"Murder In Soho" Part Six

    "Detective Luna," the AI says reassuringly. "I can only state the facts. It is unfortunate that most humans do not like to hear the truth about their capabilities and failings. As far as implying that I or any police AI working with me on this case is covering up evidence for the killer is just preposterous. I have personally conducted several diagnostics on myself and the other AIs on the scene to eliminate the possibility something is amiss."

    I smile at the bot and say, "Okay, I wanted to hear from you. I believe you."

    But I don't believe it. Too many strange little tidbits on how the bots are acting just don't add up. It says that there hasn't been any upgrades downloaded in their programming recently but until this case, non of them have ever showed the slightest bit of emotion. In fact, it would have to be some kind of virus attack on our bots because the State of New York has outlawed emotional programming in police bots. The public sees emotional AIs as a threatening somehow. Probably ingrained from the military style used in the 21st Century. When groups of local police departments would decide, in a gang mentality, how their city streets would be policed. All across the country, usually whites, would be protected and others would be persecuted for no other reason than the color of their skin.

    I need to get out of here and think things over.

    Knowing that the investigator bot can pick up on any facial nuances that might indicate I think it's lying or any of my voice inflections that might also give me away, I start walking towards the front door to leave so it can't see my face. I take out my handheld on the way, looking down at it, like I'm concentrating hard, hoping none of the other bots can evaluate my expression and relay any suspicion to the investigator bot. While this is going on I say, with the least amount of tension in my voice that I can muster, "Send any new evidence you and your team have collected since I've been here to my handheld. I'm going to find a nice quiet place away from the crime scene, clear my thoughts, and thoroughly read the case file."

    "May I suggest getting some coffee and donuts too!" the bot says. Relaying the hundred year old cliché about cops and bakery. "It is a fact that humans perform better on a full stomach. Also, I know you are trying to miss direct me by staring at your handheld, because it's not on. Captain Murphy has told me through the police band that she has repeatedly tried to get a hold of you through your neural-net and handheld but both are on, do not disturb mode. She asked me to tell you that she wants you in her office pronto."

    God I hate bots.

    "I'll call her as soon as I get to my car," I said to it. "I was looking at my handheld because I was going to turn it on."

    As I enter the hallway I ask myself, why did I try to make excuses for it. It's only a bot, nothing more.

    I find my car, tell it to head for police headquarters, and start craving coffee and donuts.

    God I hate bots.

 This is,

Now I Am Craving Coffee & Donuts

Jim Hauenstein

 

And,

 

“Police work wouldn't be possible without coffee," Wallander said. "No work would be possible without coffee." They pondered the importance of coffee in silence.
- Henning Mankell -

 

That is my story and I am sticking to it!

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