Nikki Love

The Outburst

   “What makes you think he did it when you didn’t even see his face,” asks the officer, Richard.

     Nikki sighed, “I told you. Don Davidson is missing a pinkie and half a thumb JUST LIKE my parent’s killer. I remembered seeing his hand cutting my father’s throat.”

     “You never said anything about this eleven years ago.”

     “I was six! I probably forgot because of how graphic it was,” explained Nikki, “Could you just check him out?” Officer Richard gazes at her, uncertain. “Please,” Nikki pleads, “I need this.” Officer Richard glances away for a second but then begins typing. Nikki grins, glad to have won the argument.

     Twenty minutes later, Officer Richard and Nikki Love stare at the computer screen, shocked at what they had found: the little details that could easily prove Don Davidson’s guilt.

     Officer Richard gathers some other police officers to talk. They finally decide to question Mr. Davidson. They turn to tell Nikki the news but she has disappeared.

                                                               ~

     Back at Davidson’s Records, Don Davidson is at a meeting when his new hit singer bursts in screaming insults. Don Davidson jumps up fast, holds out his hands, all eight and a half fingers, and shouts “Whoa!” and “What is going on?” while glancing at the people seated around the meeting room. Some of them stand up as if to skedaddle but choose not to when Nikki starts accusing Mr. Davidson.

     “You killed my parents,” she yells.

     Don becomes still for a second. “What! How dare you accuse me of such nonsense.” He reaches for the phone to call security.

     “YOU KILLED MY PARENTS,” she snaps, “Grate and Sona Love. You drove into their car and then came out and killed my father.” Nikki starts crying, tears dropping recklessly, but doesn’t stop talking. “You reached into the vehicle, pulled my father out, and slashed his throat while I sat upside down in the backseat and watched him bleed to death, helpless.”

     Don is stone still with one hand holding the phone and the other about to dial. “Why I’d never-,” he denies.

     “You did,” Nikki calmly interrupts, “I saw you; your hand. You were missing a pinkie and half a thumb.” She shuts her eyes as the memory explodes in front of her. Before she gets the chance to open them, Don runs out of the room.

     He makes it to the lobby before he is confronted by Officer Richard and the police force. Thinking he can ditch them, he whips around as if to make a break for the exit but he doesn’t get the chance. Nikki kicks him in the shin and knocks him to the ground in one quick, smooth motion.

     The police force gawks at Nikki. “What,” she says, “When you’ve been to fourteen different foster homes over the past eleven years, you learn some things.” Officer Richard disregards that remark and handcuffs Mr. Davidson.