The Sins of the Father

The Author of Confusion

Having returned to the precinct I made the necessary call to "Candy". She agreed to meet me down at the station, though it took some persuasion of possible charging her with obstruction of justice or being sent to jail for a while.

This of course was just bait thrown to get to the bigger cheese of the case. A woman like Candy, didn't last this long swimming with a pool of sharks without learning the first rule of survival. Protecting numero uno. Once off the phone, my wayward thoughts began to take flight.

To anyone looking past the slits through the blinds, I seemed consumed with work. One hand on the mouse the other under my chin. Seated behind my desk,eyes squinting at the computer screen. Lines drawn on my forehead, in what appeared as me being in deep concentration. Only, I've been in this position for an hour now.

My mind was a ball of mass confusion. Darting from one thought to the other. From one happening to the next, be it past or present.

Coming home last night from talking to Morgan, had somehow, affected my patterned sleep. I wanted to return, as he put it. Not exactly, for the reasons he would suspect. I even sat in my chaise in front of the father clock, waiting. Debating my decision. Warring with my inner self. Watching each second tick by. The ticking became in sync with a distant heartbeat. Unable to recognize it as my own, until the pounding found another outlet.My ears. Nervous sweat began to reveal itself as a mist covering my body. Then the hour struck.

With each consecutive chime, my hand tightened on an invisible neck. I was tempted. Too tempted to "return" to him. Just to put a bullet through his head. That sobering revelation is what kept my body seated at the brown, peeling, pleather seat. The thoughts carried me through a sleepless night, creating a zoned out zombie at work.

The temptation played in my mind like a repeated song for the majority of the time. Seated behind this desk, allowed free reign of fantasy.

Me meeting him. Seducing him. Torturing him as he excreted fear into the atmosphere. Tasting the trepidation in the air, basking in it, as his eyes met the end of my glock 22. Rubbing the trigger as if I were trying to Jack it off in foreplay. Finally, giving the release it craved by pulling the-

"Detective Mahogany."

The voice naively intruded, breaking the spell of the beautiful finale of my vision.

"A Ms. Jones has arrived and is now marinading in the interrogation room."

So engrossed in my fantasy, I didn't hear the door open or see who spoke once the brown crack widened. It had to be Billy, his prepubescent voice couldn't be duplicated by anyone in the precinct. Though it was mimicked in jokes.

"Thanks Billy, let me just collect some of the notes and charges." I instantly reigned in my laughter. The only thing needed collecting was my mind. "I will be right behind you." The rusted harsh grind of the steel drawer opens as I search for the needed manila file on Candy . Purposefully, I ignored the one needed and labelled "Vanishing Sleeping beauty Case- Candy". Which is already seated comfortable in the upper right hand corner of my desk.

I was stalling, to try and compose what little sanity resided in my head.

Getting up took an effort on my part. I wanted to let my mind run free a little longer but the case had needs and I had a job to do. My hand touched the cold metal of the doorknob. I could have shot him last night and got away with it. But then what?

As if on autopilot, I found my body, out of repetition, make its way down the corridors. Passing my counterparts in various positions of work.

"I would like to press charges on my husband." Was a brief conversation my ears picked up. The noises were utter chaos here. Doors opening and shutting. Papers being shuffled..Filing cabinets rolling on their hinges from being pulled out. Hearty laughter. Telephones ringing. Keyboards being tapped. Printing of important paperwork .Even an occasional handcuffed criminal.

Finally, stillness, as I swept passed room number four. Making sure to put up the sign "interrogation in progress" before entering. Seated upon her throne is the delicious looking Candy.