“He figures our hands are tied. If there are no bodies, it’s nothing to do with homicide. Besides,” she shrugged, “we have a lot going on with these gang-related shootings. Bodies take priority.”
“Yeah, sounds right for the modern police force. They’d rather spend time looking at bodies that aren’t going anywhere than looking for kids that are possibly alive. Bureaucratic BS.” He slammed his clenched fist on the counter, which caught the attention of some of the diners. He looked at the concerned parties and waved a hand in the air to signify everything was all right, then continued his conversation. “It winds me up. I remember when being a cop wasn’t about meeting targets, it was about solving crimes and protecting the public.” He poked his finger on the counter to emphasis his point. “To protect and serve.”
“Times have changed, Coop. It’s all about the paperwork and trying to not get sued by the people we’re trying to help” The sarcasm in her tone was unmistakable.
He rubbed his chin as if in deep thought. “Maybe I could have a quick look into it myself.”
She suddenly sat up with the enthusiasm of a puppy waiting for a stick to be thrown. “Ooh. Is this one of the famous Coop hunches?”
“Well, I don't think you need to be Sherlock Holmes to work out something’s not right here.” He looked around the diner at all the customers. “Besides, it will give me a break from all this for a little while.”
“So what’s the plan, and how can I help?” She began to get louder again as she spoke.
“Well, I’m not sure yet, but taking a look at those files would be a good place to start, I would imagine. Is there any chance you could—”
“Consider it done.” She cut him off mid-sentence. “I’ll get them to you within the next day or two. Anything else you need?”
“Yeah, just one thing.” He checked the bathroom door again. “For the sake of family harmony, why don’t we keep this between you and me?” He winked.
“I’m with you.” She acknowledged with a wink.
The sight of the bathroom door opening and Andy returning made Coop straighten up and reach for the coffee pot. “Can I get you guys a refill?” He nodded towards coffee mugs on the counter.
Maria shoved her mug away. “You got anything stronger?”
“Seriously?” Andy quickly checked his watch as he returned to his seat. “It’s nine thirty in the morning. We’ll have some more coffee please, Dad.”
Coop grinned at Maria as he retrieved the pot from the machine and proceeded to fill his son’s mug. Before he could make any attempt to fill Maria’s mug, she reached out and put her hand over it to stop him.
Andy gently nudged her. “You should drink more coffee.”
“That shit gives me the shakes,” she said, pointing towards the coffee jug.
“Opposed to the shit you were drinking till what time this morning?” her partner goaded.
“Not now,” she protested.
The gentle jibing was interrupted by Coop. “Did you two get your invite to Chris’ thing this Saturday?
“Yep,” Andy acknowledged. “You and Ma going?
“Hell yeah, we’ll be there. Your brother sure knows how to throw a good BBQ,” he said. “Will you be making an appearance, Maria?”
“Well, I haven’t thought of an excuse to get out of it yet so yes, I will probably be there,” she answered, with just a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
“Well, if you do come, just remember that this is a friendly, family BBQ.” The male detective paused and shared a grin with his father before continuing. “There will probably be water pistols a-plenty, so in the interest of public safety, it’s probably best you leave your service weapon at home.”
The father and son burst into laughter.
“You guys really are too fucking funny. Have you been working on this double act for long?” She looked annoyed, but quickly joined in with the laughter.
Andy swallowed another mouthful of coffee. “Come on, let’s get to the office. See you later, Dad.”
He threw a twenty dollar bill on the counter and made his way to the door. The female detective quickly jumped up and followed.
“See you later, Coop.” She gave the retired cop a knowing nod and tapped the side of her nose.
“You guys have a good day.” He smiled. “Take it easy out there.”
Andy waved his hand in the air to signal his acknowledgement as Maria pushed past him to open the door for him. As they exited the diner she glanced back at Coop; both nodded in recognition of their little secret.
The Genesis Chamber
Chapter 7
The aroma of what would undoubtedly be the best cuts of meat on the grill, along with children’s laughter and adult conversation filled the afternoon air. Chris Cooper didn’t do anything in halves, and at a large banquet-style table the Cooper family, along with all the AppTech employees, sat around eating steaks, drinking champagne, and generally having a good time.
Everyone was enjoying the full amenities that his multi-million-dollar mansion had to offer. Andy was distracted from a conversation with his wife by the sight of Maria’s car being driven somewhat erratically up the long, sweeping driveway leading from the secluded road to his brother’s designated parking area. Instinctively he knew that his partner was going to be the worse for wear. He swiftly excused himself from the table and went to head her off. He reached her vehicle as she stumbled out of it and grabbed her by the upper arm to lead her away from the gathering.
“What the hell are you doing?” he chastised his partner.
“What’s the fucking problem now?” Maria slurred, and snatched her arm away from his grip.
He tried desperately to keep his rising anger in check. “The problem is, this is a family-friendly BBQ and you turn up driving like Mario Andretti. To top that, you’re wasted.”
“Fuck you! What’s a party without a few drinks?” she sneered. “Besides, if I have to spend an afternoon with kids, there is no fucking way I’m doing it sober.” She started laughing at her own little quip then turned away, aimlessly looking for the bar.
Andy spotted her service weapon in the holster clipped to her belt behind her back. He immediately grabbed her arm again and swung her round. “I told you not to bring that here,” he growled through gritted teeth and unclipped the weapon.
“Orlando Police Officers are required to carry their firearms at all times.” She tried to grab at the gun but he swiftly moved it behind his back. “I’m only following strict policies,” she persisted.
“Those policies are kind of null and void if you’re too hammered to shoot straight due to alcohol intake.” He turned her around to face the other guests, who were unaware of their minor confrontation, and pointed. “Now, unless someone is smuggling any water guns in their swimsuits, I think we’ll be okay,” he said, mocking her.
“You are fucking hilarious at times. But right now is not one of those moments.” She scoffed at him, and continued to look around. “If you want me I’ll be by the complimentarys. Where are they?”
He let out a heavy sigh in frustration. “If you mean the bar, it’s over that way. Please take it easy.”
She focused on the bar and started walking towards it, then suddenly stopped and turned back to her vexed partner. “Can I have my gun back?”
He brought the weapon into view. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll keep hold of this, and you can have it back on Monday when we get to the office.”
“Fuck you.” She gave him a disgusted look before continuing on her quest for refreshment.
Andy, seething with anger, looked around at the partygoers to see if anyone had witnessed their encounter. The guests appeared to be completely oblivious. He paused for a moment, and decided the best place to put the weapon would be in the glove box of his car. As he walked towards his vehicle he heard the familiar voice of his brother over his shoulder.
“Is everything all right, bro?” Chris inquired.
“Yeah, everything is fine. Just a
minor disagreement with that ever-happy partner of mine.” Holding her gun aloft, he continued, “I’m securing this in my car so we don’t have a repeat of the incident in your office.”
“Oh, now that is a shame; that’s the only reason I invited her,” he said. “Listen, I have a state-of-the-art security system and one of the best safes money can buy. Why don’t you put Rambo’s geek worrier in there?”
The detective took a second to consider his brother’s offer. “Okay, that seems a better idea. At least I know there’s no way she can get to it in there.”
The brothers walked towards the house. Once inside the sprawling mansion, they ambled through the marble-floored entryway towards Chris’s home office, where he keyed in a passcode on an electronic keypad positioned on the wall next to the door. The red LED light switched to green and the door unlocked. The brothers entered, and the homeowner walked straight to a six foot by three foot mirror that was mounted on the wall, then pressed a hidden switch located behind the frame. The mirror glided to one side to reveal the door to his safe.
Andy surveyed the office, taking in his brother’s many academic certificates adorning the walls, along with the trophies for various business achievements and numerous family photographs. He centered his attention on a particular photo and moved in for a closer look. The photo had been taken many years earlier, depicting the two brothers with Coop at the family fishing lodge. Andy smiled.
“You know, it’s been years since we were there,” he said, pointing at the photo. “We should do it again.”
Chris entered a code on the keypad. The electronic beep and the sound of the locking mechanism disengaging indicated the safe was opening. Two more beeps and the safe door opened slightly. He walked over to join his sibling to contemplate the photo for a few moments. “You’re right, we should.” He tapped the photo. “Just the three of us, like old times. The old man would love that. They were great days.”
“Maybe we could take a ride up there in that new Porsche I saw in the garage?” Andy nudged his brother.
“Oh. You saw that?” His face beamed with excitement. “Isn’t she a beauty? Miller bought one and kept telling me how great it was, I have to admit, it is an awesome machine.”
The look on his brother’s face reminded Andy of their childhood Christmas mornings. Chris had always been far more excited than he was about opening their presents while he had favored the occasion itself, the family time together, as opposed to the materialistic giving and receiving of the gifts. There they were, years later, and the same sentiment was still at play.
He was nonetheless highly impressed by what his twin brother had achieved. The house, the cars, the big boy’s toys and Amber, the model-esque trophy wife. “You know, bro, I’m incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved and the lifestyle you lead.” There was no hint of jealousy as he spoke; he was just stating facts. He let his gaze wander around the office, allowing his mind to drift.
Andy dropped down a gear and the Porsche growled as he pushed the accelerator pedal hard to the floor. His adrenalin coursed through his veins as he swerved in and out between the traffic. He started laughing and looked to Amber in the passenger seat. Her hair flowed behind her like a flag in a strong wind whipping back and forth. Her loose-fitting blouse revealed her oversized, perfectly formed artificial breasts every now and then when the wind caught the collar.
Andy took his right hand off the steering wheel and gently placed it on Amber’s exposed thigh. She gasped and looked at him before joining him in laughter.
They continued laughing as he continued to swerve in and out of the traffic.
“Andy… Andy…. hey, are you listening?” Chris snapped him out of his daydream by nudging him with his shoulder.
“Oh, sorry.” He cleared his throat. “I, err… was just remembering the good times we had with Dad at the cabin.”
“I was saying, I would trade all of this with you tomorrow.” The entrepreneur waved his hand around, pointing at various things in the office. “Sure I have all the toys, but there is still a large void in my life. This is all…” He paused and looked skywards. It was obvious to Andy that his brother was searching for the right word to use. “Façade!” he suddenly shouted. “A fucking façade! It’s just all smoke and mirrors.”
“You all right, dude?” Andy looked puzzled, and noticed his brother’s eyes had reddened as tears began to form.
“Not really.” Chris sat on the leather couch. “I just keep overcompensating for us not having kids.” He paused to take a breath. “I keep telling myself that this latest purchase will make up for it and, being honest, it will—for a short while.” A tear started to roll down his cheek as he continued. “Then you suddenly realize it’s just a car, or just a new TV, then it isn’t long before the emptiness returns.”
Andy was momentarily speechless. The bond between the identical twin brothers was strong, but Chris’s bluntness had taken him a little by surprise. They had broached this subject before but not in such a direct manner. He had known for some time that they were trying for children, but he had no idea just how much it was affecting his sibling. He regained his composure and offered some reassuring words.
“Come on, buddy, it will happen eventually. You just have to stick with it.” He sat next to him, placing an arm around his shoulder. He saw an opportunity to inject a bit of levity into the conversation.
“Let’s face it.” He continued patting him on the back. “All the practicing will be fun. And another thing; when you do become a dad, you’ll have to say good-bye to that Porsche in favor of a station wagon. Believe me, brother, when you get woken up at 5:00 a.m. to change a diaper, you’ll be longing for these days of relative freedom.”
A smile emerged on his brother’s face. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess I just must have had more beers than I thought. Sorry for offloading like that. I didn’t realize I needed to get that out.” He used the back of his hand to wipe the tear from his cheek.
“No need to apologize, bud,” he comforted him. “You know I’m always here for you.” He looked up at the photo, then back to Chris. “Hey, listen, we should definitely make that trip. And let’s do it sooner rather than later.”
“That’s the best idea you have ever had.” Chris inhaled sharply, waited a moment, and let the air out slowly. He slapped his hands on his knees, and stood up quickly. “Come on, let’s get back to the party.”
Andy stood and looked closely at his brother’s face, his reddened, glazed eyes were the only indication he had been crying. “I mean it, bro, it will happen for you.” He wrapped his arms around him to give him a caring hug. “I love you, man.”
Chris patted him on the back. “Thanks, man.”
“Come on, let’s put this in the safe and get back out there.” He waved Maria’s weapon slightly aloft and walked over to the safe, placed the gun inside, and closed the door. “Does this lock automatically?”
“Just push the red button and it does the rest for you,” Chris replied.
Andy pushed the red button and listened as the mechanisms locked into place. He returned to his sibling, put his arm around his shoulder and together, they left the office to re-join the party.
As they passed through the large double French doors leading into the garden, his attention was immediately drawn towards Maria, who was at the bar. He thought about going over to her, but he’d had enough of problem solving for one day, so decided instead to head back to the table.
***
“Scotch!” Maria ordered in her usual abrupt manner when she’d had a few drinks. She placed one hand on the bar as she swayed backwards and steadied herself.
The bartender shot her a look of annoyance. “Certainly, madam, would you like ice?”
“Ice?” Maria looked sternly at the bartender. “Are you serious? Did I ask for it diluted? No, I don’t want fucking ice,” she growled.
As the bartender turned to open the bottle of Scotch, Coop approached the bar and sidled up next to Maria
<
br /> “Hey, pretty lady, do you come here often?” Coop asked jokingly.
“No, with the service in this place I would be a teetotaler.” She glared at the bartender, who was still struggling to open the fresh bottle.
“By the way,” she said, turning to face the retired cop, “I have those files in the car that you asked for.”
He glanced around to see if anyone had overheard and moved closer. “Maria! Keep your voice down! This is meant to be just between us two, remember?”
“Shit! Sorry, old man, that’s my bad.” She looked around at the guests. “I don’t think anyone heard me anyway. Except for numb nuts here,” she slurred, pointing at the flustered bartender. “And he will be a corpse in the next three minutes if my Scotch is not in front of me.”
“I find it hard to believe that people think you have no charm.” Coop grinned at her.
“I know, old man; it’s a complete mystery to me too. Anyway…” She looked around and lowered her voice. “What do you want me to do with these files?”
“Swing by the diner in the morning.” He winked at her. “We’ll have a look through them together. Make it early, before the place gets busy.”
“Early? On a Sunday? Come on, Coop, give me a break!” She looked totally bewildered by his suggestion as the bartender placed her Scotch on the bar in front of her.
“Should I order my next drink now to give you time to get it ready?” She sneered at him with more than a hint of sarcasm. The bartender didn’t answer; he went to the other end of the bar and busied himself.
“You wanted in on this, and if you really want to work with me then we do it my way.” He emphasized, “And my way means I need you clean and sober.”
“Come on, old man, cut me some slack; it’s the weekend!” she pleaded.
“Those are the rules, take them or leave them. If you’re in, be at the diner at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. If not, drop the files off at your convenience, and I’ll do it on my own.” His stern look told her there was no point in arguing with him.
The Genesis Chamber Page 5
