The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  The length of removal time, if chosen will be determined by Judge Grace Hawthorn. As harsh as these options sound, for everyone’s protection, we must send a clear cut message that murder, no matter who, will not be tolerated.

  Frank was crushed. They couldn’t do it. It was unfair. Wasn’t his father viewing the suspect list? Didn’t his father see who was on there? The options weighed heavily upon him especially since even the best of choices would send the murderer out of Beginnings for one month. To Frank, that was one day too long to be away from their home and family.

  ^^^^

  Alexandra giggled as Ellen washed the mud from her hair in the tub. It was ironic to Ellen how her daughter laughed, when not hours earlier, the last person she bathed had cried. It broke Ellen’s heart. Robbie put up such a front, maintaining he was strong, carefree, and unaffected. But the moment she helped him to undress and positioned him in the tub so his bandages wouldn’t get wet, Robbie broke down.

  He apologized to Ellen for the scene and the breakdown. It took Ellen fifteen minutes to convince Robbie that no matter how strong he thought he was going to be, it was all right to let down those walls. She promised him he could do so to her whenever he wanted without fear of anyone knowing or anyone finding out.

  Robbie took her up on that.

  “Mommy?” Alexandra called her.

  “Huh?” Ellen snapped from the memory. “I’m sorry, sweetie.” She shook her head with a smile. “I was thinking.”

  “It must have been sad. You had a frown.”

  “Nah, just . . . . just heavy thoughts. Medical boring stuff that we . . .” Ellen stopped and jumped when Alexandra screamed. “What? What is it?”

  “Uncle Frank!” Alexandra shrieked and covered her chest.

  Ellen laughed, “Stop that.” She looked over her shoulder at Frank who walked in. “Hey. This is odd.”

  With little enthusiasm, Frank spoke. “Thought I’d stop by and see my two favorite girls.”

  “We’re finishing up our bath,” Ellen said. “Alex was out making mud angels.”

  “Really?” Frank smiled. “Can I do that with you next time?”

  “O.K.” Alexandra answered. “But you’ll get dirty.”

  “Hmm.” Frank folded his arms. “Do you think Mommy can bathe me too?”

  Alexandra laughed. “You’re silly.”

  “Frank?” Ellen spoke. “Are you all right?”

  “Um, yeah. Fine. I have some things on my mind.”

  “Will you eat with us?”

  “Can I?” he asked.

  “Sure. I cooked.”

  “Mommy cooked,” Alexandra repeated. “I helped before I went out to do mud angels. It was the first time I played since my accident. Mommy says tomorrow she’s taking me to New Bowman to shop. Huh, Mommy?”

  “That’s right, sweetie.” Ellen scrubbed Alexandra’s hair again.

  “Mommy says we’re girlfriends. She’s the best, huh, Uncle Frank?”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Ellen reached for the cup to rinse. “We’re gonna start to do all sorts of fun girl things now that Alex is older and . . .” She paused when she felt Frank slip down and sit, not only behind her, but very close, almost engulfing. “Frank?” she giggled. “What are you doing?”

  “I wanna hold you,” he said softly.

  “Right now?” Ellen smiled oddly.

  “Yeah, right now.” After laying his lips to her shoulder in a kiss, Frank reached around her and took the cup to rinse Alexandra’s hair. Ellen relaxed comfortably in his hold while he did so.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Dean was finally getting the chance. Between giving ‘this patient’ pain medication and ‘that patient’, along with releasing those who adamantly insisted on going home, Glen’s pathology results were on hold. But he had time at the moment, or so Dean thought.

  Her voice was as old and fragile as it always was, but it lacked that certain ‘slurred’ tone. “Skippy.”

  Dean only lifted his eyes from the far back counter.

  “Hey, Skippy,” Josephine called again.

  Dean turned around. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Unless the invisible man is in this room, yes, Einstein, I’m talking to you.”

  “What’s wrong?” Dean asked.

  “I have a problem. Why else would I be here?”

  “What is it?”

  “I can’t sit down,” Josephine said.

  “What was that?”

  Huffing, Josephine raised the volume of her voice. “I said . . . I can’t sit down.”

  “Oh.” Dean nodded calmly then jolted in surprise when he heard her mock him. “Well, Josephine, we really only like to treat emergencies after certain hours.”

  “This is an emergency. I can’t sit down on my stool at the bar.”

  “If it’s a hemorrhoid problem, I can give you some cream for . . .”

  “Hey!”

  “What!” Dean jumped back with her scream.

  “Did I say hemorrhoids?”

  “You said . . .”

  “I can’t sit down,” Josephine snapped. “Christ Almighty, Bozo, I’m pushing ninety. If I had a goddamn hemorrhoid, I certainly wouldn’t need your expert medical opinion to tell me that.”

  “Then why can’t you sit down.”

  “This.” Without hesitation or ample visual warning to Dean, Josephine whipped around, bent over, lifted the back of her dress, and dropped her drawers. “Feast your eyes on that. What is it?”

  There were several responses Dean could have given at that moment, but he was so far in a state of shock for words to slip out. He stared at the exposed buttocks across the lab from him. He saw where her boney finger pointed and just as Dean shuddered and was going to ask her to please cover herself, he saw it. “Holy shit.”

  “What.”

  Hunched over, with eyes focused on Josephine’s left buttock, Dean moved closer. “Holy shit.”

  “What!”

  “You have a huge . . .”

  “Don’t even begin to insult my ass.”

  “No,” Dean replied. “Josephine, you have a huge splinter in your rear.”

  “I do?” Josephine peered over her shoulder. “No wonder it hurts.”

  “Yeah, I’d say no wonder.” Dean blinked then focused on the thick chuck of wood embedded in the flesh of her behind. “When did this happen?”

  “During the explosion. When I was running. I felt it but I thought I pulled a muscle in my mad dash.”

  Dean’s hand extended and he curled his fingers. “I have to touch it.”

  “You won’t be the first. Indulge yourself.”

  Thinking, ‘swell’, Dean reached out.

  The squeak of the combat boot against the linoleum was the first indication he had entered the lab. The second was Frank’s mouth. “Oh my God.”

  Josephine waved out her hand. “Go away. We’re busy.”

  “Obviously. I am . . . I am . . .” Frank let his last word drift out with a heavy deep breath, “appalled.”

  Dean rolled his eyes and peeked out from behind Josephine. “What are you doing here, Frank?”

  “Well it isn’t to watch a perverted live porn show, that’s for sure. Dean, Dean, Dean.”

  “Frank!” Dean snapped.

  “Isn’t elderphilia a crime?”

  “What?” Dean asked as he stood up.

  “You know, the opposite of pedophile, an elderphile.”

  “The term is gerontophile. She has a splinter in her ass, a huge one.”

  “Hey,” Josephine snapped, “quit telling my business.”

  “Hey!” Frank barked back. “You’re the one with your moon sticking out. Let me see.” He walked over to Josephine.

  “Fuck you, Frankie.” Josephine hurriedly picked up her drawers with a cringe and let her dress fall back down. “Get your own hide to grabble.” She faced Dean. “What do we do? I can’t keep living like this.”

  “No.” Dean crossed one arm over his waist.
“That has to come out. In fact, you’ll need anesthesia because the removal will be painful.”

  “Got ya.” Josephine winked and started to leave.

  “Hey,” Dean called out, “where are you going?”

  “You said I need anesthesia. That’s where I’m going. I’m hitting the Social Hall. See ya when I’m good and numb.” With a slight limp and her dress stuck a little in the back of her underwear, Josephine walked out.

  Frank shook his head. “Man, Dean, wait until I tell Ellen you were down on . . .”

  “Frank,” Dean said with a cringe, “stop that. Why are you here?”

  “I came to talk to you about something.” Frank had a serious tone to him.

  “What’s up?”

  “Um, never mind. . . Josephine scared it from me.”

  Dean laughed. “She did not. What is it? It appears to be serious.”

  “I thought it was important but it’s not. In fact, it’s really nothing, so . . .” He moved to the lab door. “I’m heading off to finish some things.”

  “Frank?” Dean questioned. “Are you sure?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Frank flung out his hand. “It was just um . . . about . . . you know, Henry and the thing, so I’ll talk to you tomorrow about it.”

  “O.K. night.”

  “Night.” Lifting his hand in a wave, Frank walked from the lab. Out in the hall, he stopped and pulled that ballot sheet for punishment from his pocket. He took a look at it then peered over his shoulder into the lab to see Dean moving about in his work. After a brief moment of debate, Frank folded the sheet and headed down the hall. He remembered in his leaving the clinic, aside from dealing with the issues of the ballot, he had to deal with copies. Since the next day wasn’t really that far away, and four hundred copies were a lot to make, he figured he’d get a start on those copies while he had time.

  ^^^^

  “Hey, Dad.” On his way to the Social Hall, Johnny spotted Frank. “Wait up.”

  “Hey, John.” Frank stopped. “Where are you headed?”

  “The Hall. Wanna join me?”

  “I can’t. I’m headed to Containment to use the copy machine.” Frank pulled out the ballot. “It seems the decision on punishment for Bev’s murderer is going to lie in the communities hand.”

  Johnny slowly looked up. “Did you guys figure out who killed her?”

  With closed lips, Frank shook his head. “It sucks that someone has to be punished for it.”

  Wanting badly to say, ‘yeah, right, fuck you for thinking that,’ Johnny didn’t. “I know.”

  “So I have to make copies for here and New Bowman. Ellen will take them in the morning.”

  “I guess I will too.” Johnny made himself sound as un-enthused as he could. “I’m taking her.”

  “Gee, John, I didn’t think going somewhere with Ellen was all that bad.”

  “El? No?” Johnny waved out his hand. “It’s just that . . . it’s just . . . never mind.”

  “What?” Frank asked.

  Souring his face, Johnny took a deep breath. “I hate the thought of running into Uncle Hal.”

  Frank blinked. “Uncle Hal? What is the problem lately with you and Uncle Hal?”

  “I don’t know,” Johnny shrugged. “He hates me.”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “Yeah, Dad, he does. He wouldn’t even let me set his leg.”

  “You’re kidding?” Frank asked, shocked.

  “No. He insisted I was incompetent. Now I know you guys have this image of him . . .” Johnny lifted his hand. “But I’m sorry. What he shows you and what he shows me are two different things. I know for a fact he doesn’t like me.”

  “John, sometimes people don’t hit it off.”

  “Well, according to Uncle Hal, he and I will never hit it off.”

  Frank gave an odd look. “Why would he say that to you?”

  “The truth?”

  “Nothing less.”

  “Because I remind him of you.” Johnny watched Frank turn his head. “Dad, why don’t you believe me?”

  “I didn’t say that,” Frank said.

  “You don’t have to.” Johnny dropped his head.

  “John, it’s just that Hal is my brother and . . .”

  “I’m your son.” Johnny pointed to his chest. “I just wished someone would believe me about this, because it really . . .” He let out a sad breath. “It bothers me that everyone pictures him as this good guy and won’t even consider what I’m saying. How does that make me feel? He knows that no one believes me so why argue? Why should I even try? I’m sorry.” With classroom dramatics, Johnny turned away.

  “John.” Frank gave a lifting nod of his chin. “I’ll keep an eye out on things but you have to let me know when they happen. OK?”

  “Oh, I will, Dad. Thanks I will. Night.”

  “Night.” Frank turned and walked into Containment.

  Watching his father leave, Johnny smiled but the smile quickly left when he turned around and John Matoose was there. “What?”

  John shook his head. “Did you know when the streets are dead like this, all a person has to do is listen because voices carry in the wind?”

  “So do farts but no one bothers hanging out and sniffing for them.”

  “Aren’t you witty?”

  Johnny flashed a grin. “Yeah, I am. Is there something you wanted because I could swear you’re the one who always hates being around me. I try to be your pal.”

  “O.K., pal,” John said with edge. “I wanna know if you set that explosion?”

  Johnny laughed “Yeah, right. If I did, I would tell you? No.” He shook his head. “But because I’m that swell type of guy, I’ll be honest. No. Didn’t you hear my Pap? Uncle Robbie stores explosives in that warehouse.” Johnny tossed up his hands. “It was an accident. Sorry. He sighed out. “Too bad Uncle Hal didn’t bite it.”

  “You certainly want to take on a lot by going after your Uncle Hal.”

  “Going after? No. I’m taking him down.”

  “For what?”

  Johnny dropped his voice to a whisper. “Killing Bev.”

  “You really believe that?” John said with a hint of making fun.

  “Oh, yeah. I’ve seen the evidence.”

  “I told you that was awfully convenient.”

  Johnny chuckled. “Why would he set himself up?”

  “To bring you down.”

  “Well, if you’re so convinced of that, then that means my Uncle Hal is on to me. If that’s the case, you’d better worry. If I go down, so do you.” With a smile and a pat to John’s cheek, Johnny turned around and walked off.

  The fantasy of pulling out his gun and shooting Johnny right there ended with the remembrance that John was no longer privileged to carry a gun in Beginnings. All trust and faith had been lost in him and with just cause. John only wished at that moment he could have one ounce of that trust back because he would spew forth all he knew about Johnny, but he didn’t have any physical evidence. And obviously, neither did Hal. Because if Hal was on to Johnny, and he had enough proof, surely Johnny would be gone. It was a shame to John that he couldn’t just approach Hal because he was the power needed to bring Johnny down. John Matoose could very well be the evidence Hal sought, but the problem in talking to Hal came in the form of one word, doubt. It wasn’t so much of Hal’s intuitiveness of Johnny, but rather of Hal himself. He was a Slagel. There was a river of thickness in the bond of Slagel blood. A river that John was still uncertain he could trudge confidentially to Hal with all that he knew of his nephew.

  ^^^^

  Robbie felt it. It was warm, almost hot, as it hit into his vein and traveled through his circulatory system. Like magic, within seconds, he felt a blanket of euphoria overcome him. “Thanks, El.”

  Ellen tossed away the syringe. “I know you’re in pain, Robbie, but are you sure this isn’t a way to cover up how you feel?”

  “El, I’m fine.” he nodded. “Really.”

  “O.K., ju
st don’t get used to it. This is hospital strength only. What I send you home with will not be as strong.”

  “Speaking of which, when do I go home?”

  Ellen blinked. “Robbie, come on . . .”

  “No, El. Why do I have to be in here?” he asked. “To watch my bandages? To watch the limb for infections? Why?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “Well, can’t someone stop by and check on me. This is Beginnings, not New York in the old world. I’d rather not be in here.”

  Ellen sat down on the edge of the bed. “It depends where home is going to be.”

  With curiosity, Robbie looked at her. “I don’t understand.”

  “Jess doesn’t have the luxury of going home yet. If you stay . . .”

  Robbie whined. “No.”

  “Yes. Denny and Katie are living in New Bowman for a while. Joe and Frank have the house to themselves. If you tell me that’s where you are going to live for a while, with your dad and with me and Dean next door, I’ll be confident enough to let you out early.”

  “How early?” Robbie asked.

  “After I am sure you know the routine. Maybe tomorrow afternoon when we see the chance for infection is greatly reduced.”

  Robbie let out a breath. “How do you think my Dad will react to me moving in with him and Frank?”

  Ellen’s mouth opened, but Joe’s voice emerged.

  “Your father,” he said as he walked in, “would love it. The house is so empty.”

  Robbie blinked and drew up a smirk. “Frank’s there.”

  Joe exhaled. “I repeat. The house is empty.” He walked to the bed. “I’d love to have you move in with me for a while, permanently if you choose. I’ll even spoil you.” Joe winked. “How’s that.”

  “No, that’s . . .” Robbie glanced up innocently. “Well, maybe just a little. Would you mind?”

  Joe chuckled. “No, not at all.”

  Ellen stood up. “Here, Joe. Sit down.”

  “You don’t have to leave,” Joe told her.

  “No, I do. Really. I just wanted to give Robbie some meds.” She leaned down and kissed Robbie, then Joe as he sat down. “I’ll check back in a bit.”