The Gumshoe

"Hey!" "Stop!" Run more. Breathe hard. "Dammit!" "Stop!"

The man turns the corner ahead down a dark alley. Must be a block ahead of me at least. No way I'm gonna go in there. Besides, he has a big lead and will no doubt be gone by the time I arrive at the alley. Might as well go back to the shop.

I fumble around in my right jean pocket for the keys. After removing the large key ring holding the keys to my life, some of which I have long ago forgotten what they opened, much less what they protected, I find the door key. Reaching towards the door lock with the key the door is yanked open.

And there stands the man I was chasing. "What the hell?!"

He grabs me by the hand still holding the door key in position to unlock the door. Roughly I might add and I'm pulled through the door jamb and into the sparse room.

"Are you surprised?"

I nod my head yes.

"Good. Or not. Thought I taught you better."

I don't nod, keeping a sheepish look instead.

"Well, let's sit and have a drink. Your office?"

I nod yes. We go into my 'office' consisting of a well used desk bought at a yard sale and a roller chair bought at Good Will. Sitting on the desk is a lamp salvaged from the dumpster. I crudely repaired the shade with construction paper of near the right shade and gorilla glue. Kinda works. No dial phone graces the surface to complete the 40's scene of a gumshoe, hell, no manual Olivetti typewriter either. Cell phones and laptops are so much more convenient. In front of the desk sits a folding chair (OK, what would you expect? It's cushioned, sorta, with a folded towel. Green towel).

My guest takes the folding chair while I sit behind my desk. I reach into the bottom right drawer and remove the bottle of Jack with two paper cups. I pour each of us a drink. I hand my guest his cup.

"OK, now that you have embarrassed me again what is this all about?"

My friend picks up his cup and takes a long sip. He looks at me above the rim of the cup.

"I need you to kill someone."