“He messed you up pretty good,” Richards said.
“Shit, he was just lucky, was all, caught me when I wasn’t looking.”
“Now am I to understand when all this killing and strong arm stuff was going, on that Senator Harding was unaware of everything?”
“As far as I know, he never had a clue. Really, what I think is that Lester and the good Senator had something going on, you know.”
“Okay Howie, that’s a wrap. Now you get to go straight to jail. Do not pass go and do not collect two dollars,” Richards said, while putting his papers away and reaching for his coat.
“You’re a real funny cop, you know. Maybe someday we will meet on the outside and have a real laugh.”
“Why, Howie, was that some kind of veiled threat, by any chance?”
“What, me threaten an outstanding cop like you? You got to be kidding! Nah. You’re not really a bad guy just you got the shitty job.” Howie paused. “Why does everything always bad have to happen to me? Tell me that, would you.”
“Duh… Gee I don’t know Howie, you think maybe that it could be the kind of life you lead?”
“You think?” Howie answered. “Nah, life just sucks. Shit just happens, is all.”
Chapter 37
Later that day Richards was sitting behind the wheel of his six-year-old Ford Blazer, parked in a little strip mall in front of the supermarket. Gloria, his wife of 20 years, had called and asked him to pick up something on his way home. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember what it was. Was it a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk? Maybe it was both. Somehow that just didn’t sound right, or maybe it was a pound of lunchmeat. Hell, he just couldn’t remember.
He sat back in his seat and relaxed for a moment, while looking at the storefront on either side of the market, when he happened to notice a travel agency just a few doors down. Why don’t I stop in there and pick up a few travel brochures of some faraway places. He had left the station early that day. So he had plenty of time, it was only 4 o’clock and maybe taking his mind off of things was what he needed. Maybe it would come back to him, what he was supposed to bring home.
Yes sir, the more he thought of retiring, the more the idea appealed to him. It was time to pull the plug and move on to hopefully better things. Some nice safe job, like the Postal Service, or maybe one of the trades. He was a pretty fair electrician. He would run it by Gloria that night after supper.
Supper… something for supper. That’s what he was supposed to get. It was steak, T-bone steak, T-bone steak, he thought. Wow, we must be getting up in the world. Oh hell, why not. Maybe he would pick up a little wine to help celebrate the good news of his retirement. Gloria would be ecstatic. She had been trying to get him to quit for years. He couldn’t blame her much. It took a special kind of woman to be a cop’s wife.
He lived in a modest 1 ½ story Cape Cod bungalow on a shady tree-lined street. It was late October and the trees were awash with their fall colors. Bright oranges and yellows, vibrant reds and some purples, it was a beautiful day and he was at peace with himself. As he pulled into the drive, his son’s bike was laying on his side near the front porch, as Eric his 16-year-old came bounding out the front door slamming it behind him.
“Hi dad, your home early. I’ve got to run, see you.”
“Hey, where you going?” He asked, as the youth jumped on his bike.
“Over to Rick’s house. We’re going to form a band.”
“Well, what instrument are you going to play?”
“Don’t know just yet. See you.”
Kids, he mumbled to himself and walked up a few steps to the front door and entered the house. He stopped at a small table in the tiny vestibule and glanced through the mail. Just junk stuff. Nothing important.
“I’m home.” He called out.
“I’m in the kitchen hun, Gloria answered. “I am mixing us a couple of drinks. He walked over to her and pecked her on the cheek. “Your home early,” she said, handing him his martini and taking the packages from the store.
“Yeah, finished a big case today and thought, foot with that, I might just as well knock off early and come home.
“I wind up one case, and they dumped three more on my desk and that’s not counting the two I already have.”
“What you need is a good hot soaking bath and a T-bone steak medium rare to lift those spirits of yours up a notch or two.”
“That sounds good,” he said, “because I’m bushed.”
“You go ahead now, put the coals on the grill. I have a surprise for you after you’ve eaten something,” she said.
“You have? Well that’s good because I have a surprise for you to.”
“Good,” she said. “Dinner will be ready in an hour.”
“Where is Cindy? I caught Eric going out as I was coming in. Is she up in your room?”
“She’s at a friend’s house helping with a science project.”
“They will be here for supper, won’t they?”
“You think our two kids would miss a steak dinner? Not on your life.”
That night after their supper was over, the harem scarem activity of having two teenagers in the household was over, and all was quiet again, Carol thought that it was a good time to bring up the topic of his retirement.
As he was getting ready to speak Gloria just happened to mention that she had been to the doctors that morning.
“The doctors?” Richards asked. “Anything wrong? You’re feeling all right, aren’t you?”
“Oh yes, of course I feel fine, just that the doctors say I’m very much impregnated.”
“Impregnated. What does that mean impregnated? You can’t mean that your--- that we’re going to--- holy smokes are you sure?”
“I’m two months along, and I’m pretty much sure. Yes, we’re going to have a baby.”
“Will you be all right carrying it? You know you’re no spring chicken, you’re not 18 anymore.”
“The doctor said everything will be fine, for us not to worry. I’m just to mind what he says and take care of myself.”
“You’re sure you will be all right?” He asked.
“Of course I’ll be just fine. A lot of women have babies later in life, silly. I’ll have you know I’m only 38 so don’t make me sound like I’m over the hill or something. Now what was your surprise?”
“My surprise.. er- ah,” he had to think fast. There was no way he could retire now, not with a baby on the way. “Well,” he paused. “It was really nothing more like a bit of news, really.”
“Well, what was it?” She insisted.
“Well, it seems I am going to have a baby. No, I mean a partner… going to have a partner sometime soon and I could be up for a nice promotion also.”
“Could be up for promotion. Just what does that mean, could be?”
“Well, there’s rumors floating around about a promotion for me, but it hasn’t come down yet.”
“Well it’s about time they recognize you for the value you are to the force. It’s about time. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
That was close, he thought to himself. I guess I squeaked by that one.
The End
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used in fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and or events is purely coincidental.
The Crawford Chronicles - Book 1 Page 29
