No Reason

Crime Fiction by K.A. Williams

A blonde woman stepped out of the red front door with a blond man who zipped up her canary yellow dress.  Since I wasn’t being paid for using any of my high-tech surveillance gadgets, that was all the proof of infidelity I needed.

 The blonde balanced herself on spike heels long enough to make it to a cream Ford convertible parked in the driveway of the red brick house with the red shutters.  I had my face hidden behind a city map while I waited for the convertible to pass by my rented black Chevy, then I followed at a discreet distance. She led me down Wellington Avenue to a house covered in white vinyl siding with a sign in the front yard that read Psychic Reader Walk–ins Welcome.

***

The cop who barged into my office hadn’t knocked which didn’t surprise me. He never knocked.

Detective Carl Morgan, tall with thick dark hair, would have been a 10 except his eyes were too small. He sidestepped the client chairs and bent over the computer into my face. “So, honey, someone stole your gun, eh?” Today his breath smelled of cinnamon.

I leaned back in my chair and propped my athletic shoes up on the desk. “Yes,” I lied. “I always lock it here in the middle drawer before I leave because my husband works at home and doesn’t like firearms in the house. This morning when I came in I found the door pried open, all the desk locks jimmied, and no gun. Officers Rodriguez and McGrady answered the burglary call.”

“I know,” Morgan said. “I talked to them. Several offices on this floor were burglarized last night. That’s why I’m here.”

I nodded.

“What are you working on?”

I shook my head.

“C’mon honey, don’t give me that client confidentiality crap. These burglaries could have been staged to cover up the fact that it was just your office the thief was interested in.”

Handsome and smart but I didn’t flinch.

“So what are you working on?” he asked again.

I shrugged. “The usual domestic stuff – that’s all.”

“Any of your former clients’ files missing?”

“I’d have to check.”

“Do that. You miss any files, call me.”

“Sure.”

Morgan’s sudden smile revealed flawless teeth, too bad his eyes vanished. “Another reason I stopped by, honey, is to see if you’re ready to step out on your husband and be with a real man.”

I smiled back. “When are you going to introduce me to one?”

Morgan slammed my door on his way out.

***

Several days later I closed my file on the case and headed home to my red brick house with the red shutters. I opened the red door and startled my blond husband. “I didn’t expect you home until late tonight. I thought you had a case.”

I kissed him before I settled back on the black sofa and hunted the remote. “All wrapped up. Wife wanted her cheating husband watched. Isn’t it wonderful our marriage is perfect?”

Max stared at me until I clicked on the TV, then asked, “Have you had dinner yet?”

I flipped the channels until I found the one I wanted and patted the cushion at my side. “Why don’t we just sit here and watch the news awhile.”

“Okay.” He sat down and I hugged him.

A breaking news report followed the weather forecast. “Jasmine Harris was found shot to death at her home on Wellington Avenue this afternoon. The police have no suspects at this time.”

A close-up of the blonde’s face flashed on the screen and I quipped, “Guess she didn’t see it coming.”

“W-Why did you say that?” Max asked, his voice hoarse.

He had gasped at the mention of her name and now tears filled his eyes, but I still loved him.

I changed the channel and shrugged. “No reason.” 

(First published in The Rockford Review in 2009. Later published in Yellow Mama in 2021.)

---

Bio: K. A. Williams lives in North Carolina and writes speculative, mystery/crime, general fiction, and poetry.

​​​​​​​Over 300 stories and poems have now been published in many magazines including The Yard: Crime Blog, SavagePlanets, The Creativity Webzine, Yellow Mama, The Blotter, Corner Bar, 5-7-5 Haiku Journal, View From Atlantis, and Literary Yard.

​​​Apart from writing, she enjoys music (especially classic rock) and CYOA games.

The author’s ebooks are available at different retailers and free to read on Kobo Plus

They can be found HERE and in our Bookstore.

K.A. Williams has also posted “While I was Frozen” on The Yard

Read more Noir on The Yard: Crime Blog.

Follow us on:

Travel to North Carolina. See booking through affiliate button below.

Protect your home with solar powered security lights. See details, pricing and more shopping through affiliate button below.

Protect yourself and your loved ones with a Personal Alarm System. This alarm will go off, scaring away an attacker and drawing attention to your plight. It can be used in conjunction with any other self defense tools you desire. When you’re being attacked you want people to see and know what’s going on. You can’t scream if you are being choked. But you can set this thing off. Check out details, pricing and more shopping through affiliate button below.