'BREAKDOWN!'

CHAPTER V

"Daniel, c'mon man, say something!"
"I think..my left leg, *uhhhnn*, is broken.
I look down at it, the calf and foot twisted around and down. It looks terrible, but I try and be reassuring to him.
"Yeah, but too bad." I dial 911, and while talking with the operator, I glance up towards the attic window Daniel fell out of, and I see a shadowy figure!
"Daniel, did someone throw you out of the window?"
"That's what I was about to say, someone is living in your attic! And I will bet you my '69 cherry Dodge Charger, they're behind everything going on with you lately!"
I turned back around, but the figure is gone from the window. Few minutes later and the ambulance backs up.
"Hey, I get a little vacay, and maybe see some pretty nurse's, eh?"
They load him up and head to St. John's hospital. I amble up the ramp, and go to my gun cabinet, reach in and pull out the big boy, my .41 magnum. I text Joan again about what I'm fixing to do, and she says to be careful. I slowly go upstairs, then down to near the end of the hall, reach up and pull the cord, dropping the little ladder down. I stick my gun into my belt, and begin climbing...oh!, forgot how weak I still am from that snake venom! Finally, I'm up enough my head clears the opening, and I slowly look all around. I stumble trying to clear my feet, and find myself staring at... a sleeping bag? Daniel was right, someone has been living in the attic! There's a small trash can filled with various things he's eaten up here, for I don't know how long!
"Mr. Wylde, you up here?"
"Jeez! You scared me...where have you been, Ms. Fisher?"
"I left you a note on the island counter. I had to go and pick my son up from school, he got sick. He's at my sister's house. Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not. Someone shoved my friend Daniel out that window, and he broke his leg in the fall, and now I find out someone has been living in my attic!"
"Oh my God! Well, you're not well enough to go traipsing around up here, so come on down and I'll fix you something to eat and get your medicines."
After eating, I go in to watch TV for awhile, and doze off. A hand on my shoulder startles me, and I pull my hand gun and point it right in... Joan's face?!
"Jesus! Give me that damned thing before you blow my head off! Why have you gotten this monster out?"
"I'm sorry honey! Guess I thought you were the one living in the attic. I'm glad you are home!"
"Okay, I'm going up and look around. You stay right here."
I wait, and text Daniel. Turns out he's flirting with every nurse that comes in his room. I tell him how sorry I am he got hurt. He says don't worry he'd send me the hospital bill, and I laugh a little.
"Yeah, and Twytch, come on soon as you both can. Alright then. Yeah, someone has definitely been living in our attic. My question is, how long? And why?"
"That's two questions."
"Oh don't be a smartass. Have a eaten anything lately?"
"Yeah, Ms. Fisher fixed me some terrific shrimp and pineapple rice, there's some in the microwave."
About an hour later and Detective's Twytch (large man, thick mustache, rumpled clothes) and his partner Owens (short brunette, stacked, always dressed in black) arrive, and go up to the attic. I'm trying to wrap my head around all this, and can't figure out why anyone would do all this. I haven't hurt anyone, that I can think of, in my nearly fifty years on earth. Few hours later and Twytch and Owens leave, with several bags of evidence.
"Okay baby, let's go to bed. I want to get to forensics first thing tomorrow morning."
Can't sleep. I keep thinking about Daniel being thrown out of the window... he could've been killed! And the person that's been living up there, what is he going to do when he returns and finds all his stuff gone? He might kill Joan! I get up and go to the kitchen for a glass of water. As I gulp the cool water, I get a whiff of smoke, like something burning. I check the stove, oven... nothing. It's coming from the outside. I go out into the back porch, and then I see it. The old barn, it's on fire! I rush back in, and yell out "Joan! Call the fire department! The barns on fire!"
Several hours later, as dawn breaks, we stand in the cold looking at the charred remains of a once beautiful barn. All the stuff we had stored in it, gone, forever. The fire chief comes up to us and says "Definitely arson. Your insurance company will probably send an investigator. Tell him to call me, ok? Here's my card."
"Thank you for everything you and your sqaud did."
Ms. Fisher comes in and asks if we're okay, then starts her work day.
"Bye baby, I'll see you tonight."
"Be careful Joan. This guy's become a nightmare."
"I will, but you be extra careful, okay baby?"
I nod in approval. I go to my office and try to work. Four and a half hours later Ms. Fisher brings me a roast beef sandwich and chips. I decide to see how Daniel is but he doesn't answer my text. That night after Ms. Fisher has left, I get my .41 magnum out, just in case. Near midnight and my phone rings.
"Hello? Yes I'm Joan Wylde's husband. What!? She's been in a car accident!? Where is she...United Mercy, thanks!"
Oh dear God, help my wife please! I call for a Uber driver and wait.