I Know What I Saw

By the time Simone pulled her head from the pillow to which it seemed magnetized to, the sun had climbed steadily through the early morning sky. It promised to be a picture-perfect early autumn weekend, the kind that she loved. Still under the warmth of the blanket, she stretched, rubbed her eyes and searched for her faithful companion, Nacho.

           Long, light brown hair fell down over her shoulders and the sides of her face as she leaned over the side of her bed and saw Nacho. He was curled up in his fluffy blue dog bed, eyes half opened like Simone’s. “Good morning sweetie” she cooed. At the sound of her voice, his eyes opened wide and his short tail started wagging faster than windshield wipers moved in a torrential storm.

           “How is my favorite guy? I bet you’re ready for some breakfast.”

           Begrudgingly, she left the warmth of her bed and padded her way down the hall to the kitchen, Nacho close behind. After putting Nacho outside, she returned to the kitchen, measured out his food and set his bowl down on his food mat. Opening the patio door to let him back in, Nacho did not pause as he skidded around the corner to get to his dish.

           Nacho’s morning nature call and breakfast chores accomplished, she set her automatic coffee maker and headed for the shower.

           Her shower complete, she dressed and sat at the kitchen table sipping her much-needed dose of morning caffeine, planning her Saturday.

           A few text messages and phone calls later, her day was set. “Nacho! Come here Nacho, I have a surprise for you” she called. Trotting around the corner, Nacho obediently sat down next to Simone and loved the attention that he began to receive. “We are going to the p-a-r-k” she said. A quizzical look crossed his small face. “The PARK” she exclaimed and jumped up to grab his leash.

           Before leaving to meet a few friends at the park, who were especially fond of Nacho, she sat down to put his new dog coat, complete with a custom design, on him. Her friends thought she was crazy when she first told them what she had ordered. There was general agreement that a dog coat wasn’t exactly a bad idea, but did it have to be purple, they wondered.

           Calmly, she explained that not only was purple her favorite color, but she knew that the shade of purple would look very nice with his tan color when he wore it. Besides, she had told them with a smirk, wait until you see it, there will be no mistaking him for another tan chihuahua.

           As they walked towards the park, she knew from the smiling looks and gawks that she had been right. Emblazoned on both sides of his coat was a picture of her home-made nachos.

           Arriving at the fountain near the center of the park, she saw that Jessica, Hayley, Sandy and A.J. were already there. Seeing Simone and Nacho approaching, their conversation came to an immediate halt.

           “Oh my gosh, how CUTE!” gushed Hayley,

           “That” Jessica said “is a nice freaking coat.”

           “That is amazing” Sandy chimed in. “You were right, there won’t be any mistaking him for another tan chihuahua.”

           “Hey Nacho, look what I brought” A.J. said as he pulled a tennis ball out of his jacket pocket. “Are you ready for a little exercise?” he said as he threw the ball into the nearby grass. “Nice job Simone, it looks good on him.”

           “Thanks everyone. He’s already the cutest dog around, his coat just adds more charm to him.”

           “It makes him even more irresistible” Hayley said.

           Two hours later, the five friends found themselves sitting at a picnic bench in the shade talking and catching up. Nacho, tired from relentlessly chasing the tennis ball that A.J. had brought, was asleep at Simone’s feet.

           “Let’s get together later for a movie” A.J. suggested. “That new action thriller just hit the screen yesterday.”

           Rolling her eyes Sandy said “Really A.J.? An action thriller. Isn’t there something better that all of us could enjoy instead of just YOU?”

           “Count me out guys” Simone said. “I’m starting not to feel so good. Nacho and I are going to walk home and I’ll just take it easy the rest of the day. Sorry.”

           “There is nothing to be sorry about Simone; it happens to everyone from time to time” Jessica said. “Please, text all of us when you get home though. We’ll take turns checking in on you.”

           “You guys are the best!”

           “I bet it’s pregnancy related” A.J. said.

           “Oh my gosh, why didn’t you tell us!” Hayley said, dumfounded. “Congratulations!”

           “It is NOT pregnancy related, thank you very much!” Simone said, shooting a dagger or two with her eyes at A.J. “If you must know, I feel a headache starting.”

           “Oh. Are you sure?” A.J. said, trying to contain his laughter.

           “Did I miss something?”

           “Yes Hayley, you did. A.J. says that it’s pregnancy related EVERYTIME one of us doesn’t feel well. Haven’t you noticed that?” Sandy said, exasperated.

           “I really ought to kill you A.J. and I am quite sure that neither Hayley, Sandy nor Jessica would see a thing.”

           “I was looking the other way when he fell from the tree” offered Jessica.

           “Fell from the tree? I thought those dogs over there attacked him” Sandy chimed in.

           “They attacked as soon as he hit the ground” Jessica replied.

           “I see where this is headed. I will leave you ladies alone and leave while my life and limbs are still intact. I still love the four of you, even if you are collectively planning my demise.”

           “Yeah, yeah. Get out of here before I have second thoughts about letting you live” Simone said, a slight smile cracking her lips.

           A few minutes later, the rest of the group left to go in their different directions for the rest of the day. The intensity of her headache increasing, Simone and Nacho headed back to her house.

           Grateful to have the end of the park in sight, Simone heard what sounded like two voices raised in argument though somewhat muffled behind some bushes. Their path took them closer to the raised voices, close enough, in fact that she was able to hear more clearly what was being said as well as partially see the two people involved between gaps in the bushes.

           “...I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about” the woman said.

           “I heard what you told me, but I don’t think that you clearly heard what I asked you” the man said with a snarl. “I said, where are the money and diamonds that you stole from me?!”

           “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you before you get it through that thick, neanderthal skull of yours, I don’t know what you are talking about. I did not take anything from you. Think about it for a second Einstein, why would I bite the hand that feeds me?”

           “Why you bit the hand that feeds you doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is the fact that YOU DID BITE THE HAND” he yelled, not caring if anyone heard or not. “If you won’t tell me, maybe someone else will.”

           “This is between you and me” she said, more steel in her voice than she felt in her body, “leave anyone else out of this.”

           “Don’t pretend to think that you can give the orders here.”

           “I don’t pretend to think anything. Fact number one, you’re an ass. Fact number two, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Fact number three, I’m leaving.”

           “You aren’t going anywhere.”

           Simone saw a hand reach out, quick as a flash, grab the woman by the hair and begin to pull her backwards towards him. She saw the man’s other hand reach into his pocket and pull out an indistinguishable object. Indistinguishable, that is, until the sun hit the polished metal.

           “I’m through with this conversation” he hissed in her ear, “and I am through with you.”

           Simone watched in slow-motion like horror as the blade disappeared into the woman’s chest, reappeared and found another home in her body time and again.

           Gasping, she quickly scrambled backwards trying to get away from what she had just witnessed. Nacho whimpered, sensing her distress. “Hush Nacho” she whispered. Then she froze, unable to move or breathe. Two dead, lifeless eyes attached to a living body were looking directly at her.

           Forcing herself to move and breathe again, she quickly got to her feet and ran for the exit of the park, Nacho right beside her.

           Stumbling along the way, she didn’t stop running until she and Nacho were both safely inside her house and the alarm was set. Hysteria at bay, for the moment, she dialed the police.

           Nearly two hours later Detective John Sanders, a bald, middle-aged yet intimidating man sat in her living room.

           “One more time, Ms. Holly, if you don’t mind” he said.

           Taking a deep breath, Simone again recounted the events of late morning into early the early afternoon.

           “Uh-huh, and you say this woman was stabbed, more than once that you saw. I assume you saw blood on the knife or his hands?”

           “Yes Detective, I’ve already told you that.

           “Well Ms. Holly, here is the problem. You see, I would like to believe you but the fact is, a half dozen officers as well as myself canvassed the exact area you claim to have seen a murder take place. There was no evidence to be found; NOTHING, not even a drop of blood.”

           “I don’t know what to tell you Detective or, for that matter, what you are trying to imply, but I know what I saw. I am not crazy.”

           “No one said that you are, Ms. Holly. Sometimes though, people don’t see what they think they saw. Their mind plays tricks on them. By your own admission, there were a lot of people in the park so, how is it that no one else saw or heard anything?”

           “I don’t have an answer for you Detective. I wasn’t paying attention to who else was around and who saw or heard what. I know for a fact that I saw a woman stabbed multiple times in her chest. I saw her shirt darken in the area in which I saw the knife go in. I can no more explain to you why there is no evidence of her murder than I can explain to you the science behind keeping an airplane in the sky.”

           “Alright” he said, flipping his notebook closed and rising from the couch. “Here is my card in case you think of anything else. If something is found, we’ll be in touch.”

           Closing and locking the door behind him, Simone turned to Nacho and said “I’m not crazy, am I?”

           Nacho licked her cheek in response.

Three Months Later

           The doorbell rang, waking Nacho from a nap as Simone called “be right there.” Checking the peephole first, she was surprised to see Detective Sanders on her front step.

           “Good afternoon Detective, can I help you?”

           “Yes, I believe you can. May I come in?”

           Stepping aside and opening the door, she gestured for the detective to come in.

           “Would you like something to drink?”

           “No, thank you Ms. Holly.”

           “Well then, what can I help you with?”

           “Are you able to account for your activities over the last few hours?”

           “Yes. What is this about?”

           “Just answer the question please, Ms. Holly.”

           “I haven’t been feeling well, I have a headache so I’ve been home all day with Nacho. A few friends have stopped by and my neighbor brought some extra food over. Does that answer your question?”

           “I will have to verify everything, of course, but yes, that should answer my questions concerning your whereabouts.”

           “What is going on Detective Sanders? Am I a suspect or under arrest for something?”

           “Ms. Holly, three months ago I was here listening to you describe a murder to which no evidence was ever found.”

           “Yes, I remember that clearly Detective” she said, a slight chill shaking her inside.

           “Three hours ago, a woman fitting the description you gave us was found murdered exactly where you claimed to have seen a murder and in the same manner in which you described three months ago. I’m sure you can understand then, why you are the first person I wanted to account for.”

           Anger slowly rose in her voice as she said “Detective Sanders, I understand your concern but look at me. I clear five feet by a scant three and three quarters inches and I barely tip the scale in the triple digits. How exactly could it ever cross your mind that I would have the strength to stab a woman taller than I am multiple times. Not to mention being able to restrain her to accomplish such an evil deed?”

           “Please try to understand Ms. Holly, I have a job to do and sometimes a part of that job requires me to ask and eliminate the obvious because I have to consider all possibilities. Now, is there anything more that you can tell me that you might have remembered over the last three months?”

           Looking down at her feet, Nacho faithfully laying next to them, she took a deep breath and wondered how she would be able to tell him. He would think her crazy. She didn’t kill anyone but she didn’t prevent anyone from being killed either. Exactly.

           “Ms. Holly?”

           “I’m sorry Detective. Look, this is going to sound very strange, and it still is to me too, but I believe that I have psychic abilities. I know what you are going to say” she rushed on “but hear me out. I recently started getting these headaches, they aren’t migraines or what people usually feel when they get a headache. They are somewhere in between. When they happen though, for a short period of time, I am able to see things that have either already happened or have yet to happen. That’s the only way I know how to describe it Detective.”

           “Ms. Holly, I won’t bother you with my personal opinion on some people having psychic abilities, but I will tell you that the Police Department does have a psychic, on retainer, who is utilized in certain cases. What you are telling me is not a foreign concept to me.”

           An uneasy silence fell in the room, both lost in thought. Simone fearful of what she was sure the Detective must think of her and Detective Sanders considering the task that lay in front of him and realizing how much more difficult that task would be.

           “I have a murder to investigate Ms. Holly, and precious little to go on at the moment. If you remember anything else about what you saw, even the slightest detail, you have my number. Use it.”

           With that said, he was gone and as he stepped outside into the brisk air, a few flakes of snow began to fall from the sky.