The Kissing Law

"The Kissing Law" is the epic struggle of Michael Sheppard as he fights to keep a young girl off the streets in Denver, Colorado. He was mowing his lawn when he first met her. She was tall, thin and had short-cropped, blonde hair. At first he thought she was a boy. "I'm Kim," she said walking toward him. She was wearing a Rockies baseball cap, sort of cockeyed, and had a small glove on her left hand. He stopped mowing and looked at her. "Where do you live, Kim?" "In the big house on the hill. I live mostly in the night," she explained. "...roaming the streets of Denver." He smiled. "Aren't you ever scared?" "Why? I'm the real killer on the scene. I carry a Luger. Bought it from an old drunk near the mall. He was okay. Actually nice. But right after he warned me about the dangers of the night, he collapsed next to a big, square garbage container. I think he croaked there." She glanced up at him. "Are we going to be friends?" He couldn't help laughing. "Maybe. We'll have to wait and see." He already knew she was in love with him. With the first snow came her 13th birthday. He had seen the postman coming down the hill and stepped outside and placed a couple envelopes in the tray for pickup. He had absently left his door open, planning to go right back in after grabbing his new mail. In the meantime, Kim walked into his house without knocking. "Today is my birthday," she announced. "I'm 13 years old." She wants a kiss, he thought absently. "You should come to my house this afternoon," she told him. "We're serving cake and ice cream. Also, Father wants to meet you. He's going to offer you a position teaching me English and History. $20 an hour." "What's the catch?" he asked skeptically. She grinned. "You have to promise you'll keep me off the streets." He met her eyes, considering. "So, it's your birthday," he said. She smiled back. He kissed her lightly on the mouth. The postman saw them through the picture window and called the police. The officer in charge was there in 10 minutes and gave the young people good advice. He told them to do their studying in the library, or in Kim's big house on the hill. Michael's small home was off limits. The Kissing Law deals with murder and other acts of violence. Young Kim finds Roberta Simms, Michael's older girlfriend, partially covered by snow in a nearby field. The police are unable to solve the case on their own. There is, however, a letter hidden under Kim's pillow waiting to be discovered. Inside the letter, which Kim never opened or read, is the name of the murderer. And soon he'll be coming after her.