Bio: Guy Belleranti’s short stories, poetry, puzzles and articles have appeared in many publications including Woman’s World, Crimestalker Casebook, Orchard Press Mysteries, Boys’ Quest and Wee Ones. 

You can visit his webpage here.

This story was originally published under the name "The Deadly Friend" January 17, 2000 at the now defunct About.com Mysteries in a Flash web site.

Fatal Friend

by Guy Belleranti

Scanlon paced. “You’ve gotta get out of here, Leon.”

“Why?” Leon sneered. “So you can pin the murder on me?”

“No. I wouldn’t.”

“You're a liar.”

“Please, Leon—”

“You're gutless. A loser. Couldn’t hold down a job so you slunk back to the nest. Back to mommy.”

“You—you didn't have to kill her.”

“She thought you were crazy. She was gonna call in a shrink. And now you’re blabbing my name about.”

“No! I haven’t. I won’t.”

“That's right. You won’t. Not anymore.”

“What do you mean? What—” Scanlon let out a strangled cry as Leon grabbed him by the throat.

* * *

Sheriff Walters tore his glance away from the twisted figure on the concrete floor. “I heard the commotion, but by the time I got in here—”

“You couldn’t have seen this coming, Sheriff,” Doc Garcia said.

Walters scowled. “I had Scanlon dead to rights as his mother’s killer. Scratch marks on his face. His skin under her nails. Yet, he kept insisting somebody named Leon had done it.”

Deputy Kelly stuck his head in from the front room. “Sheriff, a couple reporters are here.”

“Give them some coffee. I'll be right out.” Walters swung back to the doctor. “So Doc, what do I tell them? Murder—or suicide?”

Doc Garcia stared down once more at Scanlon's lifeless form on the jail cell floor, at the man’s hands fastened on his own neck in a death grip. “I guess murder—by his own hands.”
 

©Guy Belleranti