“The trouble with drowning is that even though it happens quite often, it’s hard to figure out.” This was Martinelli’s opinion, given to Martin as they discussed the case.
“That just sounds like an excuse, like we’re too stupid to figure it out or something.”
“No, we’re not, but we have to follow the evidence. An autopsy isn’t conclusive; it can only rule out other causes of death.”
“So what does all the evidence at the scene, or what people have told us, tell us?”
“You want textbook?”
“Let’s do it.”
“Right then. In cases of apparent drowning, ask the following questions. One, the big one, did the victim drown, or was he killed and then put in the water? Two, was he conscious or not at the time he went in?” Three, was he a swimmer? Four, was he under the influence of anything? Five, were there any bodily injuries? Six, were there any witnesses?”
“So if we answer these questions, after examining the circumstances and excluding other causes, bingo, there’s your answer?”
“In theory, anyway, Sherlock. So, here’s what this victim’s body told us. If a body is face down in the warmish water in a pool, any air left in the lungs can’t escape, so the body tends to float. Our corpse was weighted down, or at least there was an attempt made to weight him down. After a long time in the water, a body that’s sunk will pop back up to the surface as this air eventually diminishes.”
“Unless it’s way down, or tangled up in an object below?”
“That would slow it down, yes. If the victim was alive and struggling, there might be foam or vomit in the water, but that is easily diluted in our twelve hour time frame. If he was drunk, he might have vomited anyway.”
“I didn’t see any, did you?”
“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. Anyway, the eyes were wet – no dry lines – an indication of drowning. The skin was wrinkled but that occurs in either case. Rigor had set in, and more fully in the arms, a sign of struggle. On the other hand, if he was intoxicated, there would be less struggling, and more sinking. His head was down, not turned, once again a factor in the drowning column. There were no apparent bruises; if he was injured before death, blood would have still been delivered to those injuries.”
“So, it looks more as though he just got in or fell in?”
“To me. Blood alcohol level isn’t strictly determinative; it can measure much lower after drowning than it might have been before. The lungs were large and the heart dilated, also more indicative of drowning. That’s what we’ve got.”
“So, let’s go back and answer the questions.” Martin laughed. “Now that we got the answers, we have to remember the questions.” Martinelli grimaced, sincerely hoping his partner could remember them all, and repeated the litany.
“One, did he drown? He drowned, according to the evidence of his body.”
“Excluding the clutter in the pool that might lead us to another conclusion.”
“Two, was he conscious? He was conscious and struggled.”
“Though maybe not for as long as he might have, if he hadn’t been drinking.”
“Three, could he swim? We don’t know if he was a swimmer or not, but four – was he UI? – because he drank at least two beers, and maybe more elsewhere, though how much we don’t know for sure, whether he was a swimmer or not, matters less. Five, do you remember number five, Watson?”
“Any bodily injuries. And before you ask me, any witnesses is number six.”
“No keeping up with you, is there? Five, There were no apparent injuries before death. There was an attempt to weight him down, presumably after he was already dead, and there were no bruises from that.”
“Weird, but likely not the cause of death, whether or not there was any intent to murder.”
“We’ll get back to that. Six, we can’t identify any witnesses, yet.”
“And our obvious conclusion?”
“Not so easy. Here’s one way to look at it that seems to fit what we know so far. Somebody let him into the building, more likely than not in street clothes, though we can’t find them, where he changed for swimming. He went to the pool voluntarily, possibly watched TV and got in the water, likely on his own because he apparently, and stupidly, continued to drink, tossing the empties in when he was done. He went under, struggled briefly and drowned. Somebody tried to fish him out with the rescue pole and gave up. Then somebody who really didn’t like him weighted him down using those empty bottles, and then threw money at him. And the witness or witnesses after death left the victim in the pool rather than report the death because they didn’t want to be associated with the victim, because they knew who he was. Same for any witness who was with him before he died. Unless our victim looked first, or somebody told him, he wouldn’t have ever known about the TV, or the flotation jugs, being near the pool.”
“And what are we getting back to?”
“Tracking down what club he went to and asking if he could swim. His car, and the apartment he rented from his uncle haven’t told us much, if anything.”
“That uncle sure isn’t co-operative. I suppose we’ll also have to specifically ask if he had any enemies?”
“Duh. We already know that. We even know who they are, well at least some of them. We simply aren’t making any headway with them.”
“Maybe we should just try and ask if he had any friends. Maybe they might know why he was here.”
“Sounds crazy but you may be right about that.”
“But, bottom line is, if this is an accidental drowning, then it doesn’t matter about the rest.”
“Not necessarily. At the very least, it’s an offense to leave a death unreported.”
“What’s that old expression? ‘More honored in the breach than in the observance.’”
* * * * * * * * *
Earnest Arbuthnot’s initial interview with the police had been cursory, at best, as he’d been busy with the bluff collapse on Monday. He was not a swimmer, he had been introduced only socially to the victim’s uncle but never to the victim. Late on Tuesday, he phoned Martin and Martinelli to say that he intended to call a special association meeting Wednesday evening for residents, who were expressing a variety of concerns.
“You must see the necessity for this.” Earnest explained. “We certainly want to squelch the rumor mill and if you would come along to answer questions, that would be appreciated. I hesitate to say it but the general impression is that you are baffled, not completely perhaps, but somewhat. Many residents are mystified, and I fear are making up versions of events as they go along. Plus, the press are hounding us for stories, and I want to nip this in the bud for the sake of our reputation, not to mention our perceived property values. There are units for sale in the building.”
“Sure, we’ll be there. “When?”
“‘Baffled’?” Martinelli repeated it to Martin, when he was off the phone. “He said they all think we’re ‘baffled’?”
“Hey, who cares! We’ve been insulted before, by experts. What say we turn up to the meeting with our pipes and magnifying glasses, eh wot?”