tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91877414808108795682024-03-13T12:53:07.782-07:00AuthorhoodFollowing leads can take you into the belly of the beast...PI Whitey Roode...
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-46476731476080439322023-04-02T15:10:00.005-07:002023-04-28T23:09:56.011-07:00<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 15.4px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 24px;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 24px;">Father Hollyweird</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 18pt; text-align: justify;">Chapter Sixteen</b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Hollenbeck Station, Los
Angeles…December 5, 11:30am</span></i></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Becca Tran sat at her gray metal desk across from her
partner Detective 1<sup>st</sup> grade Bob Ingram, affectionately known around
the stationhouse as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Iggie’</i>. Secretly
she referred to him as ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">piggy’</i> for
reasons one could easily understand if one had ever spent any time confined with
the man in a plain wrap car on stakeout. Given his steady diet of chilidogs and
Fritos it was no wonder. They had come back to the house around 11am after
wasting the morning running around town looking for Father Nicholas Quinn,
hoping to pick his brain about the Malloy murder/suicide. Becca wanted to
explore a possible connection to the murder in Echo Park the other night. She had a
hunch that Father Quinn and Megan Malloy might somehow be linked to the
victim, one Alex Whembly. It was a longshot, there wasn’t any obvious
connection between them other than both Megan and Alex were parishioners of the
good Father’s Church. But as they had nothing so far it was worth a look she
thought. Becca hadn’t mentioned this to Iggie yet because she knew that he
would just whine that she was too green to have hunches and that still had a
lot to learn. “Well Iggie can go ’f’ himself,” Becca mumbled to herself as she thumbed through pages in her steno pad. She doodled in the margins as
she studied her notes, a habit she started in High School. Suddenly she was
startled by a loud thump from the desk across from hers. It was Iggie returning
from his pre-lunch dump, the oaf was nothing if not regular. Becca glanced up
and gave him the stink eye.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nice look doll-face, did I
scare you junior?” Iggie said as he flopped into is squeaky chair spilling a
little coffee onto his desk, which he wiped up with his tie. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Really Iggie? Do you have to
be an ass all of the time?” Becca said rolling her eyes as she returned to
studying her notes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Ignoring
her sarcastic jab Iggie shuffled through some paperwork in front of him, then looked
at his desk phone to see if the message light was on, it wasn’t. Leaning back
he stretched and surveyed the squad room. Not much activity at the moment, just
a few detectives eating sack lunches at their desks. A couple uniforms he knew
were leading someone in cuffs to a small holding cell near the interrogation
room. He gave them a head nod then knocked lightly on his desk to get Becca’s
attention as he stood up and grabbed his coat. Uncharacteristically, Iggie
decided to take the high road and invite Becca to lunch. “So me and Bax are
going to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Show-Him-You like Him’ </i>for
some mile high pastrami. You wanna tag along?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“No thanks, enjoy.” Becca
declined quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Suit yourself. You want me to
bring you back anything?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nah, I’m good.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well alright then. Bax is
gonna be sorry he missed you. I think he’s interested partner if you get my
drift.” Iggie replied as he turned to leave, a wry grin on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Hitting a nerve with the Bax
revelation, Becca suddenly put down her pen and looked up. Not wanting to
appear too obvious she quickly thought of a safe way to change her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wait a sec Iggie, I thought
that place closed down after the queer owners’ murder suicide. I mean they’ve
been lights out for over a year.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Iggie stopped and turned
around. “It did but the innocent half of that couple, ‘Uncle Lou’ gave the
restaurant and his estate including the swank penthouse apartment over the
business to his nephew in his will. This guy is a real character, way over the
top. Everyone calls him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Lil Steve-O’,</i>
it’s an oxymoron because little he ain’t,” Iggie replied grinning. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“The
innocent half?”</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> asked Becca. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, if you recall the other
half, Uncle Jai, was shot and killed by half naked you in the airshaft
upstairs.” Iggie answered rolling his eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Blushing
in humiliation she replayed the incident in her minds’ eye, remembering the
entire scene with LA private investigator Whitey Roode and then detective Sgt.
Wally Price out of Las Vegas. It was a painful memory she had buried, it was
the first and only time she had ever puller her weapon as well as the first and
only time she had taken a life. Didn’t matter that it was a righteous shoot as the
Department determined, it didn’t matter that the perp was a dangerous serial
killer, the man was a human being and she killed him. Her ears rang for weeks
after the shooting and she hid from everyone that she was still trying to wash
the blood off her hands. Of course the Bax comment didn’t help either as the
attraction there was mutual. That part was none of Iggie’s business so she
ignored and it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Hoping
that she didn’t reveal anything she replied quickly. “Of course I remember
Iggie, don’t read anything into that, my mind was elsewhere. We’re working a pretty
big case right now, remember!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Iggie raised his arms in a
mocked surrender, “Alright partner, nuff said, everyone reacts differently to
their first time. So you coming or not?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Becca replied, relieved that
her partner had not pressed her further about that day or about Officer Bax,
“No I’m; going to work through lunch, I’ve got some thoughts about the case
that I want to explore. You go ahead and give my apologies to Bax and his
partner. And if it’s not too much trouble bring me back a corned beef on rye.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay young-un I’ll comp you a
sandwich, but you owe me one. And as for Bax the rookie, for what it’s worth he
seems like a good guy. Hell. I’d date him if I swung that way,” Iggie replied
chuckling as he exited the squad room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Becca went back to work with a secret sigh. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So</i>, she had caught the rookie’s eye. She
had suspected that all along. A girl can tell these things, it’s their DNA. She
went back to work with a renewed enthusiasm. She continued reviewing her notes,
cross checking with data from the Echo Park murder book. There weren’t any
obvious connections between Megan Mallory and the victim, Alex Whembley. She
kept digging adding the priest, Father Quinn into her calculus. Slowly her
thought bubbles started to overlap. While there was no threads directly linking
the three individuals, there was a foundation for potential coincidences. That
foundation was the church. That’s where Becca would start tomorrow, after she presented
her train of thought to her partner. Whether she liked it or not, Iggie was the
ranking team member and she had to get him on board before explored the church
angle. She knew it would be a difficult sell, but she had strong hunch. All she
needed to do now was convince Iggie it was a good hunch. That meant she had to
cleverly lead him down a path that allowed him to draw the same conclusions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">She
figured that if she approached this like building a puzzle it would be easier
to draw Iggie into her way of thinking. Basically seasoned puzzle builders knew
that the best way to start was to connect together all of the boarder pieces.
And the most important pieces were the four corners. All she had to do was
convince her partner that Megan, Alex, and Father Quinn were three of the four
corners. And that the missing fourth corner might be found by exploring a
potential connection at the church. Becca laced her fingers behind her head and
leaned back in her chair. She stared up at the ceiling and counted the tiles.
She multiplied the number of tiles in the length and width of the room to
arrive at a base number. Then applied some algebra to factor the several tile
abutments to arrive at a credible estimate of how many tiles were used to
complete the room. To her mind math and detective work relied on the same basic
principle, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">logic</i>. Unfortunately, Detective
Ingram was not Mr. Spock, so the logic angle was going to be a hard sell. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shit!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-43544807828775000822018-11-28T14:47:00.004-08:002021-11-23T17:34:56.748-08:00"Obvious conclusions are only obvious after you've tripped over them"...Nicholas Sheridan Stanton - author...<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 24px;"><i>For my family</i></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 24px;"><b>THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 24px;"><b>Father Hollyweird</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 24px;"><b>Chapter Fifteen</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 24px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">McArthur
Park, Los Angeles…December 5, 8:00am</span></i></b><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>December in Los Angeles means warm sunshine and cool crisp
air courtesy the Pacific Ocean which loomed large just a few miles to the west.
Father Quinn enjoyed early morning walks like this, which he did daily except
for when a film project forced a change in his routine. He walked down the
stairs leading into McArthur Park, LA’s version of NYC’s Central Park. The air
was cold enough this morning to leave a vapor trail as he walked along the pathway.
Each exhale revealed by a tiny cloud of carbon dioxide. Still it was a far cry
from the constant rainfall this time of year back in Ireland where the man
spent the first half of his life as a footballer prior to entering the priesthood. Word is he was a pretty good midfielder back in the day actually. I
watched him as he entered the park and strolled the path near the small
man-made lake. Perhaps he was reminiscing, it was possible. He definitely
looked like he was mulling something over by the look on his face. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Even though early morning constitutionals like this were part
of his daily routine, today Father Quinn had an ulterior motive for being in
the park. He was here to meet with me to compare notes on the Alex Whembley
angle. If he was right this young man could be the alibi that exonerates him, and
the Church for that matter where Megan Malloy and her baby were concerned. The
priest had mentioned a letter sent to a nun at The Immaculate Heart of Mary by
the young man. Sister Patricia Cromwell, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sister
Pat</i> to anyone who knew her longer than fifteen minutes. She was very popular
among the congregation. The Sister was soft hearted with a warm and pleasant demeanor.
And apparently this nun had been a confidant of Alex and, by that association, with
Megan Mallory as well. An interesting revelation that motivated me to skip my
breakfast and get here early.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">I
watched the Priest make his way along the footpath to where we agreed to meet.
I kept out of sight for the moment and studied him as he got closer. I wasn’t
sure what I was expecting to see, maybe nothing, but after 25 years on the job
I’d learned that it really was better to be safe than sorry. He stopped about
50 yards from where I was standing and exhaled deeply. The man appeared a
little winded from the long walk from the Church and I sympathized immediately as
age was creeping up on me as well. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled
out a timepiece. By my Timex he was a little early which explained why he
started looking all around trying to spot me. That was when I stepped out into
the open and strolled over to a bench on the pathway. I waived at the Priest as
I reached the bench and waited for him. He nodded in acknowledgement picked up
the pace. I think it surprised him that I arrived before he did. Pretty sure he
expected me to be a slacker. Well, like they say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“don’t judge a book by its cover.”</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Top of the morning you’re
Grace,” I said with only a hint of sarcasm.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Father Quinn will do detective,”
the Priest replied extending his hand.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">I reached out and we shook
hands gently, then I reached into the paper sack I was holding and offered him
coffee in a paper cup. “It’s black, I assumed you took your coffee like a man,”
I said.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“I do, what gave me away?” he
replied.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“I have to be honest, you were
drinking coffee when we first met at one of your shoots downtown and I have a eidetic memory, sort of.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Really? Well I rather doubt
that but I’m impressed nonetheless.” He said accepting the coffee and removing
the lid to blow across the top. We sat beside each other and sipped at our
coffee quietly for a couple of minutes. </span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">Of course, not having the
patience God gave a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tse tse</i> fly I
broke the silence straight away. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Looks like it’ll be a warm one today.” I said
clumsily, never being one for small talk.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“I suppose,” replied the Priest.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">I got right to the point, “So
did you bring the letter Father?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“I did.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">I waited a nanosecond, “Okay
well you know something about football Padre, pass it!” </span><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"> Father Quinn grinned,
apparently amused by my street humor. He opened the folder under his arm,
removed an envelope and handed it to me. I grabbed it quickly and removed the
one page handwritten letter, unfolded it and began to scan it. Uncomfortably I
reached into my jacket for my reading glasses. “Huh, must be the glare.” I said
sheepishly as I put them onto my face and started to read. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Positively blinding I must
agree,” Father Quinn replied sarcastically as he mockingly shielded his eyes
from the sun. We sat together in silence while I read through the letter from
Alex Whembley to Sister Pat. I took my time, read it twice pausing a couple of
times to chew on bits and pieces of what Alex shared with the elderly nun.
Without commenting I removed my glasses and returned them to my jacket pocket
and then refolded the letter. put it back into the envelope and handed it back
to the priest. He waited a moment before speaking. “Your thoughts detective?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Well if the letter is legit
you and the Church can breathe easy because this gets you both off of the hot
seat. No pun intended.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“None taken. How exactly would
this exonerate us?” asked the Priest.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">I turned in my seat to face
him and replied, “Well for one thing it adds two new suspects to the line-up,
Mr. Ipso and Mr. Facto, i.e. Alex and his obliging Dad. Which sort of
overshadows your working relationship with Megan.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“You’re implying that Alex was
the father of Megan’s child? You think that he somehow provoked Megan’s
suicide?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Possibly, actually it’s
highly likely. But my gumshoe intuition is telling me to be careful not to jump
at the first theory. I want to dive a little deeper into this and see what’s
lurking beneath the obvious.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“I believe that Alex was the
father of the child alright, but I’m less sure that it was Alex that drove
Megan to suicide.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">Father Quinn rubbed at his
chin and thought a moment. “I see, but why on Earth would you suspect the boy’s
father?” asked the Priest.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“It was Alex who put that
pebble in my shoe when he revealed that he told his Dad about Megan’s situation.
And I got the impression that he didn’t like Daddy-O’s reaction to the news. It
wasn’t what he wrote so much but what he didn’t write. I’m reading between the
lines here and I need to use my gumshoes instincts now.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“So you plan to interview Mr.
Whembley now?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Nope. I’d like to talk to
Sister Pat first. If that’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jake</i> with
you of course Father.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“If you’re asking my
permission you needn’t. That’ll be up to Sister Pat but I see no reason for her
to object. What exactly does ‘jake’ mean anyway?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“It’s just a bygone slang term we used
back in the old neighborhood, same as okay.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Oh, well then it’s jake with
me if you speak with Sister Patricia. I assume you’ll want to talk with her as
soon as possible.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Natch, that’s short for
naturally. Can you arrange that Padre?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Natch</i>, I’ll see if she can make time for you later this afternoon.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"> Tossing what was left of my
coffee onto the grass behind me I looked around for the nearest rubbish bin to
deposit the Styrofoam cup into. I spotted one a few yards away and excused
myself. “Just a sec Padre, let me toss this empty cup and I’ll be right back. I
have one more question for ya.” </span></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">The priest nodded an acknowledgement as he
stood up to stretch his legs. I tossed the empty cup in the bin and walked back
slowly, giving the priest a once over. You never know about people, they can
surprise you if you let your guard down. This letter would get him and the
Church out of a jam, if it’s legit that is. First thing they teach you in
detective school is the five “whys,” who, what, when, where, and why. The
tricky one is always “why.” I needed to talk with Sister Pat and drill into why
this letter surfaced now. Why hadn’t she showed this to Father Quinn sooner?
Why indeed.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“One last question Father, if
you don’t mind.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Of course not, what is it my
son?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">I grinned at the ‘my son’
reference. I haven’t been called that since my mother died, God rest her soul. “Has
anyone else seen this letter? I mean besides you and Sister Pat.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">The priest rubbed at his chin,
“to my knowledge no, but you’d best ask Sister Patricia that question, she
would know best I expect.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Why do you ask?” added Father
Quinn.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;"> <i></i><i></i><i></i><i></i>It was my turn to rub at my
chin, “Well to be honest I’m not exactly on good terms with the LAPD and as you may
know they are investigating Alex Whembly’s murder. Looking into this letter
will likely find me crossing paths with them. They take a dim view of outsiders
interfering with their business. They call it obstruction of justice, and I don’t
want to wind up in the pokey if you get my drift. That won’t do either of us
any good, you or me.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Indeed. I had not considered
that, but surely they would welcome any help that you could provide, wouldn’t
they?” asked the priest naively. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“You’d think so wouldn’t you!
But no, those guys are territorial and I need to stay out of the way or at
least out of sight. My job is to quietly clear you. I’ll figure out how to
leave an easy trail for the cops to follow once I figure out what’s what. This
letter puts me a step ahead of them, that’s why it’s important to know who else
may have seen it.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Understood. How can I assist
you?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Just keep your trap shut
about this Padre, and make sure Sister Pat does likewise. Remember, loose lips
sink ships. Go about your business as you normally would and as far as anyone, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and I mean anyone</i>, is concerned this
meeting never happened. Understand?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Of course, you’ll keep me
informed of your progress I expect?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“I’ll let you know what you
need to know when you need to know it Father.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">Father
Quinn studied me pensively for a moment and then nodded an acknowledgement. I
could see the wheels turning in his expression, he wasn’t accustomed to being
talked to in such a manner but he held his tongue and swallowed his pride. That
was a good sign, the last thing I needed was any amateur kibitzing that might tip
off the cops to the trail I was on. I gave the priest a pat on the shoulder and
we walked out of the part in opposite directions. </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-79150542151617127582017-02-26T19:26:00.002-08:002018-12-01T11:22:02.138-08:00You only live once...but if you do it right, once is enough!.... Mae West<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>For my family</i></span></div>
<div>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><b>THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</b></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Father Hollyweird</b></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Chapter Fourteen</b></span></div>
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Baxter
Stairway, Los Angeles…December 4</span></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Officers Perez and Kingman climbed back into their black and
white. It was 7:15am and their shift would end on the drive back to the
stationhouse. Neither was looking forward to the hour or so of paperwork
required before clocking out, a part of the job that was a universal drag among
the rank and file. Officer Bix Kingman yawned as he strapped himself into the
passenger seat. Rubbing his eyes with one hand he reached over and grabbed the
radio mic with the other and informed dispatch that they were on the move.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Man, I’m beat!” exclaimed Sgt. Perez through a yawn of his
own.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Ray Perez put the Crown Royal into gear and sped off down
Avon toward Ward and Hollenbeck Station. He covered his face to mask another
deep yawn. It had been a long night of mostly just standing around while the
detectives and the CSI techs did their thing at the murder scene. Ray was
looking forward to a hot cup of bad coffee back at the house. He glanced over
at Bix who had returned the mic to the radio and slumped back into his seat.
The big rookie leaned his head back and closed his eyes.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Did you ever think about
going for a gold shield and becoming a detective?” he asked Ray out of the
blue.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Ray thought about that and rubbed
and at his five o’clock shadow before answering. “Once or twice I guess. I’m
pretty sure that most patrol officers wonder about it off and on,” he replied.
“Why do you ask?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“I’m just curious, that’s
all.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Yeah well you know what
usually happens to curious cats don’t you,” Ray replied making a slashing
motion across his throat.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Bix chuckled, “Okay, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nuff’</i> said I guess,” he replied.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>They drove in silence until they hopped on the 10 Freeway for
the last leg home. Bix was resting his eyes but still alert, he hadn’t dozed
off yet. Keeping his eyes closed he broke the silence, “I think I’d like to be
a detective one day,” he announced nonchalantly.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“You’ve put a lot of thought
into that have you rookie?” Ray asked sarcastically. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Actually I have,” Bix
answered opening his eyes and sitting up straight. “My whole family is in law
enforcement in one way or another. Mom and Pop want me to follow my older
brother’s lead and go to law school and work for the District Attorney’s
Office. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘It’s safer baby my Mom says,’ </i>she’s
always worrying about me being out here in the shit.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Yep, Moms are like that,” Ray
replied as he changed lanes to come alongside a young lady talking on her cell
phone. He gave her a warning stare and she tossed her phone into the back seat
and gave Ray a guilt ridden smile.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Why haven’t you gone for a Detective
shield? I mean what keeps you on the streets anyway?” Bix asked.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Ray didn’t hesitate to answer,
“The action rookie, I’m an adrenalin junkie. Detectives do way too much
paperwork to suit me, and from what I’ve seen sit on their asses too long yacking
on the phone,” he answered with a big grin.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Bix snorted a reply with a not
so subtle warning, “Yeah well most junkies OD eventually, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m just saying</i>.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“I already have a mother thank
you very much!” snapped Ray Perez, his mood changing quickly.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Bix held up his hands as if to
surrender, “Sorry, not my business,” he replied, turning in his seat to look
out his window and avoid exacerbating whatever had set off his training
officer.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“You’re goddamn right it’s
not! So let’s just drop it and relax the rest of the way back to the house.
That okay with you?” Ray said through clenched teeth.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Roger that boss, this is me
zipping my lip,” replied Bix quickly.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“GOOD!”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The two officers drove the rest of the way in dead silence,
each of them secretly wishing they could take back that last few minutes.
Partners are like that, especially police officers. No relationship is ‘spat
free’, people are people eventually they say or do the wrong thing. Cops see
each other at their best and at their worst, often times in extremely tense
situations. And because they place their very lives in the hands of the person
riding next to them there has to be a bond of trust that goes beyond that of even
a marriage. Any less than that could prove fatal.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Hollenbeck
Station, Los Angeles…December 4…8:00am</span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Wally Price stood near the rear entrance of the squad room
sipping on a mug of coffee that had already began to cool. He had been waiting
impatiently for Ray and Bix to return from their shift. He checked his Timex,
it was after eight o’clock and they should have been back by now. He was about
to get dispatch to contact them when he spotted the two officers appeared
through the wired glass of the heavy door.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>They barged into the room and were met with an icy stare that neither of
them was expecting this early in the morning.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Long night fellas?” Lt. Price
asked sarcastically.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">”Something wrong LT?” Ray Perez
answered, visibly startled by Lieutenant’s presence.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Lt. Wally
Price glared at them without responding, it was making Bix sweat nervously. Ray
just sighed and waited, he was used to the new Lieutenant’s mannerisms.
Actually he was a pretty good leader, his bark worse than his bite. Ray was
just tired and he hated it when a boss dragged out an ass chewing. After an
uncomfortable minute Lt. Price moved away from the counter and stood toe to toe
with Sgt. Ray Perez, towering over him with his six foot four inch frame.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“What I want to know officers
is which one of you two is feeding Whitey Roode information about the crispy kiddies’
case,” he asked, his gaze alternating between the two officers.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“What are you talking about?
Neither one of us is talking to that PI. Hell, Bix here hasn’t been here long
enough even know who Whitey is anyway,” Ray answered, his tone slightly defiant.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Look LT, if you think there’s a leak you should hit up
Detective Ingram, I hear he and Roode go way back,” Ray added, not bothering to
hide his irritation.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Price relaxed a bit and considered Ray’s response. That did
make more sense and nobody at this precinct knew of his own connection to
Whitey Roode and Iggie Ingram for that matter. For now he’d play it cool as he
stepped back to give Sgt. Price his personal space back. He held out his thick paw
and offered to shake Ray Perez’ hand, he accepted. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Sorry Sargent, chalk it up to
an especially shitty morning. As soon as I walked in the door at 7am I started
taking crap, first from the Mayor’s office and then from the Arch Diocese. Both
of them up demanding status reports on our investigation of that murder suicide
of the young mother and child burned alive outside the Egyptian Theater,” Price
explained apologetically.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“So what’s the PI have to do
with all of this?” Bix asked, relaxing.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Lt. Price answered with a
frown, “His Honor the Mayor hates that guy! He’s been the butt of many a joke
around town about being made a fool of by an ex-cop turned gumshoe who seems to
be one step ahead of the LAPD on several high profile cases since he was kicked
off the force. He called Chief Celeya who also loathes the rat bastard and
wanted to know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> Roode was poking his
big nose in LAPD business, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who</i> he was
talking to him from inside, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i>
we were going to do about it short of shooting him.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Ray grinned and spoke up
quickly, “Say the word LT and we’ll haul him in directly. You can quiz him
yourself.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Price snickered as he conjured
up an image of Whitey getting grilled in the interrogation room by the Chief
and the Mayor. Now that would be a hoot, he’d even buy a ticket for that show.
Why not he thought. “Good idea Perez, consider yourself approved for a little
OT. Take your partner there and bring me a gumshoe for breakfast.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">Ray rolled his eyes, he was
tired and just wanted to go home to his wife and kids. “Seriously LT, can’t you
send another unit, Bix and I have already pulled a double shift,” he whined.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“This won’t take long men,
Whitey is a creature of habit. It’s Friday, that means he’s at the Nickel Diner
downtown on 5<sup>th</sup> Street. He’ll be pigging out on bacon donuts and
coffee until 9 or 10, so you’ll have no trouble picking him up. Tell him I sent
you,” Lt Price said reassuringly. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“What makes you so sure about
that LT?” Ray asked.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Just bring him in and I’ll
tell you all about it later,” Price snapped as he brushed past Sgt. Perez and
headed back to his office.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Weird,” Bix said, watching
the lieutenant turn the corner and disappear. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“I’ll say,” replied Ray Perez.
He pulled out the car keys and tossed them to his partner. “Let’s go rookie, you
drive.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“Really?”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;">“First time for
everything son. Try not to kill us on the way,” Ray answered, walking past Bix
and out the door to the motor pool. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-44263501846123443272015-12-31T17:30:00.000-08:002018-12-01T11:22:20.072-08:00"Faithless love will find you and the misery entwine you. Faithless love, where did I go wrong..."<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><b>THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Father Hollyweird</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Thirteen</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Los
Angeles Mission, East 5</span><sup><span style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: large;"> Street…Dec 4, 1:30pm</span></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> Patricia Cromwell, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sister Pat</i>, dried her soapy hands with a gingham dishtowel in the
kitchen. She had just finished the dishes from the lunch rush and it was time
to take her own meal with the other volunteers in the dining hall. There were
only a handful of people sharing the large room as only the faithful dared chow
down on leftovers here. Most of the crew and that included members of the
clergy preferred to venture out into the city rather than take their chances on
these table scraps. She couldn’t blame them, the vow of poverty didn’t mean
that one had to risk their lives for goodness sake. The nun pieced together a
modest and healthy lunch consisting largely of salad greens and veggies and
piled it onto a clean white Corel dish. She placed the dish and a cup of hot
tea onto a heavy plastic tray and walked out into the hall to find an empty table.
She was feeling a tad pensive today and preferred to eat alone in silence with
her thoughts.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sister
Pat liked coming here, it gave her a chance to get out of her routines at the Church
as well as at the mother’s shelter and still serve God. She had been volunteering
at the mission since the early 80’s, back when the LA Mission was over on Los
Angeles Street. She enjoyed working with the wide variety of volunteers from
all walks of life, especially the young people. They helped to keep her young
at heart and she liked hearing their unique and individual perspectives about
the world and their neighborhoods. Truth be told she enjoyed seeing the secular
world through their eyes and unbeknownst to them existed vicariously alongside them
through their stories and experiences. She had no regrets about her choice to
serve God and the Holy Church, but once in a while she enjoyed stepping outside
of herself and indulge her imagination. Even Nuns and Priests were susceptible
to playing the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘what if’</i> game sometimes,
after all they were humans as well.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sister
Pat sat in silence and picked at her food. Her stomach was still tied in knots
and her mind spinning from the letter she received yesterday. It was waiting
for her in the office and she had retrieved it after evening prayers. She
remembered how strange it felt to receive an actual letter in the era of emails
and texts. It was rare to receive anything but bills and junk mail. Yes, nuns
have lives too, nobody is safe from spam and the government. Curious though,
she had no family and her small circle of friends lived with her at the
convent. So outside of an occasional Christmas or Easter card the only mail she
received were a few bills, notices from the government at tax time and communiques
from the Diocese Personnel Office. So this letter intrigued her and she was
hesitant to open it straight away. She knew it was silly, she had nothing to be
nervous or afraid of, her mundane life revolved around her devotion to her
faith. Still there was something foreboding about the mysterious letter.
Perhaps the absence of a return address had something to do with it, curious. So
summoning her courage and calming herself she finally opened envelope and
removed the one page letter.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sitting
on the edge of the twin bed in her small room she opened the letter finally. It
was from a young man whom she had counseled not so very long ago. The letter
was handwritten in a pleasant cursive style which she thought unusual for a man.
His name was Alex, a parishioner she recognized as the only son of a wealthy family
from Bel Air. Sister Pat tried to visualize the parents but they were shadows
in her memory, only the boy stood out. She had seen so many children over the
years at the Church but this one had one of those faces that you never forget.
He was cute as a button as a toddler with a head full of white blonde hair
fashioned in a Dutch Boy style, with eyes of a crystal blue. She had watched
him grow up over the years as the family regularly attended Sunday Mass. He had
come to her suffering from a broken heart. </span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Apparently a girl had left him
for reasons that she never gave. Sister Pat recalled that he had been nearly
inconsolable and she felt frightened as well for some reason. It didn’t take
long for Sister Pat to connect him to the subject of Father Quinn’s documentary
film, Megan Mallory, a fact that she never shared with the priest. She had wanted
to but Alex had begged her to keep it secret until he had time to think, time to
get over her. When she eventually asked him if he were the father of Megan’s baby
he went pale. Sullenly he had claimed that he didn’t even know that Megan was
with child and then suddenly stormed out of the session without an explanation.
That was their last session together, Sister Pat never saw him again, neither at
the clinic nor at the Church. Now this letter so many months later. Sister Pat
took the spectacles hanging from a chain around her neck and placed them onto the
bridge of her sharp Roman nose. The letter was short:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0px;">“Sister please forgive my
childish behavior at our last session and my absence since then. I had much to
deal with and much to investigate. You should know that I loved Megan dearly
and that I was under the impression that she felt likewise. Her rejection and
the news of her pregnancy was a shock to say the least. Nothing she did
coincided with everything that she had said to me and her condition was a complete
blow to me as well as we had never engaged in relations together, even though
the likelihood of that was how we met, she being a come of age gift from my
father. Megan’s senseless death and the horrific details compelled me to ferret
out the circumstances that led her to her tragic decision. I went to my father
and confronted him about what I had come to suspect was the cause of her
depression and guilt. Naturally he was upset but more than that he was, I don’t
know, cold is the best term for his reaction. It scared me. I need to talk to
you about this, can we meet? I need help deciding what to do next. Call the
cell number below as soon as you can. Thanks…Alex”</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">She
had read the letter several times before falling asleep. In the morning after
Mass she had gone to the office and called the number. At first there was no
answer and a computer voice explained that the user’s voice mailbox was full.
Frustrated she tried again only this time someone picked up on the other end
only it wasn’t Alex, it was the police. Sister Pat had hung up without
answering and started to worry. That was the inspiration for the pensive mood
she’s been in all day, the mood she continued to be in now. Staring past her
lunch she continued time traveling in a reflective state as she pondered Alex’s
whereabouts. Suddenly her pensive trance was broken.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Good
day Sister,” spoke the soft familiar voice.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Startled Sister Pat involuntarily
pushed her lunch tray away and sat up straight as if she were caught cheating
on a quiz in school. It was a reflex action but she recovered her composure and
slowly turned her head to confirm her recognition of the voice. She smiled when
she saw Father Quinn’s face, things would be alright now she thought. </span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Hello
Father,” she replied as the priest joined her taking a seat across from her at
the otherwise empty lunch table. Father Quinn folded his hands on the tabletop,
glanced at the full tray of food and studied the nun’s face for a moment. Her
expression was more than meek, she had the look of someone who had left the
confessional with unfinished business.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“You’ve
hardly touched your meal Sister, what’s troubling you my dear?”</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Sister
Pat fidgeted nervously and answered the priest in a small voice, “I’m
frightened Father,” she replied.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
can see that you’re troubled about something, how might I help you?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I’m
not frightened for myself Father, you see I am afraid for someone else. It’s a
little hard to explain.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
see. Well now, try taking a breath and give it a go. An act of contrition can
heal most pensive moods.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Perhaps
Father, but I must admit that there a matter of a small confession involved.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“How
fortunate you are that I happened by then,” Father Quinn replied with a
reassuring smile.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
suppose so Father, by the way why are you here anyway?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
was meeting with the Mission Director about increasing the donation from the
Diocese next year.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Oh
alright, anyway, what I have to confess involves the Mallory girl and her child
you see,” said Sister Pat.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Father
Quinn willed himself to remain calm and nonplussed by her comment, “I see, go
on dear,” he said evenly.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">The
nun leaned forward slightly as if what she were about to say was not to be
overheard by anyone, “Father there is something that I never shared with you
about the girl. Something that I know now that I should have,” she said in a
hushed voice.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">The
priest’s face revealed none of the inner turmoil he was experiencing at the
moment. More surprises regarding Megan Mallory was the last thing he wanted to
deal with, “Alright then, so what is it you have to share about that poor child?”
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“As
you recall Megan refused to reveal the identity of the father of her baby.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,
I am aware of that, why is that a concern to you now?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
may know who that person is, or rather I may know someone who can tell us who
that person is.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“And
how did you come to know this mysterious someone?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“That
is my confession Father. You see while you were tending to Megan and making
your film I was counseling a young man who may have been an intimate acquaintance
of the girl.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“You
mean the father of her child?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“No
Father, not intimate in that way, at the time they were together they remained
pure.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Father
Quinn chortled involuntarily, “So this child she carried was an immaculate
conception? Is that what you’re insinuating?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“No,
of course not Father, I’m merely saying that the two of them were apparently an
item up until the time that she abruptly left him and subsequently arrived at
our doorstep in dire straits.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Father
Quinn pondered this a moment, this revelation would certainly eliminate him as
a suspect in the girl’s demise, he should feel relieved but he did not and that
concerned him. There must be more to this, he pressed the nun further, “Why are
you only now coming forward with this information Sister?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">Sister
Pat paused a second or two and bit at her lips like a nervous child before
answering. “I received a disturbing letter from the young man yesterday, he
wants to meet with me and talk. He left a phone number for me to contact him
but when I called the police answered,” Sister Pat explained.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“The
police?” replied Father Quinn.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Yes
father, the police. I don’t know how else to reach this boy without going to
his family, and the letter left me with the impression that that may not be a
good idea.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Do you
know them personally?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Not
exactly, I know who they are. They are not actually parishioners but they attend Mass from time to time.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Odd,
what did the letter say that would leave you with that impression?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Nothing
specific, it’s just that the young man stated that he confronted his father and
that statement made me uncomfortable.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
see, what is the boy’s name?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Alex
Father, Alex Whembly,” answered Sister Pat. Father Quinn flinched and it did
not go unnoticed by the nun.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I
know that name, Detective Roode mentioned him the other day,” the priest said
as he searched his memory of that conversation.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Who
is Detective Roode?” asked the nun.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Nobody
you need to concern yourself with Sister. Do you have that letter with you?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“No
Father, it is back at the convent.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“May
I have a look at it? </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Why?
Do you think that it’s important?”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“I’m
not sure but I’d like to share it with this detective, it may help him to close
out this suspicion of me by the police and frankly the Church as well.”</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Of
course Father. Do you think this detective can find out where young Alex has
gone to? I’d feel so much better to know that he is safe and sound.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Quite
possibly Sister, quite possibly. Let’s pop over to the convent and retrieve that
letter and I’ll contact Mr. Roode.” The nun stood and grabbed her untouched
lunch, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roode,</i> that’s an odd name don’t
you think,” remarked Sister Pat.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Not
once you’ve the man Sister,” Father Quinn replied chuckling.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">“Dear me,”</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 200%;">
said Sister Pat.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Quite,”
</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">replied Father Quinn.</span>
</span></div>
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-6531362589389267752015-11-29T22:44:00.001-08:002018-12-01T11:22:47.749-08:00"The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again..."<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For my family</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><strong>THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Father Hollyweird</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Twelve</span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Alexandria Hotel, Los Angeles…Dec 4, 6:30am<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I’ve
been an early riser ever since I can remember. Must be in my genes because as
soon as the sun rises so do I. My old man was like that so I guess he passed
the trait down to me as well. Having just finished my morning routine in the can
(shower, shave, and the other ‘s’) I walked over to what served as a kitchen in
my tiny studio apartment nestled on the second floor of the infamous Alexandria
Hotel to consider breakfast options. One can only do so much with a hot plate,
a microwave, and a small fridge (all of which were technically tenant
violations). The fridge though was usually well stocked with appropriate
bachelor essentials (PBR or Budweiser or Coors, basically whatever was on sale
and some eggs, butter and milk). The drawer below my socks and underwear substituted
as a pantry where I stored my staples (bread, peanut butter, instant coffee,
and Oreo’s). I settled on toast with butter and a cup of Irish coffee made with
Nescafe for now, I’ll stop by Nick’s Café down the street or The Nickel Diner
over on Main Street for a proper breakfast a little later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After
I’d wolfed down my meager meal I went and sat down at the small desk under the
only window in my flat. I was in the far corner of the room overlooking the
intersection of 5<sup>th</sup> and Spring Street with the hotel’s neon sign
just to the right, or at least the letters E & L anyway, the signage ran
vertically up the corner of the building. I started sorting through the mail
setting the bills aside, dumping the spam, and opened an envelope postmarked LA
from the Diocese of Los Angeles with a very sharp K-Bar, an overkill I know but
it was handy. Nobody writes letters anymore, opting to email or text. But as I
have neither a computer at home, nor a cell phone I relied on snail mail and
the newspaper to correspond and stay informed. I refuse to join the 21<sup>st</sup>
century where these points are concerned. I realize that you can’t avoid
progress forever, sooner or later I’ll have to confirm, but until that day I’ll
be a dedicated hold out! Besides the electronic age is too impersonal and too
imposing. It used to that someone had to do was wear a mask and tote a gun to
rob you. Now all they need is your password and an internet café to steal you
blind. That’s progress for you. YOU CAN HAVE IT! I’ll keep my freedom and peace
of mind. I’m not a total caveman though, I do have a telephone AND an answering
machine. Granted the phone is a rotary phone, for you youngsters that means I
dial a number not punch digits, and the answering machine is big and bulky and
has a cassette tape and not a microprocessor. Speaking of which the red light
was flashing on the contraption. I hadn’t noticed it when I came home last
night or rather early this morning having closed down my favorite Irish pub,
The Cottage, and getting in around 3am. I had spent the evening and most of the
night organizing notes and thoughts around this job the Bishop had given me. I
had poured over all the stuff that Bradley, my butterball contact at the Times,
gave to me the other night on the way to the airport along with every published
word about Megan Malloy’s murder/suicide looking for a motive for her insanity.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
reached over and pressed the play butter while I pulled out the letter inside
the envelope for the church. Lo and behold it was one of God’s minions leaving
me a message while I was reading a letter from His Eminence himself, talk about
a co-winkie-dink! The voice message was less formal than the letter which
essentially just asked me to call at my earliest convenience. The voice on the
answering machine spoke as I read, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Mr.
Roode, forgive me I mean Whitey, this is Father Quinn. When last we spoke in
the confessional as I recall, by the way let’s not do that again, I told you
that we could meet more formally soon. Would tomorrow at 12:30 be soon enough? You
can reach me at the church<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> a</span>nytime in the morning to confirm. I’ll be busy from 2pm until quite
late so please call as soon as you can. Thank you…”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
machine turned itself off and the blinking red light stopped blinking turning
green in the process. It was my only message which was par for the course, I
don’t have all that many friends one of which lets me use the phone in the bar
downstairs as my business number. It works well for me and is a great dodge
where bill collectors are concerned. Be that as it may I wondered if Father
Quinn and His Eminence were aware that they were in competition for my time. I
decided to keep them both in the dark on that point and see if there was
anything worth wondering about. Opening one of the desk drawers I pulled out
the Yellow Pages and looked up the number to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, then
dialed the seven digits. I like the sound the rotary phones make when I call
out, they have more character then the little beep tones in your ear that the
more modern phones make. I left Father Quinn a message that I would be there
around noon as I had a busy morning. That was a lie, my first sin of the day as
I had nothing planned. I hung up and redialed the number and left a message for
the Bishop telling him that I would stop by his office around 10am deciding to
see him first as I expected that rank had its privileges even in the clergy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
chugged the rest of my coffee, stood up and walked over to my Murphy bed and
returned it to its hiding place in the wall, unmade of course. I walked the
four and a half steps to an armoire next to the bathroom which was my closet,
fished out the day’s accoutrements and got dressed. If I hurried I could get
over to the DMV and sweet talk Lois Butler, a sixty something clerk who had her
eyes on yours truly to ferret out the address and phone number of Alexander
Whembly, who according to Bradley’s intelligence was the father of Megan
Malloy’s baby. I definitely wanted to interview that guy as soon as possible
but I had to locate him first. I also wanted to stop by Hollingbeck Station and
pick my old pal Iggie Ingram’s brain. A little bird had told me that he and
Rebecca Tran had pulled the Malloy/Quinn case as it was known around the
precinct. They might be able to save me some leg work, always a plus in my
book. I grabbed my trusty trench coat, gave the room a quick survey which all
of two seconds. I loved this coat, it made me feel like Sam Spade or Philip
Marlowe. I turned out the lights as I reached the door, turned the knob and
started to walk out into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Hey, well look who we have here. LA’s
favorite gumshoe,” exclaimed Iggie standing in my doorway close enough to smell
the Beechnut chewing gum he was gnawing on. I grunted and gave him an icy
stare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What are you doing here flatfoot?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“We were hoping to catch you at home
buddy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“We?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Rebecca Tran leaned out from Iggie’s
shadow and waived timidly at me. I waived back and gave her a wry smile.
“Detective Tran, always a pleasure. I see that Wally Price still has you
leashed to this dinosaur, my condolences,” I said, gesturing toward Iggie with
my hitchhiking thumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yeah, well Iggie’s not so bad, I’m
learning a few things from him, he’s just an acquired taste, sort of,” she
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Iggie interrupted, “I hate to bust up
this little reunion but we came here for a specific reason partner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
stepped out into the hall closing the door and locking it behind me. I didn’t
want to have this conversation inside where Becca might catch a whiff and see
how I really lived. Truth was she kind of looked up to me after working
together a while back chasing a serial killer named Jai Li who had murdered a
couple of my friends as well as my ex-wife, the once lovely and former female,
Rhonda Roode. There’s a lot more to that story but you’ll have to catch me
another day to hear it. “Alright, talk to me while we walk, I’m in a hurry
right now, I want to get to the DMV before the lines get too long,” I said
brushing by the two of them as I quick marched toward the staircase. The
elevator at this place was chronically in a state of repair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What’s at the DMV?” Iggie asked
catching up to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What’s it to you?” I replied as I took
the stairs two at a time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Slow down Whitey,” Iggie pleaded as we
reached the lobby. Becca caught up to us and we walked together through the hotel
lobby to the hotel bar, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Down &
Out</i>, located at the front of the building. A voice from behind the mahogany
bar hollered out to us, “We ain’t open yet Mack!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“It’s me Sal,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">A burly, barrel chested Polynesian man
popped up from behind the bar, “Oh hi Whitey. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kia Ora brah</i>, is that Iggie with you?” the thickly built man said,
greeting me in Maori, his mother tongue. Iggie waived at Sal as the three of us
settled into a corner booth near the window in the empty bar. Becca scooted in
first while Iggie and I boxed her in climbing in after on either side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Salvatore
Tonka (as in the toy trucks) was a fifty something Maori native from Auckland,
New Zealand. He stood five feet seven inches tall and was solidly built, with
shoulders nearly as wide as he was tall it seemed. He wasn’t shaped like a body builder, he was
just rock solid like a permanently flexed bicep. Not someone you would want to
tangle with. And if his physical stature weren’t intimidating enough his face
was completely tattooed as was the custom of the Maori people. They came off as
a pretty scary bunch until you got to know them. When they make friends it’s
for life. Same goes for when they make enemies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“How’s it?” Sal asked as he set three
shot glasses on the bar and filled them with Jameson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“It’s all good Sal, it’s all good. You cleaning
the keg lines?” I said answering a question with a question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Every day pal, it’s why we have the
coldest beer in LA,” Sal replied setting the shots on a small tray and walking
over to us. He set the drinks on the table and grunted a hello to Iggie. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Who’s the wahine?” he asked referring
to Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Iggie picked up his shot and downed it
quickly, “That’s my partner, Detective Tran,” he answered setting his glass
back on the table upside down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“<i>Um</i>, Iggie, we’re kinda still on the job dude,”
scolded Becca as she pushed her glass away from her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“No we’re not, not officially anyway. We
just stopped to see an old friend on the way home,” Iggie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sal picked up Becca’s glass and clinked
against mine, “Cheers!” he said downing the shot quickly, wiping his mouth with
the back of his hand and walking back to continue his work behind the bar. I
reached for my own drink and watched Becca remove something from her coat
pocket. It was a small white business card that I recognized straight away. I
played dumb though and asked, “What’s this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“It’s your business card genius,”
quipped Iggie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I know that numb-nuts. Why are you
returning it to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca jumped into the fray, “We found
this at crime scene early this morning,” she said watching my face for a flinch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“A homicide?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“As a matter of fact yes, over at the
Baxter steps, you know the place?” asked Becca probing further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yeah I know the place. Anyone who’s
lived in LA a year or more knows the place. It’s a scary place. What’s that got
to do with the price of tea in China?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There was a pregnant pause while Iggie and
Becca studied my face. It made uncomfortable so I spoke up quickly. “So was my
card on the stiff or what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Not exactly, it was on the ground further
up the staircase where the victim was likely popped,” answered Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So you found my card on the ground in a
park, so what? A lot of my cards end up on the ground or worse. Outside of the
Yellow Pages it’s my only form of advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Really? You don’t have a website?”
Becca replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Whitey’s a dinosaur Tran, he doesn’t believe
in modern technology,” Iggie said, answering for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca rolled her eyes at her partner
then focused on me, “I see, well be that as it may what we want to know is if
there is any connection to the victim and yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Fine, so who’s the victim?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alexander Whembly, does that name mean
anything to you?” asked Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
gave her my best poker face trying not to tip my hand and the fact that I not
only knew the name but knew of him. I gleaned from Becca’s expression that I
had failed to do so, which explains why I’m such a lousy gambler. It was too
early in the morning for me to think of a clever lie so I decided on the truth.
I would have had to ask for their help sooner or later anyway to gain access to
G2 from the LAPD and run down this angle on Megan’s case. So where was the harm
in choosing sooner over later?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I know the name, in fact he was the
reason for my DMV trip. I was going there to track him down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Why?” Becca asked pressing me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I paused a moment and
finished my drink while I quickly pondered how much to share. Too little and
they would become pests surveilling me and too much they would likely get in my
way. I knew who this guy was relative to Megan Malloy and clearly they did not.
I considered the two of them in nanoseconds, Iggie was a loyal friend but a
chatterbox when he was boozing. But I knew how to handle him and his flaws.
Becca on the other hand was a wild card. I was going to have to go with my gut
where she was concerned. I set my empty glass upside down on top of Iggie’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“A source of mine showed me evidence
that identified Alexander Whembly as the father of Megan Malloy’s child.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You’re shitting me!” Iggie exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca gave Iggie the stink eye and
replied, “If that’s true then it means we have another suspect besides the
priest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Maybe, but why would someone murder
Whembly? Did Father Quinn know this guy as well?” Becca asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I don’t know, I don’t think the priest
knew about him,” I lied. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Could be just a coincidence,” Iggie
said scratching his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Becca
and I said in unison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I grinned at her and she snorted a
giggle involuntarily, a trait I’ve noticed in a lot of attractive women. “Maybe
we can work together unofficially on this case,” I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Not if His Honor has anything to say
about it,” replied Iggie referring to our scene stealing/publicity hound Mayor,
Anthony Valenzuela. My old nemesis, Oscar Celaya who had catapulted over
Captain to Chief of Police owed his stellar rise to the Mayor and considering
our hate-hate relationship Iggie and Becca would be risking their careers teaming
up with me, even on the QT. I couldn’t let them take that risk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Listen you’re right about that, scratch
my stupid idea. Just do me one small favor. Sit on this information for a
couple of days and let me see where this leads. I promise to share whatever I
find out with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Iggie started to reply when Becca cut
him off, “We’ll give you twenty-four hours, that’s the best we can do. You know
Lt. Price is no dummy and patience is not a virtue of his. We can probably feign
incompetence for that long but any more than that and Iggie and I will both be
looking for a new job.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Noted, Wally and I go way back. Let’s
meet here tomorrow night around last call and I’ll share what I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Deal, 2am tomorrow right here,” Becca
said extending her small hand for me to shake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Make it 3am, I’ll ask Sal stay over and
leave the lobby entrance open for us,” I replied shaking her hand before she
could protest. I got up quickly to leave before Becca thought of any more
questions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“See ya later Sal,” I said over my
shoulder as I passed him on my way to the street side exit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca shouted at me as I reached the
doorway, “Don’t break any laws!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I replied as I disappeared out of the
building and into the LA sunshine, “No promises!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-36530277191205705882015-11-13T23:33:00.000-08:002015-11-17T10:04:20.515-08:00"Bought a ticket for a runaway train, like a madman laughing in the rain. Little outta touch, little insane. Just easier than dealing with the pain..." Soul Asylum<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra and Luc</span></em></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter
Eleven</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Greene
Street Arms, Pasadena…Dec 3, 12:55am<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Rebecca
Tran slept soundly on her comfy trundle bed (still holding onto a bit of her
childhood) in her studio apartment on Greene Street is old Pasadena. She lay
curled up with her arms hugging one pillow and her legs doing likewise with
another. When you sleep alone your subconscious has a way of compensating for
the lack of a warm partner to snuggle up to. Becca wasn’t a snorer but she was
a bit of a drooler (is that a word?) if she happened to drift into REM laying
on her stomach. Mouth breathers, go figure. Whatever dream she was having was
abruptly interrupted by the loud sonar pinging ring tone emanating from her
cell phone on the night stand beside the bed. Groaning she reached over and fumbled
with the blasted device until the pinging noise ceased. Rolling over onto her
back she sleepily wiped the saliva from her mouth with her forearm and stared
up at the ceiling fan until her eyes adjusted to the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
man</i>, I just fell asleep,” she muttered, complaining to the empty room. She
paused a couple of seconds as if waiting for a sympathetic reply, and then
answered herself. “Duty calls Rebecca, get your skinny butt out of bed,” she
said aloud, addressing her lazy alter ego. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">She sat up and rubbed the
sleep out of tired eyes then picked up her cell phone to see what was what. The
call had gone to voice mail but she didn’t have to think hard to guess who had
called. Her parents were in bed at 9pm every night and since she had no social
life that meant that the caller could only be her annoying partner, detective 1<sup>st</sup>
grade James “Iggie” Ingram, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a.k.a. detective
butthole!</i> Actually that wasn’t kind, in truth Iggie wasn’t a bad guy
really, he was just too old school for Becca, one of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘good ol boys,’</i> you know the type. She tolerated his misogyny and
downright sexist remarks because she knew he was harmless and in his own
annoying way he respected her as his partner and as a woman in the role. The
guy was just from another era, and frankly it was less troublesome to just let
those dinosaurs die out naturally rather than make mountains out of molehills and turn life at the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘house’</i>
into a ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">walking on eggshells’</i>
situation. If he could just shut up during their shifts together she would be a
happy camper. His repertoire of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘back in
the day’</i> anecdotes were wearing her down and frankly he had told them so
many times that he was beginning to repeat them. Becca listened to the voice
mail that he left, “Wakie, wakie Tran, we got a 187 near Echo Park. I’ll pick
you up in twenty minutes or so, give or take, so shake those pretty legs of
yours partner cause’ I’ll be there in a jiffy.” She sneered at the cell phone
and tossed it back onto the nightstand. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Charming
Iggie,”</i> she snarled as she got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to
take a quick shower and dress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
must be a pretty busy night she thought as she undressed leaving a neat pile of
flannel PJs and cotton underpants on the bathmat next to the tub, and stepped
into the hot shower. Becca paused a moment to study the pile clothing and made
a mental note to visit the Victoria’s Secret in the Galleria over on Hawthorne
soon. This pile of boring clothes was probably one of the reasons she was still
single! Well, that and the fact that she lived three blocks from her parents
who reinforced her strict Vietnamese/Catholic upbringing at every opportunity.
Those may have been contributing factors as well. Becca quickly slid the shower
curtain closed and changed her train of thought. There were 3 homicide teams
working graveyard, so it was a little unusual to be called in relief so early
into the witching hour shift, as it were. Well, this was LA after-all, and
violent crime was up in the city of angels according to the LA Times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Exactly
twenty minutes later, while she was blow drying her wet hair, the still of the
night was interrupted by a blaring horn emanating from the Crown Victoria
double parked below her condo on Greene Street. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Iggie!”</i></b> Becca exclaimed,
cursing him under her breath as she set down the hair dryer and swiftly ran a
brush through her shoulder length black hair. She managed four or five strokes
before sprinting out of the bathroom, down the hall and stopping at the small
dining room table. She grabbed a small red gym bag containing her house keys,
her shield and her service weapon, a 9mm Glock 26 tucked safely in a holster
that she wore on her hip. Becca locked the front door from the inside as she
exited, skipping the deadbolt, and let the door slam behind her as she raced
for the stairway at the end of the hall. She took the stairs two at a time in a
footrace to the curb hoping to avoid a second salvo from the unmarked police unit
that Iggie was impatiently sitting in. Becca reached the passenger side and
slapped the window with the palm of her hand just as her partner was about to
lay on the horn again. She listened for the loud click as he electronically
unlocked the door and then eased her way into the empty seat beside him tossing
her gym bag into the backseat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What took you so long Officer Sleepy?”
Iggie asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca uncharacteristically flipped him
the bird as she strapped herself in with the seatbelt. “You’re a real piece of
work Iggie, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you that!</i>” Becca said
folding her arms and giving him the stink eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yeah I know, I get that a lot, mostly
from the wife and kids,” Iggie replied with a grin as he drove away from the
curb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“They must all be Saints,” Becca
muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I wouldn’t know, we’re Baptists
actually,” Iggie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Right, you go to church twice a year,
Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“No, not true, I go to an occasional
funeral, as long as it doesn’t fall on Super Bowl Sunday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alright already. So where’s the fire
anyway?” Becca asked as she yawned and stretched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Couple of patrol cops found a stiff at
the bottom of the Baxter Stairway near Echo Park. CSI is already on the scene
and the coroner is on the way. Sounds pretty cut and dry, we should be done
before daylight. Hey, you feel like pancakes afterward, my treat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Sure, whatever, breakfast is always
good if you’re buying. Any details?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Not many, white male mid to late
twenties. The patrolmen think that he may have been shot near the top of the
stairs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Why do they think that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Apparent GSW behind the left ear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I see. What’s our ETA?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“At this time of night I’d say about
twenty minutes or less.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alright, I’m gonna cat nap until we get
there. Wake me when we’re close, and now clowning around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Whatever do you mean?” Iggie said
feigning innocence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I mean don’t slam on the brakes like
last time,” scolded Becca as she crossed her arms and closed her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Check,” Iggie replied with shit eating grin
as he headed down Greene Street toward the 134 Freeway onramp toward Los
Angeles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Baxter Stairway, Echo Park…Dec 3, 2:00am</span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bix
Kingman stood leaning on the passenger side his patrol car with his chin
resting on his folded arms. He yawned deeply without covering his mouth as he
stared at the nearly empty street in front of him. The CSI team had arrived an
hour ago and they were busily collecting evidence and taking photos of what was
now officially a crime scene. Bix and his partner Sgt. Ray Perez had taped off
the area earlier and now there four other officers strategically placed on the
perimeters keeping back any curious lookie-loos. Mercifully there was little
traffic to deal with on this lonely stretch of Avon Street, south of the 5
freeway and Dodger Stadium. The Baxter Staircase spilled out onto Avon Street,
230 steps below Echo Park. Avon was a side street people used to get to Sunset
Boulevard on their way to or from the craziness of West Hollywood or downtown
LA. During the day it was just another artery with a potential for blockage. At
night however it was an eerie, creepy part of town that most people avoided,
leaving it to lost tourists, aggravated Siri victims, and to the occasional
violent settlements between rival gangs over turf infringements. At the moment
though it was where Bix waited for the detectives to arrive and rescue him from
this boredom. Suddenly Bix’s partner and training officer, Sgt. Ray Perez
slapped both his open palms sharply on the roof of the car snapping Bix out of
his waning state of consciousness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“WAKIE WAKIE!” shouted Sgt. Perez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bix
jolted awake, striking the light bar with his left hand as he stood up
straight, “I’m up, I’m up!” he exclaimed, stumbling as he turned to face the
man with the sergeant stripes. He stared at Ray Perez blankly not knowing what
to expect next. He fought off the urge to rub his eyes not wanting to reveal
how deeply he had dozed off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Comfortable Grace?” Ray asked
sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Sorry Sarge, I just dozed off a second
ago, I swear,” Bix answered sheepishly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Uh huh. Listen rook, CSI is about done and
the detectives should be here any minute, fashionably late as usual.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Who got the call?” asked Bix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Iggie and your buddy Becca Tran,”
answered Ray checking his watch. Bix tried unsuccessfully to stifle a smile.
“What are you grinning about? You crushing on Detective Smalls rookie?” Ray
asked with a wink, teasing his young partner. Becca Tran had been tagged with
that nickname for obvious reasons. But what she lacked in stature young lady
made up for in smarts and courage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What? Me? No way, we’re just friends,”
lied Bix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Riiight.</i>
Well that’s how most romances start young gun. Watch yourself, she’s an order
of magnitude smarter than you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Can we change the subject please?” Bix
pleaded looking up at two sets of approaching headlights. Ray turned his head
to see what had caught Bix’s eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Looks like the coroner and your
girlfriend are arriving,” Ray noted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
two uniforms secured their vehicle and walked to the rear of the car to wait
for the new arrivals to pull up beside them. The Coroner’s station wagon pulled
alongside the patrol car first while the unmarked Crown Victoria pulled up behind,
killing its lights as it stopped ten feet from the patrol officers. Ray nudged
Bix, “I’ll fill in the Coroner and you can bring Iggie and Smalls up to date,”
he said as he walked away toward the station wagon. Bix followed his lead and
walked up to the Crown Victoria as the two detectives climbed out of their
vehicle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Detectives,” Bix said, politely
greeting them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">‘Officer, Kingman is it?” Iggie asked
reading the name tag on Bix’s uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yes sir,” Bix answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I’m Detective Ingram and this is my partner
Detective Tran,” Iggie said pointing over to Becca who was walking up to the
front of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“We’ve met Iggie,” Becca said smiling at
Bix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Oh, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
see</i>,” replied Iggie grinning. Stifling an urge to tease both the young
people Iggie turned his attention back to Bix and the job at hand. He pointed
toward the commotion around the body, now covered with a yellow blanket. The
coroner was busy chatting with one of the CSI team and Bix’s partner Ray Perez
with whom Iggie was well acquainted. “So what’s the story here officer?” he
asked Bix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Well, CSI confirmed that we have a
homicide, the victim received two gunshot wounds from a small caliber weapon,
likely a .22, likely delivered at the first landing about 30 yards up the
staircase,” Bix explained. Iggie and Becca glanced up the staircase in unison
at the taped off area as the officer continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“CSI estimates the time of death somewhere
between 10 and midnight, which seems right because when we got here the body
seemed pretty fresh. The victim was twisted and mangled at the bottom of the
stairs. CSI figures the gunshots killed him instantly and he bounced around
like a ragdoll as he tumbled down the street,” Bix continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“How do they figure that?” asked Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Iggie spit out his chewing gum and
answered for Officer Kingman, “The hands were likely clean and unmarked meaning
that the victim made no effort instinctively to break his fall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“That’s right detective, how’d you know
that?” Bix asked impressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Not my first Rodeo sonny boy. So 10 to
midnight you say,” answered Iggie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Roger that Detective Ingram,” Ray Perez
confirmed joining the meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Hey Ray, good to see you buddy. So I
can assume that neither of you touched the stiff when you rolled up on the
scene, am I right?” Iggie asked, greeting Sgt. Perez with a little professional
sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ray Perez ignored Detective Ingram’s
grandstanding and replied, “Not my first rodeo either Iggie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I see, well what about you young
blood?” Iggie asked gesturing toward Bix with his ball point pen. Ray Perez abruptly
answered for his partner, staring down Detective Ingram. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Officer Kingman remained in the patrol
unit and called for backup. He wasn’t with me when I performed the initial
survey of the area.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Detective Tran sensed that Iggie was
about to say something stupid and escalate the tension between he and Sgt.
Perez. She quickly chimed in, “Alright fellas, keep your tools holstered and
play nice. We’re on the same team, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The two men grunted a sort pf
capitulation and reluctantly accepted Becca’s gentle scolding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You’re right, it’s late and we’re all
tired. Let me finish catching you up,” Ray said sheepishly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Noted Tran. Okay you may proceed
Officer,” Iggie interjected, pulling rank on everyone as senior LAPD
representative and getting in one last friendly jab at Officer Ray Perez. Becca
glared at Iggie and shushed him with the expression on her face. Nothing stops
a man quicker in his tracks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘the look’</i>
from an angry woman!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Thank you Sargent, yes, please fill us
in,” she said with an apologetic smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ray smiled back and continued, “Okay, so
where did Bix leave off?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“The vic was shot twice on the first
landing and tumbled down to the street. CSI estimates a small caliber weapon,
likely a .22, maybe a .32,” Becca answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alright well, not much more to tell,
the CSI guys can give you the grizzly details. Given the GSWs you can assume
that death was instantaneous. Other than that I can tell you that when I
surveyed the area I found no tire marks or evidence that anyone had disturbed
the body. Whoever shot the man must have went back up the stairs to a car waiting
at the top somewhere on Park Drive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Iggie scribbled notes hurriedly onto his
spiral notebook and asked, “Was there any identification on the body or on the
stairway, a wallet or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ray answered quickly, “Yeah, I found the
vic’s wallet, a trifold up on the landing. It was just off the concrete under a
shrub. It was open with his driver’s license visible in center of the wallet.
CSI has it bagged and tagged.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So who was this kid?” asked Iggie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“The name on the DL was Alexander
Whembly, age 28 with a Bel Air address,” answered Ray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What was a silver spoon kid like that
was doing over in this part of town?” Becca wondered out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Filling his spoon I guess,” Iggie
answered flippantly insinuating that the victim was here for a drug deal of
some sort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Did you find any shell casings?” Iggie
asked, careful not to look over at Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“No, the perp was thorough, he or she
must have picked up his brass before he or she left,” Ray answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Why didn’t he or she take the vic’s
wallet as well?” Becca asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Not sure, that’s for you guys to figure
out,” Ray said shrugging his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alright, thanks fellas. We’re gonna go over
and pick the CSI team’s brains now. See you guys back at the house,” Iggie said
extending a hand for Ray to shake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ray gave his hand a firm
shake and motioned to Bix for him to follow him back to the black and white.
Bix reached out and shook Iggie’s hand as well and gave Becca a quick wave then
trotted after Ray toward their patrol unit. Becca waived back and smiled then
turned to catch up to Iggie who had already started walking toward the covered
body. “Wait up Iggie,” she hollered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Detective Ingram pulled up and waited
for his partner. “You through socializing?” he asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca ignored his comment, “Iggie, you
go ahead and talk with CSI, I want to go up to the landing and look around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alright Tran, give me shout if you find
anything interesting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Sure,” she replied and walked over to
the stairs, pausing a second to look up into the darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">She noticed blood splatter
and stains on several steps going up and thought how merciful it was that the
victim was already dead when he bounced down to Avon Street. She glanced back
at the body, secretly glad that it was already covered, the sight must be pretty
gruesome. Blood and gore may be a part of the job, but they were still yucky
and she hoped that she never got so callous as to not be affected by the sight
of them. Slowly she began to climb the 70 or so steps up to the first landing,
glancing around not exactly sure what she was looking for. The pathway was
filthy, littered with all sorts of refuse, most of it soggy due to a spritzing from
an automatic sprinkler system. Becca carefully stepped over and around pieces
of wet newspaper, ad inserts, empty Styrofoam cups, the occasional used condom
(gross!) and whatnot. She pulled a pair of blue surgeon’s gloves from her
pocket and put them on as she neared the landing. It was pretty much as Sgt.
Perez had described it. The wallet was already collected and Ray had not seen
any brass, but Becca knew that another pair of eyes usually found something
that was missed. She shined her flashlight all around the landing and onto the
terrain surrounding it looking for recent footprints or shell casings. No dice,
aside from the blood stains and trash the area was pretty clean. She was about
to turn and head back down to join Iggie and the CSI guys when she noticed
something odd. Near a red flag that CSI had stuck in the dirt next to the
landing, resting on top of a soggy collection of debris was a clean and
noticeably dry business card. She bent down and flipped it over with the tip of
her pencil. Embossed in plain black capital letters on the no frills business
card was “ROODE INVESTIGATIONS.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becca recognized the card
instantly and grinned, the name always sounded more like a statement than an
advertisement. What was Whitey Roode’s business card doing at this crime scene,
a homicide crime scene? Could it be just a coincidence she wondered? She
quickly dismissed the thought, nothing that concerned Whitey Roode was ever
coincidental. At least that had been her experience knowing the man as she did.
Becca had been involved with him on a case a while back involving a murdered Chinese
prostitute and her uncles. That case had been her baptism of fire, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">literally</i>, ending with her shooting to
death a serial killer while she was tucked into an airshaft in her underwear.
To make matters even more interesting Whitey Roode, Detective James Ingram, and
her boss, Lieutenant Wally Price were all pals from way back. Ignoring protocol
Becca picked up the card and put it in her pocket. She headed back down the
stairs, taking them two at a time. She was eager to share this with Iggie and
see his reaction. Her gut was telling her that Whitey was in this up to his
eyeballs. She didn’t know how or why, but she knew Whitey would have clues to
share where this man’s murder was concerned. She reached the street and shouted
over to Iggie waiving the small card, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Got something partner.”</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-7628930919966338842015-09-07T21:17:00.003-07:002018-12-01T11:23:06.646-08:00"If you have it (love), you don't need to have anything else, and if you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have..." J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan)<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"><em>Chapter Ten</em></span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Immaculate
Heart of Mary-Rectory…Dec 2, 10:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Father
Quinn sat in a modest easy chair in the center of his room reading a script
that a parishioner had given him after Mass on Sunday. It wasn’t very good but
it was a welcome distraction from the queries that he’d been peppered with ever
since the puzzling demise of young Megan Malloy and her bundle of joy. The beleaguered
priest had answered hundreds of questions from an equal number of sources, each
curious query a variation of the same theme. Father Quinn was interviewed by
the Police, interrogated by the Bishop, badgered by the media, and soul searched
by himself. At the end of the day none of his replies provided any real
answers. The fact was he had been as shocked and surprised by Megan’s actions
as anyone else. More so really, as he had considered himself a close confident
during the last four or five months of her young life. Apparently they were not
as close as he had thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
set the script onto his lap and rubbed at his tired eyes. None of this made any
sense, at least not to him. It must have made perfect sense to Megan however.
It takes a great deal of resolve to <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">conjure</span> and execute a plan like the one she
had orchestrated that fateful evening. Her choice of suicidal methods was not
an impulsive one, unlike a gunshot or a leap off a tall building her choice was
deliberate and offered many opportunities for a change of heart. Her choice was
most certainly deliberate and it was meant as a message. But what was the message and to
whom was it directed? Was it him? It couldn’t be. He had only known her a short
while but he thought that they had bonded during those months while she
struggled with her decision regarding her pregnancy. He felt as though he had
reasonably helped her off of an emotional ledge without influencing her with
his personal beliefs or tenants of the Church. He had encouraged her to be strong
and to make her own decision without prejudice. Although to be honest he prayed
nightly that Megan would choose unselfishly, whatever that meant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Father
Quinn sighed audibly and set the script beside a cup of cold coffee on the
small table next to his easy chair, a reminder of how long he’d been sitting
there. The weary priest slapped his knees and rose to his full six foot height.
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Why?”</i> he muttered. Why was what
everyone wanted to know, why was what he needed to know. Removing his reading
spectacles he set them on the table on top of the half read script and ambled
toward the door and the hall leading to the lavatory for his before bed shower
and dental hygiene regiment<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i>Growing
up back in the old country his sainted Mother would remind he and is seven brothers
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“A clean body and a clean mind
pleases the Lord.”</i> To which his Father the cynic would reply <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“fat chance luv, not with this brood dearie.”
</i>He smiled at the memory as he entered the lavatory grabbed a towel from the
rack and set out his shaving gear. With the hot water running and beginning to
fog the mirror with steam he starred at his reflection and looked into his own
eyes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why</i> kept nagging at him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What had he missed, could he have prevented
this from happening? Why did she call out to him? Was it even he that she
called out to? What was running through the girl’s mind, what message
was in her tragic action? Did he cause this? Was it something he said? Not
knowing was driving him daft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Perhaps
this Roode character, the private detective that the Bishop had hired can find
the answers that so many were searching for. Father Quinn made up his mind to
research the man more thoroughly. Mr. Roode was crude and disrespectful of the
Church, of any authority the priest expected. But there was a sincerity about
the man that he could not explain or put his finger on. He sensed this from the
moment that they met. Father Quinn turned off the hot water and swished his
razor in the half full basin. As he lathered shaving soap onto his face with the
soft bristled brush he chuckled at the detective’s unusual methods of gathering
information remembering the interview he conducted in the confession box the
other night. Unorthodox at best, sacra religious at the worst. Still you had to
admire the man for his ingenuity, his ability to think outside or inside the
box as it were. The priest chuckled once more and began to shave away his five
o’clock shadow at 11pm. He resolved to look up Whitey Roode in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Baxter
Street stairway, Echo Park…Dec 3, 12:35am<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Officer
Bix Kingman was riding shotgun in the black and white patrol car with his
partner Sgt. Ray Perez at the wheel. They had just stopped for coffee and were
driving north on Park Road alongside Elysian Park when the radio squawked out a
message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“All units in the vicinity of 1421 Avon
Street, a 187 at the Baxter steps, please respond, over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sgt. Perez looked over at his partner, “we’re
nearby, go ahead and respond to the call rookie,” he said nonplussed by the 187
homicide code. Bix reached for the mic and removed it from its cradle, “X-ray
two-niner responding, we’re less than a mile away. What’s the situation, over?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Unknown two-niner, call came in a
couple minutes ago anonymously, over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Roger that, ten-four.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Bix returned the mic to its cradle and
looked over at his training Officer, “So what do ya think Sarge?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Never speculate, just anticipate young
gun. The Baxter stairway is dark and eerie, a made to order murder scene, and
trust me, its seen its fair share. Just go slow and follow my lead,” answered
Ray Perez without looking Bix’s way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Noted,” replied Bix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Call
for back up just in case,” added Sgt. Perez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Roger that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
patrol officers arrived on the scene quickly. It wasn’t exactly what Bix
expected to see. There was a body lying in plain sight at the foot of the long stairway,
illuminated dimly by a shadowy yellowish light emanating from the street lamp
on the cracked sidewalk beside the steps. Other than the stiff there was not a
soul around. That didn’t seem right to Sgt. Perez and Bix read that instantly
in the expression on his face. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Huh?</i> That’s
weird?” muttered Ray Perez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What’s weird?” Bix asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“This is LA man, there are always people
around, especially at a scene like this. The lookie-loos come out of the
woodwork to sneak a peek at something freaky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“<em>Huh?</em> Weird,” replied Bix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Radio dispatch and let them know we’re
on the scene. I’m gonna look around. You wait by the unit for the cavalry to
arrive,” instructed Sgt. Perez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Copy that. Shouldn’t you wait for the backup
Sarge?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ray Perez shot a look Bix’s
way that caused him to wish he could take back his rookie question. “Just call
us in and wait by the nice patrol vehicle like a good little rookie,” replied
Sgt. Perez as he walked over to the dead man while Officer Kingman walked back
to the squad car and shrank back into the passenger seat to do what he was
told. Meanwhile Ray Perez approached the body at the foot of the steps
cautiously. The stiff was a white male and appeared to be in his mid to late
twenties. A little unusual for this area which was primarily Hispanic. His
limbs were all akimbo from the fall and he could see bones protruding from the left
arm and right leg due to obvious compound fractures. The neck was also broken
and the head lay unnaturally in a pool of blood, the eyes wide open staring at
nothing. Ray knew better than to disturb a crime scene and resisted the
temptation to turn the body over with his baton so instead he turned his
attention away from the victim. He glanced up the steep stairway that led up
to Park Drive. It appeared darker the higher up he looked due to several shot
out street lamps that were supposed to light the way. That made walking up the
stairway a little dicey as whoever may have killed this fella could still be
lurking in the area. Keeping his hand on the butt end of his service weapon, a
9mm Glock 26 he started up the stairway to have a look around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sgt. Perez walked slowly up
the stairway to the first landing and shined his powerful mag light in all four
directions of the compass covering 360 degrees in less than a minute. He had seen
signs of the victim’s trajectory on the way up by way of the blood trail
leading to where the body lay. But on the landing he saw something different.
On the cement and the surrounding shrubs and turf there was clearly a splatter
pattern which meant this was definitely a homicide. Whoever it was lying at the
bottom of the stairs below had been shot before he took the plunge, probably in
the head and likely from a large caliber round, possibly a .45 hallow point
given the expanse of the splatter pattern. He shined his mag light further up
the stairway but did not leave the landing. This was going to a full on crime
scene investigation and standard procedure is for patrol officers to NOT fuck
up a crime scene by playing detective. He didn’t need a nickel lecture from one
of the gold shields tonight. Ray turned to leave when the beam of light from
his mag flashed over something in the weeds. He crouched and looked closer. It
was an open wallet, likely the victim’s. He got as close as ne could without
stepping onto the soft surface of the bed of dirt and grass that the wallet sat
upon. The driver’s license was in middle part of a tri-fold wallet in a see-through
section. He read it aloud, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Alexander Whembly,”</i>
he muttered. Alright, now they had a name to go with the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Ray Perez rose and trotted
back down the steps and called over to Bix, “Cancel the bus rookie, call the
coroner and CSI instead, this is a definitely homicide,” he shouted. He looked
once more at the body and then shined his powerful light across the street. A
couple of onlookers had pulled over to watch the proceedings. Ray waived them
on their way and went back to the patrol car. He popped the trunk and retrieved
to large rolls of yellow barrier tape, tossing one to Bix as he passed by on
his way to the crime scene. As he did so two more black and white units rolled
onto the scene. Together they sealed off the area and divided it into quadrants
for CSI and the detectives. It was going to be a long night and he was hungry,
he and Bix still hadn’t had their dinner break. There wasn’t a fast food joint
or donut shop for miles. Worse than that there wasn’t a head either. Oh well,
it wouldn’t be the first call of nature that he had to answer in natural
surroundings. The graveyard shift always sucks! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-88528891290416962482015-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:002018-12-01T11:23:22.081-08:00"Whatever happened to my favorite places..." Brian Wilson<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For my family</span></span></em></div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></em> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><span style="font-family: "arial";">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><span style="font-family: "arial";">Father Hollyweird</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><span style="font-family: "arial";">Chapter Nine</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hollenbeck
Station, LAPD…Dec 2, 10:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Detective
Rebecca Tran sat at her desk staring at the yellow legal pad containing her
notes from a long day of interviews. She ignored the computer screen that was
flashing on and off as it put itself to sleep and then woke itself up
intermittently. The squad room was busy but not chaotic so the noise level wasn’t
too distracting, in fact it was helping her to keep from dozing off her own
self. Becca gnawed on her #2 pencil as she flipped the five or six pages of
notes back into place and then removed the pencil from her mouth and laid it
gently onto the pad of yellow lined paper. She reached across the desk for a thick crimson
colored ceramic mug with bright yellow letters announcing to the room
that she was a USC graduate, or at the very least a Trojan fan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leaning back in her chair
she raised the mug to her lips but did not sip at the cold coffee inside.
Instead she fixated on the square faced clock on the wall across the room.
She watched the second hand jump from mark to mark and even though she was too
far away to hear the mechanical ticks she imagined she could. Lost in thought
she didn’t notice the uniformed officer that had walked up to her desk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Everything alright detective?” asked
the officer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Becca didn’t answer straight away, and
the officer waived a hand in front of her face and repeated the question. “Are
you okay detective?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Becca
snapped out of her trance, startled by the officer’s hand breaking the
connection between the clock and her subconscious. She involuntarily completed
the hand to mouth motion that she had started with her mug and banged it
against her two front teeth, splashing a small amount of cold coffee onto her
desktop in the process. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Son of a ….!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The male officer stepped back quickly to
avoid getting splashed himself as Becca slammed the mug back onto her desk,
further soaking the notes she had just spent that couple of hours studying. “Oh
brother! Was that really necessary Bix?” she asked looking for something to
clean up the small puddle of mud covering her work. The officer stifled a grin
and apologized. “Sorry Becca, I was just making sure that you were alright, you
looked like you were going to hurl or something,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Detective Tran scolded the officer sarcastically
as she worked at cleaning up the mess he had caused her to make. “I was
thinking Officer Kingman! That was my thinking face not my puking face. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geez!”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Let me help,” offered Officer Kingman,
grabbing a box of tissue from her neighbor’s desk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Thanks,” Becca replied, flashing an embarrassed
smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
watched him clear away items from her desktop as he methodically went about restoring
order to the spill zone. The man had an organized approach to the task at hand,
she liked that, neatness was an endearing quality in a man in her book. Maybe
this guy had a future career with CSI and forensics? Officer grinned at her
sheepishly as he worked, slightly embarrassed himself for the mess he’d caused.
Like they say, no good deed goes unpunished he thought. Becca smiled back and
girlishly regarded him for a moment. She knew him from her early days as a
patrol officer, just before her promotion to Detective. He was a rookie then,
young and dumb as the veterans say. That wasn’t a derogatory term, it’s just
the way it is, everyone comes to the job that way. They had never worked
together but were cordial in passing and until this very moment she had never
really noticed him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
was a handsome enough fella, big and tall and let’s just say that the uniform fit
him well. Of course everyone seemed big and tall to Becca compared to her small
Asian stature. Bartholomew Bixby Kingman was a six foot three inch African
American who came from a family of five (two brothers, a mom and a dad). The entire
family was involved with the law in one form or another. His parents were both
attorneys and devout Baptists. They raised their boys to think right and to do right,
the road to perdition was never an option for them. Their mother would tell
them often that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it was the straight and
narrow or face the slings and arrows.</i> And in keeping with their faith,
Ronald and Margret Kingman named each of their son’s Bartholomew after the
Apostle. They used their middle names to differentiate between the three of
them, naming them after various family members. The boys were in descending
order, Bartholomew Bertrand Kingman, Bartholomew Baxter Kingman, and
Bartholomew Bixby Kingman. Naturally they each went by their middle names or
shortened versions thereof and referred to themselves as Bert, Bax, and Bix.
And in further keeping with the family tradition they followed their parents
into the law. Bert was an ADA (assistant district attorney in New York). Bax
was a Deputy Sherriff in of all places Kingman, Arizona. And Bix, who chose the
LAPD was standing right in front of her with a puzzled look on his face. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What?</i>
Do I have something on my face?” Bix asked, brushing at his mouth and nose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Huh? Oh, no, you’re okay. I wasn’t staring
at you, I was thinking. Remember, this is my thinking face,” Becca stammered
trying not to look guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Right. Well, how’s that, better?” Bix
replied, motioning to her clean desktop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Becca scanned the area and answered quickly.
“Yeah, much better, thank you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bix tossed the wet tissues into the
waste basket next to her desk and turned to walk away. “Well, glad you’re okay,
I didn’t mean to startle you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Forget it, not your fault. I was just
chewing on some facts on this case I’m working with Iggie is all,” replied Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“”Oh yeah? What case?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“We’re working on that apparent suicide
by fire at the Egyptian Theater a while back.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Really? I remember that, it was a
pretty gruesome scene. What are you investigating, I thought it was a closed
case, an obvious suicide.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Nothing is ever as obvious as it looks
Bix, remember that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I see, well I gotta run, my shift’s
starting and Ray is over there tapping his wrist watch and giving me the stink
eye. Say hey to Iggie for me and good luck with the case,” Bix said as he
trotted toward the exit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Okay, be safe out there!” replied Becca
as she watched Bix and Ray leave the squad room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
raised her two arms high overhead and did a big girl stretch, time to go home
and get some rest. It was too late to go out and eat and the vending machines had
nothing to offer her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘my body is my
temple’</i> diet. She’d just settle for a bowl of Corn Flakes with an Ovaltine
kicker when she got back to her apartment. Becca gave the yellow legal pad one
more blotting with some tissue before she stuffed it into her briefcase. She locked
her desk with the keys that she pulled from her purse then got up and pushed
her chair neatly into its space under the center drawer. She reached over and
turned off the small desk lamp left the room. As she walked out of the building
and headed for her car in the parking lot she thought about the day’s events.
She and Iggie had canvassed the rescue mission and the girl’s high school, but
nothing really useful was discovered during those interviews beyond her name
and age. The mission people had described Megan Malloy as quiet and polite and
otherwise unassuming. The high school did not have much more insight to share.
Megan’s time there was uneventful, in fact she a ghost by all accounts, a
shadow graduate. She literally passed through the halls of education unnoticed.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Megan
belonged to no clubs or ran with any cliques and from anyone could remember had
no real friends. She was loner and to Becca’s mind that wasn’t normal. The only
teacher who actually remembered her was her homeroom teacher, Mr. Garvey who
also had her in his math class for a couple of years (algebra and geometry). He
recalled her as a solid “C” student, unremarkable academically or socially. He
recalled thinking that she could probably use a session or two with the school
psychologist. But when he was asked why all he said was that she just gave off
a weird vibe. However when Becca followed up on that she found that no such
session ever took place. After graduation Megan just disappeared into the world,
remaining unnoticed until that night at the Egyptian Theater. Weird? Becca
decided that she and Iggie would pay a visit to the priest, Father Quinn
tomorrow. He had to know something more than what was in the file from the
night of the suicide. No offence to the officers on the scene, but patrol cops don’t
always dig for more than the facts. And as everyone knows, the devil is always
in the details (no pun intended). Besides, the man had just made a movie about
her life. Yeah, he knew more than he gave up at the scene and she was going
find out what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Becca pushed the button on
her keychain and her car beeped and flashed the headlights in response. She
climbed into the driver’s side and tossed her briefcase onto the passenger
seat. Unconsciously she locked all of the doors, a reflex she’d acquired after
long driving lesson session with her over protective father. Good daughter! The
BMW’s engine came to life with a twist of her wrist as she backed out of her
space and drove out of the lot onto 1<sup>st</sup> Street to start her commute
back to Pasadena. She thought some more about Father Quinn and wondered how she
would approach the interview. She was a good Catholic and respected the collar
but she was a good cop as well and knew that she may have to press him in spite
of her devotion to her faith. In the end she would do what she was trained to
do and discover whatever needed to be discovered. Under her breath in a very small
voice she prayed for guidance and asked God to please keep her partner’s Neanderthal
tendencies in check. <span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Detective
Rebecca Tran merged onto the 10 Fwy east and disappeared into the LA night.
Tomorrow’s gonna be another day…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">
</span></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"></span> </span> </span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em></em></span></span></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-38360845043898316952015-04-19T21:00:00.000-07:002018-12-01T11:23:39.279-08:00"Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrafice everything else for it."...J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan <div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Father Hollyweird</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Chapter
Eight</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Los
Angeles Times, 202 W. 1<sup>st</sup> St 11:13pm</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Current
events are just that, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">current</i>. It’s
why a journalist’s job is pretty much 24/7. It’s not too much different
time-wise from a cop’s life. Sure, you work a shift but the reality is you’re on
call 24/7. Whether it’s a badge you wear or a “press card” that you carry, if
either of these are your gig then you’re pretty much always on the job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">My
media contact, a rotund smart-ass newsman named Bradley Tremaine, an old friend,
was standing out in front of the LA Times corporate offices waiting for me. Ignoring
the “No Parking” sign I drove my old Chevy Covair up to the curb beside him.
Leaning over to the passenger side I cranked down the window (like I said, my
car is old) so my chubby buddy could stick his big noggin inside.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You’re late Whitey, I’ve got a cab
coming to drive me to LAX,” he said in a monotone voice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yeah well I prefer to see it as just in
time. Toss your bag in the back and hop into the copilot seat butterball. I’ll
drive you to the airport, you can fill me in on the way,” I replied nonplussed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What about the taxi?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fuck
him</i>, it won’t be the first time he’s been stiffed, won’t be the last
either. Perils of the job mate.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yeah but…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“But nothing buddy boy! Look you didn‘t
give the cabbie your ID right? So get in and let’s go Polly Anna, geez!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Alright, alright, quit your nagging, I
already have a mother thank you!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Brad
opened the door, folded down the front passenger seat and tossed his duffle bag
in back then climbed in beside me and slammed the door shut. He set a fat
backpack on his lap and settled in looking for the seatbelt. He’d never driven
with me before so he didn’t realize he was wasting his time. Like I said, my
car was old and predated “big brother’s” safety mandate. I sped away from the
curb chirping the tires and headed down 1<sup>st</sup> Street toward the Hollywood
freeway in route to Los Angeles International Airport. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What airline are you flying?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“American,” replied Brad as he gave up
the search for the nonexistent seatbelt without asking for an explanation. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Smart kid</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“My condolences,” I said sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What? Problems in the friendly skies
gumshoe?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Nah, just a personal preference. I’m a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘United’</i> man myself, the stews are better
looking.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Don’t you mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">flight attendants</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Nope! I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stewardesses.</i> Flight attendants include the males and they don’t
enhance my travel experience the way the stews do if you get my drift.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yeah, I get ya Whitey, you’re a misogynist
Neanderthal. I thought we’d evolved beyond you dinosaurs?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Fat chance butterball, boys will always
be boys. So, what was it you had to show me that you couldn’t just tell me over
the phone? You know you put me in the doghouse with my girl back there.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“She’ll get over it Whitey, more to the
point she’ll get over you sooner or later.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“OUCH! Leave the head shrinking to the
pros buddy and enlighten me already.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Brad
ignored me and reached into his backpack. He pulled out a mangled manila folder
that had seen better days, much like the frazzled and faded sport coat he was
wearing. I glanced over and could see that the folder contained a few official
looking documents as well as several photographs. My spider sense was definitely
tingling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What do you have there?” I asked, my
anxious voice betraying my excited curiosity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Fruits of my labor my good man, fruits
of my labor,” he answered with a grin as he tapped the folder and closed it
shut. This was gonna cost me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You seem pretty proud of yourself Brad
old buddy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I am actually, some of my better work
if I do say so myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Well? Clue me in chubs, I’m all ears.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Business first Whitey, you know the
drill.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Riiiight. How much?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“$500. The usual rate, $100 and hour to
the tune of five fruitful hours.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Only if the info is useful.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Naturally.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Alright, spill it.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Little background first. I was pouring over
all of the amateur You-Tube footage and reading broadcast copy when one aspect
kept buzzing around my face like a gnat at a summer BBQ.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“And what did you see pray tell?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“It wasn’t what I saw so much as what I
heard Miss Crispy say just before she lit the match.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Miss Crispy? Really Chubs? That’s low
even for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I suppose you’re right, call it unprofessional
sarcasm. What was her name anyways?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Megan, her name was Megan Malloy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Right, so I got hung up on Miss Malloy’s
last words.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I love you father?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Exactly, those words.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What about them?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Well isn’t that your whole case for the
Arch Diocese? The Holy men want you make sure that Megan wasn’t pointing a French
fried finger at the priest she was friendly with, am I right?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Something like that,” I replied
glancing over at him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Anyway, I did some digging for you and found
a couple of nuggets I think will interest you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“We’ll see, go on.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“SO, the $64,000 question is who was
Megan Malloy referring to in her dying declaration? Care to guess?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I give up, who?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Actually I don’t know. But it could be
this fella,” Brad said opening the folder and tapping on the contents inside.
He pulled out a photograph of a twentysomething blue eyed blue blood young man.
Not exactly what I was expecting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I glanced down at the picture in his
lap. “Who is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Miss Malloy’s baby daddy, I think.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Impossible!</i>
I’ve seen the birth certificate, there was no father listed.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You saw a birth certificate. Did you
happen to notice the clerk’s stamp?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I started to answer <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘of course’</i> when I realized that I had not. “You have the actual
birth certificate?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I do.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“How did you manage that?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sources are confidential Whitey, stupid
question.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Right, show me the document and picture
again.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I studied them both while we waited for
the light to change. “This fella doesn’t fit the profile I’d conjured. I was
expecting a junkie or otherwise ne’er do well of some sort. The young man in
this photo is too clean cut and actually appears respectable.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Not all louses are dirty and diseased.
The world is lousy with ‘clean cut’ vermin taking advantage of young
impressionable women. Don’t make me dredge up Bill and Monica.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Touché,” I replied handing back the
papers as the light changed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“So what do you know about this Alex
Wembley character?” I asked referring to the name on the birth certificate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Brad
pulled out a small spiral notebook from his coat pocket. He flipped back a few
pages and read from his copious notes as I merged onto the 105 Freeway toward
LAX. “Alexander Wembley, age 24, graduated from UCLA class of 2007 with a
degree in Economics, minoring in Finance. He recently completed his MBA from
Pepperdine University and is currently employed as an account executive with
the firm Bates, Wembley, and Stein. That’s right, he works for dear old Dad.
And, he comes from old money. A lot of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">”Interesting,” I said, rolling my eyes and
making the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hmmmm</i> face with a droopy
frown and nodding head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“There’s more,” Brad added.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Do tell, what do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Well it turns out that the apple doesn’t
always fall next to the tree. In Alex Wembley’s case it couldn’t have fallen
further.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“How so?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Daddy Wembley is your classic country
club, money grabbing womanizer. Junior on the other hand is 180 degrees from
his father.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Spare me the diatribe Chubs and stick
to the facts,” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Alright, in a nutshell the old man
drove Junior into the family business, and into manhood for that matter. Miss
Malloy was a graduation present who tragically got knocked up during their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘tryst’</i> of fate.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“YIKES!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“It gets better. Junior and Miss Malloy
were both seeing Father Quinn but for different reasons and unbeknownst to one
another.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Really? This is starting to sound like
a Tele-Mundo script.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I KNOW IT!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Well we know Megan’s reason, what was
Alex’s?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Hold onto your Fedora gumshoe, the lad
is secretly attending seminary at St. John’s in Camarillo.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“But Alex lives and works in LA?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“It’s the 21<sup>st</sup> century
Whitey, he attends on line and only goes onto campus once a week for sessions
with his advisor and sponsor.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Let me guess, his sponsor is Father
Quinn.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The one and only.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Does he know about the connection
between them?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Unknown Whitey, that’s for you to
figure out, you’re the detective. But if you ask me he had to. He’s a priest, I’m
sure he’s seen it all in his profession and from what I’ve heard about him he doesn’t
strike me as an ignorant man.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Well I’ve met him personally and he is definitely
not ignorant, so he must have a good reason for keeping that under his hat. I’m
gonna have to talk to him about that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You mean his ‘biretta’,” Brad said
matter-of-factly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“His what?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Biretta, it’s a priest hat,” he
answered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Whatever Chubs, we’re here,” I replied
pulling up to the curb teaming with travelers in all shapes and sizes headed
for God knows where.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You better hop out quickly, you don’t want
to miss your flight. Where are you headed anyway, I never asked?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Seattle, why, does it matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Not really, I’ve got your cell number.
Can I keep the folder?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Sure, as soon as you fork over the
dough Joe.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What was the damage again?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“$500 Whitey, stop trying to cheat me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. I always carry cash,
never trusted banks or the little plastic bandits they issue to fools willing
to pay fees and risk identity theft by some unscrupulous teller or manager. I
peeled off five crisp hundred dollar bills and slapped them into Brad’s open
palm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You should be wearing a mask,” I
quipped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Pleasure doing business with you
Whitey,” Brad replied as he got out of the car. He reached in grabbed his
duffle, shook my hand then slammed the door shut and walked away toward the
terminal. </span></span><br />
</div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: large;">I leaned over cranked the window up sealing out the
night air and traffic noise then pulled away from the curb before the airport cops
got a chance to cite me. As I merged with the throng of comers and goers I
replayed everything Brad had shared on the way here. The Alex angle was interesting
on its own but the Father Quinn secrecy angle was the one I wanted to explore
next. I may have made a bad assumption about the sanctity of the confessional
the other night. I had a whole new set of questions to ask the good Father only
this time it was going to be on my terms on my turf. After that I’d track down Master
Alex Wembley and pick his squeaky clean brain. A good detective is only as good
as his instincts and his instincts are only as good as the information he
gathers. Brad was a good source and he really came through. Memo to self, I owe
my round friend a couple dozen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Krispy Kreme’s</i>
when he gets back from Seattle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-57646189594603888802014-12-19T03:27:00.001-08:002018-12-01T11:23:54.978-08:00(”And I’m not sure I believe anything I feel.")…Goo Goo Dolls<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></span></em></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Seven</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Bella
Terra Restaurant…December 2, 2009…10:00pm</span></em></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Angelo
and Johnny Manzano had a pretty sweet deal going with their glorified pizza
joint. Actually Johnny (Fat Johnny to his close friends of which I am lucky to
be one of) would swat me right in the kisser with his Frankenstein sized hand if
he heard me say that out loud. The boys were pals of mine from way back when I
walked a beat downtown and they were a proud pair when it came to the Bella
Terra. To be fair the place was much more than a pizza joint, it was a full on
restaurant that just happened to make the best damn pizza pie in all of Los
Angeles. So forgive my crass reference to it as a <em>joint</em> and let’s call it a <em>grotto</em>
instead, that sounds classier. Not accurate mind you as there is no
outdoor seating whatsoever, but what the hell, I like the way <em>grotto</em> sounds it just has a certain <em>je ne sais quoi</em>. Be that as it may,
suffice to say Bella Terra was one of my top five hang outs, actually number
two just after Casey’s Pub. So it wasn’t unusual to find me here even at this
time of night. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
enjoy late night suppers when the crowds are gone and it’s just me, the boys
and the staff, perfect right? Tonight would have been one of those perfect
nights except for the fact that tonight was date night for me and Judy Looney,
currently my significant other. Just to bring you up to speed, my <em>“life of Riley”</em>
existence had been recently dismantled by a rat bastard named Jai Li who murdered
my former wife (turned transsexual), who by the way just happened to be involved
with said significant other. Confused? You’ll get used to it. In a nutshell,
the former Rhonda Roode left me after several less than perfect years of marriage,
changed teams and became Ronnie Roode, the <em>“fella”</em>
who won the favor of my heart’s desire, the lovely and brainy Dr. Judith
Looney. That’s right I said doctor, I told you she was brainy. But I digress.
Like I said, Ronnie was whacked by a whacko thereby freeing up Dr. Looney and <em>viola</em>,
I’m a couple again! Admittedly relationships have obvious advantages. Let’s face it nobody wants to be alone for long, am I right? I’m no exception,
although I do on occasion frustrate people to the point of wishing they were
alone again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You’re doing it again,” whined Judy
Looney as she sipped at her Chianti.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I flinched and reached for the carafe to
refill my own glass with the red stuff, “Sorry doll, I was thinking of you,
honest!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Riiiight!” Judy replied sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So spill it Whitey, what are you
working on now? And it better be good since you didn’t notice my new dress.”
she asked trying to sound more interested than her expression indicated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Aww come on Judy give me a little
credit, how could I miss that? I love you in basic black and slinky, you look
good enough to eat sugar pie,” I said laying it on thick. I was trying to
distract her with some titillating table chatter because the wheels in my head
were just beginning to roll and I wasn’t ready to share details.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Every girl looks good in black and
slink Whitey, you’re gonna have to do better than that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Naturally doll-face! Hey did you do
something different with your hair? Are those new shoes? They’re so cute!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Knock it off Roode, you’re such a liar!
Fine! If you don’t want to talk about your business just say so. I’ll tell you
about mine instead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Decision time. I could either share
what was rolling around in my noggin or settle in for a fun filled night of
forensic science shop talk. Hmmm, not a hard choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Alright sweetness, I surrender, you’ve
trumped my ‘pensive silence card’ with your ‘let me tell about my day card’
well played.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Judy smiled wily and sipped on her wine.
Actually, it was more of a smirk but hell, I deserved it. “I really don’t know
a lot yet, but I can share this much.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Fair enough, that’ll do for now,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Did you read about that woman who set
herself and her kid on fire at the Egyptian a while back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Sure, I read it in the Times and it was
all over the TV as well. It looked awful, the poor thing was not much more than
a kid herself. And the rumor is the baby was the priest’s love child. Forbidden
fruit from the forbidden tree so to speak.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I rolled my eyes, now I know
why the Church hired me. They need these gossip sparks to fizzle before they
flare up into a full blown firestorm. The tabloids were already spinning stories in whatever
direction that sold copies. The major publications like the Times and the
Chronicle were playing it cool for the moment but that wouldn’t last long, business
is business. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Really? The Times actually printed
that?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“No, I read that part in the Star while
I was waiting in line at the market,” confessed Judy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I see. You know you should try shopping in
Chinatown. The tabloids there are written in Chinese so you won’t be able to poison your mind. Shame on
you for quoting that rag Dr. Looney,” I said, lightheartedly scolding her for giving credit to the
yellow journalists from the Hollywood Star.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Judy
rolled her own eyes and glanced at the menu. She already knew it by heart but
she liked making me wait while she made her choice. After a moment of silence
she tapped her index finger on page two and grinned at me wickedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yeah, well that little quip will cost
you gumshoe, I think I’ll have the Italian surf and turf with a bottle of Cristal.
Think your wallet can handle that honey?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’m
still not used to being called that, makes me feel so domesticated. I nodded my
head in the affirmative, poured myself a refill and signaled the waiter to
bring another carafe of Chianti. “Knock yourself out doll face, sky’s the limit
tonight, this meal is on the Vatican,” I answered with a grin of my own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What are you having?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I think I’m gonna drink my supper tonight
babe. Cheers,” I answered with a wink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Suit yourself Whitey. Now fill me in, I’m
all ears.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Right, okay well like I said I don’t know
much yet. But here’s what I can say so far. FACT, a nineteen year-old mommy
walked into the middle of Hollywood Boulevard right in front of Grauman’s Egyptian
Theater and then before God and Country she doused herself and her newborn child with
gasoline from a baby bottle and lit a match. FACT, her last words recorded by
God knows how many smart phones were <em>‘I
love you father.’</em> FACT, the young lady was the subject of a documentary
film by a popular activist priest, the Reverend Nicholas Aloysius Quinn.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Oh, Father Hollyweird, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Whatever. The point is he’s<strong> <em>Father</em></strong> Quinn, get it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Are you implying that the girl’s last
words were meant for the priest? Speculation Whitey.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I know, I’m just saying for now. Anyway,
continuing, FACT the baby’s birth certificate does not identify a father.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“How do you know that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I’ve got friends all over town sugar,
nuff said.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I see, continue.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As I was saying, FACT, biological father
unknown. FACT, mommy dearest was an orphan living at a Church sponsored halfway
house for teenage mothers. FACT, Father Quinn is the Parish Priest of the
sponsoring Church. FACT, the media is hot on Father Quinn’s trail digging for
dirt to sling, real or imagined.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Have they found anything yet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Not yet, but you know how it is, if you
stir a pot long enough something odd always bubbles to the surface.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“When did you become such a philosopher?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Just now, I have my moments.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So no shit has hit the proverbial fan yet. Lucky
Father Quinn. Have you met him?” Judy said as her meal arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah,
and my gut says he’s a good egg. A nice guy doing a nice thing. But you know
what they say, no good deed goes unpunished,” I answered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I hate that saying,” quipped Judy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Me too, but truer words were never
spoken. Anyway the last FACT is this, a good man is going to pay an unfair price
very soon. I figure I’ve got 48 to 72 hours to crack this case before all the guns aimed
at Father Quinn go off at once. It’ll be a virtual public execution.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our
server, a pretty young blond, arrived and delivered another carafe of Chianti
to the table with a friendly wink. I returned the friendly gesture with one of my own and she
moved onto the next table. My innocent flirtation had not gone unnoticed and
Judy folded her arms and gave me the stink eye. “Honestly Whitey, you are such
a hound!” she whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I winked at her as well, “now,
now, you know that’s just part of my charm. You’re my girl Dr. Looney, I’ve
only got eyes for you,” I said laying it on thick, <em>again</em>. I do that a lot.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I am for the moment Mr. Flirty but you better watch
your p’s and q’s buddy!” she replied pretending to be angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So what’s your next move? What’s your
plan Stan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Naturally I want to rule Father Quinn
out as a suspect. So that brings me to the favor part of this dinner. If I can
talk Father Quinn into giving me a swab, when can you work you magic and test
the girl’s remains for his DNA in shall we say sensitive areas?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You’re impossible Roode!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><em>“I love you?” </em>I replied with puppy dog eyes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Spare me Whitey, I don’t have any clout
with the Coroner’s office so I doubt if I will have access to her remains. And even if I
can swing it, I really doubt the condition of her remains will support what you’re asking me to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You’re a Professor, just give it the
old college try. I have faith in your talents.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Judy sighed heavily as she cut herself a
piece of steak, “I’ll do what I can but don’t expect much. Bring me the swab early
in the morning because I have a class to teach,” Judy replied with a mouthful
of medium rare beef.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Thanks doll, you’re aces!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Judy
grunted an expletive while she sawed off another hunk of meat when the cute
blond waitress reappeared, “Mr. Roode?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Yeah, something wrong?” I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You have a call at the bar sir,” she
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Okay, thanks," I replied with a smile.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">"I'll be right back babe, I
wonder who that could be?” I said, excusing myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“When are you going to get a cell phone
like everyone else in the 21<sup>st</sup> century?” Judy asked a little
perturbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“<em><strong>Never</strong></em>. I actually prefer the peace and quiet of
the last century, well the first half anyway,” I answered as I walked away to
answer the call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
phone was sitting on the corner of the bar with the handset laying beside an old
style rotary telephone. I picked it up, “Roode here, who’s this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“It’s me, Brad,” the voice answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“How’d you track me down butterball?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“For a private eye you’re not very
stealth Whitey, and you’re uber predictable as well. I just call around to all the bars and
chow houses around town. It doesn’t take long, I know all of your favorite hang
outs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“<em>Touche</em>.
So what’s on your mind?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I think I may have a line on the baby’s
biological father. Can you meet me at the office?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“When?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I’m kinda sorta in the middle of date
night Paley.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“She’ll dump you sooner or later anyway,
your women always do. Pay the tab and cut your losses. I’m leaving town in the
morning so it’s now or never Whitey.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“You can’t just tell me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Nope, you need to see this. When can
you be here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Give me forty minutes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Make it thirty and I’ll wait, otherwise
<em>sayonara</em>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“Okay Bradley-san, see you in thirty,” I
muttered hanging up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
watched Judy’s expression change from content to contempt as I returned to the table.
I started to sit back down when she cut in abruptly, “Don’t bother Whitey. I
can see you’re about to give me some lame excuse for leaving before dessert. You’re on
the job, I get it. Leave me a c-note and beat it gumshoe,” she barked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
peeled a hundred dollar bill from the wad of mad money in my pocket and set it
under the carafe on the table. “Thanks doll, I'll make it up to you,” I said. She didn’t
look up from her plate or acknowledge me. I guess I’m back in the dog house,
<em>again</em>. That's the story of my life, I ought to have my mail delivered there. On that note I turned and walked
out of the restaurant. I saw Angelo on the way out. He was sitting at a corner table in front near the cash register shaking his head slowly as I passed by. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What can I say, once a heel always a
heel,” I said reaching the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“I will make sure that your lady friend gets
home safely,” Angelo replied.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“Thanks,” I said, walking out into the LA night.</span><em></em></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-21487795714196303822014-09-08T03:16:00.000-07:002018-12-01T11:24:11.854-08:00(”You don’t know how it feels, you don’t know how it feels, to be me.")…Tom Petty<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For my family</span></span></em></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Six</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">St.
Francis Rescue Mission…December 2, 2009…9:00am<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Becca
Tran sighed and chewed on her lower lip while she waited impatiently for the
stoplight to change. It never fails she thought, whenever you’re in a hurry you
hit every red light, nice! If she factored in the fact that her partner,
Detective Bob ‘Iggie’ Ingram had been yammering nonstop about his latest
relationship failure, she had the perfect crappy day storm brewing. All she
needed now was her monthly visitor to arrive early and she’d hit the trifecta.
Iggie’s voice droned in a monotone in the background as he whined about little
Miss so and so. Becca could care less but she was trapped for the moment.
Honestly she thought, keeping this nimrod focused on the job was an impossible
feat, Iggie was a true Wednesday’s child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So what should I do?” he asked
finally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Becca frowned and pretended not to
hear him. She didn’t want to take sides and by doing so involve herself in
Iggie’s woeful life. Besides she hadn’t really been paying attention. Iggie
turned in his seat and pressed her for a reply, “come on Becca, you’re a woman,
was I wrong or what?” he asked impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Alright he asked for it, she decided
to invoke the universal female axiom, the triple whammy that ALL males were
forced to accept, specifically, rule number one, the woman is always right,
rule number two, the man is always wrong, and the tiebreaker, rule number
three, in case of confusion refer to rule number one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Of course you were wrong, geez, get
over it!” Becca barked, discouraging further discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yeah but…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“But nothing Iggie, we’ve got work to
do man, put a sock in it for now!” Becca added quickly, cutting him off in
mid-sentence as the light changed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">That seemed to do the trick as Iggie
shifted gears mentally in sync with their unmarked Crown Victoria and focused his
attention to the task at hand, bowing to the will of the young woman in the
driver’s seat. He turned his attention to the road as they sped ahead and
noticed the signpost announcing that they were entering the city of Reseda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What are we doing in the Valley?” he
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“While you were drowning your sorrows
over getting dumped last night, I was doing a little advance work,” answered
Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Well la-de-da Detective Brown Nose.
You think you’re better than me newbie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I know I’m better that you Iggie,
everyone knows that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Whatever!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Don’t worry Iggie, we’re partners, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am I right?</i>” Becca said apologetically.
She didn’t mean to be mean but bluntness was her way. Speaking too soon was a
rough edge that she was working on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Right. So what’s in the Valley
partner?” Iggie asked with only a trace of sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Looks like Mommy dearest was a
runaway, and a recent one at that. I’m guessing her condition was the driver,”
answered Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I see, so are we here to interview
her family?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Not exactly. Her mother is dead and
her father is currently operating under the radar so to speak.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So who are you planning to quiz?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Social Services placed her in foster
care at first.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“But she was pregnant, they don’t
place pregnant teens in foster care,” Iggie noted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yeah well she lied about that at
first but as soon as they found out she was routed back into the system.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“How’d they find out?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Really Iggie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Oh yeah, right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Anyway Social Services found her a
bed at this rescue mission we’re driving to, that’s where we'll start.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Okay,
what about High School, did she go locally?”<br />
“Yeah as a matter of fact, she graduated from Reseda High a couple of years
ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“We
should go there too and talk with the staff, see what we can see.”<br />
“Way ahead of you Iggie, we’ve got an 11:00am appointment with Principle
Landry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Great. Does he have a first name?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yes, it’s Barbara.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Check.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“How about the baby’s father, do we
have a name for him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“That’s the $64,000.00 question. The
birth certificate doesn’t list one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I see, another immaculate conception.
My sister Rose had one of those.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Don’t be a jerk Iggie,” scolded
Becca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Sorry, so any leads at all on the
fella?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Not yet but she may have told the
priest. I mean he did make a film about her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Oh yeah, Father Hollyweird, I’ve
heard of him. He’s sort of a celebrity in this town.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You’re the second person today to
call him that, what gives?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“It’s a long short story. In a
nutshell the padre is a bit of a trouble maker in the community. He likes to make
expose films between Sunday Masses. Usually touching on subjects that the
Hollywood A-listers would just as soon remained under the carpet where most
dirt belongs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What’s so weird about that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Nothing, the truth is the press
couldn’t find any mud to sling at the priest so they had to settle for good old
fashioned name calling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Awww, that’s so sad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Nah, Father Quinn’s a good egg.
Sticks and stones partner, sticks and stones.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">That actually made Becca giggle,
“hahaha, fair enough partner,” she said smiling as she pulled into
the parking lot of the St. Francis Rescue Mission. Iggie adjusted his shades
and unlatched his seat belt just before the engine died setting off the
annoying beep. Becca frowned at him and he shrugged, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“alright Detective Tran, let’s start peeling
this onion.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Immaculate
Heart of Mary…December 2<sup>nd</sup>…7:00pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Father
Nicholas Aloysius Quinn sat quietly in the confessional and scribbled on a
small spiral notepad while he waited for the next sinner to arrive. It was his
custom to wrestle with himself on paper whenever he struggled spiritually. He
was a priest in the Roman Catholic Church that was for sure. But he was a human
being as well and a male one at that. Tonight he wrestled with his conscience.
He stared at the small notepad. He’d written her name half a dozen times, Megan
it was. Each pass of the pen impressed the letters in bolder and bolder script.
Tapping on his last pass he doodled question marks in the margin muttering to
himself, “Where did I fail you child?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The weary priest removed
his spectacles and rubbed at his tired eyes. The Church was empty and
uncomfortably silent, he could almost hear the candles burning. Leaning back in
the small chair he looked up to the short ceiling and sighed audibly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Penny for your thoughts padre,” I
said through the wooden screen separating sinners from absolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Father Quinn choked out a startled
reply, “Forgive me my son, I must have dozed off,” he said in an embarrassed
tone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Slow night Father?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You could say that. But enough chit
chat, what is your good confession my son?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I had to laugh, “hahaha, that’s rich your
holiness, how much time do you have?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“The house of the Lord is no place for
levity young man,” scolded the priest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You haven’t heard my confession yet!”
I replied with a chuckle. He didn’t respond right away so I spoke quickly
before the nickel lecture started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Seriously Father, do you remember
me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Clearing his throat he replied, “I’m
afraid that you have me at a disadvantage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“We met at one of your location shoots
downtown, I was a nosey passerby. You indulged my curiosity and invited me to
stop your church if I was ever in the neighborhood. Well, here I am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yes</i> I do remember you now. You are the private detective, Mr.
Roode, correct?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Whitey, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">please.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“It may surprise you to know that I
was actually expecting you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So you’ve talked to the Bishop.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yes, and I have been instructed to
give you my full cooperation. However if you don’t mind may we finish this
conversation in an hour or two? This is hardly the place to conduct your
interview.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“On the contrary, I think this the
perfect place. Sort of gives me an edge what with your vows and all. Like you
said this is the house of the Lord and we are in a confessional after all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
brought a chuckle to the priest’s lips and he replied light heartedly, “I like
you Mr. Roode, you have panache.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I do? Thanks. What’s panache
anyways?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Style Whitey, a very charming sense
of style.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“If you say so padre. Look, why don’t
you give your side of the story in a nutshell. I’ll drill into the minor
details later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
saw the priest lean forward to rest his elbows on his knees through the wooden
screen of anonymity. He sighed before speaking and then set about to answer the
mail. “Well, in a nutshell as you say, her name was Megan Malloy. She was orphaned
at a young age or so she said. I assumed that she was since she was living at
the St. Francis Rescue Mission. Megan came to Immaculate Heart sometime in her
second trimester scared and confused.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“She came to you directly?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“No, Father Garcia spoke with her
initially and introduced her to Sister Pat, Patricia Cromwell our resident
psychologist. Sister Pat is a wonderful nun and a very talented counselor working
with our teen ministry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I see. So when did you enter the
picture?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I’m the Parish priest at Immaculate
Heart and so you might say that I am in charge here. Sister Pat asked me to
speak to Megan when the counseling sessions failed to help and she sank deeper
into a low state of mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Depression?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yes, depression is the right term. In
any event Megan wanted to end her pregnancy and asked Sister Pat to help her
find a clinic that would perform the abortion. Sister Pat explained to her that
an abortion at this stage could be dangerous and offered to take her to a
doctor who could explain exactly what the risks might be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So
the nun’s only motivation was Megan’s physical well being, is that what you’re
saying?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sister Pat</i>, please,” Father Quinn
implored, scolding me slightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Sorry,
Sister Pat,” I replied apologetically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yes
I believe that to be true. Sister Pat is a devout Catholic but she is also a
dedicated professional with many years of experience dealing with matters like
this. Contrary to popular opinion the clergy is not unsympathetic to the
complex emotions surrounding this sort of deeply personal experience and
decision. It’s just that for those of our faith there is also a spiritual
element that we believe should be considered.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Megan
was a Catholic?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“No,
she was an agnostic.”<br />
“What exactly does that mean, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">agnostic?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“An
agnostic is someone who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“A
fence sitter then, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Your
words, not mine but yes I suppose you could say that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Okay
so Sister Pat had hit the wall with Megan and came to you for help. That was
the first time you had met her. Let me ask you, did Megan seem suicidal at that
time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“No,
not to me but Sister Pat’s intuition seemed to think so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What
did you see that Sister Pat didn’t?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“The
girl who came to see me that first day was 180 degrees from the person Sister
Pat described. She was bright eyed and cheery and openly ready to chat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“That
threw you for a loop?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You
could say that, but it was short lived. It didn’t take long to realize that it was
an act. She meant to charm a blessing out of me where the abortion was
concerned.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Which
you did not give her?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Of
course not. But not for the reason you might think. As I said her health and
well-being was our concern at this point, not Church doctrine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What
happened when you refused her request?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“About
what you’d expect, she was angry and hurt and even more confused.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What
happened next?”<br />
“She composed herself, stood in front of my desk and asked me directly, “what
should I do Father, please, help me, what should I do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“And
you said what?” I pressed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Father
Quinn paused for a moment to remove his glasses to wipe the lenses clean, and I
saw him discretely wipe away a tear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“And
I replied that I could not answer that question. Megan was hurt by my reply and
she asked me why not. I didn’t have a good answer to give her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Let
me ask you this Father. Is abortion a sin in your faith?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“In
our faith it is a sin to take a life my son.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So
you’re saying that abortion is murder then?”<br />
“No, I’m saying that to take a life is a sin in our faith.”<br />
“Clear as mud, did you share that with Megan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I
didn’t have to, she was aware.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“How
do you know?”<br />
“Because she also told me that she did not want to go to Hell. To which I
replied that nobody did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I
bet that went over well,” I said to the priest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“About
as you would expect, but that wasn’t the end of it. She then confessed to me
that she didn’t want to have the baby either. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">At
that point I was silent for a few moments to give us both some time to think.
As a priest it is my responsibility to share God’s word and to avoid the
temptation to re-write scripture to suit my personal views.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“It
sounds like Megan really put you on the spot,” I said as I watched his face for
a sign of some sort, one that would tell my gut if he was hiding something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Father Quinn leaned forward and
rested his elbows on his knees. He was studying me as closely as I was
studying me and frankly it made me a little uncomfortable. “She did and she
didn’t,” he replied after a moment, leaning back in his chair. “You know Megan
isn’t the first girl to come to me with such a problem.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Do
tell,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I have never been a parent, I’ve
never had that pleasure. But I’ve witnessed the pure joy and vexing angst that
is associated with being one. I believe that parenthood is both a gift and a
chore on a grand scale. Many freely chose to accept the gift and challenge,
often times more than once in their lifetime. And then there are those who have
that choice thrust upon them. I suspected that Megan was one of the latter. She
was at an incredibly lonely crossroad, and we feared that given her condition that
the window had closed on the option of a safe cessation of life. Honestly, I could not
and cannot imagine the pain and confusion the poor dear was suffering. Can you
imagine how God must feel with all of mankind to call His own?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Touching
padre</i>, so what did you tell the girl? How did you wind up filming her
story? Why do you think she did this terrible thing? Who’s the father <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Father?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
priest remained calm on the surface but I saw that I had touched a raw nerve or
two, the eyes are the window to the soul they say. He stared me down for a
moment before answering, studying me, my face my posture. He was mentally
fishing for some insight to me as a person, and not wondering what I knew or
what I suspected. My gut was telling me this fella was a good egg at heart, that
he’d been blindsided by Megan’s actions. And I had a hunch that Megan knew that
as well and that she used him for a purpose I had yet to figure out. She had
her reasons for what she did, she was sending a message but what, who, why? I was
wrestling with that when Father Quinn finally spoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You ask what I told her. I told her
that God has His plans for all His children. That perhaps He led her to Immaculate
Heart, to me for a specific reason. Why here, why me I wondered with her? Then
I proposed a theory. Perhaps she was here to inspire others. Perhaps my passion
for film was a tool the Almighty could use to tell her story and chronicle her
journey to a new life, for her and for her unborn child. Perhaps there was a
purpose for her being at this juncture in her young life. Whatever circumstances
led her here, she was here nonetheless, why not make a positive out of a
negative? It was only a thought I explained. The church would be there with her
no matter what she chose, I would be there with her no matter what she chose.
We were not there to judge her, we were there to help her, to comfort her, to
offer advice and explain her options. The choice was hers as God planned it.
She had free will as do we all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Nice speech Father, are you sure you’re
not thinking of a career change and running for Mayor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">That got a chuckle out of him, “I’ll take
that as a compliment and not an insult. Actually I don’t think I’d make a very
good politician, I’m not a very good liar,” he answered with a wry smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So you do lie once in a while?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Doesn’t everyone? I’m as human as
anyone else. If Sister Pat were to ask me if she looked fat in her habit I’d
assure her that she looked just fine,” he answered with a little snicker. That
made me chuckle out loud, I hadn’t expected a witty response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“<em>Touche</em> Father. I tell you what, I’m
gonna wait outside for you to finish your shift in this little truth chamber.
Thanks a lot for indulging me and I apologize for any offense you may have
taken with my pushiness, it sort of comes with the territory in my line of work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“No offense taken my son.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Come on Father, it's Whitey, <em>please</em>. You’re
making me feel like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“Alright, your penance is ten Hail Mary’s and ten Our
Father’s, now go in peace my…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I mean
Whitey</i>.”</span><em></em></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-6576662682984600332014-08-02T22:52:00.000-07:002018-12-01T11:24:39.036-08:00(”There’s something good comin just over the hill. There’s something good comin I know it will.")…Tom Petty<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong> </div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Five</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Alexandria
Hotel – Room 1124…December 1, 2009…11:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I’ve
never really had what you’d call a poker face, ask anyone, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not ever</i>. But I was doing my best to manufacture one right now.
This was the best hand I’ve been dealt all year, four Kings staring back at
me in all their regal splendor. I silently swallowed a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘woot woot’</i> and carefully kept my eyes on the five cards in front
of me and the huge pot at the center of the table. I know better than to make
eye contact with the other players, that’s always a dead giveaway, shows way too
much confidence. But damn it’s hard to suppress a shit eating grin when you’re sure
you’ve got the winning hand. Only two other scenarios could best me, four aces
or a straight flush. Four aces was out because my fifth card was the Ace of
Diamonds. That left a straight flush and the odds of that happening was pretty
low with six players at the table. That meant I was in the catbird seat and it
felt pretty damn good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So
it was down to me and the Manzano brothers, Angelo and Fat Johnny. Johnny had
been the aggressor on this hand betting heavy and raising often. Aggression was his
tell, it meant that he was bluffing. Angelo on the other hand was a harder
read. He wasn’t as brash as his brother and had a good poker face, you never
knew what was up his sleeve. If he stayed in it was because he was holding some
pretty good cards, four of something or maybe a full house. But the odds were
in my favor, I was sure that I had him beat. For a nanosecond I felt a little pang of
guilt for all of the free food and drink that I consumed regularly at the boys downtown
restaurant,<em> Bella Terra</em>, and actually considered folding my hand and giving
him the pot. Nah, that kind of generosity would only confuse them, they were
used to me taking advantage of our friendship, it was part of my charm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Come on Whitey, we ain’t got all
night! Are you in or out?” whined Iggie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Bob ‘Iggie’ Ingram was a regular at
these games and a long time buddy from back in the day in Southeast Asia.
Currently he was a Detective First Grade with the LAPD, my former employer,
which was his tough break I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Stifle yourself Iggie, you’re not
even in this hand. Besides, twenty bucks is pretty rich for my blood. I don’t
nap for a living on the City’s time, I actually have to work for what I earn!”
I answered sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Up yours gumshoe,” he replied as he
flipped me the bird and stuffed some smokehouse almonds into his gob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Johnny tapped a heavy class ring on
the table and joined Iggie’s camp, “Well, are you gonna call me or what?” he
asked, raising a thick eyebrow. I had them right where I wanted them now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“OK fat boy, I see your twenty and
raise you twenty. What do you say to that Manzano #2?” I answered with a winner’s
flair. Johnny looked at his cards then across the table to his older brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Don’t look at me big shot, they’re
your cards and we ALL know you’re bluffing,” Angelo said with a wicked grin.
Johnny tossed his cards into the pot at the center of the table in a huff. “Fuck
you Angelo!” he said disgustedly as he emptied his bottle of Miller Lite and
grabbed another from the cooler beside him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Angelo smiled, “Just you and me now
Whitey. I’ll call your twenty. What’s ya got Paley?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Proudly I laid out my four cowboys with
the ace kicker. “Read em and weep suckers,” I said, reaching across the table
to reel in my winnings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Not so fast slick,” replied Angelo,
blocking me with his left hand as he laid down his own cards with his right
hand. He had a baby straight, two, three, four, five, and six. All of them from
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘heart’</i> family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I stared at the cards ignoring the
groans and laughter around the room. “Of course,” I mumbled as Angelo raked the
biggest pot of the night to his side of the table. My record was safely in
tack, I was still the unluckiest sap on the planet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Johnny
got up and walked over to console me. He put his giant hands onto my shoulders
and squeezed nearly busting my clavicle. “Tough break Whitey, but you shoulda
seen the look on your face,” he said not even trying to hide his bellowing
laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Hardee-har-har,” I replied as I
twisted free from his Frankenstein like grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Okay fellas that hand cleaned me out,
let’s call it a night. I’m gonna need a month of paydays to cover next month’s
game.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
group begrudgingly complied and went about finishing their beers and packing up
their stuff. Iggie nudged Carmine Epstein who had fallen asleep before the big
showdown between the Manzano boys and yours truly. Carmine was the super in my
building. He was easily the oldest player at the game by a good twenty plus
years or so. And that was saying a lot since the rest of us were closer to
retirement age than draft age. Carmine snorted himself back to consciousness
and looked around the room rubbing his tired eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What did I miss?” he asked through a
yawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Not much, Whitey lost all his dough
is all,” answered Iggie with a smirk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Oh, the usual,” replied Carmine as he
drained the last couple of tepid swallows from a can of Budweiser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
fellas meandered towards the door with their assorted coolers and totes. They
waived and nodded as they filed through the door and out into the hall one by
one. “Close the door behind will ya,” I hollered while I busied myself with a
little clean up. I was packing the poker chips back into the case when I heard
the door slam. I didn’t look up when I heard him flop into my recliner. I didn’t
need to look up to know who it was as my place suddenly reeked of Aqua Velva.
That could only mean one person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Lose again Whitey,” asked my visitor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Would you believe me if I said I won
big?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I didn’t think so. What’s on your
mind Oscar? It’s a little late for you to be busting my balls. I thought you
were a big shot now Chief Celaya, why didn’t you send one of your goons to work
me over?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oscar
Celaya was the new Chief of Police in Los Angeles, but back in the day he was
my commanding officer at the Hollenbeck station. He was also the a-hole who encouraged
my early retirement and ended my career. He’s been a pain in my ass ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yeah I guess I could have, but I’m
here to deliver a personal message from His Honor the Mayor,” he answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Do tell. What does that slimy
headline hound want from me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“He says, and I quote, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tell that no good mick to keep his blarney
nose out of the Egyptian Theater investigation,</i> end quote.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I see. What’s he worried about? He
afraid that I’ll solve this caper before you do and steal his front page photo
op?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Something like that,” chuckled Oscar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Look Whitey, I don’t like that
peacock any more than you do. But, he still signs my checks. I’m too close to
retirement to risk my pension by crossing that little prick. I don’t have to
tell you how vindictive he can be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Alright Chief, what’s on your mind?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oscar
settled deeper into my comfy chair and crossed his legs. “I know that you’re
working for the Church on this case,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“How exactly do you know that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Doesn’t matter, I don’t care who you’re
working for. But this case could blow the lid off of this town if we let our kibitzing
mayor manipulate the newshounds into throwing gasoline onto a fire. I’m
proposing that we work together on this. I’ll be Mr. Inside and you’ll be Mr.
Outside. In other words I’ll stay out front and feed the mayor tidbits that
will allow him to grandstand without interfering with the investigation.
Meanwhile you can do the real work outside of the spotlight, I’ll give you
access to whatever we uncover as well as assign Iggie Ingram and Becca Tran to
work with you under the radar. You were a good detective Whitey, I’m sorry for
the way you lost your shield, but like I told you, His Honor is a vindictive
man. I'm hoping that we can team up and close this case quietly from the shadows.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Why are you reaching out to me Oscar?
That’s not like you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Honestly?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yeah, honestly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“This may surprise you but I happen to
be a pretty good Catholic, devout in my own way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You’re right, that does surprise me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Look, I’m tired of my Church and my
Faith being dragged through the mud by the print vultures. I’m not saying that we
haven’t earned those black eyes, I’m just saying that I’m tired of it. I need
your help to keep this investigation from becoming a media circus. The Mayor
would like nothing more than a big scandal on his turf that he could use as a
springboard for a credible run at Governor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What if this is scandalous? What if
the Church is at the center of that young lady’s twisted actions?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“The truth is the truth. I just want to
make sure that the truth is discovered with good police work and not
manufactured by not so good journalism. You get my drift?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
stared at Oscar for a full ten count before answering. I sat back down at the
poker table and pulled two bottles of beer from a cooler on the floor. I set
the cold brews on the table in front of me and twisted off the caps. “Alright
Oscar, let’s talk it over,” I said, inviting him to join me. He got up and
walked over to the poker table and took a seat across from mine. He reached
across the table and grabbed one of the beers. I picked up the other and we
clinked the long glass necks together.</span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“Cheers. So, how do you want to play this Chief?”</span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-9283892505516437122014-07-16T16:09:00.001-07:002018-12-01T11:24:56.991-08:00(”Hope is not found in a way out, but a way through.")…Robert Frost<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Four</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Hollenbeck
Station-LAPD…December 1, 2009…5:00pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Rebecca
Tran got up from her chair to look out the window. If not for the five foot
walls barricading her in the 6x6 cubicle she called an office she would have
had a fine unobstructed view of 1<sup>st</sup> street below and Lani Vest
Pocket Park. As it was, she had to settle for the occasional reminder that
nature thrived just beyond her occupational confinement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She yawned and did a big girl stretch, checking
the time on her wristwatch as her arms crossed in front of her face. It was a
little after five and dusk was sweeping across LA much earlier now that the seasons
were about to change.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Today
had been an uneventful if not downright boring shift. She and her partner, Bob “Iggie”
Ingram had spent the day putting the finishing touches on the final report of
the homicide investigation they had just closed. The case really hadn’t been
much of a challenge. The perpetrator was a homeless man in his late 50’s who
had stabbed a fellow vagabond twenty-seven times in front a busload of
eyewitnesses and in broad daylight no less. His story was that the victim had raided his
shopping cart and helped herself to a couple of trash bags full of recyclables
that he had spent all morning collecting. Dumpster diving was an acceptable vocation in hard times, legitimate at least. It wasn’t an easy job by any means and it smelled. But
it beat begging or pan handling as far as the perp was concerned, those were dodges that he had too much pride to do. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> To lose a life and ruin a life over five dollars’
worth of refuse just seemed tragically foolish to her. Rebecca didn’t
understand that when you have nothing five dollars might as well be a million dollars.
She never had to contemplate that sad fact growing up in the relative luxury of suburban America.
And she’d never been exposed to homelessness in great numbers, at least not until she took
this job in the big city. It was a reality that she acknowledged now. Life is
life. It’s different for everyone. It’s what you make of it or what it makes of
you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her
mother, a Vietnamese refugee, had raised her in the Catholic Church with all of
its rules and traditions. And the most prevalent virtue that had seeded itself
in Rebecca’s heart of hearts was forgiveness. God forgives, and so shall we. <em>“Judge
not lest you be judged yourself,”</em> was a paraphrase from the book of Matthew (7:1)
that she had heard many times growing up. Her mom was a strong and kind woman,
the sort of mother who led you through life rather than push you
through it. Whenever they came upon a homeless person or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘beggar’</i> as her mom would say, she would always share some of
whatever she had in her pocket or purse. And before a word of protest could
escape Rebecca’s lips her mom would say, don’t judge <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trẻ em</i> (child), remember, “<em>for</em> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">there but
for the grace of God go I.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Penny for your thoughts,” said Lieutenant
Wally Price.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OH
GEEZ!</b> Sorry LT, I didn’t hear you walk up,” replied the startled young
detective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Sorry about that Becca, I didn’t mean
to sneak up on you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“That’s okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Did you and Iggie finish your report?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yes sir, got it right here,” Rebecca answered
pointing at the manila folder on her desk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“So what were you thinking about so
hard just now?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Nothing really. I was just wondering
how people like this perp wind up in such pitiful situations. You know, alone and
on the streets, what keeps them there? Stuff like that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Tough questions kid. When you figure
it all out let me know and I’ll send the Pope your application for sainthood.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Thanks a bunch,” Rebecca replied sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Shift is over rookie, why don’t you
go on home now.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“I will Lieutenant, I’m just waiting
for my ride. My car’s in the shop and Iggie said he’d drive me over there to
pick it up.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“I see, well good luck with that, your
partner isn’t exactly the most reliable choice you could have made.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“I know, but he’s the only one who
offered.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Ha ha ha, tough break kid. Okay
Becca, good night,” Lt. Price said, picking up the folder on her desk and
replacing it with another one that he was holding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“What’s that?” asked Rebecca.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“That’s your next case young lady. You
and Iggie drew the Egyptian Theater murder suicide,” answered Lieutenant Wally
Price.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“The
mother and child thing?</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yep, that’s the one. It’s a hot
potato too. The Mayor’s office is all over Chief Celaya already, fishing for
details. This one will be a career maker or breaker kid, but I have confidence
in you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Gee, thanks, but…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“No buts kid, let's meet in my office first
thing in the morning, you, me, and Iggie. I want discuss this investigation and
hear how you two plan to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">get er done</i>,”
Lt. Price said exuberantly as he turned and walked away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Rebecca sighed audibly and
turned back to look out the window again. Dusk had turned into darkness before
her ride arrived, no surprise there. She sat back down and debated on whether
or not to open the new case file now or when she got home. Iggie expected her
do the homework and share the details with him the next day, one of many seniority
perks that he took full advantage of, the man was so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lười biếng</i> (lazy)! She tapped the phone on her desk waiting for it
to ring. When it did it would be Iggie with some lame excuse for being late. Oh
well, don’t sweat the small stuff she chanted to herself. The garage was open until
eight which meant she would be home by nine o’clock latest, that wasn’t too
bad.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Immaculate Heart of Mary Church -
Rectory…December 1, 9:00pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Father
Quinn sat at a small desk in the modest bedroom provided by the Church. Before
him was an open book. Not the Bible as one might imagine, but a special library bound
edition of “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott. It was a childhood favorite that he
was rereading for the umpteenth time. Priests were people too and a wee detour
from the day to day grind of the work a day world was fair distraction. He
turned the page and glanced over to the old black rotary phone sitting heavily
on the far corner of the desktop. His heart was into the story but his mind was
elsewhere. He was waiting for Bishop De La Rosa to call. He had been told to
expect it around 9pm. It was 9:05 now and his anxiety level was rising by the
minute. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Father
Quinn knew why the Bishop was calling. He knew it would be about the Egyptian
Theater incident. He could not escape the topic, not through work or prayer,
the awful details haunted his every minute, conscious or unconscious. He felt
persecuted, living proof that no good deed goes unpunished. Still, the poor
girl and her newborn child, he grieved for them and did his best to avoid
asking why. God’s will is mystical and not for us to debate or understand for
that matter. It was a tenant of faith that he always struggled with. It was a struggle
experienced by all at one time or another. He turned his attention back to the
book in front of him. Isaac of York was offering a suit of armor and a war
horse to repay his debt to the palmer. The story was just beginning to pull him
in when the telephone rang, rudely interrupting his peace. He picked up the receiver
and answered, “Hello?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Good evening Father Quinn,” replied
Bishop De La Rosa.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Good evening Eminence,” Father Quinn
said returning the pleasantry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“I trust you are well,” added the
Bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yes Eminence, I am Eminence,” acknowledged
Father Quinn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Bishop De La Rosa chuckled, “I love
how the Irish tend to say everything twice, as if reassuring themselves that
they have been heard if not understood.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“We are a quaint people Eminence. Well
read, well bred, well said,” replied Father Quinn, grinning at the subtle snub
directed at his pretentious snob of a superior.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yes, well to the point Father, I
wanted to inform you that the Church has employed a private investigator to
clear your good name as well as its own. I trust that we can count on your
complete cooperation,” De La Rosa said ignoring Father Quinn’s snide remark.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Of course Eminence,” answered the
priest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Thank you for that. Please do what
you can to expedite this matter Father. The Vatican has contacted me directly.
They want this resolved, favorably of course, as quickly as possible. Do you
understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yes Eminence, perfectly.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Very well then. You can expect this
individual to call on you soon, perhaps as soon as tomorrow. By the way,
apparently you have already met. His name is Roode, Whitey Roode. Do you recall
the name?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“I believe that I do. A gruff looking
man approximately six feet tall and medium build. Bit of a smart-alec if I
remember correctly.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Excellent description Father, spot on
as it were. Is it any wonder you are such a talented director of cinema.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Thank you Eminence, you are too kind.
Rest assured that I will make myself available as soon as Mr. Roode contacts
me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“That is greatly appreciated Father
Quinn, I am confident that we can count on your support as well as your discretion.
Good night Father,” replied the Bishop hanging up quickly</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
<o:p></o:p></span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Father Quinn returned the receiver to
the cradle and leaned back in his chair. He looked up to the ceiling and
watched the fan blades turn slowly above him. He pondered the upcoming investigation
and thought carefully about this man Roode. He concentrated on trying to remember
as much about the man as he could before he came face to face with him tomorrow
or the next day. He debated with his conscience. How much could he share with
the man? There was the sanctity of the confessional to consider. But did it
apply beyond the grave? How closely did the Church want him to cooperate with
this private investigator? What exactly did Bishop De La Rosa mean by counting on
his discretion as well? He considered Whitey Roode further as the memory of
their encounter became clearer. First impressions being what they are, Father
Quinn was certain of one thing. Whitey Roode was going to be trouble…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
</span>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-26767959952049168332014-06-18T22:59:00.000-07:002018-12-01T11:25:15.068-08:00(”Rollin' down the Imperial Highway, big nasty redhead at my side, Santa Ana winds blowin' hot from the north. And we was born to ride, I love LA")…Randy Newman<div align="center">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>For my family</em></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Three</span></strong></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Los
Angeles, California…December 1, 2009…1:15pm<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Meeting
the Bishop of Los Angeles left me with a splitting headache and feeling a tad guilty
for some reason? The man just gave me the heebie-jeebies, I can’t explain it
but the only Holiness I felt from His Holiness was Holy crap!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be that as it may I left him with assurances
that I'd get right on the job and explained to His Eminence that I’d return the
signed contract as soon as Father Donahue delivered it to my flat at the
Alexandria. Well to be honest I didn't exactly get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i> on the job. I made a little detour to one of my favorite watering
holes, my home away from home if you will, Casey's Irish Cottage over on S.
Grand. A shot and a pint or two seemed like a good way to christen this temporary
arrangement between me and the church. Not exactly a blessing but as close to
one as I’ll ever get I expect. As soon as I arrived I ordered myself a Scot's
meat pie, a bowl of Mulligatawny, and my libations, then went about mulling over
what few facts I had on this case. I didn't have all that much, not even a
hunch yet, so it was a short think for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
was too early to take out my trusty steno pad and work up the 3 w's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(what I know, what I think I know, what I
want to know).</i> So right after lunch I thought I’d run over to
the LA Times to chat with an occasionally accurate and always hungry source, one
Bradley P. Tremain. The ‘P’ was for Patrick but given his enormous physical
dimensions it might as well have stood for ‘Pastry’. I made a mental note to stop
by Winchell's on the way over for a dozen glazed crullers, the little
butterball was a well-known donut junkie. Besides, my old mother always said that
when you visit with your hat in your hand always bring a gift, it makes the
groveling less demeaning. Smart old gal she was, my mother. Even if she was a
bit of a mensch with an addiction to nagging me about every little thing. I
expect that’s the way with all mothers to one degree or another, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am I right?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">LA Times…December 1, 2009…2:00pm<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
drive from Casey’s to the LA Times building on West 1<sup>st</sup> Street was
atypically uncongested, a lucky break for a change and I hoped that the trend
continued. Lo and behold it did when I scored a parking space out front with a
broken meter. I decided to go for the trifecta and see if I could bypass the
aggravation of dealing with security at the front desk. So I called Bradley and
asked him to waddle down and meet me in the lobby. He would get me past the
goons in the rent-a-cop uniforms after he collected his tribute of glazed
confections. You know what, the rent-a-cop reference isn’t fair. These guys
were actually pretty professional. Guess I'm still at war the LAPD given our
bitter personal history. Well, that combined with the liquid lunch I just
finished at Casey's. I tend to get bitter and reflective when I'm juiced, blame
my Irish roots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
got out of my car and walked up the street to one of the few working telephone
booths in the city. I fed the old fashioned bandit four quarters to get a dial
tone, what a rip off. But since I hate cell phones, preferring my right to
privacy over 24/7 access to yours truly, I put up with the inconvenience and
avoided this part of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Small price to pay for anonymity
I guess. The phone rang and Bradley answered on the second ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Times, Tremain here,” he said in a
bored tone. He wasn’t bored actually, it was his multitasking voice. My round
friend was always juggling two or three tasks at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Hey Limey, you got a minute for a
countryman?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You’re Irish Whitey. What do ya want,
make it quick ya mick, I’m busy,” he answered insultingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I see. Well are you too busy for a
dozen crullers from Angels?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I just had lunch,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“When did that ever keep you from carbs
from heaven?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Touche, bring on up,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Ahhh, why don’t you come down and we’ll
walk up the street to get you some coffee to wash these down with.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You're still afraid of Ms. Coulet aren’t
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You know it brother! That French witch
hates my guts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dominique
Coulet was the city desk editor at the LA Times and one cold fish on top of
that. We had a history of butting heads and I had raided her stable of staff
writers more often than she was comfortable with over the years. It didn’t help
that she also blamed me for the recent death of a mutual friend. She and Lu Rong
were very close and his murder had hit her pretty hard. It didn’t matter that I
had helped to make sure that his murderer got his just desserts, specifically half a dozen 9mm
rounds at close range. As far as Ms. Coulet was concerned Lu’s fate was
attributed to the low company he kept, namely me. More on that later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I don’t blame you, she’s a scary
bitch. I’ll be right down,” Bradley said hanging up before I could concur. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
minutes later Bradley Tremain walked out into the sunlight and spotted me
sitting at a bus stop with his glazed nosh on the bench beside me. He made a
beeline for me, grabbed the white paper bag pulled out the first of twelve donuts
devouring it before even saying how do you do. I marveled at the speed with which
someone his size and shape moved when properly motivated. He sat beside me and licked
the icing from his fingers before acknowledging my presence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You look good Whitey, what’s your
secret?” he asked making small talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Booze,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Of course. So, what can I do for you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I need some G2 on the suicide at the
Egyptian Theater, the young mother and child at the premier of that crusading
padre, Father Quinn,” I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Nasty business, I remember that
night,” Bradley recalled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You were there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yeah, I was covering the event.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“You saw it happen?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I saw it all dude, it wasn’t pretty,”
he said shaking his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“How close were you,” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Put it this way, the girl ran right
past me. I could have stopped her if I knew what she was going to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Not your fault Brad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I know, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but still,</i>” he replied as he pulled out donut number two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So what’s your angle? Who are you
working for?” Bradley asked as he wolfed down the cruller.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“”Can’t say just yet but I promise you’ll
get the story if there is one when I’m done,” I answered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“How do you know I can help?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“I don’t, but let me pick your brain
for now and then maybe you can be my eyes and ears on the inside while I work
this case. I expect that the Mayor’s office will be looking for headlines while
LAPD sorts out the details. I’ll want to know what both of them are doing
before the rest of the city reads about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“That might be difficult, you know
that His Honor and the dragon lady are tight,” said Bradley, referring to the
Mayor and Dominique Coulet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So I heard. And I didn’t say this was
gonna be easy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“So what do you want to know?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Let’s go get that coffee and put our
heads together. I expect you know more than you realize,” I said slapping him
on the shoulder and standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“What? You mean walk?” Bradley
protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Starbucks is only a block away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“Yeah, so? Come on man hail a cab will
ya, it’s hot out and I don’t want to work up a sweat</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I rolled my eyes, helped him up from
the bench and whistled loudly at the line of cabs across the street, “Oh
brother, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TAXI…</i></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-27047542158602657012014-05-11T18:29:00.002-07:002018-12-01T11:25:31.732-08:00(”It's written in the surface of her skin there's been a baby then, given away in love.")…James Taylor<div align="center">
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<em><span style="font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></em></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"THE GUMSHOE DIARIES: </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Two</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Los Angeles</span></i></st1:city><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></span></i></st1:place><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">…December 1, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Driving
around LA is a frustrating experience. Actually it's down right dangerous depending
on which part of town you're passing through. And my sub-par navigational
skills only compound the frustration and the risk factors. If you happen to be
heading uptown toward the Bonaventure Hotel and the Theater district well then you're
reasonably safe. But if you're passing through the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'hoods'</i> (east or south) especially in or around Echo Park or
anywhere near Hollenbeck Station, my old stomping grounds by the way, then your
insurance policies had better be paid up. I mean both medical AND life because the
odds are that you’ll need one or the other are better than average!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all depends on Lady Luck. Even an ex-cop
like yours truly is taking chances in certain parts of town. Let's face it
nobody's bulletproof, am I right? Anyway, today I was headed uptown today to
meet with the chief holy man of Los Angeles, Bishop Armando Delarosa. His office
was over on Wilshire so I was reasonably certain I'd live to drink another day,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">halleluiah brother!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>You
know I rarely drive anymore. I prefer hoofing it around town or taking the bus,
so I schedule most appointments near my home base of operations which is the
bar in the lobby of my flat at the Alexandria Hotel. Its downtown over on
Spring St., however occasionally a case forces outside my comfort zone. When
that happens I rely on old faithful, my gloss white 'plain Jane' 1961 Corvair
convertible, it's a classic! You don't see many of those babies on the road
anymore for two reasons. Number one, they haven't made one of these jewels since
1969, and number two, nobody really liked the odd little wrench-a-day smog factories
anyway. The Corvair dropped off the scene before the conversion to unleaded fuel
burning engines that the automobile industry rolled out as mandated by a killjoy
environmental groups who whoop-assed the State and the Federal governments in
Detroit, Sacramento, and Washington D.C., what bunch of pussies! Be that as it
may, it’s still America, land of the free and I still drive my bucket of bolts.
It's got style Paley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So,
after I finished an artery hardening breakfast of extra crisp bacon, two eggs
over easy (runny as a freight train thank you), hash brown potatoes (with
butter), toast with jam and half a gallon of black coffee I hoped into the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">snoop-mobile</i> and drove the twenty or so
blocks to the administration building housing the LA Archdiocese of the
Catholic Church to chat with Bishop Delarosa about the letter in my pocket.
This was gonna be interesting. Two Holy men in one day, if I run over a nun on
the way I'll detour to Santa Anita and bet a Trifecta! Nah, that kind of luck
doesn't come my way. Whitey Roode only has two kinds of luck, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dumb and bad</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Archdiocese
of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city></st1:place>,…December
1, 2009…11am</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bishop
Delarosa sat alone in darkness inside his large mahogany office. He sipped
lukewarm tea from a bone china cup hand made from <st1:city w:st="on">County
Waterford</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region>,
a little memento from a conference in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>
last spring. Outside it was a beautiful southern <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state> day, seventy eight degrees and
not a cloud in the clear blue sky. How's that for winter <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>? But
days like these weren't the Bishop's cup of tea, pun intended. He preferred
darkness to light which explained the absence of a sunny disposition. The man
was a well known crab apple personality wise. Around the water cooler at the Archdiocese
he was affectionately (NOT) referred to as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Count'</i> as in Bram Stoker's legendary character. Not exactly a term
of endearment but from what I've head accurate and earned. The man wasn't your
typical type 'A' table pounder of a boss, he was more subtle than that. And in
some ways that made him even more intimidating. It's all in the delivery I
guess, anyway I was late as usual he was silently pissed. Okay, not exactly an
appropriate term for these Holy halls but accurate nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"FERRIS!" bellowed the Delarosa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
thin young man dressed in black with the reverent white collar sat at the desk
outside of the Bishop's office. He didn't flinch at Delarosa's shout and calmly
rose from his station to answer the mail. He walked with folded hands to the
Bishop's doorway and stopped short of entering. He rapped on the door jamb and
responded to his summons. "Yes Your Eminence?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Has that so called detective
arrived yet?" asked an annoyed Delarosa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Not yet Eminence, I have
instructed reception to ring me straight away when he does," replied the
young man. Bishop Delarosa grunted a reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Well, call me as soon as he gets
here. And Father, I apologize for shouting, it's been a trying morning as you
know," Delarosa said meekly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Of course Eminence, I took no
offense."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thank you Father Donahue,"
said Bishop Delarosa dismissing his aid with a half smile. The young priest
turned to return t his desk as Bishop Delarosa resumed whatever it was he was
doing, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meanwhile,
back at Reception I was entering the building completely at ease with my usual
tardiness. Truth be told I don't think I've ever been on time to any meeting?
Hell, as I recall my old mother used to complain that I even kept her waiting
at birth arriving a week beyond the scheduled due date. What can I say, better
late than never, am I right? I walked up to tall reception counter manned by a
stoic looking woman who appeared to be in her early forties, but she was Asian
so she could be ten years past that. Not to stereotype but Asian women always
look younger than they are, at least until they reach 55 or so when the bubble
bursts and then hello Lady Clairol. As soon as my market research indicates a
population boom of Asian senior citizens I am buying a ton lot of stock in
Revlon! Miss Forty-something was on the phone, she smiled at me as she listened
to someone on the other end of the line. She must have been getting an earful
as she winced at whatever was being said. She hung up a nanosecond later and
removed the headset she was wearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"May I help you she?" she
asked sweetly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"As a matter of fact you can.
Whitey Roode for Bishop Delarosa," I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Down the hall and left first
chance you get," she said, pointing the way with a #2 pencil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thanks," I said, turning to
find my way. I'd taken only a couple of steps when she called out to me.
"You're late Mr. Roode. Better hurry, His Eminence isn't known for his
patience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thanks again," I replied
without looking back. Maybe it was my super hearing or maybe it was my imagination
but I sear I heard her mutter something like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"don't mention it asshole?"</i> Wouldn’t be the first time I
earned such a retort with my smart ass demeanor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Anyway
it was a short walk to in inner sanctum of LA's chief Holy man. Seated out
front was a trim young fella wearing what you'd expect in this place, black
slacks, black shirt, and white collar. He even had black hair. If his eyes were
black when I got close enough to notice I'm gonna hot foot it to the nearest
exit! I passed by several portraits of Holy men as I neared the Bishop's
office. They were on both sides of the aisle and their acrylic eyes followed me
like the Mona Lisa's do when you move around the Louvre in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Paris</st1:place></st1:city>. Each face wore a frown and it made me
feel slightly uncomfortable, as if I were being judged. The young man or priest
watched me as I approached. He sat still with folded hands. A single lamp on
his desk illuminated his work space and hid his face. It was a little
disconcerting but didn't faze me. I reached the desk and swallowed my gum
before speaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Whitey Roode for Bishop
Delarosa," I said politely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Of course Mr. Roode we were
expecting you, just a moment," said the boy priest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"You're late by the way," he
added, picking up the telephone handset. I made a face like I just bit into a
lemon and frowned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Eminence, the gentleman you're
expecting has arrived. Yes Eminence, he is standing right in front of me,"
he said staring me down. I could hear the Bishop muttering something on the
other end of the line. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Yes Eminence," the priest
said as he hung up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I am Father Donahue, please
follow me Mr. Roode," the boy priest said rising from his perch to lead
the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thanks Father, I'll be right
behind you," I replied. We stopped at the door and Father Donahue
announced me, standing aside to let me pass. I gave him a polite Cub Scout
salute as I passed by to enter the Bishop's office. He ignored it and returned
to his station, closing the door behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Nice fella," I said as I
walked up to meet the Bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I'm sure Father Donahue would
appreciate your praise," replied Bishop Delarosa. He gestured toward the
two Queen Anne chairs in front of his desk. I took his cue and sat in the one
on my left. I always go left, I'm left handed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Mr. Roode I presume?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"In the flesh your
Lordship."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"The term is Eminence but Father
will suffice," Delarosa said correcting me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Alright Father, whatever you
say."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Would you like some tea
Detective Roode?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Nah, I'm a coffee man myself and
I've never turned down a cup of Joe."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Delarosa
picked up the telephone and rang his aide. "Ferris would you please have
some coffee sent from the Rectory for Detective Roode and myself."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">He hung up the phone and returned some
papers in front of him to an open folder, closed it and then moved it to the
side to clear a space in front of him. It gave me a clue as to how this bird
flies. He was a control freak and I would need to be on my guard during our
conversation. Talking to upper echelon execs even in the clergy meant that you
could count on every word being recorded. No different than big business or big
government, so much for the sanctity of the confessional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Don't go to any trouble on my
account," I pleaded, sort of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"It's no trouble I assure
you," he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Okay, thanks."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
stared at one another for an uncomfortable minute causing me to fidget in my
seat. I involuntarily reached into my jacket pocket with one hand and retrieved
the Delarosa's letter and reached into a side pocket for my reading specs with
the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I see you came prepared, you
brought along my letter," said Delarosa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"That's why I'm here
Father."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Shall we cut to the chase?"
I added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"You're direct, I appreciate that
Detective Roode. It saves time and mine is quite valuable I assure you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Ditto Father, I'm a busy man my
own self."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Very well, first things first,
are you a Catholic detective?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Rumor has it I was at one time.
I mean my old mother claims I was baptized a Catholic as a baby, went through
the Catechism and First Communion as a child, and confirmed as a teen. But
frankly since then I can't claim to anything other than the sinner I was born
as. I think this is the closest to a church I've been in forty some odd
years," I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I see. Well do you at least believe
in God detective?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I do, but in my own way."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"That is not exactly a real
answer my son but it will do for now."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Why do you ask?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"To gain the upper hand in
this relationship of course."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Honesty, well played
Padre."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thank you. Now the letter, I can
see by its condition that you have read it more than once."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I did."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Tell me what you know of the
Egyptian Theater incident," Delarosa ordered more than asked. I could see
he was a man accustomed to giving orders. I hate that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"You first," I replied
defiantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Blunt and direct, I like that
Detective Roode," said Bishop Delarosa with a wicked little grin that made
my skin crawl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Call me Whitey," I said
trying to lighten the mood of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I'd rather not. I wouldn't call
you that even if it were your real name…Richard," he said, his grin
turning to a smile. That made my skin crawl faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Been doing a little detective
work of your own I see Eminence."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I like to know who I'm dealing
with, it keeps things even."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Alright, if you say so, as for
the Egyptian Theater, all I know is what I read in the LA Times, which means I
don't know much."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Noted, well allow me to shed a
little more light on the subject for you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Please do."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Do I have your word that this
conversation stays in this room? May I count on your professionalism?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I will if you will."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Clever detective,"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thanks, so turn off the
recording devises and let's talk turkey Eminence."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bishop
Delarosa picked up the pone again. He muttered something in Italian to Father
Donahue in the other room. A couple of seconds later the boy priest entered the
room with a tray of coffee and a set of church keys. He set the refreshments on
the Bishop's desk and went around behind him. I sat mesmerized as Father
Donahue pulled a beautiful painting of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">St.
Paul</st1:place></st1:city>'s Basilica down from the wall and used one of the
church keys to unlock a panel behind the painting. He reached inside and
fiddled with some knobs and buttons then closed and locked the panel. He
re-hung the painting and exited the room. Delarosa had poured the coffee while
his aide had supposedly deactivated the recording equipment. I got a whiff of
the hot coffee and was instantly back in the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Now let's skip what the papers
have reported so far, it's all superficial and frankly conjecture."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Okay, if you say so," I
replied taking a sip from my cup. Good coffee, note to self, find out where
they get this stuff. Second note to self, forget it, probably can't afford it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I believe it's reasonable to
assume that the young lady was clearly disturbed, do you agree?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
nodded as if I did but I didn't really. The act was disturbing but that doesn't
mean she was disturbed. She may have been drugged or brainwashed or whatever.
There are always many layers to an onion like this. I've played enough poker in
my life to sense a bluff. What do I know about this girl? Answer, nothing yet.
More importantly what did Delarosa know, that was where I was going to start if
I take this case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"What makes you say that?" I
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"My God man, did you not see the
news footage of the emulation?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I saw it, awful."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Suicide, murder, promiscuity,
these aren't enough clues for a smart detective to draw a similar
conclusion?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I get it Eminence, looney
tunes."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"What the newspaper temporarily
suppressed under pressure from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Vatican</st1:country-region></st1:place> were rumors about an
alleged inappropriate relationship between young lady and our Father
Quinn."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now
he had my full attention. This may not be a wasted trip after all. Father
Quinn? I knew that name. I reached into my jacket pocket and fished out the
business card I got from the film making priest I ran into earlier. Reverend
Nicholas Aloysius Quinn it read. I inadvertently repeated the name out loud,
that got the Bishop's attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"You know Father Quinn
detective?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Sort of, we met earlier on my
way over here. He was shooting a movie in my neighborhood. He gave me his card
and invited me to church sometime."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Delarosa
paused a moment to think about that and to study my face. He was trying to get
a read on what I may already know. I could see by the expression on his face
that he was choosing his next words wisely. I doubt he had planned to reveal
too much in this meeting. Now he was gonna have to. For the moment I had the
upper hand and I need to milk it for as much as I could. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"That was kind of him. You should
go I hear that his homilies are quite inspiring. He is a popular priest in the Archdiocese,
especially among the young people. And his films are quite good, inspiring, a
feather in the Church's bonnet."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"So I've heard."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"May I ask, what was your first
impression of the man?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I seemed like a good egg to me.
I hear he's quite a film maker as well."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I'm glad that you liked him, he
is a good man. I'm hoping you can help to prove that before the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Vatican</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
influence over the newspaper erodes and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'you-know
-what'</i> hits the fan."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Delarosa
caught me off guard with that remark and I choked on my coffee. It was my turn
to pause and study him. The Bishop was an interesting piece of work. I already
didn't like him and I could see plainly that the feeling was mutual. This was
gonna be a powder keg of a case and the fuse was already lit. The Father Quinn
angle was gonna be the first big bang t deal with, and that would be exploding
sooner than later. I was being recruited to make this all go away and sweep
whatever dirt I discovered under the proverbial carpet before another church
steeple was toppled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"We need someone with your unique
skills, someone who can swim in polluted water and come out smelling like a
rose. We need to start with Father Quinn and the girl. We need to understand
the level of exposure we're dealing with. We need to know the truth no matter
how damaging it may be, We fear the ramifications of a protracted investigation
by the LAPD and it's kibitzing Mayoral bureaucracy, I'm sure that you know what
I mean. So, will you help us Detective Roode?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
sat there in silence while I considered the options and finished my coffee.
There were only two, forget about it, walk away and let the chips fall where
they may for Father Quinn and the Catholic Church or take it on and risk
personal jail time for yours truly at the hands of Chief Oscar Celaya who'll undoubtedly
make my efforts as difficult as possible. It came down to the coffee. Oscar
serves up rot gut java and the stuff Delarosa just served me was sooooo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Okay Eminence, I'll see what I
can do but it won't be cheap. My rates are $500 a day plus expenses. And you
know what, throw in a couple of pounds of this here coffee because it's
terrific!" Bishop Delarosa chuckled and smiled a genuine smile while he
poured me another cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Alright Detective Roode, let's
agree that we have a deal. I'll have Father Donahue draw up a contract and
we'll send it over later for your signature. I will personally pray for your
efforts this Sunday at Mass. Stop by and receive Communion at the Holy
Eucharist with us. It's never too late to come back to the Church my son."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">It was my turn to chuckle,
"Alright Eminence, we'll see, no promises," I replied accepting the
coffee and the invitation. </span></span></div>
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NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-8839343487613036062014-05-03T11:00:00.001-07:002018-12-01T11:26:09.451-08:00(”Los Angelinos, all come from somewhere, to live in sunshine, their funky exile.")…Billy Joel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><em>For my family</em></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Chapter One</span></strong></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bella Terra Italian Ristorante, Los Angeles<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="ES-MX" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">It's no secret that I do my best thinking
in dimly lit places with free flowing booze. So it shouldn't surprise anyone to
find me squirreled away in a corner booth at the Manzano brothers little slice
of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
the Bella Terra Restaurant. It's a nice little place located up the street and
around the corner from <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Pershing
Square</st1:address></st1:street> and I had on my thinking cap this evening.
Sipping on a glass of house Chianti I was pondering recent events. While I
enjoyed a glass of the boys vino with one hand <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(on the house of course, they think I’m funny, what can I say)</i> I
pulled out a folded letter from my coat pocket with the other. You know, it's
not everyday one gets mail from God, well, the Roman Catholic Church anyway,
close enough I reckon. The letterhead read Archdiocese of Los Angeles no less, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">interesting</i>. So why were they knocking
on my door? I'm a sinner alright but I’m not a Catholic, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well,</i> not anymore technically. Rumor has it my old mother raised me
as an Irish Catholic. I wonder if this is anything to do with that unfortunate
misunderstanding with the collection plate during one Sunday Mass back when I
was five or six. Nah, couldn’t be! The truth is if my life thus far can be an
accurate measurement of my spiritual performance, then all those childhood lessons
were wasted on me. It's not that I don't believe in God because in my own way I
sorta do. It's just that I've seen too much of the awful side of life and frankly
don't understand how a God of peace and love can allow such things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let's
just say that there's a lot I want to talk about when I get the chance to meet
up with the boss-man in the sky. I know what you're thinking, WTF right (meaning
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">where's
the faith</i></b>, not the other connotation). I'm afraid personal experiences
have jaded me over the years and my faith has been a casualty in the train
wreck that is my life. Listen, the truth is the truth even when it hurts to say
so out loud. But ya know what, just between you and me and the fencepost, secretly
down deep, even with my bad attitude I'm hoping that when I reach the end I'll
discover all my doubts were just baloney and that my sainted old mother was right
all along. I'll admit that it would be comforting to know that someone might be
up there is looking out for yours truly in spite of my bad self. I wish that I could
believe in that now, life would be easier but that requires faith, and mine's
been missing in action for a long, long time. But hey, never say never, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am I</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right?</i>
There’s another old saying from my sainted old mother. Anyway, that's all I
want to say about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
unfolded the letter and read it over again, the third time since receiving it.
The note was short and sweet, only a couple of paragraphs with very few details.
Basically it was an introduction of sorts from Bishop Armando Delarosa, a
noteworthy Vatican insider and a minor celebrity in this town, who, at least according
to my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">source</i> was on the short list to
become <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cardinal Delarosa</i>. My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">source</i> being my chubby buddy Bradley Truman,
an over the top gossip columnist for the Los Angeles Times. In a nutshell
Bishop Delarosa wanted to meet with me to discuss a tragic incident at the
Egyptian Theater which either directly or indirectly involved the Church by way
of a crusading priest with whom I have recently become acquainted. Said priest
is maybe ten or fifteen years older than me and my first impressions tagged him
as a nice guy, a real man's man who chose a path few consider and fewer still
follow. It was his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'calling'</i> if you
will. That's an interesting term, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'calling,'</i>
I wonder who drops the dime for that call? Anyway, the preacher seemed to be a
man of conviction with a predilection for causes that stretched beyond the
average Sunday Mass. His medium was film and his zeal for championing his
causes might seem vain and contrary to a commitment to God, but appearances can
often be misleading. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
finished my first glass of Chianti (note to self, remind Angelo to get bigger
glasses) and poured another from the carafe on the table in my usual corner
booth. Angelo calls this booth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the poet's
corner</i> because it's perpetually reserved for me and I'm always scribbling something
into a little spiral notepad. Like I said, it's where I do some of my best
thinking. The boys, Angelo and his brother affectionately known as Fat Johnny,
owned the joint, Tony's Bella Terra they call it. Actually Tony was the
previous owner from back in the Rat Pack days, the pack being Sinatra, Martin,
Bishop, and Sammy Davis Jr. for those of you too young to recognize the term. Actually
if you're too young to know the term you're probably too young to know the names,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">smooth detective work Whitey</i>. Anyway,
the brothers have been friends of mine since forever, going way back to my
uniform days dressed in LAPD blue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tony's
Bella Terra and Casey's Irish Cottage were my sanctuaries where I could
concentrate and wrestle with the facts while piecing together the puzzles that
were my cases, like the one here that Bishop Delarosa wanted to chat about. That
being said I fished a #2 pencil and a small spiral notepad out of my shirt
pocket and started prepping for my little <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pow-wow</i>
with the top dog holy man downtown. Flipping to a blank page I started working
my tried and true dubya dubya dubya outline. Specifically, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">W</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hat I know</i>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">W</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hat
I think</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know</i>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">W</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hat I want to know</i>. It's how I start
every investigation, especially the tough ones, and this one had the telltale
signs of being a real killer-diller (no pun intended).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So,</i> 'W' number one,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> what do I know?</i> Well to recap, </span><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;">i</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">t was a couple of weeks ago I think,
at one of my regular poker games back in June, the 7th to be exact, when I
first laid eyes on the crusading padre. Officially he was Father Nicholas
Aloysius Quinn affectionately known around town in all of the legitimate
publications as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Father Nick</i> but
sarcastically referred to in the gossip rags as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Father Hollyweird</i>. The unmistakable sound of a fender bender had distracted
me from one of my weekly poker games. No big deal, I had a crappy hand as
usual, and I was pretty sure that Fat Johnny had drawn a spade to fill the King
high flush that his up cards were hinting at. Uncharacteristically I played it
smart and folded my hand and went over to the window to see what was happening on
the street below my second floor apartment. I live at the once famous and now
infamous Alexandria Hotel located downtown on Spring Street. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It's
not the classiest of neighborhoods, but then it's not the murder capital of Los
Angeles either. I've been hanging my hat here ever since my former wife Rhonda
divorced me and joined the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"XY"</b>
team. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. My significant other became my
significant brother! Take it from me that'll take the lead out of your pencil.
She, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I mean he</i>, started calling herself,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I mean himself,</i> Ronald and wearing her
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'fella'</i> uniform which consisted
basically of a pair of Levi button down 501 jeans and a Ralph Loren polo shirt.
One must never abandon style he says. It's a new world I guess. What was wrong
with the old world anyway? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was
beautiful!</i> But I digress… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Anyway,
back to that night. From my window I spotted the good Father across the street leading
a pack of young people, teens mostly, up the block and around the corner at an
hour that was probably past their curfews. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Interesting?</i>
That set off a few alarms, and being the nosey buttinski that I am I made a
mental note to snoop around the next day and see just what was what around that
corner. I watched the small crowd dwindle until the last teenybopper
disappeared and then walked back to the table to rejoin the card game hoping to
win back at least some of the dough I'd lost, but that wasn't likely. I don't like
to kid myself, there's no percentage in it. The truth is I'm just a lousy
gambler, always have been. I don't have a good poker face, for card games or real
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
usual the card game broke up shortly after dawn, and since I can't sleep once
the sun comes up I decided to hoof it a few blocks over to the Nickel Diner for
breakfast. That joint is on my short list of local greasy spoons. I should
mention that the ND is swankier than any of the others I frequent. Although the
help can be a little snooty and they always seem to be bum rushing the clientele
maximizing table turns. It's all about the Benjamins, am I right? If you're not
ordering take out you better be ready to eat like a starving puppy because the
help will circle your table like sharks until you swallow your last bite! By
the way, if you ever go there be sure to try the bacon donuts. I swear I'd never
heard of such a thing but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">damn!</i></b> Just so ya know, in Whitey's
book bacon is bliss…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nuff said!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
it happens, the route to the Nickel Diner was the same one travelled by Father
Quinn and his flock of teenyboppers, so I kept my eyes peeled for the Piped
Preacher of Los Angeles on my way to breakfast. I crossed Spring St. as
soon as I exited the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city>
and walked briskly down 5th heading east towards <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Main Street</st1:address></st1:street> only a block away. I didn't
have to walk very far before satisfying my curiosity because as soon as I
rounded the corner onto I saw several white canvas tents strung along one side of
the block, all the way to the stoplight at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">6th Street</st1:address></st1:street>. One of the tents was set up conspicuously
in the middle of the street about halfway between 5th and 6th. There was a lot of
action going in all directions around that tent which seemed to be the eye of
the storm. This kind of activity in this town usually meant somebody was shooting
something for either television or film. Hey this was LA after all and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> was only a
short ride on Hwy 101, so no big surprise. Being a life long Angelino I've seen
my fair share of location shoots. Frankly they annoy the crap outta me with all
the commotion they cause. They're almost as bad as <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state> drivers in a rain storm where everyone
loses their mind as if they'd never seen falling water before. That goes double
wherever cameras are rolling and everyday life is turned on its ear turning regular
folk into card carrying lookie-loos! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
felt the level of activity increase exponentially as I neared the shaded nerve
center. Seated in front of a bank of television monitors was a broad shouldered
fella wearing a NY Yankees cap turned backwards. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A generous amount of sandy blond hair spilled
out from under the bill of the navy blue ball cap and well over his shirt
collar. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poor guy was besieged by a
steady stream of buzzing bees requesting that he sign this and initial that. He
had to be the Director on this shoot. I counted no less than thirty different people
walk in and out of the tent in the three minutes it took me to reach it. Small
wonder the skyrocketing price of a movie ticket these days!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
continued walking up the block just a little past the tent and then turned back
to get a better look at the man in charge. What I saw floored me. It was
something that you didn't see everyday and something I was not expecting at all.
The fella seated in front of the playback monitors and calling all the shots
was not your typical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Joe Hollywood </i>type<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i> The man with the lens dangling from a
lanyard around his neck was an honest to God (pun intended), white collar
wearing, crucifix hanging, true confession taking priest, go figure? So, being
a curious cat with zero inhibitions I walked right on up to him and introduced
myself. I'm not shy, not by any stretch of the imagination, and I just got in
line with everyone else waiting for a signature and when my turn came I handed
him my business card instead of a clipboard. The busy man didn't even look up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"What is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a Whitey Roode</i> for pity sake?" he asked in a thick Irish
brogue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"It's a detective, and it's
me," I replied in my best Humphrey Bogart impression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Are you auditioning my
son?" the white collared director asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Maybe, any parts for the
handsome detective type?" I answered matching his sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"No," replied the padre sighing
audibly. He held my card up as he turned in his chair to face me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Whitey
Roode, Private Eye,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
he said, reading my card out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Sounds more like a statement
than a name," he said, removing his spectacles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
lines on the priest's face gave away his age, a fact that his lean physique and
full head of slightly graying hair had hid at a distance. He looked at me with
piercing blue eyes that twinkled even in the shade. I felt like a school boy
all of the sudden, taken completely off guard by his natural aura of
genuineness. It felt as though I were in a warm embrace sans physical contact,
weird? Father Nick stared at me patiently and waited for me to find my voice,
which I did abruptly after clearing my throat loud enough to draw a couple of
eye rolls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Yeah, I get that a lot," I
replied finally, thumbing at my nose like a boxer, trying to regain my edge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do you now?</i> Well Mr. Roode, I'm a busy man this fine morning. What
can I do for you?" he asked, politely smiling, putting me at ease.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Actually I don't need anything
your Lordship. It's just that you don't see a film making priest everyday. I
guess you can say curiosity got the best of me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"I see. Well, you should know
that Lordships belong to members of Parliament. By the way Mr. Roode, do you
recall what happened to the curious cat?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Call me Whitey, and yeah, I
remember padre, it got dead."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"That happens sometimes. I'm
Father Quinn, pleasure to meet you Mr. Roode," he said holding out a beefy
hand for me to shake. I took it and we went through the firm handshake ritual
that all men do. His grip was firm alright, almost to the point of fracturing a
couple of my fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Back attcha your worship, call
me Whitey," I said willing myself not to wince while I waited for him to
release my aching hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Alright, Whitey it is, and if
you don't mind its Father Quinn. Well now, if you'll pardon me I should be getting
back to work, as you can see it's a little hectic around here. Stop by the
Parish anytime if you'd like to chat some more. You can find me over at St.
Anthony's most weekday mornings polishing my homily for the Sunday's <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mass.</st1:place></st1:state><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">"Thanks Padre, I just might take
you up on that. Well, guess I'll be seeing ya round then," I said as he
turned back to face the play back monitors and deal with the hive of buzzing
bees competing for his attention. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> I backed my way out of the shade into the
morning sunlight and continued walking up <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Main Street</st1:address></st1:street> toward the Nickel Diner and
breakfast. I wasn't quite sure what to make of Father Quinn just then but I
knew that I'd get a good read on him in short order. First impression though, I
liked the man, not sure why? He was at the center of a maelstrom caused by what
happened at the Egyptian Theater and he was going to need a friend like me. And
I hope that I'm up to the challenge. Anyhow that's the genesis of my initial
meeting with the principle subject in the case that the Arch Archdioceses' wanted
to hire me for. It's<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> what I know</i> so far. I'll cipher on the other dubyas after I eat, I'm <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">starvin Marvin!</i> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-24790489415747240542014-04-06T12:40:00.000-07:002018-12-01T11:27:04.746-08:00(”and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply…”)…Genesis 1:28<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For my family</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">"THE GUMSHOE DIARIES:</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;">Father Hollyweird"</span></strong></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="PT-BR" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">Prologue</span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="PT-BR" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 200%;">Los Angeles, California, November 24, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span lang="PT-BR" style="mso-ansi-language: PT-BR;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Richard Wallace Roode is the name, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">technically anyway</i>, but most people just
call me Whitey on account of the blonde mop on the top of my pointed head. I
earn my keep these days as a private investigator in <st1:city w:st="on">Los
Angeles</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>, the City of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Angels</st1:place></st1:city>. No small thanks mind
you to the LAPD who sponsored my self employed status by allowing me to choose
between early retirement (about ten years early) and a ten to fifteen year all
expenses paid vacation at the San Quentin Hotel and Resort. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What was my crime you ask?</i> Wish I knew. Apparently
that's still top secret as I've yet to be formally charged of any wrong doing
beyond my unhealthy lack of respect for authority. Suffice to say the jury in
that kangaroo court will be perpetually out until I clear my name, which is
exactly what I intend to do one of these days. But that's ancient history and
I'm really not in the mood to kick a sleeping dog. Note to self, it could be
time for a change of scenery. Maybe Frisco, I've got friends there? Nah, it's way
too cold and too foggy. Maybe <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San
Diego</st1:place></st1:city>, I always did like that town it's where I did boot
before shipping out back in the day. Nice weather, nicer beaches, and not too
far from the action in LA? Huh, we'll see I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So,
being the kinda guy I am, I scotch taped a flyer onto the newspaper kiosks
outside of the small bar conveniently located on the ground floor of the
Alexandria Hotel where I live. The joint's a once prominent downtown brownstone
from circa 1930 or something like that. The dingy bar downstairs is where I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'take'</i> all my meetings as they say in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tinsel</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
The old girl is a little run down by today's standards and she's been downgraded
from posh hotel to a low rent apartment building. But it's home sweet home for
yours truly, and where I earn my living. Some people might wonder why I stick
with this kind of work. I've got a short answer for them. Because I'm too old a
dog to learn new tricks and chasing mean bad guys is all I know how to do, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">that's why!</b> If that sounds bitter it's
only because it is, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sue me!</i> Alright, so
I'm a little bitter, but I'm not a hot head. I'm a realist actually, raised on
the premise that it's okay to lose a battle as long as you win the war. After
all patience is a virtue so the say and perseverance is omnipotent, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am I</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>?
Anyhow that's my bio, take it or leave it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oh
well, getting back to this journal entry. Recently I re-learned a universal
axiom after working the Sally November murder case. Specifically that nobody's
guaranteed a tomorrow. That's a sad fact of life and one I first learned at the
tender age 18 while in serving in <st1:place w:st="on">Southeast Asia</st1:place>
with Uncle Sam and the USMC. The point is that I've been doing some soul
searching lately about the sanctity of life. Some people may be surprised to
know that I even <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have</i></b> a soul to search. Now that's just plain mean and really not
the case at all. I'm human like everyone else and contrary to popular opinion I
do have a conscience. Unfortunate events occurred during that murder
investigation, events that sadly cost my ex-wife Rhonda/Ronald her/his life,
due directly or indirectly to her connection to me. I can't help but feel
responsible, and the guilt eats at me when I try to sleep each night. It makes
me want to make sense of things. We didn't have your typical hostile post
divorce relationship remaining close at a distance if that makes any sense. Sure,
she left me a long time ago, running off with another woman <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(don't ask),</i> and that was rough and I
didn't take it very well. Come to think of it that was when my problems with
the LAPD brass started. Related? Probably, but who gives a shit now. Forgive
and forget my old mother always said, paraphrasing scripture as she remembered
it. The fact is Rhonda was a good person and as far as I'm concerned she didn't
deserve the ending that fate had in store for her. Bitter pill to swallow, but
ya know whenever the question is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">answer</i> is rarely adequate. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why</i> questions, especially emotionally charged
ones need answers attached to a time machine. If only H.G Wells and Albert
Einstein could have been one person with a Siamese brain. Man, the prayers
their genius might have answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seriously,
the subject of life and death has been on my mind lately, specifically the
notion of whether or not tomorrows are guaranteed, and if they aren't then what
about today? Perplexing concept, one I've never given much thought to before
now. But the aftermath of the Sally November case coupled with current events,
specifically the wild scene outside The Egyptian Theater last week, prompted me
to ponder such things again. What happened at the Egyptian you ask? Well, in a
nutshell, a controversial part time activist film maker / full time Catholic Priest
was premièring his latest work, an Indie film that poked at the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pro-choice</i> crowd in his new movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"1st Commandment."</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
know what you're thinking, a powder keg of a title! If you ask me tackling that
subject and that particular group essentially on their home turf was risky
business. This is <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>
after all, and could be considered Mecca-West for the leftists (NYC being Mecca-East).
But the local media loves this Padre, referring to him affectionately in print as
Father Nick. The charismatic filmmaker and former semi-pro footballer from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Shannonbridge</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place> had built quite a
following. Throngs of people packed St. Anthony's whenever he presided over
Mass to listen to his colorful homilies and receive communion from him. You
know how it is, people flock to a flame now matter how bright it burns, hero
worship, go figure? Even more people flocked to the theaters to enjoy his
movies as well. Father Nick's films tackled very real social issues, openly and
honestly, offering faith in God and Humanity take your pick, as the foundation
for changing sad truths into hope. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wasn't exactly what you'd expect from a sixty-nine year-old vicar from the old
country. The man was tall and sturdy, standing six feet two inches and pretty
darn fit for his age if you ask me. He was a lean mean preaching machine, a man
who inspired you to get involved with causes bigger than yourself. Hell, I'm
not a church goer or do gooder by any stretch of the imagination, but after
meeting this fella I considered reconsidering my Sunday mornings, except during
football season of course!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
premier had been the talk of the town for days before the actual event,
sparking a clash between the pro-life and pro-choice factions. However that inevitable
confrontation paled in the light of what actually happened. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tragically, a teenage girl, the real life
subject of this real life film had apparently come to the premier to make a very
personal statement. As Father Nick and his special guests exited the limo, the
young lady, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mother and child</i>, quietly
detoured off of the red carpet in the opposite direction bypassing the curious
crowd and the paparazzi. Together she and her newborn wandered out into the
middle of <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Hollywood Blvd.</st1:address></st1:street>
where she knelt, resting her haunches back onto her heels and rocked her cooing
child. A few seconds later, before anyone stepped out to see what was what, she
reached into a crocheted handbag hanging from her small shoulder and fetched a
baby bottle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But feeding her child wasn't
her intent. She removed the top and then doused herself and the infant with the
contents which as it turned out was gasoline. Then right there in front of
hundreds of eye witnesses and who knows how many television viewers, she struck
a match. It was a murder/suicide by self-immolation. So horrible was the scene
the networks actually collectively refused to air the footage. Unfortunately no
such agreement existed among the dozens of amateur film makers equipped with
smart phones. Their opportunist nature yielded a YouTube bonanza of varying lengths,
angle, and perspectives depicting the unimaginable action of this disturbed
young lady. Needless to say several versions went viral recording the horrific
scene as well as the last words the young mother shouted for all to hear, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"I love you Father."</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
<o:p></o:p></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> Why did she do this? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why?</i></b>
Who was she speaking to anyway? Her Pop, the father of her kid, Father Nick,
God Almighty, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who?</i> It made no sense,
it was insane, but there had to be an explanation, there's always an
explanation. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why, why, why,</i> that's
what everyone wants to know and that's where I come in. I was hired by the Los Angeles
Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church to put a lid on this tragedy, to make
it go away before the media and the LAPD turned it into a circus for the whole
world to watch. God knows the Church had a plate full of embarrassing worries
to deal with already. They didn't want LA's publicity hound Mayor grabbing
cheap headlines at their expense. Nor could they afford the LAPD dragging their
bureaucratic feet, taking months to work the case. Hence the good Fathers,
Bishops, and Cardinals, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whoever</i>,
opted for the quick and dirty approach. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">That would be me, Whitey Roode…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gumshoe</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></div>
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<br />NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-56221133925041682462014-03-31T18:56:00.001-07:002014-03-31T23:20:17.867-07:00("She's got a smile that heals me. I don't know why it is. But I have to laugh when she reveals me")…Billy Joel 1971<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">"GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Ten</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gabriels-Promise-Nicholas-Sheridan/dp/1497451884/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396317103&sr=1-2&keywords=gabriel%27s+promise"><strong>http://www.amazon.com/Gabriels-Promise-Nicholas-Sheridan/dp/1497451884/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396317103&sr=1-2&keywords=gabriel%27s+promise</strong></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="PT-BR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR;">LA Trauma
Center, Los Angeles November 30, 2004<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="PT-BR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="PT-BR" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Changing rotations from days to nights is like moving to
another planet as far as Lizzie was concerned. Daytime rounds tended to be schedule
driven and routine even boring juggling paperwork and sales reps in between
actual doctor stuff. But night shifts were ripe with variety. The night
bypassed the usual suspects for a hodgepodge of God knows what. You never knew
who or what was going to come crashing through those automatic doors in the ERR
From the ridiculous to hilarious to the downright terrifying and heartbreaking.
There weren't any gray areas in the spectrum of human emotion. The twelve hour
shift passed quickly and Lizzie had no problem with that! She'd been on this new
shift for a couple weeks now and had already learned more about practicing medicine
then she had learned in all eight her eight years of book learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Friday nights went, tonight seemed
unusually quiet, but then it was only eight o’clock, a full two hundred and
forty minutes before the witching hour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Hey Lizzie,” hollered Mollie Lebowitz,
the Maternity charge nurse. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Elizabeth</st1:place></st1:city>
looked up from the clipboard she was reading and acknowledged her with a nod of
her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“There’s fresh Danish up on eight in
oncology courtesy good old Doc Octopus," she said, rolling her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">"Looks like the old pervert's
finally retiring!” Mollie said, stopping beside Lizzie, giving the metal
clipboard a thump with her fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Sorry Mollie, what did you say,”
Lizzie asked apologetically?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I said Doctor Shaw, a.k.a. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doc Octopus</i> is retiring. Although, if
you ask me I think he finally accumulated enough harassment complaints to
propagate a forced early retirement!” said Mollie sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh yes, the fastest hands in LA, I
know him. If the cops ever needed his fingerprints all they'd have to do is
dust my ass,” Lizzie replied, giggling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Mollie laughed out loud and continued
down the hall toward the elevators on her way back to her ward. Lizzie waived
goodbye, putting her glasses back on and returning to the chart she was
studying. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple of minutes the
pastries Mollie had mentioned were starting to call her name. A sweet treat sounded
pretty darn good right now and her traitor stomach was growling go, go, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">go!</i> She returned the chart back into the
large circular chart caddy and walked over to the same elevators Mollie had
taken only a few minutes before. The car arrived before she pushed the button
and she entered the empty elevator, pressing eight on the panel. "Guess
those Danish have powerful friends she," she muttered, pressing the button
for the eighth floor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Lizzie checked her look in the brushed
aluminum walls and gave her hair a little tease as she rode the six floors from
two to eight. She'd always been nervous riding in elevators, ever since she saw
the second Exorcist movie, the one where some guy gets sliced to ribbons by a
severed cable in one. Flashing back to that scene she hummed a happy tune to
squelch evil thoughts. A loud ding announced her arrival at the eighth floor
and the doors slowly opened. She sprinted out into the lobby of the oncology
ward leaving those bad vibes in the devil contraption and stopped abruptly in
front of the nurse’s station. Shaking off the heebie-jeebies she tried to look
cooler than she felt, realizing she probably looked ridiculous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Smooth
Doctor Andrews</i>, I see that we’re our usual ball of confusion this evening,”
teased Nurse Hardy, easily the most senior (older than dirt) RN at the
hospital. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everyone
called her by her married name, never by her given name. Ednabelle Hardy was
the unofficial den mother for every nurse, intern, and resident at this place.
Sort of like a Master Chief on board a naval vessel, the highest ranking
non-com around, the real power behind the well oiled machine known as LA Trauma,
or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">LAT</i> as most of us referred to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah, well I was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ummm</i>…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“The Danish are round the corner in
the waiting room,” Nurse Hardy said with a smile, returning her attention to
whatever she was doing before Lizzie had burst onto the scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Danish<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, really,</i> I had no idea? Maybe I’ll stop on by just to be polite,”
Lizzie lied weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh please!”</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> giggled the ancient RN, shaking her
head at the silly young doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Composing
herself Elizabeth strolled confidently toward the waiting room where the
refreshments were laid out. She was starving and really needed the sugar and
caffeine rush tonight. So, waiving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ta-ta</i>
she quickly disappeared around the corner, picking up the pace as soon as she
was out of eyesight. Arriving at the waiting room in nano-seconds, Lizzie
immediately poured herself a cup of strong, hot coffee, taking it black <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">like a man</i>, and then went straight for a
blueberry croissant. That first bite of pastry washed down by that first sip of
truly good coffee was almost sinful. It was the closest she’d been to ecstasy
in better than a year. Plopping down on a semi comfy sofa she enjoyed bite
number two and tried to ignore the tiny voice encouraging her to stuff a couple
more into her pockets for later. The little voice in her head was suddenly
interrupted by a little voice behind her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What’s your name,” a little girl
asked? Lizzie twisted around in her seat and looked up sheepishly from her
snack. She ran her tongue across her front teeth to avoid a blueberry smile and
answered the child, “Elizabeth,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Hi <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lisbeth</i>, I’m Katie,” the girl replied with a cute impish lisp. Lizzie
smiled at her, noticing that the child was pulling an IV tree along side of
her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Honey, are you supposed to be out
here?” Lizzie asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">"Where are your mommy and
daddy?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">"Mommy is at the cafeteria,"
answered the child. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
little girl smiled at her, ignoring her question and looked down at Lizzie’s
feet. “Your shoes are untied,” she said, pointing with tiny fingers. Lizzie
looked down to verify the child’s claim, she was likely right; her shoes were
always coming untied. Lizzie set her refreshments down on the coffee table and
bent over to tie her shoes. “Listen, I can walk you back to your room when I
finish here Katie, would you like that?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Okay,” the child replied in a
cheerful tone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lizzie
finished off the croissant in two mega bites, choking them down with a big gulp
of coffee then jumped up from the sofa to helped Katie maneuver her IV tree
back into the hall. They walked hand in hand toward her room, passing the
nurse’s station on the way. Nurse Hardy looked up from her work and got out of
her chair when she saw Katie. She wagged a stern finger at the little girl that
contradicted the warm smile on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Katherine Jean Tate! What are you
doing up at this hour?” Nurse Hardy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I couldn’t sleep Edna, my room was
making <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thhcary</i> noises,” Katie
answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Scary noises indeed! All you have to
do is press the call button and I’ll come straight away my dear, you know
that,” explained Nurse Hardy softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I know, I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thhorry</i>, but I was bored,” Katie replied pouting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yes, well never the less, you belong
in bed young lady, you have a big day tomorrow, “Nurse Hardy said, gently
scolding the child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Maybe we can talk doctor into taking
you back and tucking you in. She might even read you a story before she goes
back to work. Why don't you ask nicely,” she said winking at Lizzie. Lizzie
took the hint and chimed in, “Oh, yeah, sure, I could do that. What do you say
Katie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alright,</i>
but you have to read Green Eggs and Ham, the whole thing, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">okay?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“It’s a deal, Dr Seuss it is,” Lizzie
answered enthusiastically, winking back at Nurse Hardy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The younger generations waived to
their elder and scurried down the hall giggling. When they reached Katie’s
room, Lizzie held open the heavy wooden door as the kid navigated her way back to
her bed. Katie scaled the metal sides expertly like a rock climber and crawled
under the covers, skillfully keeping her IV lines from tangling. The tree
teetered perilously as she socked at her pillows, fluffing them up, causing
Lizzie to scurry over and steady the apparatus before it tipped over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Careful sweetie, I don’t want to have
to put any stitches into that pretty little head of yours,” Lizzie teased. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“My pillows were flat,” Katie
explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“No worries honey, no harm done. Now,
where is that book of yours?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Over there,” the child replied, pointing
at a stack at least four feet high in the corner of the room, near the
bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My
goodness</i>, how long have you been in here anyways?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You’re funny,” Katie said giggling at
the surprised expression on Lizzie’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I’ve been here since my birthday last
month,” she answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really</i>,
since your birthday, so how old were you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Katie
held up six fingers and smiled. Lizzie smiled back trying not to let her
analytical face betray the fact that she'd deduced from the IV bags what this
adorable child was suffering from. This was the oncology ward after all so it
hadn't been too hard to put two and two together. The fact that the kid had already
been here for weeks was a little puzzling as most chemo kids were in for a week
or less then home or off campus until the next round. She wondered what was up
with that. And what was so big about tomorrow anyways? She wrestled with that
for a few seconds until she saw a question begin forming on Katie’s cherub-like
face. Lizzie quickly took two giant steps toward the pile of children’s books and
fished out a well worn copy of Green Eggs and Ham.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TA-DA</b>,
here it is,” she exclaimed, beaming back at Katie like she had discovered gold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yippee,” Katie replied excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Sit on my bed with me, okay?” the
child asked, pleading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Sure sweetie,” Lizzie answered,
crossing the room to sit beside her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
made a mental note to make some inquiries later. She knew that she should mind
her own business, and not get involved in something that was not likely to end
well. But her maternal instincts won out over her better judgment, as usual.
This was familiar territory for her. It was only a little over a year ago that
another suffering child had stolen her heart. She let herself picture Gabriel
Bouchard's smiling face for a moment, and then jumped back into the present
before a tear could form and began reading to Katie. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“I am Sam…Sam I am…”</span></i></b></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-8780727386770700062014-03-24T16:52:00.001-07:002014-03-24T16:52:15.950-07:00("How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year")…Pink Floyd<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Nine</span></strong></div>
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<strong><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Long Beach</span></i></st1:city><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></span></i></st1:place><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, November 30, 2004</span></i></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As long as I can remember, my father has been an early riser. Some of my earliest memories are of him walking past my room before dawn on his way to the stairway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd hear him draw in deep breaths while he did twenty knee bends, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly twenty</i>, right outside my door before descending the stairs two steps at a time to the landing below. Next he'd grunt out fifty sit ups and fifty push ups and then finish up with a jog around the house, living room, family room and kitchen breathing through his nose which would tweet like a whistle every now and then. He'd jog twenty-five laps, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i>, no more, no less, pausing on the odd numbered laps to sprint in place for a hundred count. This was his routine Monday through Friday, altering only on the weekend to allow for yard work on Saturday and church on Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This morning was no exception, even though technically he was at my house now, and there weren't any stairs to navigate. I heard his alarm faintly announce from down the hall that it was precisely 5am, and propped myself up on one elbow. I listened for him to jog past my room and start his ritual just outside my door. A low muffled moan emanated from the form curled up beside me, her mop-topped head snuggly wedged underneath both of her pillows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aww</i> come on Patrick, he’s your Pop! Can’t you get him to take that noise outside?” groaned Michelle, scooting toward me and trying to push me out of bed with her bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Maybe we can find him a girlfriend or something to redirect all that extra energy.” I snickered, rolling her way, spooning up to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I bet I can take your mind off of his noise if we make a little noise of our own,” I said, whispering in her ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“In your dreams hot stuff, I need a couple more hours sleep,” she mumbled sleepily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Tell you what though, you go and cool your Pop’s jets and I’ll meet you in the shower around seven, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">deal?</i>” she offered playfully, kissing the air and patting me reassuringly on my rump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Promises, promises!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> I sighed, swinging my legs out of bed and reaching for my bathrobe hanging on the footboard. I felt around for my slippers on the cold hardwood floor with my stocking feet and worked them on without hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I tied a sad little knot around my robe and walked out of the room and into the hall. There he was, my old man, still in tip top shape and full of piss and vinegar. He paused for a second to acknowledge my unexpected presence, and looked me over like a drill sergeant, grunting something unintelligible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What was that? You say something ya old fossil?” I asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ah</i>, I was going to ask if you wanted to join me. But, I can see that you didn’t even have the strength to tie a proper knot,” he quipped, pointing out the embarrassing gap in my loosely tied bathrobe. I looked down and quickly put the mouse back in his house and cinched the terrycloth knot snuggly as Dad disappeared through the living-room and into the kitchen, lap number one under way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Hey, wait up!” I hollered, chasing after him. I caught up with him on turn two as he passed the living room sofa. I had to trot behind him as there wasn’t room enough to run along side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Listen Pop, why don’t we take this outside so Michelle can sleep in? You’d be doing me a really big favor, believe me!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Can’t do it son, shrapnel in both of my knees courtesy the Nazis, you know that,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Aw come on Pop, we can run on the grass and stay off the concrete altogether to save your knees,” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh alright, I suppose I can do my part to support your love life. Besides, it’s high time we put some giggles back in this house, Gabriel’s been gone for a year now,” he added, stopping to man-slap me on my back. We walked through the kitchen and out the sliding glass door that led to the backyard. I sighed, uncomfortably, knowing that my father could see right through me. It had always bugged me how he was always so direct, so blunt. I slid the door closed behind me as we stepped into the cool pre-dawn air. It was still dark, but you could smell the morning coming, the dew on the grass was ice cold and crunched a little under my bare feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We jogged along in silence for a quarter hour, our breath visible on the cold air. I admired my father’s square posture as he ran, secretly hoping that I would be as spry when I reached his age. We pulled up at lap twenty-five and started to run in place at a sprinter’s pace. I was sweating more than I had expected to and was having trouble keeping my robe tied shut. Mercifully the wind sprint run was over quickly and I watched my dad stop and reach to take his own pulse, a pair of fingers placed over the carotid artery at his neck. He watched the second hand on his Timex and counted the beats of his heart. After 30 seconds he put his hands on his hips and took a very deep breath, letting it out slowly. Then he smiled broadly and slapped me on the back, bragging, “I’ve got the heart of a 30 year-old!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We walked over to the patio table and sat down. He studied me for a moment and then leaned back heavily in the chair. Clasping his hands and lacing his fingers together as if he were praying, like he always did just before he lectured me. Somehow he always knew when I had something on my mind. Maybe it was a skill he learned from my mother, I knew it wasn’t a natural instinct because few men have that kind of sixth sense naturally. Most guys have the attention span of an African <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tsetse</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fly</i>; we're just too easily distracted. Women on the other hand study people as a hobby, and have that nagging sense of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I know what you’re thinking”</i> that they use to keep us in line, most of the time anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“So, are you going to tell me about what you’re up to or are you waiting for me to guess?” he asked sarcastically. That pissed me off this early in the morning so I let him stew in his sarcasm for a moment before answering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I never could keep secrets from you or Mom,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“And why would you? You should know by now that I’ll support you no matter what as long you're not breaking the law or hurting anyone. I'm your father after all, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right,</i>” he quipped?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah, well this time Papa, this time I’m planning to step over that line,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Which line?” he asked cautiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Technically both</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">,” I answered, unconsciously biting at my lower lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh,” was all he could come up with as he studied my face. He stared at me for an uncomfortable couple an moment before my impatience got the best of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Papa?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> I said, rudely snapping my fingers in his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I was just deciding how much of this I wanted to hear is all,” he replied. His face betrayed his concern but he remained cool, carefully choosing his next words. He sighed heavily and I braced myself for a nickel lecture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You and Michelle have been through hell son. I know how it feels to visit there, how easy it is to surrender to evil thoughts when you’re convinced you’ve been wronged,” he said, delivering cent number one of the nickel lecture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“That being said, I also believe that God’s ways are mysterious, and that sometimes the ends may <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actually</i> justify the means. If the end is righteous of course, does that make sense?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Who’s being obtuse now?” I teased using one of his favorite terms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Touché,</i>” he chuckled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Seriously Patrick, what do you have up your sleeve?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Did <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> call you?” I asked suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“No, but I have to admit that I’ve had a few questionable thoughts of my own where that hospital is concerned. I’m guessing that is what this is all about, am I right?” he replied delivering cent two, three, and four.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s go back inside and make some coffee, we’ll have a couple of hours to chat before Michelle wakes up,” I said, nodding my head toward the warm house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Alright, go make the coffee while I finish my work out,” Papa answered, getting up to slide the big glass door open. He motioned for me to step inside and as I walked past he put his hand onto my shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Top secret, right?” he asked with a knowing wink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What do you mean?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Not for Michelle’s ears, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Right,</i> top secret,” I answered with a wink of my own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Papa smiled at me as I went inside and closed the door behind me. He turned and jogged back out to the yard, continuing with his laps, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">twenty-five</i>, no more, no less.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-39753274282541397002014-03-23T13:51:00.000-07:002014-03-23T13:51:29.764-07:00<div align="justify">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 22pt;">KK
Undercover:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 22pt;">The Haunted Field Trip<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Chapter
One</span></b></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibz5EzCoSxMgv3Ef1NVHhUPFUhm8H86wdaNDYBq3VNrL8cjyleqErG5dGhD5yVvDioP_GFM3itHKBtR0VJKCHBk0JaGSIvvwifltL_A5FTcO4FtoRnd5gtxvR7bsUph3TPyTbGHVtQII8/s1600/Chapter_01.jpg" height="492" width="640" /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Home sweet Home, San Diego, California<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
name is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cassandra</i> but with a K, and
only one S. That’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">big K</b>, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">little a</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">big S</b>,
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">little a-n-d-r-a</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> get it? If you live
in <st1:city w:st="on">San Diego</st1:city> and you have a kid at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Deer</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Canyon</st1:placetype>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Elementary School</st1:placetype></st1:place> you may
have heard of me and my team, Winifred, Claire, and Daniel. We got a small
write up in "Echoes" our school newspaper when we solved The Cookie
Caper and unmasked the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lunchito Bandito</i>.
Actually, The Cookie Caper wasn't that newsworthy as the bandito turned out to
be <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chester</st1:place></st1:city> the
hamster, our class mascot. But hey, it was fun and nobody got hurt. Well,
except maybe for poor Daniel who has been teased non-stop for wigging out over
a furry and fat oversized rat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
didn't make the Union Tribune or get on TV or anything like that, but that's
okay, we're supposed to be spies anyways. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That's right, I said spies!</i></b> Me and
the team work for S.A.M. which stands for Secret Agents for Moms. It's a
government agency that recruits brainy kids like us to sorta keep an eye on
things. It's kinda hard to be super secret spies if everyone already knows you're
spies, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">duh</i>. Just because we are spies
doesn't mean we're tattle-tales though. We just help to keep little problems
from becoming big ones. We help kids find their way to the right adult who can
help them fix whatever's wrong. I guess you could say that we're the eyes that
moms claim to have in the back of their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So,
to recap, I'm a 4th grader at dear old <st1:placename w:st="on">Deer</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Canyon</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Elementary
School</st1:placetype> in sunny <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">San
Diego</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>. I
live with my Mom, my big sister Katrina and my little brother Luc. My Dad went
to Heaven when I was three and I miss him a lot. But Mommy raised us to be
strong and besides, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Father Nick</i> says I'll
see him again when I get up there my own self, and that's all I have to say
about that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Katrina's
12 and goes to the Middle School just around the corner from my school. She'll
be going to High School after that, lucky duck! I think she's really pretty and
way cool, but I still give her a hard time cause hey, that's what little sisters
are supposed to do, am I right? My brother Luc is 6 going on 4, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nuff said</i>. I know he's cute and I really
do love him, but <span style="display: none; mso-hide: all;">eaven<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">he's such a pill sometimes! Anyway, all
things considered I think that we're a pretty normal family, even with these
yucky cancer cells running around my body right now. Don't freak out though, I
don't. I'm not alone ya know, I've got people! I've got my family and friends
down here, and God and Daddy up there, so I'm not worried, and you needn't be either.
That's all I want to say about that too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Well,
that's my bio so far, short and sweet like me. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uh oh</i>, I need to scoot, I can hear Mommy calling me from
downstairs. My mom believes in saving energy. Why should she run up and down
the stairs and get all tuckered out when she has a perfectly good set of lungs
and a voice that can break glass!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"KASANDRA!"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Mommy hollered from
the foot of the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Coming Mommy," I holler back <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(like mother, like daughter),</i> stuffing
my homework into my backpack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Let's go smalls, you're gonna miss the
bus," she added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Katrina
appeared suddenly at my door and peeked in on me. She grabbed my heavy backpack
and handed me my crutches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'll take this down for you slow-poke.
Be careful coming down the stairs, okay?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay, thanks," I said, smiling at
her random act of kindness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
the time I get downstairs Katrina is already long gone and Luc is sitting at
the table whining about having to wear shoes instead of flip-flops. That meant
it was exactly 7:46am because Mommy and my brother had the same battle five
days a week during the school year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"ONE
MINUTE LUC!"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
Mommy yells as she stuffs my brother's lunch into his "Lightening McQueen"
backpack and zips it shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
hobbled over to the table and picked up the handful of meds Mommy had set out
for me. I put them all in my mouth at once and washed them down with a glass of
orange juice. My mom watched me out of the corner of her eye like she always
does (she thinks I don't notice, but I do). She started to say something but
thought better of it; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thankfully</i>, I
didn't feel like a lecture this morning. I slipped my backpack onto my
shoulders and made my way out the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"See ya later Mommy," I said as I
walked outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Don't forget I'm picking you up after
school today for your appointment with Dr. S, okay," she hollers after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"OKAY,"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I holler back as I reached
the end of the driveway. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I turned
right and walked toward the bus stop at the end of our street. I was running
late as usual and waddled as fast as I was able. I couldn’t wait to get to
school, it's my sanctuary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Chapter Two</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Deer</span></i></b></st1:placename><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Canyon</st1:placetype></span></i></b></st1:place><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"> Bus Stop</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">It wasn't a long walk
really, but when you have only two speeds, slow and slower, it can take a
while. I was last to arrive as usual and just as usual, Mr. Beadle our crazy
bus driver was waiting for me at the bottom step of the bus. He always waits an
extra few minutes for me. He's not supposed to but he does, it's our little
secret. Only Cullen Wainwright III ever notices. And unfortunately he never
misses the opportunity to point it out to EVERYBODY! One day when I'm better I
am gonna give that kid an atomic wedgie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr.
Beadle is so cool, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wacky</i>, but cool.
He always has a funny comment or two to share. He's never mean to us when he
needs to get our attention, even when he probably should be! He's pretty old I
think, maybe forty or forty-five. And he's not very tall at all. Winnie is
taller than he is. Well, to be fair Winnie is tall for her age, but still, he
seems pretty short for an adult. He also plays along with my changing wig
colors by painting his very bald head or wearing a matching ball cap. I just
love him!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hustle up Miss Britches, the clock's
ticking," Mr. Beadle said as I reached the bus. He tipped his throw-back
Denver Broncos ball cap, the Orange Crush version as he sort of smiled at me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry, thanks for waiting, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again</i>," I replied huffing and
puffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Not a problem child, now, hand me those
sticks and climb on board," he replied, taking my crutches.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey, you remembered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mango Monday</i>," I said, tapping my
orange-ish wig as I reached the top step and turned down the aisle to take my
seat next to Claire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr.
Beadle hopped back into the driver seat and started the engine. The bus made
funny spurting sound at first then roared to life and he checked on us in the
mirror before pulling away from the curb. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hang on children, we're on the
road," he said closing the door and shifting gears. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
waited until I sat down. Claire was already asleep as usual. She rested her
head against the window using her balled up sweater for a pillow. Winfred was
busy finishing her math homework, as usual as well, and barely looked up when I
sat down.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey KK," she said in a monotone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey Winnie," I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Word problem?" I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes. I hate em so much," she
muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Me too," I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Me three," chimed in Claire
without opening her eyes. Guess she wasn't sleeping after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
bus lurched forward as Mr. Beadle drove away from the curb. My street was the
last stop so we would get to school in about twenty or thirty minutes give or
take twenty minutes depending on the crazy parent traffic, and how many cars
were blocking the driveway dropping off kids when we arrived, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sheesh</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did you bring your permission slip KK?"
asked a familiar voice from the seat in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I answered, peering
over the seat to see who was quizzing me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Your permission slip for the field trip
silly," Daniel said, popping up like a jack-in-the-box and startling me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Don't do that! You scared the bejeezus
outta me," I hollered, scolding him and catching my breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"YEAH, knock it off Daniel," Claire
added stirring against the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"EVERYBODY zip it okay, I'm trying to
figure out who gets to St Louis first then back here, train A or train B,"
complained Winnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry," Daniel muttered, popping
back around as quickly as he had popped up. We might have hurt his feelings,
poor kid, so touchy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boys, go figure!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"We're going horse-back riding at the
stables in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Carmel</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> tomorrow,
remember," he added meekly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Duh, you know my mom. Do you think she
would let me out of the house before checking off everything on her white
board," I answered annoyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Good point," he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'll say," chimed in Winnie,
slamming her math book shut!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh yeah, just in case you're wondering,
train B got there first," she added, sounding pretty pleased with herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"So, did Dr. S or Dr. L say you could
ride with us KK?" Winnie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, not this time," I answered
trying to sound like I didn't care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry," she said sincerely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Don't be, I'm okay with it. Maybe I'll
get to ride this summer, we'll see," I said cheerfully<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay, cool beans," replied Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, way cool," added Claire as
she stretched. She always woke up ten seconds before the bus arrived, weird!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr.
Beadle pulled up to the curb and the bus made its usual squeaking sounds as it
jerked to a stop. The doors whooshed open noisily and Mr. Beadle turned in his
seat to shout at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright munchkins grab your gear and
exit here," he bellowed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"He always says that," Claire said
as she put her backpack over her shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's his thing Claire," Winfred
answered doing likewise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I guess," I added, turning
sideways in the seat to let Claire pass. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
always went ahead of me to grab my crutches and wait for me at the curb while
Winifred followed me to help me down the steps. Daniel even jumped up to help
clear a path; that was nice of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I had a dream about a ghost," he
said out of the blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's weird, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so did I</i>," Winnie said as we walked down the aisle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hmmm, that's really weird cause I did
too," I added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What if Claire did also?" Daniel
mumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"If she did, I don't want to know about
it," Winnie said shuddering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"Hmmmm," I said under my breath. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"I wonder?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Chapter
Three</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMws01UIAyl8kBwPtkLj3jHrvSK6nZwsZEgm3A0eeR3TF6yCV4EP54QAPyE447R_z2rGhhHo8GY1vhagGE5W2pGutnfZB52BpSM58yPR5biFAgXi8Hm5KkuPmZB3Dqz68q0UThUuDs7pk/s1600/Chapter_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMws01UIAyl8kBwPtkLj3jHrvSK6nZwsZEgm3A0eeR3TF6yCV4EP54QAPyE447R_z2rGhhHo8GY1vhagGE5W2pGutnfZB52BpSM58yPR5biFAgXi8Hm5KkuPmZB3Dqz68q0UThUuDs7pk/s1600/Chapter_03.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Dear ol' Deer Canyon Elementary<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright kids, settle down," Mrs.
Ryan said yawning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Technically
we should have had a new teacher for fifth grade since we had Mrs. Ryan in the
fourth grade last year. But I guess she must have taught us real good and got
promoted right along with us. That was okay with me though, I like her and
besides that means we don't have to break in anybody new, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hehehe…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mondays
are the worst, everybody knows that! No matter how good you sleep on Sunday
night you still have to get up early and face Monday, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ugh</i>! Oh well, at least we had a field trip we could look forward to
tomorrow, that'll shorten up the week a little bit. There were posters all over
school advertising the Shetland Stables in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Carmel</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
which was where all the 5th grade classes were going to learn about horses and
see some real cowboys on a real ranch. I suppose I would be more excited if I were
going to get to ride too but that was gonna have to wait until next year, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stupid cancer</i>! Note to self, try not to
pout at Dr. S's appointment this afternoon, it's not her fault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"So, I'm sure everyone is real
disappointed that we will have to reschedule the math test tomorrow due to our
field trip," Mrs. Ryan said sarcastically. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
class broke into wild cheers, celebrating for all of ten seconds while Mrs.
Ryan walked over to the blackboard. Slowly she raised the map covering what was
underneath, ending the celebration suddenly. The woman is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ALL TEACHER</i></b>, and we
should have known she had something up her sleeve with that sly teacher grin on
her face. The whole class groaned in unison when we saw what was hidden
underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"As you can see I've assigned a little
extra reading for all of you. And, there's a quiz in the morning that you can
take on the bus ride to Shetland Stables," she said, her sly grin turning
into a big smile as she was clearly pleased with herself!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"OH MAN," I mumbled as my neighbor Zoë
tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a note.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's from Winnie," she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Thanks," I replied under my breath
without turning in my seat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
unfolded the note in my lap and glanced down off and on to read it while Mrs.
Ryan took the roll. Winnie has perfect penmanship, I hate that! Not really,
that was mean; I'm just a little jealous, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hehe</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">"KK,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Claire said she dreamed about
ghosts too, <span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>weird huh?
Want to know what's weirder? So did Zoë and
Ali?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 7;"> </span>Me"<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hmmm,
that was weird? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No</i>, not just weird
but freaky weird! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hahaha</i>, we sure say
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">weird</i> a lot, I just noticed that. It’s
one thing if my team is having the same dream, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but Zoë and Ali too?</i> I glanced over my shoulder at Zoë and she gave
me a puzzled look. I'd have to think about why we all were dreaming about
ghosts later cause attendance was almost over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Connie Zypher," Mrs. Ryan called
out finally as she checked off the last name on her list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Present," replied Connie
cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alrighty then, let's get to work
people," Mrs. Ryan said reaching for her teacher's edition of our Social
Studies textbook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
all complied, groaning audibly. The sounds of our textbooks hitting our
desktops with a thud echoed off the walls, and were quickly followed by the rustling
of turning pages. I scribbled a quick reply to Winnie's note and stealthily
handed it back to Zoë. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I listened
as it made its way to the last row where Winnie sat and waited for the signal
that the message was received. Two seconds later Winifred coughed once and a
couple seconds after that Claire sneezed. Perfect, a lunch meeting was now
official. We could tell Daniel about it when we got outside, he still hasn't
grasped the playbook yet. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We'll learn him</i>…</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Chapter
Four<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlg_rzLPYxXnb57Pu_TeqnPnpYeGWxUta7q1Tevkz_0irkwkuXhTIe6uUKQMxQDyUVHJGC9_esWZZREq9ihyiE-P1tVEYswgTYKDshLyzigh8lmcXGf_wP83QY2txLSmeVgQtmD7nh18/s1600/Chapter_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlg_rzLPYxXnb57Pu_TeqnPnpYeGWxUta7q1Tevkz_0irkwkuXhTIe6uUKQMxQDyUVHJGC9_esWZZREq9ihyiE-P1tVEYswgTYKDshLyzigh8lmcXGf_wP83QY2txLSmeVgQtmD7nh18/s1600/Chapter_04.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
</span><div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">LUNCHTIME CO-WINKIE-DINK<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
was the longest 120 minutes ever! Two hours of mind numbing learning, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ugh</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">double ugh!</i> Don't get me wrong, I love school and all, but why do
we need to know anything about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ponce-de-Leon,
Magellan, or Genghis Khan</i> anyways? Those guys lived like a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jillion</i> years ago! What could they
possibly mean to a bunch of 5th graders in 2009 from the US of A, I dunno,
weird? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hehehe</i>, there it is again.
Weird must be on the top ten list of kid words!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oh
well, you can't fight city hall according to Mr. Beadle. He says that whenever
he's going on about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"the man!"</i>
Which man he's talking about I have no idea, seriously, he never actually says?
Oh well, it doesn't matter, grown-ups are just wacky. Mommy thinks he was a hippie
back in the day. Which day, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again</i>, I
don't know? She also said that when he's on a rant I should just smile and be
nice, smiles sooth the savage beast. By the way, I don't know what a hippie is either,
but I do hear a rant here and there, like whenever somebody gets on Mommy's
list! That's all I better say about that, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hahaha</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
stomach growled suddenly, loud enough for the whole class to hear. How
embarrassing! Mrs. Ryan looked my way from over the top of her glasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ahem</i>,
alright class, sounds like KaSandra's starving. Why don't we break for lunch a
little early today," she announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
nanosecond later the room erupted with the sound of scooting desks and chairs
as thirty-one students simultaneously raced for the coatroom and their lunches.
Mrs. Ryan stopped the jailbreak with a whistle that she kept in her desk
drawer. Like I said, a born teacher!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 22pt;">"Twweeeeeeeeet!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Freeze!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> she hollered, as she
stood up, sternly wagging a finger slowly at the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's better. Now, let's try this
again like good little humans and not wild little beasties," she said
calmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
slowly filed into the coatroom, one by one, and grabbed what was ours then ever
so quietly exited the classroom. Of course once outside the mad rush began all
over again. As usual I was last out the door and I heard Mrs. Ryan sigh as she
collapsed in her seat, grateful for a moment's peace. Note to self; make
something special for her on National Teacher's Day next May, maybe a nice set
of ear plugs, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hehehe</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
the time I reached our lunch table Claire had already made a lopsided trade
with Daniel for one of his desserts. That girl's sweet tooth is legendary! She
had managed to talk Daniel into giving up a Hostess Fruit Pie for a bag of
veggies. I suspect she convinced him that boys needed more nutrition in order
to be football stars, and he bought it, probably after asking to see his
muscles. Boys are so easy! Winnie was grinning at them when I walked up and sat
down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What'd I miss?" I asked nobody in
particular, opening my lunch sack and taking out a tuna sandwich, a bag of
veggie chips, and a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fuji</st1:place></st1:city>
apple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Nothing much, Claire was just being
Claire," Winifred answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Claire thinks I could be a football
star," Daniel blurted with a mouthful of celery and carrots, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gross</i>! Claire smiled and winked as she noisily
peeled the wrapper of the berry pie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Nice," I replied, nibbling on my
sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"So, what's up with all this ghost
stuff?" I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I dunno, looks like everybody had a
ghost dream is all," Claire mumbled, licking purple berry filling from her
thumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, that's not too crazy, I mean
Halloween is just a week away," I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe</i>,
but let me ask you this first. What was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i>
ghost dream about?" Winifred asked sipping on a juice box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Just a regular ghost dream, you
know," I answered shrugging my shoulders?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Was there a nice old lady in a big
green house?" asked Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Was she wearing a blue and white
checkered dress with white apron?" asked Claire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did she give you cold milk and gingerbread
to snack on in her kitchen, and were there two scruffy guys eating bacon and
eggs at a round table?" asked Winifred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Umm</i>,
yes."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Were they cowboys?" Daniel asked
meekly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wait a minute</i></b>, are you telling me that
ALL of you dreamed the exact same dream?" I asked puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we all did</i>, and Zoë and Ali too, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all of us</i>, and now you too," Winnie added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i></b>
weird. I think I may have read a story like this once? Anyway, dreams are just
dreams my mom always says, nothing to be scared of. Like the boogey man, no
worries, he's only a story. Vampires aren't real either (even if Luc thinks Katrina
is one because she reads all those books), and Santa is just a nice guy at the
mall. But still, six kids, one dream, I don't know, maybe we should call our
boss at S.A.M. and see what he thinks? But, then again maybe not, he might
think we're nuts and demote us all back to regular kids! I looked up just then;
Winnie must have been reading my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Maybe
we should call the boss?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Let's not panic people," I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay, so what should we do then?"
the three of them asked in unison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I dunno yet, but like I said, let's not
panic yet. Hey, maybe this was just a freak of nature thing, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ya know?</i>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Wait, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know</i>, how about a cell phone slumber party tonight, after all our
parents go to bed? We'll stay up all night and make sure nobody dreams anything.
Then tomorrow we can decide if this is anything worth worrying about, what do
you think?" I asked the team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really?</i>
That's your plan KK?" Winifred asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's all I can think of right now. You
know I can't concentrate very well before my check-ups," I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's right, sorry," Winnie
apologized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No worries Winifred, we're friends.
Okay, conference call at 11:30pm, remember; my mom's a night owl so don't call
in before that," I explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Remember to turn off your ringers and
put your headsets under your pillows, okay?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What about Ali and Zoë?" Daniel
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh, that's right? Well, Ali's your
buddy Daniel. You tell him about tonight, he has a cell right? I will touch
base with Zoë, she sits right behind me," I answered as I took the last
bite of my tuna sandwich.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We ate the
rest of our lunch in silence trying to save as much chatter as we could for the
slumber party later tonight. I watched a bunch of kids playing kickball on
field number one. Ali was pitching, well technically he was rolling. He liked
to roll that rubber ball hard and deliver his famous bouncy ball pitch. I
remember when I could play, last year before getting sick. I was one of the
only kids who could kick the bouncy ball pitch. Ali's lucky I'm not playing
today…</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Chapter Five</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaBmHBILAKPO16NAAebzUHZ9lCmXAZiFnRjaPaZIuXuGguDakD7lxGowPR9xiwB3kvK73__-VP91hSXWfESeh0LJXYBpbWFFsHIWAnz5-_v_RiKtUhUsZ8DrNVOxTbnlj5UJjrQNqXPY/s1600/Chapter_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaBmHBILAKPO16NAAebzUHZ9lCmXAZiFnRjaPaZIuXuGguDakD7lxGowPR9xiwB3kvK73__-VP91hSXWfESeh0LJXYBpbWFFsHIWAnz5-_v_RiKtUhUsZ8DrNVOxTbnlj5UJjrQNqXPY/s1600/Chapter_05.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Wakie Wakie!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Memo
to self, never schedule a conference call after 8pm, especially on a school
night. Oh we were all ready and willing. It was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">able</i> part we had a little problem with. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Translation,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> PARENTS!</b></i> I
blame myself; the plan was doomed from the start. Why you ask, well, have you
ever heard of any kid who was eager for bedtime? Well, neither did any of our
parents. They were on to us from the get go. I'm pretty sure it was Claire's
mom who unraveled the plan first based on what I overheard when she called my
mom. They're all connected you see, parents I mean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"KASANDRA!"<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">In my mind I jumped out of bed, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in reality</i> I slowly swung my legs over
the edge and reached for my crutches. Katrina peeked into my room on her way
downstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Why do you do that?" she asked in
a frustrated tone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Do what?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You know what! Why do you always wait
until Mommy yells before you move?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh that, I dunno, just lazy I
guess," I replied straining to stand up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Wait, let me help you," Katrina
said walking over to steady me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Thanks," I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm still mad at you ya know. When you guys
wind Mommy up, I get it too, that's not fair," she replied, helping me get
to the bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'll work on that sis, I promise,"
I said, really meaning it. She sensed that I did and smiled that big smile of
hers. That made me smile too. If we can make Mommy smile too we'll be golden!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
rushed through my morning routine and got dressed quickly, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well</i>, quickly for me anyways. As I waddled down the stairs I heard
Mommy laughing with Luc in the kitchen; that was a good sign. I put on a big
smile of my own and walked over to the table to take my meds. My mom waived to
me from the kitchen where she was rinsing off a cereal bowl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sit down and eat your scrambled eggs
KK, I don't want to catch you sneaking out of the house without eating, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you
got it</i></b>," my Mom said, pretending to be mad, and winking at me
while she finished the dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay Mommy," I said, taking a seat
and starting on my breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"So, are you excited about the field
trip today?" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, I guess. I wish I could ride the
horses with the other kids though," I whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Next year honey, next year. Doctor S
was pretty impressed with your MRI results, so things are looking up," she
replied beaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
was nice to see my mom in such a good mood; it had been a while, what with all
this medical stuff to deal with. She is such a great mom, and I love her so
much. I don't know what we would do without her. I watched her out of the
corner of my eye while I ate. She was softly singing a song to herself, it
sounded like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Amazing Grace,"</i>
one of her favorites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay, I can wait until then Mommy. All
done, I have to scoot or I'll miss the bus," I said getting up to leave as
she came to take my plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Let me give you a ride this morning
honey," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, I want to take the bus, I need the
practice walking. Besides, everyone will wonder what happened to me if I don't
show up like usual," I replied, pulling on my backpack. My mom sighed and
opened the front door for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright, be careful then. I love you,"
she said, waiving.</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"I love you
more,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> I replied as I walked out the door and across
the driveway to the sidewalk.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I made it to the bus stop in record time
surprising everyone. Mr. Beadle was still in the driver's seat when he saw me
waddling up to the steps. He jumped up and trotted down the steps to help me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well look who we have here. What
happened sugar, did your bed catch fire this morning," he teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, I just didn't want to be late for
the field trip today is all," I answered smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright then, let's get you on board
and get on down the road," he said as he took my crutches and helped me
climb onto the bus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
I reached my seat Claire, Winifred and Daniel were waiting for me, wide awake.
Ali and Zoë were there as well. I wondered if we were going to have a repeat of
yesterday, another dream <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">co-winkie-dink</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay I know what you're thinking, KK
dropped the ball, right," I said. They shook their heads no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright, what's with the silent
treatment? So we missed the call, I think we all know why, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right Claire</i>," I said shooting Claire the look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey, it wasn't me! Daniel called my
house and asked my mom what time I usually went to bed," Claire replied defending
herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Are you serious? Daniel what were you
thinking?" Winnie asked in disbelief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well,
I forgot what time to call, and Ali lost his cell phone privileges so he spent
the night at my house, and I called Winifred first but her Grandpa answered and
I don't understand Chinese! He just kept saying <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">'wei' </b>and I just kept saying <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">'what',</b>"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Daniel rambled!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"OMG Daniel, I don't even know what to
say to that," I said scolding him, instantly sorry for sounding mean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Never mind Daniel, forget about it, no
harm done, right? So, did anyone dream last night?" I asked, changing the
subject.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everyone
shook their heads no, interesting? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really</i>,
nobody, I wondered? I debated with myself for a second whether or not I should
share my dream. They all looked so relieved, no news was good news, right? Heck,
I didn't want to jinx the field trip. But my mom always says that honesty is
the best policy. She's usually right 99% of the time. IN FACT she finishes most
sentences with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"am I right!"</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's funny because I dreamed a lot
last night," I said finally. That opened the flood gates and they all
started talking at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"So did I KK, I just didn't want to be
the first one to say so," admitted Claire, sighing with relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, me too," Daniel said chiming
in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Me three," said Winifred joining
in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I guess me and Ali make four and five
then," added Zoë, grinning. Ali didn't say anything, which was unusual for
him, he just nodded and blushed, I wonder why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"The same little old Grandma?" I
asked. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">They all nodded yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"The same two cowboys too?" I
continued. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">They all nodded yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Cookies and gingerbread, bacon and
eggs?" I asked.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">This time they all shook their heads no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Good, that was a test," I
explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Lemonade?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I asked. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">They all nodded yes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Weird…</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now
we were more than just curious, we were a little bit scared, at least I was.
Looks like the Boogeyman theory was being put to the test. The bus suddenly lurched
as we turned off the highway and onto a long dirt road. We had been so busy
wondering what was what that we didn't notice that we had been driving all
along. I looked out the window as we drove under a big wooden arch that read <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"SHETLAND STABLES,"</b> we were
there already.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Most
of the kids had wandered over to our side of the bus and were chattering about
the cows and horses they could see as we drove up to a huge barn and corral.
The yellow school bus kicked up a lot of dust as we came to a stop beside the
corral and we quickly slid the windows up, closing them before the dust cloud
came into bus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Daniel
was the only kid still on the other side of the bus. I was about to call him
when he turned, white as a sheet and pointed out the window he was looking
through. Winnie and I stood up and looked his way to see what had frightened
him. We gasped as we saw what he saw. There, about half a football field away from
where we were parked was a big old fashioned green house, with one of those
porches that wrapped around the whole place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On the
porch, rocking in an old white chair was a little old lady in a gingham
(checkered) blue dress with a white apron. And while I couldn't swear to it
because she was pretty far away, resting on the table beside her appeared to be
a pitcher of ice cold something or other, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lemonade
maybe?</i></span></div>
</span><div align="justify">
</div>
</span><div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Chapter
Six<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41itZgKTFkdQvn3lrO1bbaFeOxc-8P8nw20Os8hr8F8XsZ58kg7vleTxq0m6Uil0rmL9Syz-TVMafKyoEyrdIg-3ZmmYXRd40K4k6DeXWZQeHfmGrYeGFpvwsiPM3ygCOgOYe-bQ37EM/s1600/Chapter_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41itZgKTFkdQvn3lrO1bbaFeOxc-8P8nw20Os8hr8F8XsZ58kg7vleTxq0m6Uil0rmL9Syz-TVMafKyoEyrdIg-3ZmmYXRd40K4k6DeXWZQeHfmGrYeGFpvwsiPM3ygCOgOYe-bQ37EM/s1600/Chapter_06.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">We ain't afraid of no ghosts!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
I could say anything Mrs. Ryan blew her trusty whistle. All the kids started
making their way down the aisle while I sat in my seat and waited for the crowd
to thin. Winnie and Claire waited with me while the Daniel, Zoë, and Ali went
along with the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Meet you at the table," Daniel
said, still a little shaky from the shock of maybe seeing his dream come true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Take this for me," I said, tossing
him the FLIP camera that Mrs. Ryan gave me to film the event.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
think she felt sorry for me, and she wanted to make sure I had something to do
beside stand around and watch everyone else having fun. Sometimes that sort of
bothers me. I know that people mean well; and that they don't pity me, but love
me, at least most of the time anyways. It's just that I'm tired of being
different and I can't wait to be normal again! Mrs. Ryan was pretty cool when she
told the class about me filming them though, made like it was no big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay people listen up," she had said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"KaSandra is going to be our official
videographer today, so make sure you smile big and smile often for her,"
she announced. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marvelous,"
I mumbled.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright," Daniel replied, taking
the FLIP and stuffing the camera into his back pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"HEY, be careful with that, you think
I'm a millionaire," I hollered after him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
waived without looking back and disappeared out the door. Claire and Winifred
were chattering about the old lady on the porch. I waited for a lull in the
conversation before chiming in. The kids were stalled in the aisle waiting for
everyone to exit single file while an adult checked their name off on a list.
We always travelled with parent volunteers, sometimes my mom is one of them,
when she can get away from work that is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Zoë's
Dad was one of the parents with us today. But he was sorta working, taking
pictures for the school paper, "Echoes"; he's a real photographer! You
could tell that on account of the way he carries around ten different cameras
in big chunky bags that hang from every limb of his body. It sorta made him look
like a Christmas tree full of shiny ornaments! Anyway, I know Mrs. Ryan is just
keeping me busy, I'm okay with that. I'll have all kinds of fun adding captions
later when I edit the video on Mommy's computer. Maybe Katrina can help me;
she's a wiz on the computer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"So what do you think KK? That old lady
is exactly how I dreamed her both nights," Winnie said, concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Me too KK, she's the same, right down
to her shoes," Claire added, chiming in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I know. She's what I saw too. We gotta
figure out a way to get over to that house and check her out," I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No we don't," Claire said
suddenly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What are you talking about
Claire," I asked annoyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Look, she's coming this way,"
exclaimed Winnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
all stood and watched as the old woman in the blue gingham dress walked right
up to the bus. She disappeared as she went around the front and reappeared on
the other side next to Mrs. Ryan. The two of them chatted for a moment and then
Mrs. Ryan turned to look our way and pointed at the bus. What was she doing?
What were they saying? Claire walked down the aisle as it cleared, Winnie and me
following. When we reached the steps Mrs. Ryan was waiting for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girls</i>,
this is Mrs. Dexter. She and her husband own this ranch," Mrs. Ryan said,
introducing us to our host.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hello young ladies," said Mrs.
Dexter sweetly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hello ma'am," we replied together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"My, such polite children,"
commented our host with a smile that didn't match the look in her eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Curious,
something wasn't right, but I'll be darned if I know what? We stepped down off
of the bus and walked over to join the others by the corral. Daniel walked up
and handed me the FLIP, pointing at Mrs. Ryan and Mrs. Dexter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who is she KK?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's Mrs. Dexter," Claire said,
answering for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She's the lady in my dream,"
Daniel said still pointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daniel!</i></b> Don't you know it's not
polite to point you Neanderthal," I hollered, scolding him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry," he said meekly, retreating
a few steps to stand behind Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She's the lady in all our dreams,"
I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did you notice the way she looked at
us," Winnie asked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Like
she already knew us?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I asked, speculating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"SHUT
UP!"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
exclaimed Claire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shhhhh!</i>
We've got a mystery to solve people. Why her I wonder? We need to figure out how
were going to find out what's what, without Mrs. Ryan catching on that is,"
I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright kids listen up. We'll be
getting a tour of a real working ranch today. You're going to drive around on
that hay wagon attached to the big green tractor over there," Mrs. Ryan
explained, pointed toward the big red barn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey, how come she gets to point,"
Daniel asked pouting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shhhhh</i>,"
said Winnie and I together, shushing him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
tractor fired up and belched a small puff of black smoke from an exhaust pipe
sticking up in the air from the engine. And, in the driver's seat was none
other than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dream cowboy number one</i>. He
shifted the big machine into gear and it jerked and rolled forward, the two
giant wheels in back pushing it forward on the two tiny wheels up front, weird!
An old grandpa cowboy walked out of the barn and shouted at the tractor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Pull the rig up by the corral Hank and
we'll see if we can't get these kids loaded on board and show em around the
place," hollered grandpa cowboy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
must be Mr. Dexter I figured, and then, adding two and two figured that dream
cowboy 1 and 2 were his grandsons. We'd made contact! Claire, Winnie and I
started walking with the other kids toward the bale wagon when Mrs. Ryan
stopped us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hold on a minute girls, Mrs. Dexter
asked if you three wouldn't mind helping her to prepare lunch for us up at the
house," said our teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
looked at one another and gulped. I don't know what Winnie and Claire were
thinking but as for me all I could think of was that old <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Hansel and Gretel"</i> story, and everyone knows how that
turned out! Well, we'd been wondering how we were going to find out what was
what anyways, I guess that now the wondering was over. The three of us stared
at Mrs. Dexter, waiting for her to say something, and she did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'd be tickled if you children could
follow me yonder to the house. I'm not as spry as I used to be and a few extra
hands would really be helpful," she said even more sweetly than before, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">maybe</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too sweetly?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>None
of us could seem to find a voice and she had to settle for a three way head
nod. Mrs. Dexter smiled but Mrs. Ryan gave us a stern look and fought the urge
to wag a finger at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Now girls, don't be rude, and answer
our guest properly," she insisted. We did instantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Ah, yes ma'am, we'd love to help,"
I said, answering for all three of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey
wait a minute, I wanted t…,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Claire started to complain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Claire wanted to tell you how much she
loves cooking," Winnie said, jumping in quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's wonderful. Why don't you girls follow
me down this path then, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">alright,"</i>
Mrs. Dexter said. She paused before starting for the old ranch house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sweetheart will you be able to make it
on those things?" she asked me pointing at my crutches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You know I can get Clay-boy over there to
put you in a quad and drive you on up to the house," she offered, pointing
at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dream cowboy number two</i> standing
by the string of horses that all the kids were waiting to ride. The expression
on her face seemed to change from strange to compassionate all of a sudden, but
I wasn't feeling it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who's
Clay-boy?</i> Oh never mind, that's okay, my friends can help me. They've had lots
of practice helping me get around from point A to point B," I replied
politely, making a mental note, dream cowboy number two's name is Clay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright sweetie, suit yourself,"
she replied turning to lead the way up to the big green house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well then, I'm going to catch up with
the rest of the class. You girls behave and mind what Mrs. Dexter says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">okay</i>," Mrs. Ryan instructed as she
turned toward the corral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"We will," we replied together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Claire
helped me adjust my crutches then took my backpack from me. She handed it to
Winnie who slung it over her shoulder and the three of us followed Mrs. Dexter.
The old lady was faster than she looked so we had to scoot. The house got
bigger and older as we got closer and we could see that it could use a paint
job pretty badly. The windows were odd like the mirrors at a carnival funhouse.
I was starting to feel weird again and judging by the look on my friends faces,
so were they. When we finally reached the front porch Mrs. Dexter was waiting at
the top step. She gestured at a small table next to a white rocking chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Would you like some lemonade before we
start?" she asked with a suspiciously sweet smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did
she say lemonade?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Claire whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yep,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"Freaky,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> sighed Winnie.</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Chapter
Seven</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sLD8_NKYsTz4a3_JfHe2SCwmbMChg_Jpq-GYAdpan5l5Moyj9261CjzYQ7yVZZ1MTre-FzjFygpy_JrCwkUGmQPkirJg10-Cb2tnALc8q3RBf2EHe0-87l95gRfvlcqQvQqaxm56wFw/s1600/Chapter_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sLD8_NKYsTz4a3_JfHe2SCwmbMChg_Jpq-GYAdpan5l5Moyj9261CjzYQ7yVZZ1MTre-FzjFygpy_JrCwkUGmQPkirJg10-Cb2tnALc8q3RBf2EHe0-87l95gRfvlcqQvQqaxm56wFw/s1600/Chapter_07.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
</div>
</span><div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Beware sweet old ladies!</span></i></b></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
passed on the lemonade offer and followed Mrs. Dexter into the old house. The
floors inside creaked even more than the rickety old steps out front, spooky! The
living room was huge and furnished with a bunch of really old stuff, like in a
movie or something? There were two over-stuffed chairs with lace thingies draped
over each arm, and a plump sofa and a high back with the same thingies on the
arms. The wood floor was covered by odd shaped rugs that didn't match and at
the far end of the room was a long dining table set like it was Thanksgiving?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Claire's
face was a question mark and I gave her the hush up look before she blurted
anything out. To be fair, we all had questions, and we would ask them soon
enough. Question number one might go something like this: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly how many ghosts are around here anyways?</i> Well, that would
be question number one if Claire asked it. Before I could think any more about
that, we entered the kitchen. It was as old looking as the living room and was almost
as big. In the center of the room was a large butcher block island like the one
at my Auntie's house. It was for prepping food, like cutting and chopping vegetables
for soup and stuff. Mrs. Dexter stopped at the island and picked up an apron
that was folded neatly on top. She put it on quickly and turned to face us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, have any of you ever cooked with
your mothers at home," she asked, her hands on her hips?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I've made Christmas cookies with my
Mom," Claire offered with a big smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Me too, cookies," added Winifred,
a little less enthusiastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Um, my Mom doesn't bake, I meekly
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I see, well, come on over here and
we'll get started with lunch. First things first, go over to that sink yonder
and wash up. Never touch food without washing up first," she explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
made sense; my Mom always says that too. The three of us went over to the sink
to wash but stopped short when we couldn't find the faucet? We were about to
ask when Mrs. Dexter suddenly appeared behind us. Winnie jumped, faintly
shrieking! The old grandma smiled and excusing herself stepped past us. She
reached for a big lever on what looked like a skinny fire hydrant. When she
pulled down on the lever water rushed out of a spout and splashed into the
sink. Claire giggled and walked up to wash her hands. Winnie and I looked at
each other puzzled and then followed her lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's an old house child, and we've kept
some of the old ways as well. Don't worry though, we have running water in the
bathrooms, and as you can see we have electricity," Mrs. Dexter explained,
giggling as she walked back to the chopping table. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
finished washing and rejoined her. While we were washing up she had laid out several
loaves of bread, some lunchmeat (ham, turkey, and roast beef), lettuce,
tomatoes, pickles, mustard and mayo. Looked like we were making sandwiches, a
LOT of them! We didn't need much instruction and in no time we had a little
assembly line going. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Claire
had bread detail, alternating mustard and mayo with each wave of the butter
knife as she spread the condiments. Mrs. Dexter portioned out the meats on one
slice of bread while Winnie stacked the veggies on another. I was at the end of
the line putting the two slices together and stabbing them with a long toothpick
to hold it all together, simple right? We were getting into a rhythm when the
old grandma surprised us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
know</i>, I dreamed of you girls the last two nights," she said without
stopping her work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You're exactly how I pictured you too,
except there was a boy as well," she added nonchalantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
assembly line grinded to a stop as Claire gasped and tore through a piece of
Wonder Bread with her butter knife. Winnie shrieked as a blob of yellow mustard
from Claire's knife landed in her hair. And I yelped, stabbing myself with a
long toothpick! We passed from curious to scared in a single heartbeat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You have a classmate, blonde, clumsy,
and a silly heart?" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, that's Daniel," answered
Claire immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What
about Zoë and Ali,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> whispered Winifred, too frightened to speak out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm afraid I don't know who those
people are dear," replied Mrs. Dexter, wiping her hands clean with a
dishcloth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Why not, they dreamed about you too. We
all dreamed about you," Claire insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I know you did sweetie," the old
grandma said, softly stroking Claire's blond hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"How?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Winnie whispered,
moving close enough to me to share the same shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Because we're still dreaming," I
blurted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What
are you talking about!"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Claire exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Think about it, Zoë and Ali aren't on
the team and Daniel is too new. That's why they aren't in the house with us
right now," I explained, my brain struggling to sort out the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"KK's right! And here's another clue.
Aren't those the same clothes you were wearing yesterday Claire?" Winnie
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I know it is because this is the exact
same outfit I wore yesterday! And what about KK's wig?" Winnie said
excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What about it?" asked Claire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's her Mango Monday wig! If we were
really on the field trip it would be Turquoise Tuesday, right?" observed
Winnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I thought Tuesday's were purple?"
Claire asked puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That
was so last year Claire!</i> Don't you remember when we all picked Turquoise at
the "Cat-in-the-Hat" store in the North Hills Mall when our moms took
us shopping for school clothes together," Winnie replied, agitated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh yeah, I forgot," said Claire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"WAIT!
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">OMG, we're still asleep!</i>"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Claire shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, I suppose you are child,"
offered Mrs. Dexter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"And I think I know why," she
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I
know why,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
I whispered, suddenly recognizing Mrs. Dexter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
old grandma had given me the willies from the very beginning but I couldn't
figure out why. She seemed sweet enough but there as something dark about her,
like a shadow. Wait a minute! That was it! My mind raced backward, replaying
every moment with Mrs. Dexter, from the time we first saw her rocking on the
front porch to this very moment. It was obvious now; I didn't understand why I
didn't see it from the first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
cast no shadow, even now in this big kitchen with all this sunlight streaming
in from the huge window across from us. She cast no shadow. I looked behind me;
none of us had a shadow. Everything else in the room cast long shadows that ran
along the floor and up the wall on the other side of the room. We didn't
because we were dreaming. She didn't because she was dead!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I saw you at the hospital, didn't I
Mrs. Dexter?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No child, it was not I."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes I did, you were getting chemo too,
weren't you?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No dear, I was not."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm sure it was you, I remember your
husband. His name is Walter isn't it?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No dear, I have no husband."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"He was nice to me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who was sweetie?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Never mind then. You died that day
didn't you?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No child, I did not."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Wait
a second, am I the only one dreaming right now?"<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes dear, I'm afraid so."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh man!</i></b> I don't get any of this! Why
are you in my head? What do you want from me?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That poor old man, he works much too
hard to notice the grandsons plotting to take his ranch away from him,"
she explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Do you mean the two cowboys in this
dream?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes of course silly. I never had kids of
my own you see. These two boys, they aren't very nice," she said without
really looking at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beware
the grandsons, they're a tricky pair. Heed them not lest your dreams
disappear," </i>she said as if in a trance.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What the heck does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">heed</i> mean? What dreams, you mean the ranch? Are they going to steal
it<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, how?</i>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Come upstairs with me child, there's
something I want to show you," Mrs. Dexter said, passing me on her way to
the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
I turned to follow her I noticed that Claire and Winnie weren't in the kitchen
anymore. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They never had been.</i></b> I hesitated for a couple of heartbeats
before following the old grandma out of the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn't exactly sure that I even wanted to
see whatever it was she was going to show me. But I was sure that I wanted to
wake up. I sensed myself straining to open my eyes as I followed her. But I had
to know, I had to help Walter or whoever; that much I was sure of!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the
morning I was going to have to live this day all over again, and convince the
team that I'm not bonkers! We were going to need to pull together to out smart
those cruddy cowboys! </span></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Chapter Eight</strong></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Time to hatch the plan…</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
clock screamed at me again, reminding everyone that it was 6:30am and time for
school. This time it was really today, Turquoise Tuesday, and not a dream-peat
Monday. I rolled over, untangled myself from the cocoon I'd made in my sleep of
my blankets and swatted off the alarm. The house was quiet except for the sound
of the heater coming on, and a warm breeze washed over me. I lay there a moment
and stared at the dream catcher hanging the ceiling above my bed. Mommy would
be up in couple of minutes, and I could hear Katrina in the shower. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucas would need the usual persuasion to get
him up and ready for school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
sister Katrina is always first one out of bed on school days. She loves school.
But on weekends she usually hibernates until noon, unless Mommy plans a
shopping trip of course. If you ask me though I think she gets up early to beat
Luc to the bathroom. She knows better than to let him get there first to do his
business, but we won't go there! Mommy will be surprised to see me awake
already. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Getting
up out of my warm bed I wobbled over to my closet and picked out today's outfit.
First I grabbed my Turquoise Tuesday wig, then a pair of jeans, a red and black
checkered shirt and my unmentionables and made my way to the bathroom to get
ready for school. Katrina opened the door as I was about to knock, and nearly
ran me over. She gasped, startled to see me so early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What are you doing up already?"
she teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Today's my field trip, remember, I told
you about it," I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's right I forgot. I went to that
ranch when I was in 5th grade too. It was fun, you'll like it," she said, as
she passed me and went into her room to finish dressing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
was my turn so I went inside to shower and stuff. While I bathed I replayed my
dream in my brain, then again as I brushed my teeth and gargled with yucky
mouthwash. By the time I was finished I had pretty much figured out what we
needed to do next. It won't be easy convincing everyone that I'd had a
conversation with a ghost, but I would, I had to! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">KaSandra</i></b>, quit playing around and
let your brother in there, he really has to go honey," Mommy pleaded,
rapping on the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"OKAY,"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> I hollered over the
running water as I put the cap back on the tube of toothpaste and opened the
door. Mommy was standing there with her hands on her hips waiting for me. I
think she was curious what had got me out of bed so early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Is there something you want to tell
me?" she asked. My Mom is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i>
suspicious of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everything</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone</i>. Finding me up so early was
setting off alarms in her Mommy brain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did you finish all your homework last
night? Is there a note or something from school that you forgot to give me?
Wait, is it Report Card time again?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, no, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and no</i></b> Mommy," I
said, answering all three of her rapid fire questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Today is the field trip,
remember," I said pretending to be hurt by her suspicious nature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh, that's right. Well good for you
honey, thanks for being so responsible," she said ignoring my pouty face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">LUC!</i></b> Get out of that bed right now
mister, you're gong to be late! Honestly, why do we have to have this scene
every morning," hollered my Mother, turning back toward me and winking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Get your things and come downstairs,
I'll have breakfast ready in two shakes of a lamb's tail," she added, as
she jogged down the stairs to the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay," I replied as I went back
into my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
brother was sitting up in his racecar bed and staring out the window. He
ignored me as I went over to make my bed. Well I didn't actually make the bed,
just sort of re-spread the comforter over the rumpled sheets. It was as close
as any of us got to making our beds. Bed making wasn't one of Mommy's top
priorities. I heard Luc get up and leave the room. A second later the bathroom
door slammed. That was my cue to slip on my socks and scoot downstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
made down in time to eat breakfast with Katrina which was a treat as she's
usually gone by the time I make it downstairs. She's getting older and doesn't
go to my school anymore. We don't get as much sister time as we used to, I miss
that. I guess that's pretty normal. Still, I miss goofing off and being silly
together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, I gotta get going," Katrina
said picking up her plate and busing the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Do you want me to walk you to the bus
stop KK?" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sure, thanks! Hey, are you going to be
'Hello Kitty' for Halloween," I asked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yea, Mommy is making my costume this
weekend. Alright, let's get going speedy," she said teasing me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright," I replied, handing my
dish over the counter to Mommy who was busy making Lucas some scrambled eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You girls be careful," she said as
Katrina and I walked out the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"WE WILL," we replied together,
giggling as we scurried down the drive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Claire
and Winifred were about to climb on board the bus when they noticed me
clippity-clopping down the sidewalk toward the stop. Daniel poked his head out
of a window near the back and hollered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey, check it out, KK is like fifteen
minutes early," he bellowed, loud enough to wake up the whole darn
neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr.
Beadle appeared at the door holding the sports page in his hand and shaking his
head. He could hardly believe his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well look who we have here. What
happened sugar, did your bed catch fire this morning," he teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
stopped in my tracks and gasped slightly. That was exactly what he said in my
dream? I noticed that Claire and Winnie had already got on the bus and were in
our usual seats. I looked hard at the bus and sure enough, they were all
bunched together waiting for me, just like my dream? This was a little freaky?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Come on now Miss Britches, hand me
those sticks and get on board," Mr. Beadle said cheerfully, pointing at his
sort of turquoise baseball cap. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Actually
it was a teal colored Florida Marlin's cap but it was close and it was the
effort that counted. I smiled at him as I handed him my crutches and got on the
bus. A moment later I was in my seat facing the team, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">showtime!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What's up KK, you've never made the bus
early before?" Winifred asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, what's up?" chimed in
Claire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Do you guys believe in ghosts?" I
asked, deciding to cut to the chase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Um, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no</i>,"
Winifred answered, puzzled by the question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Nope," said Claire tossing in her
two cents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You mean like <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Casper</st1:place></st1:city>?" Daniel asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Casper</st1:place></st1:city>'s
a cartoon Daniel," I quipped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
know that</i>, I was just teasing," he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm serious guys! Does anyone believe
in ghosts?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
team looked around at one another, wondering if I was crazy or what! I waited for
an uncomfortable minute for a reply, and was about to ask again when Ali spoke
up all of a sudden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"When my Nana died last year I thought I
saw her in my room after the funeral," he said meekly, not looking at
anyone in particular. Nobody said anything for a second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Once when I was four, I thought I saw
my cat Whiskers in the window even though she died a week before," Daniel
whispered, looking at each of us one at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Were you scared?" asked Claire
looking at Ali and then Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No," answered Daniel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes," answered Ali.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Why do you want to know KK? That's such
a strange question," said Winnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On
that note I told them about everything, from beginning to end. From my strange
dream and how they were all in it, to Mrs. Dexter and Walter and the rotten
grandkids. They listened patiently and politely, never interrupting or making
fun of me. When I was through they all sat there quietly as the bus arrived at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Deer</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Canyon</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
And while the rest of the kids were scrambling down the aisle they asked
together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"What's the plan
then KK?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<div align="justify">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></i> </div>
<div align="justify">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></i> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Chapter Nine</strong></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ocyKO9dY_KcLQKN-Wmj8tqdgmPlJRi2CqBzlugVzlJq3Cu3labX1LTj9B2fSnShlhk4bNEaLstaLWSGxROOW66mwJUhqPd2uD1ljqsn9Skm9UEOsjVuL2FQFc8jI0L2JJmmDNUZQnzI/s1600/Chapter_09.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Real cowboys are kinda nice</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
arrived at SHETLAND STABLES at nine o'clock, as Mr. Beadle drove the big yellow
bus slowly up the long drive. It was a really long driveway and all of the kids
had moved over to one side to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ooh</i> and
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ahh</i> at several horses tethered to a
big white fence surrounding the corral. Not everyone was looking at the horses
though. Me and Winifred were on the opposite side of the bus checking out a big
green house that looked like it had seen better days. It was pretty old and
sorta scary looking. Maybe it was because Halloween was just around the corner,
who knows. But maybe not, that old house would be scary looking anytime of
year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Is that her?" Winnie asked
pointing at an old woman rocking in a chair on the porch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Could be? Wait a minute can you see her
too," I asked puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well yeah, she's kinda hard to miss KK,
don't ya think?" Winnie answered sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, I didn't mean <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i></b> you see her, I meant <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how
can</i></b> you see her," I replied, confusing even myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She means how can you see someone from
a dream you didn't have," explained Zoë, chiming in from left field.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don't
do that!</i> You scared me to death Zoë," I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry KK," apologized Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's okay, you didn't mean to,"
I replied smiling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Zoë's
a sweet kid and didn't deserve to be snapped at. I felt bad about that and
flashed her an extra big smile to make up for it. She smiled back and we both
felt better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Are you saying the old lady on the
porch isn't really there?" Winnie asked Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, I see her too. It's just weird is
all I'm saying. I mean look at her, she's exactly how KK described her and this
is the first time any of us have laid eyes on her. Pretty weird, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>," said Zoë?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
was right, it was strange but there wasn't time to wonder about it, we had work
to do. Mrs. Ryan came back onto the bus and tweeted on her whistle to settle us
down. The bus got quiet quick and everyone sat down with eyes front. She had us
trained pretty good. Like I said, the woman was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all teacher!</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright kids listen up. When we get off
the bus I want you all to line up next to the fence with your travel buddy. As
soon as Mrs. Dennis and I finish counting noses we'll meet Mr. and Mrs. Dexter
and begin our day at their lovely ranch," Mrs. Ryan said, filling us in on
what to expect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
thanked Mr. Beadle for getting us here safely and asked the class to give him a
round of applause which we did enthusiastically, everybody liked Mr. Beadle! He
tipped his turquoise Marlin's cap and winked at me knowingly as the kids
started down the aisle, following Mrs. Ryan off the bus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay team, time to buddy up," I
said to Winifred, Claire, and Daniel, as well as Zoë, and Ali. Looks like the
team grew by two today. Note to self, call the boss tonight and let him know
about that, the man hates surprises!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
plan was simple. Well, of course it was, we're just kids after all. We needed
to get Mr. Dexter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Walter</i>, alone and
pick his brain. We had no idea what the grandsons had up their sleeve, but the
only way to find out was to be as nosey as only a cute kid can be. That's where
Zoë came in. Adults can't resist squeaky clean kids like her. Buddy her up with
a poor handicapped kid (like yours truly) and we'd have Walter singing a tune
in no time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
tricky part was going to be keeping Clay-boy and Hank occupied. I was pretty
sure Daniel and Ali could ask enough crazy boy questions to drive those two
cowboys bonkers by lunch. Claire's job was keeping Mrs. Ryan busy. She was our
official lookout, partly because she could talk a blue streak, a Mrs. Ryan term
(translation…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">a <st1:place w:st="on">LOT</st1:place></b>),
and partly because she could whistle loud enough to crack glass! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All
we needed now was a little bit of luck to get the ball rolling. We were going
to use plan X where I pretend to be nauseous, not a big stretch given my
condition, and ask Walter if Zoë can sit with me up on porch of the big green
house while I get some air. If we played it right Mr. and Mrs. Dexter would
take us up to the house while Clay and Hank tended to the rest of the class. Then
Zoë and I would get to the heart of the matter. We had to know what was what
before we could figure out how to help Walter keep his ranch, and as for
whether or not Mrs. Dexter was an actual ghost or not, that question was about
to be answered as Mrs. Ryan introduced our hosts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Listen up children, this is Mr. and
Mrs. Dexter, the owners of SHETLAND STABLES, a real working horse ranch,"
she announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Howdy kids, the mother and I are right
happy to have ya'll visit this morning," said Mr. Dexter with a huge
smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Why does he call her mother?"
Claire whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Shhh!"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> Winifred and I
replied, shushing her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's right children; father and I
have been looking forward to your visit. We enjoy showing off the place even if
it does need a coat of paint here and there," Mrs. Dexter added sweetly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She looks real to me," Daniel
whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Shhhh!"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> replied Winifred,
Claire, and I, shushing him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Over yonder are our sons Clay and Hank.
The boys will be showing ya'll around and then taking you on a little tour of
our spread. Some of you will be on horseback if you brought the signed release
forms your teacher gave you. The rest of you will ride in the hay wagon on the
tour. How does that sound?" asked Mr. Dexter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You said those guys were his grandsons
KK," whispered Winifred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I know, I don't get it either," I
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Do you have any bucking broncos Mr.
Dexter," shouted a kid I didn't recognize from another school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Call
me Walt son</i> and no I'm afraid we haven't got any wild ponies for you to see
today. Most of the livestock on this ranch are bred for domestic use by
families with kids like you who might enjoy learning to ride. Horses make
wonderful friends boys and girls, you're going to love learning about them
today," Walt answered cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No
time like the present I always say, and I let out a little moan, cueing Zoë.
She turned out to be a natural born actress and rushed over to my aid, calling out
to Walt directly and bypassing Mrs. Ryan. Nice touch I thought to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I think KK needs to sit down
Walt," Zoë said pouring it on thick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Holy smoke young lady, she sure does!
Mrs. Ryan if you don't mind mother and I are going to take this child up to the
house and get her a cold drink," Walt said kneeling beside me looking
concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Must be the blamed heat; its uncommon
warm today for October. Ain't that just the way in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:city>? Seems like a feller never knows what
to expect come daybreak," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Walt
was a real deal cowboy I thought, smiling inside. Mrs. Ryan walked over to
check me out. She had her cell phone at the ready with a finger on the speed
dial key for 9-1-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"KaSandra are you alright? Should I call
your mother?" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm okay; I just need to rest a little
bit. I think I rushed too fast to catch the bus this morning," I replied,
not actually lying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well alright, but I'll be back to check
on you after I get everyone started," she said pointing her cell phone in
my direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You go on back with Clay-boy, Mrs.
Ryan. Mother and I will take of this young-un," Walt said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Alright, thanks," she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
we could even ask Walt looked over at Zoë and gestured for her to come with us.
Talk about a lucky break!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Young lady, would you mind helping me
with your friend here?" Walt asked Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sure," she replied winking at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Phase one,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">divide and conquer</i> was complete. Time
for phase two, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the inquisition</i>…</span></div>
</span><div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
</span><div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Chapter Ten</strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
</span><div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></i> </div>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_OU0MBlShZlYu6pw4S7TOVHcqu5MPLV6drZDvQ9rO-fw-pPWl5eqRuIxFnNk1MoyEF86Iz2gV1qncYw0oq1FvR-SaqY4RGCMDQGCPKCQgpJegfWBOc3iWfCPvra_sYDHhsjiUB-oR6A/s1600/Chapter_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_OU0MBlShZlYu6pw4S7TOVHcqu5MPLV6drZDvQ9rO-fw-pPWl5eqRuIxFnNk1MoyEF86Iz2gV1qncYw0oq1FvR-SaqY4RGCMDQGCPKCQgpJegfWBOc3iWfCPvra_sYDHhsjiUB-oR6A/s1600/Chapter_10.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
</span><div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div align="center">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;">Spirits can be tricky</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Zoë
and I settled into two of the six wicker rocking chairs spread out on the big
front porch. They were all painted white and were in lots better shape than the
house itself. Mrs. Dexter, (she told us to call her Emma) went inside to fetch
a cold towel for me and some fresh squeezed lemonade for all of us, while Mr.
Dexter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Walt</i>, pointed at an old fashioned
fan our way to help cool us off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Thanks, we have a fan just like that at
my house, but it doesn't work, it's just for show. My Mom loves antiques! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WOW!</b> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This house is huge</i>," exclaimed Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It is at that young lady. But it is as
old as it is big and it keeps me pretty darn busy what with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fixin this</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">patchin that</i>," Walt said with a wink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Emma's old Daddy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Henry was </i>his name, left us this ranch when he passed away. Clay-boy
was just right around two I recollect and little Hank wasn't even born yet, he
was still cookin in the oven," Walt continued, settling into a seat beside
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"My goodness, that was over forty years
ago Father," Emma added, appearing out of nowhere with a tray of tumblers
and a big picture of ice cold lemonade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Has
it been that long?</i> Yes ma'am, I reckon it has. Old Henry loved this ranch,
it was part of him. You know we named our Hank after him," Walt pointed out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Why this old ranch has been in Emma's
family since the turn of the century," Walt continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"WOW, that's a long time," I
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Hey, I thought you went in that door over
there," Zoë said to Emma, pointing at the front door?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes dear, but I came out from the
kitchen around back. This porch goes all the way around this old house,"
Emma explained, filling our glasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh, okay. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thank you</i>," Zoë replied taking a sip of lemonade from the
tumbler Emma handed her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You're welcome dear, and here is one
for you too little one," said Emma handing me a glass as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Now, let's see if this cool towel will
help you feel a little better," she said placing the cold terrycloth on
the back of my neck. She was right. It felt really good, even if I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> faking? Grandmas are magic!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There
was no time for chit chat, it wouldn't take Claire long to annoy the socks off
of Mrs. Ryan, to the point of ditching her and coming on up to check on me. I
cleared my throat loudly to get Zoë's attention. She had veered off track
slightly after she noticed the snacks Emma brought with the lemonade. The girl
was power chewing a mouthful of tollhouse cookie large enough to make a
chipmunk proud!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay, shoot," Walt said with his smiling
Grandpa eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ahem!</i></b> Well, actually had a question
for you. We were wondering about Clay and Hank."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What about em?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, somebody told us that they were actually
your grandsons," I blurted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Wincing,
Zoë quickly choked down the cookie she was working on and washed it down with a
big gulp of lemonade. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her hoodie and got
back on board with our fact finding mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who would say such a thing I
wonder?" Emma asked puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"We
thought it was you,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> answered Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Me? Why I've only just met each of you,"
Emma replied, surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, but KK dreamed about you, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">twice</i>! Right KK?" Zoë added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Is that true dear?" Emma asked
looking me square in the eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Well,
sort of</i>. I mean now that I see you up close you do seem a little different?
Like your eyes are blue and the old grandma in my dreams had brown eyes?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"And, come to think of it, you're
wearing glasses, the grandma in my dreams didn't," I answered studying her
closely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She was wearing a blue gingham dress
and a white apron wasn't she?" Walt asked suddenly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, how did you know," I asked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's Abigail," answered Walt
looking down at his boots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Walter
Dexter</i>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">why I never</b>,"
scolded Emma!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, its true Mother, I've seen her too,
in my dreams I mean," he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who's Abigail?" I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Abigail was my twin dear, she passed a
few of years ago," Emma explained staring at her husband.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She was a bitter woman Emma. Mule
headed and angry after your Daddy left us this place. The poor thing just never
seemed to have a sunny day, always a dark cloud over her head," Walt said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Don't you speak ill of the departed
Walter, it's just not right," Emma said sternly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"My Daddy left this ranch to us because
Walt and I had children, and because Walt grew up on a working ranch,"
Emma explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Abigail was my older sister by 8
minutes, but she never liked it here. She was always dreaming of the big city. When
she ran away to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state></st1:place>
it broke Daddy's heart," continued Emma. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Wow! All the way to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>, huh," whispered Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, she had big dreams Abbey did. She wanted
to be an actress you know. Daddy thought she was foolish and told her so. They didn't
speak for years after that. Things never really worked out for her though. Big cities
can be cold and hard," Emma said, sadly remembering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She never did marry so she never had
children of her own. But my stars, how she spoiled our boys, they loved their
Aunt Abbey," Emma reminisced as she gently rocked in her chair and stared
out at the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
don't get it?</i> Do you think your sister is haunting Walt, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and me</i>. I can see why she might haunt
Walt, but why me?" I asked interrupting Emma's stroll down memory lane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm not saying anything of the sort KK.
I don't believe in spirits. But if Walt says he's seen her then there must be
something to it, I've never known him to lie or tell tall tales," Emma
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did Abbey talk to you too Mr.
Dexter?" I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, can't say as I ever heard her say
anything <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">young-un</i>. She just appeared
there in the hall outside our bedroom," he answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"She spoke to you, did she?" he
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, I remember she said: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Beware the grandsons, they're a tricky
pair. Heed them not lest your dreams disappear.'</i> Or something like that,"
I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"And you thought she meant Clay and
Hank?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I thought so, I'm not so sure anymore."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Neither of our boys have families, why
would she warn me about kids they don't even have," Walt wondered?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I think I know what she meant," Zoë
said, jumping out of her chair suddenly, like it was on fire!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Startled
we all just stared at her and waited for whatever she was going to say next.
She was silent for a few of seconds, making the face she makes whenever she has
an answer on the tip of her tongue. Zoë walked toward the front steps and then
spun around quickly, both her hands held up like she was stopping traffic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What if Mrs. Dexter's sister wasn't
looking for Walt?" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who else would she be looking for? Emma
and me are alone in this big house," asked Walt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You
are now,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
Zoë replied, gesturing with her hands like she was playing charades.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Wait
a second!"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
I exclaimed as the light came on in my brain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Mrs. Dexter, I don't remember you
mentioning your mother. Where was your mom when Abbey ran away?" I asked,
finishing Zoë's thought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(teammates can do
that you know)</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, let me think. Daddy and Mother
divorced when we were just little girls. I didn't see any reason to bring
Mother up. She'd run off with a travelling salesman, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leo Jordan was his name</i>, in nineteen hundred and eighteen. It was while
Daddy was overseas in the First World War," she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did she ever remarry?" I asked
gently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Why yes, as a matter of fact she did. Why
do you ask?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I'm not sure yet. Where did she run off
to? Did she have more kids?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, Daddy's sister Martha came to
take care of us until he came home from the war. Aunt Martha stayed in touch
with Mother over the years. She said that she had remarried and became Mrs.
Helen Jordan, and settled in Austin Texas where she gave birth to one child, a
boy, David."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Interesting," I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"He would be around your age, right?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, maybe 4 or 5 years younger,"
she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Double interesting," I muttered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Have you ever met?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, once come to think of it. It was at
Mother's funeral."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hmmmm</i>,
when was that?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh, about twenty years ago, right
Father?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, December 24th, 1989," Walt
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Of course, that's right, 1989. We ended
up spending Christmas in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Austin</st1:place></st1:city>
that year. Her son David was very nice to us," Emma remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Did you stay with him?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh heavens no, he had a full house! His
two boys were very young at the time, and wild little Indians as well as I
recall," replied Emma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Two
boys?"<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, I think their names are Robert and
Richard," she answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Is that important?" asked Mr.
Dexter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I think so Walt. One more question. Mrs.
Dexter, did the room you're sleeping in now once belong to your parents?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes of course, there's only one master
bedroom in this house, why do you ask?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I
KNOW, I KNOW!"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
Zoë shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I think I do too," Walt said as
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Abbey wasn't looking for me Mother, she
was looking for old Henry, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your Daddy</i>,"
Walt said, getting up suddenly and walking into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Where are you going Walter?" Emma
called out to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
didn't answer. I was pretty sure he just realized the connection between Abbey's
haunt and her Mother's second family. Whatever Walt went into the house for was
going to be the missing piece of the puzzle. Mrs. Ryan appeared at the porch steps
as he disappeared inside the house. She walked up and over to where we were
seated and stood in front of the fan, cooling off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh my gosh! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It is so hot today</i>," she exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well I see you girls are nice and comfy.
How are you feeling KK?" she asked giving me the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">teacher eye.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Much better Mrs. Ryan, I think that the
sun was just making me a little dizzy," I replied, peeking around her to
see if Walt was coming back yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well I'm sure your mother will be
relieved. I called her you know, and she's on her way to pick you up right
about now," Mrs. Ryan explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay," I replied secretly hoping
that Mommy wouldn't get here too soon. At least not until this mystery was
solved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"How about you Zoë, are you ready to join
the other kids? I'm afraid you missed out on riding a horse today though,"
said Mrs. Ryan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, maybe I should stay here with
KaSandra, at least until her Mom gets here, don't you think so KK," she
asked looking over at me hopefully?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Um, yeah, would that be okay Mrs.
Ryan," I asked with my best sad puppy eyes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
suppose</i>, your mother should be here anytime now anyway," she replied
with a loud sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I hope these two haven't talked your
ears off, they've been known to do just that on more than one occasion,"
Mrs. Ryan asked Emma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Heavens no, they've been delightful,
really," Emma replied as Walt jogged over to us with some mail in his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Pardon me ma'am, but I need to show
these gals something," Walt said waiving an envelope excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
sat back down in his chair, retrieved a pair of reading glasses from his shirt
pocket and put them on his face. Holding the envelope up to his lips he gently
blew it open, and removed a letter. He shook it open and looked at each one of
us before reading it aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I got this here letter the other day
and didn't pay it no never mind at first. A working ranch is always getting official
looking mail from government offices, City and State, you name it," he
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zoë and I nodded our heads,
pretending to understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Usually when they are full of lawyer
words like these I send them over to Amos, he's our attorney. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amos Holtz</i> out of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Santa Fe</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:state></st1:place>.
I send em, he reads em, then he explains em to me in smaller words," Walt
explained, smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who's the letter from Father,"
Emma asked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well that's just it. When you started
talking about your momma and her other family, it came to me that I had heard
those names before. And danged if I didn't! This here letter is from the Law
Offices of Jordan and Jordan. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That'd be
Robert and Richard Jordan</i>," Walt said, nodding his head knowingly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well I'll be," Emma replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"The letter also says that this ranch is
smack dab in the middle of some planned highway development and that those two
boys have been hired by the State of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>
to buy up every property between here and the Interstate," continued Mr.
Dexter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Our ranch isn't for sale is it
Walt," Emma asked concerned?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, of course not Mother, but the
letter says that it doesn't really matter if it is or it ain't. The State can just
make us an offer and then we have to sell," answered Walt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Can they do that?" Emma asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Actually
they can,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
answered Mrs. Ryan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Excuse me, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to
butt in like that," she added apologizing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's quite alright dear. Are you sure
about that?" asked Emma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes, it happens all the time. There's a
term for it too but I can't seem to remember it just now," answered our
teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Eminent
domain,"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
said Zoë matter-of-factly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's
it,"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">
Mrs. Ryan exclaimed, snapping her fingers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"How do you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know that?</i></b>" I asked.
I shouldn't be surprised though, the girl has a mind like a steel trap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What can I say, I read a lot,"
answered Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I think that maybe you should call Amos
right away dear, this sounds serious," said Emma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Actually it sounds a little fishy,"
Mrs. Ryan said in a curious tone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"What do you mean ma'am," Walt asked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, my husband is actually on the
Planning Commission for the City of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">San
Diego</st1:city></st1:place>, and he's never mentioned any plans to connect
Hwy 56 with Interstate 8," replied Mrs. Ryan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's very interesting, are you sure
about that young woman," asked Mr. Dexter?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Positive! Besides look around you,
you're surrounded by neighborhoods. I seriously doubt that the State would
uproot all of these tax paying families?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No ma'am, I reckon not," Walt
said, rubbing his chin whiskers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OMG</b>,
that's what Abbey was trying to tell us. It wasn't <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> grandsons it was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Helen's!</i>"
I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Who's Helen? Who's Abbey? What am I
missing?" Mrs. Ryan asked puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's a long story, we'll fill you in on
the ride back to school," I answered politely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why those rascals</i></b>, I'm going inside
directly and call Amos Holtz, pronto!" Walt announced, getting up quickly.
Excusing himself, he left the front porch and went inside the big green house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"This is so bizarre. I can hardly
believe my ears. My sister speaks from the grave to help save the home she ran
away from for a father that she shunned in life?" wondered Emma aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Zoë,
Mrs. Ryan and me, just sat there silently and waited for Mrs. Dexter to snap
out of it. Which, she did after a moment, noticing that we were trying hard not
to stare. She smiled and got up to pour Mrs. Ryan some cold lemonade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"My goodness, where are my manners? I'm
sorry dear, I should have offered refreshments when you first walked up here,"
she said handing a tumbler to our teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Oh, that's really not necessary, but
thank you," replied Mrs. Ryan accepting the cold drink. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Nonsense, you looked positively
parched," Emma replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Excuse me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emma</i>," I said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yes dear," she replied?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"If you don't mind my asking, why do you
think Abbey didn't appear to you?" I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Yeah, why not," asked Zoë, chiming
in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"GIRLS!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> scolded Mrs. Ryan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"No, it's alright dear, I was actually
wondering the same thing," said Emma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
got up and walked over to the banister that framed the wrap around porch. Emma
leaned upon the railing and looked around the property, at the barn, the
corral, the cattle in the field beyond the corral, and at several children
feeding apples to a couple of mares with their foals. Clay-boy looked up,
sensing her gaze, and waived to his mother as he gently held the reins of a
Palomino mare chewing on the tasty treats from the kids. Emma waived back and
turned to face the three of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"You know, I've never been a very good
listener. I've always been too quick to judge or give my opinion. Maybe that's
why Abbey came to the two of you," she reflected, looking through a window
at her husband who was sitting at his desk, talking on the telephone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"My Walter is a kind man, a true gentle
spirit. And KK, I'm guessing that in you Abbey sensed an open heart and a
curiosity that would make a cat nervous," she added with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I am grateful to you and all of your
friends for your courage, and for believing in the unbelievable. You know, it
says in scripture that to have true faith one must believe as a child. I can
see the wisdom in that now," Emma said sincerely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Well, all we really did was ask a lot
of questions. You and Walt had the answers all along. I guess you just needed
to hear yourselves think," I said sheepishly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I suppose dear, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I suppose</i>," Emma replied, sighing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Just the same, thank you for helping us
sort things out. All of you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thank you</i>,"
she said, nodding at the three of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mrs.
Ryan's cell phone rang suddenly, startling us with its loud old style ring
tone. We jumped and looked her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry, I need to take this," she
said, flipping open her phone and placing her hand over her mouth as she said
hello.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It's your mom KaSandra, she just got
here," she said looking up at me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Okay," I replied grabbing a crutch
to stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zoë and Emma helped me to the steps while Mrs.
Ryan gave Mommy directions to the house. Walt waived to us through the window
as Emma gave us each a hug before we went down the steps. She watched from the
porch as we made our way toward the bus. We followed Mrs. Ryan down the path that
led back to the corral. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
saw Mommy drive up in our mini-van, a thick dust trail following her, and wondered
how I was going to convince her to give the team a ride back to school so that Zoë
and I could fill everyone in. No worries, I'd think of something. When we
reached the corral I turned to take one more look at the big green house and
gasped. Mr. and Mrs. Dexter were on the porch together waiving goodbye, and
right beside Emma was her sister Abigail, floating on air and waiving to me as
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Do you see that!" I exclaimed
rhetorically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"See what?" asked Zoë.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"I see a grandma and grandpa waiving at
us," Winifred said, climbing into Mommy's mini-van.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"That's all I see too," said Claire
following her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"KASANDRA!"</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> hollered Mommy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"OKAY!"<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">I hobbled over to the passenger side and let
Mrs. Ryan help me climb into the mini-van. As I fastened my seatbelt I took one
more look at the house. Walt and Emma had gone inside, but Abbey remained. She
waived once more and I waived back. Mommy looked out the window then back at
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Everything alright honey?" she
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"It is now," I answered, smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">"Let's
go home…"</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE END</span></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></strong></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Look
for the next KK Undercover Mystery: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">"The
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">La Jolla</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Pirate</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Caves</st1:placetype></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></em></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
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NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-15739531552112402862014-03-21T15:36:00.000-07:002014-03-24T16:50:54.395-07:00("How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year")…Pink Floyd<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Nine</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Long
Beach</span></i></st1:city><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></span></i></st1:place><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">,
November 30, 2004</span></i></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
long as I can remember, my father has been an early riser. Some of my earliest
memories are of him walking past my room before dawn on his way to the
stairway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd hear him draw in deep breaths
while he did twenty knee bends, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly
twenty</i>, right outside my door before descending the stairs two steps at a
time to the landing below. Next he'd grunt out fifty sit ups and fifty push ups
and then finish up with a jog around the house, living room, family room and
kitchen breathing through his nose which would tweet like a whistle every now
and then. He'd jog twenty-five laps, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i>,
no more, no less, pausing on the odd numbered laps to sprint in place for a
hundred count. This was his routine Monday through Friday, altering only on the
weekend to allow for yard work on Saturday and church on Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This morning was no exception, even
though technically he was at my house now, and there weren't any stairs to
navigate. I heard his alarm faintly announce from down the hall that it was
precisely 5am, and propped myself up on one elbow. I listened for him to jog past
my room and start his ritual just outside my door. A low muffled moan emanated
from the form curled up beside me, her mop-topped head snuggly wedged underneath
both of her pillows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aww</i>
come on Patrick, he’s your Pop! Can’t you get him to take that noise outside?”
groaned Michelle, scooting toward me and trying to push me out of bed with her
bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Maybe we can find him a girlfriend or
something to redirect all that extra energy.” I snickered, rolling her way,
spooning up to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I bet I can take your mind off of his
noise if we make a little noise of our own,” I said, whispering in her ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“In your dreams hot stuff, I need a couple
more hours sleep,” she mumbled sleepily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Tell you what though, you go and cool
your Pop’s jets and I’ll meet you in the shower around seven, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">deal?</i>” she offered playfully, kissing
the air and patting me reassuringly on my rump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Promises,
promises!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> I sighed, swinging
my legs out of bed and reaching for my bathrobe hanging on the footboard. I
felt around for my slippers on the cold hardwood floor with my stocking feet
and worked them on without hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I tied a sad little knot around my
robe and walked out of the room and into the hall. There he was, my old man, still
in tip top shape and full of piss and vinegar. He paused for a second to acknowledge
my unexpected presence, and looked me over like a drill sergeant, grunting
something unintelligible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What was that? You say something ya
old fossil?” I asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ah</i>,
I was going to ask if you wanted to join me. But, I can see that you didn’t
even have the strength to tie a proper knot,” he quipped, pointing out the
embarrassing gap in my loosely tied bathrobe. I looked down and quickly put the
mouse back in his house and cinched the terrycloth knot snuggly as Dad
disappeared through the living-room and into the kitchen, lap number one under
way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Hey, wait up!” I hollered, chasing
after him. I caught up with him on turn two as he passed the living room sofa.
I had to trot behind him as there wasn’t room enough to run along side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Listen Pop, why don’t we take this
outside so Michelle can sleep in? You’d be doing me a really big favor, believe
me!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Can’t do it son, shrapnel in both of my
knees courtesy the Nazis, you know that,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Aw come on Pop, we can run on the
grass and stay off the concrete altogether to save your knees,” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh alright, I suppose I can do my
part to support your love life. Besides, it’s high time we put some giggles
back in this house, Gabriel’s been gone for a year now,” he added, stopping to man-slap
me on my back. We walked through the kitchen and out the sliding glass door
that led to the backyard. I sighed, uncomfortably, knowing that my father could
see right through me. It had always bugged me how he was always so direct, so
blunt. I slid the door closed behind me as we stepped into the cool pre-dawn
air. It was still dark, but you could smell the morning coming, the dew on the
grass was ice cold and crunched a little under my bare feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
jogged along in silence for a quarter hour, our breath visible on the cold air.
I admired my father’s square posture as he ran, secretly hoping that I would be
as spry when I reached his age. We pulled up at lap twenty-five and started to
run in place at a sprinter’s pace. I was sweating more than I had expected to
and was having trouble keeping my robe tied shut. Mercifully the wind sprint
run was over quickly and I watched my dad stop and reach to take his own pulse,
a pair of fingers placed over the carotid artery at his neck. He watched the
second hand on his Timex and counted the beats of his heart. After 30 seconds
he put his hands on his hips and took a very deep breath, letting it out
slowly. Then he smiled broadly and slapped me on the back, bragging, “I’ve got
the heart of a 30 year-old!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
walked over to the patio table and sat down. He studied me for a moment and
then leaned back heavily in the chair. Clasping his hands and lacing his
fingers together as if he were praying, like he always did just before he
lectured me. Somehow he always knew when I had something on my mind. Maybe it
was a skill he learned from my mother, I knew it wasn’t a natural instinct
because few men have that kind of sixth sense naturally. Most guys have the
attention span of an African <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tsetse</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fly</i>; we're just too easily distracted.
Women on the other hand study people as a hobby, and have that nagging sense of
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I know what you’re thinking”</i> that they
use to keep us in line, most of the time anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“So, are you going to tell me about
what you’re up to or are you waiting for me to guess?” he asked sarcastically. That
pissed me off this early in the morning so I let him stew in his sarcasm for a
moment before answering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I never could keep secrets from you
or Mom,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“And why would you? You should know by
now that I’ll support you no matter what as long you're not breaking the law or
hurting anyone. I'm your father after all, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right,</i>”
he quipped?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah, well this time Papa, this time
I’m planning to step over that line,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Which line?” he asked cautiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Technically
both</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">,” I answered,
unconsciously biting at my lower lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh,” was all he could come up with as
he studied my face. He stared at me for an uncomfortable couple an moment
before my impatience got the best of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Papa?"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> I said, rudely snapping my fingers in
his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I was just deciding how much of this
I wanted to hear is all,” he replied. His face betrayed his concern but he
remained cool, carefully choosing his next words. He sighed heavily and I
braced myself for a nickel lecture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You and Michelle have been through
hell son. I know how it feels to visit there, how easy it is to surrender to
evil thoughts when you’re convinced you’ve been wronged,” he said, delivering
cent number one of the nickel lecture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“That being said, I also believe that
God’s ways are mysterious, and that sometimes the ends may <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actually</i> justify the means. If the end is righteous of course, does
that make sense?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Who’s being obtuse now?” I teased
using one of his favorite terms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Touché,</i>”
he chuckled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Seriously Patrick, what do you have
up your sleeve?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Did <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> call you?” I asked suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“No, but I have to admit that I’ve had
a few questionable thoughts of my own where that hospital is concerned. I’m
guessing that is what this is all about, am I right?” he replied delivering
cent two, three, and four.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s go back inside and make some coffee,
we’ll have a couple of hours to chat before Michelle wakes up,” I said, nodding
my head toward the warm house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Alright, go make the coffee while I
finish my work out,” Papa answered, getting up to slide the big glass door open.
He motioned for me to step inside and as I walked past he put his hand onto my
shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Top secret, right?” he asked with a
knowing wink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What do you mean?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Not for Michelle’s ears, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Right,</i>
top secret,” I answered with a wink of my own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Papa
smiled at me as I went inside and closed the door behind me. He turned and
jogged back out to the yard, continuing with his laps, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">twenty-five</i>, no more, no less.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-9900199377231895182014-03-15T22:18:00.000-07:002014-03-15T22:18:58.051-07:00("So Sally can wait she knows it's too late as we're walking on by. Her soul slides away but don't look back in anger, I hear you say")…Oasis<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">"GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Eight</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783</span></a></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">San Pedro, California, November 29,
2004…12:15pm</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Several
gulls circled about a hundred feet above him while he lay on the small strip of
green grass outside the air-conditioned trailer housing the company’s
administrative offices. It’s not a fancy skyscraper just a plain old trailer, but
damn, it was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">triple wide!</i> So the company
had that going for them. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
had spent the last fifteen minutes waiting on me to drive us to lunch. He had
stretched out on the lawn to enjoy the sunshine and ignored the cool fall breeze.
He'd finished off the last of the fresh Bing cherries that Laura had packed in
his lunchbox, spitting the seeds for distance while he waited for me to get off
the goddamn telephone! It was getting late and he wanted to get at them beans
before it was time to start the next job. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sandy
hated overtime, the extra money wasn’t worth the personal time lost. He’d
rather be swilling beer at Jake’s Tavern then donate his hard earned cash to
the IRS. It was criminal how much the fish-faced feds stole from his paycheck
each week. Holding up a person like that, taking a huge chunk of money earned with
his blood, sweat, and tears, that was no way to treat a veteran! He tired with
amusing himself by picking out shapes in the slow rolling clouds overhead. They
were getting pretty wispy anyways. Actually, he was getting pissed! It was
Monday and that meant Mexican food in our lunchtime rotation. And not just any
Mexican food mind you; but food of the God’s! It had become our ritual
pilgrimage. He and I spent each Monday at our pal Roman’s place, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">without fail</i>. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> would pull himself off of life support
if he had to in order to keep this date!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Roman called the joint “Tres Amigo’s” after us, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three friends</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sandy
and I had helped bankroll Roman’s dream. I know what you're thinking,
restaurants are risky businesses and going into business with family or friends
is even riskier. So why did we do it? Because he asked us to, that's why. If
you knew Roman, you'd understand that asking for help for anything from anyone was
way out of character. A more proud and stubborn man has never walked the
planet! But to be honest our motives weren't totally magnanimous, we were as
greedy as the next fool. Another key factor in the decision was our buddy Roman
could cook like nobody’s business! Roman Luis Gonzalez was a true master when
it came to whipping up chow, or more specifically, when creating culinary works
of art, it was his calling from God. We all have at least one, his was feeding
the masses. The man worked with seasonings the way Rembrandt worked with oils,
bold strokes to catch your eye and subtle highlights to keep you coming back. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> must have been
daydreaming of his meal because he was beginning to drool a little. He wiped
the spittle from the corner of his mouth and rolled onto his stomach to look
back at the trailer and see if I was on my way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“YO, PAT!”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> he bellowed. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> got to his feet and brushed the damp blades
of grass from his jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“HEY PATRICK, come on man, I’m
starving out here!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just tell her ya love her and let’s get the flock outta here!” </span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">he shouted in frustration.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">He was about to shout once more when
I burst through the door and leaped from the top of the stairs to the landing below.
I jogged instead of strolled over to my agitated friend to keep the peace and
avoid a nickel lecture.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“NAG, NAG, NAG,” I said, shaking my
head in mock disgust.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I swear <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place> you’re beginning to sound like my old
granny!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Up yours Pat, let’s roll, I’m
starving here!” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
replied, hopping into the truck.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Hold your water bud; you’ll be knee
deep in rice and beans in no time.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Just step on it dude, I'm going
through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chimichunga withdrawals!”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What was taking you so long
anyways?” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
asked, placing the shoulder strap part of his seatbelt behind him and opting on
the lap belt to save his ass in a wreck. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I was talking to Roman actually,” I
replied matter-of-factly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What for, we’re going there anyways?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I needed him to dig up some old
phone numbers for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There
was a moment of silence while <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
waited for the rest of the explanation. He waited exactly 30 seconds, a new
record for the square jawed man in the passenger seat before he pressed me for
the rest of it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“BECAUSE WHYYYY?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Can’t you wait until we get to
Roman’s place? What I need to talk about will be a lot easier to explain after
you get some beans in you,” I said, shooting him my best <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘gemme a break’ </i>look<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“How long have you known me?” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place> asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">"Too long," I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Look at me, what face do you see?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Your <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WTF </i>face,” I said rolling my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You're goddamn right you do!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“So, tell me now, what gives
Frenchie?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There
would be no peace on the ride over Roman’s unless I started filling him in on
what I had been up since he and Laura had brought me home from the cemetery. I
would have rather waited until he was fed and had at least three beers in him,
but clearly that wasn’t in the cards. I could feel him staring me down,
drilling into my brain through my temple as he waited impatiently. I glanced
over at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
and scowled at him in a weak attempt to show him that I was serious.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Alright, I’ll talk, but only if you
promise to LISTEN, and not jump all over the first thing that comes out of my
face, okay?” I began.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Spare me the drama Pat; I may not
even hear you over my growling stomach!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Alright, alright, do you remember
when you, me, and Roman worked that salvage job in back 2000, the one down in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region></st1:place>?”
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Honoring
the ground rules for a change, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
kept silent for the moment, a gift for which I was truly grateful, and waited
for me to continue. I studied his face for an answer to my question, nothing! His
mouth may have been shut but his eyes were throwing "F" bombs in my
direction! Clearly I needed to do a better job of explaining here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
remember</i>, the converted mine sweeper outta <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pedro, </i>the weekend pleasure craft that went down in a squall off
the coast near San Felipe?” I said, providing clues until he got on the same
page. A second later his expression softened making him look like a ten
year-old who just figured out a word problem in front of the class. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Oh yeah, I remember, we almost
bought it that day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about it?” he
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You remember the circumstances
surrounding that vessel's sinking?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yeah, yeah I do. It had been trying
to out run the Coast Guard when it nicked a harbor buoy and started taking on
water. The skipper headed out to sea and scuttled it about ten miles off shore,
so what?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s right. They were running drugs lamely
disguised as a charter fishing boat. Actually they had a pretty sweet
operation. They'd anchor just off shore with their paying customers working
heavy rock cod rigs starboard and port, while the crew took deliveries aft from
a zodiac, stowing the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real catch of the
day</i> in the bait tanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Aaaannnnnd? <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And,</b> I was thinking,”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> I said, smiling as I shared the plan
I'd been hatching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span lang="PT-BR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR;">Tres Amigos
Cantina, Los Angeles, California November 29, 2004...1:30pm</span></u></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Roman’s place was crazy busy, as
usual. The pretty girls he tended to hire may have brought in the ogling
masses, but it was the food that kept them coming back. Listen, there are
Mexican restaurants on every corner in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>,
and fine pieces of tail are as common as sunshine in LA, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but food like this</i>, primo enchiladas, made from scratch tamales,
and homemade tortillas (courtesy Roman’s mother Irma) were rare finds indeed. Roman
was a firm believer in the old restaurant axiom that presentation was crucial. I’m
not talking about how one plates a dish, but how one serves it up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(wink wink, nudge nudge).</i> Competition
for high end regulars was fierce; this was <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city></st1:place> after all. It took more than
great food to keep the place packed like this, especially at 15 to 25 dollars a
plate. To guarantee Joe businessman chose your establishment over all the
others you needed an angle. And, since Roman’s younger brother had died pitifully
of alcoholism, serving booze wasn’t an option, at least not for him, not if he
wanted his mother’s recipes anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So, capitalizing on his keen eye for
the female form he built his cantina on the firm (pun intended) foundation of
tastefully displayed T&A. Now mind you, he didn’t hire strippers or street walkers,
or anyone that could remotely be mistaken as one. He hired <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nice girls</i>, nice girls with fine figures and killer smiles. Then in
a stroke of genius, borrowing from a concept we'd been exposed to while
overseas on R&R in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
he dressed them all alike in clean white blouses, tartan skirts, and bobby sox,
just like parochial school girls. God help him he’d probably burn for that, that
is if Carmen, his wife, didn’t kill him first. Word of mouth advertising was
the only way to go, especially if the words were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘wowie</i>-<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wow-wow-wow!’</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We arrived starving, and skipped
exchanging pleasantries with the cute hostess, opting instead to make our way quickly
through the crowd to our usual table. Fortunately, being regulars as well as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not-so-silent</i> partners, we were
guaranteed a seat anytime, any day, anyway. Our modest investment bought us lifetime
reservations at a grungy old booth in back near the kitchen. It came complete
with fire engine red <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tuck & roll</i>
vinyl upholstery (a little silver duct tape here and there for contrast) and
one of those ageless 1960’s Formica tabletops with shiny chrome siding. It was
the sort of durable surface that stood up to any spill or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she + he</i> carvings, as well as the occasional head banging that
followed a hot headed disagreement. The table location was <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>’s doing, as the chowhound needed to be as
near the kitchen as possible. As long as he could smell the food and hear the chatter
he was a happy camper. Well, also if the chips and salsa arrived within
nanoseconds of his butt settling into the booth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Slow down man, you’re gonna lose a
finger!” I said, marveling at the eating machine across from me. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> looked up while he
chewed and daintily dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a cloth napkin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“That better Miss Manners?” he quipped
with his mouth full.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Perfect, you’re a prince,” I replied sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“And you’re an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">assho--,”</i> Sandy began, suddenly interrupted by a plate of hot food
placed in front of him, hand delivered by the proprietor himself, our buddy and
business partner, Roman Gonzalez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hey, </i>Filthy McNasty!</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> This is a family place, ya dig?”
Roman said in a harsh whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Now stuff that foul mouth of yours
with some rice and beans before I fill it with knuckles!” he added, forcing <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place> to scoot over as he
joined us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> scowled and gave
Roman the stink-eye as he tore a tortilla in half. He dragged the warm tortilla
across his plate and scooped a mixture of rice, beans, and carnitas, stuffing
it all into his mouth as instructed. His attitude changed instantly and a peaceful
grin spread across his face from ear to ear. I guess it’s true what they say
about mad dogs and bones. If you see one, toss one! Roman wiped his brow with
the sleeve of his shirt as he watched <st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place>
chow down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I guess I should be flattered, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but dude</i>, slow down before you choke!
Our insurance doesn't cover gagging pigs <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gordo!</i>”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Aye Dios, I’m getting too old for
this day to day bullshit man!” he exclaimed. Reaching in front of me he grabbed
my water glass and drained it; then ran the ice cold tumbler across his
forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Ahhhh, that’s better,” he said sighing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“No shit dudes, I need to hire me a
hard ass to run this place before I stroke out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WE </i>need to hire someone,” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
mumbled through a mouthful of food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh, yeah, I forgot, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WE need to hire a hard ass</i>,” Roman
replied sarcastically, giving <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
the finger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Man, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">scarfed</i> down your investment years ago <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ese</i>. I think I’m gonna start charging you from now on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What do you think of that, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">partner</i>?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“OK, OK, that’s enough you two,” I said,
putting myself between them as usual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You</i></b> finish your meal,” I said
pointing at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i></b> shut up and relax,” I
added, gently pushing Roman back into the tattered booth’s squeaky vinyl upholstery.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
exhaled deeply and capitulated, folding his arms in a huff, and glaring at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>. It was the classic
cemetery scene from The Good the Bad and the Ugly, right there at our table, three
pairs of steely eyes darting from one to the other in silence as we sized each
other up. Just like Tucco, Angel Eyes and Blondie. All that was missing was the
spaghetti western music. Roman broke the silence first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“WELL?” he said in a slightly pissy
tone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Someone better say something or I’m
going back to work,” he said, taking his icy gaze off of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>, and turning it my way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Well what?” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> replied, taking a long pull on his second
glass of ice water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Well why are you guys so late huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“It was Patrick dude. Numb-nuts was on
the phone for an hour man!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
I could offer up an explanation, Roman’s daughter Raquel came through the
swinging kitchen doors with my usual, plate of chicken enchiladas and pitcher
of root beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leaning across her Dad,
she set it all down in front of me expertly, not spilling a drop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“There you go Uncle Pat, just the way
you like it,” Raquel said with a flirtatious grin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I winked at her, “Thanks honey.” She boldly
winked back right in front of her father, playing with his mind, and blew me a
kiss, then walked away slowly, making sure we had time to admire her warm little
form. Roman snapped his fingers loudly in front of me and Sandy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hey,
pervs</i>, you do remember that’s my daughter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>?” he said louder than he meant to. Of course, she was also drawing
attention from all the other red blooded fellas around the joint, and that
didn’t go un-noticed by Roman either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“HEY!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> All you fools better put your eyes
back in your heads and show some respect!” he threatened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They
gall must have all had families they loved dearly, because they sucked down what
was left of their meals, overpaid the check with a pile of cash, and left in an
all fired hurry! Sandy and I giggled and turned our attention back to the food
in front of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Sorry Ray, we haven’t seen her in a
while, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and well hell</i>, she’s grown up
some,” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
said sheepishly defending us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Dude, she’s hot! I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nice hot</i>, not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">slutty hot</i>. I mean, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">oh hell</i>,
you know what I mean!” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
added, digging the hole deeper for both of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Ah shut up man! Just eat your damn
enchiladas and shut up!” Roman said, letting us off the hook for now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I got my eye on you <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>, you better remember that,” he added;
point a finger at him for emphasis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And you</i>,</b> you should know better,” he
snapped at me, redirecting the same pointy, crooked finger my way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You were a Dad too <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ese</i>, you should be on my side man!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Roman
suddenly realized what he said, and he quickly added, “Look Pat, I’m cutting
you a little slack cause you been through the shit and all,” he said apologizing
sort of. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Losing Gabby really sucked man, I’m sorry,
I didn’t think,” Roman said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Me and Carmen been praying for you
guys since the day your <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Niño</i> passed, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for reals carnal</i>,” he said earnestly,
grabbing my shoulder and giving me it fatherly squeeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“We were really worried about you Pat
after you checked out of everyone’s life afterwards, you know that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
waited for me to reply, but I couldn’t think of anything to say that could
explain where I went or why. I just kept shoveling food into my face and hoped
someone else would speak. Roman obliged before a tear dropped, laughing out
loud and messing up my hair, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What the hell</i>,
it’s just good to have you back again <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ese!</i>”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sandy</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> cleared his throat loudly, “If you
two homos are through feeling each other up, I could go for a little dessert
over here!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Raqui, bring your Uncle Sandy some
flan honey, OK?” Roman shouted, kicking <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
under the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“OK Poppi,” Raquel shouted back over
the rattle and hum of the busy restaurant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“That’s what I’m talking bout!” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> said rubbing his
hands together vigorously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You’re a real piece of work Lucci!” I
quipped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sandy</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> blew me an air kiss and leaned back
in the booth. I picked at my food as he and Roman studied me. After a minute or
two of that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>’s
impatience got the better of him<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Food’s that good is it?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> he asked sarcastically, watching me
play with my meal. I dropped my fork onto my plate and nodded affirmatively, “Just
like it always is,” I replied pushing the plate away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Alright, enough with the Secret
Squirrel act. Why don't you tell us this big secret you’ve been dying to
share?” he said dryly, his patience wearing as thin as Roman’s moustache.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">"What secret?" Roman asked,
puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Man, Pat’s been trying hatch whatever
he’s been sitting on for days now. Driving me nuts with all the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'tell ya later’</i> brush offs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You’re right, I have been pretty out
of it ever since my pity party at the cemetery,” I admitted apologetically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“ALTO!
What did I miss?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Roman asked, his curiosity peaking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Homeboy lost his mind a while back
during that thunderstorm last week, you remember, rained for a five days
straight,” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
explained rhetorically. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Anyways, me and the Mrs. found him
perched on his Gabriel’s grave contemplating Lord knows what. Ain’t that right
Pat?” continued <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>,
offering an abbreviated Reader’s Digest version of the events leading to this
moment. Roman just kept staring at me, his eyes probing my every feature as if
he were making sure I was me and not a pod-person or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“That true Pat?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I folded my arms defensively, “Yeah,
it’s true, but I’m past that, seriously!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really</i>,
you sure bout that?” Roman asked, not looking convinced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Ancient history dude, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">honest</i>, ancient history,” I replied
reassuringly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“For
reals?”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> he pressed
staring me down like a father to a son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“For
reals!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> I lied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I’ve done a lot of thinking about a
lot of things since then. And I think I finally have it all sorted out in my
head. That’s why I wanted to talk to guys today. My two best friends,” I added
smiling devilishly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Uh oh,” Roman said under his breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Do
tell,”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place> added, his gaze
narrowing into two beady rat eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Instinctively
I lowered my voice knowing that what I was about to say next shouldn’t be
overheard and I scanned the room before I continued. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Look dudes, I can’t accept what
happened to Gabriel. I’m convinced it didn’t need to end that way, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it
never should have ended like that!</i></b>” I said, the words seasoned with
more emotion then intended. Some of the nearby tables became silent and I
glanced over apologetically, smiling at several people in an effort to help them
ignore us. After a few seconds I leaned in toward the center of the table and
invited my friends to join me there with the look on my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Sorry bout that,” I said sheepishly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“No problem homey, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but no mas</i>, you dig?” he said with a
nervous grin, his eyes darting around the room, making sure everything was cool
with the clientele.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Alright Pat, what’s on your twisted
little mind?” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
asked impatiently. I ignored his jibe and answered, “Ever since that day in the
cemetery I’ve been wrestling with my conscience. And well, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i>, my conscience and me, decided to settle on sort of a trial
separation.” I watched my friends chew on this for a minute. Roman was about to
say something, his face a giant question mark when I continued, cutting him
off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Like I said, I started putting it all
together on that rainy day. I decided someone had to pay for what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shouldn't have happened</i> to Gabby!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Who ese, who has to pay?” Roman
whispered, reminding with a look to keep my voice down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ALL
of them damn it!</i> The pimps in Brooks Brothers suits playing God in the
boardroom, administering policies that controlling <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lives</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who doesn't!</i> But it all begins and ends
with Sanford Peck, President and CEO of the illustrious Global Shield Medical
Association, GSMA Incorporated, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the rat bastard!</i></b>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Don’t sugarcoat it like that Pat,
tell it to us straight.” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
jibed trying to keep me off the ceiling with sarcasm. Roman attempted to
support that effort with a laugh but I cut him off before the two of them could
gang up on me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“No foolin dudes, I’m serious as a
heart attack!” I replied loud enough to turn some more heads our way. Roman
kicked me under the table to hush me up, and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> took the opportunity to counter attack.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Ain’t you never heard the saying, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you can’t fight city hall?”</i> he asked
sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah Pat, this <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sanford</st1:city></st1:place> dude sounds big-time, those guys have
mucho power ese, mucho!” Roman said, adding his two cents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What can you do, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sue em?”</i> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
asked sighing, dismissing me with a tired wave of his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“YEAH, let’s sue the beans outta the asshole!”
Roman interjected supportively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I thought about that,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Really, I did. But Roman's right, the dude
has too much power, too much money. All he has to do is tie me up in court and
wait until my funds run out. And believe me it would be a very short wait!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I want these people, especially Sanford
Peck to suffer the way Michelle and I did. I want them to know what it feels
like to lose what they love most in this life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Are
you thinking about murder ese? That's just crazy talk man! ”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Roman whispered, checking over his
shoulder for eavesdroppers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I snickered and replied, “No, that
would be too easy man. Cash is what they love and I plan to make them bleed
green for as long as possible.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You’ve developed a mean streak Pat, I
think I love you!” teased <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You have no idea!” I replied, staring
him down until he realized that I was serious. Closing my eyes I drew in a deep
cleansing breath and let it out slowly. A couple of seconds passed before
anyone spoke again, each of us choosing our next words carefully. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“These HMO organizations are slugs
feasting on an endless supply of bottom lines.” I said finally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I don’t get it,” Roman said, his eyes
crossing in confusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Profit amigo, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">profit,</i>” I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Gabby just wasn’t a good investment
for the firm. He was terminal and would have material and resources that could
be put to better use, a more profitable use on someone with a greater
survivability quotient, someone requiring <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">long
term</i> treatments, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">expensive treatments</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Once Gabriel made the terminal list,
our insurance coverage became limited to hospice care and end of life support. His
care was pretty much reduced to pain management, eliminating hope and leaving
us to wait for him to just slip away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Are you saying they just let him suffer
when they might have helped him?” Roman asked his tone suddenly angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“That’s exactly what I’m saying, and
it goes on all the time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“CHINGASOS!” he exclaimed, swatting
the tabletop with his open palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I thought doctors took an oath man?” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> retorted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah, they do, but doctors don’t run
the show anymore <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What does that mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“It means we had HMO insurance, a
health <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">management</i> organization.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah, so?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“So that means that doctors have a
board of directors tell them what they can and can’t do, understand?” I said in
a harsher tone than I meant to. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
looked a little hurt when he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“You sure about that Pat? I mean, what
do the suits know about anything anyways?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I’m absolutely sure <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>, ask around and you’ll see. Ask Roman,
he has employees, I’m sure he’s heard things.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Nah, I don’t know nothin bout nothin
ese. Besides, you know I take the family across the border for doctor and
dentist visits. We can’t afford no gringo specialists!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“EXACTLY, that is exactly why there
ARE HMOs dude. They’re like the unions sort of, they convince you that you need
them until you do and then they busy you with red tape and forms until y9u
don't. It's a racket my friend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Hold on a minute Pat, you and me
belong to a union man!” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
chimed in angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I know, and what’s happening with
that huh? The Naval Shipyard's closed forever, and our livelihood is being
chased to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right to work</i> States or
overseas. It’s not just us, look at the automotive industry, the steel
industry, the textile industries. It’s all about cash <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>, don’t you get it?” I watched my
friends digest my tirade for a couple of minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Look, HMOs are just the latest
innovation to come along. The General Practitioners, the family physicians, old
Doc So & So have been forced to either go rural or join an HMO. Only the
really talented and well connected specialists have avoided the trend so far.
And that’s only because the wealthy and privileged will pay anything to avoid
mixing with the masses.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Like any good drug dealer will tell
you, the first taste is free, that's how they hook you. Over time these so-called
altruistic groups of professionals morph into businesses like any other. It's
cash over cures every time," explained, laying it on a little thick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Altur…?”</i>
Roman started, struggling with the word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Alturistic, you know the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">greater good</i> sort of people.” I offered
up quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Oh, you mean like when Spock told
Kirk ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the needs of the many outweigh the
needs of the few’</i> right?” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
said, chiming in with a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah, something like that,” I
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Yeah man, I loved that flick! You
remember when the Klingons were…” Roman started. I cut him off quickly, “HEY,
Heckle and Jeckle, forget the movie will ya, try and keep up!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Listen, simply put, I don’t blame the
docs for Gabriel’s death, it was inevitable. But I do blame the suits on that
HMO’s board for robbing him of some extra time with the people who loved him!”
I said in a harsh whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“So what are you thinking Pat? I can
feel the gears turning in your head.” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
asked between bites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I got an idea alright, but we’ll need
you and a couple others to turn it into a plan.” I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But, you should know straight up though, it
ain’t gonna be legal.” I added. I waited a few seconds while the words hung in
the air and the meaning appeared on their faces. They remained silent for what
seemed like minutes, studying me and then each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I know I'm asking a lot, and I’ll
understand if you tell me to pound sand.” I said anxiously. The two of them
exchanged shrugs and leaned back to reply, the old vinyl seats squeaking under
the weight of their bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“What the hell, you guys ain’t never let
me or my family down, and I ain’t about to do any different. Count me Holmes!” Roman
replied <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“In for a penny in for a pound my old
man always said,” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“OK then, “I said lowering my voice
and leaning across the table toward them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here’s
the thing…"</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-58368543289020866752014-03-03T15:52:00.002-08:002014-03-03T15:52:24.115-08:00(”Hello, hello, I'm at a place called Vertigo. It's everything I wish I didn't know. But you give me something I can feel, feel…") U2<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">"GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Chapter Seven</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></strong> </div>
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<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;"><strong>http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783</strong></span></a></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="line-height: 200%;">Municipal Cemetery,</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Long Beach, California,
November 24, 2004</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Settling
into the back seat of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
big Lincoln Navigator I buckled my seatbelt. I reached out to accept the heavy
wool blanket his wife Laura was handing back to me and nodded my appreciation. “Thanks,”
I said meekly wrapping myself snuggly in her kind gesture. She studied me for a
second then leaned over the seat and slapped me good and hard on my exposed
thigh, the wet denim enhancing the cold sting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“HEY!”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> I shouted, startled by her brazen
attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“HEY MY ASS PATRICK!” </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Laura hollered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What do you think you’re doing
coming out here in the middle of a thunder storm and acting all crazy and
stuff? Are you trying to send Michelle to the nut house?” she asked, demanding
a response. I didn't have one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, are ya…huh?”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Laura asked again, pressing for an
answer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
was so mad that she shivered while she ranted. She waited for me to answer for
a millisecond then spun 180 degrees in her seat, curtly crossing her arms, totally
frustrated with me. We both just sat there waiting for <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> to start the car. Laura turned slightly
toward her husband, rolling her eyes in my direction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“You talk to him!”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> she said frustrated, watching the colors of the stoplight bleed from
red, to amber, to green in the watery windshield. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place> sighed, looking at me in the rear view
mirror. “She’s right ya know, this shit has got to stop man!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
looked at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
in the mirror, apologizing with my eyes and waited for him to nod an
acknowledgement. Laura had resolved to remain silent the rest of the ride home.
In spite of her fire and ice treatment I was beginning to fell a little like my
old self. My life had a purpose again, a reason for getting from one day to the
next. Pulling the blanket tighter around my shoulders I leaned forward and
stuck my wet head into the space between my friends, like a dog begging for
attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I did some thinking today,” I said
staring at the radio. My friends remained silent, listening for signs of the
old Patrick, the sane Patrick.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Look, I’m sorry for all the time
I’ve wasted feeling sorry for myself, it was wrong, I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I just feel like I died with Gabby,
you know what I mean?” I blurted, offering a nonsensical explanation for my
behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sandy
and Laura kept quiet, giving me space. Truth was they'd already decided how to
deal with my grief on the way over. They agreed to be loving, but firm.
Apparently Laura was taking the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tough
love</i> versus the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">psycho babble</i> approach,
which seemed odd as she was a licensed psychologist? They were prepared for an
emotional breakdown and had a working plan on how to talk me off of the ledge.
But the breakdown never came.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Really, guys, I think I’m okay now,”
I said, hoping for a little feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I can’t explain it but I feel it. Maybe
you can Laura, you’re a shrink.” She turned and glared at me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Sorry, I mean Doctor Laura,” I said
apologetically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just can't let it go, ya know?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I mean I was so worried that Michelle
or Papa would fall apart that I didn’t notice that it was me losing my mind, is
that crazy or what?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yep, I think so Pat, I think so,” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Laura
reached over and combed my wet hair with her fingers, apparently the ice was
melting. We enjoyed a quite moment together, listening to the muted sounds of
traffic as we drove toward home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Grief is normal Patrick, mourning is
accepted, my goodness, it’s expected. But the time for those feelings came and
went long ago. Are you getting my drift?” Laura asked softly. I nodded and
reached up, taking her hand and pressing it against my cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Thanks,” I said, leaning way back
into the seat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Don’t mention it!” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place> replied cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I was talking to your wife! You just
drove here, she did all the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">head
shrinking</i>,” I said, covering up like a boxer in case Laura spun around to
swat me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“There you are! I haven’t heard that
lilt in your voice in so long, welcome back stranger!” Laura said cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Thanks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doc</i>,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Hey, pull into Jack-in-the-Box over
there, I’m starving!” I exclaimed noticing the clown across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Oh come on Pat, not Jack-in-the-Crap,
we can do better than that. How about steak and eggs at Curley’s; it’s just
down the street dude?” <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city></st1:place>
pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“No, no man, let’s just drive through
and get a dozen mystery meat tacos. That’ll hold me until I can get cleaned up,
and introduce myself to my wife.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I'll take everyone to the Macaroni
Grill later tonight for a make-up supper, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Come on man, what do ya say?” I
pleaded, talking directly into <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>’s
ear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“OK, OK, just sit back ya homo, and stop
slobbering on me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jeez Louise!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">"I think I liked you better when
you were crazy, at least you were quiet!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SANDY
LUCCI</i>, do we need to have the tolerance discussion again?” scolded Laura,
covering her smile with the back of her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Goddamn it Pat, see what you did,
now I'm in the doghouse!” complained <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>,
as he turned sharply into the drive-thru burger-joint.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Alright, tacos for now, but I’m
warning you, I’m eating my weight in pasta and meatballs tonight, so bring your
checkbook <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rockefeller</i>,” he added
driving up to the clown to order.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Laura
and I busted out together in a giggle fit. It felt good to laugh again; to let
myself go until my side hurt. This was my new beginning, my reunion with my
life and my loved ones. It would begin with twelve greasy tacos and a root beer
from a hamburger stand run by a clown. There was much to do, much to plan, and
much to hide. In due time I would know where I must go, what I must do and who
I must draft in order to follow through with my promise to Gabby. Beginning
today, from this moment on, time was running out for those who were
responsible. I have always been a man of my word; I would keep the promise I
made this day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Pantry, Los Angeles, California, November 25, 2004<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></u></i></b></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">At last,</i> a whole dry day! Twenty-four
hours without a raindrop, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WOO HOO!</i></b> Winter was still more than
a month away, according to the calendar anyways, but everybody in the
waterlogged State was already praying for an early spring. It's a well known
fact that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Southern’</i> Californians can’t
deal with wet weather. Be it f-o-g (fucking overcast gunk), or an old-fashioned
mid-western cloud burst, it was as if they were seeing rain for the very first
time. God forbid it should rain an entire day! For goodness sake, this was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Promised Land,</i> wasn’t it? Well, at least
it was supposed to be. You didn’t have to be a native Californian to believe
that claim. If this were a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect day</i>
it would have a huge sherbet colored rainbow sweeping across a cloudless
blue-on-blue sky, reaching from the Hollywood Hills all the way over to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malibu</st1:place></st1:city>. Sounds corny, but
you know what, there actually <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i></b> days just like that here! Rainbow
or not, today’s clear sky promised a welcome change from the bleak soggy
weather that had been ruining the State's reputation for several weeks now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Linda
Bradley sighed reaching for the salt and pepper while she gazed dreamily out a
large bay window. She seasoned her perfectly basted eggs without looking at
them, skillfully hitting the eggs and hash browned potatoes without spilling a
single granule onto the tabletop. She had this routine down pat. After all,
she’d been coming here better than two years now, ordering the same breakfast
each and every time. It was her way of putting her day in proper order <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i> fate’s devilish minions lined up
the usual collection of mishaps and challenging circumstances that routinely dictated
the pace for the day. Monday through Friday, rain or shine, Linda started every
workday at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pantry;</i> you could set
your watch by it. True, it was a little out of her way, and it wasn’t in the
best part of town, but the food was always good, the coffee was always fresh
and hot, and the service was always warm and friendly. They really made you
feel at home here, never a sour face or bad attitude on any of the staff, these
people were terrific! The staff went out of their way to make everyone feel at
home, to feel welcome. That was nice, and she appreciated it more than they
could possibly know. The smiles she got here every morning helped to defuse the
tears and angry outbursts she'd experience on the job. She could count on those
like clockwork as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Here
she was just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">honey, sweetie, or darlin</i>,
the small town girl from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cedar City</st1:city>,
<st1:state w:st="on">Utah</st1:state></st1:place>. She missed that part of her
life more and more lately. Sometimes, she would wonder what her life would have
been be like if she had followed her heart instead of her brain? She'd made a lucrative
career as an over achiever, pleasing everyone but herself. But she didn’t like
having to create an alter ego, the hard edged persona responsible for her
success. That bitch was cold and hardhearted, with sharp ninety degree angles at
each corner, tailor made to navigate in the black and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">red</i> world of briefs, balance sheets, and bottom lines. Exactly the
qualities one needed to make it in this job, unfortunately. She was good, very
good, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and too good sometimes</i>, she
thought. Shoveling some eggs onto her toast she took a big bite to change her
train of thought and avoid an argument with herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
was also part of her daily routine, debating and daydreaming with herself.
Mentally sparing with her softhearted conscience over sound business decisions
she had to make. She had to work at keeping her soft hearted, socially liberal
instincts in check. Those precepts were deeply rooted in her subconscious, firmly
planted there early in life by mother and dad, the two dearest people in her very
private world, it was a side of herself she showed to nobody. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
couldn’t remember the exact circumstances that led her from there to here, but
she understood this was where she belonged. Smart and tough, Linda Bradley was
someone who could separate her business responsibilities from her personal
convictions. Some people might confuse her corporate dedication with cold
heartedness, but that would be near sighted and unfair. She cared deeply, and
she agonized over every case that crossed her desk and came before the board for
review. She was aware that there were always more than the facts to consider in
these matters. Every brief she read was about real people, with families who
loved them, families not unlike her own. If their file made it to her desk they
were in dire straights. Vulnerable and desperate their hopes rested won Linda's
ability to balance responsibility and conscience. Her job was important, vital,
and rewarding, but sometimes it sucked like a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hoover</st1:place></st1:city> on steroids!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
was the reason she made this daily pilgrimage to The Pantry. A little slice of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">home</i> put her in a safe place
emotionally. The home cooked meals, the hometown smiles, and the non-stop
chatter countered the stress she of delivering bad news to good people.
Whatever doubts lingered from the day before were dealt with here, alone,
before she resumed her duties as board chairman of the LA Trauma Center.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Refill honey?” asked her server cheerfully,
already pouring hot coffee into Linda’s empty ceramic mug.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Uh, no…well, OK,” Linda replied, a
little embarrassed by her startled response. She hated being caught daydreaming,
it made her feel like a child.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“How’s the chow this morning sweetie?”
her server asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Terrific as usual Dodie, just
great,” Linda answered cheerfully. She held up a fork full of scrambled eggs in
one hand and a slice of crisp bacon in the other, and then smiled a large toothy
smile, top and bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“That’s aces darlin.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Give me a holler if you need
anything, okay?” Dodie asked rhetorically as she whisked away, already
beginning to chatter with the next patron.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“I will…”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">
Linda began, her voice trailing after Dodie's shadow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Linda
shrugged and returned to her breakfast, glancing first at her watch and then at
the headline on the morning edition of the LA Times. She smirked at an article
about the war looming in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>
while she chewed on a crunchy piece of fried pork. She fought the urge to jump
on the Bush bashing band wagon, it was all the rage among the young urbanites.
Shamefully, she admitted to listening in on a few their conversations at
restaurants and pubs as they passionately discussed the headlines. Sadly, it
was all too clear that most of them had only read the headlines, their diatribe
rife with generalities, assumptions, and out right misconceptions of what was
actually led the country to war. Linda pushed the dreary newspaper aside and
grabbed the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tabasco</st1:place></st1:state>
bottle, sprinkling a generous amount onto her perfectly scrambled eggs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kick
it up a notch girl</i>…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BAM!”</i> she
muttered, doing her best Emeril impression. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Linda
spooned some eggs onto her wheat toast, closely studying Dodie as she went about
her business. Letting her mind wander she recalled the first time she met Dodie
(short for Dorothy) McGregor, the sixty something career waitress, with a smile
that melted frowns, and a giggle that inspired side splitting laughter. It was
the day she interviewed with the Board of Directors. She'd mistakenly taken the
<st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Sixth Street</st1:address></st1:street>
exit from the expressway, or freeway, or whatever, and stopped right next to
the restaurant to wait for a traffic light. The smell of freshly brewed coffee
wafted out the open door of the corner diner and surrounded her car,
momentarily disorienting her. Since she was early for her appointment she
uncharacteristically steered her rental car into the parking lot and wandered in.
Before she could get both feet in the doorway she found herself greeted by a
pretty teenage girl with a long blonde ponytail, dressed smartly in a crisp
white blouse and pleated black slacks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Good morning! Welcome to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">world famous</i> Pantry Restaurant,” the
young lady said with believable enthusiasm. The girl smiled sweetly and led
Linda into the room carrying a huge menu close to her breast as if she were on
her way to class. As the teenage hostess scanned the place for an empty table,
a loud voice with a thick Scottish brogue boomed over the noisy room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Park it at the counter honey, we’re
a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wee bit</i> busy this morning my dear,”
the woman shouted as she poured coffee into a cup. She was a small woman, pale
in complexion, and freckled like a schoolgirl. Linda pegged her age at around
sixty or sixty-five, but she moved around like she was half that age! Linda
settled in at the counter and peeked over the open menu to watch this tiny dynamo
go about her business. She worked the room like a stumping politician on
Election Day, no face went un-noticed, and no baby went un-kissed. She was
amazing!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Sorry darlin, it took a while to
work my way back to ye,” said the geriatric whirling dervish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I’m Dorothy, but folks call me Dodie
like the name-tag says,” she added, tapping the small piece of plastic pinned
to her white cotton blouse. Linda remembered wondering how her shirt could stay
so clean working in a diner slinging hash all day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Nice to meet you, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dodie</i>,” she answered, extending her hand
which the woman accepted, pumping it vigorously. Dorothy McGregor may have been
as feminine as any other woman, but she was not shy or dainty in any respect. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“It’s your first time here, I know.
So I’ll give ya an extra minute or three to look over the menu.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“If ye don’t see what you like, just
ask, I’ve got the cooks wrapped around me baby finger luv,” Dodie said with a
smile and a wink, holding up her pinky finger and making tiny circles in the
air. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Giggling,
Dodie spun around on her heels, getting back to her other customers. It was the
first time Linda had heard the pint-sized hash slinger’s now infamous cartoon
like giggling, and she fell in love with it just like everyone did. Linda
smiled, enjoying the short trip down memory lane, and raised her coffee mug to
toast Dorothy Alice McGregor from across the room. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here’s to ye old girl,”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Linda said without speaking.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Dodie smiled back at her, waving
first in acknowledgement and then to brush away a short lock of silver-gray
hair that had broken loose from beneath her tortoises shell head band. Linda
drained her cup and then dabbed at the corners of her mouth politely before
getting up. She extracted a trendy wallet from her equally trendy purse and
fished out a fifty for the ten-dollar meal, leaving the rest for Dodie and the
boys to divvy up. They were like family now, and she always shared her good
fortune with family, it was how mother and dad had raised her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-55395475328762933412014-02-24T17:36:00.001-08:002014-02-24T18:03:49.768-08:00(”Life's too short not to forgive, you can carry regrets but they won't let you live. I'm here if you want to call, staring at the spot on the wall. ”)…Liam Gallagher<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>"GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Chapter Six</strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">(two years later)</span></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;"><strong>http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783</strong></span></a></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Long Beach, California, November 24, 2004</span></span></u></i></b><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
rain didn’t bother me. In fact it wasn't even a distraction. Nothing bothered
me anymore. There must be words to describe this, but I'm not that smart. The
only word that comes to my mind is empty, like I don't exist anymore, does that
make sense? I sat cross-legged on the soggy grass in front of the granite stone
that marked the grave of my only child, my son Gabriel. It's hard to believe it's
been a year since his death. I remember that day like it was yesterday, I
suspect I always will, but isn't that the way? I sat stiff and uncomfortable in
an odd shaped chair beside a large window, alternating glances between the rain
that fell against the windowpane and Michelle who had curled up beside Gabby on
his deathbed, waiting for him to draw his final breath. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
sang to him softly, pretending he could hear her, and held him close to her
like she did whenever he was frightened. She was connected to him body and soul
like only a mother can be. Michelle didn’t need any of the fancy equipment to
tell her that her baby was dying; she could feel his life ebbing away with each
small breath he took. When I heard her begin to sob quietly, I knew that
Gabriel had lost his battle with the cancer that had invaded his little body.
Those twelve months went by so fast, it wasn't fair, but life isn't fair, and
for the first time in my life I doubted my God and lost my faith. It's been a
year between then and now and I am still lost. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a dark and stormy day, not unlike
this one, and I remember every stinking minute of it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
wind gusted suddenly as I stared intently at the cold, hard headstone. Silently
I read to the short inscription for the hundredth time today:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Gabriel Luc Bouchard…a very good boy.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have cried if I were able, but there
weren’t any tears left to shed, just an icy, fallow emptiness that emanated
from deep inside of me. I just stared blankly at the stone marker without
blinking. The steady rainfall stung my face like tiny needles as it swept
sideways in sheets with the howling wind. <st1:placename w:st="on">Municipal</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Cemetery</st1:placetype> is the oldest and actually
the first cemetery in the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Long
Beach</st1:place></st1:city>, a registered historical landmark. Because of
that fact it hadn’t been easy arranging for Gabriel to be buried here. I
recalled me and Papa literally begging and pleading for the privilege of doing
so. But it was worth sacrificing a little dignity to provide this beautiful
spot for Gabby’s to rest through eternity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Sandy Lucci and I used to
drive by this place every day on the way to work five days a week, sometimes
six, and I had always found myself oddly attracted to it? The rolling hills
littered with stone markers and shady trees just seemed so peaceful, almost
inviting in a sick sense. We'd catch sight of a visitor or two on occasion
paying their respects. It was an interesting contrast between life and death,
one that I didn't really understand until now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">While the old cemetery
had character all its own, a certain morbid '<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">je ne sais quoi' (I don't know what)</i> if you will. I blinked as a
stream of rainwater mixed with perspiration stung my eye. My Yankees baseball
cap was no match for the elements and it wilted in the torrential downpour.
Ignoring the soaking, and my shivering body, I continued to watch the stone,
replaying the events of the last twelve months in my mind. The smooth granite
surface was my movie screen of sorts, and my imagination projected onto it the
images that had dominion over me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">I had to be being strong
for everyone from the beginning. At least that's what I told myself, it was how
I'd been raised. Honestly we took turns being strong for one another, my wife,
my child, my father, our family, and our friends who had become family on
Gabriel's journey. We prayed together, hoped together, and cried together right
up to the very end. Then, reluctantly in my case, we accepted God’s will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again,</i> just like I'd been raised to do. Michelle
and I laid our son to rest without tears, there were none left to shed by then.
Afterward I recalled the grief counseling sessions at St. Joseph’s, going first
with Michelle, and then again with Papa, as we attempted to expedite the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘healing process’</i> as Fr. Garcia called
it. I did these things with love, like a good husband, a devoted father, and a
dutiful son should. But my heart wasn't in it, and I felt guilty, as though I'd
somehow let everyone down. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">My conscience, my inner
voice urged me to let go, to move on and be grateful Gabriel suffering was
over, but what about mine? Stubborn to a fault I let pain and anger consume me,
and anger was turning to rage. I wanted someone or something to blame. I needed
to transfer all of this anguish; I needed to lash out, to punish with the fury
consuming my soul. It wasn’t right to feel this way, I knew that. It certainly
wasn’t a Christian act; I knew that as well. But I'd convinced myself that this
bad attitude, this selfish need for vengeance was not only justified but
perfectly normal, even expected under the circumstances. I was just being human,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">As I struggled with my
thoughts, the enemy waited in the dark recesses of my hardening heart. As my
grief deepened my faith waned, and the enemy’s poisonous whispers began to take
root. As I lost my mind my heart turned to stone, the transformation was
complete. Finally I was ready for the devil's harvest, for a new resolve,
whatever form it might take, so long as it filled the empty hole in my heart.
Gabriel will not have suffered in vain; there had to be a purpose for his
death, it was up to me to figure that out. I tried debating that with God, but
he wasn't listening. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Standing in the center of
Gabby’s grave now I leaned forward with both of my hands and grasped his
headstone tightly, my knuckles turning white as I squeezed the granite with all
of my might. Tears came at last, mixing with the rain and sweat streaming down
my face. I had backed myself into an emotional corner, but refused to cower
there and came out fighting instead. It had finally come to this, right here
right now in this place of peace and eternal rest. This was where I'd part
company with God for now. From this moment on, I needed to do things my own
way. My faith would be in my own ingenuity, in my own sense of justice. The
how, the what, and the where I had yet to figure out. The only thing I knew for
certain was why, I definitely knew why. I also knew I’d be on my own. I
couldn't ask God to lead me on the crooked path ahead of me. This path would
take me beyond redemption. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">I knew that the thoughts
running through my mind, emanating from my cold hard heart were better suited
to demons than angels. I kept my conscience in check by convincing myself that
my need for justice was righteous, even divine in origin. And hoped that God
would forgive me for whatever actions I took. It was the ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ends justifying the means’ </i>argument and I adopted it quickly before
the angel on my shoulder could soften my heart and dull the hard edge a years
worth of self-pity had honed. I knew instinctively that these thoughts were the
work of the enemy. They shouted at me when I was weakest, in my most vulnerable
moments. In spite of my awareness I willingly abandoned my faith. I was ready
to listen to anyone who told me what I wanted to hear, the enemy knew it, and
spoke to me in a soothing tone<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“See what your God has done?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Your prayers fell upon deaf ears brother.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“See what he’s done to you and yours,”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> lied<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>the
silent whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“What sort of father brings pain like this to his child?</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“No child should suffer as yours did.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“No mother should cradle her child as he slips away in silence.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will away the voice. I pushed away from the
headstone, standing up to my full height and raised my face to Heaven. I held
my clenched fists rigidly against my sides hoping the cold rain might silence
the voices in my head, it didn't. My imagination conjured up the foul breath of
the enemy as he spoke to me over my shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“SHUT UP!”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> I hissed bitterly at the wind. Still
the voice whispered to me<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Who brought you to this lonely place?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> asked the enemy, his words dripping sweetly onto my
ears like honey from a jar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Why were your prayers ignored?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why were you forsaken? Why wasn't he there for Gabriel, or for you?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> the voice pressed <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">"I am here Patrick. Tell me what you want. Tell me how I can help?"<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
turned and quickly walked away from the grave site, moving toward the asphalt
road that twisted lazily through the cemetery. I wanted to escape this torment,
but the enemy followed, and tightened his grip around my heart, snuffing out my
weakened spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“A true father would not have denied you?” </span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">whispered the sickeningly sweet
voice. My pace quickened in panic, and I veered sharply to my left, jogging now
across the graves of strangers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Where is your faith now Patrick?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I watched it all you know. I watched you do everything you could to raise
whatever funds that the money changers demanded. You sacrificed everything,
your home, your possessions, and your life. You pawned them all for a hope
denied!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
stopped running and stood motionless in the rain, the enemy’s words mirroring
my own thoughts and striking close to home. I stared at the rod iron fence
blocking the exit to <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Willow Street</st1:address></st1:street>
and watched the traffic rush by for a few moments, before returning to Gabby’s
grave. The enemy made sense; and it was getting harder to tune him out. I was
losing the struggle. Sensing victory, the voice applied the last bit of
pressure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
money changers kept raising the bar higher as they doled out treatment in small
doses while Gabriel’s time ran out. Bastards!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
I reached the road in front of Gabriel's grave I walked past a car that wasn't
parked there only moments ago. I didn’t even give it a second glance as I
passed in front of it, the wiper blades swishing back and forth rhythmically.
Had I looked inside I'd have seen Sandy and Laura staring at me like I was a
crazy man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Those bureaucrats never cared how much money you raised, they knew it
would never be enough,”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> the voice persisted, pressing firmly on my last raw nerve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Your God abandoned you and your son, don’t you see that?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> the voice asked, setting the hook
deep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You didn’t run out of options Patrick, your options ran out on you!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
there it was; a reason to abandon my faith. In a flash of false clarity the
tension was lifted, my erratic breathing suddenly normal, I was calm and
relaxed, a sense of peace embracing me. The debate was all but over now, all
the enemy had left to do was reel in his prey.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“In the final analysis, Gabriel was just a bad investment. The child was
too sick, too young, and your piggy bank was too small.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nothing personal, just business,”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> the voice whispered. The deed was done, another soul lost, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mine</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“MOTHER FUCKER!”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> I shouted at the top of my lungs,
slamming my palms as hard as I could against the top of Gaby’s granite marker. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I can’t <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">believe</i></b> I let them push
us around like that!” I yelled, yanking the navy blue Yankee’s cap off of my
head and slapping it repeatedly against my wet jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What a sucker Patrick, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what a fucking chump!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“They killed him man! And you stood
by and watched them do it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christ
almighty</i> you even paid for it dumb ass!” I ranted, scolding myself
relentlessly. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Where were you?” I asked the dark
gray sky. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“WHERE WERE YOU?”</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">I shouted; my
voice raspy and harsh now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
collapsed in front of the stone, exhausted, and fell forward onto my hands and
knees. Stretching out on the wet grass that framed Gabriel’s grave, I rested my
head in the crook of my folded arm. I pulled at a few blades of grass with my
free hand, and let the wet grass fall back to the soggy turf. The sound of two
car doors slamming shut interrupted my solitude, but I didn't stir. It was
probably just the cops anyway; someone probably reported a vandal loose in the
cemetery. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">The cold rain felt good
on my face and I watched the treetops sway with the wind. I heard the footsteps
of at least two people drawing near and mentally prepared myself to be arrested.
Whatever was going to happen next was going to happen. I couldn’t keep what I
felt all bottled up any longer; I'm not that good a liar. Before I could be
Patrick Bouchard again, something had to be done. Before I could call myself a
man again, scores needed to be settled. I needed to fight to reclaim my sanity.
I rolled onto my back and caressed the grass with my open palms and in a small
voice I spoke to my son, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I’ll make it
right Gabby, I promise.”</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"> </span></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Hudson
Towers, Los Angeles, February, 2004<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
sun was finally peeking out after an icky morning full of rain and thick black
clouds. None too soon if you asked Lizzie Andrews! She needed the sun to kick
start each day. She never felt energetic on rainy days; it was just too easy to
stay in bed. Why leave the comfort of her warm blankets and jet out into the
cold wet rain just to go to work! Besides, since moving into this downtown loft
she didn’t need to get up as early as she used to as she was within walking
distance of the hospital now. Lizzie curled up like a roly-poly, and scrunched
all of her bedding around her making a 350 thread count cocoon. Then suddenly
she sprawled out her limbs all akimbo to a big girl stretch, and kicked out from
under her blankets. Her shapely legs flexed and her arms rose up as to reach
the ceiling fan above her. Yawning she swung her legs over the side of the bed
and ran to the thermostat to kick up the heat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Lizzie loved her new
home, she really did, but it was so big compared to her old studio apartment. And
it cost a freaking fortune to heat the place! Her parents might be wealthy but
she was still an intern, and her Dad had taught her at a tender age that a
budget was a budget! Sure, she broke her fierce stance on independence slightly
when she let Mom and Dad nag her into accepting this loft home as a graduation
gift. But she drew the line at letting them continue to treat her like a baby,
taking care of every little thing. She'd always been adamant about taking care
of herself. She never wanted to be one of those rich kids that lived off of old
family money; she wanted to make it on her own! That’s how her Dad had done it,
and it was how she would do it too! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Although</i>,
there were times when Lizzie regretted her pig headed independence. Like when
the bills came all at once. Or, when she had to accept the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">occasional day before payday</i> dinner date from a certain persistent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">attending physician</i> because the only
thing in the fridge was cold air and ice cubes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Lizzie sprinted across
the freezing hardwood floor and punched in a comfortable 74 degrees on the
keypad before sprinting back to her bed in four long strides, a new record!
Quite a feat given her vertically challenged frame! She sat in the middle of
her queen-sized bed and wrapped the blankets around her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buzz Light Year</i> pajamas, shivering until her bare feet warmed up. Glancing
over at the clock on the nightstand, she saw that she'd slept away the morning,
again, and her growling stomach let her know it was lunchtime. She scanned the
floor for her fuzzy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mr. Potato Head</i>
slippers but they could be anywhere, so she crawled forward and leaned over the
edge of the bed to look underneath. Her perfectly round little behind pointed straight
up at the ceiling as she searched for those pesky slippers, the elastic in her
pajamas barely maintaining her modesty. Only the tip of her dragonfly tattoo (a
graduation gift to herself) guarded the start of her cute vertical smile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“There you are,” Lizzie muttered, as
she stretched to grab the slippers from under the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as she was about to get a finger-hold on
one fuzzy heel, the telephone rang suddenly, startling her enough to make her
shriek and tumble off of the bed onto the cold wood floor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“DAMN IT!” she hollered scrambling to
her feet. She ran across the large room toward the phone in the kitchen,
pausing a second to pull up the pajama bottoms that had been pulled down around
her thighs in the fall. As soon as she was decent again she raced to the
wall-phone, arriving just as the machine picked up the incoming call.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Lizzie, hey it’s me Jace. Your
probably at work, you’re always at work, but I wanted to let you know I’m going
to be…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“HELLO, HELLO,”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">
Lizzie pleaded clumsily, trying to wrestle the call from her answering machine.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Lizzie?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yeah, yeah, Jace it’s me,” Lizzie
said catching her breath.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Hey, are you OK? Did I catch you at
a bad time?” Jace asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“No worries, I’m good, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really!</i> I just tripped over my munchkin
feet running for the phone,” Lizzie replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“So how’s my second favorite cousin?”
Lizzie asked cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Liz, you do realize that Noah and I
are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">identical twins</i>, right?” Jace
asked sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yeah I know that, but Noah’s cuter,
and he didn’t rat on me about Mickey the parakeet!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You’re kidding, right? Lizzie, we
were six years old when you let that stupid bird get out of the cage!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I HAD TO! HE WAS BEGGING ME TO DO
IT!” Lizzie shouted into the receiver.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Mickey was a bird Lizzie, they tweet
ALL THE TIME!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Maybe, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but not like that!</i>” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Alright, alright, I surrender! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh man</i>, now I forgot why I called!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You
see that</i>, this is why you scare away all the guys!” Jace said, playfully
scolding her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ummm</i>,
was there a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reason</i></b> you called, or do you just miss tormenting me?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peace</i>,
let’s try this again, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mmmkay?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HI
LIZZIE!</i> Hey, I’m in LA for a convention and thought that maybe we could
hook up for dinner tonight if you’re not busy. There, how's that?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Peachy, w<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hat more could a girl ask for?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Come on Liz; tell me you’re free and
let’s plan to meet over at that place you took Tori and me to last summer. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You remember</i>, that Fire Station
restaurant, the one with the cool booths and the emergency pole and all that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Engine Co. 28 </i>over on Figueroa?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yeah, whatever, the place was good!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Well…alright, but no more bickering,
you have to be nice to me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">OK?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Of course I will, but that goes
double for you, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">deal?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deal</i>,
what time?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“How about seven?” Lizzie offered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Seven’s good, I’ll see you
there," replied her cousin Jace.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“By the way, you’ll need to make
reservations,” Lizzie said reminding him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I know, I will, don't worry Dr.
Andrews.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Oh, and you do understand that
dinner is on you, right? I mean, you’re the one with the cushy expense account
and all.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Still hiding from Daddy’s millions I
see!” Jace teased.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“No worries, you know I’ve always got
you covered babe, I’ll see you at seven, bring your appetite!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I will Jace, thanks for calling, you
made my day,” Lizzie said sweetly, rubbing her head that had bounced off of the
hard wooden floor when she tumbled out of bed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Uh oh, that’s gonna leave a mark,”
Lizzie muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What?” asked Jace.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Nothing, just talking to myself as
usual,” answered Lizzie.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Ok, I’ll see ya later then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lil sis</i>,” replied Jace chuckling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Okay, see ya…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love you Quicksdraw!"</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Love you too Babalooey.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lizzie
returned the handset to the wall mount and gave the long twisted cord a swipe,
watching it swing erratically back and forth. She liked this old style phone
even if it wasn’t as handy as the cordless versions. But it reminded her of her
Gram’s house in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:city>,
her mother’s mother. Grandma Cardinale sold Real Estate and she was always on
the telephone. Of course, being a traditional Italian wife and mother, straight
from the old country, she was always cooking as well. So hence the wall phone
and long extension cord. Lizzie had fond memories of her Gram stirring sauces
and pressing out home made pasta with both hands while she yammered away the
hours, the phone resting between her shoulder and her ear. Grandma Cardinale was
multitasking long before new age know-it-alls coined the phrase. Lizzie yawned and
walked toward the master bath, the sunlight illuminating the loft now as it
shined brightly from behind the clouds and through the floor to ceiling windows
lining her <st1:place w:st="on">West Side</st1:place> home. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Passing her dressing
bureau she looked over at the small silver framed photo setting next to her
hairbrush. It was a picture of a smiling little boy posing in his Halloween
costume. His red and blue tee-shirt was covered with black lines that were
supposed to be a spider’s web like his favorite superhero <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spiderman</i>. The plastic mask was pushed up onto the top of his head
while a thin elastic band dug into his little chin. The child’s eyes were
bright and cheery, as was his smile; he was the kind of kid that made you want
to cuddle. Lizzie paused a second, remembering his wonderful cherub like face
and then closed her eyes to listen for his infectious giggle in another time.
She half expected him to jump right out of the photograph and hug her again,
just like he did every time she walked onto the ward. He looked so happy and carefree;
you almost didn’t notice the deep circles under his eyes or the wisps of blond
hair falling from underneath the upturned mask. The tear that rolled down
Lizzie’s cheek betrayed her resolve to leave the past in the past. She missed him
terribly, he was special, someone who had found his way into her heart of
hearts. She blew him an air kiss and continued on toward the warm shower that
beckoned her. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“See ya after work Gabby,” </i>she
said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Municipal Cemetery,</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Long Beach, California,
November 24, 2004</i><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
settled into the back seat of Sandy Lucci’s big Lincoln Navigator and buckled
my seatbelt. Reaching out slowly to accept a wool blanket that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>’s wife Laura was handing back to me from
the front passenger seat, I nodded my head in appreciation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Thanks Laura,” I said meekly,
wrapping myself snuggly in the blanket, while trying to make as small a mess as
possible. Laura looked at me, smiled weakly for a moment, and then swiftly
whipped all the way around in her seat, jumping up onto her knees to make eye
contact with me. She leaned over the back of the tall seat and then slapped me
good and hard on my exposed thigh, the wet denim enhancing the sting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“HEY!”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> I shouted, startled by the brazen
attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“HEY MY ASS PATRICK BOUCHARD!” </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Laura hollered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What do you think you’re doing
coming out here in the middle of a freaking storm and acting all crazy and
stuff? Are you trying to send poor Michelle to the nut house?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, are ya…huh?”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Laura hollered at me. She was so mad
that she shivered while she ranted and raved. She waited for me to answer for
about a millisecond and then spun 180 degrees in her seat, curtly crossing her
arms in a huff, totally frustrated over a situation that had become all too
routine. She just sat there for a minute while <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> started the car and drove from the
graveside. Then she turned slightly toward her husband and rolled her eyes
toward their passenger in the back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“YOU talk to him. Maybe he’ll listen
to you!” she said almost too calmly, turning back to face front and watch the
colors of the stoplight run in the watery windshield.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Sandy</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> sighed and then talked to his friend
via the rear view mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“She’s right ya know buddy. This has
got to stop man!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">I looked at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> in the mirror and apologized with my eyes.
I waited for my friend to nod in acknowledgement before turning my attention to
Laura, who had resolved to remain silent, the rest of the ride home. For the
first time in a long time, I felt a little like my old self. I felt as though
my life had a purpose again, a reason for getting from this day to the next. I
pulled the blanket up to my face and patted my face dry. Then I leaned forward
and stuck my wet head into the space between Sandy and Laura like an old hound
dog begging to be petted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I did a lot of thinking today, ya
know,” I said to the dashboard.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">My friends remained silent, listening
for signs of the old Patrick, the sane Patrick.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Look, I’m sorry for all the time
I’ve wasted feeling sorry for myself, it was wrong, I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">”But I didn’t think I would ever get
right, ya know?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“It felt like I had died with Gabby.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Sandy and Laura kept quiet, trying to
give me the space I needed to get it all out. Truth was, they had talked about
how to deal with my grief on the way over to the cemetery, and they agreed to
be loving, but firm. Apparently Laura was planning on using more <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tough love</i> than the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">psycho babble</i> she was trained in, but there would be a little love
in there somewhere as well, Sandy was pretty sure of that. They were prepared
for an emotional breakdown and they had a working plan on how to talk me down
from the ledge. But the breakdown they were ready for never materialized.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Really, guys, I think I’m OK now,” I
said, hoping for a little feedback now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I can’t explain it very well, but I
feel it strongly, I really do. Maybe you can explain it better Laura, you’re
the shrink.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Laura quickly reached over and
swatted me on the top of my head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I meant Doctor…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jeez Louise that hurt</i>!” I yelped, flinching slightly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Anyway, I think it just took me longer to let
go than all the rest of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I mean I was so worried about Michelle
and my Dad falling apart that I didn’t notice myself doing just that. Do you
know what I mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yeah, I think so Patsy, I think so,”
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> replied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Laura reached over and combed through
my wet hair with the fingers of her left hand as she gently stroked and
consoled her husband’s best friend. The three of us enjoyed a quiet moment,
listening to the muted sounds of traffic reverberating through the windows as
they drove toward home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You know, grief is normal Patrick,
mourning is accepted, hell, it’s expected. But the time for those feelings came
and went a long time ago. When we fail to let go we risk a fate worse than
death, we risk no longer being able to live. Do you understand what I’m trying
to say?” Laura asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">I nodded slowly then reached up and
took her hand, pressing it against my cheek. </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Thanks guys,” I said, leaning back
into the rear seat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Hey, it was nothin, don’t mention
it!” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
replied cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I was talking to Laura fool! All you
did was drive here and back, she did all the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shrink</i>…I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">psychologist</i>
stuff,” I retorted with a chuckle, covering up like a boxer in case Laura spun
in her chair to swat me again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Very cool Patrick, we haven’t heard
that lilt in your voice in a long time, welcome back stranger!” Laura said
cheerfully without turning around. I lowered my arms and sat back comfortably
in the thick leather seat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Thanks; it’s nice to be home!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Hey pull into that Jack-in-the-Box
over there, I’m starving!” I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Oh man! Not Jack-in-the-Crap!
Wouldn’t you rather have some steak and eggs over at Curley’s; it’s just down
the street dude?” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“No, no man, let’s just drive through
and get me about a dozen mystery meat tacos. That’ll hold me until I can get
cleaned up, and apologize like crazy to Michelle.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Then maybe I can take everyone to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">make-up</i> supper at the Macaroni Grill
tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Come on, what do ya say?” I asked,
talking directly into <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>’s
ear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“OK, OK, just sit back ya homo, and
stop slobbering all over my shirt!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SANDY
LUCCI</i>, are we going to have the tolerance discussion again?” Laura said
sternly, covering her smile with the back of her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Goddamn it Patsy, now see what you
did!” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
complained, turning sharply into the drive-thru burger-joint.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Alright, tacos it is, but I’m
telling you right now, I’m gonna eat my weight in pasta and meatballs tonight,
so bring your checkbook <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rockefeller</i>.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Laura and I couldn’t stifle our laughter any
longer and we burst out together in a hail of giggles and chuckles. It felt
good to laugh so hard again; to let it ride until your sides hurt so bad you
thought that they would burst. Today was my new beginning, starting with my
reunion with my life and my loved ones. It would begin with twelve greasy tacos
and a root beer from a hamburger stand run by a clown. There was much to do,
much to plan, and much to hide. In due time I would know where I must go, what
I must do and who I must draft in order to follow through with my promise to
Gabby. Beginning today, from this moment on, time was running out for those who
were responsible. I have always been a man of my word; I would keep the promise
I made this day.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187741480810879568.post-86438846953857572462014-02-11T17:13:00.001-08:002014-02-21T10:43:13.910-08:00(”We open the door and let out the sound, all that we had was a dream we found, I'd kill for a dream tonight ”)…Liam Gallagher<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">For Tuyet, Katrina, KaSandra, and Luc</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">"GABRIEL'S PROMISE"</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Five</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377783</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><em><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Long Beach,
California, November 24, 2002</span></u></em></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"> François scrubbed the copper bottom
of the small saucepan vigorously, erasing the black carbon residue left behind
after countless uses and months of neglect. Pitiful, he thought as he scoured
away the last of the tarnished debris, his callused hands immune to the
scalding hot water streaming from the kitchen faucet. Forty plus years <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wrenching</i> the humongous marine engines
of warships, freighters, and whatnot left him with skin the texture of a
crocodile's backside. He retrieved a squeaky-clean saucepan from the hot soapy
water and rinsed away the thick white suds, pausing briefly to examine the
quality of his handiwork. From what he could see with the critical eye of a
perfectionist the pan couldn't possibly get any cleaner? The copper bottom
shined so brightly now that you could read by its glow in a dark room!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
</span><br />
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“One down, five to go,” he muttered, humming
the theme from Gabriel’s favorite cartoon television show.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
</span><div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“I love you, you love me, we are one big fam-i-ly…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">blah blah blah!</b>” </span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">sang François, mocking the silly tune with his sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“Qui etes-vous (who are you) Barney?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> he wondered reaching into the sudsy water to retrieve
the next dirty dish. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> He didn't mind doing busy work; he preferred it to sitting
by the phone waiting for the damn thing to ring. Ho-hum chores kept his mind
occupied and that was better than fretting over things he couldn't change. He
frowned at the clock on the microwave noting it had been better than two hours
since Michelle had rushed Gabriel to the emergency room; and still no word from
her. My father knew I'd be home soon, within the hour actually, and didn’t want
to be standing around with nothing more to offer than an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I don’t know”</i> when I asked what and where everybody was. He took
one more look at the clock on the wall; it read 3:15pm. Maybe he should call a
cab he thought; Michelle might need his help or something? Then again maybe not,
so he decided to stay put and wait for me instead. Better if I hear everything first
hand rather than read a hastily written note because he knew that two seconds
after reading that note like I'd be flying down the 110 Freeway like a UFO. Why
take a risk like that? One Bouchard in the emergency room was one too many he
reckoned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">San Pedro, California, November 24, 2002</span></span></u></i></b></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Come on man, </i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">s</i>hake a leg will ya, I'd like to get home before sunset!” I shouted
at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> as I
stowed my gear into the bed of my truck. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Slamming the tailgate shut I turned to
see if he was on his way, and of course he wasn't. I knew my buddy well, he was
the obsessive-compulsive type, someone that couldn't leave his desk or home,
pretty much anywhere unless EVERYTHING was in its proper place, and I mean in
EXACTLY the right place! I pictured him sitting at his desk adjusting each
picture frame to precisely the right angle so that whoever sat across from him
had a clear view of his wife and kids, as well as the trophy marlin that he
caught in Baja back in 1989! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">I climbed into the cab, shutting
the door a little harder than I had intended, making me even more conscious of
my anxious state of mind. I was still vexing over whatever was ailing Gabriel,
and couldn't shake this feeling of foreboding. I couldn’t put my finger on it
exactly, but something was nagging at me, a tiny voice whispering static white
noise instead of words. Maybe I should have taken the day off and followed my
instincts for a change, but I didn't. As usual I allowed everyone and everything
else to take priority. Earning a living, providing for the family consumed the
lion's share of my every day. A country singer named Ray Stevens wrote a song
about a father misunderstanding priorities in his life by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“placing value on the worthless and disregarding precious wealth.”</i> The
wealth being his family and the worthless being everything else. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Lately thoughts like
these were weighing on me. There were changes coming, I felt the nearness of
them, and I feared them instinctively. I feared them because I knew I couldn't
stop them. And in typical Patrick Bouchard style I internalized it, keeping all
of that dread to myself and becoming more and more agitated, frustrated and
withdrawn. I always thought Michelle and I had a great relationship, a terrific
marriage. She was my best friend and my lover. She was the only person I would
open up to, she knew the weak side of me as well as the strong and she loved me
anyway. But, after Gabriel’s little episode last night I realized how frail human
beings are. I also realized that I had never been totally honest with my best
friend, my lover, my wife. There <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were</i>
secrets that I kept from her; that I kept from everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">I used to think that was
normal, that it was something everyone did, even her. At least I did until that
nagging voice in my head, the one whispering foreboding thoughts of our son
also hinted I was wrong. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I wanted to
do now was go home and make things right. The truck shook sharply as <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> hopped into the cab
on the passenger's side, slamming the door behind him and jolting me out of my
introspective pity party.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What are you waiting for, let’s
roll!” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
said sarcastically, as if <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he'd</i></b> been the one waiting for me to
get a move on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Did you leave everything nice and
tidy Miss <i>Molly Maid</i>?” I replied with equal sarcasm as I started the
engine and headed for the exit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cleanliness
is next to Godliness,</i> isn’t that what they tell you in church every
Sunday?” scoffed <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<b><i>You’ve </i></b>never set foot
in a church!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I have this fear of turning into a
pillar of salt, but that doesn’t keep me from reading!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
was impressed that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
could actually reference scripture, and wondered for an instant if the real
Sandy Lucci had been abducted by aliens? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Are you implying you've actually read
the Bible Mr. Lucci?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Like General Patton said, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every
goddamn day!"</i></b> Sandy answered, laughing heartily and slapping at
the dashboard like it was his personal drum kit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Grinning
I drove on, amused by the demon child riding beside me. I glanced down at the
radio; the digital clock read 4:17pm. By the time I dropped <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> off at his place and wrestled with
traffic, it would be five or so before I got home. I thought about trying Michelle’s
cell again, but changed my mind. She was always leaving it in her purse on
vibrate, so why frustrate myself further by subjecting myself to her goofy
incoming message greeting<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, “hidey ho,
this is you know who, wondering who the dickens are you you you…leave a
message…mmmkay?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Pat…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pat</i>…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PAT!</b>” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> shouted, snapping
his fingers all around my head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“WHAT!” I growled pushing <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>’s hands away from
my face.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“JESUS CHRIST! </span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">You want me to get in a wreck fool?”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> I hollered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You don’t need me to help you with
that,” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> replied,
pointing at the chain link gate that they were about to drive through.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“SHIT!” I shrieked, standing on the
brake pedal until the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tacoma</st1:place></st1:city>
slid to a stop six inches or so from the gate and the extremely agitated
security officer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“WHAT THE FUCK MAN!” the wide-eyed guard
shouted as he sprinted up to the driver’s side of the truck, swatting my arm
with the clipboard he was carrying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Sorry Eddie, sorry dude, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t know</i>, stupid over here was
badgering the crap outta me and I…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Spare me Pat, I don’t care what you
and your girlfriend were fighting about slick. It’s none of my business you
know, live and let live, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“If you girls want to pull each
other’s hair, then whip over to the curb, or get a room!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DO NOT</i></b> let your domestic spat put <i>MY
SWEET ASS</i> in harms way! You get my drift Mary?” said Security Guard Eddie lecturing
me excitedly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
smiled timidly and nodded as I capitulated, accepting Eddie’s good-natured
ribbing. I was just glad that Sandy had been watching the road well enough to
keep us from squishing poor Eddie Chambers to death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“What's the rush fellas?” Eddie
asked, as he leaned on my arm and gave <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
a head nod, acknowledging him. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
nodded back and answered for us, “Pat’s just in a hurry to get home is all, his
kid was pretty sick last night.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
yeah</i>, you got kids? Damn, I thought you two were like a couple or
something.” Eddie said sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“I mean you two are always together,
always fussin and fightin, laughin and such. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">M</span>e and my old lady don’t spend that much time together and we
got six kids!” Eddie teased. He was probably just bored to tears and happy to
have someone to talk to at this lonely post.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“We ain’t gay Eddie, and I really do
need to get home and check on my boy, so if ya don’t mind,” I said finally,
nodding toward the closed gate. Eddie pushed away from the door and looked over
at the closed gate. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Alright, I gettcha, I’m pickin up
what you’re layin down man!” he replied with a toothy grin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Don’t get all red in your pasty
white face, I’ll let ya’ll out,” Eddie answered as he strolled back to the
guard shack to buzz the gate open for us. He waived as we passed by the tiny
structure and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
smiled as he flipped Eddie the bird.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“YOU WISH LUCCI!” Eddie shouted as we
sped away. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“That was cold blooded man,” I chuckled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Ahhh, he wouldn’t respect us if we
didn’t fuck with him a little,” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city>
replied settling back into the seat to take a catnap on the drive home. He
flipped his Dodgers cap around and tipped the bill way down over his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“You know if you feel like talking
and get whatever’s been eating at you off your chest I’ll pretend I'm listening
dude,” Sandy said through a yawn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Nah, I’ll be all right,” I replied,
accelerating to merge with the rest of the commuters heading north toward <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
took the usual route, the 110 to the 405 and exit on Palo Verde to drop <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sandy</st1:place></st1:city> off. Then take the
side streets all the way home, first to Studebaker and then left, just before
the park and the golf course, then home sweet home. I hadn’t heard from Michelle
or Papa all day, but that was typical. Michelle could be a bubblehead when it
came to keeping me in the loop, a beautiful, loveable, and well intentioned bubblehead,
but a bubblehead none the less. And Papa just didn’t like cell-phones,
referring to them as the devil’s hand tool.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">“The goddamn things compel you to drop whatever you're doing to
acknowledge them, hold me, answer me, love me!”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> he'd say.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on">Sandy</st1:city> snored softly as we sped along toward the 110
Hollywood Fwy and the 405 <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Long Beach</st1:place></st1:city>.
Traffic was light and we were making good time. There should be enough light
out by the time I got home for Gabriel and me to have a catch before supper.
That thought cheered me up enough to lose the butterflies in my stomach, and I started
to wonder what Michelle had on the stove for supper. Gabriel was alright, my
Dad was probably right, just growing pains; every kid has them, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yeah</i>, growing pains, nothing worth worrying
about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"> </span></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">County
Trauma Center, November 24, 2002…5:00pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></u></i></b></div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="justify" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Linda Bradley rubbed at her temples
as she sat at her desk, exhausted from her long, grueling day. She held her
reading glasses in one hand and her ballpoint pen in the other as she vigorously
massaged her aching head. She was amazed that she hadn’t poked out an eye in
the process. She sat up straight and returned her glasses to their perch on the
bridge of her slender Roman nose. Linda was a youngish, forty something professional,
slender and fit, who still caught the eye of most of the male staff around the
hospital. Truth be told that applied to a few ladies as well. Not that she
noticed mind you or at least if she did you could tell as she was too cool to
be that obvious. A graduate of the Harvard School of Business, she had come to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city> by way of the
County's lucrative recruitment campaign and incredibly generous incentives. The
job wasn't an easy one, she'd have to earn it all if she were to bale the money
pit known as the ‘LA County Trauma Center’ out of a sea of red ink. It was
actually quite a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">coup d’ etat</i>, so to
speak, when the County of Los Angeles stole her away from her long-term
employer, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Linda had become quite
well known in the hospital administrative circles, embarrassingly referred to
as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">golden girl</i>. There wasn’t a
ledger she couldn’t balance or a budget that she could not keep. In the heart
of beantown she'd taken on a fleet of the worst financial performers in the
country and turned them all around quickly, each and every one of them! Her
secret you ask? Well, it was really quite simple as she would say, in fact, it
was so simple she almost had to laugh; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I
just put them all on a strict fiscal diet, and taught them all how to say NO!”</i>
she'd say. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">What she meant was that
she essentially embraced the HMO craze sweeping the country. She let ALL of her
highly paid staff know that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i></b> called the shots on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">EVERY</i></b>
dime spent. These multi million dollar facilities and all of their care giving
and life saving services were businesses and not charities. She believed in
that concept thoroughly. And she had argued that point successfully at both
City and State levels whenever bleeding heart legal eagles challenged her over
a decision she made in the performance of her duties. “Leave the charity work
to the free clinics, or let the State cough up the necessary funds to serve the
masses,” she argued.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Linda Bradley was no fan
of the current administration on either the National or the State level. In
fact, she was so fiscally conservative you might think she was moonlighting for
the GOP. However, quite to the contrary, she'd been a staunch Democrat from the
cradle, born and raised a Catholic WASP in the heart of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chicago</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">Illinois</st1:state></st1:place>.
So, what happened to her liberal roots? If you were to get close enough, if she
let you, then you'd discover that the sixties happened to her, followed by a
heavy dose of the early seventies. By the time she began pursuing her higher
education, she discovered that the role models her father had taught her to
admire without question had become less God like, and the ideals that they
preached became more complicated. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">As she became more aware,
more exposed to the facts and the truths found between the lines in the history
books she grew up with, as well as the tales told around the supper table, her
compassionate nature became seasoned with bitter spices of reality. First in
her mind, and then in her heart, she fashioned a new personal philosophy. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">great leaders</i> were no longer the people
who spoke inspirationally or passionately, they were skilled at telling you
what you wanted to hear. Now, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">great
leaders</i> were the people who had the courage to make a really hard decision,
to tell the truth. They valued truth over conjecture and popular spins. They
were the people that would tell us what we needed to hear, whether we wanted to
hear it or not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Linda felt going into
this job that if she needed to adopt this philosophy, this ethic, this mantra
of a great leader. She'd likely be branded a heartless bureaucrat as a result,
a woman without compassion, a slayer of hope. But to her mind she felt as if
there was more compassion in facing reality straight on, and dealing with the
difficult choices together, than brightly coloring a hollow egg and looking
surprised when the enviable occurred. True to her fears, her professional
successes had been laced with a great deal personal strife, as she encountered the
disappointed faces of the people affected by her difficult decisions. She
wasn't cold, not without feelings; and she wasn’t immune to the suffering of
others. But she resolved to stick by her guns, do the right thing, consider the
greater good, and serve the needs of the many versus the wishes of the few. She
believed in that wholeheartedly in the light of day within the safety of her
office. But at night, alone, as there wasn't room for anyone else in the life
she'd chosen, she wrestled with her conscience, and she hated that!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Linda read the report once more, not because
she was contemplating changing her mind. Changing her mind was something that
she rarely did. No, she just wanted to be sure that she memorized all of the
facts before she met with the board in the morning. She read Dr. Wallace’s
diagnosis again and slowly shook her head. Turning the page she reviewed the
family’s financial situation and insurance coverage. Major Medical and a small
Blue Cross plan with insufficient coverage to support the kind of care this
little boy was going to need over the next couple years, if in fact he could actually
survive the aggressive treatment. This was one of the worst kinds of cancers to
contract as a child, the survival rates were alarmingly low, and the
chemotherapy and radiation regiments were brutal. To subject someone so young
to that sort of, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well</i>, torture just
seemed unconscionable. Of course it was the parent’s decision, and she was
sensitive to the fact that when pushed into a corner most people tend to fight.
It would be her instinct as well she reckoned, although she could only presume
as she had never married or had a child of her own. Still, however painful or
whatever hope such treatment might offer, it was still a very expensive
undertaking. And given the bleak prognosis that Dr. Wallace was predicting, it
hardly seemed in the best interest of the boy, his family, or the hospital.
Still, her policy was to present the case to the board, to let them hear from
Dr. Wallace first hand, and then debate amongst themselves, a collection of
both medical and business professionals before rendering a recommendation to
the Chairman. In the end it would be her decision, hers alone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">Linda closed the manila
file and leaned back in her leather chair. She sighed as she removed her
reading glasses for the umpteenth time. She had sat through hundreds of these
kinds of discussions, they were all unique and yet they were all the same. She
knew how it would end though; there was really only one choice. She silently
scolded herself for being so mundane about such a serious matter. At least at
this facility they did not include a photo of the patient as a practice, she
was grateful of that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Don’t get ahead of yourself Linda
girl,” she muttered, as she buzzed her secretary in the next room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Lisa, would you bring me a cup of
coffee please,” she said tiredly into the squawk box.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“Yes ma’am. You want me to doctor it
up this time?” Lisa asked cheerfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">“No, just black dear, thank you,” she
answered politely, taking her finger off the button.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I’ll do my own doctoring,” she whispered to
herself as she checked her desk drawer for the bottle of bourbon she kept
hidden for quiet moments of decompression, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">like
this one</i>.</span></span></span></div>
</span><br />
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NICHOLAS SHERIDAN STANTONhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16203202077246135630noreply@blogger.com0