Alex slammed the door behind him, marching straight to the table, and seized Michael by the collar of his shirt.

“You lying son of a bitch!” He shook him, locking eyes with intensity.

“What the heck—man? What’s wrong with you?”

“There were ashes at Jeffrey’s crime scene. A smoker was definitely present when it happened. Why would you quit smoking suddenly, if not to avoid becoming a suspect in the investigation?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Michael, remaining unusually calm, as if they had nothing substantial against him.

“You were there. I know you were there. They found him in that alley, above fresh traces of ashes. Either you did it, or you went to discuss something very private between you two.”

“Listen, man. I played along with your theatrics. You brought me here to play the tough cop. I get it. But none of this adds up. Just let me go, or I’ll call a lawyer and won’t answer another one of your questions.”

Alex sighed. He knew his suppositions were weak. He had nothing against Michel. However, his instinct told him Michael knew something, and he wasn’t telling the truth, at least not all the truth.

But then something ticked in his mind. He recalled he’d been taking a shit in home every morning before leaving for work, and avoided all kinds of fast food during the day because the Metropolitan Police bathroom was a dump. They were waiting for the major to approve a budget for them, to remodel their headquarters. But the current major was simply a piece of shit, that was the reason why Alex though his boss, Director Rogers, actually stood a chance of becoming Caracas’ new major in next elections.

“Wait a second,” he said to Michael and left the room.”

Jack was outside, watching everything. He was thirsty, so he had stopped to drink some water before going into the interrogation room to witness his boss’ show. Alex stood closely in front of him.

“Go to the bathroom and bring me one of those big, nasty rats. I don’t care if you have to break a pipe to do it. Just do it, now. Fast. Bring it into the room.”

Alex went inside again and brought an ash can with him. He put it on the table and sat, relaxed. He took his lighter and a pack of cigarettes out and out them on the table as well.

“All right, Michael. Let’s talk. Let’s relax a little. Want some?” he offered a cigarette to Michael. Michael doubted.

“Come on, man, just for today,” Alex insisted. “I really want to clarify a thing to you, but I need you to be relaxed.”

“All right,” Michael took one out of the pack and lighted it. He took a deep, long drag to it, and kept looking at it in his hand, as if wondering why he had actually quit it.

“I needed this,” he said, smiling.

“I know, right?” Alex smiled back. “Listen. What I wanted to tell you is this. Whatever you’re hiding from me, I’ll find it. It’s useless, kid. You know, I’m very good at my job, like you’re good at batting and catching baseballs. You’re not telling me everything you know. So why no better to talk right away? You could be now finishing practice. You take a bath, and go all fresh to smash your lovely fiancée. Why complicate things?”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Listen. I already told you what I know.”

“No. You haven’t.”

“How can you be so sure?” Michael smiled, with genuine curiosity.

“I just know.”

The door opened. Jacked came into the room with a metallic can. Something seemed to be inside it. You could hear something scratching the cold metal desperately. Jack just put it on the table and left. He ignored the can. He just kept staring at Michael. Michael looked nervous now. He frowned, bothered by the scratches from inside the can.

“What’s in there, man?”

“Wanna talk?” Alex asked him.

“No. But tell me, what’s in there?”

“Don’t mind about the can. Talk to me. Where you in that alley?”

Alex shook his head. Took the final drag to his cigarette and turn it off on the ashtray.

“Seriously, man. What do you have in there?”

“What were you doing in there?”

Michel looked down, and scratched his forehead. He drew his chair back a few inches from the table.

“I wasn’t—I wasn’t there, man.”

“You want to see what’s inside?” Alex picked up the can.

“Yes, let me see what’s in there.”

Alex grabbed the lit of the can and began to opened it slowly. The scratches were now fiercer, one a little light was entering the can.

Michael swallowed hard.

Alex opened the can partially, trapping the head of the rat with the lit. The rest of the animal’s body was still inside the can.

“What the fuck!” Michael stood from his chair, almost falling in doing so and went into a corner. “Take—take that shit out of here, man. Oh my God! What the fuck, you fucking moron, I have a thing with those beasts. Please, man. Take it out.”

Michael was desperate. Trembling. His voice had gone shaky. He was truly scared.

Alex stood up and walked towards the corner in which Michael was.

“Come one, Mike. It’s just a little harmless animal. Come and touch it!”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” He ran towards the door and tried to open it. He couldn’t. It was closed.

“What were you doing in that alley, boy? Just tell me and I’ll take out of here.”

Michael kept punching the door with his shoulder, trying to force it open.

Alex ran quietly towards him and caressed his ear. The can still closed.

Michael screamed like a little girl would when seeing a cockroach. He turned back and saw Alex laughing. He looked around for the rat and there was none. The can in Alex’s hands was still close.

Alex opened it now and let the rat get out. The big, fat, ugly animal ran towards the door, trying to pass behind it. Michael screamed again and began to tremble a lot. He was breathing heavy. He ran to the table and climbed it.

“Get that fucking animal out of here now!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. Alex could see tears in his eyes.

“Tell me what the fuck you were doing in that alley, then, you fucking moron.”

“I was appointed to be there!” Michael screamed.

“Appointed by who?”

“Jeffrey! Jeffrey told me to come. He needed my help.”

“Help with what?”

“I’ll tell you when you take that fucking, disgusting animal out the room!”

Alex took his keys out of his pocket and opened the door. The rat quickly escaped. He heard a few more screams from his female coworkers in the office. But that was fine. In his mind, this kind of fear were more justified in a lady. He made a gesture that seemed to be a smile, looking at Jack, and then he closed the door again.