Crooked

The telephone rang at eleven sixteen P.M. Saturday, October eighth. Kelly, had a habit of gazing at the clock when he heard the phone ring, one of the many bad habits he picked up as a cop. The rain that beat against the kitchen window sounded like bombs dropped from an f-16.

Large bolts of lightning lit the heavens followed by thunderous claps of thunder making him think of his mother who had a habit of turning off all the electrical appliances in the house out of fear that it attracted lightning.

The voice on the other end was frantic, rambling about a dead body in a restaurant.

"Slow down," Kelly demanded as he looked at the unopened pack of Newport's that sat on the living room table with the clock, remote control and lamp. He reached for the remote and turned down the volume on Law and Order until it was almost audible.

Another clap from the heavens rocked the house again. Kelly sat almost upright. He almost pushed the power button out of fear that the light he saw bullied it's way through the living room window and in fact illuminated the T.V.

The constant turning of his stomach, which tormented him, was not caused by the weather outside, but by the constant yearning to smoke. This was much different from the childhood peer pressures, which caused him to start smoking in the first place. This addiction, which he tried to ignore, bought forth the feeling of death.

Trying to compose herself the caller continued. "I need you Mr. Kelly. You see my son was arrested for he could not have committed."

"Wait!" Kelly, interrupted. He watched two figures on the television set, one striking the other over the head with a gun, and dragging his body into the woods. "another -- my son is innocent until it is proven that he was indeed guilty story?"

"I can understand your being judgmental and I certainly can't tell you that my son is an angel," the voice continued. "but I was here when the telephone rang that night; I gave the phone to James myself. Even Miss. Black , his lawyer questioned the the idea that if he left here at two in the morning after he spoke on the phone, it is impossible he could have killed that detective because his got shot a little after midnight."

Kelly listened intently as the voice he recognized to be southern aroused his curiosity. "You mentioned Miss Black," he said as switched the phone to his left ear, freeing his right hand to pick up the pack of cigarettes. The sudden crack from the heavens above scared the day lights out of Kelly, causing the cigarettes to slip from his hands and fall on the floor. He picked them up and placed the;m back in the exact same spot. "were you referring to the lawyer, Miss Julie Black?"

"Yes she is handling my son's case and she said if anyone can find out what happened, you can.

"I'm sorry Mrs. James mother," the urge to rip open the pack of cigarettes and smoke until the shakes were gone gripped him. He stood up and went into the kitchen as another bolt of lightning lit the house. He put some ice into a glass, poured some water and returned to the couch. the phone was dead long before he realized he was talking to himself. He put the phone down and once again looked at the unopened box of cigarettes.

Tormenting himself through an unopened box of cigarettes made him intolerable. He knew this from the altercation with a police officer named Allen over a smart remark Allen made about Kelly not being a real cop and broke his nose a couple of days ago. He felt it best to stay away from people until he felt better. It was not long before the T.V. was watching him.

He woke with his fingers to his mouth, as if holding a cigarette. He mimicked blowing smoke rings before he realized the phone was ringing. He looked at the clock; it was 12:35 in the morning. The pack of cigarettes, which sat on his chest, fell to the floor when he reached to answer the phone.

I t was Julie, and he could always tell when she was upset because she would always begin her conversation with, 'Hello Mister!" then afterwards, she never gave him a word in edgewise. "Mrs. Turner called you earlier and you turned her down Kelly? Why?" Without a breath or even wanting an answer, she went on. "That boy could not have possibly killed that detective." she paused. Once again he knew to say nothing. "Just answer one question for me."

"Sure, if you give..."

"I clearly remember the day that you said you don't ever want anyone to go through what you did." Once again the phone went dead.