Free Under Abnormal Conditions by Erick Burgess Page A

how many suspects they had broken in that room.
Before my thoughts traveled too far, the detective returned with
company.
    “Michael, this is my partner Detective
Stone.”
    Stone was a familiar looking, diminutive,
white man with glasses. His dark hair was shaved high and tight. He
was neat and clean-shaven, a poster boy for the department. We
greeted with a handshake, and the questions began.
    Williams took the seat with his back to the
mirror, so I sat in the other. Seatless, Stone just stood by
silently.
    “We just need to go over your statement from
last night,” said Williams
    “Just to tie up a few loose ends,” finished a
grim looking Stone.
    Taking out a pad and pencil, Stone surveyed
me while Williams asked the questions.
    “What did you do after you received the first
threatening phone call?” he asked.
    “I . . . didn’t do . . . anything.” I
answered in barely a whisper.
    “Mmmm . . . and after the second call?” asked
Stone from behind.
    “I called the police,” I answered. The
detectives glanced at each other quickly and proceeded with the
questioning.
    “Can you tell us anything about the robbery
or the murder?” questioned Stone.
    “No. Like I told the officer last night. I
walked into the office, and that’s all I remember until the
paramedics woke me up.”
    “Did you go to the hospital?” asked
Stone.
    “Yes, but I felt pretty good this
morning.”
    “The bad thing about wounds like that is they
can be a lot worse than they look,” he replied.
    “And vice versa.” Williams added. “Another
thing from last night. You weren’t on the best terms with Mrs.
Allen. Do you want to explain that a little bit more?”
    “Wait, wait, wait just one minute. If you
think I had anything to do with this-”
    “Calm down, Michael. These are just routine
questions we have to ask,” he quickly returned. “Just like last
night.”
    “Her daughter is missing and she thought I
knew something about it.”
    The scratching of the pencil stopped as I
heard from behind, “And you dated her daughter for how long?”
    “A few months,” I answered. The feverish
scratching started and Williams again started dissected my personal
life.
    “So the mother caused problems in the
relationship?”
    “We got along fine.”
    “I bet she didn’t like the idea of her
daughter bringing home some black guy, right?” asked Williams.
    “It wasn’t like that.”
    “You had a right to be hostile towards the
lady.” Stone stated. “From what I understand, she pressed pretty
hard for you to be arrested for Michelle’s murder.”
    “Murder? No, it wasn’t like that. We just
didn’t speak because seeing me reminded her of Michelle.”
    “And you worked together all that time? It
must have been rough for both of you?” Williams asked.
    “Well, I mean, she took some time off. She
had just come back to work this week.” I said, knowing how guilty
it made me seem.
    “Uh huh, hmmm.” Williams hummed. “So would
you have any idea who would want her dead?”
    “So, you don’t think she was killed by the
robber?” I knew the answer to the question even before I asked. If
they did suspect someone else, I wouldn’t have been in that
chair.
    “We just have to explore all the
possibilities. It’s just procedure,” Stone calmly stated.
    “Am I under arrest?” I asked fearfully.
    “No, not at all,” replied Williams.
    “So I can leave?”
    The detectives glanced at each other again
and Stone answered, “Can you give us a minute?” I didn’t object and
they left the room. As much as I wanted, I couldn’t take my eyes
from the mirror. I wondered who was back there, and why was I a
suspect?
    The detectives quickly returned. The look of
disappointment that painted their faces told me all I needed to
know.
    “You’re free to go.” Stone said dryly.
    They couldn’t have believed they had a
sufficient amount of evidence to hold me. All they had was the
assumption she didn’t like me. If there was a law