Sad Valentine's Day
By Diana Weeks
Dr. Richard Howard was into his second whiskey sour, when a friend passed the bar and gave him a strong friendly pat…that almost knocked him off his bar stool. “Sorry Dr. Dick” whispers the tall slender City Police Detective…
”What’s your beef tonight Chuck? Surely there’s been no malice on Valentines Day.” Dick mutters.
Chuck turns to the man sitting next to Dick “Mister, you’re sitting in my place.” as he helps him down.
Dick tells the customer. “Ralph, make an appointment with your family physician…I’m a pathologist”. Ralph strolls back to his booth to wait for the cop to scram so he can find out more from Dr. Howard later. ..about his sore throat.
Chuck raises a finger at the bartender…and tells his pal Dick “Everybody wants something for free.”
“But not you. Never you” Dick sips his glass. “Want to buy me a drink?”
Chuck signals the bar keep and points to himself and Dick, who covers the top of his almost empty glass with his flat palm. “No thanks Chuck. I can guess why you are here…it’s your old girlfriend Darlene.”
“You went with her too when we were in college…remember what a nice girl she was.
“Of course, she got my cherry. I was sorry when I heard her body was found in the park this morning.”
“Yeah, the new young Medical Examiner… who replaced you ruled accidental overdose... Darlene loved life. She never did drugs. I think her husband poisoned her. “After you quit, our Commissioners Court cut out budget money for autopsies.
“Oh, I see. You want me to do a free autopsy?”
“Not free …for the good of justice. No ones over there. I’ll go with you and my partner will look out for us. You don’t have to cut her up just test the contents of her stomach.
An hour later the two men are back in the bar. The doctor sits in his place at the bar. “You were right Chuck, but how are you going to explain it?”
“I’m going to show the M.E. and give him credit…and tell our ole’ classmate Chris, their life insurance agent…to drag his feet paying off the husband…until I can find where he bought it…Her killer’s going down, I promise.”
THE END
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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