Behind The Lies by Mark Beckner (the chimp paradox .txt) 📗

get further identifying details. He notices the subject who walks past the camera initially and then gets out of the car upon its return is wearing a dark winter jacket. After the fourth time watching, he notices a significant change. In the first video, the subject walking southbound has on what appear to be black gloves. In the second video, when the subject exits the vehicle at the 5:50 mark, there are no gloves on the subject’s hands. Well, I’ll be damned, thinks Walker.

Walker calls Baker at his home. “Hey Steve, sorry to bother you, but I believe I have Aaron’s vehicle and Brad McGivens on video at Johnson’s from Thursday night,” he excitedly tells Baker.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“I kid you not. We need to get to Brad tomorrow morning before school to confront him and get a DNA sample. Do you think the lab will be able to test it tomorrow if we get it to them first thing?” Walker asks.

“They know how big this case is for us. I’m sure I can sweet talk them into helping us out,” replies Baker. “Let’s get in early tomorrow and be at the McGivens place by seven.”

“I think we’re going to need a warrant,” says Walker. “I highly doubt mom will let us just take a DNA sample from Brad.”

“You’re right,” says Baker, “would you like me to come back in to help?”

“No, I’m already here. I can just make the necessary changes and additions to the affidavit we already have. I’ll get with the on-call judge tonight on my way home to get it signed. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Tuesday, November 17th

Walker and Baker are in the office by 6:30 am. Walker has the warrant authorizing them to collect DNA from Brad McGivens. They arrive at the McGivens residence at 6:55 am. Brad McGivens answers the door. “What’s the matter?” he says.

“We need to ask you a few more questions Brad,” says Baker, “and we need to collect a DNA sample from you.”

“What are you talking about!?” protests Brad. “I’ve already told you everything I know. I did not go to the school with Aaron, and I did not kill Wendy.”

Brenda McGivens walks into the living room wearing her pink robe. “What is going on here detectives? What is so important you have to disrupt us this early?”

“Sorry Mrs. McGivens,” replies Walker, “but we have new information and need to ask Brad some more questions.”

“He’s already told you everything he knows, and I told you he was home with me all evening. You can talk to our attorney if you have more questions.”

“Brad is 18, he can make up his own mind whether he wants to answer questions or not” Walker reminds her.  “We also have a warrant to take a sample of Brad’s DNA. We can do it here or at the police department. You’re choice, Brad.”

Upon hearing this, Brad is starting to feel nauseous. What new information are they talking about? He is not sure what to do, but he knows he doesn’t want to go with the detectives to the police department.

“Brad,” says Mrs. McGivens, “don’t answer any more questions. We will call your dad’s attorney this morning to get this taken care of.”

“Okay mom,” says Brad.

“We still need to get your DNA Brad,” advises Walker. “I can take swabs of your mouth here, or we can take you to the police department, but either way, you have no choice.”

“Just take them now then,” says Brad.

Walker then takes two cotton swabs on long thin wooden sticks and swabs the inside of Brad’s mouth. They are then packaged separately, sealed, labeled, and signed by Walker. Before leaving, Walker uses his cell phone to take a picture of Brad’s face.

“What’s that for?” protests Brad.

“Just wanted to document your football injury.”

The detectives then leave the McGivens home and start the hour drive toward Grand Rapids to drop off the new DNA samples at the state crime lab.

9:30 am

Aaron Livingston has made it through the night to see another day in jail. He did not sleep well, as his increasing anxiety and depression keep him awake. He has just returned to his cell from the common eating area where breakfast is served. He has eaten very little since being put in jail, as it only seems to upset his stomach. Aaron has reached the conclusion that the only way out of this is to commit suicide. And the only way he can figure to do that is to find something to hang himself with. Earlier this morning, Aaron used the edge of one of the wire springs under his jail cell mattress to start a small rip in his bed sheet. This gave him enough of a start that he could then pull on the sheet to rip off a strip of cloth. He did this from the side of the sheet against the wall so that no one would notice.

The door to his cell is solid metal with a 2 x 3 foot solid window running vertically on the door. The window is reinforced with half-inch metal screen squares embedded in the glass. This large window allows the detention staff to check on the juvenile inmates every hour during lockdown times. The only object Aaron sees that might be used to hang himself from is the door handle on the inside of the door. In order to hang himself, he will have to kneel, cinch the strip of sheet around his neck and tie the other end to the door handle. He will then have to allow his body to go limp, cutting off the blood supply to his brain long enough to cause him to pass out from lack of oxygen to the brain. Once he passes out, his body will remain limp, keeping the pressure of the sheet against his carotid artery and preventing blood flow to the brain. Within minutes, he will die. The trick will be timing it so that no one comes by