Annie was a single mother of one. The result of a decision she'd made 15 years prior... not a mistake... a well thought out decision. Both of her parents died in an automobile accident. She was the daughter of a very prosperous doctor, and her Mom owned an antique auction house. Well-to-do doesn't begin to cover it. She inherited, at the age of 21, more money than the rest of us would ever see in a lifetime. She ,liked her men, plural, not just one. She didn't ever want to settle down to just one man, life was too short to confine oneself in that manner. She didn't need one for security, she didn't have the patience to put up with their problems. Love 'em and Leave 'em, that was her motto. Still, she did want a child. So she had one, plain and simple.  There was the problem of "the Fathers" custodial rights, but that didn't last for long. She had the money, he was just the sperm donor, so to speak. She could provide everything that her son needed. Wasn't any use for him to have a Dad. She chose his Godfather wisely from one of the many gay men that she knew. That worked well. Jaime had his father figure, she wasn't tied down to one man.  Life was good.

She owned a modest house in a good neighborhood. Annie chose this place because of it's proximity to one of the best private schools in the nation. Jaime was within walking distance of the best education that money could buy. He was an excellent student, good grades, promising future. He would be able to enter any college of his choice. He was aiming for Harvard Law School. Bright boy, bright future. Having had all the advantages he knew what he wanted. He adored his Mom, she didn't give him everything he wanted, she gave him everything he needed. Oh, she could have afforded to give him his hearts desire, but she felt that he would learn the wrong things that way. She made him earn what he received. She wanted her son to take responsibility for himself when the time came. She was hard on him, but fair, and he never doubted that she loved him. He was probably the only person that she loved, other than herself. he knew that and being the kind of kid he was, he thought it rather sad. Still, it was his Mom, and she knew what was right for her, and she knew how to instill that quality in him. Life was good...that is...until the afternoon of September 21, 2005. That day, when Jaime came home from school, Annie was missing...and Jamie never saw her alive again.

Everything looked normal, the car was in the driveway, doors were unlocked. When Jamie entered he was greeted by the aroma of pot roast simmering in the crock pot. That meant Mom was spending the day on the computer. So, he and Tillie, his cat walked down the hall to the computer room, expecting to find her there. No Annie. The computer was running, screensaver in place. The radio was playing Mom's favorite station. She liked classical music, he knew enought to know he was listening to a piece by Vivaldi. He preferred Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent. Classical wasn't his choice. He noticed a fine spray of something red all over the computer screen. It did not look like Ketchup. On the keyboard there was a larger smear of the same substance, and another on the beige carpet. He grabbed Tillie before she could track up the carpet, backed out of the room and closed the door.
He knew that something bad had happened . As I said, he was a bright boy. He went to the phone, and after some hesitation dialled 911.

Operator: "911 What is your emergency?"

Jamie:  "I just got home from school and my Mom isn't here, and there is something that looks like blood on her computer and on the floor."

Operator: "Are you alone in the house?"

Jamie: "Yes."

Operator: "Could she be visiting a neighbor?"

Jamie: "No, she wasn't friendly with anyone close by and her car is in the driveway."

Operator: "Well, I'm sure there isn't anything wrong, but I will send you a police officer to check this out."

Jaime: "Thank you I will look for them."

Operator: "I want you to stay on the line with me until they come.  Also, please do not touch anything."

Jamie: "I already touched the door knob to the computer room, but I didn't touch anything else in there."

Operator: "That's OK, I'll make a note of it and inform the officer when he gets there. How old are you young man?

Jamie:  "I'm 15."

Operator: Will your Dad or another adult be home soon?"

Jamie: "Umm No, I live alone with my Mom."

Operator: "Where do you attend school?"

Jamie: "I go to Billings Academy"

Operator: "Do you like school?"

Jamie: "Yes, I want to be a lawyer. I think the police car is here, I heard the siren and it just stopped. Oh, someones at the door."

Operator:  "Good, I'll let you go to answer the door. Good bye, Jamie."

Jamie: "Good bye, and thank you."

Jamie runs to the door and lets the 2 police officers in. After questioning him, they ask him to lead them to the computer room to see for themselves what may have happened. They immediately know that the red spots are blood and on closer examination realize that there is just too much of it for it to be a simple injury. Someone was hit in the head while sitting at the computer. Someone fell forward onto the keyboard and then onto the floor. They radioed in to headquarters for a detective, secured the scene, taking Jamie and Tillie outside to wait in the squad car. One officer stayed outside with Jamie while one waited at the door to the computer room. Neither officer had any way of knowing for sure that Annie was dead. When they would find her decomposing body 2 weeks later, no one would have any idea why such a horrible crime happened. When the detectives, and the forensic team arrived, they went over the crime scene and the whole house looking for clues to what may have happened. When they were finished, hours later, they were no farther ahead than when they arrived. They knew nothing more than they did when they arrived. Someone had cleaned the house thoroughly that day, it was; as always, immaculate.  It yielded no clues, other than the blood stains in the computer room, as to what might have happened that day. No Annie, no clues. Maybe they should have checked the computer.