The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  A lot of the men had the same thought. Since they were at the Hall and they had to be subjected to a community meeting, they might as well have a drink to ease the pain. Like all the others, Hal walked to the bar for a drink to have with him during the meeting. He picked up a glass, then grabbed the first bottle he saw.

  “Hey!” her fragile elderly voice snapped.

  “I’m sorry.” Hal set down bottle back down in front of Josephine. “Were you reaching for it?”

  “I was drinking it. Get your own, goddamn it.” Snatching up the bottle and cradling it to her chest, Josephine slid sloppily–almost falling–from the stool and staggered off. “Asshole men.”

  Widening his eyes, Hal chose another bottle. As he poured his drink, through the corner of his eye, he saw a cigarette being extinguished in a hard smashing manner into the ashtray. He looked up. “Frank.”

  “Hal.” Frank leaned against the bar.

  “How’s the bear hunting?”

  “It’s going and don’t even think about trying to get him first.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Just as Hal lifted the glass to his lips to take that first sip, he saw it. “Frank?” he said soft and serious. “What are you doing?” Hal’s eyes were transfixed on Frank’s reaching fingers for the bottle of whiskey.

  Frank closed his eyes and withdrew his hand. “Oh, man. I just . . . I wasn’t even thinking, I . . .”

  “Understandable,” Hal said. “Habits, they’re uh, hard to break. Tell you what.” He lifted his glass showing it to Frank. “I’ll join you.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Hal smiled, leaned over the bar with his glass, reached it toward the sink, and dumped it out. “I’ll join you in not having a drink.”

  “Thanks.” Frank smiled. “Give me a cigarette.”

  “You just put one out.”

  “Come on Hal, I left mine in the Jeep.”

  Grunting, Hal pulled a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Frank. “You smoke too much.”

  “You bitch too much.”

  “Captain.” Elliott approached the pair.

  “Wait.” Frank held up his hand. “I need to know. Do you ever call him Hal? I mean, do you ever say, ‘Hey, Hal, how’s it going?”

  Elliott thought for a moment. “Maybe eight or nine . . .come to think of it. No.” He looked back to the Captain. “Do you have a minute?”

  “Sure.” Hal said. “How was your meeting with Ellen?”

  “Good.”

  “You had a meeting with Ellen?” Frank asked. “Why?”

  “Frank,” Hal said calmly. “Go away.”

  “No, that’s all right, Captain,” Elliott told him. “Frank is aware of everything. He’s one of the few.” He looked at Frank. “My meeting with Ellen concerned my health. That’s why I need to speak to you, Captain.”

  “What is it?” Hal asked.

  “The Doctors Hayes . . .” Elliott stopped speaking when Frank laughed.

  With a cross look, Hal glanced at his brother. “What, Frank?”

  “The Doctors Hayes.” He shook his head laughing.

  “Can you think of another way to phrase it?” Hal asked.

  “Yeah. Dean and Ellen.” Frank shrugged.

  Hal rolled his eyes. “Go on, Elliott.”

  Elliott hid his amusement. “The Doc . . . Dean and Ellen would like me to stay in Beginnings for a week, starting tomorrow. The new treatments may actually work and they want to do a seven day series.”

  “Elliott,” Hal smiled. “That sounds promising. Yes, by all means. We’ll make due. Can you commute?”

  “No. I have to stay. They say I may get very ill,” Elliott told him. “They want me to, how did Ellen put it, hang back and not work. But, Captain, I don’t want to raise suspicion about my illness. How should I cover this up?”

  “I will,” Frank interjected. “I’m gonna be starting this investigation into the Bev murder and I’ll say I need you to do the Security stupid reports for me while I get into the swing of it this week.”

  Impressed, Hal nodded. “Frank, that was very quick thinking on your part.”

  “Thanks.” Frank said. “I thought of it just like that . . .” He snapped his fingers. “. . . this morning when Dad said an investigation will be starting, I was gonna ask to steal Elliott anyhow. So . . .” Frank gave a swat to Elliott’s arm. “You have a cover.”

  Hal shook his head. “Generally, Elliott, he isn’t this nice.”

  “You lie,” Frank gasped out in a joke. “I’m the nice brother. You’re the mean one.”

  “How do you figure?” Hal asked.

  “Who was the one walking around Beginnings, beating up midgets?”

  “What?” Hal asked with a laugh..

  “Dean. Who was the one that kept beating him up? Who?” Frank held up his finger to silence Hal. “No, you did. Shut up and . . .” Frank twitched his head in a point. “Speaking of Dean. There he is. Wanna go pummel him? Hey, Dean,” Frank yelled out to Dean who had just entered the Hall. “Hal’s here. Run.”

  “You’re an asshole, Frank.” Hal shook his head, looked at Elliott, and pointed to his laughing brother. “See what I mean.”

  Joe cringed in perfect synch with all the moans that emanated in the Social Hall following the loud feedback squeal. Stepping from the stage, Joe closed his ear, and turned around. “Christ, Danny.”

  “Sorry.” Danny Hoi, upbeat, coal black hair perfect, stepped from the stage. “I want the perfect effect on your vocal.”

  “On my vocal.” Joe shook his head and walked with Danny toward Robbie. “I’m not singing.”

  “Really?” Danny joked. “I thought you started out every meeting with Beginnings National Anthem.”

  “Get the hell out of here.”

  Danny laughed. “Oh hey, Mr. Slagel, one thing. This meeting. Is it what I think it’s about?”

  “Yes,” Joe said.

  “Good. Because everyone is talking about it and they need answers. They’re worried.”

  “They shouldn’t be. I’m taking care of it and I’ll try to answer their questions as best as I can.”

  “Be prepared to be bombarded,” Danny warned.

  “I will. Now fix my microphone.” Parting from Danny, Joe approached Robbie. “Just a couple of minutes, as soon as a few people, who should already be here, arrive.”

  “I’m in no hurry,” Robbie shrugged. “Are you going to mention to everyone what you have as far as evidence?”

  “No.” Joe stated. “The investigation material will be hush-hush except to the team I picked out.”

  “Speaking of evidence, Dad, did you?”

  Joe rubbed his eyes. “No, not yet. I went down there three times. It’s not there.”

  “Dad,” Robbie said seriously. “We have to get that disk.”

  “I know. I think . . . I think your brother has it on him.”

  “Maybe if we distract him, we can steal it. But right now he’s distracted with that bear he thinks is running around.”

  “Hey.” Joe smiled. “You gave me an idea.”

  “What’s that?’

  “He wants that bear. Be the bear. Josephine has that fur coat she runs around in. Borrow that, go to the back gate, growl a few times, and . . .”

  “Dad!” Robbie said with shock. “No. He’ll shoot me.”

  “No, he won’t. Your hard headed brother isn’t going to shoot. Christ, bet me he thinks he can tackle and take a twenty-foot grizzly bear.”

  “Bet me he’d shoot it. No way. I am not gambling on my life just to get the disk.”

  His voice in question surprised both Joe and Robbie. “What disk?” Dean asked.

  “None of your business,” Joe told him.

  “Are you talking about the disk?” Dean questioned.

  “The disk?” Robbie repeated. “What do you mean the disk? What disk would the disk be?”

  “Robert,” Joe warned.

  “You know . . .” Dean winked. “The disk. The one from El
len’s bedroom. The one that captures the mystery man who happened to get drunk with Ellen one night and had an incident.” He raised his eyebrow. “I know, Robbie.”

  “What do you know?” Robbie asked.

  “I know,” Dean repeated.

  “You know?” Robbie was surprised.

  “I know.” Dean nodded. “El told me and I won’t let it get out. In fact, I can get the disk. Frank is supposed to show me it on the side anyhow.”

  “That son of a bitch,” Joe griped. “Abusing evidence and stealing it like that. But Dean, get that disk, will ya?”

  “Yeah,” Robbie agreed. “I don’t wanna have to go up to the back gate, wear Josephine’s fur coat, and growl to get . . . to get . . .” Robbie’s eyes shifted then he picked up the speed of his words. “To get that grizzly before Frank does.”

  “Oh,” Frank huffed out as he stepped to the group. “Between you and fuckin Hal wanting my bear.”

  Robbie lifted his hands in defense. “It was Hal’s idea, Frank. He’s always trying to ‘one up’ you.”

  “I know.” Frank looked down at his watch. “Speaking of the bear, Dad are you gonna start this meeting? I want to get back to hunting.”

  Joe winced. “Um, yeah, Frank.”

  “And . . .” Frank patted his own chest pocket. “I prepared a statement. I worked real hard on it too.”

  “You prepared a statement?” Joe asked. “For what?”

  “The meeting. You know, in case you ask me to get up and say some words about the grizzly situation.”

  “Frank,” Joe quipped. “The meeting isn’t about the grizzly bear.”

  “Oh.” Frank nodded. “But just in case it comes up . . .” He pointed to the paper obviously sticking out of his pocket.

  “I know, I know.” Joe lifted his hand. “You have a statement prepared.”

  Frank winked and nodded.

  “Hey, Frank.” Robbie nudged him. “Out of curiosity, would you shoot the bear first, trap the bear or, I don’t know, tackle him.”

  “Robert.”

  With thought, Frank rubbed his chin. “I would have to say tackle him first. It’s a fuckin bear. How tough could it be?”

  Joe rolled his eyes. “What did I tell you?”

  “How’s the hunting going?” Robbie questioned.

  “Robert.” Joe shook his head.

  “Bad,” Frank answered Robbie. “Fuckin bear isn’t taking the bait. I think he’s chasing the killer babies or something. I tried honey, sugar, and even sliced my arm according to Dean’s advice.” Frank lifted his arm and shoved it in Dean’s face. “No use.”

  Very seriously, Robbie nodded. “I see. Have you tried porridge?”

  “Robert.”

  “No, but good idea. I’ll try that. Thanks,” Frank said then turned to Dean who released a squeal of a laugh. “What the fuck, Dean?”

  “Nothing.” Dean held up his hand.

  Shaking his head, Joe walked away. “I’m starting this meeting.”

  “Dad,” Frank called out. “Remember . . .”

  “I know. I know. The statement.” Joe grumbled as he moved to the stage. He hesitated before speaking in the microphone that he knew would squeal. And it did. He cleared his throat. “If I . . .I-I-I-I-I-I-I . . .” The long strand of reverberating Joe sounds rang out in an echo across the room. With a quick snap of his views, Joe gave a stern look to Danny. “Fix it.”

  “Sorry.” Danny snickered, hurried to the stage, and pressed a button. “Go on. You’re good.”

  “Thanks.” With his hands in his pockets, Joe faced the crowd. “Now that I have your attention . . . we’ll get this thing started. I’m sure you all know why we’re here.”

  “Don’t beat around the bush, Joe,” Jenny’s voice carried in the room. “Give it to us straight.”

  “I’ll try,” Joe said.

  “Good,” Jenny exhaled, “because we need to know the chances of this thing getting in here.”

  “Excuse me?” Joe was confused.

  “I am in charge of twenty-some children a day,” Jenny continued. “I have to know if they are in danger.”

  “Jenny.” Irritated, Joe spoke, “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “The grizzly bear. That’s what this meeting is about, isn’t it?” Jenny said.

  Melissa stood up. “Joe, please tell us you called us here to discuss the bear. My son runs around. I am so scared . . .”

  Joe held up his hand. “The meeting is about . . .”

  “Joe.” Dan from Security stood up. “I think Armory should issue us extra ammunition for this in case he tries to break through.”

  “Are the perimeters strong enough to keep it back?” Bill another Security man asked. “I want to be prepared.”

  “How?” Mike asked. “How does one prepare for a ten-foot grizzly?”

  “Twenty,” Frank yelled out. “He’s twenty feet.”

  An outbreak of emotional scared screams rang out.

  Joe cringed. “Enough.” He waited for the silence. “All right. You wanna know about the bear . . . . Frank has . . . he’s prepared a statement that should give you all the answers. Frank?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Frank made his way to the stage. He whispered as he walked by his father. “You’ll be impressed.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Reaching into his pocket Frank pulled out a paper and unfolded it. “I’ve prepared a statement about the bear. I hope you don’t mind if I read it to you.” He cleared his throat and began to read. He read slowly and clearly so everyone heard every word. “There is a bear at the back gate. I will get him. I will kill him. Don’t worry.” Frank looked up and folded the paper. “That’s all.”

  Joe closed his eyes in preparation for the outcry of questions and confusions, but he didn’t get it. He heard applause.

  Robbie snickered and leaned toward his dad. “They bought it?”

  “What can I say? They’re all morons.” Shrugging, Joe walked back up to the stage. “All right, now that you are completely satisfied with the bear situation, we’ll move on. This is important and I know a lot of you have questions and concerns. Bev’s murder. Yes, Jenny,” Joe called Jenny who frantically waved her hand.

  “Do I have to stay? I really only wanted to know about the bear.”

  “Jenny, there was a murder.”

  “Yeah, Joe but it was . . . it was her. Out of loyalty to Ellen, I really don’t want to waste my breath on being concerned.”

  Ellen smiled. “Thanks Jenny.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Ladies, please,” Joe spoke up. “I’m sure others would like to know what course of action I, as community leader, intend to take . . .” Joe halted speaking when a wave of mumbles and ‘no, not really’ comments emerged in the room. He looked about at everyone who shook their heads to one another. “People,” he raised his voice bringing quiet. “Tough. I’m gonna tell you. You’ll listen. There’s been a murder here and whether you people liked her or not, a life has been taken and we intend to find out who did it. There will be a special investigation team consisting of myself and Frank with the use of Johnny for forensics. That’s it. All evidence and suspects will be kept confidential and no details of the investigation will be given until we have concluded. I will tell you I don’t believe there is a threat of it happening again. I ask that you cooperate with the efforts of the investigation team if we call you. Got that?” Joe sounded so irritated. “Now, any questions?”

  After a moment of silence, with hesitation, Jenny raised her hand then slowly stood up. “I have a question, Joe.”

  “Sure, Jenny, what is it?”

  “Will you at least keep us posted on the grizzly bear situation?”

  Joe walked off the stage.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Where? Where wouldn’t have his father searched? Ignoring the “Keep Out” sign on Bev’s house, Johnny made his way in through a window. He wasn’t taking anything, not by any means. Why would he? Removing valuable evidence
that could lead to the killer was not in Johnny’s best interest. He wanted the killer found more than anyone else.

  What Johnny was doing at Bev’s could have been a tarnishing of her memory, but in the same sense, it was his protection. Finger prints removed from the bottle, Johnny held the drug that he had been giving to John Matoose. He had to place it somewhere so that his father would eventually find it while combing through Bev’s house, somewhere hidden away that Frank would not have searched his first time through, but would when he eventually returned.

  Where? Johnny wondered again. Where was the best place? He thought of likely and unlikely places then Johnny remembered the drug was evidence against Bev, not the killer. With that in mind, and staying on the first floor where the least amount of killer evidence would be found, Johnny sought out a place to hide that drug.

  ^^^^

  The ‘clack’ of the hard hit pool balls rang out in the empty Social Hall. Jess peered at Henry, the only other patron there, above the rim of the glass he brought to his lips. Henry played pool alone as he wanted. He was taking his frustrations out on the balls, Jess supposed. That was fine with Jess. He just wanted to sit in the Hall in thought.

  And he did. He sat in thought with a drink in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. The paper was more than it seemed. Sitting back in the chair, slouched some, Jess’s forefinger flicked the edge of the fateful note, a letter from Bev. It was her warning that she knew how he came to Beginnings and how Jess Boyens was deliberately trained and educated so his defecting would seem like it was his idea, not an attempt by the Society to send an unsuspected informant through the gates of Beginnings.

  The truth behind the note had to come out and an explanation for the note had to be given by Jess only. The words written would be discovered anyhow when Joe sifted through the Danny ‘Bev is a Hadley’ evidence. A typewriter ribbon and the letters that erased the ink would spell out that note exactly. Jess wanted to beat Joe to the punch of discovering it and he would.

  As he read the note and listened to the sounds of the pool table, Jess’s mind flashed back to the night that it was revealed Bev was George’s daughter. Information would be handed directly to Joe when he returned to New Bowman and then Bev would be confronted. After the meeting at Henry’s, all Jess wanted to do was have a drink. Following a few moments of talking with everyone who attended the meeting, Jess headed to the Social Hall with his intentions of alcohol.