Mystery on the Bayou

                                                                                         Chapter 5

                                                                Things Aren't Always As They Seem                                                                                         

     Sheriff Frank Matthews returned to his sheriff's office on the next day.  He and his Deputy, Clark Cruise sat in the office talking about the incident the day before.  "So, you didn't get a license plate number off of the car?" Frank asked Clark.   "No.  I was a might busy trying to keep the very tall muscled up would be suspect from getting run over," he said in an irritated tone.

     Frank grinned.  "Okay.  Sorry.  I asked a stupid question."  "It's alright," Clark said.  "Have you talked to the prisoner yet?" Frank asked him.  "I tried.  After I bought him a meal, got him in the shower and gave him a nice clean jump suit and brought him a cup of coffee in his cell, he said he wouldn't talk to anyone but you."

     The Sheriff stood up and adjusted his belt.  "Well, I guess I should go in and talk with the man."  Clark just nodded and picked up his coffee cup.  "You do that and I'll grab a cup of coffee."  Frank grinned again and said, "Hey.  Good job yesterday."  "Thanks," Clark said, filling his cup.           

     Frank opened the door which led to where the prisoners were kept.  The tattooed man was the only prisoner at present, and he was just inside that door in cell number 1. The man was lying down on his cot but looked up when Sheriff Matthews unlocked the cell door.  "I'm Sheriff Frank Matthews," he said.  I need to talk with you a while."

     The man sat up and threw his legs over the side of the cot.  The Sheriff sat on the cot opposite him and took a pad and pencil out of his pocket.  "What am I being accused of?" the man immediately asked.   "Right now, you're just being held for questioning," the sheriff answered.  "Perhaps you heard about the body that was found in the Teche Bayou a week ago."

     The man looked genuinely surprised.  "No.  I haven't.  I've been out of town town for two weeks."  The reason my deputy brought you in was that one of our citizens saw you arguing with the victim on the bridge around 3:10 in the afternoon, approximately two weeks ago."  "What?"  the man nearly shouted.  "Take it easy," Sheriff Matthews told him.

     "I can't believe this!" And the man begin to weep.  The sheriff wasn't expecting this reaction.  He ran out of the cell, locked it and called,  "Clark!  bring me a hot cup of coffee. And make it quick." He then ran back to the cell and unlocked it.  The sheriff sat down beside the man and patted his back.  "Who was the man you were arguing with?" the sheriff asked.

     Clark came in with the coffee and handed it to the sheriff.  "Thank you Clark."  He nodded, his expression confused watching the suspect crying his eyes out.  But he left in a hurry, figuring    the sheriff would explain things later.  "Okay.  Here.  Drink this," he said, handing the man the cup of coffee.

     "What was the....victim to you," Sheriff Matthews asked.  The tattooed man took a swallow, sniffed back his tears and said with a catch in his voice, "He was my younger brother."  The sheriff was visibly stunned.  "Sir, I didn't kill my brother," after saying that, the man broke down into a fit of sobbing again.  "I believe you," Sheriff Matthews told him.  Frank knew those tears were real.  He'd been trained to spot a liar, and this man was no liar.

     Frank continued to console the man until a half an hour later when he was finally calm enough to finish drinking his coffee.  But the sheriff called for Deputy Clark to warm it up.  For in the half hour, the drink had cooled.  The deputy put the coffee in the microwave and handed it to the sheriff who gave it to the man.  "I'm sorry to have blubbered like a fool," the suspect said.