Detective Red

Chapter 2

Kids playing hopscotch on the side of the road filled my ears with annoyance. Hardworking moms strolling their baby while aggressively 'talking' to their partner. Elders played chess in front of the barbershop, chugging bears until their mind's content and their heart's end. My eyes couldn't have felt worse.

The glass buildings towered over me as drove towards Darton Bridge. Many people only crossed the bridge to reach places of vacation or travel; such as hotels and airplanes. The red borders enclosed on me as my tires scraped against the rubble floor. I passed over the clear blue ocean, sheltered by the grey and white birds flying above me. I barely managed to get past traffic before going off-road to the coast side. I've seen trees, but only at my house, so seeing these wooden giants actually allowed me to widen my eyes a bit. Who knew someone could lose a cat beyond the city. It didn't seem right; especially since they asked just for me. It wasn't my birthday, I'm not retiring and I sure don't have a wife, so they couldn't be celebrating anything. That's when I came across a cabin surrounded by an empty patch of mud and potatoes pots. Some where cracked -which spilled lots of soil- some looked like they just sprouted, yet, they were all rotting away.

I pulled over to the cubed house, locking my car after forgetting my phone inside.
"I need a break from this absolute nonsense." I muttered underneath my breath.
I put my notepad in my right pocket before knocking 'we are family' on the door. I quickly adjusted my coat before speaking again, " Police, I'm here for the missing cat!" I shouted.
No reply. I knocked one more.
"Hello? Anyone home?" I checked the windows on the side.

The blinds were down. Cobblestone pattern circled the building. 3.7 metres high and 6.2 across. The roof was pyramid shaped ( Slated as well ). There was crack on one of the windows. Wasn't a particular shape but roughly the size as one of the pebbles in the pots. The blinds weren't affected, in fact they looked quite new. If I had to take an assumption, 3 months old and not cleaned. The rain gutters didn't carry mould at all, meaning they had to be recently cleaned. The house was a cabin made out of mahogany wood aligned straight, holding tiny yet multiple cracks on each log. There weren't many cabins anymore considering its spring and people are mainly focused on the regular houses. Must be an unpopular estate. If I had to make one last assumption: King's Cabins.

I tried shaking the handle. To my surprise, it opened.
Lights flickered at the end of the hallway. I stepped inside with my hand hovering above my gun.
"Surprise, Mr Red..." A man walked from the other side.
"Put your hands in the air!" I pulled out my gun, sweating carelessly. "What kind of scam is this? You ask for specific Detective and lure them into your humble abode?" I mocked him.
"Is that how you think the warden of the most secure prison is?" He stepped into sunlight.
"I don't believe you. Show me your badge and open your jacket to show for guns." I stepped closer.
The man was 5,9, around his early 50s, southern American accent and a black fedora covering a bald head. I sort of believed him, but I wasn't willing to let my guard down. He slowly reached into his pockets, grabbing his badge whilst kneeling down. He dropped his badge and kicked across the waxed wooden floorboards. He stood up again, but this time he opened his jacket to reveal one 44 magnum and another Taurus 605.
"Old school. I see." I was quite impressed by weapons of choice.
"Darius Vanen. Warden of..." I stopped in my tracks.
"Imperial state prison." Darius Smiled.
The most dangerous prison in all of the United States of America. Heavily armed men guarding the prison at all times, the most destructive criminals in the world and separated from the outside world of pitiful human beings; not worse than the criminals at least. I put my gun down, walking over to the warden with a sorry face.
"How about we head back to the station? Your captain, you and I need to have a little chat..."

(These chapters will progressively get longer.)