Cal.E.'s Korner

C.: And now, part six of D.C. Scott’s short story...

                                                MURDER OR MERCY?

What killed Jim Payne wasn’t an overdose of morphine, but an air bubble that went to his brain. It was injected into his carotid artery with an empty syringe and a small-gauge needle. The smallest ones you use to vaccinate calves and foals are 18 ½ gauge x 1 1/2” needles. I know this because that’s what I use on my young livestock. That size needle would have done the trick quickly. I know how your abuelo died, and that makes you look suspicious.” Don tightened the grip on his gun before he continued.

“Both your abuelo and Jim Payne died the same way, and there were size thirteen EEEE boot prints in the room where each person died. You worked for both men, and, well, I know why you didn’t go pro, Joaquin. You gotta admit, the evidence is pretty strong.”

“I ain’t killed nobody, but even if I did, it was mercy, not murder in both cases. My abuelo was sick for a long time like Mr. Jim, and they were both sufferrin’ a whole lot. If’n a horse or a cow is down wit’ a broke leg or somethin’ else that we figir it can’t recover from, we just put the animal out o’ its misery. But humans, we gotta suffer until nature or the Lord, or whichever deity you believe in, decides it’s yo’ time ta go. It ain’t right, if ya ask me.” Joaquin then turned to Joel.

“It looks like I’ll be needin yo’s services, sir. I ain’t got much money, and lawyers and cops speak the same language: ‘Lie through yo’ teeth an’ then lie some mo’.’ I ain’t got it in me ta defend myself against that, and it looks like the cops already done made up their minds.”

Joel and Joaquin then went into the barn and began to talk in the room that Joaquin lived in. It was clean and air-conditioned, and Joel was thankful for that. Even in late October, the heat can be stifling some days in Southeast Texas. Today was one of those days.

C.: Well, I suppose we’ll stop there because I must fill in for my youngest male kitten, Ralph the bass…..

I said BASS!! Player. That's why I'm on T.'s hog. Anyway,

Ralph and the RoCKats

have hit the big time and they are on their NEW BALANCE tour.

They’re playing back allies in Needville, Egypt, Winnie, Brenham, Anahuac, Liberty, Alvin, Navasota, Conroe and East Bernard. Consequently, I must fill in for Ralph at The Kennel.

until he and my old band get back, so that’s the end of this cat ta(i)le, folks.

Please join us next time for another edition of MURDER OR MERCY? Right here on Cal.E.’s Korner.