The Blue Bin

“It was him!” the bespectacled septuagenarian said as she pointed an arthritic index finger in my direction.
         I smirked. “You can’t prove a thing.”
         She reddened then turned to the tired-looking police officer who I am certain was kicking herself for having eagerly responded to what she had undoubtedly considered a mundane call.
         “Ma’am, are you certain it was mister—” Officer Miranda started then flipped one page back on her pocket notebook. “Bellows… who stole your recycling bin?”
         “Yes!” said my annoying busybody of a neighbor. “I have been watching him like a hawk these past few weeks and it’s always him with his silly Marlins hat—”
         “Mariners,” I corrected.
         The wizened woman squinted in disapproval. “Whatever! It’s you alright! I want my bin back!”
         Officer Miranda sighed, turning to me. “Mr. Bellows, is Mrs. Mullaney’s recycling bin currently in your possession?”
         I looked around me, mockingly. “It is not.”
         “He’s a liar!”
         “I don’t need a recycling bin. I throw everything in the trash."
         “What?” Mrs. Mullaney asked with an incredulous gasp. “You—you monster! Don’t you care about the environment?”
         “Nope,” I said, then turned to the cop. “I think we’re done here, officer. Unless she has proof, I gotta get back to work.”
         “Fine,” Officer Miranda said and handed me a business card. “If you have any information at all, please call me at this number.”
         “You betcha,” I said, re-entered my apartment, and shut the door. On the other side, an exasperated Mrs. Mullaney continued to hurtle accusations, but I ignored them.
         I ambled to my kitchen, stood in front of my sink, and slowly opened the cabinet door below by an inch. Inside, made visible only by a sliver of light, was a familiar blue polyethylene container.
         “You’re mine,” I whispered, smiling widely.

Contest entry for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"   by Arakun the Twisted Raccoon
Prompt on August 15, 2023: Write a story that includes the line: "You can't prove a thing."
Word Count: 300