3am

Chapter 8

I am rattled as I make my way home. It is one thing to randomly dial a number and prank call the person on the other end. It is a completely different matter to break into the back lot of a police station and leave prank messages on someone's car. Whoever this prankster is, he has gone too far in my book. Even if he isn't the killer, and I feel pretty sure he is, he is messing with fire now and he is apt to get burned.

At my apartment, I fix up a late-night snack, a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich with a glass of milk. Once I'm done eating, I double-check the doors are locked, and then head to the bathroom to take a shower. While I am standing under the showerhead, letting the hot water pound on my back and neck, I hear something disturbing. It sounds like someone rummaging through my bedroom. I quietly exit the shower, leaving it running to not alert the burglar, and towel off. I wrap a bathrobe around me, patting the pocket to make sure my small .22 caliber pistol is still there, and then silently open the bathroom door. I ease my way down the hall to the bedroom. The door is slightly open, and inside I can see a shadowy figure rummaging through my nightstand. The window stands open, showing how the burglar got in. I watch as he apparently doesn't find what he's looking for in the nightstand and moves on to the dresser. At that moment, I act. Flinging open the door wider, I step inside the room, leveling my gun at the burglar. "Freeze! Police!" I shout.

The figure's head whips up and he stares at me for a moment, before turning and dashing toward the window. I fire a single shot at him just as he clambers up onto the sill and leaps to the ground below. I hear him grunt as the bullet hits home, tearing through his shoulder. I rush to the window, and watch as the burglar hits the ground in a tuck and roll maneuver, gets to his feet, and takes off running toward the woods at the back of the apartment complex. I contemplate giving chase, but instead choose to remain in the house and report the burglary to the cops. As I dial 911 and wait for a dispatcher to pick up, I survey the room. I glance into the open drawers on my nightstand and dresser, taking special care not to touch anything. I notice that nothing seems to be missing from any of the drawers, despite the fact that in my nightstand there is an envelope of money, a pistol, and a box of ammunition. This wasn't an ordinary burglary, I think to myself. I exit the bedroom and return to the bathroom to turn off the shower.

Finally, the dispatcher can answer. She apologizes for the wait and then asks about my emergency. "I just found a burglar in my bedroom," I tell her. "I am a detective with Eastmont City police. I got home and was showering when I heard the burglar in my bedroom."

"Do you need officer assistance this very moment?" the dispatcher asks.

"No," I reply. "The burglar is gone now. But I would appreciate an officer to respond when available," I add.

"Okay sir, we have an officer in the vicinity and he should be there momentarily," the dispatcher says. "Please stay on the line until he arrives."

I agree, and in less than five minutes, I have the police officer knocking on my door. I hang up with the dispatcher and open the door. "Hello sir, we had a report of a burglary at this address?"

"Yep, that came from me," I tell the officer, stepping back to admit him.

"I take it the guy's gone?" the officer asks. I nod. "Well, why don't you show me the scene of the crime and walk me through what happened?"

I lead him back to the bedroom and stand just outside the doorway while he examines the room. "Well, as I told the dispatcher, I am a detective with Eastmont City police. I just got home after a long day and was taking a shower when I thought I heard someone rummaging through my bedroom. I left the shower running and got out, put on my bathrobe, which had my .22cal pistol in the pocket and crept to my bedroom door. I could see a shadowy figure rummaging through my nightstand. After a moment, he moved over to my dresser and began searching it. I could see the window to the room was open, so I guess that is how he entered the room. I drew the pistol, stepped into the room, and announced myself as police. I told the perp to freeze, but he made a dash to the window. I fired a single round into his shoulder and then went to the window and watch him hit the ground and take off for the woods behind here. I then called 911 and surveyed my rummaged belongings to determine what was missing. As far as I can tell, he took nothing. I had an envelope of money, a pistol, and ammo in the nightstand drawer and he took none of it," I say in conclusion. "Oh and also, the gun I used to shoot the intruder is sitting on the kitchen table. And I don't have any other firearms on me." I add the last bit to prevent the officer from possibly drawing his own weapon on me. He still subjects me to a search, though.