Night Court

by Ashley Fontainne

  Merry had pressed Debbie to tell their boss what happened, but Debbie refused. Said she didn’t want to get on the bad side of the judge by basically calling his son a pervert and a pothead. It wasn’t long after the incident with Debbie that Tad was arrested. Merry and Debbie thought it just punishment.

  And now here I am, sitting in the dark and watching the little pervert who’s not just some geeky nerd fond of weed. Tad’s a major drug player in Central Arkansas. A heroin dealer! Does his father have a clue? An inkling…a little tickle in the back of his mind? No, no way. If he knew, he wouldn’t stand for it.

  Pulling up old childhood memories, Merry thought about the friendship between her father and the judge. Back then, he was simply Ronald Arthur Tompkins. A beat cop paired up with her dad, working the streets of Little Rock, and a frequent guest at their house for dinner. The tight-knit union began to unravel when Officer Tompkins decided to become an attorney and quit the force to attend law school. According to conversations she overheard late at night between her mom and dad, her father felt betrayed by his closest friend. There was a distinct line between law and order, and the majority of law enforcement considered attorneys nothing more than rats in three-piece suits, tearing apart all the dangerous and hard work by the police.

  The two friends drifted apart and the fun-filled visits by “Uncle Ron” ceased. Merry didn’t see him again until her mother’s funeral, and it was only a brief glimpse. The funeral was over, and Merry was sandwiched between Derek and her dad as they made their way to the black limo. Merry didn’t understand at the time why Derek wouldn’t let her say hello. Instead, Derek forced her inside the car while her father veered off to talk to his former friend. Though she couldn’t hear what was being said between them, she could tell her father’s words were not friendly. The interaction lasted less than a minute, and she didn’t see her former “uncle” again until she applied for the trial court assistant position with the county. When she came in to interview, she’d been shocked to discover the job was with Judge Tompkins.

  Since her father had passed away, Merry decided whatever beef the two men had was their problem, not hers. Derek, on the other hand, didn’t feel the same way. The bonds of the blue ran just as deep as blood ties, and he tried to convince her not to take the job.

  “What do you think Dad would say?” Derek had prodded.

  “I’m sure something I wouldn’t like and would just ignore. This isn’t the old days any longer, Derek. Law and order work together as a cohesive unit now, remember? The days of their side and our side are over. Besides, I need the job. The pay is fantastic, it will give me something to occupy by days with now that Joshua is in school, and the retirement package is phenomenal. In other words, butt out of my business.”

  Derek had stormed out of the house and didn’t speak to her for an entire month. Eventually, he got used to the idea, and though he never apologized for being an overbearing ass, he did learn to deal with it and never said another word.

  In the dark, Merry snorted at the twisted irony. Two friends separated because of archaic ideas about the justice system would now have the common thread of the cop’s daughter killing the judge’s son.

  Twilight Zone shit. Daddy, I miss you, yet I’m glad you aren’t here to see what I’ve become. I know you’d try to stop me or insist I seek counseling or medical help to cope with everything. The thing is, I did all that before and it didn’t work. The only thing keeping me alive now is the drive to kill and right the wrongs done to my family. I hope, if you and Mom are in some other dimension and can hear me, you will be able to forgive me for what I’ve done.

  She thought about what Mookie said about Tad. How he had connections and money to keep them out of prison. Those connections didn’t seem to keep Mookie from getting arrested numerous times, although he never received more than a fine and time served in county lockup. His response about his handler—and the rock-drop in her gut—told her it was Mitch. Thought back to how Mookie acted when she first started questioning him, assuming she was a cop.

  The last several days Merry went over every word Mookie had said. What was really behind his comment about not saying shit to the cops when busted the night before about the next shipment? After mulling over the conversation for hours, the picture her mind created was not one she wanted to see. It boiled down to two possible scenarios, both of which made her feel sick to her stomach.

  A dirty cop or bought-and-paid for judge.

  Merry didn’t know Mitch like she did Judge Tompkins. If forced to choose a side, she had no doubts she’d pick Mitch for the dirty one. She wasn’t so naïve to think a judge couldn’t be a part of a drug ring, for God knows Arkansas had seen its share of trusted, public figures crash and burn when their true colors emerged. From corrupt governors to lying medical examiners, all the way to a prosecutor or two indicted by the Feds under RICO statutes, even to the rumors of the Mena airport used for a drug drop in the 80s, Arkansas was a haven for narcotics.

  So it was among the realm of possibilities Judge Tompkins not only knew, but even funded, his son’s illicit activities. After all, he was human, and people made mistakes. However, Merry had worked by his side for years and had never seen him act in any way, shape, or form one could even consider inappropriate. He followed the letter of the law and handed down his rulings with such precision, not one of his cases had ever been overturned on appeal.

  Mitch was a different story. The first time she met him, Merry’s impression wasn’t favorable. Mitch was brash, cocky, beyond confident in his looks and seduction skills. Arrogance exuded from him like cheap cologne on a hot day. She’d disliked him from the start, and not just because Mitch was an overbearing asshole. She sensed the darkness underneath the façade of burly cop. Though she’d only seen it a few times—the most recent at Joshua’s funeral—there was sense of malevolence behind his eyes.

  Hmmm, now I know why.

  The sparkle of red taillights yanked her back to the present. The Tahoe backed out onto the street and headed her way. Merry slunk down in the seat and waited until she heard the SUV pass by before sitting back up. Her movements woke Percy up. He stretched and jumped into the passenger seat.

  Merry started the car but didn’t turn the headlights on while she eased out of the parking lot. “You sleep through the boring part and wake up just in time for some fun. Typical male.”

  ***

  It was after three a.m. when Merry turned down the long dirt road leading to the new house. Even though it was late, she was amped up after a successful first night of stalking. In just one evening, she learned some interesting habits exhibited by Tad. He’d hit six clubs in less than four hours, staying at each one only long enough to make a few quick sales and then skip out before anyone really noticed he’d been there.

  She couldn’t help but wonder if Tad’s actions were part of his normal behavior or newly acquired because of the loss of two of his dealers.

  “Come on, boy. I don’t know about you, but I’m starved. Let’s have a little snack, okay?”

  Percy licked his lips and followed Merry along the dark walkway. The only sound besides their movement across the yard was the rhythmic cadence of the katydids. Once inside the kitchen, Merry poured a cupful of nuggets into Percy’s bowl. While he chomped away, she grabbed a protein bar and bottle of water from the fridge. After taking her shoes off and grabbing her cell from the counter, she walked out to the back porch and sat at the small table.

  She powered on her cell and waited for the screen to come on, more out of habit rather than anything else. Other than Debbie or Derek, there really wasn’t anyone left to contact her. She’d mailed Steve the copy of Harold’s death certificate two days before. Savannah had dropped her little emotional bombshell by already. The papers were signed and closing completed on both houses. Calls from distant relatives and acquaintances, expressing their condolences through the phone lines, stopped months ago.

  So Merry was surprised when she had a missed call
and a voicemail from a number she didn’t recognize—until it was too late. The computer-generated voice made her skin crawl.

  “Mrs. Hall, this is Dr. Cash’s office. Please contact our office to schedule a follow-up appointment as soon as possible. Our records indicate your prescription expires next month and will not be renewed until a full examination is completed. Thank you.”

  “Not going to happen,” Merry whispered to the still night air.

  Merry pushed the call from her thoughts like it had never happened. It was time to let her sick mind run amuck plotting out the end of Tad Tompkins and figure out just who in the hell was the next rung on the ladder. She hoped and prayed she was wrong on both counts, and her quarry would be yet another stranger.

  Not someone she knew.

  The only way to find out for sure was to make Tad talk and not kill him before she drained every bit of information from his head.

  Percy nudged his moist nose against Merry’s thigh. She reached out and patted his back. The irritation she felt at the entire debacle the night at Mookie’s was gone, replaced by the warmth of companionship with her new furry housemate.

  “You were worth it, buddy.”

  16

  10:00 a.m. Saturday morning

  Debbie arrived at the house first, hair piled on top of her head, a few ringlets framing her face. Her ample curves were strategically on display in Lycra shorts and a workout top so tight Merry wondered how she could breathe.

  “I see you took my suggestion to wear something clingy today to a whole new level! You do realize when you bend over to pick up a box or something your girls are going to…”

  “Be front and center for Derek to ogle? Of course I do! What good is it to have to wag these heavy things around if I can’t use them to bend men to my will?”

  Merry laughed. “I’ll be lucky if Derek doesn’t fall and break something today while he’s busy drooling over you. If he damages any of my furniture, I’m holding you responsible.”

  Debbie waved her hand in the air, dismissing Merry’s words with a flick of her wrist. “A price I’m more than willing to pay for a chance to have a night with…oh, wow! It really looks different in here! You weren’t kidding when you said you’d moved a bunch of stuff, were you?”

  “Nope. If you recall, I had nothing better to do during the last seven days.”

  Debbie rolled her eyes. “Whatever. So, what time is my sexy cop showing up with the moving van?”

  “Any minute now, so you’ll just have to do with me until he arrives.”

  Merry stiffened at the sound of Mitch’s voice.

  What the hell is he doing here?

  Instead of being embarrassed by the comment, Debbie beamed and turned her attention to the doorway. She did her best impression of a sexy Southern Belle. “Why Mitchell Sinclair! I do declare you are just too adorable for words! How very gallant of you to offer your brawn to help us little gals today. You just proved chivalry isn’t dead.”

  Merry forced her voice to remain neutral. She watched Mitch saunter up the stairs, expecting his gaze to be trained on Debbie’s cleavage. She was surprised to see he wasn’t even looking in Debbie’s direction. His intense gaze was on Merry. Returning the stare, she grumbled, “Mitch. I wasn’t aware you were coming today.”

  “Hope you don’t mind I invited myself, Merry. Derek mentioned the other day he was helping you move, and I had some free time, so…”

  Merry ground her teeth. “So here you are. How wonderful.”

  Debbie shot a confused glance over to Merry, stunned by the cold tone. “I think it’s great you’re here to help. The more hands on deck the better.”

  Mitch was at the top of the staircase, a devious grin on his full lips. Merry watched his gaze shift from her eyes to Debbie’s body. He looked at Debbie like she was dessert. “Well at least someone appreciates my presence today.”

  Debbie waved Mitch’s comment off and hugged him. “Both of us do. This is just going to be a difficult day, so cut her some slack, okay?”

  Merry held in her snide comments as Derek bounded up the steps. “Geez, not one bead of sweat dripping yet and I already hear bickering? This should be an interesting day. Hey, Mitch! Thanks for the help. See there? You ladies can simply point and direct and we’ll handle the heavy work. Your nails are safe today.”

  I hate Murphy’s Law.

  ***

  Two hours and countless trips up and down the stairs later, the house was completely empty. Mitch and Derek had taken the last item—the couch—out and Merry could hear them grunting and grumbling with each other about the best way to situate it inside the van. Debbie gave the mantle above the fireplace one last swipe with a damp cloth when Merry walked in from the kitchen with a mop and bucket.

  “All shiny and ready for the new owners. So, is your real estate agent coming by to get the keys?”

  Merry shook her head. “No. She asked me to leave them in the mailbox. She’ll come by and get them today after the open house she’s working is over. Said it would be around 12:30, so we best scoot before she shows up. The woman is nice enough but has a mouth that never shuts up.”

  Debbie walked across the living room and smiled. “Good idea. I don’t think you’re in the mood for idle chitchat today, judging by your silence the last two hours. You gonna be okay?”

  Merry stared out the sliding glass window into the backyard. Her eyes settled on the sparkling blue water of the pool. Memories of watching Harold teach Joshua to swim years ago floated by. She remembered all the times Harold had scooped her into his arms and made love to her in just about every room of the house. The winter of 2000 when they were without power for three days, all three of them huddled up under blankets by the warm fire. She could almost still hear Joshua’s laughter when Harold teased her about not being able to swim, or the numerous dinners she ruined after overcooking them.

  God, this is harder than I thought it would be. I miss you both so much.

  “Yep. Can’t get on with my life until I let this chapter close. Even if I could have handled staying inside these walls full of memories, the place is simply too big for me to keep up with alone. Taking care of the pool requires a lot of time. Add in the yard and housework, well, it was just going to be too much. It was time to downsize.”

  Debbie looped her arm in Merry’s. “I know I gave you shit before about the selling the place, and for that, I’m sorry. I was just worried you were making a rash decision. You know, not thinking straight due to grief? The more I thought about it, and tried to put myself in your shoes, I realized I was wrong. Though I’m still a bit concerned about your long commute each day, especially when the clocks fall back an hour and you’re driving in the dark, I get it. From the pictures you showed me, it looks like your new home is really tranquil.”

  “It is. The only noise at night is from insects and random wildlife. Plus, the house is much smaller. Upkeep will be easier.”

  “Sis? You about ready?”

  Merry watched Derek and Mitch amble up the stairs. Moving away from Debbie, she walked over to the doorframe and ran her hands over the smooth wood. Though she had promised to repaint it, she couldn’t bring herself to cover up all the years she and Harold had marked Joshua’s growth spurts in the wood.

  I love you, baby.

  Derek’s warm hand touched Merry’s shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “Why don’t you let Debbie or Mitch drive your car and you ride with me?”

  Merry took in a long breath, filling her memory banks up with the scents of her old life. “Driving will help calm my nerves. I’ll just crank up the radio and sing my blues away.”

  “Dad always said you were as stubborn as a mule.”

  The four of them walked down the stairs in silence, Merry at the end of the line. She shut and locked the door for the final time in her life, leaving her emotions trapped inside the empty space.

  ***

  When Merry turned down the long road toward her house, her heartbeat increased. The m
ental image of Percy running up to greet them set her nerves on fire. Though she hated herself for thinking it, she was glad at the moment Percy was unable to bark. His whine was low enough so it couldn’t be heard inside the house. If somehow the noise did carry all the way to the house, the sound of a dog making noise in the country was easily explained.

  Merry pulled wide and let Derek have the spot closest to the gate. Debbie rode with Derek in the rental truck. When she exited, the smile on her face announced to the world she was having a grand time.

  If that outfit doesn’t change Derek’s mind, nothing will.

  Mitch was the last to arrive. He parked his motorcycle next to the car and didn’t say a word as he made his way over to the van. He nearly ran into the gatepost while watching Debbie jump up and down with excitement.

  “Oh honey! The pictures you showed me didn’t do the place justice at all. Look at those trees! They’ve got to be hundreds of years old! A wrap-around porch and a white picket fence? Yep, it’s my idea of Heaven.”

  Debbie’s exuberance made Merry smile. “Wait until you see the pond in the back. Clean clear water surrounded by weeping willows and a few magnolias. There’s even a dock to fish from.”

  “Fish my ass. That’s margarita central! Wow, it looks just like my nana’s spread down in Sheridan, minus a barn! Remember all those summers our fingers were purple for days after shelling peas on her porch?”

  “I think my pinky nail is still stained. Wait until you see inside. You’ll really think you’ve stepped back in time. I swear the man who owned it before me didn’t change a thing inside since 1960. Even the appliances are from the era.”

  Debbie threw her sweaty arms around Merry and hugged her tight. “This will be like a mini-vacation every time I come to visit you! A real trip down memory lane. Come on…I can’t wait to see what it looks like inside.”

  “Let’s get this stuff unloaded before the heat cranks up beyond one-hundred first. Then you two can gush about the interior. Hurry up before our hands are too slippery to carry anything.”