Sheer Incompetence

Sheer Incompetence

Aldo Costa sank into his chair and turned on the news.

“Retirement isn’t for me. I need something to do to give me pep in my step and bounce in my brain.”

He tuned into the broadcast as the anchor was getting ready to end the segment.

“The case was never solved.”

He snorted, “Which one?”

Turning to another channel that showed the same news, slightly delayed, he got the segment.

“It’s been twenty- five years today, since Catrina Costa was taken off the street in broad daylight.” Aldo was about to change the channel but stopped himself.

“As her uncle, they wouldn’t let me on the case, so I stood by helplessly. It’s time I stepped in!”

He grabbed his fedora, notebook, pencil and the slim file he had made on the case. His first stop would be his only one. Delgado Confection had always been on his list, but he couldn’t convince the guys on the case it was important.

Aldo silenced the bell on the door with the simple act of ripping it down.

“You owe me for that!” rasped Sammie.

“Not before you tell me what you did with my niece, Catrina, twenty-five years ago!”

“I love the kids, why would I hurt them?”

“I know you love the girls a little too much. I could never prove it, but I know!”

“Prove it, you rickety old basket case!” Sammie roared.

Aldo took his pistol out of his pocket, raised it and fired twice. After he had checked to make sure Sammie was dead, he began to search. A dusty box in the rafters was a gold mine of photos. Aldo called the cops and sat on the box to wait for them.

“I’m sorry Catrina; I should have helped you sooner,” he sobbed.