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 · แฟนตาซี

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69 Chs

CHAPTER 22

I noticed her pad in hand so I told her, "My legal name is Matt James Cahill, not Matthew and my aunt and uncle are Nellie and Charles Cahill of Wilmington, North Carolina. Is that okay?"

"Yes, thank you so much. What time should I tell Melvin that you'll be at Desmond's, Lucille?"

She looked at me for directions so I gave it by saying, "I think we can be there by ten." Lucy nodded her agreement and her mother got up to leave, hugging first Lucy and then me and even petting Max before leaving. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool, sitting in the shade of an umbrella and drinking chilled bottled water. I gave Max some water before falling asleep for what I thought might be a short nap. Lucy had other ideas; she climbed onto my body just as we did at night, kissing my cheek and showing her love for me at least once every thirty seconds.

>>>>>>

The next two days were a blur of activities in preparation for the wedding, but on Saturday morning I knew that I had to leave. I had told Lucy that the sooner I left the sooner I could return, but she was still reluctant to see me go. After a big breakfast of my favorites I loaded Max into the SUV and kissed Lucy goodbye. Breaking our hug I kissed her tears from her cheeks. I promised to call her twice a day as I drove away.

It was a long drive, more than 850 miles south to Memphis and then onto the interstate to Wilmington. I did 550 miles the first day, stopping only to use the toilet or refill the tank, or walk Max or eat lunch. I was in uniform and armed so nobody bothered me about Max or a leash, even when I took him into the fast food restaurants en route. Finding a hotel that would accept Max was easier than I had thought. There was a lot of respect for the uniform.

It was mid afternoon when I answered a call from Julia Adams. She had interviewed Jack Perkins, the bartender/thief/student and, based on his statement, had obtained a warrant to search his dorm room, finding enough pot and Meth to qualify as felony possession with intent to sell in the roommate's drawers and clothing. She had no difficulty turning him and Perkins, promising immunity in return for their assistance with the case. She told me that the roommate had made an appointment with Jeremy Haynes to buy 250 Oxycodone tablets next Thursday. He had picked a public place where it would be easy to maintain surveillance during the buy. She thought the case was moving right along, but had no idea yet where it might lead.

As I had promised, I phoned Lucy right after leaving a barbeque place for lunch. The first words she uttered were, "I love you and I already miss you terribly." I told her that she had stolen my line and we both laughed. She had a little news about the wedding and I told her my aunt and uncle would be shocked when I told them. Being with Lucy had fogged my mind and I had completely forgotten about phoning them. I'd take care of that after I had spoken with Lucy.

She asked me about the traffic and how far I hoped to get. "More than halfway, I hope. I've decided that I'm going straight to the office to resign. If I'm lucky I'll run into Daryl while I'm there." We spoke for about twenty minutes before I ended the call. I was glad that the SUV was equipped with hands-free phone technology so I could concentrate on driving instead of the phone.

I stopped for the night around 6:30 and phoned Lucy immediately. She wanted to know if I'd had any trouble finding a motel. "No, I let Max out of the car and we walked into the office. The woman behind the counter took one look at my shirt and another at Max then gave me the federal government discount. Some young girls were in the office with their parents and they asked if they could pet Max. He was in seventh heaven. You know how much he likes kids."

"I'm really missing you, Matt. I'm not looking forward to going to bed tonight or any other night until you're back here with me again. I'm really looking forward to our first night together."

"Yeah, me too; I have to run so I can get some dinner and then I have to phone my aunt and uncle. I love you more than anything." She told me that she loved me again and that she was looking forward to meeting my family. She kissed the phone then ended the call.

I phoned my aunt and uncle and I was a bit surprised when Uncle Chuck answered the phone. "Hi, Matt—we saw you on the news last week. That was some daring piece of work apprehending two rapists by yourself."

"I wasn't quite alone. I had Max to help me. Did you hear about the two armed robbers in a diner?" He hadn't so I told the short version of the story leaving the part about Lucy and me until the end. "You can check out the diner when you get to Bascomb's Landing, Uncle Chuck."

"Where on earth is that and why would I want to go there?"

"Well, it's in western Tennessee about sixty miles north of Memphis and I kind of assumed you'd want to attend the wedding." I waited for a few seconds before getting the expected, "WHAT?"

"It's a long story that started when I tried to drive home once the case in St. Louis was closed." I went on to explain how I met Lucy and how I had stayed with her for several nights and how much I loved the town. Then I told him about the attempted armed robbery and how Max and I had taken the robbers down. I explained how Lucy and I had lived together for almost a week before I learned that her surname was Bascomb.

"You mean as in 'Bascomb's Landing?'"

"One and the same."

"Holy crap!"

"Yeah, she was using this mobile home because her house was being painted. It's not just big, it's imposing with six bedrooms that she wants to fill with kids. As big as it is, it's small compared to her parents' home. Best of all, she's an incredible person who is liked and respected by everyone in the city. Oh yeah, I'm resigning from the Marshals Service to take the position of Chief of Police there. Daryl is going with me as a lieutenant."

"You managed all this in two weeks?"

"Yeah, it's kind of miraculous and hard to believe, but it's true. I'll be home tomorrow night and I'll come by to show you a few photos on my phone. I'll see you and Aunt Nell then. I need to get some dinner and turn it in. It's been a long day."

"Okay, we'll see you then. Come for dinner and bring your friend Daryl with you. I can't wait to tell your aunt and Constance. Bye, Matt." I walked with Max to a nearby Outback where I asked for a booth. Max sat opposite me while I ate a decent prime rib, saving him some fat and other scraps for his dinner. I was in bed with Max on the floor at my side before ten.

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