Detective Jake Alexander propped his head up with his hands as sweat splattered upon his wooden office desk.  His eyes, ignoring the unorganized space, stabilized with concentration as he listened to metal blades softly squeak in pattern.

* * *

A year in a half ago continued to stick into his mind.  He was chasing a madman.  Reddish Oldie, a child stalker and killer, at high speed across the Manor Bridge that connected the suburban area to the city limits.  As the sun began to brighten  the horizon, they came upon constrution work that ended  the double lanes into a single opposing lane.  The madman swerved through orange and white road cones, then proceeded around a fish truck from the docks tugging a large container.  Jake followed as well.  As they came upon the bridge arch, the madman quickly swerved in front of the fish truck clipping the front bumper with his rear.  Jake’s eyes became excited as a family appeared.  Not thinking, he swerved into the fish truck which caused both to slam into the guardrail.  As he listened to crushing rock and screaming metal, he caught a glimpse of the family’s car, who had broken through the cement rail, plunging to the dried river bed below.  His eyelids fainted away as his body went limp and then lay upon his driver side door.

* * *

A siren from the entwining streets grew louder as if its destination was under the four story building Jake occupied.  The siren passed, then faded as he lifted his face.  Suddenly the old squeaking door that  the handyman refused to fix, until he got paid from his past encounters, swung open connecting the old brass bell that has been there since the door was framed.

He gazed at the office entrance.  Her high heels clicked against the floor.  She made her way across the room and then removed her sunglasses, noticing years of work marked “UNSOLVED”.

“This is Detective Alexander’s office?”  She looked upon a mid-aged man seated behind an unorganized desk.

“See the sign.”  His voice pushed with strength, but there was a certain cracking of age development.

“I need your help… I need a place to stay.”  She glanced at the sign.