In this post, I have shared the text that I wrote for the Arrival to the Station (A5), Allen’s Investigation (A6), and a TL (text link) Allen Lafferty. These texts narrate when the protagonist arrives to the station, and his first interactions with Allen (the supposed suspect).
A5_Arrival to Station
I’ve arrived at the station, images of the crime scene are still flashing through my mind. The man that was on scene, the first identifiable suspect, is already prepared for the investigation. I hear Bill Taba debriefing some of the main facts with a fellow officer. A fresh coffee in hand, he questions the other officer’s reasoning,
“So, he was covered with the victim’s blood, and hiding in a neighbor’s house…”
They then respond,
“His phone lines were cut. He said that he was using the neighbors lines to call 911”.
Bill answers with,
“Just find me the next kin of the deceased please”.
The other officer then ends the discussion,
“He’s yours now”.
I approach Bill, understanding full well that we have a very important interrogation to accomplish. He quickly gives me some updated information,
“The victims; Brenda Lafferty, a 24 years old woman, and Erica Lafferty, a 15 month old child. The main suspect is Allen Lafferty, the husband and father of the victims”.
I then interrupt,
“A Lafferty, did I hear that correctly?”
“Yes, indeed”, Bill responds
“The suspect is from a big LDS family, meaning highly regarded”
Bill releases a large exhale,
“We’ll identify a motive, try and find a confession, wrap it up”
I then propose,
“How about I take the lead with him, Mormon to Mormon”.
“He’s yours”, Bill says with an expression of disbelief.
“I’ll have a minute”, I confirm.
“I’m right behind you [(x, insert protagonist name)]”
I walk into the investigation room. Allen Lafferty (*TL) is at the table, hand-cuffed, with an expression of unease on his face …
*Next (A6)
TL_ Allen Lafferty
Allen is the youngest sibling of his family. We’ve been in the same ward for years, but haven’t gotten all too close. From afar, his entire family seemed like a very nice group of people. It is difficult to see a fellow member of the church in such a dire situation. If he is guilty of this crime, what does it say about the other people that we know? Are they really following the gospel? The teachings that we adhere to in church every Sunday. I am truly baffled.
*Return (A5)
A6_Allen’s Investigation
I walk into the investigation room. The suspect is in clear emotional distress; crying. I begin,
“Hello Allen, I’m officer [(x, insert protagonist name)] Pyre”. Bill walks in,
“Here’s my partner Bill Taba. You know, we’ve got to ask you a couple of questions if that’s all right”.
Taba is sitting in the corner of the room, observing from a distance. The suspect responds with a silent nod.
“Okay great. When was the last time you saw your wife and daughter … alive? ” I inquired.
“I … I didn’t do this” Allen responds wearily.
“You’ve shared that, now can you tell me when you’ve seen them last” I insist.
Allen responds with an expression of defeat,
“Yeah, uh, this morning, before the sun came up. I then headed off to work, and haven’t seen them since”.
I then inquire,
“What kind of work do you do?”
He simply responds,
“I work in construction, tiling”.
“Could I give your boss a ring, just to get the time confirmed?” I further our discussion
“I … I work for myself”, Allen expresses
“Oh, okay. I see”.
Bill Taba entern, clearly frustrated by the beating around the bush.
“You know what son, you could just make this reel simple”, says as he takes a seat at the inquiry table.
I see the look of despair appear in Allen’s face, as he understands how suspicious it all sounds …
“That’s alright Allen, people work alone, people work alone.”
“Sure”, Taba retorts.
___
After a couple more questions and remarks, Allen says,
“You know what, I don’t know. I can’t think straight right now” …
“can I change my clothes, please … please” he expresses as he bursts into tears.
He’s still wearing the blood stained clothes. Taba responds,
“No, sorry, not quite yet”.
Allen continues,
“Please find the rest of my family. My parents (*TL), brothers, their wives, and kids”.
Bill Taba injects,
“Why would I have to find them all?”
“If there is someone out there hunting my family you know … they could … they could be in trouble too”, Allen mumbles with a plea in his eyes.
I respond,
“Give us their addresses, we’ll do safety checks right now”.
“I don’t know their addresses”
“You don’t know where your own brothers live?” I respond quickly.
“No, they moved” … “Ron moved (*TL), Dan moved (*TL), I’m not lying to you sir please”.
Taba furthers the inquiry,
“And, who would want to hunt them down?” expressed with an ere of suspicion.
“Well, umm, for the past year or more, there have been men … odd men with beards around my family …”
“Like vagrants?!” Taba injects,
“No, not vagrants, like Book of Mormon prophets. Please help me find my family”
*Next (A7)
Ressources
Dustin Lance Black Director. Under the Banner of Heaven. Aggregate Film, Imagine Television, FXP, 2022.
Krakauwer, Jon. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. New York, Penguin, June 2004.
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