, because I had left several messages on her machine…” She takes a deep breath. “Normally, she would have called me. I went up the steps, rang the bell and when she didn’t answer, I used my key. I only took a couple of steps into the room before…before…I saw her. Oh God!”
    Mrs. Bloomfield is attempting to comfort her. Barrios waits until the convulsive sobbing subsides. After a few minutes, he tries again. “Then what happened, what did you do?” he asks softly.
    “I jumped back when I saw her head. I think I grabbed the railing because I felt like I was going to faint.” She inspects the front of her suit and says, “I think that’s when I threw up.”
    “It’s when she screamed too,” states Mrs. Bloomfield. “She was on the landing when my husband and I came around the building.”
    “Mr. Bloomfield helped me down the stairs and then he went back up. I think he went and called you, the police.” She places her face in her hands.
    “Do either of you remember the time this all occurred?” asks Barrios. He will check the 911 call but still needed verification from the witnesses.
    Mrs. Bloomfield offers, “It was nearing six-thirty because Don said he would miss the news.”
    “I guess that’s probably right. It takes about an hour for me to get here from my office in Scottsdale, especially in rush hour.” Ms. McClane’s demeanor indicates she won’t be able to answer many more questions. Her downcast eyes are filling with tears.
    “May we call someone to come and pick you up?” Barrios asks. “Is there anyone here in town?” She looks at him blankly for a moment. “Oh, yes, my brother. He