The Gym

The two detectives took in the scene quickly and headed to the down man on the floor. They spoke briefly first to the beat cop who had been first on the scene to get his take on the situation. Harry's home district so Harry took the lead and checked the man's pulse and breathing. He was alive, breathing normally, pulse not eratic but out cold just as the officer stated. Harry looked around and settled on the girl standing closest to the victim. Her look of concern seemed genuine.. She was a witness with something to say so Harry began with her.


"Can you tell me what just happened here Miss?" Harry asked with authority.


"Well um. We were talking. Bob and I were talking and Vladimir there dumped those weights on Bob." Harry and his partner turned to the huge Vlad.


"Was accident! I was spotting him and spin locking came undone. Not on purpose just accident."


"You're Russian I take it Vlad?"


"Yes. I am Vladimir Ostrepov, Now USA resident and registered to vote. Came after war to be citizen of here. Meeting many American in Berlin. I want to come see and stayed here in freedom. I want to stay free.


"If you was to stay free then how did that lock spin all the way off? Looks like a lot of threads on that bar. Can you tell me how that could happen?"


"Don't know. Was accident. Bob was talking to Alice Gideon, my girlfriend, when suddenly weights fall on him. Happens in Russia gyms all of the time. Practically everyday."


The girl responded vehemently.

"I am not your girlfriend, Vlad. Stop telling people that." The girl looked at Harry with a frown and a sigh.

"He keeps telling people that but we've never been out. It's all in his mind. Bob was getting a little flirty with me and suddenly weights went everywhere."


"Was accident I say. Was not on fault. Alice is my rich American girlfriend. I swear on stacks of bibles."


"We are not rich, Vlad. My father is always making that joke. We do not sell bibles to hotels and motels. It was a joke."


"Then why is bible saying Gideon on it? That is not your family? I have been in hotel. I have seen this."


The girls father was at a desk by the door shaking his head and laughing. Harry didn't think anything about this was funny and yelled at the old man.


"Did you call an ambulance by any chance? This is serious. This man could be hurt badly."


"Called them before I called you." the old owner answered. "Sorry but the Russian is such an idiot. Can't help myself sometimes."


"Cuff him, Bill. I think we need to talk to Vlad at Headquarters. He seems to have some mistaken ideas about dating, bibles and weightlifting etiqette as well as a loose view attempted murder. Vlad, you need to join us for more questions and answers at our place of business. Come quietly please."


Wolfman Bill placed a pair of cuffs on the Russian, carefull not to pinch, with his hands in front. As he almost expected. the big Russian snapped the cuffs into matching bracelets and held his hands out pleadingly.

"This is big mistake, You are not hearing from me. Accident is all." the Russian whined.


"Okay, Vlad, you own me for one pair of handcuffs and in cash. If you won't come along peacefully, I'll shoot you. I walked across Europe to Berlin and I was shooting and duckinng most of the way. A bullet in the right place that breaks the bone and you never lift again. I am not making a joke like Mr. Gideon I will accept only cooperation from this moment on or you spend the rest of your life helplessly turning to fat. There are weights in prison if worse comes to worse but they are no good to a cripple. We don't know what the situation is going to be. What will it be?"


"What will be what, Police?"


"How will you behave, Vlad?"


"Coming quietly is best idea."


"Good choice, Vlad. Good choice."


As the stack of blonde muscle sat on a bench dejectedly, the ambulance team swooped in to collect their patient. After using a piece of plywood to lift the injured Bob to the cot, they placed him in the vehicle with only a brief exchange of information with the policemen. They would call later to get the patient's condition and to assess how serious the injuries were and how serious was the crime.


"I'll call a meat wagon for Mr, Universe and a ride for us." Harry left the beat guy to collect statements from everyone in the gym