We’d all seen Captain Sykes’ red eyes and smelled liquor on his breath since he’d taken over his new job. Jessie was worried about him, and so was Governor Atkins.
“Charlie,” said Jessie, “I want you to spend some time with Dr. Kessler. He’s already helped me. He’s a fine psychiatrist as well as a doctor. He helped me with my problems and I haven’t had a drink in a month now. He’s on a retainer to work with all of us, especially the kids and me. He can help you, too, Charles, if you’ll let him.”
Captain Sykes looked around at Pat and Jim like he was embarrassed. “I’m with you, Jessie. I could use somebody to talk to about all the stuff eating on me, I guess. I don’t want to take things out on the people around me.”
“No, you don’t, you never have,” Jessie exclaimed. “This is just for your own peace of mind, and you certainly don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
“I’ll do it,” he said. “I never thought I needed a shrink, but after what’s happened, I’ve changed my mind on that. Shrinks have a place too. I wish my boys had seen one while there was still time.”
“Well,” Jessie resumed, “back to those phone calls. I normally don’t react to things like that. God knows we’ve had all kinds of strange incidents in campaigns. But this is different.” She went over to the window and looked out at the street. “Yesterday I drove the kids to the South Mountain riding stables. I didn’t want to say anything to the children at the time, but I’m fairly certain we were being followed. A blonde-haired man was parked in front of the house in a navy blue sedan. A Buick, I think. He took off right behind us then disappeared in traffic. I thought nothing of it until we were halfway to the stables. Then I saw him pull up behind me. He followed us all the way to the stables.”
“You’re sure it was the same sedan you saw parked at the house?” asked the captain.
“Not a hundred percent, no, but I was sure enough that it scared me. Did you order one of your men to follow us? It occurred to me that you were giving us protection, but didn’t want me to know about it.”
“No, absolutely not!” said Captain Sykes. “I would have most certainly informed you. Now that you’re telling me all this, I think I will order someone to stick with you. Jesus, Jessie. You should have phoned me immediately.” He shook his head with disapproval. “I’d assume it was Lenny Wells or maybe his brother, Jack, but we’ve got both of ‘em in custody.”
Pat Fellows interrupted loudly. “Sons of bitches. Oh, uh, I’m sorry, Miss Atkins. I think they’re trying to get at Billie. They think she knows something, or at least knows where some important papers are. Papers that could get certain people in serious trouble.”
“What papers?” Jessie asked as she turned to me. “You never said anything about any papers to me.”
“I can explain that,” said Parsons, looking uncomfortable. “Detective Riggs told Billie not to say anything about them—not even the governor.”
Jessie looked at Captain Sykes anxiously. “Do you know anything about this, Charles?” she asked.
“It’s a new one on me,” he replied. “What papers are you talking about, Jimmy?”
“I don’t know exactly,” said Parsons as he lit a cigarette. “Go ahead, Billie, tell her what you remember.”
I told them everything Ace had said about the insurance scandal and how he’d stashed papers under a linoleum tile. “Kelly heard it all, too,” I added. “He knows as much as I do. Prob’ly more. Ace had told him the same story over and over, he said.”
“And they were about insurance? You’re sure of that?” Jessie asked. “Where did they come from?”
“Ace got them from some government office, but I don’t know where it was,” I said, trying to remember what Ace had told me. I realized it all tied in with Roscoe, of course. “I guess somebody stole ‘em already. That or maybe Ace moved ‘em.”
“Good God,” Captain Sykes broke in. “This thing goes deeper than I thought.”
“I’m sure of it,” said Jimmy Parsons. “Corey Riggs should be brought in on this. He might have an angle on it. One thing we know: the bad guys haven’t found them yet. Else they wouldn’t be following Billie and Kelly.”
Captain Sykes interrupted. “I’m not even sure about Riggs. I don’t think he’s crooked, but it seems funny that he didn’t hold the Wells boy after Ace’s murder. He had plenty of evidence if he’d wanted to use it.”
“I was there,” Parsons replied. “You’re right, they should have held him.”
Jessie got up again and started pacing. “Billie,” she said sharply, “I’m really upset with you and Kelly about this. I can’t help it. You two have been in this house for over a month now. You know how worried my father is about the campaign and those stories about a scandal brewing. You had no reason to be afraid of us, no matter what anybody said.”
Thelma excused herself, then Dr. Kessler made a suggestion. “We could try some hypnosis on Billie and Kelly,” he said. “It won’t hurt them and it may help them remember something else about where the papers are.”
Jessie was against the idea, but the others were enthusiastic.
“It’s your father’s governorship that’s at stake,” said Captain Sykes. “Call that what you will, but it’s about a hell of a lot more than just power, Jessie. We know your dad’s honest. Those papers won’t implicate him—I’m sure of it.”
The session was held in my bedroom, with Jessie present. The doctor had us lie down on the bed, then he talked to us in a soft voice until we were relaxed. Then he asked us to remember where the papers were, but neither one of us had any clue.
After we returned to the others, Captain Sykes rose to leave, then brought up my father. “Your father is in some trouble down at the prison,” he said to me. “I got a report yesterday that he’s spending most of his time in lockup.”
Jessie walked over to us just then. “Lockup? Why would they do that to him?”
“The guards found out that he nearly killed one of their own when he escaped in Arkansas,” answered the captain. “He never should have been put in prison in the first place from what my friend back there told us. He got put away for killing a guy who’d broken into his house and robbed his wife. The guy fell and his hit his head when Moran slugged him. Moran being a negro, the jury didn’t listen.”
Jessie looked at him with a sad expression. “Is there anything we can do to help him?” she asked. I was surprised that she was so concerned about him.
“I’m sorry, Billie,” said Captain Moran. “This is all damned hard on you.”
“Well at least he deserves to see his children,” continued Jessie.
“I don’t recommend that,” Captain Sykes replied. “They tell me he’s pretty wrought up. He might try something foolish.”
“Then we’ll have to take that chance,” Jessie said a little bit defiantly. “I’ve already made up my mind, Charles. I’m taking the children to see him tomorrow. I’d like for you to go with us, too, if you’re willing.”
“Of course,” he said in a resigned voice. “But I’m not going to be responsible for what happens.”
Later that night, the psychiatrist came upstairs to see Jessie. I’d just finished putting my night clothes on and was headed for the bathroom. He had a pained expression as he knocked on her bedroom door. “Jessie, I need to warn you about something,” he said, “can I talk to you for a brief minute?”
“Yes, of course,” she said quietly. “What is it?” I left the bathroom door ajar so I could hear them talking.
“I’ve had a session with Captain Sykes,” he said, “and you need to know about it, even though I’m stepping out of line professionally. “
“What do you mean?” she asked. “Is it his drinking? He’s under such terrible pressure. It might not be good for him, but I can hardly blame him.”
“It’s not the drinking I’m worried about,” the Dr. Kessler replied. “But I’m afraid the pressure is affecting him in other ways. He may be on the edge of a breakdown
.” He hesitated for a moment. “He shows schizoid tendencies, almost to the point of exhibiting two very opposite personalities. He’s likely to be kind and considerate one moment, then angry and resentful the next. Erratic, in other words. I think he needs some time off, but he won’t hear of it.”
Jessie shut the door so I couldn’t hear the rest, but I worried about it the rest of the night.
22
It was a sixty mile drive down to the prison in Florence, but the trip was enjoyable. We kept looking back to see if anyone was following, but we were almost alone on the highway. When we got to a place called Apache Junction, we stopped for sandwiches. There was a little zoo there filled with animals I’d never seen up close before. Only we didn’t stay long. After we saw the llamas, Jessie told us we had to go. After Kelly ran back for another soda pop, we loaded into her Cord touring car. We had the top down and the windows open to enjoy the warm air and sunshine.
Jessie let Captain Sykes take over the driving, then she turned around to talk to us kids. “Billie, listen to me,” she shouted over the wind noise. “When we get there, Kelly will have to stay outside with Captain Sykes. I’ll go in with you to the visiting room. Kelly, would you please explain this to Sara?”
While Kelly signed the message, Jessie turned forward again and spoke with Captain Sykes.
“This has been good for me, Jessie,” he said. “Thanks for making me come along. I think you understand me better than anyone I’ve ever known.”
“I wish I’d understood your son better,” Jessie answered.
“Oh, stop it,” Captain Sykes said harshly. “You’re hurting yourself with this, Jessie. We both need to shape up now and forget all this blame stuff. It could go on forever.”
They were silent a while, then Captain Sykes started again. “Jessie, I know it’s not the time but I have to say this. I envied my son having a woman like you. You didn’t cause his death. I planted the bad seeds a long time ago, and his mother watered them until they sprouted. The same thing happened with Tommy.”
“There you go again,” Jessie said. “Now you have to stop. All this is getting us nowhere.”
“No, it isn’t,” Captain Sykes said, then continued uncertainly. “Jessie, I was going to say something and I got off track. What I wanted to say was about you—what a wonderful person you are. I envied Chuck for more than just your good looks and all that. Vergie never did understand any of us. She smothered us all.”
“Please, let’s get off this, Charles,” Jessie protested.
“Sorry, sorry,” he replied. “But hear me out, Jessie. I was just trying to tell you how much I care for you. I could only look at you from the outside before, but now it’s different. Jess, I’m only about twenty years older than you. I’m not an old man. Maybe, maybe later on you can look at me as more than your ex-father-in-law. Jessie, I think I ...”
“No, no, stop!” she pleaded. “It’s too soon, Charles. I know you mean well but it’s too soon. Please say no more about all this.”
“Okay,” he said glumly. “I’ll shut up.”
Neither one of them said another word until we pulled up to the gun-grey walls of the prison. After the guard recognized Captain Sykes, he waved us through the gate.
Inside the thick walls were smaller buildings, all depressingly alike, except for the main wing of the prison building. It was three stories high and built out of yellow brick. We parked in a visitor’s area next to a row of red trucks that were unloading prisoners. Captain Sykes told us they were returning from work details.
Inside the swinging glass doors of the main building, we were confronted by a guard who shook hands with Captain Sykes and directed us to the warden’s office. Warden Duffy was a thin, gruff, grey-haired man of sixty or so, who wore a bow tie and suspenders. He didn’t smile as he shook the captain’s hand.
“Miss Atkins,” he said as he turned to Jessie. “We’re honored, but I’m surprised you’d want to be here. Isn’t this man, Moran, the one who tried to kill you?”
“We’re not sure of that,” Jessie answered politely. “We think his confession might not have been true. He was afraid of being shipped back to Arkansas.” Then she looked at us. “These are his children, Billie and Sara, and their friend, Kelly.”
The warden nodded toward us, then picked up his desk phone.
“Noah, send Walker in,” he said tersely. “And pull the Nigra guy, Moran, out of solitary. He’s got some visitors.” There was a pause as the warden listened, then he angrily responded. “Just do what I said, Noah. I don’t care about what he did to you. Take a couple of guards with you to bring him out. Then put him in the private visitors’ room and stay with him until Walker gets there.”
After he’d hung up the phone, he tried to make small talk with us. Then he introduced us to a paunchy, uniformed guard who entered the room through a side door. “This is Captain Walker, our head guard,” he said. “He’ll take you to Moran. By the way, his children are being allowed to see him only because of you, Miss Atkins.”
We left the warden and followed Captain Walker through a series of metal doors. They gave me a sick feeling each time they slammed behind us.
“That’s why they call jail ‘the slammer’,” said Captain Sykes. “I worked as a jail guard a long time ago. I hated that constant slamming, all night long it seemed, especially on Saturday nights when they brought the drunks in.”
We came to a room where visitors sat behind a glass partition and talked to prisoners on the other side through small holes.
“That’s not for you,” said Captain Walker. “You’re special, the warden said.” He paused as Jessie frowned at him. “No offense, Miss Atkins. I didn’t mean it that way,” he continued. “It’s not political favoritism I’m talkin’ about—it’s the danger of mixing Moran with those other prisoners. Hell, he could incite a riot in about two minutes.”
I felt sick inside hearing that stuff about my father. I knew he wasn’t like that.
“In there,” Walker said, directing us toward a door marked ‘private.’ “They’ve probably already brought Moran in from the other side. This way you can have a private conversation, except for a few guards. You know we’re going against the rules even allowing these children in here at all. I’m sorry, but that Kelly boy can’t stay.”
“I beg to differ,” said Captain Sykes. “Kelly’s the only one who can communicate with the little girl. She’s deaf and mute. She only knows sign language.”
“Why can’t Billie do it?” Jessie asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not fast at it like Kelly is,” I answered.
“We haven’t got time for this, ma’am,” said Walker. “It’s foolish to take anyone in there who’s not related to Moran. I doubt that five guards could handle him if he decided to do something.”
Jessie looked uncertain, then turned to Kelly. “Look, Kelly,” said Jessie, “maybe it is best, like I said, for you to wait outside.”
“No!” Kelly yelled, “Billie’s too slow with her fingers. With her doing it, it would take all day to say hello and goodbye.”
“Very well,” Jessie said. “You can come with us, Kelly. I’m sure Mr. Moran isn’t anywhere near as dangerous as this guard seems to think he is.”
“Have it your way,” answered Walker.
My heart raced as Captain Walker opened the door. We were suddenly face-to-face with my father. It had now been almost three months since I’d laid eyes on him. When I looked down, I saw his feet were shackled. He reached out to hug Sara, who threw herself in his embrace. She was crying again. I saw my father was crying too. The tears ran freely down his broad cheeks. Then I felt his huge hand on my shoulder as he pulled me into the circle of his arms. As I looked back, I saw Jessie wipe away her tears, as if she was embarrassed.
“Please leave us now,” she said to the guards. “I’ll stay here with the children and Mr. Moran. He’s not going to bother anybody.” There were three guards in the room besides Captain Walker and Captain S
ykes. The place was actually crowded.
“Jessie, I’m against this,” said Captain Sykes.
“I know what I’m doing,” Jessie said defiantly. “Now, please, leave us, Charles. Please!”
“All right,” Captain Sykes said with resignation. “C’mon, boys. The lady wants us out.”
“She’s not in charge here,” said Captain Walker. “I am. It’s too dangerous.”
“You have my word I won’t make no trouble,” my father answered.
“And what’s that worth?” Walker said with a frown.
“That’s enough!” Jessie said. “Please, please, just leave us alone. There are things I need to talk about with Mr. Moran. And these children deserve some private time with their father.”
“I can’t say much more,” Papa resumed. “But I meant it when I told you I won’t make trouble.”
Walker looked over at Captain Sykes, then back at Jessie. “We’ll be right outside the door,” he said. Then they all walked out, leaving us alone with Papa.
“This is my best friend,” I said, pulling Kelly over to us. Kelly smiled timidly, seemingly taken aback by my father’s giant presence. “And this is Miss Atkins, uh, Jessie,” I said. “She takes care of us. She’s the governor’s daughter.”
“Yeah, I know,” Papa said, moving toward a table and chairs in the center of the room. “Let’s all sit down,” he said, pulling a chair out for Jessie. As he moved, his chains clanked. I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
“I’m sorry you have to see me this way,” he said. “I guess we don’t have very long, so we’d better get down to business.” Then he paused again, looking surprised as Sara began to move her fingers rapidly and Kelly answered back just as quickly.
“Sara says she loves you a whole lot and she misses you,” Kelly said. I was mad at myself for not having the skill to read Sara’s signs more quickly.
“What’s this?” my father asked. “You mean you’ve learned sign language this fast? I can’t believe it!”
“She’s very bright,” Jessie interjected. “And so is Billie. You’re a lucky man to have such wonderful children, Mr. Moran. We all want you out of here so you can enjoy them.”
Summer of the Guns Page 20
