Mezzo-One COLLECTIBLES

            My story begins on a stormy night back in August of 1937 during a strong heat-wave that we in Chicago had been experiencing for a while. And though this was the first rain we had seen in several weeks, it sure made-up for all that heat in one crazy night. It was one of those kind of storms that made you figure a tornado was about to come through, or even a hurricane; though such a thing's a rarity for our city, but not impossible. Whatever caused this storm to happen, I'm now convinced that it was not simply mother nature at work, but there was actually interference from another source. A source that changed my life forever.

            My name's Johnny Sharpe; I'm a private detective. My office is situated downtown in one of them rental spaces that usually only businessmen or lawyers occupy. But the spot was good − real good − for, it was where I wanted it to be, and that was right in the middle of the Chicago crime-world.

            I've decided to begin a journal of all that has been happening to me over the past month or so, for things are just getting crazier and crazier; and, I honestly don't know where all of these events will lead...

            At the time (when that storm had hit), and for a week, I had been working on a really tough case. Some madman had broken out of an insane-asylum and had begun making trouble for a certain Jack Smith; who soon afterwards had become my new client. The madman in question had called himself the Jester; but, because of the stupid pranks that he had been plaguing the city with, the newspapers had started calling him the 'Jesting Jester.' For all intents and purposes, both names had fitted him just fine, for the man actually dressed the part of a medieval merry-maker, showing all us that he had studied that historical time period quite well.

            Mr. Smith, evidentially, had something that the Jester either wanted or needed, else he wouldn't have bothered him to begin with; and, it became my job to find out exactly what that was. The trail, however, had become cold; not only had the Jester disappeared without a trace, but Mr. Smith himself was being extremely secretive about any of his own private business. He was obviously hiding something, and I was determined to find out exactly what that was.

            In the meantime, and even though only a week into this case, I badly needed a break from it; therefore, it was off to my girl Betty's house for the evening. Surely, my beautiful, platinum blonde (who had been my girl since a year before) would help me relax my mind until the morning when it would be time for me to do some serious investigation once again into the case of Mr. Jack Smith.

            But, before I even got halfway there, and just before I even left the city for the outskirts, a sudden and violent storm had overtaken me on the roadway. That's the storm that I first mentioned a moment ago. It was a good thing that I knew those back-roads well, since it helped me maneuver my car, because the darkness had increased tenfold.

            Like I said, I was driving toward my girl Betty's place, past the outskirts of town, and it was very hard to see anything in that dark, rainy mess; except for, and every little bit, when a shock of lightning would brighten the road up ahead of me. I probably was only driving about 15 miles per hour, trying hard not to get hit by all the flying tree branches. And, I'm supposin' that somebody would think me out of my mind for even being in weather like that to begin with, but it honestly came upon me sudden like, without much warning.

            Once on the outskirts, and just as soon as I had neared a very large, open grassy field, a violent burst of lightning had suddenly struck that area, and lit it bright enough for the field to show up brilliantly, and gave me a very good look at an object crashing downward into it. The striking of the bolt was strong and loud enough (and with the distraction of the falling object to boot) for me to lose concentration of my driving, and I temporarily lost control of my car – causing it to run off the roadway and slightly into the field where my car came to a complete stop.

            By that time, the storm was at its strongest, and the rain was coming down like sheets, that if it weren't for the flames of the burning debris from the wreckage, I would never have given that fallen object a second thought – especially since I would have had a hard time finding it in the darkness. That is, if I were even inclined to investigate the object to begin with. But, seeing it burn as it did, my curiosity got the better of me.

            Grabbing my trench coat and hat, I ran out of the car, leaving the engine running and the headlights on. Placing the collar of the coat around my neck very snug, to protect me from the rain, I ran out into the field toward the wreckage, dodging large puddles of water along the way, which I could somewhat see with the continual repeat of lighting. Once I reached the place, I was unable to determine what the thing was – seeing as it was all broken up from its fall from the sky. In fact, the only thing that seemed to still be intact was a square object that resembled a rectangular, metal box. Bending down slightly, I barely touched it with my fingers to see if it were hot to the touch. But, since it wasn't, I quickly grabbed it, noticing that it was pretty light in its weight, and then ran back to my car. I figured that since the rain was distinguishing the fire really well, that was the reason there wasn't a single trace of heat left on it. Unable to make out any distinctive features in the dark, for I barely even saw what it was from the glow of the dying fire close by, and even from the occasional streak of lightning, I threw it onto the car seat next to me when I got back in my vehicle, and then simply backed out of the field to continue on my way to Betty's house.

            Leaving the thing where it was, on the passenger side of the front seat of my car, I went up and knocked on my girl's door, not giving the object another thought – especially since the pretty lady was the center of my attention that night. After opening the door, and seeing me drenched as I was, she threw me a very questionable look, while placing one hand on her side.

            "Well," said she, laughingly, "aren't you a sight, sugar! What happened? Did you decide to play in the water before coming over?"

            "Very funny, sweets!" I said to her, smiling. "Can I come in? I'm still being rained on, you know?"

            "Well, what gives, baby?" she asked, while stepping aside to let me in. "Why are you so terribly wet? You got no umbrella, or something?

            "Sure, I've got an umbrella. It's back at my office," I told her, with a smile, while walking inside and heading on over to the fireplace.

            "Well, much good it does you there when you're being rained on here!"

            "Well, it did come upon me sudden-like, you know!"

            "Yeah, but you need'a keep it in your car, like I told ya before!"

            "Say! What are you? My mother?" I said, still laughing, while drying myself by the fire.

            "Very funny, Johnny-boy!" said Betty, placing both hands on her hips, and looking at me with a crazy expression.

END OF CHAPTER ONE; chapter two coming soon...