My name is Terry Smith. That's Detective to you, if you're an ass... and, today, I probably think you are, so hedge your bets. You see, my partner and I have been assigned a case that I feel is Batman Hell and I am forced to be a very poor Bruce Way...
The next mornin' was filled with the same; we met with the rest of the banks affected by the reprogrammin' prank of the Jester. Danny and I, and almost all of the rest of the detectives we work with, found the prank to be particularly funny.
Though, I did ask Danny over lunch, "So, I know that you and your wife are pretty well off. How do you think you'd feel if it was your account that the money was being deducted from?"
Danny thought for a bit, "I don't know, really. I do find the prank hilarious, but I'm not so sure I'd feel that way if it was our money disappearing. I probably wouldn't like it much, unless I knew that I was going to get it back." He took a bite of his food and chewed thoughtfully, "It'd be an accounting nightmare, at the very least. I'd be glad we pay people to do that."
"Oh, I hadn't even thought of that angle. Yeah, I suppose it would be to make sure all the money is returned. I wonder if this has made the day of some geeky accountant somewhere."
Danny laughed. "Yeah, probably."
My personal cell phone rang at that moment and I saw it was my doctor's office. The nice receptionist wanted me to make an appointment with my doctor as soon as possible.
My insides did a flip-flop, which didn't feel so hot on a full stomach. "How soon?"
"Well, if you have time today, that would be ideal. If not, tomorrow."
"Wow. I... don't think this sounds very good."
"I couldn't say, even if I knew, Mr. Smith."
"Right, right. Okay, let's make an appointment for this afternoon."
We set the time and I hung up. When we got back to the precinct, I wandered into the Lieutenant's office to let her know.
"She wants to talk this soon?" she asked, for once not yelling or poking fun.
"Yeah. Do you think that's bad?"
"It doesn't have to be, Smith. I mean, if I'd just sent my patient out for a brain scan and he didn't have cancer, I'd want to tell him right away."
"But, if he did have cancer, you'd want to tell him right away then, too."
"Just go and see what she says."
I nodded, trying to not let the emotions get to me too much. That's the last thing I needed in the office.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The doctor's office hadn't changed much since the last time I was there. Which isn't sayin' a lot seein' how it had only been a matter of days.
It seemed like it was hours before I got called back. In reality, it'd been roughly fifteen minutes. I was a nervous wreck by the time I sat in the chair for the second time that week.
"Okay, Terry, I won't beat around the bush. Your scan shows a growth. We won't know until we do a biopsy as to if it is malignant or benign."
I stared at her for a heartbeat, my stomach feeling like it was now on the floor between my feet. "So, what does that mean?"
