by Gary Beck
When they got to the 5th floor, she turned to the women, "Did you recognize any of their voices?"
"Three of them," Beth said with certainty. "The one you called Mister Power, with the gold teeth; the tall thin one with the high voice, and the big one with the deep voice."
"Are you sure?"
"I’m sure."
"So am I," Kiesha added.
"Now if we arrest them, are you willing to come to the station house and pick them out of a line up?"
"Yes," both women said simultaneously.
"Once they’re identified, are you willing to press charges?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Then if they’re indicted, are you willing to testify against them?"
"Of course," Beth said.
"We want those animals behind bars," Kiesha said. "The only way I’ll feel clean again is if I know they didn’t get away with this. We’ll do whatever is necessary."
"All right. We’ll arrest them and charge them with everything we can think of. We’ll call you tomorrow to come identify them. In the meantime, we’d appreciate your writing a short account of what happened."
"Anything else?" Beth asked.
"No. We’re going to bust those low lifes. See you tomorrow." Peter thanked her again and the others echoed him.
They watched Detectives Manetti and Conklin until the elevator doors closed. "There’s nothing more we can do tonight," Peter said gently. "Let’s put the kids to bed and then meet in the hall."
They collected the children from Miss Lily, who had made sure that they didn’t learn about the attack on their mothers, which wouldn’t have done anything but make them suffer. The children had more questions than usual for Beth and Kiesha, but they managed to deal with them, without giving in to the emotional distress that they were feeling.
Jennifer kept asking Beth if she was all right, sensing her inner turmoil, but was mollified by her explanation,
"I was really upset by the noise they were making every night." Youth and the late hour finally took its toll and the children fell asleep, once again protected from the depredations of a homeless system blighted by indifference and violence.
Peter brought Beth to the bed, where he put his arms around her and held her close. "I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to help you. It’s tearing me apart."
"Hush. You were still at work when it happened. There was nothing you could have done. Just hold me tight…. Kiesha and I were very lucky. They were going to do disgusting things to us. Then I’m sure they would have killed us. It was the most horrible feeling, tied to that chair, being beaten, knowing they were going to rape me. Part of me wanted to break down and go mad, but another part got cool and determined to get out of there somehow."
"Thank God for that. I’ve always admired your will to get things done, but you were a hero tonight. Thanks for coming back to us. We couldn’t get along without you." They hugged each other, glad to be alive and Beth had the first inkling that she would get over the nightmarish experience.
Beth and Peter lay quietly cuddled together and she drew comfort from his warmth and nearness. The children were sleeping soundly, and Peter asked gently, "Are you up to meeting with our friends?"
"Yes. I’ve got to see Kiesha." They got up and went into the hall, leaving the door slightly ajar so they could monitor the children.
Kiesha came out a minute later and she rushed to Beth and fiercely hugged her. "Are you all right, missy?"
"Yes. What about you?"
"I’ll be all right. I’m trying to make sense of what happened."
"Me too. What’s with all the gold that creep had in his mouth?"
"It’s called ‘front’ and it’s real in. I’ll tell you about it later." Hector and Miss Lily came out and they stood together silently for a while. Miss Lily put her arms around Beth and Kiesha and clasped them tightly.
"I thanked the lord for bringin’ you back safe to us. Your men folk was goin’ crazy with worry for you. I was with the kids and I didn’t want to stir them up, but I was frantic. All I could do was pray the lord would protect you, and he did."
Peter and Hector put their arms around the women and they formed a close circle, joined in shared relief that the ordeal was over. The women cried softly and the men held them supportively and they began to relax.
Kiesha looked fondly at Beth. "You saved us today and I’ll never forget it. You’ve got a friend for life."
They cried a little more until Miss Lily, tears streaming down her face, said, "It’s time for you girls to stop cryin’."
They all laughed at that and gradually wiped their eyes. Beth and Kiesha related more details about the attack and the others could only marvel at their fortunate escape. They listened intently to the description of the climb down the dumbwaiter shaft and agreed that it would make a great scene in a Hollywood movie.
Miss Lily reminded them, "These girls are real heroes, not like them movie stars who has other folk doin’ those scary things."
Peter and Hector praised the women over and over, repeating themselves when they ran out of new things to say. The women finally had enough compliments and the talk turned to a plan for the next day. Peter and Hector both decided not to go to work until they moved from the hotel. Peter said he would go to the landlord’s office to pick up the keys after they put the children on the school bus. If he got the keys, he would come back and escort Beth and Kiesha to the police station, while Hector would stay with Miss Lily and the younger children. If he didn’t get the keys, he would go back after they went to the police station and wait there until he got them. They reviewed the moving plan they had made the night before that now seemed like weeks ago. Peter stressed how important it was that they not tell anyone in the hotel where they were moving, except the social worker who would keep the information confidential.
One of the police officers came to their floor and told them that the detectives had arrested the three men who Beth and Kiesha had identified, and two other men for interfering with the arrest.
"We can legally hold them for 48 hours, so you can get a good night’s sleep tonight and tomorrow night."
They thanked him and asked him to thank the detectives, particularly Detective Manetti for all they did. Miss Lily was the first one to say goodnight, pleading exhaustion. Kiesha wasn’t ready to be alone yet, so she said she would stay in the hall for a while and Hector said he would stay with her. They said goodnight to each other and Beth and Kiesha hugged for a long minute. Peter and Hector hugged with that precise street macho clasp that was designed to reassure the fragile male sensibility that they weren’t acting feminine. Just before he closed the door Peter leaned out and saw Kiesha pressed tightly against Hector, who was gently stroking her hair.
Beth lay down on the bed, worn out from the exertions of the day. Her back was stiff, her shoulders ached and her hands were contracted into talons from the strain of climbing. Peter moved next to her and started to massage her back. He gently worked his fingers up and down the strained muscles until she began to relax. He probed the sore spots on her shoulders, and she moaned with pleasure at the relief from tension. He carefully rubbed each of her fingers and they slowly uncurled and became moderately functional digits. She was sprawled out, almost dissolving into an amoeba state, mumbling incoherently and gradually drifted into sleep. Peter covered her with one of the heavy fire department blankets and watched her tenderly for a few moments. He picked up a book very carefully so as not to wake her and tried to read. His attention kept wandering and it became harder for him to keep his eyes open. The book slid out of his hands and he dozed off.
Beth and Peter woke up in the morning in the exact positions they had fallen asleep in the night before. Peter insisted that Beth stay in bed and he gave the children breakfast. Then he took Jennifer downstairs for the school bus, deflecting her questions about why Mom was still in bed.
When he went back into the lobby, he noticed Mister Singh staring at him with a malevolent loo
k. He fervently wished he would get the keys today, so he wouldn’t have to see the Singh clones anymore. He went back to their room, where he made breakfast for Beth, feeding her when she was reluctant to keep eating. Andy thought it was a funny game and demanded that Daddy feed him next time. Peter took him to Miss Lily’s room, where he happily joined the other children who had bonded together and got along remarkably well, with never a squabble. Miss Lily asked about Beth and smiled happily when he told her she was fine.
He met Kiesha in the hall and except for her swollen face she seemed to be all right. She told him that she wasn’t going to school and he suggested she stay with Beth until he came back with the keys. Hector was going to Miss Lily’s room and he said he’d keep an eye on the women while Peter was out. Beth was up and around, her eyes dark circles that made her look like a puffy raccoon, but she seemed to have gotten over the worst strains of yesterday’s ordeal. She was very happy to see that Kiesha wasn’t suffering any ill effects from their captivity and escape, and they hugged as if they hadn’t seen each other in weeks. They paid no attention to Peter and once he was sure they were all right, he told them he’d see them later. He reminded them to call Hector if they needed anything and to keep their cell phones handy.
"From now on I’m keeping mine on my belt," Beth said fervently.
"Me too," Kiesha echoed.
Peter took the subway to Astor Place and walked east to the landlord’s office. He phoned Beth to be sure she was feeling well, then phoned Hector and asked him to call if there was any kind of problem. The landlord was in and Peter suppressed an urge to blame him somehow for the attack on the women. He forced himself to be patient and polite when the landlord kept him standing there during an interminable phone call about some relative’s wedding. He waited with the equanimity of a water buffalo resting in the rice paddy between tasks. The landlord finally hung up and looked at him blankly.
"I’ve come for the keys."
"Oh, yes. I remember. They’re right here." He took out a small brown envelope stuffed to the gills and shook it out.
Peter watched the keys tumble all over the desk and the landlord arranged them in three piles. "You got a real bargain here. You and your friends are getting the deal of the century."
Peter resented his tone. "You’ll do all right with it also."
"What are you talking about? I could rent those apartments for twice as much, just as they are. I’m too kind hearted for my own good."
"I guess that’s why you burned us out of our old apartment," Peter snapped. The atmosphere immediately got chilly.
"There’s no sense wasting any more time. You can move in Thursday. Here are the keys. The larger ones are for the downstairs door; the smaller ones are for the apartment doors. Rent is due the first of the month and I better get those government bonuses for renting you the apartments."
"Don’t worry. You’ll get them." In an effort to leave things on a more pleasant note, Peter thanked him for the keys, but was curtly dismissed with a gesture of the head.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Peter met Beth and Kiesha at the police station. It wasn’t busy and the desk sergeant directed them to the detectives’ office, after calling to be sure they were expected. The detectives were very friendly, obviously happy to see them. Detective Manetti led them to a viewing room to observe the line up. She pointed out that the glass panel was screened so they wouldn’t see the suspects, only hear them. The expensively dressed lawyer for the suspects was vigorously protesting the validity of the procedure to the woman assistant district attorney, who wasn’t particularly appreciative of his aggressive attitude.
"Your clients are getting the fairest line up possible. We’ve been over this several times. Now let’s get on with it." Beth and Kiesha watched the dispute with interest, because Peter, with a supportive arm around each of them, pointed out that he was the lawyer who would be questioning them if there was a trial.
Detective Manetti finally became impatient with the attorney’s bickering and suggested that since they all had other things to do, they should start the line up. The arrogant glare of the suspects’ attorney didn’t intimidate the tough detective and she stared at him coldly, hands on hips, ready for any reaction. The attorney quickly assessed her and decided it wasn’t worthwhile to confront her. He turned to the A.D.A. and nodded that he was ready. The A.D.A., who had earlier instructed Beth and Kiesha in proper voice identification procedure, reviewed the process one more time, then signaled Detective Manetti to begin. An unseen voice announced the various suspects by number and Beth and Kiesha wrote down the numbers of the voices they could identify. They listened to a dozen voices and both of the women selected the same three suspects. Both attorneys verified the identifications, witnessed the women’s signing the papers and the session was over.
Just before they left the station house, Detective Manetti assured Beth and Kiesha that all the suspects would be held for the maximum 48 hours, and that would keep them in jail until late Wednesday night. She did caution them that once they were out on bail they would be back in the hotel and could be a menace. "You stay alert and don’t go anywhere alone. Here’s my card with my beeper number. Call me anytime if you need me."
Beth and Kiesha thanked her for her efforts and left with Peter. Once they were outside
Peter took out the envelope with the keys. "Guess what?" he asked, waving the envelope.
Beth squealed with joy, "You got it. Now we can get out of that awful hotel."
Kiesha was just as happy. "I won’t believe it until we’re actually there."
Peter smiled, pleased at their excitement. He handed a set of keys to Kiesha. "This is the first step in believing. I’ll give a set to Miss Lily and make a second set for Hector and Beth."
On the walk up Third Avenue back to the hotel, they stopped at a locksmith and Beth got her own set of keys and Peter got a set for Hector. Peter called Hector and told him the good news, which he passed on to Miss Lily. Peter heard Miss Lily’s elated yell and grinned at her exuberance. He told Hector that they were stopping for coffee and would be back soon. They went into a diner on 24th Street and ordered French toast and sausages, a rare treat for their normally bland diets. Beth wanted to know if they could move the next day, and she was disappointed when Peter said the landlord insisted they wait until Thursday, which was March 1st.
"We can tolerate the hotel for another day and a half. Once the kids get on the school bus Thursday morning we can pack and leave."
"What about their coming home on the bus in the afternoon?" Kiesha asked.
"Hector and I will pick them up at school."
They decided on a celebratory dinner that night at the Chinese restaurant on 28th Street and Third Avenue, but agreed not to tell the children the reason, to ensure that they didn’t tell anyone that they were moving. Hector and Miss Lily greeted them cheerfully when they got to the hotel and Kiesha told them what happened at the police station. Peter made sure the younger children couldn’t hear them talking, then told them the moving plan and the dinner arrangement for that night. He gave them their keys and they beamed at the prospect of moving into their own apartments. Hector looked at Miss Lily who nodded encouragingly.
He took a deep breath, "We want you to know how much we appreciate what you and Beth have done for us, Peter. You risked your apartment to get apartments for us and we’ll never forget it."
The children really enjoyed dinner and their final jolt of pleasure was the opening and reading of the fortune cookies. Of course, the adults had to assist in the readings, then explain the not too cryptic messages. The children took the ritual passionately and seriously and the adults treated each individual fortune with appropriate solemnity.
Jennifer read hers, "Sometimes you can find a friend in the most unexpected place." She turned to Latoya. "I know that’s true, because I met you in that place where we all slept on the floor. Now you’re my best friend in the whole world."
The rest of the child
ren loudly proclaimed who their best friends were and when Shasta, who was younger than the other girls looked woefully at them, Jennifer and Latoya reassured her that they were best friends. The adults applauded, the attentive Chinese waiters applauded and the rest of the children joined in.
After the children went to bed that night the adults met in the hall to discuss whether or not to inform the school district that they would be moving. Everyone agreed that if they told the truth the district might ask them to withdraw the children and register them in a new school. They all felt that this could be disruptive now that the children were getting along well where they were, so they decided unanimously not to inform the district. This created an instant complication of taking the children to school and picking them up. Peter and Hector said that they could take turns bringing the children to school in the morning on their way to work. Beth said that she and Kiesha would pick them up in the afternoons.
Kiesha nodded yes, then added, "Let me speak to the bus driver in the morning. We’ve become friendly. Maybe he’ll pick the kids up at the new place without making a fuss. That would save us a lot of trouble."
The prospect of the children going to school on the school bus was momentarily cheering, even if it wouldn’t work out in the morning. The group reviewed security procedures they would follow until they were finally out of the hotel. Hector suggested that after they put the children on the school bus he would go to the thrift shops with Beth and Kiesha, while Peter would stay with Miss Lily and the younger children. Hector stressed that for the next few days the women do not go anywhere alone and they should all be on their guard. Peter mentioned that as long as the upstairs gang was in jail, they shouldn’t have any problems for two more nights, but he agreed with Hector that they still had to take every precaution.