Cahill

I could hear the din from the bar as I exited my SUV and I was still almost a block away. What a shame! I knew from long experience that would change as soon as my foot crossed the threshold. I tend to have that effect on people. I’m six feet six inches tall and I weigh an even 250 pounds—all of it broad shouldered muscle. My Body Mass Index at my last physical was less than four percent. My light brown hair is styled exactly the way it’s been for the past fifteen years—ever since I first joined the Navy. Sure enough, no sooner had I taken my first step into the bar than the noise died. When I turned left and stepped up to the bar the people there couldn’t back away fast enough. I took a stool in the middle of the empty space and sat down, waiting for the bartender to approach. “I’m not looking for any trouble.” “Good…neither am I. Give me a ginger ale.” He reached under the bar for a glass and some ice. Twenty seconds later he slid the glass in my direction. I pulled a fiver from my pocket and dropped it on the bar. He ignored it and walked away to draw a few beers and pour some wine. It looked to me like this was a pretty cheap crowd. Checking up and down the bar all I could see were longnecks and drafts. I reached into the lower left pocket of my cargo pants. Like almost everything else I was wearing they were a true deep navy blue. My heavy shoes were black as was my wide belt. My belt said as much about me as the bold white lettering across my chest. Just below the American flag over my heart were the letters that were my life—U. S. MARSHAL. On my right hip was my nickel plated .44 Magnum Colt Python, just behind two speed loaders in addition to the twenty-four rounds on the belt. On my left hip was my ASP Talon baton—every bit as deadly a weapon in my hands as the revolver. A pouch at the back of my right hip held my stainless steel handcuffs and its partner on the opposite side held my radio—my link to my backup team. I placed the photo flat on the bar as the bartender returned to me. “I’ll have another,” I said in a loud voice, continuing so I wouldn’t be overheard. “Don’t pick it up and don’t make a production of looking at it. I’ve been told that he comes here a lot. Is he here tonight? If he is and he escapes because you’ve given me away I’ll see to it that you’re arrested for obstruction of justice.” He gulped a few times but did as he was told, nodding slightly in response. I continued almost at a whisper. “If my nose is pointing to twelve o’clock, my right ear to three, the back of my head to six, and my left ear to nine, tell me where he is. Again, don’t point or do anything obvious and we’ll be fine.” He pretended to wipe the bar as he whispered, “About 4:30 with his back to you.” I picked up the reflection in the mirror then asked, “Red shirt with black and white stripes, looking away from me?” He nodded again. Now, in my normal tone of voice I asked, “Where’s the men’s room?”

Fredrick_Udele · Fantasie

Zu wenig Bewertungen

69 Chs

CHAPTER 24

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Daryl and I went out to dinner Friday night and we agreed that we would leave the following night at midnight. Driving together we could go through the night just as we had many times in pursuit of criminals. Even if we averaged only fifty miles per hour we should arrive at Lucy's home in Bascomb's Landing by 3:00 on Sunday afternoon. All of Daryl's belongings had been packed and picked up Friday afternoon and I had rented and loaded my trailer at the same time. The Salvation Army had come by for all of my furniture. The only pieces I wanted were a fairly new and comfortable recliner and my sixty-inch Samsung flat screen TV. The rest of the trailer was filled with boxes of clothes, dishes, and dry food. Anything perishable had been given to neighbors when I had driven to the Midwest weeks ago in pursuit of Michael Clifford and his accomplice.

I drove first for more than four hours before we stopped for an early breakfast and to walk Max. Then Daryl drove while I slept. We switched again around 10:30 and I drove toward Memphis, stopping only for lunch at a Hardee's just off the interstate. Refreshed by the break I drove all the way to Bascomb's Landing and into Lucy's driveway. We got out to stretch our legs then we walked to the door where I was asked why I had used the bell and not just walked in. Lucy, we were told, was at her parents' weekly party. After removing the trailer we returned to the SUV for the short drive down the road.

We were still in uniform when I rang the bell at the Bascombs' residence. Samuel greeted us at the door and directed us to the rear of the house where Jonathan was the first to see us. He shook my hand and hugged me before I was able to introduce him to Daryl.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, Matt. Lucille has done nothing but talk about you the entire time you've been gone. I hope you slept on the way because I doubt you'll get much tonight." He laughed and I joined him even as I introduced Daryl. He shook Daryl's hand, welcoming him to his home and telling him to relax and enjoy the party. Then he turned to find Lucy, calling her a few seconds later. "Lucille! Lucille!"

She turned and hesitated for a second until she realized why her father was calling. Then she sprinted through the narrow spaces between guests until she was about three feet away before jumping into my arms for a long-awaited kiss. It was embarrassingly long and was broken only so she could breathe before kissing me again. Everyone was laughing, but I didn't care—not even a little. I whispered, "I will never be able to tell you how much I love you." I gave her a little peck then lowered her to the ground. I wiped her face first then mine as Jonathan and all of the nearby guests laughed again then I introduced Lucy to Daryl.

"I feel that I already know you, Lucy," he said just before Lucy hugged him.

"You're exactly how Matt described you, Daryl. I hope you don't mind, but I have a friend I'd like you to meet. She's a librarian here in the city and she's really nice." Then, lowering her voice, she continued, "Plus, she's really hot." Daryl looked at me in shock as I was wiping my face to hide my laughter at his reaction. Lucy took both of our hands and led us through the crowd with Max following closely behind.

Lucy stopped when she reached the bench we had occupied just two weeks ago as a young black woman stood to be introduced. I say black, but her skin was more the color of café-au-lait. Her hair was straight black to her shoulders and she had the brightest brown eyes I'd ever seen. Her name was Jasmine and she was an incredibly beautiful woman with a tall slender body and good-sized breasts. She told us she was from Haiti and that her mother was black, but her father had been French.

"Unfortunately, he was killed during Hurricane Ike. He was a national policeman, much like you, and he was trying to rescue a woman and her children from an old building when it collapsed from the high winds and flooding. They were all killed in that hurricane; it was the fourth storm to strike the island in 2008. I was fourteen at the time then I was able to come with my mother and brother to the United States. I did well in school and was able to attend the University of Tennessee thanks to Lucille's parents. They sponsor several scholarships every year. But, enough about me; tell me about you, Daryl. I'm sure your job is very interesting." She took his arm and led him away to the bar.

Lucy took me by the hand and sat me down on the bench. "I can't begin to tell you, Matt, how much I missed you." Then she giggled and whispered, "You'll find out once this stupid party ends. I put Daryl in one of the bedrooms in the other wing so we won't be heard. I'm looking forward to our shower, too. Oh, Matt!"

"So, tell me what you've done about the wedding."

"Well…I picked out a dress and we have the church for eleven weeks from yesterday. We're having the reception at Desmond's--that place we went to. Remember? It's the best catering hall in the county. I know it's fast, but not fast enough to suit me."

I pulled her close and peered into her ice-blue eyes. "Not soon enough for me, either. Where will my family stay?"

"Mother and Daddy have said they can stay here with them. Daryl will move into the city's house tomorrow so he's all set. There are three other bedrooms and a sleep sofa in the family room so some of your marshal friends can stay there, too. Anyone else, we'll find places with our friends or they can stay in one of the motels now that the bridge is open again. They're less than half an hour away.

"I really enjoyed talking with your cousin and aunt…your uncle, too. They seem to be excellent people."

"They are; they're really great. They never once made me feel unwelcome after they took me in. Aunt Nell might as well have been my real mother. Actually, that's exactly what she is. I have no memories of my birth mother—only a few photos. Uncle Chuck is an extremely successful attorney, but he always found the time to attend my football games and track meets. As we got older I often wondered if Constance would get jealous, but she's more a sister than a cousin. In some respects you could say that I was unlucky when I lost my parents, but in others I was really fortunate. I've always tried to make them proud of me."

"I'm sure you succeeded. I'm proud of you, too." Then she leaned forward to kiss me and, for the first time today she leaned down to hug and pet Max. "I didn't forget you, Max. It's just that I'm so happy to see Matt. What happened to Max when you resigned?" I explained about Bob and his comments about Max, especially when I was ready to leave.

"So, Max just laid there on the floor? He refused to follow your commander's instructions?"

"Yeah, that's basically it. I think he would obey you on most things, but not on attack commands. I do know that he will protect you."

"He already did that at the diner. Oh, I have to tell you—Daddy tried to transfer Craig, but he disappeared and nobody has seen him in the past week. I know that Daddy asked the police to keep an eye out for him, but no luck so far." I had a serious look on my face then. I had hoped that Craig would come to his senses and leave while he could. Having him around could be a problem. I hoped not. I had run out of polite responses for him and his obsession for Lucy.

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