by J. A. Areces
Chapter 7
Wednesday
Jesse locked the front door with his key, still perplexed that the boxes were missing. It was unexplainable, and yet they were missing. He searched the entire store for them unsuccessfully. With nothing more to do, he decided to go home.
“Did you hear it?”
The tight grip on his shoulder startled Jesse making him jump.
“Did you hear it?” The homeless man repeated as he drew uncomfortably close to Jesse’s face.
Jesse backed away climbing down the steps. The homeless man followed.
“Hear what?”
“That raving mad laughter!” The homeless man covered his ears as his hands trembled. “The same laughter I heard before all those people were murdered.”
“You saw who killed them?”
“I found them dead!”
Jesse stepped further away.
“I would hear the laughter and come out.” The homeless man pointed to the dark alley. “They would be dead. I told the police that it wasn’t Mr. Lefkoff. He was too kind - - always giving me something to eat. It was him, the stranger with the laugh always telling me insane stories to torture me.”
“Who?” Jesse drew closer.
“I don’t know, but he knows that I know. He knows!”
“Did you tell the police?”
“He said he would kill me…he knows that I know! He knows that I know…he knows!” The homeless man lunged forward barely missing Jesse and rushed across the street disappearing back into the dark alley.