Columbo Meets the Saints and the Sinners

Chapter 9

After Columbo left, Joey got a phone call, his phone was on the wall, in the kitchen.
He got up and answered it, "What? Oh, sorry, Mrs. O'Neal, I'm just going through something hard, right now."
"Listen, I know what you're going through. Mary was a wonderful girl, I'm sure she meant a lot to you."
"Yeah, she was something, but that's not the point, remember when we dated?"
"Oh, I try to forget, you were so mean to me."
"I know, I know and I'm sorry, but lieutenant Columbo came by and told me you told him about that past event, that had happened. You know, about how I almost choked you to death."
"So? What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, I just think you're accusing me of murdering Mary."
"I may have said a few things to the lieutenant."
"Why you-"
"What? There's nothing you can do about it and if you try to murder me again, I'll see to it that my husband and the lieutenant are there to protect me." She hung up.
Joey groaned and hung up the phone.

At Mrs. O'Neal's home, just a few seconds after the call, she picked up the magazine, from the table, and started to read it, on the couch. As she did her husband walked in.
"What was that all about?" He said
"It was Joey." she said, upset
"Oh, honey, Jessi, he didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No, not really, he's just- oh, Donny."
She put her head down, on the arm of the couch, covering her face with the magazine, and started to cry.
Don walks up to her and wraps his arms around her, "Oh, my love, what's wrong?"
She lowered her magazine, "He scares me, Donny, he scares me."
"Oh, Jessi."
"I don't want him to hurt me, again, please, don't let him hurt me."
"Don't worry, you'll be alright, I'll make sure of it."
"Will you protect me, Donny?"
"Yes, of course, darling."
"Oh, Donny." She hugs him.

It was at the evening, at Joey's home and Columbo was outside, smoking his cigar, he walked up to the door and knocked.
The door opened and Joey was surprised to see him, "Lieutenant?"
"Hello, Mr. Davis, uh, may I come in?"
Joey was hesitant, "Yes, please, come in."
Joey opened the door wider and the lieutenant walked in.
"Uh, what are you doing here?" said Joey shutting the door behind him.
"Listen, I just got a phone call from Mrs. O'Neal and she seemed pretty upset."
"Oh, really?"
"Mmhm, she said she's afraid you'll hurt her, she's scared, sir, and she wants protection."
"Oh, please, there's no need to give her protection, it's not like I'm going to choke her, again."
"Well, you may be right, sir, but we will protect her, just in case something were to happen to her."
"Yeah, sure, but you know what I think? I think she's going to be just fine. She doesn't need any protection. If anyone could protect her, it be her husband."
"Well, that's probably true, but I think she needs this, just to help her feel safe, you know what I mean? Sometimes people need a little comfort, a little reassurance, you know?"
"Yeah, I get it."
"You know, I think I understand how she feels."
"Do you?"
"Yes, uh, there was a time when I felt a little insecure, I mean, I was bullied, as a child."
"You were?"
"Oh, yes, there was this kid, uh, I forget his name, uh, it doesn't matter, the point is, this kid, he'd make fun of me, because, I wasn't fit, he'd laugh at the way I'd run, in P.E., he'd try to hit me with the ball, when we played any type of ball game. He hurt my feelings and now I hope that he's better than he was then, because, I had no idea, he was going through something.
You see, he was a little insecure, too. Now, I won't go into any details about it, but he had his problems and I had mine. Now, what do you make of that story?"
"Uh, everyone's got problems?" said Joey, sarcastically
"Exactly, exactly, everyone has got a problem, now, some people like to hide there problems and others just talk about it, all the time, now, does talking about it fix your problems or is it still there?"
"Columbo, I admit, I did choke Mrs. O'Neal, but only because she was cheating on me. You're not going to arrest me are you?"
"Oh, no, there's no proof that you did do that, so, you're safe."
"Good."
There was a pause for a few seconds.
"Lieutenant, you don't think that I killed Mary, do you?"
"Oh, sir, I, uh-"
"Oh, Columbo, don't lie to me, you do think I killed her, but there's no proof, I didn't kill her."
"If you say so, sir, well, I'd better get going, good bye, Mr. Davis." He walked up to the door, he turned around, "Do you know the story of Cain and Abel? In that story Cain killed Abel, because he was jealous, because God saw more favor in Abel, than in Cain, so, Cain killed Abel. Now, jealousy is a terrible thing, a terrible feeling, it could make you do terrible things, well, anyways, good bye, sir."
He was about to turn around.
"Lieutenant?"
"Yes?"
"You've learned a lot about Christianity, haven't you?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Would you consider becoming a Christian and excepting God as your savior?"
"I'll have to think about that, sir, but, thank you."
Columbo turned around and opened the door, walked out, shutting the door, behind him.