In the alley of a no name city. No where you could get a direct flight to from a major city. There was a smell. In the heat of summer, it permeated quick and far. Someone reported it. The police arrived within an hour.
A tall blonde woman covered her nose. "What happened to him?"
Three days later they were in the interrogation room. A man who was the brother, Shawn, of the body found earlier was in for questioning. He had flown in from out west.
"I don't know. My brother. He just did things his way. That's how it always was."
"Well 'his way' didn't pan out." The uglier of the two detectives, the man, pointed at the photograph. "By the time we arrived at the scene, his gut was already exploded. His insides were melting onto the asphalt."
He looked at the photo intensely. After fifteen seconds he asked whether his brother had anything in his stomach.
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Aren't you the one supposed to be asking the questions?" the well dressed man made no attempt to hide his satisfaction. He leaned back and stretched his torso and arms behind his head.
He was dressed in a thin, light blue jean shirt. Buttoned up one short of the collar bone. Long sleeves rolled up one fold to reveal a contemporary watch. The fashion of a well paid engineer who lived out west. Nothing too gaudy. No Rolex. just rather a no frills upper middle class transplant living alone with no kids.
When the detective didn't flinch at the joke, the man stopped stretching. Leaned forward again.
"I'm wondering. I heard he was doing some weird experiment. Allowed him not to eat. Something like that."
"Mm."
The door swung open. The blonde woman came in. Stated that they had everything they needed for now. Thanked the man for his time.
"But we might need to contact you again in the future. If that's alright."
When the man stood up he noticed that he and the woman were about the same height. However her head was so much smaller than his, that her shoulders were higher than his.
"Sure. Just text me any time. I won't be able to pick up the phone if you call. I'm here to do anything to help you find out what happened to my brother."
After leaving the
police
station he went to a bar. He knew that Cal used to hang out here all the time. "Rust bar". Shawn knew the name by heart from the
credit card
balance statements. Cal had been added as an authorized user to his credit card. Among other things that, Rust was a main staple. Some nights his brother would spend a reasonable amount. One that looked to correspond to the price of a few beers and tip in the midwest. But some nights the price charged would look a little too high. Shawn was buying for others obviously. Probably tipping a little too generously. Why not? right. Since big brother Shawn is footing the bill. Although the people at the bar might now have a clue. They probably just thought Cal was a swell guy. In reality his younger brother was broke. Never could hold a job. The only decent thing he managed was going up to
Spacecity
.
Up there, his brother changed. for the better. Shawn couldn't believe it. Wouldn't. He thought that person isn't the same guy he knew. Where was that bad attitude loser? But throughout the years while Cal was in space and Shawn was out west working his ass of for the firm, the two of them talked everyday.
It was once Cal returned to earth that things went bad. The two spoke less frequently. And since Cal had all the money from his Spacecity enlistment, he no longer got updates on his brother from his spending habits. Work became too busy for Shawn. Fell out of constant contact. He hoped Cal was adjusting back to earth ok. Had no idea. Assumed it wasn't that big of a change actually. But then he gets a call from his mom one day. Saying the police called.
Drinks were much cheaper out here than back where Shawn lived. He had no qualms buying a
beer
and a fancy shot here. He sat at the bar. Asked if the bartender knew a guy named Cal.