"You Killed Him, Didn't You?"

STEVE FISHER WAS one wildly successful writer—a pulpster, a slickster, and a screen writer; as Wikipedia (HERE) tells us:

   ". . . Fisher was an American author best known for his pulp stories, novels and screenplays. He is one of the few pulp authors to go on to enjoy success as both 
an author in 'slick' magazines, such as the Saturday Evening Post, and as an 
in-demand writer in Hollywood."

Fisher's filmography includes some of your humble editor's favorite flicks, among them Destination: Tokyo and noirish films like Lady in the Lake, Dead Reckoning, Song of the 
Thin Man, The Hunted, I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes, and City That Never Sleeps; his 
novel I Wake Up Screaming was filmed twice, the first time being the best; see the IMDb (HERE) for a full list.

We don't intend to subject you to one of Fisher's lengthy novels, however; in fact, today's story takes up only a single page:

"Listen to Reason."
By Steve Fisher (1912-80).
First appearance: Collier's Weekly, January 1, 1938.
Short short short story (1 page).
Online at UNZ (HERE).

"Listen. I just want to ask you a few questions, then I'll leave you alone."

To die for love seems so romantic, and maybe some other time this cop might agree—but not today . . .

The bottom line: "A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me. I'm afraid of widths."
  — Steven Wright