“Who’s that?” Patterson asked.

“You know the skinny dark chocolate colored guy with the low-top fade that was just here? That was him.”

“You mean he was here and you didn’t say anything?” Patterson asked. “Why?”

“I saw Sean point the gun at Marco, and I tried to stop him by lunging at him and trying to take the gun from him, but he snatched it back from me. When I tried to get it back, he punched me in the face and kicked me in my shin, causing me to fall down. He shot the guy who keeled over as I watched helplessly from the ground. When I got up, Sean put the gun under my jaw and told me that he’d shoot me if I told anyone what I saw.”

“I called 911 to ask them for an ambulance to see if Marco could be revived, after I checked him and found nothing. When the ambulance came, the paramedics checked Marco and tried to revive him, but it was too late, because he was gone. Sean had left me. The police put my name under the “Suspects” list and asked me why I was with a dead body. So I ran and led police on a chase. I even hid in a dumpster. Then I went home when I realized no more cops were chasing me.”

“Oh,” Patterson said. “What are the names of the other two friends that showed up with Sean?”

“Julian and Mario.” He said. “But they really had nothing to do with Marco’s death. Sean is the one who took the gun and shot Mario.”

“Hmm, from what you told me, you should be a witness, not a suspect,” Patterson mused.

“Why would I call 911 if I should be a suspect?” Darryl pointed out.

“You’re right. I think you should be free to go,” he said to Darryl. He took out the cell and opened the cell door. "There is one thing I need to do to you though.”

“What’s that?”

“Check to see if you have any weapons on you or drugs.”

“I am in my nightclothes. I am wearing a silk pajama top and Flannel cotton pajama bottoms. I don’t even have my shoes on,” Darryl said, smiling wryly.

“I know, but I should do it anyways.” Darryl sighed and let Patterson scan his body with a handheld metal detector. Then he let Patterson frisk him.

“You’re clean, Darryl,” he said smiling at him. “I’ll escort you home.”

“Okay.” Darryl said. Patterson escorted him back to the police car and they both buckled themselves in and Patterson drove him back home.

“One more thing,” Patterson said. Sean Masters is now the prime suspect, based on what you told me. He still thinks you’re in the police station, but here is the police station number.” He wrote the number on a piece of paper and gave it to Darryl. “Call me if you find out away to get Sean arrested.”

Darryl said, “Thanks, bye,” and knocked on the door.

His mother opened the door. “Mom, I’m home!” He said happily. She hugged him happily. He hugged her back. “You’re back!” She waved goodbye to Patterson, he waved back, and then left. “So, tell me what happened,” she said, closing the door.

He recapped almost everything to her that happened to him. He even told her about Sean’s obvious control over Julian and Mario.

“Mom, I think that Julian and Mario are scared of Sean. They tag behind him like lost puppies. They agree with whatever he says. I just realized this when they came to visit me.”

“Sean visited you?” She asked him, raising an eyebrow. “I would have choked him right there.”

“Yeah, he did. But, it seems like Sean has some kind of power over them.”

“I don’t know, honey. I’d do whatever a MURDERER told me to do, too.” She said.

“Yeah. When I used to hang out with Sean and CO, we used to NEVER shoot people. We played fun games like playing basketball and video games.

“I remember that," she said with a nostalgic smile. But people change all the time. Honey, do you want to go to sleep?” she asked suddenly.

“Yeah, I am tired.”

“One more thing. How’d you get free from the police station?”

“I sang like a canary and told what Sean did. The cop let me go home.”

“Oh. Aren’t you worried that Sean will shoot you?”

“Sean doesn’t know that I am not at the police station anymore. And I can’t keep letting Sean do this,” he said with grim determination. “I knew what I had to do and I did it.” He went to his room and went to bed, thinking about Sean before he went to sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, he showered, brushed his teeth, and got dressed. His mom was cooking him his favorite breakfast: eggs, pancake, bacon, sausage, and toast. She smiled at him when he came into the kitchen. “Hi, sweetie,” she said, giving him a hug and a kiss.

“Hi, mom.” He said. He got himself a glass of orange juice. “How are you feeling about Sean?” she asked. He sat down at the table, drinking some juice.

“Don’t even say that name around me,” he said, looking frustrated.

“Oh, I see. Breakfast is ready.” He got himself some breakfast. He ate it heartily.

“Your appetite is back,” she said teasingly.