The electricity in the city is out, making the moonless summer night suffocatingly dark. Small candles flicker in the windows of the houses, like fireflies trapped in a jar.878Please respect copyright.PENANAksW22tAx7T
I calm my urge to laugh.878Please respect copyright.PENANABedQI8Cwn7
Three men are clumsily walking in the streets, stumbling over their feet and laughing loudly. They turn onto a dark alley, heavily shadowed by the large building on the left. I quietly follow them, staying far behind and sticking closely to the walls.878Please respect copyright.PENANAUKV98UEQsk
The man with the long brown hair nudges the red head and says something to him. By the anger in the red head’s eyes, it wasn’t very nice.878Please respect copyright.PENANAdIQxCzZI4S
“Do NOT talk about Jen like that!” He yells. “Do you hear me?” He pushes the other guy’s chest and he stumbles backwards.878Please respect copyright.PENANAdw2wdr2LaV
“Man, what’s the matter with you? I didn’t mean it,” he replied.878Please respect copyright.PENANA4nmAfjMwaZ
“Like hell you didn't!” The red head advances.878Please respect copyright.PENANAviEYqdH3WI
“Mason, calm down!” Yells the dark haired man.878Please respect copyright.PENANAnfwNGOV8hh
“You shut up, Dante,” Mason fires at Dante. “This doesn’t have to do with you. Jesse here is the problem.” He’s suddenly tackled to the ground, Jesse holding him down. “Get off me, you a-“878Please respect copyright.PENANAGnpWr984iB
“Shut up, Mason! Just shut up! I’m not after your girl.” He blocks Mason’s fist. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”878Please respect copyright.PENANA6UntgoihQU
“You talkin’ trash about Jen is nothing?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAvccHutV6wf
“Jesse, get off of him.” Dante’s comment is overpowered by the yelling and hitting, and is lost in the breeze. “Guys, break it up!”878Please respect copyright.PENANA4xvxPpDCDA
I am there when the two shots ring out and when both Mason’s and Jesse’s bodies slump. Dante and I run away, our feet taking us as far as possible from the scene.878Please respect copyright.PENANAwokYt9xpUU
We don’t want the police to find us.
878Please respect copyright.PENANAo3ZMpPrzZg
878Please respect copyright.PENANAfMmnODyD5k
I like watching her when she’s staring out the window, the early morning light splashing her face and making her dirty blonde hair glow brighter. The way she sits silently in her chair, her back straight, and arms by her sides makes me not want to disturb her. I don’t want to ruin the beauty of the moment, by seeing the tears streaming quickly and quietly down her cheeks, her eyes red and puffy. She won’t let me help her and make things better - make her feel better.878Please respect copyright.PENANALx6Q4EHZUC
I gaze at her a little while longer, and then make my way upstairs. I slip off my rubber gloves and throw them away, then wash and dry my hands in the bathroom. I walk into my bedroom and pull off my shoes, setting them down by the door. I’ll clean them again soon.878Please respect copyright.PENANAoCzzZLgPDc
I remove my belt, stuffing it into a box in the corner of my closet. It’s such a relief, finally taking off the extra weight from my body. I put on a pair of pajama shorts and walk back downstairs, into the kitchen.878Please respect copyright.PENANAH6ewH12dMh
“Jenny, darling, would you like to come take a nap with me?” I call across the house, walking out of the kitchen with a glass of water in my hand.878Please respect copyright.PENANA22wE10dFk3
A muffled “no” is the only response I get from Jennifer. I make my way over to her and the kiss the top of her head.878Please respect copyright.PENANAwfHz1BiuLP
“Call me if you need anything, babe. I’ll be in my room.”
878Please respect copyright.PENANAvEejrOkQeJ
878Please respect copyright.PENANAUTVI04P4pp
Police cars keep pulling up by the entrance of the alleyway, causing more and more people to crowd around the crime scene. Eyes peek through half open windows, too scared to show themselves.878Please respect copyright.PENANA9sH7W2g2Tv
Alex Hardwick pulls off his police vest, the summer heat making him sweat a little too much. He wipes at his forehead and pulls at his shirt.878Please respect copyright.PENANAZDq3uHGwv0
“Jackson, where did Hunter run off to?” He asks the newest addition to their police unit.878Please respect copyright.PENANAQwgu0xTSSz
“He said he was going to follow the footsteps. Wanted me to tell you to kindly tell the people to go. They’re ‘contaminating’ the scene.” Jackson replies, his back up straight and tall. Alex groans.878Please respect copyright.PENANAhDQsC859bG
“Why does he always make me do this?” He mutters under his breath. He then talks into his mouthpiece, notifying the other officers. “People, please clear out!” He cups his hands around his mouth. “We’ve got an investigation going on here!” He ushers more people out of the alley, Jackson and the other policemen following suit.878Please respect copyright.PENANAyG0U67LpfD
“Excuse me! Out of the way, please! Excuse- hey, don’t step on that!” A young man appears at the corner, his searching blue eyes cast downward. He’s hunched over, closely examining the ground. He sticks close to the wall, continuously moving forward.878Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZTLlt2I3H
“Is Hunter always like this?” Jackson asks Hardwick, staring intently at the detective.878Please respect copyright.PENANAFLVjxE3Hp3
“Usually. He does a very thorough analysis of every crime scene, and he’s the best. He may not look it, with the Mohawk and piercings and inspecting the ground like that, but he most definitely is,” Hardwick replies, glancing over at Hunter.878Please respect copyright.PENANA1Mf5tdxgRC
Hunter keeps moving forward, constantly looking behind him. He then stops, looks backward, forward again, and then back again. He stands up, a small crease lining his forehead. He looks ahead, spotting Hardwick and Jackson, and hurries over to them.878Please respect copyright.PENANAQu8MYu6U7U
“Thanks for getting those people out of the way. They were quite annoying… Anyway, what’ve you got on our vics?” Hunter asks Hardwick, straightening out his button up shirt.878Please respect copyright.PENANANfulh0dYm9
“They were both shot, bullet in each of their chests. Running them to the morgue, need to get them checked. Miss Riley over there thinks that they were shot from just a few feet away, but she’s not so sure.” Hardwick answers.878Please respect copyright.PENANAo6eX3QTMqc
“Type of bullet unknown?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAf0XSTpTrdK
“For now.” Hunter huffs and pulls at the guitar pick hanging on his black-corded necklace. “What have you got?”878Please respect copyright.PENANA5122f1R6NA
“There were four people,” he starts. “One by the wall, and a group of three walking together- each a little drunk, by the looks of it.” He points to the ground, and both Jackson and Hardwick follow his finger. “The two bodies were found one on top of the other. By the footsteps and prints, they were fighting. The third guy was shuffling from side to side, stayed a little further back. Our fourth person stuck to the walls and shadows. He always lingered about a safe eight yards away from the group, moving slowly and quietly. He stays in that spot for a long while, and then runs off in the direction he came. Did our group see him?” Hunter pauses. “Ah, but here,” he crouches closer to the corpses, “the third guy runs off, too.” A few terse moments of silence pass in the group. “I wonder what part he plays,” Hunter mumbles to himself. Speaking louder, he asks, “Have you identified the bodies?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAAXVF5sL32n
“N-“878Please respect copyright.PENANANuSfWGA9BV
“Yes, actually.” Jackson cuts Hardwick off. Alex glares at him. “S-Sorry, sir, but I recognize them.”878Please respect copyright.PENANASAEpvtCpy4
“Why didn’t you say so before, dumbass?” Alex exclaims heatedly. Hunter is chuckling, amused, and Jackson fidgets nervously.878Please respect copyright.PENANAgKGMEy0K9R
“I-I forgot?” Alex rubs his forehead, shaking his head.878Please respect copyright.PENANAFnJqBZXSCm
“Who are they, then?” Jackson clears his throat.878Please respect copyright.PENANARg6a4brg25
“The red head is named Mason. Well, was named. We went to high school together. He always hung out with these two other guys. One of them was named Jesse, you know, the other guy here that was killed. The second one’s name is Dante. He’s probably who was walking with them last night.” Hunter watches Jackson closely, his manner of speech and how he holds himself. He then proceeds to calculate Jackson’s height, shoe size and style. “I didn’t know them all that well...” He adds. Hunter stands up, brushing himself off.878Please respect copyright.PENANAqiyBWVLpbG
“Hardwick, give me a call when you get the report on our vics. I want to think over this at home for a little while,” he says. He shakes hands with Hardwick; whispers into his ear, “look for the third friend.” He then pats Jackson on the back and walks off, pulling at the guitar pick.
878Please respect copyright.PENANA39EGRqqEi7
878Please respect copyright.PENANAgRxGPxgrJg
Hunter is sprawled out on the couch in his living room, his acoustic Alvarez guitar lying on top of him. He aimlessly strums each string, one by one, the notes ringing through the silence; and he is lost in thought, staring ahead of him, into space.878Please respect copyright.PENANALpwOU1F98e
Where is Dante now? Why’d he run away? More questions float around in Hunter’s head. Could Jackson be our fourth guy? He’s about the same height… Has the same shoe size… Why would he be there? Could he have killed Mason and Jesse? Hunter opens his eyes. Why were Mason and Jesse fighting? 878Please respect copyright.PENANAa32ajk88pc
He sits up, grabs his phone and shoots Hardwick a text. ‘Did either vic have a girlfriend? Thanks.’ He puts his phone down and lies back against the couch, sighing. He cradles his guitar, continuing to pick at the strings; his eyes shut.878Please respect copyright.PENANAuv6t8J6kY7
878Please respect copyright.PENANAexsPoYGVXg
878Please respect copyright.PENANAyPypnugYNN
“Somebody get Hunter on the line! We’ve got the ballistics report on our vics!” Hardwick yells, rushing into the office. He slides into his rolling chair, gliding across the floor, and then pulls himself up to his desk. Jackson runs up to him, a phone in hand.878Please respect copyright.PENANAqwFiZMxMx6
“Dialing,” he says.878Please respect copyright.PENANAMP6lDNRpYF
“Thanks,” Hardwick nods and puts the phone to his ear, waiting impatiently for Hunter to pick up. “Pick up alre-“878Please respect copyright.PENANAAsdh7bdxxV
“Good morning to you too, Hardwick.” Hunter says through the phone. “I take it you have some news?”878Please respect copyright.PENANA4Me6PkA8am
“Yes. We’ve found the other guy, Dante. Bringing him in now. Should be here within the next half hour.” Hardwick settles back against his chair. “Can you be here?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAcAydkkjucu
“I’ll get dressed and head off as soon as we finish. What about the report?”878Please respect copyright.PENANA6daXOME4so
“Good. Ballistics show that the bullets used were 45’s.”878Please respect copyright.PENANAaHUXCl7bB6
“You’ve gotta be kidding me… 45? That really narrows it down.” The sarcasm is evident in Hunter’s voice. “Have you found out if there is any girl involved?”878Please respect copyright.PENANA6D4eY1otNB
“We don’t know. Jackson here has no clue, as well. I’m hoping that Dante will give us more information, if he didn’t commit the murders himself.” Hardwick glances at his watch. “Hunter, I want you on your way over now. I’ll see you soon.”878Please respect copyright.PENANAAsVvuuoSci
“You got it.” He hangs up and sets the phone down. Runs a hand through his hair. Sighs a little too loudly. “Is the coffee machine working?”
878Please respect copyright.PENANApTNv38je9F
A Harley Davidson motorcycle pulls up on the sidewalk, next to the police station. Corbin Hunter, clad in a black, tight-fitted t-shirt and black leather boots, moves his leg over the seat of the bike, standing next to it. He pulls off his helmet, shakes his head, and walks into the building. He takes the stairs two at a time, running up as fast as he can. Once he gets to the top, he stops to catch his breath. He then walks around the wall and calls out to Hardwick, notifying everyone that he’s there.878Please respect copyright.PENANAl3fSE9eR9h
“Just in time, Hunter! They should be here any minute,” says Hardwick, who walks out of a side office to greet Hunter. “You ready?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAPosU6S3N4z
“If you really want me to answer that, then yes.” He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes displaying a tinge of amusement. Hardwick looks Hunter over again.878Please respect copyright.PENANA1Lael8RaDc
“What’d you do to your hair? No more Mohawk?”878Please respect copyright.PENANACmqhe4ZfYc
“It was starting to annoy me, so I shaved it off. Looks better like this, anyway.” A slam of a car door reaches Hunter’s ears, and he walks over to the window overlooking the street, peeking through the shades. Hardwick follows him.878Please respect copyright.PENANAWurN9dLOxx
“That’s them.” The two men watch as a few policemen walk over to the cruiser door, one of them opening it and pulling out a dark haired man. He has large bags under his dark brown eyes, his hair scraggly and his skin slightly pale. Hunter watches him closely, until he is out of sight. “He doesn’t look too good,” Hardwick comments. Hunter silently agrees. He turns around to face the elevator, waiting to see the policemen and the third friend, Dante.878Please respect copyright.PENANAHMuUnPv1Bn
The elevator dings and the doors open. Two policemen push Dante straight ahead, into one of the interrogation rooms. Jackson passes by, a puzzled expression displayed on his face. He rushes over to where Hardwick and Hunter are standing.878Please respect copyright.PENANA2bezQC5DUQ
“You found Dante? Where? And when?” He asks, his eyes shifting between them.878Please respect copyright.PENANAwoxLYqyoew
“Yup. Dogs are good for certain things, you know. Hunter here is even better than we thought,” Hardwick replies, crossing his arms. “Now go get some information outta that kid.” Hunter walks forward slowly, then stops and turns around.878Please respect copyright.PENANAWFI3AhRakU
“Just by the way, Hardwick,” he says, “Dante didn’t do it.” He faces forward once again, swipes the file of information from the desk, and saunters over to the interrogation room.878Please respect copyright.PENANAuV7qfPfqqY
“How the heck would he know that?” Jackson exclaims, eyes wide.878Please respect copyright.PENANASIwRd2LKwn
“Don’t ask questions, kid. You need to learn to just roll with it.” Replies Hardwick. “I’m only starting to get used to it. Knowing Hunter, he’s going to get anything he can out of that guy.”
878Please respect copyright.PENANAwAJmykzmPp
“Dante Alvarez, age 25, suspect of the murders of Mason Alvarez, 24, and Jesse Walker, 25.” Hunter reads off a paper as he walks over to the table in the middle of the room, settling down in the chair across from Dante. He looks up; casting Hunter a short glance, then drops his head. “Mr. Alvarez, I’d like to start with a simple question,” Hunter leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Why did you run away, and not come straight to the police after the murder?” 878Please respect copyright.PENANA9Iln0jRHUL
“Isn’t it obvious?” Dante mutters, his voice hoarse.878Please respect copyright.PENANAHYGufxpkxp
“No, no, not at all. We could’ve been much farther along in this case.” Hunter leans in closer. “I know you didn’t kill them,” he whispers. Dante’s head shoots upward, the relief evident in his face. Hunter sits back in his chair and continues. “You ran away from the crime scene, in hopes that they wouldn’t find you, because you didn’t want the police to suspect you as the murderer. You also thought that if you reported this murder to the police, you’d be suspected and not trusted. And why would they believe you? No other witnesses, nothing that could help you… So you run away.” He stops. “Am I following you so far?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAKjbZSWZf01
“Yes.” A broken whisper and a nod.878Please respect copyright.PENANAxfhJs8wWX0
“Now, for the question I’m most curious about- what were Mason and Jesse fighting about?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAH9z6hse0mq
“It wasn’t an actual argument.” Says Dante, keeping eye contact with Hunter. “Just some stupid comment that Jesse made about Mase’s girlfriend.”878Please respect copyright.PENANA7gXaO8qydP
“Before you continue, can you please tell me her name?”878Please respect copyright.PENANA7jojHYEc6M
“Jennifer Boyd. Kinda short, has dirty blonde hair.” He tugs on the end of his shirt. “You know, he was gonna propose to her. And then…” he pauses, sucks in a breath. “And then this happened. We were a little drunk, just walking through the streets. Then they started fighting over a stupid, rude comment. I tried to break them up but they didn’t stop.” His words jumble together as he talks faster and faster. He wipes a silent tear off his cheek. “Then I heard the shots. Two loud gun shots. They slumped to the floor and I heard footsteps behind me but I didn’t turn around and I couldn’t look at them, with their blood in a pool around them and I-I just ran and ran and didn’t look back.” He covers his face with his hands, trying to control his rapid breathing and to push back the sobs climbing up his throat. Hunter watches him silently, already used to the breakdowns, yet still showing sympathy. He waits a few more moments while Dante composes himself.878Please respect copyright.PENANAFK95S3j3DF
“Do you know where Jennifer might be now?” Hunter finally asks.878Please respect copyright.PENANAE8EWuRS3L9
“I don’t know.” Dante’s voice comes out calm and steady. “Her house, I’m guessing. I haven’t seen her since… Since the afternoon of the day that Mason and Jesse were shot.” He suddenly looks up, struck by a thought. “Wouldn’t she have heard by now that Mase was killed?” Hunter’s eyes go wide.878Please respect copyright.PENANApI1eAMORms
Is there any reason why she wouldn’t have come? He thinks to himself, turning different possibilities over in his head. She could’ve even called…878Please respect copyright.PENANAnRMUcTxSAc
“Do you know her number?” Hunter asks the question before he even thinks it.878Please respect copyright.PENANALdAwZaWCWt
“Not by heart, no. But if I went home, I could look it up on my phone.” Hunter stands up.878Please respect copyright.PENANAL1OFzBp7Pi
“Let’s get going, then. We’re done here.” He flings the door open, Dante trailing behind him.
878Please respect copyright.PENANA9ItOpTTqQh
Hunter parks his motorcycle next to a brown apartment building, and waits for Dante to get off first. He then gets off the bike, looking behind him to make sure that Hardwick was parking the car, and follows Dante into the building. They walk up two flights of stairs, and then come to a stop in front of a door.878Please respect copyright.PENANA55IU3f9kIH
Dante takes out his keys from one of his pockets and unlocks the door. He opens it and the two men walk in.878Please respect copyright.PENANAonnUaigbNM
“You can go sit on the couch over there. Look around if you want. I’ll go get my phone,” He says, already turning into the hall. Hunter sits down, his eyes sweeping over everything that is as far as he can see. Hardwick, Jackson and another officer walk into the apartment, and a few seconds later, Dante walks back into the room, in a change/pair of new clothes and with his phone in hand. He presses a few buttons, and the phone starts ringing. Everyone crowds around in the small space, waiting for an answer. The other officer sets up a small device on the coffee table.878Please respect copyright.PENANA3jll27z159
The phone rings and rings and ri-878Please respect copyright.PENANAfKIl24cJCH
“Hello?”
878Please respect copyright.PENANAMJ0SSpcjGu
878Please respect copyright.PENANAlklO6faCAx
“Hey, Jen. It’s Dante.” I hold the phone close to Jenny’s ear, watching her intently. Her mouth opens and closes. “How are you?”878Please respect copyright.PENANA7k3SKX3ZVy
“I-I’m okay.” She finally manages to say. “How’re you and the guys doing?” Silence meets her. “Dante?” I put the phone on her lap and sit down across from her.878Please respect copyright.PENANAfyQF7QTDeh
“Have you not heard, Jen?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAJea9RK1AdR
“Heard what?” her face contorts into confusion. I want to touch her cheek so badly, to hold her hand and kiss her, but her phone just had to ring.878Please respect copyright.PENANAPnMIdkjQma
Why didn’t I get rid of it when I had the chance?878Please respect copyright.PENANATM4TwCUUyp
“Mason and Jesse are dead, Jen.” Jenny freezes.878Please respect copyright.PENANAiedMCeooY1
“What?”878Please respect copyright.PENANAMHKazNx4Su
“Two nights ago. They were both shot.” Dante pauses. “You didn’t know?” Her eyes snap to mine.878Please respect copyright.PENANAz7ukjN8asS
“N-no. I didn’t.”878Please respect copyright.PENANAyAP8flsnmV
“Have you not been home?”878Please respect copyright.PENANACL2NGeUDli
“I-“ I snap the phone shut, cutting off the call.
878Please respect copyright.PENANAGqy12wZ5J3
878Please respect copyright.PENANAoIAi77vjb5
The line goes dead.878Please respect copyright.PENANAUKftdM9Y2R
Dante stares at the phone.878Please respect copyright.PENANAcAVpHJN6Ba
“Did you manage to trace the call?” Hunter asks, his body tense. He doesn’t get an answer.878Please respect copyright.PENANA4p2MNaBfet
“Well, did you?” Dante repeats Hunter’s question impatiently.878Please respect copyright.PENANAVn9j1iqluR
“I’m not sure yet.” The other officer replies.878Please respect copyright.PENANA1PYKTj9UnN
“How can you not be sure? You either traced the call or you didn’t. I want to know where she is and if she’s okay.”878Please respect copyright.PENANA6pw1GPXbgX
“He’s working on that, alright, kid?” says Hardwick, slightly annoyed. “This machine isn’t an easy one to work, especially when the call is cut short like that.” Dante huffs and falls back into the couch.878Please respect copyright.PENANAP03S9EL573
“Just please hurry.”878Please respect copyright.PENANA18BHPP4F16
The officer continues messing with the knobs on the device, turning them around. He watches the screen, trying to catch any flicker of numbers or letters.878Please respect copyright.PENANAZvZfOvaTut
“Aha!” A cry of excitement bursts from his mouth, and he grabs a pen from his pocket, writing down the address on a crumpled piece of paper. “2492 S Birch Street!”878Please respect copyright.PENANAZJ6J61UEBF
“That’s only fifteen minutes away,” Hunter says under his breath. “Hardwick, get some back up. Armed. We’re going now.” He turns to look at Dante. “I’d rather you not come, but if you really feel like it, you can stay in one of the squad cars. Maybe stay with Jennifer afterward. What do you say?” Dante nods.878Please respect copyright.PENANAvdChI4iHJM
“If that’s alright, I’ll come.”878Please respect copyright.PENANAubhcZxUJlj
“Off we go, then.”
878Please respect copyright.PENANAFQdIKvCTeM
878Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ku81QXZZ6
I hear a motorcycle riding down the street. I peek out my bedroom window and watch as it parks in front of my house. A few police cars pull up behind it.878Please respect copyright.PENANArKmHNljvRv
I run to my closet, pulling out my gun from the box. I race out of my room and down the stairs. Jenny turns to look at me. I put a finger to my lips, signaling to her to be quiet.878Please respect copyright.PENANAab6Xb1DhqA
I stand next to her and look through the window. Armed policemen are standing in a semi-circle around my house, crouching low and slowly advancing.878Please respect copyright.PENANAjjt49DH3et
I walk over to the front door and lock it. I shut all the shades, and then go back to the door, my gun loaded. Three knocks sound.878Please respect copyright.PENANAQKHTHNUQB9
“FBI! Open up!” I back away from the door, my gun up in the air. I walk into the other room, close to Jenny. “FBI! Open up or we’re coming in!” I lean in and kiss her softly.878Please respect copyright.PENANA7YHjIZokAY
“I love you, Jenny.” I whisper to her. I take two steps backwards, looking into her eyes. I put my gun to my head, tears forming in my eyes. I love you I love you I love you.878Please respect copyright.PENANAmmmNXjlUxU
I hear the loud crash and the sound of footsteps.878Please respect copyright.PENANApi3TNkvg5S
I pull the trigger.