Not cooling off.
Dan was driving home , blasting music in the car, he turned to the Woodland street and saw the Firetruck and ambulance from the distance , approaching closer to the house it was two police cars and the van from the Air24 company.
He remembered that his wife Cynthia called the company in the morning to fix their central air.
“ It’s not cooling off anymore “, she told him.
"Honey, what do you want me to do? Call the service to fix it, I am going to the market to buy fruits and veggies ! I will buy you your favorite ice-cream, sweetheart“, - Dan answered.
Dan parked his car behind the Air24 van and stepped outside.
“Who are you, sir? This area is closed “- police officer said, showing his batch and restriction sign .
“I live in this house, is my wife ok?”- Dan asked with worries in his voice.
“Are you Mr. Swing ?”, police officer asked him.
“Yes, I am Dan Swing, I live here let me in , please ! Where is my wife?” Dan screamed.
“ You are under arrest “, the police officer grabbed and turned Dan , putting handcuffs on Dan’s arms.
"Why?" - Dan yelled , "I was in the market!"
"You are a suspect of murder of your wife Cynthia Swing. You have rights to remain silence..." Police officer escorted him to the police car.
Dan was sitting in the police car , he keeps button up his blue shirt , trying to fix it, it was uneven, he checked zipper on his jeans and wipes his hands on his laps. He seemed worried or nervous. Dan was watching from the car’s window how two paramedics in white-blue clothes were caring black bags and putting them into the ambulance.
The Police officers were talking to the guy from the Air24 , African-American bold guy in his green shirt and jeans,
"Are you the one , who called 911?", one of the police officers asked him.
"Yes, sir" - answered the guy.
"What is your name?"
"Abdul", - guy said , - "I came to fix air-conditioner, the lady called in the morning , it wasn't cooling off. When I arrived the door was opened, I thought maybe she left it opened for me. I went inside and wanted to check central air unit in the attic , but in the crawling space I saw ... I called you right away", - his voice was trembling, breaking from the breathing heavy, his eyes were running from side to side, he looked scared and in shock.
"We need you to come with us to sign a police report, said police officer and showed him to his car. He order him to sit next to Dan in the back seat.
"I didn't kill her, " - guy was keep repeating , mumbling all the way while they drove to the police station.
Dan was transferred to the prison room until further investigation. He was allowed to make one phone call, but he didn't have any close family or friends , who would help him. He got free attorney and had brief interview. He told attorney that he was innocent, he was at the store shopping and showed him receipt. Attorney took it for the record and said, that it will be another interview before the court day and left.
Dan was locked in the room for a while.
He remembered how he met Cynthia for the first time at the high school. He was jealous every boy, who tried to approach next to her.
Dan was caring her backpack, bringing sandwiches for her at lunch. He was gently holding her elbow during their walks, and if her snickers laces got untied he would make her sit down on the bench and stood on his knees fixing them off.
He imagined, in his mind, how he was kissing her nicely polished toes and fingers on her arms. Dan would always rush in front other to give hand to Cynthia to help her stepping out from the school bus.
“You are such a gentlemen", Cynthia smiled at him.
"And You are my goddess and I am your slave", he would reply, "I will give you the moon".
"Sweet talker Danny", she replied and his heart was melting, when he heard his name , how she pronounced it with a soft ending and shyness in her grey eyes.
He loved her eyes especially when they were heaving sex , they become dark grey and sometimes green, when she felt more pleased by him.
They got married right after the high-school. Both decided to postpone on having children until they will graduate college. Cynthia was taking English Literature course, she always wanted to become a writer and Dan applied to the same City College of Brooklyn, just to be close to her. He took economics course, he didn’t really care about, but when Cynthia suggested it , he applied right away there.
He thought maybe this is how she sees him to be an accountant.
And why not! It’s a good quiet job with a stable income, he will buy her a house , and she will be staying home writing.
He doesn’t want her go to the office or is work as a teacher. He doesn’t want to share her with anyone, not even with her mom, he hated his mother-in-law, always over barring, overprotective.
Cynthia was calling her every day and Dan became too jealous of it.
He didn’t want to share Cynthia even with a child, that’s why he secretly went to the vasectomy procedure . Dan was thinking he is doing it for Cynthia, childbirth is painful and he will not let anyone or anything causing her any pain.
“She is only mine”, “Nobody will love her as much as I do”.
“I would always protect her”,
He was telling this to the police investigators during his arrest interviews.
“When was the last time you saw your wife, Mr Swing?” the judge asked.
“ On July third , your honor, in the early morning” - Dan answered.
“What time exactly?”
“Seven - Seven thirty in the morning “
“What did you do at that time?”
“We had sex, than showered together . I prepared us breakfast, It was hot in the house, then Cynthia called the company to fix air conditioner and I left to the store to buy fruits and vegetables.” - Dan answered with details. He was sitting at the chair across the judge and nervously watching the audience in front of him In the court room.
“What happened next?” , judge continued.
“After I came back home I saw the police and got arrested for murder, but it’s not me , your honor, it’s him! - Dan screamed loud , he stand up and pointed to the audience , “it’s him ! He is her lover! He killed her!” - Dan’s eyes become red.
It was a tall slim blonde man sitting next to the Cynthia’s mother , holding her hand in support.
“Sit down Mr Swing!” - judge ordered him.
Dan’s attorney asked if the men from the audience can approach for the questions.
“Objections your honor “, - said prosecutor. “We have evidences against Mr. Swing”.
Judge refused and invited blonde hair man to the poll for questions.
“What is your name sir, how old are you and what is your relationship with Mrs Cynthia Swing?” asked judge.
He was a slim young man about six feet tall ,
“My name is Robert Kindger, I am twenty nine years old, your honor. I am a family friend of Cynthia Swing , we grew up together since we were little children in Brooklyn, our parents are very close friends.” - said tall men.
“ When the last time you saw her?” - asked judge.
“The last time I saw her on July second, the day before… ahh when she was killed“ , his voice was trembling, “We were at the Dance Studio at eight in the evening.” Robert Kindger answered and looked at Cynthia’s mother, “We love dancing, Mrs Gerber, Cynthia’s mom was teaching us tango since we were kids.”
Dan knew about Cynthia’s special interest, love for dancing and performing arts. She always performed in the school theater and concerts together with Robert. Nevertheless that she always talked about Robert as her friend , she was swearing to Dan that Robert was little brother to her , Robert was three years younger than Cynthia, but when Dan was watching them performing tango on the theater stage , he just couldn’t help it to notice the passion and strong connection between them. The way Robert holds her tight and very close to his body , the way Cynthia walked toward Robert with her head high up, look at him with freedom and pride, queen walking. And when they embraced during their dancing passionately Robert was eating her body with his sparkling eyes bagging for desire to have Cynthia to himself. Dan couldn’t stand this competition.
Cynthia was always sweet and submissive with Dan, that’s the way he always wanted her, but seeing her dancing freely with power. It made him a free and jealous of her. He was afraid that one day she may leave him and go to Robert.
Dan was trying everything, beautiful jewelry for her, roses , lots of red roses, took her out to restaurants and theater performances, even though he hated theatre, but he knew she loved it. Dan was trying pleasing her with everything he can think about. He had a fantasy - like a crab take her with him into the ocean and hold with clashes to himself and never let her go.
One day he found her journal and started reading it every night while she was sleeping. Her sex fantasy got him upset.
He was always gentle with her in bed, always afraid to hurt her accidentally, caressing her body carefully, even though in his mind he wanted to eat her inside out , his love was always nice and sweet kind. But Cynthia was writing about crazy passionate love.
Dan was reading every word and he was imagining Robert with Cynthia, a he is pulling her long golden brown hair and she is jumping like a wild horse. “No, no, no! I will not let it happen, that wild horse will be settled down with the rope and she will behave like a sweet girl” he thought and she will do everything he asks, because he knows what she needs , he knows how to please her.
“Only I know how to love her” - Dan said laud.
“ Your Honor, may I present my evidence?” prosecutor attempted to speak, but judge interrupted him .
Dan was required to return to the chair, two officers were standing by to secure him.
“Yes, Please speak up your findings and proof of evidence now.” - judge requested from the prosecutor.
“Thank you, your Honor“- prosecutor stood up and went forward closer to the judge,
“we found the same fingerprints as well as matching DNA of the suspect on the victim’s body parts , here are the documents , your honor.”
He handled the paperwork to the judge and continued,
“Mrs Cynthia Swing called the Air24 company at 7:30 am to come over to check the air conditioner because it wasn’t cooling off , they setup appointment for 9 am.
The suspect killed her with the axe, cut her body parts and hide them inside the crawling space in the attic, where they were found by the man from Air24. Suspect cleaned the floor in the rush , left some blood spots, he put his dirty clothes and the rug together with axe in his trunk and drove to the town's park to remove them into the Lake water.”
The judge lifted his right arm, showing the prosecutor to sit down.
“ Mr. Kindger , please stand up”, judge requested Robert, “did you have a sexual relationship with Cynthia Swing? “ - judge repeatedly asked Robert “
“Yes your honor, I did” - Robert answered reluctantly.
“When and where was the last time you had it with Mrs Swing ?”
“It was on July second at her mother’s place.” - Robert answered with shame in his eyes.
“Where have you been in the morning of July third between seven and eight in the morning?” - Judge asked.
“ I went to talk to Cynthia in her house that morning, your Honor , I wanted her to leave Dan and marry me” - Robert said.
“And you killed her !!!” - Dan screamed and started crying, “my sweet little girl , my sweet wife...“
“Mr Kindger, you are under arrest as a suspect of the murder of Mrs Swing. Until further notice, court will return after the discussion.”- judge said and announced fifteen minutes break, while police officer put handcuffs on Robert Kindger and walked him to the exit.
Dan was watching them walking by, and he roared and jumped in front of Robert.
He grabbed Robert’s neck and started chocking him , screaming,
“Why did you touch her, she was mine!!! My sweet girl , I cut every place where you touched her, her neck , her ears, her eyes, her sex and every single finger! You touch — I cut , you bustard!!! I should have kill you too!!!” - Dan was continue screaming.
Two police officers grabbed Dan and pulled him on the floor.
“Stop immediately!” - judge yelled, he stood up from his chair. Quiet! We shall proceed now! Everyone sit down!”
The atmosphere in the court room finally started to cooling off when Dan Swing was declared a murderer of his wife Cynthia Swing.