He stood still, as if analysing what he’d heard, as if normality was returning. He waved an envelope around and walked up to the peephole.

Ruby backed away.

He spoke loudly. “I was told to deliver this to you. You were meant to pay me for delivering it.” An envelope appeared under the doorway. 

Ruby stared at the envelope.

“You’re going to open the door and make the payment.”

Bang. Bang.

“Okay. If that’s how ya going to play it. So be it. I’ll be back. The police won’t stay here forever.”

One last bang and he was gone. She hoped.

Ruby backed up, fell into the lounge chair, and dropped her bag beside the chair. 

She stared at the door. It was throbbing. No, that was her head throbbing in time with her heartbeat. She reached for her bag and rummaged through again, this time searching for the sample pack the doctor had given her. She grasped the pack, removed two tablets, and washed them down with water. 

How quick do these things work? She watched, listened. All was quiet.  Then a siren. Not too far away. A reassuring sound, but it also told the crazy man the police were coming. He’d be gone, but he said he’d come back. She tried to hold back the tears but couldn’t. 

Why me? What have I done?

She looked at the business card though watery eyes.

Detective Sergeant Jack Kinnaird.

Yes. She would call Detective Sergeant Jack Kinnaird.

<°)))><

Jack sat with Erica and Johnny watching TV from the couch. He had come home early and felt good. They hadn’t done this for a while.

It was a Star Wars movie, although Jack wasn’t sure about all these aliens. He’d always assumed humans were the norm and all these aliens were at different stages of the evolution process, all becoming humanoids. Or maybe the artists responsible for creating such entities were spaced out on drugs.

Erica snuggled up to him. She was making a huge effort with their relationship, because he knew she couldn’t stand science fiction movies.

His phone vibrated between him and Erica. She looked at him with knowing eyes.

“It’s okay, love. It must be important.”

Jack looked at his phone. Private caller. He hesitated but Erica gave him an encouraging nod.

“Hello, Detective Sergeant Kinnaird speaking.”

“Detective. It’s Ruby Fischer here from the island incident.”

“Hello, Ruby.”

“I’m scared.”

<°)))><

Ruby sat next to Zoe with their arms tucked together. A police officer sat on a kitchen chair taking notes, while another officer stood at the door.

Ruby shivered. Zoe rubbed Ruby’s arms, as if trying to flatten the goosebumps.

“I’ll go get your blanket.” Zoe stood up. “Looks like you have more visitors.” Zoe tilted her towards the door.

Jack Kinnaird and his partner stood at the doorway, talking to the police officer. Catherine excused herself and walked over to Ruby.

“Hello, Ruby.” She sat down beside her.

“You’re not having a good run, hey?”

Ruby sniffed and shook her head.

“Sounds like this is a one-off. Some crazy person has followed you home and waited for an opportune time to annoy you. That’s all they do, love. They annoy people. Most are harmless.”

“But he delivered something.”

“Yes, we’ll look at that. It’s probably all part of the act playing out in his head. Perhaps he thought he was some spy delivering an important document to another spy. They live in another world. You just happened to come into their play for this particular act.” 

“Hello, Ruby.”

She looked up at Jack, tall and solid. Like Dad. If only Dad were here, to give her a hug. She needed him. She’d call him soon.

“You doing okay?” Jack asked.

“Considering . . . maybe this was just a bit too soon after the other event. They say things come in threes. I’m dreading what’s coming next.”

“That could be a positive thing, Ruby,” Catherine said. “Things get weaker as they work their way down. Number three would be a lighter event.”

“I suppose that makes sense: first a coffin, then a crazed man, and then a box of chocolates,” Ruby said, with a tinge of sarcasm.

“Catherine is right, Ruby, I know a few bad jokes and a lot of them are based on three characters but the funny and light bit always comes at the end, with the third character.”

“I know you both mean well. But this man said he’s coming back. There’s nothing funny about that.”

“He’ll be apprehended before the night is over, Ruby. We’ll have his identify from the CCTV at the doctor’s clinic or from shops nearby. There may even be CCTV in this apartment block. All these things are being checked out. You won’t see him again.”

Ruby felt something inside her dissolve. A lightness came upon her. Reassurance. Those tablets must be working.

“Tell me one of those jokes, Jack.”

33 – Interviewing a clown

JACK DIDN’T SLEEP WELL. He dreamed of blondes, redheads, and green frogs with ruby-coloured eyes—the dreams didn’t need interpretation.