To Serve

   “I'm telling you, since Grieves took over most of the downtown businesses and the industrial park, things just haven't been the same, you know?”

Old Man Crotchet led the two officers down the hallway, passing one apartment to the next. The police men, both in uniform and built like bricks, walked behind the hobbling elder.

The taller of the two was Officer Holes. His partner, whose face will forever be scarred, was Deputy Tates. Holes and Tates, two veterans of the city district.

These two had seen it all. They walked the beat together, on the streets and off. They've seen the darker corners of the city, where hookers and dealers hid. They've been behind the locked doors of each sleazy establishment, into every crack house they could find. They were the most experienced duo to run the cruiser.

The apartment building belonged to Grieves, a name well known in the city. Over half the land and property belonged the the tycoon. He owned most of the businesses downtown, the industrial park on the east side and many of the residential accommodations. Old Man Crotchet was no more than a tenant, a pawn living and collecting rent in the building.

“I'm glad you two could come so quickly.” Crotchet said, each step led by his cane. “I wouldn't have been concerned had it been a simple bump in the night, you know? But stranger things happen in this building, I tell you.”

Tates glanced at Holes and was ignored. They followed in silence.

“I had one tenant jump out of a building.” The old man continued. “Just out of the blue. From the fifth story, you know? Though I'm sure you officers had already known about it.”

Holes cleared his throat. “We hear about it all.”

The hallway leading o the elevator seemed endless.

“Then you've heard about the murder on second, I'm sure.” Crotchet said. “A young kid, maybe in his twenties. Cut his girlfriend's stomach wide open. Ate the baby she carried. Guess it wasn't his.”

“The Parson's case. “Tate suggested. “Mike Parson. Murdered Christine Enjes, cut her open and ate the unborn kid. Jaferson was on that case.”

The old man nodded. They were about five doors away from the elevator. Originally used as a service lift back in the fifties, the elevator was now used by tenants. Despite its inconvenient location.

“Just a few months ago was that girl. Overdosed on the first floor.” Crotchet paused briefly to rest his knees. “Took something home made. Bought it from work. From some kid.”

Neither officer chose to continue the conversation. The walk resumed in silence until they reached the elevator doors. Crotchet pushed the down button and the wait was faster than the walk. They entered the steel cage and the old man chose the basement.

“This elevator has been here since the building was erected in 1958.” He informed them. Tates and Holes nodded in response.

The doors opened and they stepped out into a hallway, identical as the first. The two officers sighed as Crotchet began the painful walk.

“And what was the manner of the call?” Holes finally ventured, though the briefing had covered the details.

Crotchet seemed to move faster on the basement floor. “It's the storage room at the end of the hall.” He said. “See, this is Grieves' building, you know? And the door to the storage room is closed. Says he uses it for personal arrangements. Doesn't rent out these rooms below. See now, I usually ignore it then. None of my business what a man like Grieves uses the basement for anyway. Seems he does it with many of the apartment he owns. Janice, on Coddle street, she says she has one in her basement. None of our business, you know?”

Tates glanced over at Holes. It was returned in silence.

“But it was this morning, officers.” The old man went on. “came down over a burned bulb. Over in the end there. When I changed it, should have been it. But it wasn't, you know?'

Holes raised an inquisitive brow. “It wasn't?”

Crotchet paused to look at them. “I heard sounds. Voices coming from within there.”

“Perhaps Grieves then.” Tates offered.

The old man shook his head and continued. “No. Maybe. But the woman I heard was in distress.”

The officers exchanged a second glance. “Distress?” Holes pressed on.

“Yes. Distress.” They were reaching the end of the hall. A wooden door awaited them. “I heard a woman or a girl crying. Sort of pleading, you know? She sounded very troubled, officers, and they men with her sounded none too kind, if you catch my drift.”

“Did you go inside the room?” Tates asked.

“I could have.” Crotchet answered. “I have the key to the doorknob. It came with the set I was given back when I took charge of the building, you know? Figured I wait for the boys in blue though. Wouldn't want to get in the way of the law.”

“Good choice.” Holes said, drawing his gun and a flashlight. Tates followed suit.

Holes nodded. “Go ahead then. Let's have a look and stay behind us.”

With hands shaking from age, Crotchet took out his thick ring of keys and effortlessly drew the right one. Slipping it in the lock on the know, he turned and released it. Hobbling, he stepped aside to let the officers go through.

Cautiously, Tates opened the door, shining the beam before him. The room was bare but for empty metal shelving, standing in rows down one side of the room. Carefully he entered, followed closely by Holes. The latter paused to turn towards the wall and found the light switch. With a flicker, florescent tubes lit up.

In the room, towards to far wall, sat a table. When Crotchet stepped in, he gasped and dropped the keys.

“Dear God.”

On the table lay a woman, a girl by his assumptions. Twenty something, with brown hair falling over the edge. She was completely nude, her flesh bare to the cool basement. Leather straps bound her wrists and ankles to the table. A horse bridle was secured between her teeth. Her breasts rose slowly with slumber.

“What evil is this?” Crotchet whispered as the officers carefully proceeded forward.

Tates held the gun steady and approached the table. Beside it waited a smaller tray, the surface containing a variety of perverse tools. Sex toys, three in variety. The next bigger than the first. Wooden clothes pins. A ballgag. A funnel.

A knife.

Holes joined his side and looked down on the girl.

“Is she sleeping?” The old man asked.

Tates looked back. Crotchet stood near, writhing his hands nervously. “Is she a tenant of yours?”

The old man shook his head. “Never seen her before.”

At that moment, the girl awoke screaming. It startled the three men as she rose her pelvis off the table, struggling frantically against the binds. Her eyes were wide with terror, looking wildly around the room.

“Whoa!” Holes shouted, putting a hand on the girl's arm. “Calm down before you hurt yourself.”

When she looked at him, the girl froze. She stared at him in silence as tears filled her eyes, The look on her face was of pure terror.

“Jesus.” Crotchet supported himself against a shelf. “Almost gave me a heart attack.”

Tates pulled at the leather bounds, first to the ankles and then the wrists. The girl began to weep, shaking her head slowly.

The old man stepped closer. “Can it be untied?” He asked. “I have tools you could use.”

Holes looked back over his shoulder. “Untie it?”

Tates turned and with a quick raise of the gun put a single bullet hole through Crotchet's forehead.

Holes stepped aside as Tates turned back towards the girl. Reaching in a coat pocket, he pulled out a cellphone.

“There there.” Tates grinned down at the girl. She continued to cry as he slid a hand between her thighs. “I've been hearing you're being a bit too loud.” As he began moving his fingers, she closed her eyes and bit down on the bridle. Her body jerked with each sob.

His partner spoke into the phone. “It's Holes.” He said with a pause. “Tell your boss we need a clean up in the Bantre Complex.”

Officer Tates pulled his hand away and the girl stared back at him in sorrow. His smirk deepened the scars on his face.

“I don't care. Tell him it's a mess and it will stay that way until he sends the Kids.” Holes put away his gun and nudged Crotchet's body with his foot. “No, she's not. She's fine. So to speak.”

Tates chuckled at the comment.

“We can do that but then he'll need to take care of two stiffs.” Holes continued. He withdrew the gun once more. “If that's what it takes, fine. We can always get another.”

“Maybe a redhead this time.” Tates chuckled. The girl, sensing the danger, began to panic. Her breath came in fast.

“Fine.” Holes said, turning back to his partner. “I'll see to it. Just send the Kids soon. Oh,” He added quickly. “And tell him to find a new landlord.”

With that, he hung up and put away the phone.

“She's getting loose anyway, right?” Tates joked. “Got four fingers in just now.”

Holes showed no humour. “I told you the bridle stays in when she's awake.”

“But then she doesn't choke.” His partner sighed. He turned to him. “Without that, I might as well be fucking her cunt.”

Officer Holes shook his head. “Only when they're asleep.” He said. “You fucked up, Tates.”

It took a brief second for Officer Tates to see where things were leading. It was too late. Before he could say a word, Holes had shot him in the head.

The body slumped against the table before hitting the floor. Walking over to the table, Holes stared at the frightened girl. Carefully, he grabbed one of her breasts and squeezed. She held her breath and closed her eyes tightly.

“Only with the bridle.” He whispered.

Officer Holes pulled the car in front of the suburban home. The front door opened as he stepped out of the cruiser.

“Daddy!”

A little girl with auburn pigtails came running across the lawn. He crouched to receive her hug.

At the doorway, his wife stood smiling. “Busy day?”

“Yeah.” Holes smiled back. He walked up and kissed her on the cheek. “To serve and protect.” He smiled, letting his daughter squeeze by into the house. “You know?”

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