Skip to main content

62 - Danny

Submitted by Ken Watts on Fri, 04/06/2007 - 11:43
image

Around noon, that same day, Officer Jim Barnes stood in the doorway of the Seaside Bar and Grill, trying to catch the eye of a waiter. Business was booming, and each time he tried to flag one down, they shot past him to take an order, or deliver one, or to run to the kitchen.

He was about to give up and come back later when Kels spotted him and ambled over.

He raised his eyebrows.

"Officer?"

Jim Barnes was so relieved he could have hugged him.

"Oh, yes… I'm looking for a Danny Albright?"

Kels looked him up and down before responding.

"Danny. He in some kind of trouble?"

"No. Oh!-no. Not at all."

Kels nodded, cautiously.

"Because he's a good kid."

"No. It's nothing like that. I just need to ask him about something."

Kels looked him up and down again, then turned, and bellowed across the room.

"Hey! Danny!"

A good looking young waiter in the far corner looked up.

Kels waved him over.

He excused himself from his customers, and navigated his way across the crowded room. When he arrived, he nodded to Officer Barnes, warily.
Barnes nodded back. Everyone here seemed to be afraid of something.

"Danny Albright?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Do you know a man named Barry, who lives on the street, in town?"

"I know Barry, from the shelter. I volunteer there two nights a week. Is he in some kind of trouble?"

Barnes detected a sense of relief in the young man's voice. He decided to come to the point.

"He's wearing a jacket. He claims he got it from you."

The fellow was suddenly on his guard again.

"A jacket?"

Barnes held up the Polaroid snapshot.

"I'm looking for its owner," he said.