PO Box 13

By Darren Ten Eyck

A dirty cop beats an unarmed homeless man to death in Los Angeles, California, and is transferred back east to the sleepy little town of Dartlett, New Hampshire, where he is given P.O. Box 13, and his life is changed forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662450433

Book preview

Chapter 1

It was just another muggy, hot day in Los Angeles, but to Officer Scott Zorn, it was just another day in the city he despised so much. He was out on patrol again, looking for some poor, homeless person or some guy who had a couple too many to harass or beat up then rump up some false charges and wrongfully arrest them. To his fellow officers in his precinct, he was a dirty cop, but to most, he was just another dirty pig. The smog was so thick he couldn’t see the mountains. Sweat began to form on his big forehead. The traffic was extremely heavy on this Friday afternoon. Officer Scott Zorn was cruising down the long beach freeway, heading south toward Compton and the Watts into the black ghettos where he knew he would find trouble. As usual, he was going over the speed limit. He slowed down when he saw his exit up ahead. He took his exit and began his patrol through the Watts.

As Officer Scott Zorn drove his patrol car through the ghettos of the Watts, he searched for suspicious-looking black men or anyone who looked poor and homeless, knowing that they would not be able to pay for a lawyer and take his badge. Zorn preyed upon the poor and the homeless, being the security guard for the rich. Officer Scott Zorn did everything he could to keep poor people poor and keep them down. If a rich man in a Mercedes broke the law, Zorn would look the other way. Suddenly, he saw a black man walking the street. He noticed that he was dirty and poor looking. Zorn thought to himself, Well, well, well, what have we got here? Possibly a crackhead or thief? Zorn came up behind the black man slowly and sneaky like. Knowing that his police-issued tires on his cruiser were completely silent, he closed in on his prey. He flipped on his blue lights and hit the siren for a second. The black man turned around quickly with a surprised look on his face. Zorn loved to see the fear in their eyes.

He got out of the cruiser and took the safety off his 45. He said, What the fuck are you doing around here, scumbag?

With a shaky, scared voice, the black answered, I’m just walking home from work, sir.

Zorn said, Sure you are. Get your fuckin hands on the car.

The black man said, But, sir, I—

Zorn said, Shut up! He searched the man up and down and ran his warrants. He came up clean. Upon searching him, he found a business card to a gas station down the street.

Zorn asked if the black man worked there, and he said, Yes. Zorn handed the man his wallet and ID and told him, I better not catch your black ass down here selling crack or you’ll regret the day you were born, you got that, nigger?

The black man said, Yes, sir!

Chapter 2

Zorn began heading back toward the freeway. As usual, he was going over the speed limit with total disregard for the safety of others. He would not be happy until he ruined somebody’s day. He thought back to when he was a young boy. How the other kids didn’t like him and how they made fun of him, calling him bad names. Remembering being the last kid to be picked for kickball before school started. Yes, Officer Scott Zorn was a reject from society and he was going to make someone pay. Even some of his fellow officers didn’t think he should have the right to wear a badge or carry a gun. Being the sick individual that he is, even his sister didn’t like him, and to this day, still doesn’t. His own father wondered several times if he was from his own loins. His mother just figured that’s the way he came out. He never had many friends growing up, let alone girlfriends. Just before getting back on the freeway, he looked under the bridge and saw a homeless man. Like a wolf licking his chops right before a meal, Zorn flipped on his blue lights and came to a stop in front of the bridge. Zorn noticed that the homeless man was a middle-aged white male, medium height. He guessed him to be early forties. He immediately pulled out his billy club, Zorn yelled, Get your fuckin hands up! Zorn, standing 6'2" and weighing 240, was an intimidating figure. The homeless man was afraid and could barely keep from showing it.

Zorn asked the man his name, and he replied, John, and said that he was laid off from work. He said he was looking for work, but hadn’t had any luck.

Zorn said, Who would hire a worthless piece of shit like you?

The homeless man said, What’s your problem?

Within a flash, Zorn became extremely violent. He struck the homeless man on the head repeatedly. The poor man cried in agony as Zorn beat the unarmed, homeless man to death with his billy club. Zorn stopped hitting the man right after he realized the man wasn’t moving anymore. He heard someone driving by and yell, Leave him alone! Zorn didn’t look back; he just stared at the homeless man he had just killed. He thought to himself how he was going to explain all this mess. Zorn got on his radio and told dispatch that he had killed a homeless man in self-defense. He also lied and said the man threatened to kill him and had reached in his trench coat.

Dispatch said, Okay and that they would send the coroner to pick up the corpse.

Chapter 3

Now Officer Scott Zorn was the true meaning of a criminal with a badge. Now would Zorn be able to lie his way out of this? Zorn went home to his family to tell them what a brave good cop he was. On his way home, he smiled to himself, knowing that there was one less lowlife in the city. Zorn pulled his patrol car into the driveway and let out a deep sigh. It had been a rough shift. He saw his wife in the kitchen window, probably doing the dishes. He realized for a second that he didn’t deserve her. He shut the engine off and got out of the car. His son was still up because there wasn’t any school the next day. Zorn went into the house, and his ten-year-old son, Timmy, jumped into his arms. "Daddy!" he exclaimed.

Zorn smiled and said, How’s my favorite little man?

Great, Dad! He put his son down and went in the kitchen. He sat down at the kitchen table and told his wife Mary to get him a fuckin’ beer.

Mary said, What’s eatin’ you? He told her he had to kill a homeless man in self-defense. She told him how brave he was and asked if he was okay. He said he was fine and told her to get him a beer. She set the ice-cold beer in front of him and sat down at the table. Zorn grabbed the beer and chugged half of it.

He said, Ahh, that’s what I needed!

Mary said, I don’t know about that. Zorn told her that he would have to answer to the chief tomorrow about the killing. He told her not to worry and that everything would be okay. She said she hoped so. Mary was the obedient wife. She knew her husband had a white, hot temper and wondered several times if he might ever strike her.

His son said, Good night, Dad.

Zorn said, Don’t forget to say your prayers.

Timmy said, I won’t, Dad. Timmy went to his bedroom and shut the door.

Chapter 4

The next day, Officer Scott Zorn went into the police chief’s office. The chief said, Sit down, Officer Zorn. Zorn sat down in one of the chairs in the front of the chief’s desk. For some reason, Zorn found he was nervous. For a few seconds, the chief didn’t say anything. Then he said, Zorn, I’m putting you on suspension with pay until we can work this out with Internal Affairs.

Zorn said, But, sir…

The chief said, No buts. That homeless man was unarmed, and you didn’t have to beat him to death! Now turn in your badge and your gun, and I don’t want to see your face for two weeks.

Zorn said, Yes, sir. Zorn put his badge and his gun on the chief’s desk and walked out of the office. One of his fellow officers asked if everything was okay. Zorn just walked past him without answering. He hailed a taxi cab and got in the vehicle. Zorn told the driver to take him to the mug, a bar down the street. All the off-duty cops went there. Zorn paid the driver and went inside the bar. He took a seat at the end of the bar.

The bartender came over and said, What can I get for you, Zorn?

Zorn said, The usual, Charlie. Charlie went and grabbed an ice-cold beer and set it in the front of Zorn.

Charlie asked, How’s life treating you?

Zorn said, Just great.

With a hint of sarcasm, Charlie said, Yeah, I hear you, and went about his business. For some reason, Zorn thought the beer didn’t taste as good today. He began to wonder what would happen to him when the chief talked to Internal Affairs. He looked around the bar at the few off duty cops. Some he had seen before. He stayed at the bar for two more hours. Zorn was getting pretty drunk by now. He looked at his watch and saw that it was getting late.

Zorn got up to call a taxi cab and noticed some off-duty cops staring at him. He said, You got a fucking problem?

One of the cops said, No, but you do!

Zorn said, That’s right, it’s my problem, so mind your own business.

One of the cops said, Okay, Zorn.

Zorn went to the payphone and called a cab. He went outside to wait for the taxi. A few minutes later, the cab pulled up and Zorn got in. He gave the driver his address and the driver put the car in gear. It started to rain just to make Officer Scott Zorn’s day even shittier. The taxi parked in front of Zorn’s house. He paid the driver and watched the cab drive away. Zorn was in an ornery mood. His wife jumped out of her skin when she heard him kick the front door open with a loud crash. Then she heard glass break! Mary went into the living room to see what he had broken. She said, You’re drunk!

Zorn pushed her and said, Get out of my way, bitch! Little Timmy came out of his bedroom and saw his mom lying on the floor and started to cry.

Zorn yelled, Get back in your room, you little bastard.

Mary was trying to get to her feet. She screamed, Don’t you talk to him like that!

Zorn ignored his wife and went in the kitchen to get another beer. Mary’s wrist hurt bad from breaking her fall, but she didn’t think it was broken. She went into her son’s bedroom to see if he was okay.

Timmy said, Are you hurt Mommy?

She lied to him and said, I’m fine, sweetheart. Your daddy had a bad day and that’s all. She slept in her son’s room that night.

For the next two weeks, Officer Scott Zorn mowed the lawn, cleaned out the garage, and took care of all the things he had to take care of that he had put off, while he waited to see what would happen to him. Zorn figured that internal affairs would believe his lie that it was self-defense. That he would get his badge back and his gun back and go around harassing and brutalizing innocent people. In his sick mind, he believed he was just doing his job. I’m afraid Officer Scott Zorn is in for a big fucking surprise.

After waiting for two weeks to find out what internal affairs had to say, the chief called him to his office. Officer Scott Zorn, in his street clothes, knocked on the chief’s door. He heard, Come in.

Zorn opened the door and stepped into his office.

Chapter 5

Sit down, Zorn, the chief said.

Zorn took a seat. For some reason, he took a different seat than the last time. Call me superstitious, he thought to himself. He was nervous and sweating heavily, and the chief knew it.

The chief said, Internal Affairs has made their decision. You are being transferred back east to the little town of Dartlett New Hampshire, population about two thousand. You will start your new job in thirty days. That will give you enough time to find a new house and get your family back east.

Zorn stood up and yelled, Now wait a minute!

The chief yelled back, Sit down.

Zorn slowly sat back down in his chair.

The chief said, Now you listen and you listen good. I never liked you, and a lot of other officers in this precinct don’t like you. If I had it my way, you would lose your badge for good. I know all about you and your tactics. Now get out of my office, and I never want to see your ugly face again!

Zorn wanted to tell this old bastard just what he thought of him but figured he better not because he was already in enough trouble. Instead, he just got up and walked out of the office. Zorn went outside and got into his Dodge pickup. Before he turned the ignition key, he said to himself, The hell with them!" He turned the key, and the engine came to life. Zorn backed out of the parking space and began his ride home. This time, he didn’t stop for a cold one; he just kept on driving home. On the way, Zorn thought to himself, I hate this fucking city anyway. I’ll be glad to get out of here. He drove home slowly. He was in no rush to get there. When Zorn arrived home, he knew his wife would not be happy to hear what he had to say. He got out of the truck and went inside the house.

Chapter 6

His son, Timmy, hadn’t got home from school yet. Zorn walked into the kitchen. Mary was doing the dishes. He said, Hi, babe!

She said, Oh, you’re home already?

He said, Yeah.

She said, What did the chief say?

Zorn told his wife that he had been transferred to a small town in northern New Hampshire. He