Lights Out — L.T. Fawkes

BLUE-COLLARING A KILLER

You may not think it, but life moves fast in northeastern Ohio. Just six months ago, I was down-and-out--stewing in jail and getting dumped by my pit bull of a wife. Now I'm back on my feet, renovating a bar, delivering pizza, and thinking of cutting my hair.

Just when I'm getting comfortable, the you-know-what hits the fan. There I am, sitting in Brewster's--eating my Number Four breakfast with the guys--when in walks the devil herself: my soon-to-be ex-wife, Marylou, high I hair and all. She asks me to help her move. I say no. End of story. Right...

That night, a man is knocked off in my own trailer park, and who's caught holding the gun? Marylou. Drunk as a skunk. She doesn't remember a thing. She may be mean as a junkyard dog, but Marylou's no killer. The cops--mighty familiar with my reputation for butting in--warn me to butt out. But I'm stubborn. And no one's getting away with murder in my backyard....