His wrists were in cuffs, chained to eyebolts in the floor.
He lifted his head and saw me sitting on a chair positioned above his legs.
Ned lashed out, tried to kick the chair over. And realized his feet were also chained to the floor.
He shook his head angrily, pitched his torso upward a few times in an effort to show he was a fighter, a man not easily intimidated. But in fact Ned was
“Who are you?” Ned wailed. “What do you want? Why have you done this to me?”
I sighed. “Ned, the reason we’re here, I’m worried about my daughter.”
Ned abruptly stopped whimpering. No doubt he thought me a lunatic. “Excuse me?”
“I’m Donovan Creed, Kimberly’s father. I’d shake your hand but...”
Yeah, of course you would, Ned must have thought, but it’s chained to the floor!
Ned studied me, as if trying to place me by inventorying my facial features. For Ned, it was a given I was unstable. But was I capable of murder? He wouldn’t want to find out. “Mr. Creed, I don’t know your daughter and that’s the God’s honest truth. I’m happily married. I think you must have me mixed up with someone else.
“You’re the pharmacist?”
“Yes sir, I work at Anderson’s Drug Store here in Darnell.”
“What makes you think we’re still in Darnell?”
“Oh, sweet Jesus!”
“Ned, let me tell you what’s happening here. You and I are going to put an end to what’s been going on in Darnell. Before it affects my daughter, or her friends.”
“Mr. Creed, I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
I sighed again. “If you think I’m enjoying this…” I paused.
Ned began shivering.
“Are you comfortable, Ned?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I can get you a pillow and blanket if you like.”
Ned shouted, “If you wanted to make me comfortable, you shouldn’t have chained my arms and legs to the floor, you son of a bitch!”
“I can’t fault you for being upset,” I said, “but I need to move things along. I have it on good authority that you’re selling drugs.”
Ned said, “I know your daughter, Kimberly. I’ve filled prescriptions for her. But I would never sell her any illicit drugs. You can ask her, if you don’t believe me.”
“I’m not talking about Kimberly,” I said. Then I thought of something completely off the subject.
“Is Kimberly on the pill?”
Ned thought for a minute. “Not that I’m aware,” he said.
I looked at him a long moment before saying, “It’s really none of my business, but that’s good to know.”
“Sir,” Ned said, “I do sell drugs, I’m a pharmacist. But I only sell prescription drugs.”
I kept my voice steady. “My daughter’s been dating a kid named Charlie Beck. Charlie’s twenty-one, his dad’s a local attorney, Jerry Beck. You know this kid Charlie?”
“No sir, I honestly don’t.” Ned said through gritted teeth as he tried to control his anger.
