The Perfect Crime

Chapter 4

"It wasn't him."

The sheriff stops and turns to face the ghost child.

"Are you sure?" He asks her, raising a brow with his question. His eyes glance back at the old man who sits in the room the same as when he left.

"I'm positive. It wasn't him." Betty stares deeply into his eyes. "I've lived next door to him all my life. He may be racist and mean, but he didn't do it. And I still don't remember who did, but I know it wasn't him. That's for certain."

The sheriff smiles at how mature little miss Betty sounds. He fades away from reality for a moment to imagine how her parents would react if they could hear her now.

"Mister Sheriff sir?" Betty claps as she tries to pull him out of his trance.

"Oh." The sheriff blinks, "sorry about that, you just sounded so grown up." He smiles at her and attempts to pat her head, but his hand would go through her since she wasn't really there.

"Don't you have a date with Miss Mary soon?" The ghost child smiles deviously, making the man's cheeks turn a deep shade of red.

"It's not a date!" He crosses his arms, "and besides, her brother is going to be there too."

"Alright." Betty smirks before disappearing once more.

***

The sheriff adjusts his bow-tie before he knocks onto the door of Mary's house. Under his arm, he clutches a newly wrapped bouquet of red roses. He inhales deeply as his nerves make him shake.

He didn't understand why he was so nervous, it was only Mary and her brother. It wasn't a date. Just a little get together, right?

The door swings open and a man stands in the opening.

"Hello Will." The sheriff gives the man a soft smile, trying to hide the distaste he had for him.

"Hey Johnny boy! Are those roses for me?" Will chimes cheerfully.

"Urm...-"

"You shouldn't have!" Will cuts the sheriff off as he reaches for and grabs the roses from under his arm. "Hey Mary! Ol' Sheriff is here!" The man turns around and shouts into the house, "should I let him in?"

A soft voice from within the house would muffle a word before Will turns back around.

"Ah sorry, she said no. But because you're a friend I'll let'chya in." He says with a jokingly tone.

"Thanks." The sheriff mumbles as Will holds the door open for him. "So I heard you're only visiting for a few days, will?" He asks as he walks through the open space and begins to take his coat off.

"Yeah. I'm only here to torment my sister a bit and then I'm headed back on the road with my little Ford Cherokee." Will sighs before slamming the door behind the sheriff.

"Ah, so have you found your special someone yet?" The sheriff asks as he hangs up his coat on the coat rack before taking off his shoes.

"Nah, there's no one really who has caught my eye yet, what about you little johnny?" He jokingly punches the sheriff's shoulder gently, the sheriff having to catch himself from face-planting onto the wooden floor.

"Uhm..." The sheriff gets up from practically being knocked over and brushes his shirt. "I have my eye on someone, but I don't know if they like me like that back." His cheeks turn to a light shade of pink.