The Mystery Danger Serials: A Kiss Goodbye

A Blur

It was all a blur...

     I could see the lifeless, slumping body on the floor. I heard yelling around me. It was like the world was wading through a thick fog. Everything moved in slow motion.

     "What have you done?" I think I was asking myself the question more than I was asking her. What had I done? I hadn't stopped her. I hadn't beaten him. I hadn't protected anyone from anything...

     She had found a course of action. She had the means to carry out swift justice, and within an instant of having such power, she had acted. 

     While I stood watching...

     Before me, a swirling red cloud began to dance around my feet. It took me a moment to realize that I was standing in a pool of blood. 

     "Detective...Detective," she was calling through the fog, "what will it be?"

     The question pulled me back to reality. There stood Rose Jones, revolver in hand, waiting for my response.

     "What? Rose what did you..." I began breathlessly.

     She cut me off.

     "It's done. Now what will it be detective? Are you ready to bring real justice to the city, or do you prefer to just play the cop?"

     The men who had been on their knees seemed to have already made the choice. Some were loading the money and guns into one truck, while others were stacking the drugs and booze in the middle of the warehouse. Two more men were carefully placing bundles of TNT around the floor. 

     "Choose detective. Join us, and make a true difference. Or stick to the script, and go out with a bang." she smiled.

     "Rose, you just murdered that man! I'm an officer of the law. I can't look the other way, and I sure as heck can't join you!" 

     "That is a real shame detective. I really like you." 

     Then she motioned, and two big men grabbed me from behind. They carried me to the middle of the room and tied me to a chair. 

     The TNT men placed five sticks right under the chair.

     "Real sorry mister. But the lady's calling the shots now." one man said. 

     After all the guns and money had been loaded into the truck, Rose walked over to me. She stood directly in front of the chair. "Please, detective, change your mind. It doesn't have to be this way."

     "You made it this way when you pulled that trigger. Now, kill me or don't. Either way, you're gonna end up in a world of trouble."

     With that, she leaded in with those firecracker lips, and kissed me. "Then, goodbye detective. I really am sorry."

     As the big truck rumbled out of the warehouse, the two TNT men shuffled along behind, unrolling a long, thin fuse. In the distance, at the warehouse door, one man squatted down, and struck a match. 

     As the fuse began to creep slowly to it's final destination under my chair, I tried to look for some way out. But there was nothing.

It was all a blur.