We decided to go to the precinct first, have Tammy identify Dwayne, and get the questions out of the way, plus Don needed to start the autopsy on Brice Guthrie. After that, we’d head to the house and go through the paperwork there. We wanted to end the afternoon on a good note, and by giving Tammy the chance to see Coby, she would likely cooperate better in the future if we needed to talk to her again.
After parking, we entered through the back door and remained on the lower level. Everything that needed to be done would take place on that floor.
“Right this way, Tammy.” I turned opposite the direction she was familiar with—our interview rooms and jail wing. “The medical examiner’s office is down this hallway.”
“Wait!” She stopped, bent over, and began to hyperventilate. “I’m so nervous I think I’m going to throw up.”
“Take a few deep breaths, and you’ll be okay in a minute,” Frank said.
We waited with her in the hallway until she gave us an okay nod.
“We’ll stay with you during the viewing if you’d like,” I said.
She nodded again.
“Then let’s continue on. Don is waiting, and he has Dwayne ready to go.”
I gave Don’s office door two hard raps, and he yelled out for us to come in. We entered his office and waited for him to come out of the adjoining autopsy room. I introduced Don to Tammy and said that Frank and I would join her in the identification.
He shook her hand and offered his condolences. “I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Lincoln, and whenever you’re ready, the detectives know the way.”
She thanked him and took a deep breath. Frank led the way to the small viewing area that was divided from the autopsy room by a large window with blinds covering it. Behind us and against the back wall sat an upholstered bench. We took seats and waited as Tammy steeled herself.
“Okay, let’s get this over with before I pass out.”
I stood and pressed the button so Don would know to raise the blinds, and Frank helped Tammy to her feet. I held her right arm, and Frank held her left. She trembled as the blinds went up.
“I’m so nervous.”
“You’ll be okay. We’ve got you,” I said.
I felt her knees buckle as Dwayne’s body came into view. Thankfully, Don was considerate enough to place a gauze pad over the entry wound on Dwayne’s forehead.
I couldn’t understand what went through the minds of abused people and probably never would. Tammy definitely had a love-hate relationship with her abuser. She gasped and began to sob.
“Yes, yes, that’s Dwayne, but I can’t look anymore. Please, I need air.”
I gestured to Don, and he drew the blinds. We walked to the small patio just outside Don’s office so Tammy could regain her composure. One more time, she sucked in long, slow breaths.
“Now what?” she asked after blowing her nose in the tissue Frank had given her.
“Now you have to sign a few papers, and Don will get the death certificates ordered. Do you have any idea how many you’ll need?”
She shook her head. “I don’t even remember why I need them.”
Frank took over. “They show proof that Dwayne is deceased. You need them for your bank, the life insurance policy, and the will. I imagine there’s other places that’ll require them, too, like your mortgage company.”
“Dwayne didn’t have a will. Never gave that any thought since we don’t have kids.”
“Okay. We’ll go over all that at the house. The normal is ten certificates, so we’ll go ahead and have Don order that many.”
Tammy nodded. “I’m okay to go inside now.”
It was almost noon by the time we finished with Don. Tammy thanked him, and we left his office. We continued down the hallway and then entered the interview room that Tammy had been in several days earlier.
She plopped down in a chair as if exhausted. “So what questions do you have, Detectives?”
I began as I took a chair opposite her. “Our tech department was able to pull up deleted texts and voicemails on Dwayne’s phone and found a few scathing messages to him.”
“Really? Like what?”
“You mentioned knowing that Dwayne bet on the horses.”
“Right.”
“So do you know who Moe is?”
“Moe who?”
I frowned. “Don’t be coy, Tammy. It isn’t like Moe is a common name. Had Dwayne ever mentioned him since his isn’t a name you wrote down?”
“I don’t know anybody with that name, I swear.”
“When we find Moe, we’re going to ask if he knows you, so I hope you aren’t protecting him. It wouldn’t fare well for you if you are.”
She was adamant that she was telling the truth. “I promise you that I don’t know him.”
“Okay, then what about Nancy?”
“She lives down the street.”
“And why would her husband ‘take care’ of Dwayne? What’s in it for him?”
“He didn’t like Dwayne. Not many people did, but I’ve already told you that.”
“Did you know that Nancy called Dwayne and threatened him?”
Tammy wiped her watering eyes. “I begged her not to. She didn’t understand the consequences of that call. Dwayne beat the shit out of me after that.”
“Yet you never filed charges against him. What’s Nancy’s husband’s name?”
“Duke.”
“Duke what?”
“Bingham, Duke Bingham.”
“And his name wasn’t on your list either. How honest are you being with us, Tammy? Do you want Dwayne’s killer brought to justice or not?”
“If I moved back home, I’d have to face those people, and I don’t want to be on their shit list. Do I care if Dwayne’s killer is found? No, and that’s the truth. They did me a favor.”
I knew we weren’t going to get anywhere with Tammy. The list of names she had given us was likely incomplete. All we could do was check into the financial records and interview people whose names she had given us.
Disgusted by her lack of concern, I ended the interview. At least it had been recorded. “Come on. We’re going to your house now.”