I was awake but I was having trouble opening my eyes. I could force one of them open and make out a blurry mix of grays and blues but the light coming through was too much for my splitting headache. It was like fighting my way out of a pit full of pillows, I just couldn’t seem to get anywhere.
Finally, sheer will-power won out and I forced one of my eyes, the left one because it didn’t hurt as much, open with my fingers. The world was still blurry around me but it was starting to clear up, and my left eye stayed open.
I was definitely in a jail cell. It was a cell at my old precinct, I’d seen this cell before. Always from the other side of the bars, but I knew it well. Other than me, the cell was empty.
Dodgely: (slurred) "Hello?"
I was hoping for a guard, a janitor, anything.
Dodgely: "Hello?"
[SFX: Kathunk sound]
Someone peeped through the spy window.
Dodgely: "I’m awake."
[SFX: Kathunk sound]
I passed out again, satisfied that they knew I was back among the world of the living. I couldn’t have been asleep very long, because my head was still full of boulders, when the door opened.
[SFX: Cell door opening.]
Dodgely: "Hey, Freddie."
Freddie: "Don’t, ‘Hey, Freddie’ me, Dodgely, you’re in hot water here, kid."
Dodgely: "What happened?"
His jaw dropped comically.
Freddie: "’What happened?’ ‘What happened?’ he says. Are you kidding me, Dodgely. You only just pulled the stupidest stunt of your entire life. Do you really not remember?"
I thought about it. I remembered going to Trent’s house. I remembered the long drive way and the enormous guards, but everything else was still a little hazy.
Freddie: "Let me refresh you. You entered Marcus Trent’s home by impersonating a police officer, accused him of murdering his wife, and assaulted one of his body guards."
It was coming back now.
Freddie: "He had you arrested for trespassing and brought here. He wants us to press charges for impersonating an officer of the law."
Dodgely: "Wait, wait, wait. He said I assaulted one of his body guards?"
Freddie: "Dodgely, that’s the least of your worries right now."
Dodgely: "Did you see those guys? They’re like mountains."
Freddie: "Listen to me, Dodgely. What the hell were you thinking?"
Dodgely: "I wasn’t thinking about assaulting one of those goliaths…"
Freddie: "Why did you go over there, Dodgely."
I had to tell him. I should have told him straight away, maybe he would be able to help.
Dodgely: "He killed her, Freddie."
Freddie: "Who?"
Dodgely: "The wife."
Freddie: "No, he didn’t."
Dodgely: "Yes, he did."
Freddie: "Okay, Dodgely, what makes you so sure."
Dodgely: "I saw her."
Freddie: "Kathina?"
Dodgely: "Yeah."
Freddie: "Where?"
Dodgely: "Yesterday, at my office. She came in wanting to hire me."
Freddie: "She wanted to hire you?"
Dodgely: "Yeah."
Freddie: "Why?"
Dodgely: "She said her husband was trying to kill her."
Freddie: "Why didn’t you tell me that?"
Dodgely: "I wanted to catch the guy, not get hauled in for twenty questions. Isn’t there an investigation? He’s got a huge insurance policy."
Freddie: "No, Dodgely, there is no investigation because there’s no body. She’s an adult and missing. That doesn’t warrant an investigation."
Freddie stared at me hard for a minute. He wasn’t happy. He looked like he was about to snatch up his gun and pistol whip me.
Freddie: "Did she pay you?"
Dodgely: "No, I turned her down."
Freddie: "So, you don’t have a check from her?"
Dodgely: "No."
Freddie: "Any evidence at all?."
Dodgely: "No."
Freddie: "Then it never happened. I’m letting you out of here to go get some rest, and because there’s no reason for me to continue holding you. I’m going to seriously consider bringing you up on charges, and I want to give you a clear warning, Mr. Dodgely. If I find out that you’re sniffing around this case. If I find out you’re anywhere near this case, I’m hauling you in. I’ll hold you until your trial, and then I’ll send you up the river. I’m not kidding around here, Dodgely."
He turned on his heel and marched out of the cell.
[SFX: Door slams]
I understood. We’d been friends for years, but his career and his livelihood had to come before our friendship. And if his higher ups found out that he was taking it easy on a private dick because he was friends with him, they’d cut him in a heart beat. He didn’t want to send me to jail, but he would to protect his own job.
I didn’t want to cause Freddie anymore trouble, and I really didn’t want to go to jail; but I couldn’t let this go. This guy, this scum bag, Trent, had murdered his wife for some quick cash.
[SFX: Cell Door Opening]
Guard: "Let’s go, Dodgely."
[SFX: Foot steps]
And he was damn well going to get his reward.
Continue Scene 5
