Rust On the Razor by Mark Richard Zubro

death of the sheriff was on all the news stations.”
    â€œI haven’t been charged with anything yet.”
    â€œNot from lack of trying.”
    â€œHuh?” I felt somewhat better. I reached for my pants, stood up, and pulled them on. Beau looked disappointed but didn’t comment.
    He said, “The only thing these people have done all day is try and tie you to the murder. Every step you and Scott have taken since you got here has been investigated. What they don’t have is direct evidence linking you to the murder.”
    â€œI didn’t do it.”
    â€œI understand. They don’t. They know you’re gay and you’re a stranger. You corrupted their favorite son. Led him to Sodom.”
    â€œHe was more than willing.”
    â€œYes, but they don’t want to know that, or won’t accept it. The big cities and evil ways have stolen him from them. There is a lot of affection for Scott Carpenter in this town, as you can imagine. I remember as he was growing up reading about him in the Atlanta papers as all-state everything. He was gorgeous then.”
    â€œHow is he?”
    â€œHe’s been downstairs most of the afternoon. He’s been trying to get to see you.”

    â€œHow’s his dad?”
    â€œI don’t know. I told him to go back to the hospital and that I’d call him as soon as something developed here.”
    â€œWhat’s going to happen to me?”
    â€œThe only thing that’s stood in the way of you being arrested, so far as I can tell, is that the district attorney is a young fella just out of law school.”
    â€œAnd he isn’t as prejudiced and narrow-minded as these others?”
    â€œHe’s a part-time preacher at the local Evangelical Christian Reformed Nazarene church.”
    â€œThat doesn’t sound promising.”
    â€œHe’s totally new on the job, which is somewhat good. He doesn’t want to be made a fool of in court. He knows he has to have a case. He wants to go exactly by the book, and going by the book at this point for you could be a very good thing.”
    I stuck my feet in front of the fan and began to pull on my shoes and socks.
    â€œAny chance I’ll be let out of here?”
    â€œI should be able to get you out without you being charged. If they find enough evidence to arrest you, that’s a whole ’nother thing, as I’m sure you know, but this has been long enough.”
    It was after five by now. He asked me what had happened from the moment we got to town. I told him. When I finished he said, “Come on with me.”
    â€œThey wouldn’t let me out the door earlier,” I said.
    â€œStick with me.”
    Beau took me by the elbow and walked me past the young blond cop. Harvey shuffled uneasily but let us pass. He followed us down the stairs. Beau stopped at the bottom of the stairs and gazed across the room at Cody, the dark-haired cop. Beau said nothing, just nodded to himself, and turned to the reception desk.

    Violet Burnside was standing near the reception desk. She wore tight short-shorts and a halter top that emphasized her enormous endowments. her hair looked artificially colored, and I thought I saw lines around her eyes that her excessive makeup almost completely concealed.
    She was speaking to the receptionist and several men in sport coats. I presumed they were plainclothes cops. She giggled and simpered at them.
    Once they noticed us, they all stopped talking.
    Wainwright Richardson came out of an office near the back. He strode to the railing. His eyes kept one continuous glare on Beau.
    â€œMay we leave?” Beau asked.
    â€œYour client may not leave town. Any attempt to remove him from this jurisdiction will result in his immediate arrest.”
    â€œThank you, Mr. Richardson, I understand. We want to be fully cooperative.”
    More dagger glares as we left.
    Outside, even the humidity felt good for at least the first couple