The Devil in Disguise

It was a day so hot that not even a tumbleweed dared to roll through the streets. No one could take a step out cause they be fearing that they’d burn to death. And on this day, he came. With the clicking and clacking of his horse echoing through the town, he entered my neighbor’s house. They recently moved, so I be guessing he’s the new tenant. I run over to my ma in the kitchen and ask her, “Y’know anything bout the new guy in town? He be looking real shady to me, ma.” She laughs a good laugh and hands me a hotdog.

“Well, I’m sure they’ll tell us in the town meeting tomorrow. Now I gotta go down to the station. If this heat doesn’t kill me, I’ll be home in 4 hours okay bud?” I give a small nod as I stuff my face with the hotdog. Looks like I haven’t mentioned, my mom is a police officer. She goes off like that every day. It’s pretty annoying since I don’t get to see her a lot. But there are some perks. Like knowing all the juicy secrets of this otherwise boring town. But anyway, I sit down on the couch and turn on the TV, watching the news and admiring the greenery in the other states. There’s usually nothing to do at this hour when it’s so hot, so I go and call my friend Jamie.

“Hey Matthew! What’s up? Also did you see the new guy? Where d’you think he going-”

“He’s my neighbor!” I exclaim in a very excited voice. Both us boys love any mystery at all. So if there’s anything in this small town, we’ll hop right to it. I continue on saying, “He looks real shady y’know? I wonder if he’s someone interesting…” I tell him. We keep gushing over the new crime tv shows until finally, my mom comes home. I put down the phone and it’s finally dinner time. Mom makes hamburgers for the first time in ages. I look at the mouth-watering meat inside the buns. A smile creeps onto my face when she comes with a few plates instead of two. It’s build your own burger day! She comes in giving me a nod and a smile. It was like we were sharing thoughts telepathically. We turn on some music and get on to the building. Most of my burgers have tons of meat, and just enough lettuce so that mom stays happy. But the most fun thing to do is fight for the cheese with my mom! We’re both cheese lovers so the last slice is always, and I mean always, exactly cut down the middle. We stuff our faces as we watch the jeopardy show on tv, shouting the answers as food falls out of our mouths. And after finishing the cheese and the game show, it was time to go to sleep. I close my eyes and before I know it, the sun back up for another day. As soon as I open my eyes, my mom is all dressed up and ready for the town meeting. I stretch my arms about and yawn as I go get ready. When I finally get down, mom gives me some toast and we go out to the town hall. The AC gives me a blast of pleasant air that I’ve been waiting for. I go and sit next to Jamie while my mom takes her position next to the other officers. The mayor, Mrs. McAllister, starts of her speech.

“As you all may or may not have seen, we have a new person among us. Sir, please come on up here.” The people clap as he walks right up next to the mayor and gives the ever so slightest smile. She then continues, “He be a new sheriff from the next town over here to help with the ‘problem’. ” The mutters amongst the people grow for some time until the mayor tells everyone to calm down. There was pins and needles in the air. Our problem wasn’t just anything, no. It was murder. My mama and Jamie’s ma be doing home school for that exact reason. You’ll see no kid out after 7:00pm, no sir. Your most likely dead meat if you are outside then. Literally. Dead. Meat. As we wait in the stiffening silence of the mayor’s pause, I look at my ma, hiding the tears. She’s been on this case day and night ever since papa’s incident…everything was blurry for a second with my own tears when I finally heard the mayor once again,“Most here know what we talking about. And trust me, we are trying our best to solve this, it is first on our list and there ain’t nothing we’re not trying. So if you can give us some time, you will get the justice you’ve been waiting for.” Claps erupt from the people as the police look amongst themselves. My mother, with her head down, mutters something off to the side and frowns just a bit. It was a frown only I know. Right next to her was our town’s sheriff. He be called Mr. Jones. He tightened up his posture as if he was about to be suspected for some sort of crime. But my thoughts were interrupted by my mother who had walked up to me with the new sheriff right after the meeting had ended. He said in bold, soft, yet firm voice,

“Well, howdy there young man!” He gave me a grin and gave a slap on my back. “You just like your mama, wanting to be a police officer?” I gave him a blank stare; I never really thought about that, but being a detective seemed like the right path so far. He gave a hearty laugh and said, “Well, I never knew what I was gonna be at your either, but you’ll be something fine, won’t ya?” I gave him a lopsided smile. I was starting to like this guy. When I looked around the room as he went on greeting everyone in town, it seemed that this boring, dusty old town was getting sunnier with the smiles of the people. Just as I was leaving the hall with Jamie, I see both the sheriffs. Mr.Jones was saying something to him. They were both of serious matter. But as we got closer to the exit, and closer to them, I heard something I wasn’t supposed to. I heard him say,

“You’re next.”