De’Shawn Majors, a.k.a. “Mookie”; 139 8th Street, Little Rock; Charges: Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor; Possession of Narcotics with Intent to Deliver; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Arrest location: 148 8th Street; Arresting Officer: D. Shannon, Badge 4390; U.N.O. ID: Unit 4; Bond: $5,000; Vehicle: none; Gang affiliation: Southern Folks; Tattoos: 6-dice on upper right shoulder and red pitch fork covering back; Trial date – August 15th
She finished by scribbling the remainder of pertinent information down. After seeing Derek’s unit was the group of undercover narcotics officers assigned to Mookie, she winced. It meant the possibility was high that, after she dispatched Mookie, Mitch and Derek might end up being part of the investigative team into his death. She didn’t see their names listed in the report, and of course, didn’t expect to. Undercover cops were only referred to as numbers, and never listed on arrest reports.
Stuffing the paper inside her bag, Merry logged off the computer and shut everything down for the weekend. It was time to head to Derek’s and do some sleuthing. The strange twist with Mitch and Derek was a stumbling block, but not one she couldn’t overcome. It just meant she would need to take stronger precautions before she killed and make sure to miss nothing and leave no trace behind linking back to her doorstep.
Merry forced herself not to smile while locking her office door. After the stroke of blind luck earlier, she concluded the heavens above must be on her side. Apparently, Maniacal Merry had found favor with the gods of justice. When she saw De’Shawn’s name on the docket list Debbie prepared, it was all she could do not to break out into eerie, demented cackles in front of the entire courtroom.
She didn’t.
Instead, she grinned.
Like the Cheshire Cat.
Mr. De’Shawn “Mookie” Majors was next in line on her hit list. She already had his number from Peppy’s cell phone. She knew De’Shawn was another filthy rung in the long ladder that ended Joshua’s life. During her recon missions watching Peppy, she’d witnessed the sack of shit buying his product from Mookie. Plus, she read the text messages exchanged between the two while sitting at the kitchen table earlier. Though veiled with street lingo and slang, she understood enough from years of being around it. A shipment was coming soon. So, when she compared the number Mookie listed on his arrest paperwork with what was stored in the phone she’d copied from Peppy’s, it was a match.
Hey, guess what Mookie? I just saved you a ton of legal and court fees! You’ll never make your next court date. And your little appearance today saved me lots of recon time. Thanks!
“Merry? A moment please?”
Biting her lip to keep from cussing out loud, Merry cleared her throat. She’d hoped to leave without Judge Tompkins cornering her but figured her luck wouldn’t stretch that far. Sure enough, it didn’t. She caught a glimpse of Debbie ahead, who motioned she would meet her outside before exiting through the front doors.
Turning around, Merry responded, “Sure thing, Judge. Do I need to grab paper and pen?”
Judge Ronald Arthur Tompkins was right behind her, his enormous brown eyes full of sympathy and concern. Though he usually tried to keep their daily interactions professional, Merry felt there were times they veered into personal territory. After all, before he was Judge Tompkins, he was simply Officer Tompkins, and her father’s partner for years.
A thin sheen of sweat glistened off his bald head, his face a pasty gray color. Bushy, white eyebrows, some of the hairs long enough to reach his eyeballs, made her cringe.
What, does the man not have a mirror at home? And why do bald men grow copious amounts of hair on their eyebrows and ears?
She had to look away before the urge to rip them out overtook her.
Merry wondered if he knew about Peppy.
Shit! He’ll want to blabber on for hours.
“No need. This isn’t about work. It’s about you.”
“About me, sir?” Merry countered, moving away from her office door. Without the judge even realizing it, he followed her as she took tentative steps toward the front door.
Judge Tompkins put his hand on her arm.
Merry stiffened and stopped. She sensed what was coming next and didn’t want to hear it.
“Merry, I’m worried about you.”
Yep, there it is! Damn! I don’t need sympathy. Or a replacement Daddy figure. I need to go home and start planning, and this stupid conversation is holding me up!
“There’s no…”
Judge Tompkins interrupted. “The entire group here in Sixth Division is. Not to mention Debbie and Derek. Especially Derek. He came to see me in chambers earlier. Told me about what happened to Mr. Ramirez. Said he was concerned about how the impact of his death might affect you. He feels—no, we all feel—it might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, so to speak.”
“I’m sorry, but what do you mean by that, sir?”
“You have kept all your turmoil bottled up inside, and the consensus is this might be the release valve. What will allow you to experience the pain of losing your family,” Judge Tompkins voice trailed off.
A slight twinge of irritation shot up Merry’s back. She was over forty years old and Derek still treated her like she was the frightened ten-year-old, terrified of being alone after their mother passed away.
Big brother swoops in to save lil’ sis.
“I’m fine, sir. I’ll admit, the news does bring a host of mixed feelings, but I’ll work through them. My personal life won’t affect my performance here, I promise. It certainly hasn’t so far, right?”
“No, it has not, but that can and will change if you don’t take a break. Everyone has a stress limit. Everyone. Though we admire your determination to stay busy and focus on work, we believe your decision not to take any personal time off was a mistake. You need a chance to heal, to grieve, for your losses.”
“Sir, I appreciate that, but…”
Judge Tompkins held up a hand. “The subject is not open for debate. According to H.R., you have over two months of unused PTO. Debbie assures me she can handle your duties while you’re out. You’ll have your hands full anyway with the move.”
“Judge Tompkins…”
“You’ve worked for me long enough to know when my mind is made up, it can’t be changed. Enjoy your time off, Merry. Take care of yourself. Get settled into your new place; travel; take up yoga. Do whatever your heart desires—needs—to get through this. You have my word your job will be here upon your return.”
With a fatherly pat on Merry’s arm, Judge Tompkins gave her a feeble smile. His bushy brows wriggling, he turned and walked away.
Dumbfounded, Merry simply stared at his black robe fluttering behind him until he disappeared around the corner.
This day can’t get any weirder—or better. Maybe I’m really at home, dreaming, because this is just too good to be true!
***
It only took her a few minutes to make it to her car in the parking lot. Debbie leaned against the trunk, her eyes hidden by big, black sunglasses.
Act irritated, not happy!
“If I didn’t trust you, I’d swear you just stabbed me in the back to get my job.” Merry glared at her friend and unlocked the car door.
Debbie unfurled her arms and yanked off her shades. “Now there you go! A spark of emotion! See? Time away from this hellhole is just what you need, and you haven’t even left the parking lot yet! Imagine how much better you’ll feel after just twenty-four hours! What you needed was a chance to release all your pent-up feelings before they start leaking out your ears. Don’t worry about thanking me. Having your back is what friends are for.”
“I don’t recall thanking you for butting your nose into my life.” Merry yanked the car door open.
Grinning, Debbie reached over and grabbed Merry around the shoulders, forcing a bear hug. “Honey, my nose has been stuck in your business since first grade, or don’t you remember? You may be irritated now, but I have full confidence you won’
t be later. You know, once you…”
“If you say eat, I’m going to pop you in the jaw. Wipe that smirk of satisfaction right off your face.”
Debbie planted a loud, wet kiss on Merry’s cheek. “Go. You’re going to be late for dinner with Derek. And if you would like to know what I want as a thank you, it’s a chance to make his eyes roll back in his head. I’ve been a happily divorced woman for a whole year now, so he needs to step up to the plate! Just one night with me, and he’ll forget every other woman on the planet. That’s a promise. I like to think that’s why he’s never married. He’s been secretly waiting for me to be single again.”
Merry responded with a snide smile. “No way. You want him, you go after him. Unlike you, I don’t meddle in the lives of others. Although after what you two did today, it would serve each of you right to hook up. Both of you are nuts.”
“Bye, sweetie. See you next Saturday,” Debbie replied, turning on her heels toward her car. “Make sure to tell that hunky brother of yours I’m into guys with handcuffs, so after we finish helping you move, he can take me as his prisoner.”
Merry flipped her crazy best friend the bird as she climbed inside the vehicle. She watched Debbie peel out of the parking lot and waited until she was over a block away before a smile appeared. It had taken all of her strength not to let her real emotions free in front of Debbie. What she really wanted to do was hug her right back and jump up and down for joy. Merry wanted to let her laughter loose at the excitement of having sixty days to do nothing but take out every piece of street trash she could.
Merry backed out of the parking lot and cast a woeful glance at the historic Pulaski County Courthouse. The beautiful building stood in silence as she stared at the brick exterior. The dome at the center, covered in stained-glass windows, sparkled underneath the late afternoon sun. Memories of the first time she climbed the sprawling concrete steps, small hand clasped in the huge one of her father, appeared. How mesmerized she’d been, surrounded by marble, porticos, and floors buffed to perfection. The feelings of pride and love as everyone acknowledged them while they walked by, her father dressed in a freshly-pressed uniform.
“Good morning, Officer Clarke. My, what a lovely little partner you have today!” they’d said, grinning.
Those memories are the ones she would miss. Along with the one of her aging father, in a wheelchair and glasses thicker than a bottle of soda, while Derek was sworn in as a Little Rock police officer. Or the lovely reception when she was hired as case coordinator for Judge Tompkins.
The idyllic images seemed two lifetimes ago. They were overshadowed by all the times she heard Joshua’s name called, watched him struggle to stand in his orange jumpsuit, hands shackled. Three times she endured sitting in the galley, beyond ashamed as her son stood before the judge for yet another drug arrest. The only solace she could find was the fact Joshua wasn’t caught dealing the trash, only buying. Condolences were whispered from other employees or judges, offering words of encouragement and advice.
“Stay strong, Merry. Tough love it what Joshua needs” or “Get him into rehab before it’s too late, whether he wants to go or not” or even “Just let him sit in jail for a while. Get Judge Tompkins to pull some strings, keep him locked up. That’ll straighten the boy out. Scare him sober.”
The one that made her cringe the most was this: “It’s not your fault, Merry. Some kids just turn out bad. You and Harold raised him right. Don’t blame yourselves.”
When Merry made the decision to take matters into her own hands, she knew this day would come. The day her feet trod through the hallowed halls for the final time, she’d assumed would happen because she’d been caught or died. Certainly not from being handed a sixty-day furlough from work to go on a killing spree! The thought made her burst out laughing.
Two full months to learn how to turn murder into art! Yes, the gods of justice have found favor with me. No doubts now.
4
5:30 p.m. Friday afternoon
A bitter smiled tugged at Merry’s lips. She pulled up and parked next to Derek’s undeniable redneck truck. Bright, Razorback-red with a big Hog sticker on the back window, mud tires so huge they looked like they would crush a horse, and silver, dual exhaust pipes. The only thing it was missing to ensure everyone who saw it knew a Southern boy was behind the wheel was a rebel flag.
Tendrils of smoke from the grill in the backyard floated above and beyond the roofline. She could hear the shrill yaps of Derek’s dog, Stonewall. Following the noise and the smells, Merry took off her shoes and padded across the cool stones leading to the back gate. The memories of a hot day last summer when she, Joshua, and Derek worked in tandem to place them flashed by, making her heart skip a beat. Though the heat had been unbearable, it didn’t matter. Merry would have tromped through the desert dressed in a parka to work alongside a sober child.
Oh, Joshua. You were clean for eight months! Why in the world did you slip and start using again?
Merry shook the thought away before mind-numbing anger took control. When her hand reached the handle, the wooden door swung open. Stonewall’s yips grew louder while he jumped around her feet. She bent down and scooped up the ball of black fluff.
“Oh, you’re so terrifying, you big, bad dog.” She nuzzled her head with the little Pomeranian’s. Stonewall responded by showering her cheeks with wet kisses.
“Stonewall—no licking,” Derek said, shutting the gate. He handed Merry a cold glass of tea.
“Says the man who bought a dog that should be calling a twelve-year-old girl his master.” Merry set Stonewall down and took a long gulp of tea while surveying the nice spread Derek set out. “Thanks for the drink. Lord, its miserable tonight, and you want to eat outside? After cooking over a fire? That’s my brother—crazier than a loon. Smart people cook and eat inside when the temperature and the humidity are near one-hundred degrees. Super intelligent folks order out.”
Derek snorted. “Wimp. Try being out in this wearing Kevlar and about twenty pounds of equipment. All night!”
Merry pushed past him, her mouth clamped shut. In the back of her throat, the words, “Oh, I’ve put in my share of street time covered in head-to-toe black. Wimp my ass!” pushed on her vocal chords screaming to come out. Instead, she wandered over to the covered patio, flopping down on the couch. Two large fans whizzed overhead, succeeding in only pushing the hot air around faster.
She took another long swallow of tea while watching Derek putter around with the mountain of food on the grill. Some sort of delicious looking dip with homemade pita chips beckoned from the patio table. Merry’s sporadic appetite roared back while staring at the creamy dish. She gobbled down two chips covered in dip. Stonewall came over for a taste. She obliged the little cutie like she always did. Stonewall took the chip and made a beeline for the doggie door.
Even the dog knows it’s too hot to eat outside!
From her perch, dinner looked and smelled out-of-this-world. Out of the two of them, Derek was a better cook. When it came to grilling steak, no one was better. Unfortunately, he knew it and loved to rub it in on occasion.
Got to keep my game face on. What would the old Merry say in this situation? Ah, yes, something snarky. Hmm, sort of like the new Merry, just watered down a tad.
“If your cell wasn’t on your hip, I’da already pushed your sorry ass into the pool.” She knew Derek was waiting for her to say something about his conversation with Judge Tompkins.
“Over a simple comment about being wimpy?”
“Yeah, and the fact you way overstepped the bounds of family duties today. You know, the invisible line most people don’t cross out of respect for their loved ones? The line that reads: stay the Hell out of my personal life?”
Derek poked at a slab of meat before turning it. “Inviting my sister to dinner…?”
“Oh, stop the games, will you? You and my supposed best friend stomped all over the line today. If you two were truly so concerned about my wellbeing, you should
have talked to me. Not my boss. Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was when he cornered me outside my office? The man basically told me I was a wreck and needed a vacation before I snapped.”
Derek faced her, his eyebrows arched in fake confusion. A hint of mischief and concern made his blue eyes sparkle. “I’m sure those aren’t the words the Honorable Judge Tompkins used. He’s a P.C. kind of guy.”
“You know what I mean. Stop acting like this is a joke, Derek. I’m serious here. What you two did to me was wrong, regardless of the reasons for butting into my business.”
“You’re mad at me because I’m worried about you? Who’s the crazy loon now? I’m the big brother which means it’s my job to watch over you. Since all this happened, you’ve become, well, not sure how to put it. Repressed is the word that comes to mind.”
“Derek, it’s not like I don’t appreciate the sentiment behind the gesture. I get it. Really.” Merry rose and headed to the jug of tea at the end of the table. After refilling her glass, she continued. “Though I hate admitting it, I know you all are right. I do need time off to deal with…” Merry waved her hand in a dramatic circle, “…My new reality. I’m just saying I would have preferred the topic broached with me first. If you and Deb would have tag-teamed me, you know I would have caved. Then I would have been the one to discuss time off with my boss. Not you.”
“That’s a load of shit, Sis.” Derek closed the lid on the grill and ambled across the patio. In a flash, he was right next to Merry. “We did try to talk you—get you to open up—several times. Each time, we crashed in a ball of flames. If I recall correctly, you told us to mind our own business. So, we watched you continue to stumble along, wilting away little by little each day. Deb and I decided to intervene before your body or mind collapsed because we love you. End of story.”
Merry sighed, deciding to let him off the hook. It was difficult to act angry when really, she was beyond ecstatic about her upcoming hiatus from work. It took a lot of internal control to keep from leaping out of the chair while muttering some stupid excuse to go home. More than anything, she wanted to start planning the death of Mookie.
Night Court Page 3
