Page 45 of Two for Joy

The murder had taken place the day before, but the police hadn’t corrected the news report, they were letting it run as if it was suicide, and not murder.

“Hey, Will…”

“What is it, I’m busy.”

“Take your hand out of your boxers and talk to me.”

Will huffed, then knocked the bars of his cell. Romeo sat down by his, gaze fixed on the TV.

“Can you think of any reported deaths last month?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“I mean, any that were unusual on the news.”

“People die all the time.”

“Try and remember.”

“There was some stabbing by the Oasis.”

“No, I don’t mean nightclub violence.”

“Those two gangs came to blows in Jefferson’s park.”

“No—like murder, murder.”

“Can’t think of any…”

Romeo sighed.

“But there was that accidental death though … poor guy.”

Romeo rubbed his temples. He couldn’t remember an accidental death, but then again, he wouldn’t have taken notice.

“Remind me.”

“He’d been dead days, no neighbors or anything, it was the postman that noticed he wasn’t picking up the mail from his box and called the police. They broke in and found him.”

“How did he die?”

“He drilled a hole in the wall, hit a wire, and the fuse needed replacing. He electrocuted himself in his bedroom. Then they went on about getting everyone to check their fuses. You know I did it once, knocked the electricity out in my house, didn’t die though.”

“I think there’s two police officers and their families that wished you had.”

“They had it coming to them, always stopping me for speeding, wasting my time. It was harassment.”

Romeo got up from the bars. He didn’t want to listen to Will’s rant about the day he stabbed two police officers and how it was justified. He’d already heard the story at least fifty times.

“You don’t remember his name by any chance.”

“Yeah, Sergeant Cli—”

“No, I meant the guy that electrocuted himself.”

“Nope, sorry.”

“Never mind, can’t all be perfect like me.”

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