Columnist

The clock on the far side of the desk read 3:27. Jacob glanced out
the window to confirm his sneaky suspicion that it was AM instead of
PM. As his eyes swept across the room he noticed the heap of crumpled
pieces of paper representing his failed attempts at his column for
tomorrow's edition of the local newspaper. Mr. Carlson's job had many
perks; staying up all night trying to meet a deadline wasn't one of
them.

He had nothing better to do however, no kids to return home to, and the
former Mrs. Carlson wouldn't be seeing him anytime soon. Jacob smiled
at that thought. His fingers darted across his typewriter as a new
headline appeared at the top of the page: "The bitch who is my ex-wife"
That should make an interesting column.

Jacob hated his ex with a passion, and this would be a good way to
really piss her off. Jacob finished his column and drove home. Another
full day's work. The clock on the far side of the desk read 3:59.

* * *

Detective Edwards sipped his morning coffee, as he read the early
edition of the local paper. A certain column captured his interest.
Working in the homicide department for the past thirteen years left
Edwards very adept at picking up clues like this. After finishing the
hate column, Jason Edwards sat down his coffee and muttered to himself,
"This is it."

"What did you say dear?" his wife just now entering the kitchen.

"Nothing," Edwards knew he had already found his job for this
week.

* * *

"I read your column today Jacob."

Karen's voice sounded even more annoying over the phone, Jacob
thought.

Jacob contemplated hanging up on her right now, "It's all true so a
slander suit's no good."

"As long as I get my alimony check you can write whatever you
want."

"Why did you really call, Karen? Did you get your weekly beating from
Tom last night?"

"He just gets a little drunk sometimes, I can take care of
myself."

"Then do that and leave me alone." With that Jacob hung up. He could
care less if her boyfriend killed her. She deserved it.

Jacob left work early that day. He had things to attend to.

* * *

Tom Myers laughed as he finished Jacob's column, donned his hardhat and
returned to his building site. Tom was foreman of the crew building a
new office complex across the road from Karen's house.

"I told you it would make you laugh Tom."

"Everything he said was true. Smartest thing Jacob ever did was get out
of that marriage."

"Why are you still with that bitch anyway."

"I don't know, man. You should have seen her yesterday, she really
pissed me off, I could've killed her."

"Maybe you should just steer clear of her for a while, man. With that
temper of yours, you're gonna do something you'll regret."

"Just get back to work, Justin. I'll take care of my own life."

A state police patrol car drove by at that moment as if to drive
Justin's point home.

* * *

Jason Edwards sat in his darkened office staring at the newspaper
clipping of Jacob Carlson's article. He knew. Either from some innate
sixth sense or simply from being in this line of work too long, he
knew. Tonight was the night. And tomorrow he'd have to put together the
pieces.

* * *

Jacob had been driving around town for nearly two hours. It helped him
think. He had left work early so he could fix this problem and here he
was, delaying the inevitable. The clock on the dash of his Honda Accord
read 8:07. It was beginning to get dark. The last rays of sunlight were
sinking behind the horizon. Jacob stopped the car and fished around in
his left pocket for a quarter.

Jacob felt dumb for putting a decision as important as this in the
hands of fate, but it was the only way he could make up his mind. Jacob
flipped the coin. It came up tails, and he drove around for a few more
hours trying to summon up the courage to flip the coin again.

* * *

Tom had gotten off work at seven, and he was now spending some quality
time in the local bar with his friends.

"Hey how about another round of cold ones for me and my friends," he
said while motioning to get the attention of the bartender.

Several hours later Tom staggered out of the bar and began the short
drive to Karen's house.

* * *
Karen awoke at the sound of a truck screeching to a halt in the
driveway outside and quickly glanced at the clock. It was 12:02. She
walked down to the kitchen expecting to find Tom, raiding the
refrigerator as usual. The kitchen light was off, so Karen headed for
the living room.

Karen heard the sound of breathing behind her just as the blunt end of
a mason's hammer connected with the back of her skull. Karen's hand
flew to up to the hole in her head as she dropped to her knees. Another
bone crushing hit to the top of the head sent her limp body to the
floor.

The killer dropped the hammer beside her lifeless form, and made his
swift exit.

* * *

Early morning found Detective Jason Edwards responding to a homicide at
the residence of Karen Carlson.

Several squad cars were already parked outside of the house as Edwards
arrived in his. Jason exited the car slowly, taking a cursory glance
around the scene, to make sure he didn't miss anything. A red Ford
pickup was parked crookedly in the middle of the driveway. The screen
door was standing open as two officers emerged carry the body of Mrs.
Carlson.

Edwards stopped the procession, and unzipped the body bag to take a
look at the victim's shattered skull. He closed the bag and let the
body proceed on its way to the county morgue.

Edwards cautiously stepped into the house, careful not to disturb
anything. One officer stood over the outline, taking pictures.

"Make sure to get one of the truck outside," Edwards said.

"Lieutenant Prescott already had me get one sir."

"Good."

Edwards eyed the blood stained hammer lying on the floor, just to the
right of the outline.

"No question about the murder weapon this time, Jason." The voice
belonged to Prescott.

"No. What else have you got?"

"Pretty open and shut I think. I might have not needed you this time.
Her boyfriend called it in. Says he found her like this when he woke
up. Apparently he was out partying with his buddies last night and got
a little drunk. Probably wouldn't even remember doing it. He works at
the sight across the street, easy access to the murder weapon."

"Everyone had easy access to the murder weapon."

"Okay so what's your take on it?"

"Did you read the paper yesterday? Her ex-husband didn't seem to think
much of her. The timing's a nice coincidence too don't you
think?"

"Alright, you follow that up and I'll stick with the abusive
boyfriend."

"Deal."

* * *

Edwards walked into the office of Jacob Carlson cautiously, absorbing
every detail.

Jacob stood up from his desk, "How did I know this was coming? Let me
save you the trouble. I didn't like her, our marriage was hell, maybe I
even thought about killing her, but I didn't. I personally would put my
money on that boyfriend of hers."

Edwards paused taking everything in, his mind racing through questions
of plausibility. Who was the more likely killer? Who should I spend my
time on? Two of them, why did it have to be two? Which one?

"Where were you last night between the hours of eleven and one?"

"I don't have to answer your questions?"

"No you don't. But I could haul your ass downtown and you could answer
them there. This is simple, throw me an alibi, I check it out then I
leave you alone."

"I was out driving most of the night, it relaxes me."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

Bingo

"No one to corroborate your story?"

"No."

"Did you happen to drive bye your ex-wife's house last night?"

"No." Carlson was becoming agitated.

"You had to make an alimony payment yesterday according to your
article, have you sent the check?"

"I hadn't gotten around to it."

"I guess you won't have to now."

"I have deadlines to meet and I'm going to ask you to leave now."

"I'll be in touch," Jason smiled on the way out. He had his man.

* * *

Prescott met Edwards just as he was opening the door to his
office.

"What'd you get on the ex?"

"He's our man."

"This is so like you. You've got a mountain of evidence against the
boyfriend and you set your sight on someone else."

"The boyfriend was too drunk to walk, let alone kill anyone. The ex has
no alibi, and he hates her. I could see it in his eyes; he wanted her
dead. Give me a little time and I might even get a confession out of
him."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely. You can trust me, I did these way before you started
here."

"I take full credit for the case as usual?"

"Of course. Don't worry, we won't even need a trial this time, I can
make this guy actually believe he killed her."

"You keep killing people and feeding me arrests like this and I'll be
Chief of Police in no time."

"Count on it, I'll go pick him up."

"Any idea who you'll kill next week?"

"No, but I'll watch the papers, those columnists are real psychos."