I was planning on snooping around my neighbor’s basement Saturday. I was going to wait for Bill to go out for supplies and then get Rena to let me in. Something is behind that locked door in the basement. The new one, the one he built that he keeps padlocked. But my intentions came to an abrupt stop when a cop knocked on my front door a little after 2:00 that afternoon.
The patrolman was going door-to-door to ask people if they got their mail that day. You see they found the mail truck, abandoned down the street by the corner – no sign of the mailman. I told the cop that we had gotten our mail right around the usual time (about 11:00am). Just as he was about to head over to Bill’s, I asked if they thought something happened to the guy. The cop didn’t really stop to talk, but he gave the indication that they thought the mailman simply walked off the job and that they wanted to make sure that he hadn’t stolen anyone’s mail in the process. Of course you know that’s not what was going through my mind. As I said in my last post, in Bill’s current state, I don’t think it would take much to push him over the edge – push him to the point of killing someone.
As soon as the cop stepped off my porch and headed across the yard, I ran to the window facing Bill’s house and pulled back the drapes just far enough to peek through. As I watched the cop walk up the steps to Bill’s front door and ring the bell, I squeezed the folds of drape in my fists. I saw Rena answer the door and then disappear for a moment – she was getting Bill. I swallowed hard as Bill popped his head out and then the unexpected happened. I watched in disbelief as he opened the door and produced and a wad of mail clutched in his waxy, boney hand. The cop nodded once, just as he had done for me, and then started off for the next house down the street.
I didn’t understand… what just happened? As soon as I was positive that Bill was back down in the basement, I shot out my front door and chased down the cop. But by the time I caught up to him, he was already two-houses down from Bill’s. I asked him where he was going. He looked at me and pinched his brows. I pointed back at Bill’s and asked him why he didn’t check out my neighbor. He said that so far everyone had gotten their mail. He was starting to develop a weird look across his face, so I didn’t push it any further. I headed home and back to the window. Bill had tricked the cop somehow. I just needed to figure out how I could prove it.
Until next time, I’m doing my best to keep up the neighborhood watch. Remember, you may think you’re alone but someone is always watching. J/W
