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June 2007 Summer Heat NO
SWEAT "Ok, Miss Watson, let's go over the basics again," Detective Miller said. "You parked your car at the end of the mall parking lot because….?" "Like I told you. It's a new car. I didn't want people banging their doors into the side of it." "And as you start walking towards the mall entrance, you hear someone behind you?" "Yes." "So you try to outrun him." "Correct." "He chased you all the way up to the sidewalk that's around the mall?" "That's what I told you." "At that point, you stop and turn around. You see he has a knife in his hand. You take a pistol from your purse and shoot him." Genna Watson hung her head. A single tear ran down her cheek. "I had no choice! It was him or me!" She started to cry openly. "Ok, just sit tight for a moment. We'll be right back." Detectives Steve Miller and Danny James left the interrogation room. They were met just outside the door by Jane Albers. "The permit to carry the concealed weapon is legal," she told them. "Seems she got it right after she went through a rape situation about a month ago." "She was raped a month ago?" James asked. "Looks like it. Guy hasn’t been caught." "So somebody at city hall, in their infinite wisdom, feels it's fine to arm a traumatized woman with a handgun?" Miller said. "Looks like it," Jane said. Miller and James went back to their desks. James opened the file on the case and took out a picture of the victim. "Look at this guy. She claims he chased her almost three blocks. He's wearing a cotton olive drab t-shirt, and there's no sweat stains. Last night, it was eighty-seven degrees with humidity close to ninety. He ran that far and didn’t sweat?" "So what the hell did happen?" Miller asked. Detective Mark Jones walked up to their desks. "I did some checking on the vic." He glanced down at the picture on the desk. "See the knife? It's laying by his right hand. He was left handed." "What kind of crap is this gal feeding us?" Miller said. "Only thing I know is her story has holes big enough in it to drive a Hummer through." "Let's go talk to her some more," Miller said. Genna Watson was pacing the room when they entered. "Have a seat, Miss Watson," James said. "We have a few more questions." Miller put the picture of the victim on the table in front of her. "We have a few problems with your story." "Oh?" "You say this man ran after you for the length of the parking lot. He wasn't even sweating. Any idea why?" She looked at her fingernails and squirmed in her seat. "No." "And the knife you say he pulled is by his right hand. He was left handed." Genna took a deep breath. "I was raped last month. When I came out of the mall last night, I saw this guy and realized he was the one. I carry a gun and a hunting knife now, for defense. "I shot him, then panicked. I put the knife by him so it would look like he was chasing me." "You can't go around shooting people, regardless of what you think they’ve done," Miller said. She scowled. "Yeah? You weren't raped!" Genna was read her rights and handcuffed to be taken down to booking. As they led her through the squad room, another man was being escorted in by a couple of officers. "Wait!" She tried to tug free. "Stop. That's him! That's the guy who raped me!" Miller was confused. "You just said you shot the man who raped you." "I never shot anyone!" she screamed. "That's him! You've got to arrest him!" THE END Gary R. Hoffman taught English and Speech/Drama for 22 years in Missouri and California. He quit teaching over 20years ago to go into business for himself. He now lives in a motor home and says, “Home is where you park it!” He now travels the North American Continent, with Sandy and their cat, Callie, and attempts to stay in moderate climates. He has many short stories published in anthologies, ezines, and magazines. He has also won many awards for his short stories. Gary can be reached at grhotra@yahoo.com. |