THE KEEPER
by Cher Green
A table, two metal chairs, and Anthony Tyner occupied the small musty room. The walls inched closer with each tick of his watch. The fluorescent light flickered as if it might blow at any moment. He wondered when he would be allowed to go home. Two hours had lapsed since two officers had escorted him from his apartment and tossed him into the collapsing room. He gasped for air and coughed as his lungs rejected the smoky, stale air. The door swung open and a tall, thin man stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
Zagger, Anthony’s hamster, needed to be fed. The neighbor’s cat would be looking for its free snack. Lily needed him. He had many responsibilities. Maybe they weren’t as important as the ones belonging to the man in front of him, but to Anthony they were his world. He shook the man’s hand.
“Mr. Tyner, my name is Detective Brown.” The lanky man pulled out the metal chair, swung it around, and sat in it backwards.
“I need to get home.”
“We just have a few questions for you. It won’t take long. Where were you two nights ago, around eleven p.m.?”
“At home, in bed.”
“Can anyone verify that?”
Anthony thought of sweet Lily. “No. I was alone.”
“Sorry to hear that. Do you own a green Buick?”
“No.”
Detective Brown squinted at him, as if searching for something unknown. “Well, Mr. Tyner, your car was spotted leaving the scene of two murders. One, of which, happened two nights ago.”
“That’s not possible.”
“It is possible, and it was.”
“No. I don’t own a car. I don’t even have a driver’s license.”
“The car is registered to an Anthony P. Tyner and the address matches yours.”
“That’s great, but my middle name is Jeremy. You’ve made a mistake.”
A hard knock pounded the door and a short man with bushy hair stepped into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I’d like to apologize to you, Mr. Tyner. There’s been a terrible mistake. You’re free to go.”
Detective Brown sucked in some air and released it quickly. “What do you mean?”
“Well.” The short man looked from Detective Brown to Anthony. “There seems to be two men living at the same apartment house with the same name. Again, I’m sorry, Mr. Tyner.”
“I accept your apology. I’m just glad this was cleared up.”
“Me too.” Detective Brown shook Anthony’s hand and stepped out of the room.
Anthony left the white room and returned to his apartment to catch up with the responsibilities of his life. After tending to his hamster and the neighbor’s cat, he prepared a plate of crackers and cheese and lowered himself to the floor in front of a wooden crate.
“Lily, I have your snack.”
He opened the makeshift door to reveal the young girl. After two years, she was still a sight of beauty. The girl had begun to blossom quite nicely. Her long legs were pushed up against her chest. She was outgrowing her box. He would have to find a bigger one soon.
He smiled and spoke softly. “Let me tell you about my day.”
Cher Green is a lifelong fan of the written word. At an early age, she began enjoying the journeys created by great writers. This is her debut into the world of writing. You can be sure there will be more to come from this enthusiastic writer. For more information, please visit: http://chergreen.blogspot.com/. Contact Cher.
