NIGHTMARE ALLEY

  Once answered a call on 3rd Ave South, or one of those avenues near the beach that have an alley behind them. Several also had guest houses. This call was from a distraught lady who said she hadn't seen her guesthouse tenant for a whole day and that just wasn't like him.

  It was dark when I arrived on scene.  Spoke briefly with the complainant. She went on about how nice and reliable the man was, young, handsome, but seemingly unable to get over his recent divorce. She knew he was lonely because he came to her house each day for an afternoon cup of coffee. And he'd linger. But today, he hadn't shown up. She'd knocked on the door but no one'd answered. And that just wasn't like him. I asked her to give me her master key and we went back to the rental.

  Walked around the house and tried to look in the windows but all the blinds had been pulled with not  a sign of interior illumination Finally, I pounded on the door several times, shouting, "Police, open up," with no success. Asking the landlord to wait outside, I used the master and opened the door.

  It was dark as doom inside and when I tried the light switch nothing happened. (Found out later, he'd turned off the electric.) I flipped on my Ray-o-Vac and remembered it needed new batteries. The open front door wasn't affording much illumination from the streetlight outside so I decided to open blinds. (The windows, we later found, had been covered with blankets.)

  Stumbling around in the dark I came to an abrupt stop when my face smacked up against something cold. . . and naked. I made a speedy retreat. Finally working up my courage, I re-entered the cottage, taking a different path, hands out, groping at the darkness until I found a window and ripped off the blanket. At that precise instance, the landlady, who'd followed me in, let out a blood chilling scream. I could see why.

  In the tepid light, her tenant could be seen. Hanging by the neck, naked, from a light fixture. Gravity had been at work, his neck stretched and thin. Eyes bulged, imploring. A thick black tongue had pried open his mouth.

  An unbearable sight for a lady to see. Or, I found after many a black-memory, terror-ridden sleep, a rookie cop either.