Member-only story
“No, sir, Detective John isn’t in the office….Yes, yes, sir, I understand. Well, do you have another number for him? No, sir, if he didn’t give it to you, I am not at liberty to divulge such information….uh huh…Good day to you, as well, sir.”
“My telephone won’t stop ringing. Judy, was that for me?” The once-athlete, now turned forty-pounds overweight, comfortable with a life of wife, children and homicide; came hustling into view of his trusty organizer. Normally, secretaries aren’t hired to make the job of a lead detective easier, but Detective Zeke John was a different breed of neurotic. One look at his extensive file — cases and therapy — one could, and rightfully so, assess and come to the conclusion that John needed at least six months somewhere, all at the same time: sunny, padded, with plenty of snacks and adult entertainment. The wife and daughter long ago stopped the empty and cruel threat of of leaving the bipolar savant. Zeke stepped into his office, threw down his briefcase and loosened his necktie as if the day were drawing to a close, instead of just beginning. Days and nights run into one another, and sometimes a prying question about last night’s sleeping quarters were forgotten with just a simple tie loosening.
This tie, a bright orange and baby blue combination of wool and cotton blend; that his daughter begged through sensitive, five year old teeth, to buy her father on his day just the past June. “I’ll tell you what, sweetie…how about you let dad buy this tie, and you buy that colorful bear-unicorn that you want?” Her face lit up, a…
