Cassidy stood and looked down the alley before returning his attention to Murphy. She was explaining how a homeless woman had found the body a half hour before. She had only entered the alley looking for a dumpster to dig cans out of.
"Where is she?" Cassidy asked. Murphy pointed.
"She's giving her statement to Prescott." Cassidy turned his attention to the police tape and noticed Matt Prescott, a patrol officer, talking with a short stocky woman in a heavy, tattered overcoat. The woman wore baggy pants and boots and though he couldn't make out any details he guessed her to be about five feet tall. He took one more look at the horrific sight on the ground and made one more trip around the body before walking back down the alley toward the street which was cordoned off with police tape. Prescott was thanking the woman as he closed his pad of paper, replacing it in his shirt pocket, as Cassidy walked up. The patrol officer acknowledged Cassidy with a nod of his head.
"Evenin', Detective This is Ms. Simon. She's the lady who found the body," the patrol officer said, introducing the woman. "Ms. Simon, this is Ryan. He'll probably have some questions for you as well," he added, pleasantly. Though Cassidy didn't know Matt Prescott well, he did appreciate the calm tone with which he spoke. Standing this close to the homeless woman, he could see that she was quite frail, elderly, and shaking like a leaf.
"I'z don't think I have anythin' more ta add," the black woman drawled. "All's I know is, lawdy, I neva wanna see sompin like that again. Nmmm! Ummm! Lawdy, no!" she said to Cassidy. Cassidy tried his best to show a face of calm. Inside his emotions were roiling, along with his stomach. It had been doing flip flops since he'd first seen the body. It wasn't every day that you witnessed carnage like that.
