The policeman followed me to the till, and I smiled at him, arms straining to hold the huge bottle of extra strength bleach.

The cashier raised a pierced brow. “Uh, got everything you need?”

The policeman listens in, finger on his radio. What exactly does he think is going to happen? I’m just going to confess to a murder spree?

“Yeah, my friend does special effects makeup, and it takes a special mix to get it off safely. He painted 50 people for a movie and now he might get fired if he can’t get it off!” I gesture at a dark bloodstain on my upper arm. “Cornstarch and glue!” Gently j half peel the thing off, but it doesn’t want to go any further.

“Oh, that’s cool! Good luck with that then, I hope you guys get if all off.” The cashier says, handing me the receipt.

The policeman looks almost disappointed as he leaves. The bottle is hefted to my truck and I pause as I’m about to put the key in.

It wasn’t a whole lie. He was a special effects artist…

The bloodied knife is still on the car floor, and I pick it up with the paper receipt and drop it into a plastic bag.