by Jerry Brown
"Hah," Flint reacted. It was as close to a laugh as Bowman could have hoped for. "Look at the rest of the evidence while I go tell the guys what you just said."
"Wait a minute, what is all this stuff?" Bowman asked, as he examined a conglomeration of bent metal, wood and assorted junk.
"The best we can figure," Flint explained, "is that it's homemade fishin' and trappin' devices. Don't ask me how they work."
"Well, assumin' that's what this is and he came up with it by himself, he's much more clever than I had credited him."
Flint shrugged and left the room.
Chapter 36
After receiving directions from Flint, Bowman walked from the Police Department building to City Hall. He pushed open the large glass entry doors then took the elevator to the top floor. Entering the glass door to the mayor's office, he halted momentarily to admire the beauty of the woman sitting there and the incredible speed of her typing. When she looked up, he quickly entered, and gave a flushed smile.
"Hello, I'm John Bowman. You must be Joni. I apologize for using your given name, but it's all I know."
"Well, that's absolutely all you need to know, John Bowman, because Joni is who I am," she said with an accepting smile as she stood and walked around her desk to meet him.
"I don't mean to come on, but I must say you are just as attractive as the mayor described."
She pushed back her hair, licked her lips, and pushed back her shoulders. "If those words are coming on, then you just come on as much as you like." She broke a momentary silence. "I understand you're leavin' us."
"Yes ma'am, but I'm pleased to have the chance to meet you and to thank you for your efforts in arrangin' the apartment. It was very comfortable and, as it turned out, the location was very fortuitous."
"Fortuitous, now that's a word I haven't heard for awhile."
"It does sound a little stilted, since you mention it. I've been spendin' the last few weeks in the nineteenth century. I guess it's effected me more than I realized."
She looked at him inquisitively.
"It's a long story, not worth the tellin'," Bowman shrugged with a smile.
"Well, what have we here?" Robert said jokingly as he suddenly appeared at the door to his office.
Bowman turned toward him and thrust out his hand. "Hello, Mr. Mayor, I was just introducin' myself to Joni and thankin' her for all she did to ensure my comfort."
"Well, come on in before you go overboard and give her a swelled head. She's hard enough to get along with as it is," Robert said flippantly.
Joni responded with a mock stare of censure. Bowman could hardly suppress a laugh at the mayor's expense.
"Mr. Bowman, have a seat and make yourself at home. While I'm pleased that your work has ended, I find myself reluctant to see you go. I think I would've liked to have known you better. In fact, after meeting you the other night, I had intended to call on you again. I'm afraid my life has been chaotic lately. I'm not sure I knew what I was bargaining for when I stood for this job."
Bowman took a seat and crossed his legs. "I can only imagine, Mr. Mayor, and believe me, I don't envy you your job."
"It's Robert, I think we can dispense with the formalities now, don't you?"
"It goes along with the Mr. Bowman."
Robert nodded and said,"Agreed."
"Robert, can you tell me how the Porters are doing?"
"The father is progressing very well." He leaned forward on his desk, his fingers touching. "The doctor anticipates his being released to outpatient status soon. Mrs. Porter has been sort of up and down but she is a woman of immense strength. It'll take a while but I'm sure they'll cope. Especially now that there is more known about the motives behind their son's death."
"Has the child been buried yet?"
"No, to use Landry's words, 'he's still on ice'. Since it has been this long, perhaps we can wait a little longer until the parents are more prepared to deal with their grief. They're not pushing, so I'm sorta sitting on it." Robert paused then continued. "Speaking of Landry, I would be grateful for your advice. I've decided to make a change in administrators. I wondered if you might have some thoughts for me."
Bowman stared at his knees, then returned eye contact. "Very few. I don't know the players and nothing of their backgrounds. All I can suggest is that it's too important a position for selection on any basis other than the most qualified applicant. I've always believed in promotion from within, whenever possible. It helps morale and fosters loyalty."
"I take it you would not be interested in being considered?" Robert asked.
"I'm honored, but I can't imagine a worse mistake on either of our parts. I'm too hardheaded and impatient for either administration or politics.
Robert looked away and adjusted a stack of papers. "I find that hard to believe, but I'll be guided by your judgment."
Bowman paused, considering if he should impose himself and decided to do so. "I wonder if I might ask a favor of you."
"You can ask, of course."
"I had a young woman, Yvonne Arceneau, assigned to assist me since I've been here."
"To assist you?"
"Yes, and that's all." Bowman stared into Robert's eyes. The mayor smiled and nodded.
"She hasn't been out of graduate school very long and she's having to feel her way along on the job. She's very bright and I think she'll make a strong contribution to the department, if she's given half a chance. I'm afraid she may lose out in the politics of any administrative changes."
"Is there more to this than what your tell me?" the Robert asked.
"Yeah, she's an acquaintance of Landry who created a position for her. Rumors circulated and the other officers kept her at a distance. That will probably fade with some pointers I've given her and with Landry out of the picture. She really has a lot to offer. I'd appreciate your helpin', if she needs it." "I will do what I can."
"Then she's in good hands," Bowman said as he came to his feet and offered his hand.
Robert rose and accepted it. "You still have my telephone numbers. Give me a call when you get settled and let me know what you're doing."
"I'll do that. It was a real pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir."
"Same here and oh, you are about to let me forget to give you these two checks."
"Can't forget that. Robert, I'm not talkin' police work now, but if you need me I'll be in and out of the Mississippi coast, for awhile anyway."
"I'll find you, but why not keep in touch?"
"I will."
Leaving the outer office Bowman smiled at Joni and touched her on the shoulder as he walked by. He opened the door and turned back to her. "Thanks again, Joni. I'm very pleased to have met you."
"Me too, Mr. Bowman. Don't be a stranger."
His only response was a smile and a nod.
That afternoon, after packing his clothes in the car and separating out what he would take to Baltimore, Bowman mixed a scotch and water. His thoughts turned to Arceneaux and he wondered why he had not heard from her. He realized that he had not asked her for her aunt's name and telephone number. As if by telepathy, she called. "I just wanted to tell you goodbye. I started to come by, but I realized everything else needing to be said has been." "I'm very glad you called. I would've called you, but I didn't have your number. I mentioned you to the mayor. He agreed to help you when he can. Now, do you remember all you agreed to do?" "They're set in stone, Bowman. Will you call me once you get settled?" "Of course I will. Have a great life, Yvonne." "You too." Bowman returned to his drink and finished it off. Only then did he realize that he had again failed to get the aunt's name and telephone number.
Chapter 37
Emrick scurried around the room stuffing clothes into pillowcases. Earline embraced him from behind. "Git all of me woman. You know I'm hurtin'."
"You wadn't hurtin' las' night."
"This ain't las' night. S'mornin' an' de man comin' fo' me now."
"Baby, you don' act like you hate to go.
" Earline's eyes teared. "I thank you ready to go."
"Don' make no difference, if I wanna go or wanna stay. Man's comin', gotta be ready."
"Wish I'd a knowed you wuz gonna be lak dis." She stomped away. I'd a saved dem pok chops fo' somebody else."
"Hell woman, I payed fo' dem pok chops. You din't pick somebody else's pocket fo' dem pok chops."
Bowman could not help but overhear as he approached Earline's screen door. He quickly knocked on the door and shouted: "Em, Earline, are y'all home?"
Earline came to the door and unlatched it while glaring at Bowman with pouting lips. She did not greet him, but nodded at a pile of filled pillowcases. "He's stuff on de flo' dere."
"Okay, let me carry this out right quick and I'll come back to help Emrick to the car."
"He don' need no help. He'll prob'ly race you out dere."
"You must be some nurse then. I didn't figure he'd be able to move without pain."
"Oh, he been movin' pretty good las' day or so. Act like he really ready to move now."
"Earline, you know some people have a difficult time sayin' goodbye. Emrick probably doesn't have a lot of experience at it."
"Mr. Bowman, you'd take up fo' 'im no matter what he do. I think it's good he be leavin' now I see what a rascal he is. Take 'im on wid you now fo' I get riled."
Bowman passed through the door and grabbed several of the bundles with each hand. He looked through the bedroom door and saw Emrick finishing his packing. "Come on Em, let's get goin' before we get caught up in the heavy traffic. I've got a lot of drivin' to do today."
Walking to the car, Bowman sidled over to Emrick and whispered, "You're not even goin' to tell her goodbye?"
"Tole her goodbye early dis mornin'."
Bowman threw in the bundles of clothes and, when Emrick added the two he was carrying, he closed the trunk. He watched Emrick head for the passenger side and Bowman turned and walked over to Earline. "I'm sorry to be in such a rush, but I've got to drive all the way to Woodville and then do some straightenin' up before I can leave for the airport. I'm gonna be pushed to get everything done. It was nice gettin' to know you, hear."
"I'm hearin' loud an' clear, Mr. Bowman. You be careful now, an' thank you for all you did fo' de Porters."
"Thank you for sayin' so, Earline."
He rounded the front of the car where Emrick was already seated in the passenger seat. Then he turned to Emrick and asked what was the trouble.
"Oh, bitch jes' wanna get gushy. Hell, I know where she is I wanna come back."
"Yeah, but she may not want you to come back now. A few nice words wouldn't have hurt you."
"You de expert on women now? You don' know nuthin' 'bout handlin' women. You spoil 'em. I come back, she don' wan' me, I go fin' somebody else. No big thang. Don' wan' her runnin' up roun' my mama no how."
"You're right, Emrick. It's none of my business. I'll butt out."
When traffic began to thin, Bowman drove off the interstate and stopped at a small clothing shop.
"Wha' you doin' now?" Emrick asked.
"I'm stoppin' so you can run in and buy somethin' for your mother."
"I thought you wuz gonna butt out."
Bowman turned toward Emrick. "I am, but I ain't gonna butt out that far."
"Well, what should I git her? Why don' you jes' pick out somethin'."
"No, I want you to be able to say you selected it. Get her a big black silk scarf. She'd love that."
“Bowman, you don' know nuthin' 'bout women. You gone be de ruination a me. Ever' time I go off somewhere now, I'll have to bring her sumthin'. You spoil 'em."
"Maybe so, but yo' mama deserves some spoilin', so you do it anyway."
Emrick left the car in a huff, but he soon returned with a paper bag. He removed a long black scarf from the bag and showed it to Bowman. "Do you know what dis thang cos'?"
Bowman chuckled. "Doesn't matter, but whatever it cost, it wasn't too much."
The two men remained silent until they were well outside the city and beginning to cross a series of long bridges. Emrick commented out of the blue: "He wud'na got away from you, would he?"
Bowman had to pause and think what Emrick meant before he answered. "No, Emrick he wouldn't, but I worked under the federal system when I made arrests. It's not a fair comparison."
"Don't it piss you off?"
Bowman slowed the car. "No, they did things the way they have to. It wasn't either the best or worst thing that could've happened. The city can get back to normal now, whatever that is, and the Porter's can deal with their grief. All thanks to you."
Emrick beamed as he looked at the road ahead, apparently denying the presence of water on either side of the bridge. He abruptly turned to Bowman and asked: "What woulda been the best thang?"
Bowman looked ahead and picked up speed. "Good question, I guess if some hot shot patrolman forced the guy to wield his knife in the presence of witnesses. Then he could've justified doing away with the problem once and for all. He's dangerous and out of control. No one would question that deadly force was appropriate. The patrolman would be honored and his quick rise through the ranks would be assured. The bad guy wouldn't be living a miserable existence in that swamp where he's still a danger to innocent people."
"What woulda been the worst thang?"
Bowman waited to answer until he crossed the last bridge and pulled over and stopped on the roadside, leaving the motor and air conditioner running. He turned to Emrick. "That's easy. The worst result for all concerned would be if the guy had been arrested. The Porters would never find peace. The case would not make it to a trial because no judge would ever rule that this guy could assist in his own defense. The guy would be taken to some mental hospital, locked in a cage and shot full of drugs. Best he could hope for would be to spend the rest of his life as a zombie. Of course, there's always the chance that he would escape. In fact, I'd bet on it. In that event, there'd likely be more people killed.
He turned back to the wheel and made his way to the highway.
He felt Emrick fidgeting next to him. "Go ahead and ask me," he said without taking his eyes off the road.
"What do you think's gonna happen to him?
"Odds are he'll be shot by some store owner, hunter or law enforcement officer. It's just a matter of time. That's really not the question though, it's how many people are goin' to be hurt or killed by him before that happens. Hey man, we're away from all that now; let's talk about something else."
"Okay, where ya' goin' when ya' drop me off?"
"After I straighten out any mess I may have left at the Clark's house, I'm turnin' around and goin' straight back to New Orleans. I'm gettin' on a big airplane and headin' north."
"Gonna see yo' girl, huh."
"Yeah, sometime in the next few days, I'll be layin' in my sweet baby's arms."
"Been a long haul, ain't it?"
"Yes, it has. It has indeed."
"You nevah tole me what she look like."
Bowman pictured Annie in his mind. "Well, with high heels on she's a little shorter than you. Barefooted, she's probably about five feet six or seven. She has blond hair, doesn't color it or anything. In fact, you can see silver hairs all through it. She wears it on her shoulders. Sometimes she puts some kind of junk on it that makes it kinky and curly. I can't stand that, but it's the only thing I don't like about her. Anyway, if she knows I'm comin', she brushes all that out and it looks good again. If she wants to be ugly in front of other folks, that's all right with me." Bowman continued driving, but his eyes gazed into the distance.
"Her eyes are the prettiest blue I ever saw. They're alive and full of expression. I don't even have to ask any questions to know exactly what she's thinkin'. Her eyes tell everything."
Emrick looked over at him. "Is she pretty?"
Bowman smiled and dropped his shoulders. "She's more than pretty. I don't mean she's beautiful like a movie star, but I guess she could be. I really don't like to think of her like that.
Then I'd be wonderin' what she's doin' hangin' aroun' with me."
"Well, she fat or skinny."
"She's skinny in the waist, but nowhere else."
"Got big tits, huh?"
"There's plenty there, but not so much it gets in the way."
"How bout her butt?"
"She's not nearly 'bout as big as Earline. Not even close, but I'll tell ya' you don't have to worry 'bout scrapin' your balls on the sheet."
Emrik's eyes filled with tears as he covered his mouth with his hands and giggled. Bowman thought, his tickle box is turned over. For the remainder of the trip, Bowman entertained himself when things quieted down by looking over into Emrick's eyes with a knowing smile. Emrick's reaction was automatic. He covered the left side of his face with his hand, before doubling up in laughter.
Passing through Baton Rouge, Bowman left the highway searching for a shopping mall.
"What'cha doin' now?" Emrick asked.
"I thought I'd buy a little somethin' for Miz Clara. She's the one who helped us pull this thing off."
"Tha' ole woman don' need nuthin'."
"I'm not buyin' it because she needs it. I just want to get her somethin'."
"Think tha' money's jes' burnin' a hole in ya pocket."
Bowman's only smiled as he left the car. In the mall he found a perfume counter and asked the clerk to recommend a fragrance that had been on the market for a long time. He sampled several and selected White Shoulders.
"Perfume or cologne," the clerk asked.
"Definitely perfume, and could I get it gift wrapped. Something understated, but impressive?"
She directed him to another section of the store.
Bowman returned to the car carrying a small plastic bag. Emrick looked and shook his head.
When they arrived in Woodville, he parked in front of a bank and said to Emrick: "There's one more order of business we have to attend to."
Emrick looked at him questioningly.
"Come on," Bowman said. "We've got to open an account for you so you can cash your check."
"Hell man, I don't know nuthin' bout no bank, an' I ain't got no money." Emrick frowned.
"You do now. The mayor gave you a reward of seven thousand and five hundred dollars for the part you played in catchin' the bad guy. Once the bank gets the money for the check, you can come down here and draw out a little spendin' money when you need it.