“Just a minute,” I called to the door as I crawled out of the bed, and pulled on a ragged T-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts.
When I swung the door open, a young local officer looked me up and down, and grunted his disapproval. "I'm Officer Bryson of The Monroe County Sheriff's Department ... kind of late to be waking up, isn't it?" he asked gruffly.
"I-I work all night," I stuttered.
"Yeah?" the young man noted. "Where were you last night?"
"Work. I told you. I work all night."
"I asked you where?"
"In the lounge. I'm the bouncer."
"Yeah?" There was an impatience in his voice. "Did you have some trouble then with one of your customers last night?"
"No, no trouble at all. It was very quiet."
"Didn't get into a fight with a trucker?"
"No."
"Know a guy," he began as he looked down at a notepad, "name of Tom Tunney?"
"I know him as a regular. Don't know him any other way."
"Did he cause you any trouble last night?"
"No, barely remember him being around much."
"So, he left early? With a girl, maybe?"
"I don't know."
"Sure you do, buddy. You know everything. Now, get outta my way. I need to search your room."
"Don't you need a warrant or something?"
"You've been watching too much television. Get out of the way."
He pushed by me and entered the room. He surveyed the unmade bed, and tossed the mattress. Then he lifted the bed with one hand and checked under the box spring. Seemingly satisfied, he then went to the bathroom door. It was locked.
"Somebody in there?" he asked as he turned to face me.
I looked at him carefully. I was trying to judge just how unpredictable Officer Bryson might be.
"Shouldn't be," I replied.
"Why's it locked then?"
"Happens sometimes. Sometimes, I forget to turn the lock to off."
"You're lying to me. Who's in there?"
To punctuate his point, he slipped his hand over the revolver holstered on his hip. Then he stepped back, and kicked the door open.
"Hey," I shouted, "you didn't have to do that," but in the next instant he was inside the bathroom, his gun now drawn.
After a brief but tense moment, he returned to the main room.
"Something stinks," he said.
"It might have been the lasagna," I offered.
"No," he deadpanned. "Something stinks about you, buddy. Something just ain't right."
I stood there in disbelief. Lucy, naked as a newborn, had obviously let herself out the bathroom window.
Katie Melua ♫ Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
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