• PENELOPE'S LOCKET

    The light blinded him the moment it flicked on. He squinted and blinked; waiting for his eyes to adjust. Chief Jerald Holiday’s face was first to come into view. His heavy, double chinned face was not far away from his own as his sketchy blue eyes stared at him. Next to him stood a shrill, but young woman known as Mrs. Penelope Cruz; a widow. No one knew exactly how her husband died, though some of the townspeople suspected she got rid of him herself. Her boney arms were crossed firmly over her chest; obviously annoyed. She was still in her dress from the party; her hair neatly in a brown bun. Her eyes were cold and hard as they focused on the feeble body of Mayor Morris Johnson.
    Morris Johnson had always been a kind, well rounded, people-loving man, which was most of the reason why he had been elected into office. Now he couldn’t even stand to look at himself. His dress shirt was unbuttoned down to his chest, his tie hung lifeless around his neck, and his cuffs rolled up to his elbows. His hair was a moppy mess; each follicle had a bead of sweat. Anger began to engulf him. How dare they accuse him?! He was the Mayor for Pete’s sake! How could they be accusing him of crime?!
    “I TOLD you! I haven’t taken anything! Why would I want something like that from Mrs. Cruz?” Penelope seemed to stiffen and the chief’s shoulders sagged.
    “He does have a point Miss…why would the Mayor want a stinkin’ piece of jewelry?”
    “I know he took it! I KNOW IT!” Mrs. Cruz snapped.
    “How do you know he—“
    “BECAUSE!! After I danced with him it was gone! I know for a fact I had it before hand, and while we were dancing I felt it snag! He’s a thief!!” She snarled as her voice echoed against the concrete walls. She was pointing an accusing finger at Mayor Johnson. Chief Holiday let out a long sigh. “Mrs. Cruz?” Chief Holiday finally asked. “I think it’d be best if you left now.” Penelope seemed stunned at the order. “No! I refuse to leave until I get my locket back!”
    “At least wait outside then. It’s my job to find out where it is…not yours.” There was a long pause as Mrs. Cruz seemed to be debating with herself whether to leave or not. Finally she went through the interrogation room’s door. The room was black except for the bright lamp light that rested on a desk in front of the mayor. Two chairs were there as well, one in front of the desk that Mayor Johnson was handcuffed to, and another that the Chief now sat in; on the other side of it.
    The peace was rather eerie, now that Penelope had left. The room only made it worse. Never once in his life did the mayor picture himself in this situation. “I didn’t—“
    “I don’t think you did it Mr. Mayor. But it’s my job to find out what happened and talk to you. Procedure…yah know?”
    Morris gave a slight nod. “Alright.” Chief Holiday opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a pen and a small notepad. He flipped it open and clicked the pen, ready to write. “Just tell me what happened.”

    “We were at a fund raiser for the community, my wife and I that is. The kids had a sitter.” The Mayor began. “I was mingling…so was my wife. We danced; I danced with multiple people including Mrs. Cruz. I was about to start the presentation when she screamed. Everyone thought she had just lost it until she accused me of stealing it.” Morris shook his head, recalling how horribly the night had gone. The Chief scribbled on the note pad. “Well you know it was a family heirloom, right? Probably worth millions.” Mayor Johnson nodded. “Yes. I recall it around her neck.”
    Chief Holiday leaned in; scanning the Mayor head to toe. “Mrs. Cruz said she felt something snag it while she was dancing. Broke the clasp I expect.” Mayor Johnson frowned, and furrowed his eyebrows together. “Are you accusing me Chief?” The chief sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Not at all…not at all.” Mayor Morris’s stare only hardened. “Tell me Mr. Mayor…do you love your wife?”
    “I demand a lawyer!”
    “Just answer the question Mayor.” He said plainly.
    “OF COURSE I DO! What are you playing at?! What does this have to do with anything?!”
    “Where was your wife when you were dancing?”
    “WHY ARE YOU BRINGING MY WIFE INTO THIS?!” The mayor demanded, wanting to jump from his chair, but found it not smart to do so, seeing as he was handcuffed to it. Finally, Chief Holiday dug in his shirt pocket, slowly pulling out a golden chain with a glimmering oval dangling at the end. It was gold as well, with small diamonds decorating the edges. “We found this in her purse. “ He explained, lowering it onto the desk. There was a long silence as the Mayor tried to take it in. “My wife’s…a thief?” he finally asked quietly.
    “No.” the chief said plainly. The Mayor’s eyes lit. “You are.”
    “I am?! What are you talking about?!”
    Chief Holiday rose to pace the room. “Simple. You stole it from Mrs. Cruz to pay off the debts you owe to the community, and to give yourself a little extra profit. In case someone noticed it was gone before you could cash it in, you put it in your wife’s purse. You framed her. That’s why I asked how much you love your wife.”
    The Mayor was absolutely enraged. “Debts to the community?! LIKE WHAT?!”
    “Using the community’s funds for education to buy yourself that new pool you’re getting installed and some renovations on your house.” He took some blueprints from his back pocket. “You needed to repay them somehow. You knew how much the locket was worth so naturally—“
    “I NEVER PUT THE LOCKET IN HER PURSE!”
    The chief smirked. “You’ve just confessed to your crime Mr. Mayor.”
    “What are you talking about?!”

    “We didn’t find the locket in her purse. We founded it in your jacket that you left at the fundraiser. You’re right…you never put the locket in her purse; you put in your jacket. Turns out you do love your wife, but not enough to tell her you’re a thief. All I needed was a confession to show in court, because…let’s face it. Most of the jury probably voted for you. I didn’t want any of them to be bias. No. I needed cold hard evidence…and you’ve just given it to me.” The chief pulled out a tape recorder from his pocket and stopped it. The Mayor was silent for only a moment, completely dumbfounded.
    “N-n-no! I WAS FRAMED! I SWEAR! I’VE NEVER SEEN THOSE BLUE PRINTS BEFORE! YOU HAVN’T PROVED ANYTHING!” The Chief un-cuffed him from the chair and forced him to stand up as he handcuffed him behind his back. “Yah. Sure.” He led the Mayor outside and handed him over to two officers. “I SWEAR! IT’S A LIE! IT’S A LIE!!” Morris screamed as he was dragged outside.
    Chief Holiday sighed as he walked back inside the interrogation room. He took the locket off the desk and let it hang at his fingers as he watched the gold and diamonds swing back and forth. He finally returned it to his shirt pocket to give it back to Mrs. Cruz. “Wow…” He said under his breath as Chief Jerald Holiday made it back to his office. “To think we elected a criminal into office.”