"Have you ever felt...well, like you have known someone forever?"
Karen put her head down and started to sob. "No, dammit, no, and I so want to..."
Frank put his arm around her, way around her, trying to fake surprise at finding her right breast in his hand....
"Frank, I want to hear this, but you can speak with a broken arm."
"Okay, Okay, I was caught up in the moment." removing the arm to a less invasive position. "We just connected, we talked, we stared at the sky, and eventually she said something that broke my heart."
"Oh, my, God, what Frank, what?"
"She looked at me and explained that because of what happened to her father, she went to have certain testing done...oh this is not easy...”
"Frank, it's okay. Please, just tell me...."
"Well, she said she had been diagnosed with, man, I can't believe after all this time it is so hard to say......She said her Father died of a rare form of Colorectal cancer that was so aggressive it was generally diagnosed post-mortem. She told me she was tested genetically and the markers indicated a 90% chance of developing it."
"I have to tell you I was devastated, I kept thinking here I am forty-four years-old, meeting a woman that makes me look at her as human and not just a goal for my personal sexual satisfaction, I meet the woman of my dreams and she, well, she tells me she is probably going to die young."
Karen began to sob.
Frank put his arm around her, careful to avoid any even slight indication of touching the wrong spot.
"Karen, the rest of the night was magic, we held each other, we kissed in a way I have never even imagined and then she told me what she was afraid of. It was so silly, so simple to overcome, so minor when compared with the magic of being together."
Josh turned around, looked at Karen, and said, "As big an asshole as I can be, this is something even I cannot joke about...”
Karen looked at Josh and then back at Frank.
Frank drank from the beer, bowed his head, breathed deeply.
"Karen, she told me she was raised in a Catholic family and joined a convent when she was 18.”
Frank paused again, wiping his eyes, “She had never been with a man. She took my hand, held it to her heart, and whispered, 'until now...well I never wanted to be."
“She put her arms around me, buried herself in my chest, and sobbed the words, now he will be doing an examination, a damn examination of my, well, my ass, and that will be my memory of my first time...”
So, Karen, I took her in my arms, I carried her down below. She looked at me with those sad, beautiful eyes, and her clothes just fell away. I was amazed at her body, she was stunning, she was so beautiful...and then I thought...what kind of God would do this to such a beautiful person...why do we put faith in a mystical being that would inflict her with a fatal disease..." Frank paused to finish the last of the beer, waving the glass at Josh.
Josh quickly poured him another and refilled his vodka.
"She looked to me with those eyes that said I want you, I want you to be first, I want you to be what I remember. I thought for the first time in my life about someone else before myself, how can I make this good for her, not about me, how can I make her happy...."
Karen held Frank’s hand, looking through her teary eyes.
"Frank, I never knew this about you. You care. You are, well, human."
"Karen, I know I come here and talk to my friend, act the fool, and most people think I am just crazy, but there was a time when I had a moment....a moment that just changes your life...."
Karen held her glass up to Josh and shook the ice cubes in it.
"Okay, but we are splitting tips."
"In this fucking place, with cops, Firemen, and drunks, oops sorry Frank."
"No, no, that's what I am; I have been practicing for many years. I am glad you have a whole class description for me."
"Between you and your other cop and firemen friends, the sum total of my tips is three dollars and twenty-five offers for becoming a friend with benefits."
"Frank, is she still alive, do you see her?"
"In my mind, and in my very soul, I do. She is forever there, she touched my heart, she changed me."
"So, what happened?"
"We went down below, we were amazing together, it was incredible, and then that one moment of clarity, when the perfect thought occurs, that one chance to do something for another human being that no one will ever be able to do again, that one chance to be unforgettable."
Karen was openly weeping.
Josh walked over to the other side of the bar and was picking out a song on the jukebox.
"So I thought, with all she's been through, all she has endured, all she gave up devoting herself as a Bride of Christ, whatever the fuck that means,....soon she faces an examination, a violation of her person that has no compassion, no feeling, no....well......love behind it"
The music on the jukebox started.
Frank bowed his head.
"Frank," Karen said in a whisper, "what did you do?"
"Well," draining the beer, "I figured some Groin-o-cologist was gonna be sticking his finger in her ass so I rolled her over, lubed up ole Woody Johnson, and blazed the trail."
…and the music played, ‘I see a Bad Moon arisin'...’
A few moments later, the owner walked in. Karen had Josh and Frank cornered, swinging a pool cue, screaming, "You fucking phony, lying pieces of shit, I am going stuff this up your ass!"
The owner, having vast experience in these matters, decided now would be a good time to go to the bank for change. Karen had everything under control. He turned around, got back in his car, and went for a long ride.
Chapter 23: Trying to Help
The phone rang in the SIU office. "SIU, Sergeant Williams."
"Tell Hamlin to call her friend at the AG's, there's something you need to know." The line went dead.
A moment later, Hamlin came in.
"So, how's my new secretary doing? Go get me a coffee and the newspaper, and then go clean my car."
Without looking, Josh replied, "Sure, whatever you need...”
Hamlin stared, "What's this, no smart-ass reply? No fuck you Lieutenant go get your own coffee? Can it be you are housebroken?"
Josh glanced up, "Sorry, Lieutenant, I was just thinking about how long it's taking for the AG to put this in front of the grand jury. I mean it’s been 6 weeks now, I can't stand sitting here answering phones anymore."
Hamlin sat down, looking at the files on her desk for a moment, "Come on Josh you know it takes time. Want me to reach out to someone?"
"Oh yeah, I just got a call, didn't leave a name. He said tell Hamlin to call her friend at the AG's office there's something you need to know."
Hamlin, annoyed, stood. "And you were going to tell me this when?"
"I didn't think anything about it, just somebody fucking with me."
Hamlin took out her cell phone, walked over to close the office door, and made the call.
Chapter 24: Politics and Payback
"Are you fucking kidding me? What the fuck do the Feds see in this? This is all bullshit because of that political whore Collucci. Son-of-a-bitch wants to be a Senator and thinks this bullshit will help him. Thanks Tommy, I owe you one." Hamlin clicked off the cell.
Josh stared at Hamlin, "Now I know this day is about to go downhill, what the hell was that all about?"
Hamlin went over to his desk and sat on the corner, "The US Attorney's Office requested the shooting not be presented to the Providence County Grand jury. They're also moving to take Ventraglia as a death penalty case."
"And why would they do that?"
"Because that political whore of a US Attorney knows he isn't getting reappointed under a Democratic President and has decided to run for the Senate. What better way to get free press, and political capital, than by taking a witch-hunt civil rights case against a cop and a death penalty case for the three murders."
Josh just
shook his head.
Hamlin stood up and walked to window, "By not letting the Providence County Grand jury return a No True Bill on the shooting and putting the case before a Federal Grand jury, he gets to make a big splash on his 'Justice for Everyone' campaign. It is a slam-dunk.
The district is primarily minority, distrusting of the police, and they tend to favor the death penalty. He will make it look as if he is preventing a cover-up for taking on the "code of silence,” adding fuel to the fire. He charges the white cop and kills the white bad guy. As a bonus, he gets his face splashed on all the local and national news stations."
Reaching for her portable radio, "Code of silence my ass," pointing the antenna toward the office door, "you can't get some of these guys to keep their mouth shut for anything. Too busy kissing some politicians ass trying to get promoted."
Chris was fuming. "I'll tell you something else; this is payback for you locking up the Bishop's brother on that DUI. Bet you did not know this, Collucci is the Bishop's first cousin. You're getting your ass handed to you for politics and payback."
Josh got up and started toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
"For a ride, I need to sort this out."
"I am coming with you; I have some people we need to see that will help us."
"Us? Chris, I do not want you drawn into this. It's my problem, I'll think of something..."
"No, this is our problem partner. Look, I know there is all sorts of shit going on in your life. Some of it I can't help with, but this I can. You would do the same for me. Lose the martyr syndrome. Let's go talk to a defense lawyer who will bury this bullshit case. I know just the guy."
Built in 1913 in downtown Providence, The Turks Head building's iconic, Fu Manchu mustachioed, Crescent emblazoned, Turban wearing figurehead, looks out menacingly from the curved front of the building over the Financial District as if ready to pounce on unsuspecting passersby.
Josh and Chris headed into the Westminster Street entrance and up to the seventh floor. Entering the first glass doorway to the right of the elevator, no indication of the occupant other than an etched image of a hawk, a hanging bell on the doorway rang.
They came into a small, unoccupied reception area. A voice from an inner office said, "Be right out, make yourselves comfortable."
Looking around, it was apparent that comfortable was a relative term. In addition to the one desk and chair, there was one other chair covered with law books and files, a small table and lamp, and several boxes of files piled in front of a ceiling to floor bookcase jammed full of law books and, of all things, binders of comic books.
The phone on the receptionist's desk rang. Again, the disembodied voice said, "Would you mind answering that? Just take a message."
Josh looked at Chris, smiled, walked to the desk, and picked up the phone, "Hello, law offices."
"Wow," a female voice replied, "Hawk found one that can use multi-syllable words. Wait, what is this? You are male. Has Hawk changed teams? Hmm, May I speak to the good barrister."
Josh answered, "He asked me to take a message."
"He?" the woman asked, "He? Don't you even know his name? Well no matter, you will not last long. My guess is you are just there while the latest bubblehead recovers from breast augmentation surgery. Tell him to call his former wife, number 3 to be precise, and tell him to please call today."
"I'd be happy to; may I have today's number?" Josh replied, smiling at Chris.
"Ah, I see. A smart-ass as well. Listen to me whatever your name is. Dispense with the sarcasm, tell Mr. Bennett, that is his name, to call Mrs. Bennett the third, tell him to call today, got that?" Abruptly hanging up.
Josh saw a notepad and wrote, Call wife number 3, you should have stopped at number 2. Showing the note to Chris, he placed it next to the phone.
Josh sat on the corner of the desk while Chris started looking at the comic books. She pulled one from the shelf, held it up for Josh to see, 'Buxom Bombshells from Mars,' and started to leaf through it.
The voice called out from the back, "be right there." A moment later, a young woman with unearthly blonde hair, bearing a remarkable body double image of the comic book cover, proportionally at least, came into the office, and straightened her skirt. She took up a position at the desk, adjusted the nameplate that identified her as Tiffany, looked at Josh's note as if written in a foreign language, shrugged her shoulders, and put it on the corner of the desk.
She then looked at Josh, smiled, and said, "Do you have an appointment with Mr. Bennett?"
Chris walked over, took out her badge and ID and flashed them in the woman’s face. "This says we don't need an appointment. Shouldn't you be in class, or homeroom, somewhere?"
The girl, now even more confused than normal, said, "My Pilates class is after work, not during work."
"Ah," replied Chris, "well, Tiffany, would you please inform Mr. Bennett that Lieutenant Hamlin and Sergeant Williams are here to see him on a very important and confidential matter. You do know what that means, right?"
"Of course I do," looking offended. "It means Mr. Bennett will close the door so if anybody comes in they won't hear you speaking to him. He closes the door all the time for this stuff. I don't listen anyway. I have things to do, you know."
"I am sure you do Tiffany, now please, let him know we are waiting."
Tiffany then went to the computer keyboard and began typing, one finger at a time.
"What are you doing?" Chris asked.
"My job, I am supposed to log in all visitors in this computer so we can track Mr. Bennett's time." Returning to screen and concentrating on trying to spell, 'lootenant', as Josh looked on amused.
Josh, smiling at this compelling interaction said, "So Tiffany how long have you been Mr. Bennett's, ah, secretary?"
She looked up, ignoring Chris, smiling at Josh. "I am not his secretary, I am his legal assistant. I went to Wentwood Technical School for Legal Assistant Professional training."
Josh said "Ah, so you are L A P certified then, hmm, impressive." Looking at Chris, "Lieutenant, this is a professional L A P certified assistant, please be respectful." Turning back to Tiffany, "Please forgive her, she studied at some small girl's school and doesn't have your level of educational credentials."
Tiffany nodded and said, "I didn't get, what was that, credentials? But I do have a certificate of completion. Mr. Bennett thinks I can get into law school someday with my experience here. Please wait and I will see if Mr. Bennett is available."
Chris looked at her and said "Tiffany, you tell Mr. Bennett that I said he is available and I am coming in there one way or the other."
Tiffany stared back toward Chris, Josh got between them and whispered, "Tif, can I call you that? Try to be understanding.” Gesturing to Chris, “she is an older woman and going through the change." Winking at her.
Chris, close enough to hear this, said, "Josh, will you knock it off, we need to get in there."
Josh smiled. "Not to worry L T, my friend Tiffany is going to get us in, right?"
Tiffany nodded and went into the back office; a moment later, she came back and told them they could go in. As she passed Josh, she whispered in his ear.
As they went down the hall, Chris looked at him and asked, "What did your airhead friend say?"
Josh smiled and said, "She told me she turned up the air conditioning because she remembered when her Grandmother went through the 'change."
"You know smart-ass, I am glad you find yourself so damn amusing."
Chapter 25: The Hawk
Harrison "Hawk" Bennett liked to say his nickname came from his predator-like instincts evidenced by his survival of three tours in Viet Nam as a member of a Special Forces "A" team. His time in Nam earned him a Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts.
Brave heart he was, but the name came from his single-minded pursuit of women.
He possessed three other important characteristics.
He was brilliant.
/>
He was charismatic.
He did not give a shit what anyone thought.
Chris and Josh walked into the back office. On the wall was a poster of Jimi Hendrix, a Viet Cong flag bearing several holes, and a worn, faded Green Beret.
Bennett, his back to the door, was swaying to the music of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing."
"Hey Chris, wanna fuck?' Bennett said, without turning around.
"I am pretty sure she wouldn't want to fuck a dinosaur like you, asshole." Josh interjected.
"You mean, my boy, again." Bennett answered.
"No, ever." Raising an eyebrow at Chris and back at Bennett "What the fuck would anyone see in you?"
Bennett, turning to look over his shoulder, said, "Hmm, Chris, is this your latest project, a retarded Neanderthal?"
Josh looked at Chris, then back at Bennett, and then saw the smile start to cross her face.
"Very fucking funny, what'd you think I was going to do come to the rescue of your dubious chastity and punch this dried up old fart?" Josh folded his arms and leaned back on Bennett's desk.
"I would encourage you, Mr. Neanderthal, to reconsider those actions. You might find yourself embarrassed." Bennett replied.
Josh just shook his head and laughed.
"No really," Bennett moved closer, "never ever underestimate someone like me."
Josh rose from the desk.
"Don't do it Josh, he is not as he appears." Chris warned.
Josh laughed, "You mean he's not a septuagenarian dinosaur? He can't even...”
Josh never saw the hands move.
Next thing he knew he was bent over the desk, arms pinned behind him, with Bennett mimicking a prison shower scene.
"What the fuck! Let me go, you motherfucker or I'll..."
"You'll what Mr. Neanderthal, teach me a lesson?" Bennett smiled. "I doubt very much I can learn anything from you right now."
"Okay Tarzan, enough with the macho man act, let him go he needs your expert legal assistance, not a lesson in humility." Chris said.
"Not until this young man expresses appropriate remorse and respect for his elders," Bennett replied.
Collision Course (A Josh Williams Novel) Page 8
