The detective's bald head began to sweat profusely and his shirt collar began to soak up. Both his knees began to wobble and his fingers starting to go numb. There was something very strange lurking about in garage of his usually very quiet police station. The loud tapping of boots echoed across the garage pavement, as the tall shadow came closer. The detective could feel more beads of sweating rolling down his body. He tried to say something, but he stood frozen in place as the huge shadow came right up to his most prized possession, a mint condition Red Harley-Davidson.
Detective Stanley watched nervously as the behemoth of a man became visible in the left side mirror of his prized motorcycle. Most of the man's face was hidden by a pair of massive gold-rimmed aviator sunglasses. The man appeared rugged and tough, and his face had strong masculine features. His thick bushy moustache covered his upper lip spread down both sides of his mouth. A deep scar marked his left cheek and ran up to right eye. Although he was massive and tough looking, he walked nimbly, and had the detective not heard his boots he probably wouldn't have even seen him.
The Detective's hands were still trembling, so much that he was barely able to insert the small key into the keyhole. Cautiously grasping his sidearm, he did his very best to get away from the lurker. The detective couldn't help but wonder who he was. Perhaps this was some old enemy he had locked away? After all, he had very few friends and no shortage of enemies. Or maybe it was some mob boss that had been defeated and was out for revenge? Perhaps someone from the old Donahue clan was still looking for his revenge. But it didn't make sense, and it was unlikely he wouldn't a Donahue's being over six-five. Besides he arrested Greg Donahue almost twenty years ago. He was so old by now that he was probably buried somewhere in the Jail.
There was another theory, but it was pretty wild for someone who spent their life doing detective work. Perhaps it was some sort of ghost, maybe it was Donahue's spirit coming back for revenge. The detective quickly shook that feeling off and focused on getting the heck out of the garage.
Detective Stanley took a deep breath, and his Harley roared to life. Stanley took another look behind him, praying the man had disappeared and disappeared and it was some weird figment of his imagination. But he was very much standing there, standing in middle the exit ramp and staring right at him. Stanley tried to speed out of the garage, but the motorcycle stalled and began rolling backwards.
A thin cloud of smoke covered the man's face, and caused his thick sunglasses to momentarily disappear. A thick cigar dangled out of the side of his mouth as he started coming closer and closer. He was so massive that Stanley could feel his huge body hovering over the motorcycle. Finally the Motorcycle kicked back into gear and launched forward, nearly launching him off the seat. The back tire spun so fast it left a huge burn mark against the pavement, and the putrid smell of burned rubber in its wake.
The whole drive home Stanley couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being followed. Even over the noise from his motorcycle, he was certain he heard the tapping of soles against the road behind him.
'Tap-Tap-Tap' 'Tap-Tap-Tap' 'TAP-TAP-TAP' and suddenly it was silent again.
He was so eager to get back to the solace of his empty apartment that he sped through every red light across Maplewood Avenue. It was unlike the detective to run through red lights, but he was certain he was being followed. As he turned off Maplewood and past the old school building, a loud honk and a slew of profanities jolted him back to his senses. He came with an inch of an old rusted out red Toyota pickup, before finally coming to his senses. Two of Donahue's grandsons were sitting up front and swung up their middle fingers, but soon realized who he was and sped off into the distance.
He drove as cautiously as he could the rest of the way home, and after a few wrong turns he was finally home. His hands were still shaking and most of his shirt was drenched in sweat. He was so nervous that he barely was able to park the motorcycle, and almost fell to the ground when he got off its pegs. He stood off the motorcycle, put the key in his pocket and began to walk upstairs. He could shake off the feeling that he was being followed.
'Tap-Tap-Tap' 'Tap-Tap-Tap' 'TAP-TAP-TAP!'
This time the sound was much louder and closer. But he couldn't see the massive man anywhere nearby. After regaining his posture, he began to slowly walk up the small cement staircase from the garage up towards his apartment. Finally catching his breath, he walked down the worn-out pink carpeted hallway to the comfort of his fifth floor apartment.
He was finally somewhere where he didn't have to worry about being spooked. Doing his best to distract himself, he hummed along as he began to get undressed. His police uniform was so sweaty that he badly needed to peel it off and take a shower. He unbuttoned his soaking wet police shirt and threw it down on the floor. He pulled his police belt off and placed it on the side table in his living room. He fumbled with the top button on his khakis, releasing his pants down to the floor. After kicking the pile of clothing to the side of the room, he sunk down into his big green living room chair. There was so much solace in sitting in his favorite chair, and drinking the night away in his tight white underwear. It was as lonely as it was peaceful, and he decided he would shower in the morning.
The familiar comfort of the first sip of alcohol hit hard at the back of his throat. He sank deeper and deeper into his chair, and was minutes away from falling asleep. He was hoping that the alcohol would numb him, and it was all just his imagination. After a few more swigs, he thought he heard a familiar tapping. This time it was much louder, even louder than it was in the police station garage. It was so loud, that it sounded as if it were right inside his apartment.
'Tap-Tap-Tap' 'Tap-Tap-Tap' 'TAP-TAP-TAP'
Stanley pulled his living room curtains, perhaps it was coming from outside. He was right, there he was again. The man was just standing there, and it looked like he must have followed him home. But where was the tapping come from if he wasn't moving. Stanley quickly pulled the curtains shut, and peeked out the window. For the first time in his thirty years as a detective, he was truly scared. He was shaking so much he nearly fell to ground.
Stanley was finally able to get a good look at the man. He was comically large compared to the thin black lamp post which he was comfortable leaning on. The lamp post was bending back and forth from the pressure his huge frame was putting on it. He faced Stanley's apartment window and pulled a thick cigar from his top left jacket pocket. It was definitely his shiny knee-high cowboy boots that were causing that loud incessant tapping all night.