by C. C. Wall
“Yeah. Maybe.” Lukas relaxed a little bit. “Let’s look into that tomorrow.”
They drove around in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then Chaney spoke up, “Am I taking you home or do you need to pick anything up?”
“Just drop me off at that burger stand on 2nd. I could use a bite.”
Chaney glanced over and gave him a look. “The one next to the 24-hour liquor store?”
Lukas peered over at him then looked back out the window. “Yeah. That’s the one.”
Chaney smirked.
“Dick,” Lukas added.
Chaney stopped the car in front of the burger stand. “I’m not picking you up tomorrow. You have to be an adult and drive yourself to work, all right Buddy?”
Lukas opened the door and stepped out into the rain and looked at him. “Suck it.”
Chaney laughed and drove off.
Lukas walked up and stood beneath the overhang of the burger stand until Chaney drove away. Once he knew Chaney was gone, he ran across the street to the liquor store. “Hey Karl,” Lukas said to the man behind the counter.
“Hello there, Boss. Wet as shit outside, eh?” Karl said.
“Yeah. It seems to be raining or something like that,” Lukas said full of sarcasm.
Karl laughed out some phony laugh and then in his broken English said, “Boss, you killing me. You should not be cop anymore. Stand-Up comedian, Boss. That’s what you should be doing with your time.”
Lukas was looking on the back wall for his favorite vodka and couldn’t seem to find it.
Karl chimed in, “I have it for you up here, Boss. All ready to go.”
Lukas was thankful but the thought of the guy at the liquor store already having his poison bagged up and ready to go didn’t do wonders for him trying to hide the fact that he had a drinking problem. “Thanks, Karl.”
“Alrighty Boss, see you tomorrow!” Karl waved.
Lukas didn’t like the fact that it seemed that he now had a standing date with Karl. In fact the idea of it made him want to drink. He stopped as soon as he exited the store and tried to stay out of the rain the best he could as he cracked open the bottle and took a big swig. It burned as it went down his cold throat. Lukas loved that feeling. When he put the lid back on, he saw across the street, back at the burger stand, that Eric Callahan, Sue’s son, was hanging out with some friends. He recognized Jen. He knew that Eric was seeing her. There was a shorter girl with them but then, there was also a man that Lukas had never seen before. He was all in black. It looked like he had long dark hair and a beard but it was hard to see because he had the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head. He couldn’t tell exactly, through the rain and because he was across the street, but he could swear that the man in the hoodie was looking right at him. Any other night he would’ve just gone home and not bother with Eric but this night, Eric was doing something he shouldn’t have been doing. He was smoking a cigarette.
Lukas ran cross the street and in doing so, almost got hit by a truck. Lukas yelled an obscenity at the driver even though he knew it was his fault for crossing where he shouldn’t have. This got Eric’s attention and he quickly threw down his cigarette. By the time Lukas got there, Eric had a grin like had just eaten a canary.
“Hey, Detective Lukas,” Eric said.
“Hey there. How are you guys doing?” Lukas noticed that it was just Eric, Jen and the other girl. The man in the hooded sweatshirt was gone.
“We’re good,” Eric said.
“Hello, Jen,” Lukas said.
“Hi,” Jen said with a cute little smile.
“You, I don’t know,” Lukas said to the short blond.
“Hi, I’m Michelle. I’m Jen’s friend.”
“Good to meet you,” Lukas said to her. “Where did your other friend go?”
“Who?”
“The guy in the black hoodie.”
Eric and the girls looked at each other like they had no idea what Lukas was talking about.
“Never mind, maybe he was just standing back there. I thought he was with you.”
“Nope.”
“Why are you guys out in this storm? Shouldn’t you all be inside keeping warm?”
“We just came by the store and then we were gonna get some food, but I remembered my mom wanted me to get pizza, so we were just gonna head back to my place.”
Lukas noticed that they didn’t have any bags of any kind from a store. “So, what did you get?”
“What do you mean?”
“At the store. You said you went to the store.”
Eric and the girls all looked at each other and didn’t know what to say.
“Hand them over, Eric.”
Eric had been found out and he slouched his shoulders. “Fine.” He pulled the fresh pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. “Just please don’t tell my mom.”
“Smoking is for adults. Not kids,” Lukas said and pulled one out with his mouth and then another one and put it behind his ear. “Which one of you has a light?”
Jen pulled her lighter out and lit his cigarette.
“Thanks, Jen,” Lukas said through a few puffs to make sure it was lit. “Here you go.” He handed the pack back to Eric. “This never happened.”
Eric smiled. “Thanks.”
Lukas was about to walk away then stopped. “Did your mom tell you about what happened today?”
“Yeah. “Officer Sue” filled me in.” Eric said lightly.
“Keep an eye on your girl. You guys should be careful.”
Eric smiled, “I will.”
Lukas walked away then turned around and said, “Its a school night, get home!” Lukas smiled. He really liked Eric. He reminded him of himself at that age. Noticing the similarity, he looked down at his dirty suit, his vodka and his cigarette and let out a sigh of shame.
24 - It’s In His Kiss
The only sound that was heard through the station was when Sue dropped her keys on the wooden floor. The sound could have been an explosion. Under her breath, Sue let out her frustration as she heard Sheriff Reagan wake up in a start from the noise. His chair squeaked as he rocked back and forth to try to get out of it. Sue knew she didn’t have much time to escape.
“Sue? Are you still here?” Reagan said.
She hung her head and let out a sigh as she remained frozen, hidden behind her desk, out of Reagan’s view. She wondered if she stayed down there, if he would give up and go back into his office. There was silence. She knew he was still in his doorway.
“Yep,” Sue said. “Just dropped my keys.” Sue stood up and saw that the large sheriff was much closer than she originally thought.
“You were down there an awful long time. Did you find them?” Reagan asked.
Sue held them up. “Right here,” she said, followed by an awkward chuckle. She knew she was making it worse.
Reagan rolled his eyes and headed back into his office. She had dodged a bullet there and she knew it. She hurried around her desk while putting on her coat, grabbing her purse, umbrella and her little lunch satchel.
Reagan stopped in his doorway and asked, “Could you check on our guest before you leave?”
That was exactly what she didn’t want to do, but, Sue smiled, “Of course, Sheriff.” She put down her little lunch satchel, her umbrella and her purse. She took off her big heavy coat and promptly dropped her keys on the floor again.
Gus sat in his cell quiet and motionless; still shirtless from his run in with Lukas. It was very dimly lit, as it was at night so that the prisoners could get some shut eye. Gus wasn’t sleeping though. He just sat, starring at the door. He knew someone should come check on him soon.
The door opened. “You alive?” Sue asked.
“Pretty ladies always make my heart speed up,” Gus said.
“Then I should hurry up and leave; looks like your heart is working overtime as it is,” she said as she was closing the door behind her.
“I want a phone call!” Gus yelled.
/> Sue stopped and went back in, “You didn’t get a phone call?”
“Nope,” Gus answered.
Sue stepped closer to the cell. “You know, I have a hard time believing that.”
Gus stood up and his size completely dwarfed Sue who tried with everything in her not to look intimidated by him. Gus leaned his mass against the bars. “It’s the truth,” Gus smiled.
Sue got closer. “Neither Chaney or Lukas let you use the phone?”
He pushed his face between the bars. Fat spewed over the sides. “You know, they say the only way you can tell if someone is lying or not is in his kiss.” He puckered his lips out at her.
Sue looked at him, sized him up and the fear and intimidation she was feeling moments ago slowly faded away. He was just another man, another pervert. He was no different than the boys at school years ago, or even her ex-husband. She walked up to the bars as close as she could get. She spoke softly. “So, all I have to do is give you a little kiss and I will be able to tell if you lying or not? That’s what you’re saying?”
“Damn right,” Gus said with a grin.
Sue slowly caressed the steel bars. “But what if I…”
Gus grabbed her by the waist and squeezed her against the cell bars. He ran his meaty paws all over her the back of her body. He was holding her so tightly that she could not even get the smallest scream out of her lungs. He put his mouth on her face and his hot breath, stale with cigarettes and vomit from his binge drinking the night before, smothered her, making it even harder to breathe. “I think I can do you just fine through the bars here sugar. I think I’ll waive that call, if it’s all the same to you.”
Sue tried to fight him off. She was struggling with being mad at herself for being in the situation but also trying to find a way out of it. She reached down the front of him and tried to get around his hairy gut that was protruding through the bars, to get to the front of his pants. Gus relaxed his tight hold on her to make it easier for her to reach down there. “I’m gonna need your help with the belt,” she whispered.
“Yes ma’am,” Gus said and slid his arms off her waist.
As soon as she was free but before his hands crossed back into the cell, with all her weight and might, she slammed herself against his arm, bending his elbow back, using the steel cell bars as a weapon. The sound of bubble-wrap, popping, filled the air along with a deep, low scream from Gus. He pulled his arm in almost all of the way before Sue grabbed his pinky finger and bent that sideways until she heard a “snap”.
“You bitch!” Gus screamed.
Sue fell on the floor and tried desperately to catch her breath. “You don’t get a phone call if we don’t book you.”
“Get me a doctor, you crazy bitch!” Gus shouted.
“I think I’m good.” Sue stood up. “I’m gonna go home.”
“Help me!”
“Fuck you.”
Gus sat alone in agony as the door slammed shut.
25 - Tossing Salad
Lawrence Chaney walked through the front door of his modest home to be met with a hug and a kiss from his modest wife Sara. “I missed you today, baby.” Sara said, “Dinner is in the kitchen.”
“Thanks. I missed you, too,” he said.
Sara could tell something was wrong. “Lawrence, what is it? Something is bothering you.”
He put down his coat, walked into the kitchen and sat at the modest kitchen table. He saw the salad bowl in the center of the table and decided he would do the tossing.
“Lawrence? Answer me.” Sarah’s concern was growing.
He sighed. “There was a body today.”
“A body?” Sarah’s face seemed to get longer.
“There was a murder.”
“Oh my God.” Sara was in shock. “Who was it?”
“No one knows yet.” He dropped the salad tongs. “I thought staying in a nice small town would protect us from this kind of stuff.”
Sara tried to comfort him, “Its not like this happens all the time. I can’t even remember the last murder here.”
“I can.”
“Baby…” Sara thought to comfort him but hesitated.
“I just hate that I’m out there “protecting the town” but then I’m constantly thinking about where you are and what you are doing.”
“Honey, you know I’m safe. Nothing is going to happen to me. I’ll be here every night when you get back, to lick your wounds and feed you.”
He smiled. “What are we having then?”
“Meatloaf.”
“I guess you like having wounds to lick,” he said with a smile.
“Shut up! My meatloaf is great!” She playfully smacked him on the arm.
“I know.” He continued with the salad and Sara went to the oven to pull out the meatloaf. Chaney remembered something that he wanted to ask her. “I forgot…”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know a Jack Hart?”
Sara dropped the meatloaf. Luckily she was holding it over the stove so it only dropped an inch or so.
“Sara?”
“Dang it!”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. The meatloaf was hot. Burned my finger a bit.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah let me just get something out of the bathroom to put on this.” Sara ran out of the room. In the bathroom, she shut the door and locked it. She turned on the faucet and just sat there looking at herself in the mirror. She took a couple of deep breaths, turned off the water, before heading back into the kitchen.
“You okay, Sara?”
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. It seemed more scary than it really was, I guess.” She picked up the meatloaf and brought it to the table.
“So, I was asking about Jack Hart. Do you know him?”
She shook her head while plating his dinner. “Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell. Was he involved in the murder?”
Chaney’s eyes got big. “Not exactly, I don’t think. He works at the paper.”
“Oh. Why do you ask about him?”
Chaney’s mind was somewhere else, trying to piece things together.
“Honey?” Sara said.
He snapped out of it. “Oh yeah. Don’t worry about it.” He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “You are amazing. I love you so much.”
She smiled back. “I love you too, baby.” She put her food on her plate. “You know, we don’t have to stay here. We can leave whenever you want. We can go anywhere. I would follow you to Hell, if that’s where you wanted to live.”
He smiled, “Well, I hear they don’t really have seasons in Hell. Not sure if I want that.” They laughed. “But thank you. I’ll keep that in mind, Sara.”
26 - The Pastel Portrait
Lukas walked down the hallway towards his apartment. Being out of the rain made Lukas feel a little bit better but he was still down, thinking about his drinking, his job and most importantly, how depressed he was at this point in his life. He never thought, when he was a child, that this would be his future. He thought that he would be a famous baseball player. When he became a teenager, he thought that he would be in a huge rock band, touring the world, making records and videos. None of those things actually panned out for Lukas, obviously. He was a very impressive detective, but even being really good at something you never wanted, won’t make you happy.
He took another great big gulp out of his bottle before trying to find his keys. He was shocked when he realized that the bottle was more than half gone. He wondered if maybe he had spilled any of it, but couldn’t remember. He then thought he had lost his keys. He checked all of his pockets and couldn’t seem to find them anywhere. He was nervous that one of his neighbors would come out and see him in this condition. That made him hurry. That made everything worse. He looked like a mental patient, fidgeting and slapping around his body.
When he finally located his keys, in a pocket he had checked about fifteen times, he had a hard time finding which key it was to open the door. He thought to himself that
the hallway looked much darker than usual. He couldn’t place why, but he knew it was darker. He looked at the ceiling and then realized that the bulb on his side of the hallway was out and the only real light was coming from the light over by the elevator, at the end of the hall. He thought that at least it would be harder for his neighbors to see him acting like a lunatic. The door finally opened.
Lukas fell through the door and crashed into his dresser. He bounced back and slammed the door to the hallway. Lukas felt safer now. He felt that he was now in his natural element. Alone. In the dark. No one could hurt him now. He couldn’t be bothered with the outside world. Lukas fell face down on his bed and remembered that he still had some vodka left. He tried to take a drink while laying down but felt most of it spill down his cheek, onto his bed. He sat up.
Lukas tilted his head back and finished the bottle. That was when he made eye contact with it. This was something that he had always tried to make a conscious effort to never do. But on that night, Lukas was looking it right in the face. Directly across from him was a pastel portrait hanging above his dresser. The portrait itself was made by a five year old in kindergarten. It was made on black construction paper and the pastels were dipped in glue for some reason. The picture depicted a house in the background with tall grass in the foreground. There was a large rose growing up out of the grass, then standing between the house and rose was an orange stick figure. This stick figure wore a giant smile and was full of life. At the bottom, it had a small card stapled onto it that read DAVID LUKAS.
Lukas looked right into the stick figure’s eyes and his own eyes filled with tears. “Why do you mock me? Why do you smile? I’m not miserable! I was happy too once! I frolicked! I played in the grass! I picked flowers, dammit! I dug in the dirt and I laughed!” The tears poured down Lukas’s face. “You knew about this all along, didn’t you? You knew I would be here today. You knew all the way back then that you would be here hanging on my wall, haunting me!” Lukas buried his face in his hands and sobbed loudly. He looked back up at his nemesis. “Where did I go wrong? At what point did it change? When, dammit?” Lukas screamed and threw his vodka bottle at the portrait, shattering the bottle into thousands of pieces that showered the apartment. “You don’t know? Bull! You knew from day freaking one. Screw you. I’m happy!”
