An Outline of Death
by Peter C Byrnes
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This is the 71st story of the life and career of Senior Detective Joseph Lind and his young partner and protégé Detective Angelica De Longo. Detective Lind is close to retirement age with him thinking it was almost time as forgetfulness and omissions were becoming more prevalent as he handles his latest murder investigation.
Summary:
A respected publisher and film coordinator, recognised both locally and internationally, is fatally shot as she left her home for an early morning coffee with an author whose manuscripts had been rejected many times by her Company. He is immensely dissatisfied because a rejection slip is all he receives in the mail…nothing else. No constructive criticism or explanation attached.
The Case grinds to a halt due to lack of evidence, enthusiasm and momentum on the part of the senior detective.
The Detectives’ time is fortunately taken up by a coroner’s unexpected verdict of an ‘open’ finding on a two-year old case that Detectives Lind and De Longo had originally investigated. Both Detectives concluded at the time that it was a murder/ suicide Case where the six-family unit was massacred. The father shooting his four children, his wife then himself.
The man’s character is denigrated by the marauding media and shock jocks alike.
At the Enquiry into the deaths, the coroner requests a re-examination of the ‘old’ Case with the likelihood of external forces being involved due to inconsistencies and opposing evidence by witnesses and forensic officers.
Detective De Longo is seriously affected by the initial determination that the case was a murder-suicide stemming from domestic violence. A senseless loss of life of an entire family according to her. The original investigation causes De Longo wanting to leave the NSW Police Force Murder Squad.
In re-investigating the Case, she suffers anew which places her onto medical leave for months.
This leaves her senior partner Detective Joseph Lind flying solo. His advanced age leads to frequent mistakes, omissions, forgetfulness and a lack of decisiveness.
After the coroner suspects outside involvement in the murder of the entire family of six, De Longo after many months recuperating, once again partners Detective Joseph Lind to resume their search for those responsible.
