Welcome to the Writer's Place: Close Encounter

"Please, don't shoot me! I'll pay you the money. Just give me another day. Please! Another day is all I need, and you'll have the money." The man pleaded for his life. "I've given you all the time you need you piece of dirt," said John "Mustang" Beckham....the man holding the Colt 45 Caliber gun to the man's head.

John pulled the trigger, and the bullet shot through the man's temple like a blast out of hell. The man's head exploded into pieces of brain, blood, and human tissue out into the open air. It was a bloody mess! No sound was heard beyond that terrible blast. The silent sky lay witness to the crime below. The trees, grass, and the wind watched without a word to say.

Whenever he killed, John always covered all of his bases. He knew without a doubt that he was alone in the clearing hidden well inside a heavily wooded forest. There weren't any homes, nice subdivisions, or businesses within a hundred miles from the site. John felt confident that he was safe. John was wrong.

Little did he know that one witness was standing safely hidden inside an old bear cave that had long ago been abandoned by animals. And, it was covered with heavy bushes and wild, yellow and red flowers. The boy, James had seen everything. James was fifteen years old. He saw John pull-up in his white, convertible mustang. He saw John unlock the trunk of his car. He saw the man's body being pulled out of the trunk and violently thrusted to the dusty and dirty ground below.

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The next morning, John "Mustang" Beckham danced on the silky, white sand without a care in the world. Jazz music played in the background and beautiful women danced under the hot sun. Men with beautiful faces danced with the beautiful women. Two police officers quietly walked up to John and asked him, "Are you John Beckham and is this your home?" John replied, "Yes, I live here. What's this about?" The officers responded, "Sir, you are under arrest for the kidnapping and murder of a man by the name of Jose Fernandez. " While handcuffing John and helping him into the back of their police car, one of the officers said, "You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand?" John nodded yes. "Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand?" John nodded yes again. As his Miranda Rights were being said to him, John was whisked away in the police car. He left behind a crowd of surprised guests both male and female.

At the police station, John sat inside a room with the mirror staring back at him. He knew he was being watched by someone on the other side of the mirror. But, he didn't know who was there. He thought he had been safe. He thought there couldn't be any witnesses, not in such a remote area. The boy, James, was sitting on the other side of the mirror. He identified John as the man who had committed the murder of Jose Fernandez.

One police officer thanked James for his help and apologetically told James that he needed some more information on James and his background. James sat beside his mother who gave a nod of approval. James said, "I am James Beckham, and that man is my father."

Mariam Greenwood - copyright 2007 (mgreen@nova.edu)