Box

49

I’m doubly shocked when Detective Tan from the Paducah police department takes my call. Shocked he took my call, even more shocked when he said, “We arrested Dr. Box earlier today for armed robbery.”

“That’s insane!” I say.

“Yes, ma’am, we agree. Turns out he was set up by a woman.”

“Renee Williams.”

“Uh…no ma’am.”

“Excuse me?”

“Zander Evans, of Paducah, aged twenty-two, last seen at Mason’s Truck Stop, Eddyville, Kentucky. That was four hours ago, give or take. You don’t happen to know Miss Evans, do you?”

“No. But I happen to know Dr. Box was in the company of my sister, quite recently.”

“And her name?”

“Like I said, Renee Williams.”

“Name sounds familiar. Hang on a minute.”

When he comes back on he says, “You say Renee Williams is your sister?”

“Yes sir. And she sent me a threatening text from Dr. Box’s cell phone. You should know that Renee has been tried two times for a double homicide that occurred in the state of Tennessee a couple years ago, and I have every reason to believe she has ill intentions toward Dr. Box.”

“Well, ma’am, I don’t normally give out personal information, but I can assure you Dr. Box is not in any danger from Renee Williams.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because they’re clearly a couple.”

“I know it might appear that way, but-”

“Trust me, Mrs. Lake. They’re a couple. In every sense of the word.”

“Please, Detective, just hear me out. You mentioned another woman.”

“Yes ma’am. Zander Evans.”

“I happen to know Dr. Box met a woman named Faith Hemphill this morning, in Ralston. How could he possibly have time to see Faith, drive to Paducah, get framed by Zander Evans for a robbery, taken to the station and booked, and set free, and also be involved with Renee Williams?”

“Ma’am, all I’m willing to say is your Dr. Box was having explicit carnal knowledge of your sister at the time of his arrest. And he admitted attempting to engage in carnal relations with Zander Evans less than two hours earlier. I don’t know what kind of feed he’s on, but this Dr. Box gets more action than a two-peckered rabbit.”

“Listen to me, Detective. Dr. Box is in danger. Renee’s holdin’ him at the Royal Landmark Inn. Maybe they were havin’ sex when you arrested them, and maybe they were gettin’ along just fine. But sometime after that, she found out he was interested in me, and that’s when she sent me a threatenin’ message.”

“What time was that, ma’am.”

“About eight-thirty this evenin’.”

“That’d be about forty minutes after we turned him loose.”

“Can you please just go there and check on him?”

He sighs. “I’ll phone it in.”

“Thank you! Will you call me back?”

“I will. But if this is just you, trying to get back at your sister for stealing your boyfriend-”

“It’s not. And he’s not my boyfriend. He’s a mongrel dog who’d fuck a pile of rocks hopin’ to find a snake. But his life’s in danger, and I won’t feel better till you’ve checked on him. If he’s fine and happy bein’ with my sister, more power to him. My only intent is to make sure he’s safe.”

“Can I ask why?”

“He’s been very generous to me. I owe him.”

“Can you give me a little more to go on?”

“My husband beat me half to death last night. Dr. Box saved my life.”

The detective pauses. Then says, “Did your beating have anything to do with Dr. Box?”

I sigh. “Not in the way you’re implyin’.”

“Don’t make me sorry I’m doin’ this, Miss.”

“It’s Missus. And the only reason you’d be sorry is if you wait too long to check on him.”