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 · Fantasi

Peringkat tidak cukup

69 Chs

CHAPTER 32

Daryl and I felt that we were much more at home by the end of the following week and I had promoted one of the patrolmen to lieutenant. He had stopped in just before the end of shift that first day, knocking on the doorframe. "Chief, may I have a word?"

"Of course, Officer—I had to pause to read his name on the shirt—Officer Powell. What can I do for you?"

"It's more of what you've already done. From where I stand you've taken two major steps in the right direction already by getting rid of Haynes and easing Chief Wilson out. Wilson should have retired years ago. The force has been a joke thanks to him and Haynes represented the very worst I've ever seen in a police officer. He's lazy and I'm pretty sure I've seen him sleeping on duty a couple of times plus he brags all the time about all the free meals he takes from our restaurants."

"Thanks for the compliments. I agree completely. Haynes is a good example of addition through subtraction. What do the men think about the new standards?"

"Those of us who are serious think they're long overdue. Those who think that being a police officer just means riding aimlessly in an air conditioned car all day are concerned about their gravy train ending, but they'll be no loss. They're not as bad as Haynes or Parsons, but they're far from ideal." We shook hands and he left.

I spoke to the sergeant on the way out. "Tell me, Ed—is there anyone here worthy of promotion to lieutenant or should I just advertise outside?"

"I'd say the best thing is to just leave your office. Dan Powell was an MP in the Army and he's going to the university down in Memphis, studying criminology like you. He's also as straight as an arrow and a real team player." I thanked him and left for the track. Powell was there when Max and I arrived. He had obviously been working out regularly. He beat me by four seconds.

>>>>>>

Daryl and I left early on Friday afternoon after I'd taken a lot of joshing about my last day as a free man from both shifts. We drove to our house where we changed clothes into civvies then Lucy joined Max, Daryl and me for the short ride to the Methodist church for the rehearsal. We were joined by Jasmine who would stand with Lucy as maid of honor. The wedding party would be small, but there would be more than three hundred at the ceremony and reception.

My family had come in on Wednesday afternoon and they took Lucy like ducks to water. Uncle Chuck took us out to dinner that evening and he had pulled me aside to tell me that he thought Lucy was a fantastic woman. Aunt Nell told me the same when she hugged me before turning in that evening. Constance and her family must have agreed because they were all smiles throughout their entire visit. The walk-through in the church was brief then we went to Carter's for dinner—my treat. The only downside was that Lucy left me that evening, staying overnight with her parents. Max must have looked for Lucy for fifteen minutes before settling down to sleep.

The next day was a dream come true. The weather was perfect—sunny, temperature in the high seventies and low humidity. All of us were up early for breakfast cooked by Ingrid. After eating I brushed the coat of our ring bearer, ably assisted by my nieces who loved Max even more than they loved me. I showered, shaved, and dressed in my tux then we drove to the church. I left Max at the entrance with a small Easter basket that held our two rings. I knew I could trust Max to walk down the aisle to Daryl and me just behind Jasmine and ahead of Lucy and Jonathan.

The ceremony began at 11:00 on the dot when the organist played The Wedding March. Jasmine looked fantastic in a sleeveless dusky blue dress that blended beautifully with her light brown skin and black hair. I elbowed Daryl, whispering, "Watch out, buddy. You're next." We chuckled quietly then turned to watch Max walk up the aisle behind Jasmine. He stopped in front of me and Daryl took the rings from the white satin pillow inside the basket. Daryl placed the basket on the floor out of the way of the ceremony. I pointed Max to a spot next to Daryl and he sat there immediately as Daryl leaned down to pet him.

Now all of my attention was on my bride as she and her father walked slowly up the aisle toward us. I gasped as I saw Lucy in a strapless full gown with a long train. Her hair was pulled back into a short French braid that fell to her bare shoulders. As beautiful as she looked, there was nothing to compare with her beaming smile. Her eyes were focused on mine all the way, even when Jonathan removed her veil and gently kissed her cheek before passing her hand to mine. We turned together to face the minister, Reverend Walker.

The ceremony was thankfully short and sweet. There were a few readings from the bible and I noticed Lucy squeeze my hand when Rev. Walker said that "wives shall be submissive to their husbands." I agreed so I squeezed her hand back and almost laughed when I looked down to see Max sitting squarely between us. Lucy also looked as did Rev. Walker and then we laughed as Lucy reached down to scratch Max's ears.

Her hand was back in mine just a second later. Daryl produced the rings and we said our vows. I kissed my bride and we walked together to the rear of the church with Max at Lucy's side and followed by Daryl and Jasmine, Jonathan and Marylou, my aunt and uncle, and Constance and her family. Together we formed a receiving line to greet our guests and receive their congratulations. It was more than twenty minutes before we scrambled into the limo with Jasmine and Daryl en route to the reception at Desmond's—the city's finest and largest catering hall.

The cocktail hour and ensuing reception were exactly what I would have expected from my in-laws for their only daughter. Absolutely no expense was spared—from Lucy's dress, which I later learned had cost more than $25,000, to the top shelf liquors and the thick prime rib dinners. Unfortunately, my new job meant that we'd have to postpone our honeymoon. I wasn't at all surprised when Lucy told me she didn't care even a little. "I have you. That's all I care about." Then she sealed it with a kiss. We went home, spending all evening and all of the following day in bed. My family had transferred to Jonathan and Marylou's home just a half mile away.

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