For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc
my inspiration
"THE MIGRANT"
Chapter Twenty
Jay and KC had not said more than two words to one
another during the twenty-minute ride from the hotel to the hospital. They had
spent that time like the professionals they were, mentally preparing for their
assignment, putting on their game faces so to speak. They had already agreed
upon the photo layout that they would need for the story. And KC had decided
that her questions would focus mainly on the man and not the story around him.
She already had all the details she would need to set the stage with facts
about the good doctor and his mischief. That angle had been covered after
spending countless hours interviewing Dorothy Mahoney, Alma Donnelly, her
husband Arthur, as well as various other arresting officers, paramedics, and
hospital staff. No? The real story
here the one angle that none of the
other publications had stumbled on yet was the migrant child, she was the local
legend. KC was well prepared to break this story, the only thing she needed to
watch for were the wild cards, there were always wild cards to play in this
business.
LaTina
Marie Lopez was the wild card in this
game, and she was nestled safely in the hand that KC and her newspaper were
holding. KC smiled to herself as she silently reflected on the fruits of all of
her hard work and long hours. She felt very comfortable in the position she
found herself in. She was in the catbird’s
seat as James Thurber might have put it. She had gathered nearly all of the
pieces of the puzzle, and she was certain that this interview with Dr. Katz
would produce the last of the border pieces. After today she would be ready to
complete the puzzle from the inside out. But first KC needed to see for herself
the evidence of this so-called
miracle. She wanted to see first hand what this entire county had managed to
keep secret for so long. She wanted to hear from the monster himself, the
account of his spiritual redemption and physical resurrection. Once that was
done, once her own curiosity had been satisfied, she would be able to finish
this job, and break the story without suffering the pain of moral or social conscience.
After all,
this wasn’t just another stigmata hoax, or Virgin Mary apparition. This was the
real thing, a warm body with a sweet face that people could see and a soft
voice that they could hear. It would be the closest thing to an interview with
an Apostle or even Christ himself. She
started to feel the old adrenaline run, like she always did before one of her
stories ran. But this was going to be the mother
of all stories, it was going to be the biggest byline that she had ever
had, a career launcher, and a life changer! And yet she was apprehensive for
reasons she didn’t quite understand.
No, that wasn’t exactly true she
thought, it was the kid, the little
girl had bewitched her somehow. During the time she was recording her talks
with the Lopez girl, ten full cassettes of dialog, she and Tina had somehow
managed to bond. Without her realizing it, KC had broken her cardinal rule, never get tight with a mark, and she was
angry with herself for ignoring that basic journalistic axiom. It was that one
little rule that made the job easy, because you didn’t need a conscience with a
mark, you could lie straight faced and pat yourself on the back for a job well
done! But with a friend, with someone you stupidly allowed yourself to care
about, the ethical line between right and wrong became less fuzzy. The lies
actually left a bad taste in your mouth, words seasoned with a raging case of
social conscience. KC shook that thought out of her head and shuddered visibly.
“You OK
Kathy,” Jay asked?
“Yeah, I’m
fine, looks like we’re here,” she answered, clearing her throat and pointing to
the building.
KC pulled
into the Emergency Room lot as she had been instructed to, while Jay finished
taking inventory of his equipment. He zipped the camera bag closed just as she
turned off the engine, and they exited the Ford Pinto together, racing toward
the automatic doors like they just might have an actual emergency to tend to.
They weren’t wearing their press ID’s as per the guidelines of their special
privilege, and went directly through the double doors bypassing the
insurance/billing desks. Once inside they walked up to the nurse’s station, a
long chest high counter littered with files and clipboards, and asked for a
Detective Sergeant Daniel Jankowski. The young woman behind the counter looked
puzzled at their request and was about to say something when a slightly balding
gentleman in a blue blazer and gray slacks walked up behind the pair.
“That’s OK
doll, they’re looking for me,” the middle aged man in the off the rack suit
said in a thick Bronx accent, slightly out of place for this hick central California
“Detective Jankowski I presume?” KC uttered.
“The one and only, you two must be the
reporters from San Francisco
“Ahhh,
yeah, that would be us, I guess. And what exactly do you mean by the Magic Christian anyway,” KC said,
squinting at the detective and tilting her head slightly.
“Don’t
worry, you’ll see for yourself soon enough,” the detective snickered.
Jay pulled
out his Nikon and started to attach the short lens for the portrait shots he
and KC had discussed earlier at the hotel. Detective Jankowski stepped over to
him picked up the equipment bag and motioned for Jay to return the camera to
the bag.
“Nuh Uh my friend, no pictures, that’s
one of the rules on this special visit,” he said gruffly. Both KC and Jay
started to protest but Jankowski cut them off.
“NO EXCEPTIONS, the cameras stay on this
floor. I’m sorry if that was not made clear to you beforehand, but it’s not
negotiable, I don’t care how much money your boss has to throw around!” Jay
gently returned the camera and lens to the bag and the detective zipped it
closed and walked toward the nurse’s station.
“Keep an
eye on this will ya hon, we’ll be back for it in just a little bit,” he said,
winking at the young woman behind the counter and dropping the heavy bag on the
counter.
“HEY, watch
it, that equipment is delicate AND expensive,” Jay shouted. He turned back to
face the two stunned reporters.
“SUE ME,”
Jankowski said sarcastically.
“So, are we ready now lady and ummm, gent?”
Jay said nothing, he just stared at the man in
disbelief, while KC raised both her hands and shook her head in a mock
surrender.
“OK, let’s just get on with this. I’m
assuming that there won’t be any more surprise conditions to deal with,” KC
stated rhetorically.
Detective
Jankowski led the way to the service elevator and held the door for his two
charges. They entered the car single file, the detective from hell bringing up
the rear as he pushed the button for the sixth floor. KC looked up at the roof
of the elevator and noticed her own reflection staring back down at her in the
glass. She reached up with her left hand and mussed her hair, giving her short
haircut a quick adjustment. When she lowered her head and caught Jankowski
giving her the stink eye. She returned the gesture by shooting him her best
Harpo Marx impression, complete with the crossed eyes, the cheeks full of air,
her tongue extended, as she mimed a real authentic Bronx cheer!
“Oh, that’s mature, you kiss your mother with
that face,” Detective Jankowski said
sarcastically.
KC squinted
and moved her lips rapidly, silently mimicking him as the elevator stopped and
the doors opened. The wall in front of them announced that they had arrived at
the sixth floor in bold black letters. The trio exited the car together, the
surly detective squeezing between Jay and KC in order to lead them down the
hall to their destination. Jay took in every detail with his photographer’s
eye, and he elbowed KC, as they were about to turn the corner. Up ahead there
was two of Fresno
“Hmmmm, one door down and I’d have been
worried,” she whispered so only Jay could hear.
“Know what
you mean jellybean, I was thinking the same thing,” Jay whispered back,
indicating that he had also picked up on the anti-Christ reference.
“OK, ground
rules,” Jankowski started.
“Oh come
on, I asked you downstairs if there were going to be any more surprises,” KC
whined.
“Take it
easy doll, nothing out of the ordinary. And these are his attorney’s rules, not
ours.”
“Go on,” KC
said warily.
“Alright,
number one, no pictures, you already know that one. Number two, no tape
recording, you were told about that before you arrived, so hand it over shrimpy,” the detective said, holding out his right
hand like a grade school teacher waiting for some kid to spit out her gum. KC
started to feign outrage, and then thought better, digging into her purse and
removing a small cassette recorder.
“Ahem, number three, his attorney will be
present during the interview and will advise her client whether or not to
answer questions based on the relative impact to his pending trial. Last but
not least, number four, DO NOT TOUCH the prisoner. That’s important Miss
Littleton; the guy is positively psycho about being touched by anyone.
He believes that he’s already been touched by the hand of God or something like
that,” Jankowski finished, staring at KC until she made eye contact.
“I get it, I get it,” she said gruffly, her frustration doing a poor job of
camouflaging her nervousness.
“What about
you Mac, do you get it too?” Jankowski directed at Jay Namura.
“Yeah, I’m
with ya,” Jay replied matter of fact like.
“OK then,
you’re on,” Detective Jankowski said as he signaled for the officer nearest him
to open the door. KC and Jay gave each other a reassuring glance and then
followed the detective into the room.
Daybreak at Casa Lopez…Fresno , California
The teakettle whistled furiously while Maria waddled
as fast as she could down the hall to the kitchen. She was within spitting
distance of her delivery date, and this baby couldn’t come soon enough for her.
Tina and Gilbert had been such easy pregnancies, but this little one had been
different from the get go. To begin with, the fact that she had conceived at
all had come as a complete shock to her. God forgive her, she had been secretly
taking precautions to prevent this very thing from happening. She knew that
Victor wouldn’t understand, in fact he would probably have been angry given his
strong Catholic beliefs. But ever since they discovered that Tina was more than
just their
child, that she had become an instrument of God’s will, Maria had been
terrified of bringing another baby into the world.
Gilbert
was already on the way by the time these events began to regularly take place
in their lives. Who knew what might be in store for him she wondered? But this
new child growing inside her, this one that could have, maybe should have been
prevented, she just didn’t know what to think. There was nothing to think about
anyway, it was coming and she would deal with God’s will. But even so, she
worried that she would not be strong enough to protect Tina from the wolves and care for a growing family as well.
She was after all just one woman, and life’s demands on her time, her energy,
her sanity, were reaching a physical, mental, and spiritual apex.
“Aye Dios mio,” Maria said to herself as
she reached the screaming teakettle and removed it from the burner. The shrill
whistle trailed off into oblivion while she set the steaming water container
down on a potholder on the kitchen table. She pulled the chair far enough away
from the table to provide enough clearance for her and the baby, and then
slowly lowered herself onto the soft cushion. Puffing out her cheeks she let
out an audible sigh then drew her sleeve across her brow. Maria made herself a
cup of instant coffee and stirred in a little cream from the cow dispenser that
Victor had bought for her at the county fair last summer.
She
watched the dark liquid swirl and then change into the same creamy tan color of
a Brach’s caramel square. Maria sipped her coffee, thankful for the peace and
quiet with the kids in school. She held the cup with both hands in front of her
face and blew lightly on the coffee watching the ripples her breath made. She
was recalling the argument she and Victor had the night before. Victor had come
to bed and snuggled up next to her, rubbing her belly, making a fuss about the
coming birth.
“It’s going to be somebody’s birthday pretty
soon,” he
cooed at her swollen stomach. He really was being really sweet, and she wanted
to be as happy as he was, but she wasn’t. She was scared, and her hormones were
raging, running wild throughout her body. She was hot, she was cold, she was
dizzy, and she was inconsolable. She knew it wasn’t fair, but she couldn’t help
it, he would just have to forgive her, and it shamed her knowing that he would
do exactly that.
“So which
names did you decided on honey,” was all he had said.
“IS THAT ALL YOU CAN SAY TO ME PANSON!” she yelled at him harshly. Maria
hated herself before the echo had even faded against the walls of their small
bedroom.
“I DON’T
KNOW, OK, I DON’T KNOW!” she had wailed, breaking into tears.
Maria
closed he eyes and shuddered. She took another sip from her cup and promised herself
that she would make it up to him when he came home. Maybe she would call Mrs.
Donnelly and ask her to stop by and help her make some chili verde and fresh home made tortillas, that was Victor’s
favorite meal, it would be a good start at making up she thought. She was
pretty sure that Alma
She tapped
her finger on the envelope and toyed with the thought of opening it first to
screen the contents. But she decided that the handwriting was a childish scrawl
and that it was probably from one of Tina’s little friends. She decided that
would leave it for her daughter to open herself, remembering how much fun it
was to get mail when she was a child. Still, it was tempting, and she picked up
the envelope once more.
“No, she’s getting older, I can wait,” she
sighed to herself, and set the letter down.
Dr.Katz Interview, April 1969
Detective Jankowski closed the door behind them and
KC and Jay walked up to the chairs near the window. A handsome woman with
shoulder length blonde hair, dressed in a smart burgundy business suit got up
and extended her hand to greet them. She looked to be in her late thirties or
early forties KC thought.
“Hello, I’m
Helen Walden,” she said in a controlled and professional voice.
“I’m part
of Dr. Katz’ defense team and will advising him during your interview.”
“Yes, well,
this is Jay Namura and I’m KC Littleton,” KC said firmly shaking the woman’s
hand. Ms. Walden reached over to Jay and shook his hand as well, and motioned
for the two of them to take a seat.
“Dr. Katz will be arriving any minute, he’s
being brought down from another floor,” she explained.
“Oh, we thought that he was in this room.
Why all the secret squirrel activity anyway,” KC asked?
“I’m afraid
that due to the nature of the case and the sensitivity of certain aspects of
the case, it’s been necessary to keep Dr. Katz out of the public eye,” Ms.
Walden answered.
“What
aspects,” KC pressed.
“Really
Miss Littleton, I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you right now. But as I
understand it, you’re already privy to many details that the mainstream media
has been kept in the dark about. I’m certain that once you meet Dr. Katz that
you’ll be able to put two and two together.”
“May I ask
the reason for the restriction on photographs,” Jay asked.
“Again, Mr.
Namura, I believe that you’ll have your answer as soon as Dr. Katz arrives.”
Ms. Walden waived her arm toward a table near the door like she was one of the
girls pointing to door number 1, 2, or 3 on Let’s
Make A Deal.
“May I
offer you any refreshments,” she asked indicating the pot of coffee and tray of
juices?
“No thanks,
we’re good,” KC said, answering for both of them.
“As you
wish”
With that
the door suddenly opened and in walked a uniformed officer followed by Dr.
Murray Katz, his hands shackled at the waist in front of him, his ankles
bearing similar restraints. Ms. Walden rose and walked over to the doctor and
whispered something in his ear. Dr. Katz nodded and the smiled at the pair of
reporters, who were now standing, more out of curiosity that courtesy.
Helen
Walden made the introductions and everyone sat around the small makeshift
conference table in the center of the room. Dr. Katz asked for some apple juice
and turned to look directly at KC. It made her uncomfortable to be so near
someone who had done such terrible things, and yet she felt no fear or
surprisingly any anger. Even with the facts that she possessed about his
crimes, when she looked at him all she could feel was pity. Could this really be
the same man that Victor Lopez had spoken of? Who, in Victor’s words, looked
like a 50/50 bar on a hot sidewalk? She studied him closely and watched as he
sipped at his juice, which an officer had poured into a Styrofoam cup, making
sure that the prisoner had no contact with any metal object.
“I know
what you’re thinking,” Dr. Katz said, breaking the silence and startling KC
slightly.
“Excuse
me?”
“I know
what you’re thinking,” he repeated.
KC remained silent, not ready to speak, waiting to
see what it was he was about to offer.
“I can feel
her presence you know. I know that you have been with her.”
“Who have I been with
doctor?”
“Please Miss, don’t insult
my intelligence, you’ve been with my angel, with she who made me.” With she who made him, what was this
lunatic talking about KC wondered.
“I’m afraid you’ve lost me
doctor, she who made you, what
exactly did this person make you to be,” KC asked agitated?
“Come now child, you know
what I am saying, she who made me whole
again, she who provided this chance to make things right. You’ve sensed the
power although you’ve not yet witnessed it.” There was a long, pregnant pause
as the monster and KC stared through one another.
“Until now
that is,” Dr. Katz continued.
“Look
at me Katherine, is this the face you expected to see!”
Helen Walden leaned toward Dr. Katz. She placed her
hand lightly on his arm and whispered in his ear again. The doctor relaxed and
returned to the calm composure that he had entered the room with. He sipped at
his juice again and then set the cup back on the table. KC blinked repeatedly,
she was not comfortable with the familiar way that the doctor had addressed
her. Why did he call her by name she wondered was he just well coached?
“Forgive
me, I haven’t had much contact with anyone since the incident,” Dr. Katz said
slowly.
“My
attorney has informed me that you are well informed about that awful day.”
“You’ve
done well to uncover that which has been well guarded, formidable my dear,
formidable!”
“I ask you
again Miss Littleton, is this the face that you expected to see?”
KC
swallowed hard and looked over at Jay. He was also transfixed on the utterly
unblemished person of the man they knew to have suffered horrible burns over
ninety percent of his body. His flesh should have melted into a form
unrecognizable as human. Yet there he was, and Jay’s mind was screaming
conspiracy. This could not be true, the only logical explanation was that this
must be someone pretending to be Murray Katz, but why, to what end, to serve
what purpose?
“No doctor,
it’s not what I had expected at all. Or rather, what I had hoped to see,” KC
said in a low voice.
“Seeing you
suffering and dying from the wounds you received from the poor girl you drove
insane with your evil, would have actually been comforting. That would have
satisfied my belief in, no, my hope for justice and karma. But, it also would
have been wrong, given the things I now know to be true.”
Murray Katz
said nothing, showed no emotion as he looked back at KC, absorbing every
syllable of her verbal attack. KC wanted to hurl more damning condemnation at
him, but just as Maria Lopez had shared when interviewed about that day, KC was
unable to feel hate in spite of her mind’s urging. The fact was, the doctor had
been right all along, Tina was here, in spirit, and KC could feel it. This man
who deserved to be hated, who had done so much harm to so many innocent people,
had been forgiven, and with
forgiveness came mercy. She looked at him with her two eyes. She studied him
with her mind, processing and re-processing all that she had learned of the man
up to this very moment. Then, with her heart she discovered his repentance, it
permeated from every pore of his body. She watched as the first tear appeared
in the corner of his eye, when he must have recognized that her heart had won
over her mind.
“Penny for
your thoughts,” the doctor said softly.
KC couldn’t speak, she began to stammer a reply, but
stopped abruptly, she needed to compose herself.
“Get a grip
KC,” she whispered harshly to herself. She looked away from Dr. Katz and over
to Ms. Walden, the woman wasn’t even paying attention, she was looking out the
window. KC turned quickly to Jay and touched his arm.
“We need to
go now,” she said firmly.
“We just
got here KC, are you letting this nut get to you?”
Clearly Jay was not experiencing the same revelation
that she was, but she didn’t have the wherewithal to explain it to him this
minute.
“It’s not
like that Jay, I’ll fill you in on the way back to the hotel, we just need to
go now!”
“Ms.
Walden, thank you for helping to arrange this, my editor will be contacting
your office soon I’m sure.”
“Ah, OK. Are you quite sure you’re
finished here,” Helen Walden asked dumbfounded? It was obvious that this woman
was no more in tune with the moment than Jay was, KC thought to herself.
“Yes, I
have what I came for, thanks again,” KC said standing, tugging at Jay’s sleeve
in the process.
She looked back at Dr. Katz reluctantly and nodded
at him, drawing in her lips and biting down on them.
“Thank you
for seeing us doctor,” she said weakly.
Murray Katz
stood and extended his shackled hand as far as he could and offered it to KC.
“I’m
sorry,” he said, his hazel eyes clear but moist. KC took his hand and squeezed
his fingers, “I know,” she said,
smiling as she turned to leave.
Buena Verde migrant camp…Fresno , California
Elena Rojas tucked Miguel in, then kissed the
sleeping child lightly on the forehead and turned out the light. She tiptoed down
the hall to the tiny living room and sat down on the second hand sofa that she
had bought only a month ago with some of the money that Mitchell’s life
insurance policy had provided. Every day since his death had been a repeat of
the day before where her heartache was concerned. She looked up at the wall
that the television was set against. There were four framed pictures of her
family surrounding a wooden crucifix. The one on top was her favorite. It was
of her and Mitchell at their wedding, taken just before he playfully squished
cake all over her face. She loved the big smile on his face and the light in
his eyes. The picture to the left of the cross was of Miguel when he was only a
year old. It was taken six months after that child witch had saved him from
death in the melon fields.
The picture
to the right of the cross was of the three of them. It had been taken at the
strawberry festival in Bakersfield US
Presently,
she got up from her spot on the sofa and walked over to the television. She
reached into her apron, removed an envelope and set it down on top of the old
black and white TV. She smiled as she ran her finger over the name on the
envelope, Father Ethan Kelly. Then she reached up and removed the picture of
Mitchell from the wall and held it close to her. Turning slowly she walked down
the hall to the bathroom. She stopped and closed Miguel’s door before she went
in and set the picture on the sink. Elena looked at herself in the vanity
mirror and pulled her long black hair back into a ponytail, securing it with a
blue beaded tie that was sitting by the faucet. She turned and adjusted the
bathtub faucets to just the right setting and let the water run while she
undressed. Carefully, she folded her clothes and placed them neatly on the
turned down seat of the toilet. Then she twisted the faucet knobs clock wise to
shut off the flowing water. Gingerly she dipped her toe into the tub and tested
the water temperature, it was perfect.
She stepped
into the tub and lowered herself gently, letting the hot water rush over her
naked body, feeling it surround her, embrace her with its wonderful sensations.
She reached down with her two hands and cupped her breasts, it had been so long
since anyone but she had done so. Elena leaned her head back against the tub
enclosure and closed her eyes. She was remembering the last time she and
Mitchell had made love. It had been so long ago, but the memory was strong and
the vision in her mind was vivid. She caressed herself softly and slowly,
biting down gently on her lower lip. Elena began to breathe deeply, rocking her
head slowly from side to side, whispering Mitchell’s name again and again. Then
she suddenly stopped, opened her eyes and sat up straight. She reached up with
both hands and removed the cross from around her neck, pulling it gently over
her head, careful not let it get snagged in her long hair. Slowly she let the
jewelry curl into a ball inside her open palm and then placing her hand outside
the tub she let the cross and chain fall to the tiled floor.
Elena Rojas
leaned forward a little further and retrieved the picture of her fallen
husband. She brought the picture to her lips she kissed it softly, and then in
a swift motion smashed the frame on the edge of porcelain tub, the glass
shattering into dozens of large and small shards. Selecting a piece that suited
her intentions, she slowly leaned back against the bathtub. She lowered her
hands down into the hot water, and just under the surface she used the sharp
piece of glass to slice deeply into the flesh of her small wrists, one then he
other. She made no sound. The expression on her face could only be described as
one of peace and determination. She let the glass fall silently to the bottom
of the tub, the water already turning a sickening shade of red as her open
veins poured out her life’s blood. Slowly she slipped away into
unconsciousness, to the nowhere place
that the weak in spirit too often escape to whenever they choose this path. On
the wet floor, under the shards of broken glass, the uniformed image of
Mitchell Rojas stared up at the ceiling. The only light left in the small room
being the dim luminescence of a forty-watt bulb above. The light of his life, his
beautiful Elena, no longer shone.
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