"Have you visited, or talked to, Donny since his bike crash?"
"Nope."
"Have you ever been to Donny's house?"
"Not in over ten years."
"Ever meet Donny's dad, Walter?"
"Yeah. Once. Wasn't very friendly, as I recall."
"Did Donny talk about his father's health... or his money?" Jerrod asked.
"Not that I can remember."
Stan talked to Alan DiStefano at a table on the opposite side of the bar. The conversation was virtually the same as with Dominic Hathaway. He had known Donny since school, but had never been to the house. He said he hadn't talked to Donny since the accident.
"Thank you, gentlemen," Jerrod said as Dominic and Alan climbed back onto their bar stools and cradled their bottles of beer.
Jerrod handed Joe his business card. "If you hear anything, please give me a call."
Joe looked at the card. "I will."
"Those guys aren't involved," Stan said once they stepped out of the bar and back into the daylight. "We've got nothing."
Jerrod thought for a moment. "Mark this down as one of those very rare moments."
"Of what?"
"A moment of agreement. You're right. We've got nothing."
CHAPTER 49
At six o'clock, Jerrod parked his Buick in front of Mama Segura's home -- located within a few blocks of both the new and former sites of the VVPD.
Natalie answered the door and there was an awkward moment as neither knew how they should greet the other. Hug or handshake or neither.
"Come in, please," she said with a wave of her hand.
The house had a few changes since his last visit there. He peaked into the living room and noticed the sofa, where he had often sat, had been replaced with a new one. The black leather recliner once used only by Natalie's father was gone.
A boy with short straight black hair sat on the floor with his back to the door. A Spanish-language telenovela was on the TV, but the boy was completely engrossed in a video game he was playing on a Nintendo Game Boy. His small torso torqued to either side as he played and he didn't turn around to see who had come to the door.
"That's my son," she said. "Let's go see Mama."
Mama Segura was propped up in bed with several pillows inside a dimly lit downstairs bedroom. She had lost at least forty pounds since he saw her last. Her face was thin and weary.
A portrait of Jesus hung on the wall above the headboard. She clutched a worn wooden Rosary and crucifix in her tired hands. Fresh flowers stood in a vase on the nightstand.
"Hola, Jerrod," she said.
"Hola, Mama. How are you?"
"Bien. Bien," she said.
"It's good to see you."
Mama looked at Jerrod while whispering something to Natalie in Spanish.
He noticed Mama's tongue had a slight tint of purple on it. He had seen that once before, several years earlier, when his grandfather -- Frank Gold -- was in his last weeks of hospice care.
"What did she say?"
"She wants you to pray with her."
"I'm not Catholic."
"She doesn't care. She wants you to pray."
"Okay," Jerrod said as he knelt next to her on the left side of the bed. He held her hands in his. He bowed his head when she began softly reciting a prayer in Spanish.
"Amen," Mama said.
"Amen," Natalie said as she stood up from the other side of the bed.
"Amen," Jerrod repeated as he started to stand up. Mama held onto his hands and he knelt back down.
"Yes, Mama?" he asked.
She looked at his hands and traced the scar on the back of his right hand with her finger. She looked him in the eyes as she rolled his left hand over so his palm was up. She placed the Rosary in his palm and folded his fingers around it.
"No. Mama. This is yours."
"And now it is yours," she said in heavily accented, but otherwise perfect English.
"Thank you, Mama."
"Thank you, Jerrod," Mama said. She smiled and her eyes welled. He smiled back before kissing her on the cheek.
"Get some rest, Mama."
"Si," she said as her eyes closed and drifted off to sleep.
Natalie led Jerrod to the kitchen.
"It won't be long now," she said. "She's at peace with God and has a place in Heaven waiting for her."
"I'm so sorry."
"Thank you for praying with her. I know that's not your thing."
"It was the least I could do."
In the well lit room, he was able to get his first good look at Natalie in nearly five years. She had all of the natural beauty he remembered -- the healthy bronze complexion and clear skin and those big brown eyes. She had trimmed her shoulder-length shiny black hair into a sporty bob.
The scar under her left eye was barely noticeable, but she covered it with her hand when she noticed his glance.
A thin gold ring with a single diamond was on her left ring finger.
They stood silently as he studied her face. All of the experiences they shared together, both wonderful and tragic, spun through his mind at once.
That face -- that beautiful face -- was the vision he had held in his mind when Armando Mendoza placed the muzzle of his Colt pistol against his head and was about to pull the trigger. That face was the reason he used every scrap of energy he had in him to push his head against the muzzle which bought himself a precious fraction of a second to make the gun temporarily inoperable. That face had saved him from being killed that night.
Animated sounds from the Game Boy coming from the adjacent living room interrupted the silence.
"Sorry. Would you like to meet my son?" she asked.
"Of course," he said as he felt his heartbeat start to speed up.
He followed her into the living room.
"Pause the game, Kyle. There's someone here I'd like you to meet."
The boy hesitated and made a few last body motions before shutting off the device. He had his mother's smooth bronze complexion.
"This is a friend of mine. His name is Jerrod."
Kyle turned his head, looked up at Jerrod, and smiled.
The irises of his eyes were dark brown, like his mother. But his eyes were almond-shaped and his eyelids crease-less like his Asian father.
"Nice to meet you, Jerrod," Kyle said politely.
"It's my pleasure to meet you as well," Jerrod said. "What're you playing?"
"'Motocross Maniacs.' Wanna play it?" Kyle said as he held up the Game Boy.
"No, but thank you. I don't want to mess up your score."
"Okay," Kyle said as he pulled back the Game Boy and turned his attention, with the cutest possible facial expression, to Natalie. "Can I play some more, Mom?"
"Fifteen minutes."
"Okay," he said as he resumed the game and started leaping over the next set of virtual dirt moguls on his device.
"Sit for a few minutes," Natalie said as they walked back into the kitchen. "Want some coffee... or a beer?"
"I'm fine. Thanks."
"How old is Kyle?"
"He turned four in August."
"Four. He's very cute."
"Thank you."
"I noticed your ring. Engagement?"
Natalie held her hands in her lap and spun the ring on her finger with her right hand.
"Long engagement... with Kyle's father. He's a paramedic in San Diego."
"I'll expect an invitation to the wedding -- when it happens."
"If it happens. We're so busy taking care of Mama..." her voice trailed off.
"It's okay. I understand."
"I'll be going back to San Diego after... you know..." Her eyes filled with tears.
"Hug?"
"Sure."
Jerrod knelt next to her chair and they held each other. Tears escaped her eyes. Her familiar touch and scent reminded him of their years together.
"I need a tissue," she said as he let go and reached across the table for a box of Kleenex.
She dabbed her eyes and blew her nose.
"Sorry."
"It's okay."
The Game Boy and the voices from the telenovela made the only sounds in the house for a few moments.
"I didn't tell you Kyle's full name," she said.
"What is it?"
"'Kyle H. Masuda'"
"What's the 'H' stand for?"
"His middle name is 'Hector.'"
CHAPTER 50
Three Years Earlier -- New Years Days 1987 --
Thursday Morning
"What did you do for New Year's Eve?" Nicole "Nikki" Verdugo asked Deputy Jerrod Gold as she poured coffee for him at Sophie's Diner.
"Slept right through it," he said. "Had to be to roll-call at six-thirty, so I did my celebrating early. How about you?"
"I stayed home... alone."
"Sorry."
"Jerrod, can we talk about the other night?"
"Now?"
"No. Not now, silly. After work. Get a drink maybe?"
"Sure."
Deputy Roger Collins walked into the restaurant and slipped onto vinyl seat of the Hot Tub.
"Coffee, sir?" Nikki asked.
Roger pressed the sides of his head with both hands. "Just leave the whole pot, please."
"Did we have too much fun last night?" Jerrod mocked.
"No such things as 'too much fun,' pal. Let's just say my wife had to drive me home again." He pressed his temples. "But I had a good time."
Nikki walked away from the table.
"How was your four-day weekend?" Roger asked.
"Just fine."
"No details?"
"Nope."
"Oh, shit. You were the last to leave Nikki's party. Right?"
Jerrod sipped his coffee. "So... did you catch either of the NFL Wild Card games on Sunday?"
"Don't change the subject."
"I thought you liked football?"
Nikki came back to the table with a blue mug and full pot of coffee. "Extra strong... just for you." She held the mug with her left hand and poured with her right.
"Thank you. You may have just saved my life," Roger said. He paused and looked at her hand. "Hey, you're not wearing your wedding ring."
Nikki glanced at Jerrod.
"Are you two an item now?" Roger asked -- looking back and forth between them.
"No," both Nikki and Jerrod said at the same time.
"Liars. The both of you. Liars."
Thursday Evening
"I thought you were going to be a no-show," Jerrod said as Nikki walked in, fifteen minutes late, to the bar at the Willowmere Golf and Country Club.
Jerrod stood to greet her.
She was gorgeous in a form-fitting, low-cut, teal-blue dress with matching high-heal shoes. A man at the bar nearly strained his neck watching her pass by.
"Sorry I'm late. Kids. Babysitter. Never mind. Sorry." She choose the chair directly across the table from Jerrod.
"No problem," he said. "I was just having water. Want something to drink?"
"Sure."
Jerrod caught the young male server's attention and he hurried to their table.
"What would you like, Nikki?" Jerrod asked.
"Wine... uh... something white... zinfandel. Please."
The server paused. "White Zinfandel... well... sorry, we don't carry that wine here. How about a nice Napa Chardonnay?”
“That'll be fine,” Nikki said.
The server turned to Jerrod. "Sir?"
"Heineken, please."
"I'll be right back with your beverages."
"Thank you," Jerrod said.
"Feel that?" Nikki asked as the server stepped away from the table.
Jerrod looked around the room. "Feel what?"
"That sick feeling you get when you're just about to have a very difficult conversation?"
"Doesn't have to be difficult," he said as he reached across the table and touched her hand.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I had fun the other night. God as my witness. But I don't want to complicate your life... with mine."
"My life's already complicated. I'd like for us to be more than 'the other night.'"
"My kids--,"
"I want to meet your daughters. Properly. Not like some strange guy sneaking out of your home after a night of... you know."
"Stop," she said as her face flashed a slight blush.
The server returned with a tray carrying the drinks. He placed them on the table and nodded before stepping away.
Nikki took a huge gulp from her glass of wine.
Jerrod asked, "Are you working Saturday night?"
"No."
"Let's have dinner. You, me, and the girls. Hamburgers. Pizza. Ice cream. I don't care. You name it."
"I don't know..."
"Let's see if they like me."
"Or, if you like them."
"I'm sure they're just a couple of little 'Nikki's,'" he said as he took a drink of beer.
"And you'd be so wrong."
"So, they're brats?"
"No, they're not brats. They're just kids. Kids are... kids."
He smiled. "You're afraid they'll scare me away."
"No... yes... I don't know."
"I'm coming to your home, after work, on Saturday. You're going to introduce me to your daughters. And then we're going to dinner. The four of us."
She took another gulp of wine. "Holy shit, Mister Assertive. This is moving so fast. Okay. Okay. Saturday. Kids. Dinner. Fine."
He sipped his beer. "Done."
Saturday Evening
"Girls," Nikki announced after answering the knock on her condo door. "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. His name is Jerrod Gold."
The two girls stood together in the living room. Brown hair. Freckles. Green eyes. And beautiful -- just like their mother.
"You must be... Lilly?" he asked the taller child.
Lilly waved back to him.
He turned to the smaller child. "And you must be Martina?"
"My name is Marty and I'm four and my birthday is May 17."
"Marty!" Nikki scolded.
"May 17," he said. "I'll remember that." He turned to Nikki. "Ready to go. We'll have to take your car. My truck only has two seats."
"Sure... in the carport... let me find my purse."
They walked to the carport together.
"I always sit in the front seat," Lilly announced.
"Not tonight, honey," Nikki said.
"I'll sit in the back," Jerrod said, "with Marty... whose birthday is on May 17."
Both Lilly and Marty smiled at him.
"Suit yourself," Nikki said.
Jerrod worked himself into a confined backseat of the blue Pontiac 6000 behind Nikki. Marty sat on the passenger side and pulled the seatbelt across. He helped her snap it into place.
"You have to wear a seatbelt," Marty said. "What's your name again?"
"My name is 'Jerrod.' And I always wear my seatbelt."
"Where would you like to go... girls," Nikki asked.
"Let's go to Tomei's, Lilly said. "You know, that Italian restaurant out on the wharf."
"Tomei's is for special occasions, honey," Nikki said. "And we're not dressed for that nice of a restaurant."
"How about Sophie's?" Marty suggested.
"Not Sophie's," Nikki said.
"We're over-dressed for Sophie's," Jerrod added -- and catching a glance from Nikki in the rearview mirror.
"How about Grouchy's," Nikki said. "Pasta, pizza, sandwiches."
"Grouchy's. Yea," Lilly said.
"I like Grouchy's," Marty said.
"I guess we're going to Grouchy's," Nikki said as she turned the ignition key.
The parking lot at Grouchy's was nearly full, but Nikki was able to squeeze the Pontiac into a small space.
Lilly got out first. Jerrod unfastened Marty's seatbelt as Nikki opened the driver's door. Jerrod opened his door and grabbed the pillar-post between the two doors with his left hand to extract himself from
the cramped rear seat. Nikki slammed her door and caught the tips of his fingers as he tried to pull them away.
"Jerrod, I'm so sorry," Nikki said as he grabbed his left hand with his right and flexed his fingers.
"That was close," he said. "No damage done. I put my hand there... not you."
"Thank God you're alright," Nikki said.
Inside Grouchy's, they found the restaurant was packed. All of the booths were occupied and the place noisy. They were seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant.
"Mom. Can I have a Coke?" Lilly asked.
"No, honey. Water or milk."
"Ahhh," Lilly said as the corners of her mouth sunk into a frown.
Jerrod glanced at Nikki and he mimicked Lilly's sad face.
"She can't have a Coke," Nikki said. "And please don't do that."
"So, can I have a Coke?" he asked facetiously.
"You can have whatever you want," she said with a "not now" tone.
A female server placed menus on the table and left without greeting them or taking their drink order.
"She wouldn't last long working at Sophie's," Nikki said.
"I want to work at Sophie's when I grow up," Marty said.
"I think you can aim a little higher than that," Nikki said.
"What's wrong with the food service industry?" Jerrod asked.
"Or roofing," Nikki shot back. "Hell, I can carry four plates on one arm and install an entire shake roof with the other... but that's about the totality of my skill set. I'd like a little more for the girls."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I wasn't making fun--"
"I don't want to talk about it," Nikki said. "Where's our server?"
"She's a little busy tonight," he said.
"That's no excuse," she said as she craned her neck looking for the server.
"I'm hungry, Mom," Lilly said.
"I know, honey."
The server returned and Nikki ordered milk for both girls and iced tea for herself.
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