He taps him on the skull, hard, with the butt of the gun.
'Get her in here, now.'
The blubbering begins. Colin calls for his mama, voice cracking though the sobs.
Colin's mother is wearing a T-shirt and jeans. She's younger than the killer expected. Prettier too.
'Hi, Mama.' He blows her a kiss. 'Go sit on the sofa. The three of us are going to have a conversation.'
Mama cops an attitude, hands rising to her hips. 'What the--'
'Mama, sit down!' Colin screams at her, blood and tears rolling down his face.
His mother nods, then sits.
'Okay, here's the dealio.' The cop smiles at his use of street slang. 'I'm going to ask some questions. I get answers I like, I go away and never come back. I don't get answers I like . . .'
He slaps the gun across Colin's face, knocking him to the floor.
'Do we understand each other?'
He looks at the mother. Her eyes are cold, but she nods.
Colin is hugging the floor like a security blanket, trembling. The killer nudges him with his foot.
'Do you know who I am, Colin?'
Colin stares up. Nods.
'Tell me who I am.'
'When I got brung in, you the one that locked me up.'
'That's right, Colin. Do you remember what I said to you?'
Colin swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down like a basketball.
'You told me not to cancel my phone service.'
'Or else?'
'Or else you'd hang my ass from the nearest lamppost.'
'Good, Colin. You remembered. Did you believe me, when I said it?'
'I didn't cancel the service! I didn't!'
'I know, Colin. That's why you're not swinging from the streetlight out in front. But you did talk to the cops about me, didn't you?'
Colin shakes his head so fast it's comical.
'I din't say nothin'!'
'Are you sure?'
'Jesus, I din't say nothin'!'
'Get up, go sit next to Mama on the couch.'
Colin pulls himself off the floor, plops down next to his mother. The cop knows he's broken him. Knows he's telling the truth.
He checks his watch. There's still a little time for some fun.
'Is your boy lying to me, Mama?'
She puts an arm around Colin's shoulders as he cries into his hands.
'Colin don't tell no lies.'
The killer admires the defiance in her eyes. He becomes even more aroused. 'He doesn't? But Colin deals drugs, doesn't he?'
She strokes Colin's head, as if petting a dog.
'I heard him, when those other cops came. He din't tell them nothin'.'
The cop moves closer to the sofa. He feels ready to burst.
'You seem like a smart lady. If you and your boy want to live through this, you're gonna have to do something for me. You know what it is?'
Colin's mama stares at him, nods.
'There's a condom in my front pocket. Take it out.'
Her hands are hot in his pants.
'Put it on me and get to work, Mama. Make me happy and I'll spare your life.'
She's not the best he's ever had, and the condom limits some of the sensation, but she's much better than his bitch of a wife.
'Hey, Colin, I think your mama's done this before. She's got some good moves.'
