DEAD END

If you saw this couple, you would have agreed it is the most beautiful couple you have ever seen. The smiling gentleman, his late twenties, in a sleek dark suit - blended in with a young exuberant lady at the table. She had her make-up right that night, not too exaggerated, nor under-done. Just perfect. They were having a sweet conversation - they felt alone. Even with her smooth thighs plunged under the table, she turned heads of men; starving for dinner.

The two enjoyed their time near the wide window, and the moonlight sieved through the panes.

"Where is the quality service here!" An angry customer next to them shouted loudly.

The couple never turned. And he held her hand over the glass of wine which they had not sipped. For the first time, she looked up. He did too.

"May I?"

They let go of each other's hands. It was the waiter. He proceeded with the 'quality service'.

"Sure - and some more wine, please. “Finn told the waiter.

In his career attire, he placed the meal on the table professionally. The spoon, a table knife, napkin - for each. A lobster laid between them. The waiter saw the wine in the ice bucket. Uncocked but almost full. Both glasses with a little wine.

"Did you say more wine, sir?"

"Yes, it is going to be a long night - is it darling?"

She smiled. And put the napkin under her chin, by the collar. She must have been a sucker for the beef soup. Its aroma rose up into her nostrils with the vapor.

The waiter kept on arranging the table. A phone rang. It was Finn's. He looked at his lady in action. She slowly stopped devouring on the lobster. "What! Take the phone!"

He smiled. “It is your night! No phones - "

"It could be my mother... She knows I am here. Tell her the food is great!" They exchanged a romantic glance. He removed his phone. He saw, ‘ASCANANCY CALLING'. His eyes almost popped. He was breathing faster. Grace saw it through the busy waiter's arms. Finn peeked at his girlfriend for the last time and left the table. She frowned wondering.

"HEY! WHERE IS THE FOOD? WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!" The starving fat man shouted again. Grace turned. The waiter did not. He couldn't hear anything. He was caught by her cleavage, bright like ripe oranges; and her furless thighs slightly exposed. He pretended to wipe the table. 

*

Finn went up the balcony. He stood close to the balcony rail. He bent on it, and placed his elbows, looking straight down the skyscraper. Checked the phone again. His finger dawdled over the accept call button. Then he picked the call after a short-term pondering. 

"What? -"

"Why are you ignoring me?" A voice said. It was Ascanancy.

"What do you want?"

He looked below, cars crawling like insects from above - silent. Ascanancy sounded contemptuous. He couldn't see the pedestrians. They were tinier for eyes to see. He turned to a window nearby and saw a reflection then footsteps.

Surprised - shocked. Someone came from behind…

Finn fell off the building like a stone.

*

The lobster was ready. Detective Dan pierced it with the fork.

"I won't eat this shit. This is aquatic cruelty."

" Come on! It is your last day! Eat! Eat! Eat! "

Unison, "EAT! EAT! EAT!"

His colleagues roared. An emaciated computer hacker - Bob. The dangerous petite lady - Jane. The fat lazy agent – Larry and the bartender.

It was Dan's last day as a detective. He had had enough. Even after breaking the record for having cracked open more cases than anyone in the whole country's police department, he felt he needed a long break. His partners held a party for him; his last day.

He picked up a piece of the lobster and stared at it.

"You stupid coward! Eat that thing!" Larry screamed. Drunk. Standing on the table. The rest were standing beside the detective, who was still thinking about the lobster. He brought it stealthily close to his mouth. Unwillingly.

A phone rang. He dropped the fork and the lobster - he was waiting for something to make him think otherwise. "Come on! Take the lobster, not the phone!" 

It was his ‘former' boss.

"Talk to me - boss."

"Are you kidding me! Eat it! You are no cop no more!" Larry snatched the phone.

" Then talk to your boss," Dan told him, relaxed.

Larry grunted like an angry bulldog at Dan. Then he checked the phone squatting on the table. His eyes shot out. He got so dismayed that his knee muscle contracted, and he stood upright fast. The bulb over his head burst and it was dim. Nobody barely saw anybody. The bartender ran from the bathroom, holding on to his pair of falling trousers, panting. “What the hell!" He cried.

"Shush……" To the bartender. Then "What's up - boss." Larry on the call, calm. "Okay - boss."

“Work.”

*

Finn's corpse was put in a bag and taken away. It was almost midnight and Dan the detective watched the body being dragged away. Captain Kobi kept looking at Larry, who hid behind the detective.

"Why are you drunk!?" He demanded. Larry didn't even bother answering. He just stood looking at the captain. "You know what, I don't care. Keep going to the strip club. But we have a dead body."

" I am done - " Dan interrupted affirmatively.

"Do I look like am forcing you to do this? You are retiring tomorrow. Read your documents thoroughly before you speak to me like that again."

He walked away," If you don't want to. Let me know in the morning. Now is your best chance to look for answers before the murderer gets away." Larry stood there with the detective, undecided.

"I should have taken the lobster." Dan sighed.

Larry chuckled.

"What do we do? - Boss"

"What we've always done. Call Bob."

*

Dan spent the night looking at the picture. His wife, who died after a peril took her. He remembered how he used to smile. How he loved life when she was waiting for him every night. Her dinner’s scent sweeping through the compound. Ten men broke in, knocked him out, and raped her. The next morning, he woke up in the intensive care unit, with broken bones and ribs. But nothing hurt most like the broken heart after he received the deafening news. He never married again.

Dan heard footsteps outside. He tiptoed to the door and opened it quietly. He peeked and saw a shadow. A woman. He wondered.

"Since when do I get neighbors?"

He stepped out. She stopped with the unlocking, it seemed to bother her.

" Would you care to help?"

He counted his step until her face came to light. She was beautiful. He took the keys and went ahead to try to unlock the door. She kept silent. She looked just like his late wife.

"The locks are a bit old. They haven't been used for decades."

" It's okay. I can live with that. "

" What is a beautiful lady like you doing in a dangerous place like this? "

" This is not my city - I am just visiting." She said, acting seclusive. The door clicked open and she stormed inside. Just before locking herself in, "Thanks."

*

The next morning, Bob sent Dan an address. “She knows something."

*

The detective went to the estate. He found the house and knocked. An old lady opened.

"Hello, Ma’am. I am Detective Dan. I am looking for Ascanancy."

"Is she in trouble?"

"She will be if you won't let me see her."

*

" I called him yesterday. He had been ignoring me. I needed to kno.... to know what he was doing. Maybe tell me where he was." Ascanancy sobbed.

Dan sat taking notes. The house was spacious, and the sun reflected on the wooden floor and on to their faces in the living room.

"What else did Finn say before you lost communication?"

" Nothing! He was just listening. Then I heard him say something like...'take'... "She tried to calm down.

" Was it like, talking to someone?" Dan inquired.

"Yes. But he sounded more surprised than talking."

" Was he talking, or he just called out? "

" Yeah, like... 'TAKE?!' "

" Or was it a name? Like, Kate maybe... "

She started crying again in sorrow. “I don't know. But I am sure he was cheating on me. He didn’t deserve it though."

Dan knew that he had heard enough.

He stepped out and called Bob.

"I need you to tell me why he was there and who he was with." 

*

Detective Dan got another lead from Bob as he was having breakfast at a favorite place.

"You need more pancakes, Danny-boy?" Mrs. Martin asked.

"Maybe later!" He left.

*

Knock! Knock!

Grace opened the door.

"I am Detective Dan. I'm looking for... Grace... " He stumbled. 

" Come in!"

*

"What happened last night?"

"What?"

"Last night?"

"You mean, my last date?”

"Ms. Nancy. Yesterday, you were at Excellent Restaurant with Mr. Finn. Is that true-"

" Yeah. And I had to pay for the two bottles of champagne and a stupid lobster that I hardly finished! Just because that bastard stood me up!"

" Are we talking about Finn here?" Dan asked, trying not to look lost in the turn of events.

" Who are you talking about?"

She was breathing heavily than an injured bull.

" Do you know Finn?"

" Yeah. Unluckily. Is he arrested; because if he is, I am not paying for his release."

" He is dead."

She fell silent, covered her face. And he heard her weep. And Dan felt like they had to start all over again.

*

Larry stared at Dan. They had gone back to Martin's place for an early lunch.

"This is a shitty love story gone wrong." Larry lamented after Dan updated him on the case.

" I think so too. But there is no hard evidence to tie it to that conclusion," Dan said thinking hard. Bob called Dan.

" Talk to me."

Bob had dug up some nastier details. And Dan felt it. His guts told him something was going on.

"A few years ago, Finn had some fun at the carnival. They were arrested for sexual molestation and assault. But I have no more details on the victim. Details are confidential."

" Alert me when you get something."

" You know I always do that. You didn't have to say it on my face." Bob argued.

" The only face I see now is a fat maggot that won't stop staring at me. Now call me as soon as - hello? Bob?" Dan returned the phone in his pocket.

" The turd hanged up on me." To Larry.

" What was the recap?"

" Maybe Finn wasn't such a saint. Come on. Let's go. " Dan rose up.

" I haven't eaten shit! "Larry grunted.

" You are full of it, let's go. And don't piss me off with that crap again. You eat too much!"

" What has that got to do with the case?"

He snatched the hamburgers and ran off.

*

The waiter came. Behind the building. The hotel manager left after answering a few questions.

It was the fearful waiter's turn.

"I swear, I know nothing!"

"Maybe we should arrest this bum," Larry told Dan, looking ill-willed. The waiter felt threatened.

"NO! NO! NO! Okay. There was this woman."

"The girlfriend?" Dan asked.

"No! A younger lady. She came and tipped me to show her where he was.”

"Did you see her?"

"Yeah. She had a scar on her chest. On top of the left tit."

Larry and Dan were disgusted." Why are you sleeping with my wife?! Huh!!!" Larry slapped his brow. The waiter curled in fright.

*

Dan thought of his late wife home. Then about the young lady who was now his neighbor. He thought of how she resembled his late wife. Maybe it meant something. He thought checking up on her. She looked disconnected.

*

He had gotten used to knocking into doors uninvited. He waited. She did not answer, but his phone rang.

"Danny, I'm sending you an address. Be there!" The captain. He stopped knocking and headed for his room first.

*

" His genitals are missing. His chest stabbed three times. It is total animosity! " The captain mumbled.

Dan saw another body being taken away. It was a hotel room.

"Any hopes on solving the other case?"

"Working on it, sir."

" Take over from here. I'm getting tired of them dead bodies." He left.

Detective asked around in vain. There were no security cameras nor a registration form for the entering clients. Nothing.

"Tell your boss to put on some cameras." He told the receptionist." Or you lose your penile pride too."

*

Dan walked past her door. But spotted some blood spots on the floor. He became suspicious and knocked, this time not worried.

He heard her move around.

"Hello!" He listened. Nothing.

"Hello? Are you okay?" 

He felt like knocking the door down, that she opened.

"Hi! What's up with you?"

"There is blood on your doorstep. I thought..."

"I had a nosebleed. Sorry. I will clean it up."

" It is fine. I was just worried."

He looked through her nightdress. She took after his wife, it was unbelievable.

"Do you have a name?" He hoped.

"Ca... Cardi."

"I'm Dan."

"Nice to meet you."

"Are you free tonight? We could grab dinner or see a movie? "

" No - thanks! "

She went back in.

 He swallowed some much bitter saliva. And went. A message came in. he hurried in his room.

*

"Dan, her name is Caterina Jane McGannon."

"The victim years ago?"

" Yeah. And that is not even the best part." Bob continued.

" She went missing! "

" Like... Dead missing?"

" I have nothing to prove the 'dead' part, but my guess is close to that. No one has seen her since the trial."

Dan was startled. He didn't know what to think.

" What about the rest? "

" That is where I was getting to. See, the guy who just got his dick flushed earlier tonight was among the rude boys who raped Caterina. This looks like an act of ugly revenge in motion. "

" Thanks, Bob."

" You are not welcome.”

“Bob? You there?” He thought he hanged up.

" Talk... I'm listening. "

" Who are the other guys that were there at the carnival with the two dead bastards? "

" I was dying to hear you ask. Just one more remaining. The address is already on your phone.”

“Right!”

*

Dan couldn't sleep. He got out. He took out a cigarette smoked it well, and decided to pay someone a visit.

*

Knock! Knock! 

He peeked inside and a man makes a run for it. Dan - alert - knocked down the door in the middle of the night. The glass broke in the process, and the man increased pace through the back door.

The detective, in his mid-fifties, seemed quite fit. He pushed bigger strides than the runner, whose name was Lamar. He made a run for the fence. It was shorter, and he jumped. The detective jumped. Lamar took off into a compound full of chained dogs. The barking and the stampede woke up some of the neighbors.

Lamar must have been a Kalenjin from Kenya from the way he paced up. The detective almost gave up in exhaustion when suddenly through a narrow opening for the aisle. Lamar flew in the air, feet up, suspended for a second. Then he revolved, falling flat on his face. Motionless. Dan slowed pace cautiously. He removed his gun, which he only used in times like this.

Lamar down. The moon is bright. The anonymous helper not on sight. He knew Larry loved to sleep. It couldn’t be Larry.

A shadow stepped out, near Lamar. Dressed in shiny leather.

"Hands in the air! NOW!"

It didn't move. It held a metal rod. The moonlight outlined its curves, and suddenly, in a wild surprise, Dan saw it was a woman.

"Cate. I know it's you. Put the weapon down or I will shoot.”

Dan approached timidly.

"Weapon down, hands up"

She started raising her hands slowly. Dan fell for the trick. He still couldn't see her face and she knew it.

She raised the rod and hit Lamar's head hard unexpectedly.

Dan shot her down. And ran towards her.

*

He checked her wound, and he had shot her above a scar on the left breast. He suddenly felt sympathetic and saw his wife in her eyes.

"Cardi... Catherine... Oh my god! Why? What is happening? You shouldn't die like this! " Tears streamed. His voice shook. She managed a smile. She looked behind him, and her eyes cautiously became wide. Lamar had woken up with the metal rod. And Dan heard the sound of the rod being dragged up. She wanted to scream, she couldn't. He looked back just in time and fired countless times until the gun blasts turned into click sounds. The trigger was crunching in every push.

"He is dead." She said, struggling up, and cuddling him with one hand, the other on her injury. The detective watched him give out the last breath and turned to Cardi.

"Are you going to turn me in?"

The detective took off his shirt and made a bandage out of it. He tied her shoulder. And looked at her again. He realized that this was his second chance to protect, and maybe love again.

"How about that dinner?" He said as they left.