Superbia (Book 2)

by Bernard Schaffer

  Erinnyes held up his hand and said, “Actually, I’m not supposed to—”

  Frank passed the twenty toward the barmaid and slid the Chief’s shot in front of him. “Here you go, boss. To police work!”

  They clinked their glasses together and both of them downed their shots. Erinnyes grimaced and wiped his mouth as Frank called out, “Hurt us again, honey!”

  “I have to get back, Frank,” Erinnyes said.

  Frank looked injured. “It’s my farewell drink with you. It’s the least you can do.”

  “Okay, but last one. This thing ends in half an hour and I have to drive home.”

  Frank held his shot glass up and said, “Live long and prosper, boss.”

  They clinked their glasses together and Frank downed the booze in one swallow, while Erinnyes turned away and slowly sipped his. Frank snapped his fingers at the bartender and when she came over, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “This is my dad. He just got divorced. Can you make the next one a double and get him to drink it? I need him to forget his troubles.” He put an extra twenty in her hand and thanked her.

  Erinnyes finished his drink and turned toward Frank with his hand outstretched, “It’s been my pleasure, Frank.”

  “Mine too, Chief.”

  The bartender set two large shot glasses in front of them and started to pour. “Here you go boys, on the house!”

  “No,” Erinnyes said, waving his hands. “Absolutely not.”

  The bartender pouted and said, “But they’re already poured, sir.”

  “I don’t care! Take them away.”

  She looked around nervously, “I can’t take them away, and I can’t give them to anyone else now. I’m going to get in big trouble.”

  “She was just trying to be nice, Chief.”

  “I refuse.”

  Frank snapped his fingers and said, “You know what we didn’t do? We didn’t drink for that poor mother and daughter. They deserve to be remembered.” Frank looked down and shook his head, “It was something else in there, I tell ya. I keep seeing it. Every time I close my eyes.” Frank put his arm around the Chief’s bulky, sweaty shoulder and said, “This is the last thing I’m ever going to do as a police officer, Chief. I’m going to remember the dead.” He picked up both shot glasses, so full that the liquor spilled over the rim onto his fingers. “For Mary and Kayla. For Joe Hector. For Vic.”

  Claude Erinnyes took the tall shot glass and said, “May they rest in peace.”

  Both the men drank. Frank shook the Chief’s hand and said, “Goodnight.” He left the banquet hall and ran down the stairs for his car, yanking his tie off and tossing it into the backseat. He ripped off his dress shirt and pulled on a ratty old t-shirt and baseball hat, then bent over the side of the bushes, and jammed his finger down his throat until he vomited.

  ***

  A half hour later the doors opened and people began to filter out of the banquet hall. Chief Erinnyes wobbled a little on the steps, taking his time as he headed down into the parking lot. He rummaged in his pocket for the keys, staggering slightly as he went to fit them into the car door.

  Frank sat up and turned on his department issued smartphone, activating the video camera feature and setting it for optimal nighttime capture. He focused on Erinnyes’ face as he opened the car door and got in. Frank had to keep himself from giggling as the brake lights came on and the car began to move.

  He followed the vehicle out of the parking lot and onto the main road, holding the camera in one hand and steering with the other. Erinnyes’s car swerved over the double-yellow lines once, then corrected back to the far right lane, nearly hitting the curb.

  “Got you, you son of a bitch,” Frank whispered. He pulled out his other cellphone and dialed 911.

  “911, what is your emergency?”

  “I’m following a drunk. He’s swerving all over the place. Please get a police officer out here before this guy kills someone.”

  “What is your location, sir?”

  Frank gave them the name of the street, the cross street, and their direction of travel. He gave them the Chief’s car’s make, model, color, and tag number. “Please get someone out here right away.”

  “What is your name and callback number, sir?”

  Frank hung up the phone and set it next to him. “Come on,” he said. They were only five miles away from Erinnyes’ house. Frank looked around for a police car, cursing and smacking the dashboard.

  They drove through an intersection and Frank saw the front bumper of a Stygian Falls police cruiser inch up, the officer inside peering in their direction. Frank flashed his headlights several times and stopped his car, letting the cop pull out in front of him.

  Frank held his breath as the officer got behind Erinnyes. The officer activated his overhead lights and Frank screamed, “Yes!”

  He pulled his car off to the side of the road and got out, keeping his phone pointed at the traffic stop ahead. Claude Erinnyes was quick to point at the badge on his chest and bellow, “What the hell are you stopping me for?”

  Frank yanked the baseball hat over his face and ran up waving his hand, shouting, “Do your job, sir! Do your job! I’m video recording this whole thing. Just do your job!”

  The cop looked up at Frank in dismay and Erinnyes spun around in his seat, seeing through Frank’s disguise and shrieking, “You mother fucker! You cocksucking faggot mother fucker!”

  Erinnyes tried to force himself out of the car, but the uniformed cop held him in. The Chief’s voice was high-pitched and broken, on the verge of hysterical babbling as he cursed Frank. “I’ll fucking kill you, you piece of shit!”

  “Careful, Claude,” Frank said. “You don’t want to threaten me on film, now. Do you?”

  “Sir, you need to settle down and wait in your car until I instruct you otherwise.”

  Erinnyes began to sob. Frank moved closer with the camera and said, “What’s the matter, Claude? Is the whole world crashing down on you? How’s it feel, you fat fuck? How’s it fucking feel!”

  The officer jammed his finger in Frank’s chest and said, “You, back up now.”

  “I am on public property,” Frank said.

  “And if you interfere with my police activity again, I’ll arrest you.”

  Frank backed up, keeping the camera on the officer as he went around the back of his car for the portable breathalyzer test. “Uh oh,” Frank said. “What’s that, Claude? Looks like it’s a PBT coming your way. Get ready to watch your whole life vanish before your very eyes, buddy.”

  The officer opened the door and said, “Sir, will you please step out of the vehicle.”

  Erinnyes slumped out of the car, defeated, knowing he was finished. The officer instructed him to blow into the tube until it beeped, and Claude wrapped his thin, fishy lips around the tube and started to blow.

  The machine beeped. The officer looked at the number and frowned. “One more time, sir,” he said.

  Erinnyes blew again until the machine beeped.

  The officer shrugged and knocked the plastic tube onto the ground. “You can go,” he said. “You’re only a point seven.”

  Erinnyes looked at him in disbelief. “I’m not under arrest?”

  “You’re just under the limit, Chief. Drive home safe.”

  Frank lowered the phone and stared open-jawed at the officer as he walked back to his car. The cop smirked at Frank and said, “Nice try, buddy. Guess you’ll have to get some other poor sucker to be on YouTube.”

  Erinnyes looked at Frank as the cop drove off and it was like watching an enormous balloon fill up with red dye. His ears turned red. The vein standing out of his forehead turned red. He started to shake. “Return to Headquarters immediately to surrender your badge,” he sputtered. “You are terminated.”

  ***

  Reynaldo listened to the phone ring until his mother finally picked up. “Hello, mama. How are you?”

  “Papi! So good of you to call me. How are you?”

&
nbsp; “Doing very well. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too! How is your job?”

  “Excellent. I am doing very well here.”

  “Tell me all about it.”

  “I wrote the most tickets last week. The Chief was very happy with that. I think I even set a record for most parking tickets handed out in a single day. The more money I make the Township, the quicker I can get a dog.”

  “A dog? Papi, that sounds wonderful! Are you putting away the bad guys and rescuing babies too?”

  “Of course, of course.”

  “Do you remember Mrs. Hartwell who have the bodega on our block?”

  “Yes,” Reynaldo said. “Is she all right?”

  “A terrible thing happen to her. Some guy came into her store and pretended like he needed her to show him where something was in the back, and then he put a knife to her throat and try to rape her.”

  “Oh my God. What happened?”

  “Officer Fuller was walking by and did no see her at the register. He stuck his head inside the store to see where she was at and found the man holding her down. Thank God. She is okay now, but her husband won’t let her work alone any more. I told Officer Fuller that people like him are the reason you are now a police officer too. He said he cannot wait to see you and hear all about it.”

  Reynaldo’s voice was quiet when he said, “All right, Mama. You be careful up there. I will see you soon.”

  ***

  Jim Iolaus watched the car go through the red light and pulled out after it. The driver stopped and waited for Jim as he reached for his ticket book and started to get it ready. Two kids heads popped up in the backseat, smiling at him and waiting.

  Iolaus walked up to the car and the driver had license and registration ready to hand over. Both kids were now looking up at him with wide eyes.

  “I ran that light, huh, Officer,” the man said.

  “Yes, you did.”

  The man handed over his cards and said, “How much is the fine?”

  Jim glanced at the cards briefly and then looked back at the kids, “How you guys doing tonight?”

  “We’re good, police man,” they both said.

  “I like that you both have your seatbelts on. I always wear mine too.”

  “Daddy doesn’t wear his sometimes,” the older one said.

  “Uh oh,” Jim said. “You hear that? They’re turning you in.”

  The dad smiled and shook his head. “It’s amazing what they pick up.”

  Jim handed him back the cards and said, “You’ve got some precious cargo on board. Slow down.”

  “I will officer, I promise. Be careful out there.”

  “Wait a second while I pull out and roll the kids windows down in the back, okay?” Jim went back to his car and waited to make sure the road was clear. He turned on all of the lights and activated his siren as he drove past them, waving as the kids in the backseat laughed and clapped.

  ***

  Aprille rolled over and touched Dez’s face, running her fingers along his stubbled jawline. He kissed the tips of her fingers and her palm. “I missed you,” he said.

  “I missed you too.”

  “What time is it?”

  She picked up her phone from the nightstand and checked. “It’s late.”

  “Shit. I better get going.” Dez sat up and scratched his head, “Where did you throw my pants?”

  “I think they’re in the living room.”

  “Oh yeah,” he said. “You’re an animal, woman.”

  Aprille pulled the covers up to her chin and listened to him stumbling around in the darkness, getting dressed. He came back in a few minutes later and walked around the side of the bed. He smiled at her and leaned down, whispering, “I’ll give you a call tomorrow in the evening.”

  “Do you want to do breakfast? I found this place that always made me think of you,” she said.

  “I can’t tomorrow. I’m taking the family out for the day.”

  “Have fun,” she said.

  “Don’t be like that, hon. I’ll call you tomorrow. Maybe I can even swing by in the evening.”

  Tell him to get out, she thought. This was a terrible mistake. Kick this piece of crap out and call Marcus.

  He kissed her on the nose, “There’s something I didn’t tell you. I talked to your Chief today. I told him I want you back on the Task Force. I figured you had enough of writing parking tickets and were ready to start doing drug work again.”

  Aprille did not answer him. Dez got up and said, “Get some rest, baby girl. You’re going to need it for tomorrow night.”

  ***

  Frank was fucked.

  There was nothing to say, no apology to make. He took his best shot and blew it.

  Terminated.

  No pension.

  No health benefits for the kids.

  No income to pay the bills.

  Fucked.

  He thought about Cole Clayton’s job offer and it stabbed him in the gut. Like any Chief was going to hire a guy who tried to set up that last one he worked for?

  He thought about telling his little girls that he was no longer a police officer. Daddy does construction now. Daddy’s a bartender now. Daddy’s going to real estate school now.

  Daddy doesn’t arrest bad guys anymore?

  No. Now Daddy helps people find decent used cars at a gouged price, sweetie.

  “Fuck!” he shouted. He took the department phone and smacked it against his forehead, “You stupid, stupid, selfish mother fucker!”

  He was nearly at the police station.

  Erinnyes was pulling in ahead of him. He parked his car right next to his office door and threw his car door open so hard that it nearly swung back and closed. He stood by his car and screamed, “Park your piece of shit and get your fucking ass into my office!”

  Frank did as he was told. He pulled up next to the Chief’s car and parked it. Moving on autopilot. He had numb hands and his legs were too heavy to move.

  Erinnyes yanked open his office door and shrieked, “Now!”

  Frank lowered his head and headed for the open door. He went into the office and stood there, trying not to cry.

  “Badge!” Erinnyes shouted.

  Frank reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He tried to unclip the badge’s sharp post and remove it, but couldn’t get his fingers to work right. “Here,” he whispered.

  Erinnyes snatched the wallet out of Frank’s hands. He opened it and started to fumble with the post, but his hands were shaking. “You piece of shit,” Erinnyes snarled. “You motherfucking disloyal pussy.”

  Sweat dripped off of the Chief’s forehead, spilling over his face. He struggled with the post until finally throwing it back at Frank and shouting, “I don’t give a shit if you have to break it. Get it ou……………t.” Erinnyes’ voice seized in his throat like something was caught in it. He rocked back and forth, trying to force the words out, but all that came out was a long, high-pitched whistle. He finally sucked in enough air to speak and managed, “Get that the…fuck…out of your wallet and give it to me.”

  “You all right?”

  Erinnyes reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead. His hand came away drenched. He went to brace himself against the desk and missed its ledge, toppling over like a building, like King Kong from the Empire State Building. Erinnyes’ massive form hit the ground and he whacked his right temple hard enough to vomit.

  “Chief?” Frank said, frozen in place. “You all right?” He inched around the desk and peeked down, seeing Erinnyes’ legs shaking violently while he clutched his chest and gasped for air like a fish in a bucket. Erinnyes flopped around, his tongue sticking out of his mouth, his enormous face now grotesque in its purple shade and swollen fullness.

  Erinnyes reached up for Frank, clawing for him, eyes bulging. Frank did not move.

  Erinnyes’ arm collapsed against his side and bile spilled out of his mouth and nose. Frank stared at him, then looked up at the office ceili
ng and checked for cameras. There weren’t any.

  He went to the Chief’s door and opened it up. “Hello? Anyone?”

  No answer.

  He went back inside the office and picked up his badge wallet and returned it to his back pocket. Erinnyes had stopped moving. “Hey. Chief. I’m going to go finish that report on the Polonius case like you asked. I’ll be downstairs if you need me, okay?”

  He backed away from the desk, watching it carefully. He slid out of the office and quietly closed the door, then turned down the hallway and bolted for the stairwell.

  The tiles in the floor downstairs were loose, popping up in places from the water rotting the boards beneath. Beyond the detective’s office, it was dark.

  The smell of scorched metal and smoke got stronger the closer he went to the closed officer door. Frank punched his code into the door and twisted the doorknob, throwing it open while standing on the outside looking in.

  Everything was in its proper place and nothing was disturbed.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  First and foremost, let me acknowledge those of you who’ve returned to read the sequel to the first novel. Thank you for embracing the story of regular local cops who are out there just trying to do the right thing. I regularly get emails from guys sitting in a patrol car somewhere telling me they are reading the book, sometimes laughing along with it, sometimes amazed to see their own lives captured in print.

  I’d like to acknowledge Laurie Laliberte and her undying dedication to my work and the work of countless others. It is my eternal good luck that she tolerates me and supports me, and I am in her constant debt.

  To my children, fiancé, and family, who stood by me this year to no end, even when the changes in my life wrought by Superbia had major ramifications for them.

  To my brothers and sisters who hold the line every day and every night. Get home safe.

  Exclusive Sneak Preview of Superbia 3

  Coming Spring 2013

  Frank crashed into the detective office, taking out a stack of files under the light switch, missing it, and fumbling his way across the room. He careened sideways toward his chair and collapsed, reaching out to clutch the arms to keep himself off the floor. He ducked his head under the desk and vomited, managing to grab the rim of the rubber trashcan in time to spit out the remaining mouthful of hot bile. He glanced up at the clock on the wall and blinked fat beads of sweat out of his eyes until he could read the numbers. How much longer before shift change? How much longer before they find him?