“Is he here?” exclaimed angrily Murphy as he headed toward the stairs; in his right hand he had placed the brass knuckles with which in the past he had fought battles in the harsh New York streets.
“No, no! Please stop.” Said the girl. “He is gone forever. He carried part of his belongings and I sent the rest to a warehouse so he has no need to return to look for them anymore. He´s gone for good.”
A little calmer Eric began to interrogate her goddaughter following a well known police protocol, so that he soon had an overview of what had been her life in recent days. Without doubt the worst aspects of the personality of Paddy O'Halloran had emerged and the woman had paid the consequences.
After taking tea together Eric tenderly stroked her face and asked Sheila.
“I can stay tonight with you, or you can come to my apartment or I can take you to a hotel where you will be taken care by some of my friends.”
“No need Eric. I know that this time Paddy will not return. He is completely infatuated with the Puerto Rican policewoman I told you about who is apparently giving him what I cannot give.”
Murphy got in his car and beating his desire to stay with his goddaughter he departed. A dull hatred was born inside him.
Chapter 9
Marcos had moved most of his belongings to an attic on top of Charley´s store and house but still kept renting his own apartment. The small room had an old rickety bed and Charley had acquired a new mattress. When sitting on it the elastic springs creaked producing a real metal concert tune.
That afternoon, after closing the store the young man went to his attic and was putting in order some additional things he had brought on his last trip to his apartment when he heard footsteps on the wooden staircase leading from the house to the attic. The soft steps could only belong to one person, as Charley trudged due to some old wounds of war. The door opened indeed and Nubia appeared in the frame. The girl was wearing a dress made of cotton fabric printed with strong African folk reminiscences of bright and contrasting colors, tight to the body and a with long opening in the skirt showing her beautiful legs when walking. No doubt Charley had purchased it for her and Marcos wondered if he had done that to allow the woman to seduce him, since the old man seemed to have that purpose in mind.
With an absent look Nubia sat on the narrow bed, so that the skirt of her dress moved to one side leaving a provocative vision of her legs. Then she placed an object on her right thigh, which as Marcos approach turned out to be a short chocolate bar. Its color was exactly the same shade of the woman´s skin, so in the dim light of the only window in the small piece it was difficult to discern one from the other.
“You like chocolate? Come and eat.” She said with a neutral air.
The sudden hormonal discharge that Marcos experienced produced an instant erection that the boy did not try to conceal. He knelt on the floor by Nubia´s side and began to suck the bar that with the warmth of his breath began to melt dripping a viscous liquid on the girl's thigh.
“Look what you're doing!” Exclaimed Nubia in a tone between reproach and humorous. “Now you must clean the mess.”
Marcos questioningly raised his eyes to meet the girl´s.
“ ... With your tongue, of course, and very gently.” She added.
A few weeks had passed since Vince´s arrival to the hospital and improvement in his injuries was evident. Every day the nurse accompanied him to walk with his crutches through the halls crowded with people and now he could do it with relative ease. The forecast was for a full recovery in six to nine weeks, mostly at home, and the doctors were even reducing the massive dose of painkillers and antibiotics with which Vince was being treated. Upon returning to his room that day he found the pleasant surprise that Loretta was waiting at its door. Marcos kissed the woman on the cheek and thanked the nurse who retired discreetly.
“I´ll be back in one hour to control the bandages.” Gently warned the lady before going away so as to set a limit to the meeting of the young couple.
Loretta sat on the edge of the bed and Vince put one hand between hers.
“Have the doctors confirmed when will you leave the hospital?” Asked the woman.
“Tentatively within three days, if the evolution of the wounds remains the same.”
“Have you thought about us?”
“I do not have anything to think about.” Answered the man. “I already made up my mind. The one who must make a decision is you.”
Loretta had visited the wounded man practically every day. The feelings that existed between them before her marriage with Leroy had emerged to the surface once more. After her wedding Vince had dedicated to sleep with white and black women in a foolish way but Loretta knew it was just a way in which his spite manifested. In an introspection the woman had to recognize that her feelings toward the attractive man were still intact, but were fighting with her closed religious education and respect for the forms by the still recent death of her husband. What both youngsters had agreed was to marry after a reasonable period.
“There is one thing I must tell you. This is a non-negotiable condition for us to stay together.” Expressed Loretta.
“What is it?” Asked Vince somewhat alarmed.
“You must leave the police force as soon as you leave the hospital.”
“Oh Loretta! You cannot ask me that! I have not been anything but a cop since I was a young boy. It is what I like and what I do. I have nothing else.”
Loretta pressed the hand she held between hers as tears appeared in her beautiful eyes.
“Vince. I cannot afford to lose another man in my life. Especially I cannot lose you. If you really love me you must satisfy my request and let us reshape our lives in other ways. I cannot spend every night sighing when you do not arrive on time.”
“But what will I do for a living? Since the academy I've never done anything else.”
“That's the good news I bring you today. I talked to my father and he is sure he can get you a job in the administration of the City of New York.”
Philip Gardner, Loretta´s father, was one of the oldest and most respected members of the Manhattan City Council, and was re-elected periodically by a district populated mostly by African American citizens. Being also a prominent member of a Baptist congregation he was also a stronghold of the best Christian values in the neighborhood. At the time he had opposed the romance between his daughter Loretta, the apple of his eye, with a white and that was one of the factors that had led to the marriage with Leroy. None of the young people mentioned it but they both knew the fact.
“Do not you think he will oppose again to me?”
“He won´t. Everything evolves over time and also his opinions. Also he knows that this time I have already made my own decision and certainly will not want to oppose my wishes. For your peace of mind I should clarify that I have already spoken with him. Not only has he accepted my decision but is looking for a job well suited to your knowledge and experience profile. With your expertise in computer science it will not be difficult.”
Vince was moved by the resoluteness of the woman. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Then he slid his right hand on the knees of the girl, who jerked away.
“With me you must learn to control your Italian genes.”
“Do you expect to impose me chastity?”
“Not a question of chastity but of opportunity.”
The girl got up from the bed because she had seen the nurse reappearing at the door of the room. She kissed Vince on his forehead as she whispered in his ear.
“I'm not made of iron. I desire you too.”
Chapter 10
In the moments previous to the planned meeting with his future father-in-law Vince realized he was nervous as a schoolboy. This made him feel absurd.
oners.
“Councilor Gardner, Mr. Caruso is here.” Announced the secretary partially opening the office door.
“Please show him in, Toya. Thank you very much.”
Philip Gardner was an imposing figure. He had been a football player in his younger days. He now vacillated on how to receive the man chosen by his daughter, but when he saw Vince entering the office with his crutches the Councilor stood up immediately. In the corridors he had seen all his employees respectfully opening the way to a survivor of the Harlem massacres occurred a short time before.
Despite his usual aplomb and security the Councilor coughed to clear a knot that emotion had formed in his throat.
Gardner had on his desk the results of technical assessments that the area of human resources had made about his future son-in-law.
On a second thought, with his usual tendency to look on the bright side of things he comforted himself thinking that that desirable feature was to be transmitted to his future grandchildren. Beautiful as the mother and intelligent as the father; their undefined skin color would be only a detail.
The conversation lasted nearly an hour, in which Philip explained the characteristics of the job offered, reminded him that he would be working with African-American colleagues which would require full respect for certain standards. This forced Vince to say.
“With respect, Councilor...”
“Since you are going to be family, you can call me Philip.”
“Philip, let me remind you that since I joined the police academy I have worked in Harlem, my best friend was black and I'm going to marry your daughter.”
“I know.” Replied immediately Gardner. “But I am not referring to ethnic prejudice but to certain standards, beliefs and rites of our community ... well, you know.”
“ Another important thing.” Continued after a pause. “From now on all the other women, whether white or black are out of the picture.”
“Of course Philip.”
“Last but not least.” The Councilor continued developing his list of requests.” The marriage will be by the Baptist church and children will be baptized in it.”
“No problem. I am nominally Catholic but I'm not really religious.”
At that point Gardner called by the antiquated intercom.
“Toya. Call Cyrus and Tom and invite them to come to my office.”
Then he addressed Vince.
“I'm going to introduce you to those who will be your bosses. I will tell you clearly, you should flatter them for a while until they fully accept you.”
Walt Kolski was waiting his old comrade at the Frank & Johnny´s bar. The man missed the conversations he used to have with Vince and Leroy. Besides Walt had something inside that was lacerating him and he needed to share. In the mirror he saw that Vince was entering through the door; as Walt watched him walking with crutches his stomach squeezed.
The first part of the talk dealt with Vince´s new activities in the city administration.
“For now it fits you to be working at a desk. But will you adapt to it when you leave the crutches?” Asked Walt.
“Loretta has compelled me to do that. It is her condition to marry me.”
The conversation then turned to the developments in the police precinct since Vince had left it. He noticed a certain reticence, a certain anxiety in his friend and so he explicited.
“Walt. I notice there is something you're not telling me.”
Kolski felt he was released of a chain that had been oppressing him; the last hurdle to share his secret had fallen.
“Come, let’s move to a table. I want to talk with you about something confidential.”
“I can hardly believe what you are telling me.” Caruso was really amazed. “You say O'Halloran is covering up a network of traffickers?”
“I began to suspect when after the slaughter in the warehouse he ordered us all to search for a fugitive African woman. Do you remember it?”
“Yes. He circulated a photo of the girl.”
“This is the one.” Walt said displaying one of the photos in the gallery of his cell phone.
“I remember her. Beautiful woman. Definitely a candidate to be sold to brothels.”
“Well, in those days I found her and passed the information to O'Halloran. I did that through Laura Sandoval. I then received the order to follow her at a distance and after a while I was ordered to leave the track.”
“So?”
“The following night two dead thugs of African origin were found in the streets, one of them shot with an old military weapon and the other with his head shattered and his throat pierced by a stiletto or some similar sharp object.”
“I see you've been tying up loose ends.”
“But what made me begin to suspect was a conversation I heard accidentally. I had gone to the escape ladders in the precinct to discuss with Rebecca about some expenses because I did not want anyone to hear my conversation. I sat on the stairs one floor down when I heard someone was doing the same in the upper floor. I immediately recognized O'Halloran´s voice. The fact that he had come to speak to the supposedly empty stairs and his tone immediately warned me that something dirty was involved. I hung up with my wife and crouched in the shadows.”
“What did you hear?”
“Only fragments but quite clear. The lieutenant spoke with great respect so concluded that the caller was someone higher up the food chain.”
“The police chain?”
“Or the city government. O´Halloran mentioned “that Jemal idiot" in a really scornful tone.”
“With whom did you associate that name?”
Walt pushed his chair placing it closer to Vince and continued in a whisper.
“In my further research I found references to a certain Jemal Gebre, an Eritrean suspected of narcotics and human trafficking from East Africa. He is also supposedly involved in the slaughter in the Harlem warehouse.”
“What else you heard on the stairs?”
“The lieutenant was speaking about "the woman". Apparently he and his interlocutor had seen a girl the day someone tried to kill her and the other feared she could recognize them. Then O'Halloran answered that he would take care of her.”
“Holy Jesus!” Exclaimed Vince. “There is little doubt.”
“But as you'll notice.” Continued Walt. “Nothing that can be used in court. No proof at all.”
Caruso made a resigned gesture. Then asked.
“What will you do with all this?”
“Nothing, that´s why it´s burning me. I cannot expose my children and Rebecca to reprisal from these heavy guys. Nor there´s anything you can do.”
Vince thought a moment.
“You're right. I have committed to Loretta to stay away from danger. Besides, I'm no longer in the police force, I have no weapon nor badge ... Hey, I'll tell you what you can do.”
Walt paid attention to what Vince murmured.
“First pass me the photos you've taken from that woman.”
“Here you have them. I have copied them in this pen-drive. Destroy it once you´ve copied them.”
“Second, tell me where you found that woman in your pursuits, what are her whereabouts.”
He made silence for a moment and then continued.
“Finally I ask you contact with Sergeant Eric Murphy. Do you know him?”
“Vaguely.”
“I'm going to call Eric at this moment and will introduce you. I ask you to tell him what you told me. Then you forget about this whole issue.”
“ All right.” Said Kolski with a gesture of relief at being freed of his burden.
Vince pulled out his cell phone, found a number in memory and dialed it.
“Hi Eric, I'm Vince Caruso...”
And so, gradually, fate was weaving its complicated weft around characters who ignored the fabric design.
Chapter 11
“Are you really asking me to
help you to find an African girl in Harlem?”
“She is one of the women kidnapped in Ethiopia, and apparently the only one who managed to escape alive.”
“But you promised me not to get involved in risky tasks any more, especially in this issue that already got Leroy killed. You committed to me and my father.”
“I know... I know and I will stick to my promise, but I'll make one last contribution to clarify the murder of my friend; I think I owe him that much. Then I'll put all the information into the hands of someone who also loved him, someone you know.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Sergeant Murphy.”
“Eric Murphy?”
“Yes.”
The name seemed to calm Loretta. Murphy had been Leroy and Vince´s guide since both had entered the police force. Besides being a friend, the man was incorruptible, and was free of suspicion of belonging to the corrupt network of dealers that Vince had told her about a few moments earlier, and that allegedly included Lieutenant O'Halloran, head of the unit to which both had belonged. Loretta thought for a moment and said.
“Do you reassure me that once you complete this task you will stay away from your old life and its dangers.”
“I promise.”
“Well, what do you want me to do?”
“Help me find this woman.” Said Vince showing her the photo in his mobile screen.
Loretta worked as a social worker in a neighborhood of Harlem that precisely matched the area in which the unknown African woman had been seen by Walt Kolski and then pursued by her abductors. Vince gave his girlfriend copies of photos of the woman, including some on an enlarged scale, and pointed on a map the areas mentioned by Kolski. What Loretta selectively had to do was showing the photos to people of her absolute confidence who due to their activities would walk in the area and ask them to alert her if the woman was seen.
“But you must be sure that you only show the photos to people you know well. The woman has already suffered attacks and persecution so we do not want to expose her to more risks and distress.”
Nubia was walking in the dim light of a distant street lamp down a deserted square. She had become used to move always at night like certain animals that thrive in the dark, to avoid being recognized by people who might be hostile. Her nervous system missed the sunlight, that sun under which she was born in Africa twenty years ago, not far from the Equator, but for now the girl was restricted to adapt to the rapidly approaching New York winter.
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