Ыоуве Been Warned   ::   Patterson James

In fact, given different circumstances, I’d be reaching for my camera to shoot it. Not now, though.

I’ve taken enough scary pictures for a while.

As I walk inside, two young policemen are walking out, deep in conversation. One glances my way, giving me a quick nod and a smile. I’m about to ask him if Delmonico is here, when from the corner of my eye I see what looks like the front desk.

Behind it sits another officer, a hard-nosed type, much older, bulky, red faced, Irish as Paddy’s pig. He’s typing something into a computer as I approach him.

“Help you?” he says without so much as looking up from the monitor. So far he’d never be able to pick me out of a lineup.

“Yes,” I answer. “I’m here to see Detective Frank Delmonico.”

His stubby fingers practically freeze on the keyboard. Slowly, he turns to me, his eyes collapsing into a squint. “Excuse me?”

What’s that supposed to mean? “Is Detective Delmonico here or isn’t he?”

He shakes his head. “No, he’s not here.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“Matter of fact, I do. He’s dead. That’s where he is.”

I take a wobbly step back. “What? I just saw him. He came to my apartment.”

The officer leans forward in his chair.

“When was this?”

“A few days ago.”

“I think you’re mistaken, Miss – I don’t think I caught the name?”

“No, I’m sure of it. He was at my apartment.”

He nods, stifles a chuckle. “Oh, yeah?”

How can he be so cavalier about this? “I’m telling you the truth. Actually, I talked to him several times in the past week. He’s very thin. Older?”

The officer leans forward even farther, stone-faced. “Now, let me tellyou the truth,” he says slowly. “Delmonico has been dead for over three years.”

I stand there in stunned silence as the precinct lobby begins to whirl around me. I can feel the blood draining from my head. My knees are starting to go.

“Hey, you okay?”

No, I’m not. I’m absolutely, positively not okay. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same guy?” I ask. “Detective Frank Delmonico? Homicide?”

“Yep. Frank Delmonico.” He mutters something else under his breath.

“What? I didn’t hear that last part.”

“It was nothing.”

“It was obviously something. What was it?”

He glares at me. Who does this chick think she is?

But I don’t back down. I actually raise my voice. “I want to know what you said!”

The cop shrugs.