It was a midsummer afternoon, the sun let out a sigh of foreboding as it disappeared into the darkness that had engulfed the city of New York. I sat down on my chair in the office, not expecting many clients as no one really wanted an ex-detective becoming their private eyes.
But here I was, typing away on my typewriter some baloney I did not understand fully. Maybe all this could make an idiot’s guide to life. Life was not always like this. But as I grew out of each fantasy I enrolled myself in, I was getting fairly good at not batting an eye.
She came in just like all the other women. Unannounced and quite feisty. Those eyes spoke to me and diluted whatever she was saying.
She said,
“Good evening, sir. My name is Emma Dylan.”
“Good evening, Miss Emma, what can I do for you?”
“ I think you know why I am here Mr. Arthur. You once arrested my fiancé Jonathan Anthony, popularly known as Jimmy Ace from the rock band Genesis”
“He was arrested for the murder of his own fan Cindy Hawkes. This was two years ago. I am not working for the New York Police department anymore”
“Precisely why I came to you with this. He would never do this. We were engaged one week before this happened”
“Well, people change. Just like times do”
“What if you are wrong. What if he is innocent? If he is guilty, I want to know why he did it.”
Listen, Miss Emma…
The big wad of cash could buy any broken-down detective. But I was amazed at the loyalty of this woman. She was the sister of a famous politician Edward ‘Eddie’ Dylan. That man ran sleazy campaigns and shady deals with the mafia for political leverage. It was pleasing to meet a sister of his who had chosen the other side of the moral scale.
I took the cash as I was dealing with a disturbed and broken man here. I still remembered the day our department took him in. He was a tall and handsome kid with an amazing voice. Proper rockstar material. Everyone loved him as he also donated to various charities and did a lot of gospel work. The sincerity in that was enough to make anyone understand it was not a PR stunt.
These thoughts rushed to me like a diary that was gathering up dust. As I made my way through the Attica Correctional Facility, many big names ranging from serial killers, mob bosses, and hitmen started to race in my mind. It was the inferno of the Earth. Seeing the jail made me rethink my fate of Jimmy. I remembered him playing his hit single ‘Beautiful World’ when I first met him.
Was it right to send him here? We were sure of what he did but didn’t he too deserve something a little less horrible. Well, the case blew a hole wide open, and I guess fame gets you the best facilities. And that includes jails as well.
I sat down and waited for Jimmy. The door clanked open, and I managed to take a good look at the man. He looked barely recognizable. After a few seconds, he started to talk.
“How are you, Inspector?”
“I am good. How are you”
“Like I don’t deserve sympathy after all you and your department put me through.”
“Look I am here to talk with you Jimmy, and I know you were caught under unfavorable circumstances.”
“I hate this place. You ruined me . You and your phonies.”
“Jimmy, listen…”
“What’s the matter? Is there a conscience somewhere that tells you I was right?”
“Is that why you’re making up with me now.”
“You’re an animal. You deserve to rot in here”
“Have you seen what is out there? Day by day more men in chains while the ones who deserve it walk scot-free. When the people who loved you so much look at you and sneer. That is when you truly have given up all the mercy.”
“Well Jimmy after what you did to Cindy Hawkes, I don’t think anything we do to you is enough.”
“This city does not deserve Jimmy Ace. It deserves this animal, that is created out of its own messed up moral code of justice”
“Is that what you told your fan when you assaulted her!”
“What did the forensics say, Arthur? Did I molest her? No, I just cut her up. Drained her blood.”
“You got any reason why?”
“I see that you like getting straight to the point. Pretty sad for a detective who must manipulate and bring out the truth
“No, I think you are manipulated enough. You know what I think. I think someone’s using you as a pawn.”
“What I did was payment. Do you read the Bible?”
“Yes, I do. What about it”
“When you are so full of sin, and you seek the Lord. Don’t you feel the urge to give something back to him? For saving you?”
“It depends on the Lord. Did your lord ask you for anything?”
“He only asked us one more sinner to purify. Cindy fit the bill. She needed cleansing.”
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