Target: Mendez: An Alex Mendez Tale

by Edward Hancock II

  Danny had had two brothers. One grew up to become a United States Marine. The other, Alex knew little about, except that he’d done okay for himself as a man of business.

  Two brothers. That’s what Danny’d had. Two. Just two. Not three. Not one, like Alex. Two. He was lying! He had to be lying! It was the only answer, right? His best friend – his brother from another mother – was lying…or was he?

  “Alex, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. For years, I had no clue! When we arrested him, I had no clue! I only found out when my granny was dying. Honestly, I thought she was off her rocker. Granny wasn’t out of her head, but she was getting up there in years. I thought that maybe she’d read a report on the case and maybe confused it or something. Mom and Dad aren’t around for me to ask anymore. At the time, I was trying to heal. But that’s when I found it.”

  “Found what?” Alex said, so loud it echoed through the police interrogation room.

  “Denny lives in Seattle. Donny lived in San Diego when he died. So, it fell to me to take care of Granny’s stuff when she died. She’d named my Great Aunt Myra the executrix, but Aunt Myra is already dead, so the family nominated me. Despite all my injuries, nobody wanted to help me.”

  “Don’t,” Alex said. “Don’t give me the pity party, Danny! I know you were injured and I know why you were injured. Don’t play that game. You know I would have helped you if you asked. I did help you!”

  “I know you did. Alex, no offense, but you’re not blood. I couldn’t ask you to help me sift through Granny’s private life to find proof of whether or not I really had a brother I never knew. I’m not playing the pity party. You remember don’t you? My mind wasn’t in the right place! I had more than just physical injuries. I had scars that you couldn’t see. You had to help me do everything. I lost all my freedom. I lost me, Alex. And then I lost my grandmother. You know how much she meant to me. I was out of my head.”

  “And when you found out? You couldn’t tell me then? Danny! Because of you, he got away today! The man that probably killed Whit and Escalante got away! And you really think you have an excuse that anybody is going to care about? Myself included? Not family, my butt! We’re cops! That makes us family, you moron! I helped wipe your butt when you were in the hospital and it’s nothing I wouldn’t do a thousand times for any brother or sister. And I was there for you when your grandmother died! I carried the coffin for you! I didn’t ask for anything, but you owe me, Danny! You owe me the dignity of not lying to my face! I hate you, Danny! I hate you so much right now!”

  “I know,” Danny’s voice lost all its power. “Alex, look, I went to see him once. I introduced myself. He remembered me as one of the cops on the scene. That’s all he cared about. I’d found pictures and letters he’d traded with Granny through the years. I guess, when she told me, she figured she had nothing to lose. Maybe she thought I already knew…suspected.”

  “So, your grandmother wrote this guy in prison but never told you that he existed? That you had another brother?”

  “I don’t know, Alex. I don’t understand it. Maybe Mom or Dad made her promise not to tell. I have never told Denny or Donny. Neither knew, as far as I am aware.”

  “You know, Danny, I don’t really care that you never told them. But you never told me. Okay, so maybe I’m not blood, but we’re supposed to be brothers. And, for the love of God, I was there! I put him in the car! Danny you knew he was out! And you knew he hadn’t left! And you withheld that information! And because you withheld information, a fugitive is on the loose!”

  “I’m sorry, Alex. For what it’s worth, he swears he’s innocent. Wanted me to help him prove it.”

  “Sorry doesn’t cut it this time, Danny.”

  Danny and Alex both jumped at the sound of Chief Steelman’s voice.

  “Chief!” Danny said, trying to stand, falling back down as the shackles caught him off guard.

  “Chief,” Alex asked, approaching him. “What can I do for you?”

  “Alex, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

  “What? Wait! No!” Alex stammered. “Chief, I—”

  “That’s an order, Lieutenant.” The chief was far too stoic. Detached would probably be a better word. “I need to have a private word with Captain Peterson. And don’t you have files to review anyway?”

  “Chief,” Alex began, as Chief Steelman turned his back to him.

  “Now, Alex,” Steelman said. “Unless you want to find yourself suddenly unemployed…or at the very least, suspended.”

  “Sir,” Alex nodded, heading for the door. On the other side of the closed door, Alex fought the urge to press his ear against it. Looking up to the ceiling, Alex sighed.

  “God,” he whispered, “I’m real confused here. My best friend just betrayed me. Been betraying me. He lied, Lord. How can I ever trust this man again? How can I work under this man again? What do I do? Show me my path, Lord. Please help me not to hate my brother. Help me to forgive. Help me Lord.”

  Chapter 24

  Alex put a BOLO out the first chance he got. Now, sitting in his office, holding one of the many files piled on his desk, Alex stared at his desk phone as if willing it to ring.

  When it finally did ring, it was Josh Sutton informing him that the FBI had also put a BOLO out on Calloway, statewide. Josh had had to pull some strings to make it happen, but it happened. If Alex were a betting man, he would bet that one of the strings pulled was Josh’s Uncle Moe. Marvin “Moe” Sutton might have been retired from the FBI, but somehow he seemed to maintain a strange bit of sway within the agency. Alex had considered the matter more times than he’d ever counted, but he’d never openly discussed it with Moe. He had mentioned it to Josh more than once, mostly in jest, though Josh seemed unduly agitated by his uncle’s remaining influence within the Bureau. Perhaps a bit of jealousy rearing its ugly head.

  Whatever the cause, Alex was just glad that Josh had not been upset by Alex’s intrusion at the Pizza Hut. While he did voice some obvious displeasure, he let it be known that he understood his place. Calloway had yet to commit a crime that would merit an unsanctioned interference by the feds. No matter his power or rank, Josh knew he’d have to play things cool if he wanted to win here. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was also trying to impress the uncle of his girlfriend.

  A few minutes later, sitting in Alex’s office, Josh lacked any measure of confidence typically accompanying a member of federal law enforcement. To say nothing of a former military man. Alex laughed to himself, thinking of how much Josh reminded him of himself while still a very unsure, green rookie.

  “I can’t trust Danny anymore,” Alex said, almost out of place, though the conversation had been varying from topic to topic – business to personal and back again.

  “I know,” Josh said, looking down at his wringing hands.

  “Something on your mind, Josh? You seem awfully nervous for a guy in the Bureau.”

  Standing, Josh sighed, wiped his palms on his pants.

  “Josh, are you pregnant?” Alex laughed, causing Alex to swing around, nervous eyes as big as saucers. Pointing to the chair across from him – the chair Josh had just left – Alex directed the young federal officer to sit.

  “Alex, I need to speak to you seriously,” Josh said, his voice losing all power. Sitting, he continued, “I need—Honestly, I don’t know what I need.” He sighed, thought for a moment, rubbed his face vigorously, slapped his hands to his knees. “Okay, here it is. Alex, I’d like your blessing. I’d like to ask Alyson to marry me and I’d like your blessing.”

  “My B—my blessing?” Suddenly, Alex was the nervous one, unsure of exactly how to handle the situation in which he now found himself.

  “Well, her father’s dead,” Josh said, finally looking away from the floor, meeting Alex’s eyes, looking around, back to Alex, away again. “She’s an only child, so she has no brothers. You’re the closest thing to a father she has, really. I know she deeply respects you like a father or big brothe
r or something.”

  “And I love her dearly,” Alex said. “Josh, this is awful sudden, don’t you think? I mean, it’s not like you’ve known each other that long.”

  “Alex, I love her. I can’t stand being away from her. It’s just wrong. I can live without her. It’s not that. It’s just that, without her, it’s not living. You know?”

  Alex smiled, so big he felt the urge to dial it down a bit. A chuckle caught in his throat and his head shook just a bit. Looking at a family picture on his desk, Alex remembered.

  “Yeah,” he said, “I do know.”

  Reaching into his coat pocket, Josh produced a small box. Inside, the elegant diamond ring shimmered in the fluorescent office light.

  “Josh, that’s—”

  “Beautiful?”

  “Exquisite,” Alex said, his gaze captured by the shimmering ring. “Expensive.”

  “She’s worth it,” Josh said, closing the box. “Alex, please. You don’t know how important this is to me.”

  Smiling, Alex nodded. “Oh yes I do, young man.”

  “Then,” Josh began. He stopped as if searching for the right way to finish his thought.

  “Then you have to promise me you will take care of her. You will guide her when she needs it. Trust her before she’s earned it. Be patient with her when she doesn’t deserve it…and there’ll be times she won’t.” Leaning in close, Alex’s friendly demeanor hardened just enough to convey a very serious addendum. “And, so help me, if you ever put your hands on her, I will kill you. I will not wound you. I will kill you. She’s not my daughter, but she’s as good as. You’re right about that much. And I will not have my daughter disrespected or abused. Do we understand each other?”

  “Yes, sir,” Josh said, his face resolute. “Alex, I promise you, I will protect her with my life. I will give her the world, or at least every part of it I can. She will want for nothing if I have anything to say about it. And I will die before I hurt her.”

  “Love her, Josh,” Alex said. “Just love her. A good woman doesn’t want your money, your car or your possessions. Or your life for that matter. A good woman just wants you. And I can tell you with confidence that Alyson Jane Warner wants you.”

  “There’s one other thing,” Josh said, his face suddenly flushing.

  “Shoot.”

  “I need you to help me tell Alyson that my middle name is Loren.”

  Chapter 25

  Alone in his office, Alex considered the day. Not long ago, he was arresting his best friend for assisting a possible murderer. Aiding and abetting is what the police jargon would call it. Disrespect, deception and demolishing a friendship is what Alex called it. He tried to be happy for Alyson and Josh. It wouldn’t be difficult to keep the secret. He had so much on his mind, it was almost non-existent, absent the fact he was concentrating on it to try and forget the one thing that wouldn’t leave his mind.

  There’s an old saying that suggests how painful the truth can be. In the words of the Bible, truth is supposed to set you free. Faced with the truth that his best friend was a traitor, Alex felt many things. Free was not one of them.

  A knock at the door drew Alex’s attention. Sighing, he looked back to the file he’d been reading, saying nothing.

  A second knock, this one a tad louder startled him.

  “Come in,” he said, not wishing for whoever it was to actually enter. “Hey Kel,” he said absently when Kellan’s head peeked around the door.

  “You okay, Bud?”

  “Yeah,” Alex said absently, “Come in. What do you need?”

  “Nothing at all,” Kellan said, entering and shutting the door behind him. “I just wanted to come see about you. You okay?”

  “No,” Alex admitted. “But what can I do about it? I’ll be okay with time. Time heals all wounds, so they say.”

  “Nah, time doesn’t heal a thing,” Kellan said, sitting down. “Time creates scar tissue over wounds, which hardens us, protects us from future harm. Time’s not a healer. Time is a hardener, Alex.”

  “Well, aren’t you just a fine little ray of Zen master sunshine today?” Alex said, his brow furrowing.

  “Sorry,” Kellan said, “trying to help is all.”

  “Nah,” Alex said, softening his eyes. “I know you’re trying to help, Kel. I appreciate it. Just a lot to take in.”

  “I know,” he said. “Believe me, we’re going through some of the same emotions right now. The man trained both of us, Alex.”

  “How’s Zad?” Alex asked, changing subjects.

  Looking to the floor, Kellan sighed. Nervous, he twirled his wedding ring.

  “Kel? Something wrong?”

  “My son is at the hospital, Alex. He’s not going to make it. Not this time.”

  As a tear welled up in Kellan’s eyes, Alex fought a knot in his chest. Images of his young daughter – close to Kellan’s son in age – filled Alex’s head. He’d felt the sting of almost losing her before. He’d felt the sting of nearly losing Joey before he was even born. And every day thereafter, it seemed. He knew the anger, frustration and pain. He knew, all too well, the helplessness.

  “Oh, Kel,” he said, fighting back a sympathetic tear. “Is there anything I—Wait, why are you even here, dude? You should be at the hospital with Andrea!”

  “I know,” he whispered. “Alex, I had to come back to work. Watching my son—Alex, I can’t do anything to help him. How do you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “How do you believe in a God that hurts children? That allows them to die? How is that a merciful God, Alex? I’ve always believed. I’ve prayed for Zad’s healing. You’ve prayed with me. What is it the Bible says? The prayers of a righteous man will be answered? Something like that? Well apparently I wasn’t good enough for God to spare my son!”

  “James 5:16,” Alex said, “The fervent prayers of a righteous man accomplishes much.”

  “Yeah,” Kellan said. “So see? Everybody says it’s not about being good enough for God. That’s bull, man! I wasn’t good enough. Not righteous enough. But I don’t know what more I could have done!”

  “Kel, I want you to listen to me,” Alex said, leaning forward in his chair just slightly. “I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I want to assure you of one thing. God didn’t give your son his illness. I don’t know why He didn’t see fit to cure Zad in His infinite wisdom, but we are both going to have to trust that God has a plan.”

  “A plan?” Kellan screamed. “You have your kids, Alex! Your kids are safe and healthy! My son is going to die! That’s my son dying, not yours! Easy for you to say.”

  “Easy?” Alex snapped back. “No, son, it’s not easy! It’s the most difficult thing in the world for me to say, because it flat makes me a hypocrite! I cursed God. I questioned God when my family was in peril. I did it. And I’m now telling you not to do it. So yeah I am a hypocrite. But I’m telling you this from experience. What I believe is that Satan made your son sick. And God taking him to heaven is an act of mercy, not one of hate. He’s suffering here. Andrea is suffering. She does it willingly, always smiling. There are no words for how much I love and admire your wife. Read Exodus 3. God saw the suffering of the Israelites. God sees your suffering now. Just as He delivered them to the Promised Land, He’s delivering LaZadrick to the Kingdom of Heaven.”

  “You’re a good man, Bro,” Kellan said, finally looking up to the ceiling. Wiping his eyes, he sucked in a deep breath, held it a beat and exhaled loudly. Massaging his neck, he added, “Alex, I’m scared.”

  “I was too,” Alex assured him. “I was scared to death when I thought of losing Lisa, the kids. Just the other day, when I thought of losing Alyson. I don’t want to look her in the eyes with that in my heart.”

  “I’m not supposed to be afraid,” Kellan said. “We’re men. We’re supposed to be strong. We’re cops. We’re supposed to look Death in the eye, hock a good one and spit right in Death’s face.”

  “I think you’ve probably got the
wrong idea of what a real man is, Bud.” Alex chided. “See, real men don’t cry at stop signs. That’s true. But a real man is moved by things. Didn’t you cry the first time you held that baby boy?”

  Kellan nodded, bit his lip, but didn’t speak. Alex knew exactly what Kellan was thinking.

  Alex apologized, “Kellan I don’t know everything about being a good man. I struggle with it daily. But real men are not robots, buddy boy. Real men love their wives. Real men cry when they hold that baby for the first time. Real men cry when someone they love dies. You’ll cry. And I promise you this much, Kel. I’ll be right there beside you and Andrea. We’ll cry together.”

  “You be okay if I take off?”

  “Sure,” Alex said. “Go. Be with your wife. Give her a kiss for me, okay? I’ll handle things on this end.” Alex stood, as Kellan got up to leave. Without warning, Kellan embraced him.

  “Love you, Man.”

  “Love you too, Brother,” Alex said. “Go on. I’ll take care of things here.”

  Releasing the hug, Kellan turned and walked out the door, turning only once to give a silent nod as he departed.

  “God,” Alex sighed, walking back around to his chair. Sitting down, Alex rested his elbows on the desk, clasped his hands and rested his face against them. “I think we need to talk again.”

  Chapter 26

  Alone again in his office, Alex called Lisa. It was good to hear her voice. And getting to talk to Christina was like Christmas. As excited as she’d been to tell him about all the fun she was having in Arizona, Alex was certain he’d enjoyed the conversation far more than the tiny ball of energy he called his daughter.

  Alex had resisted the urge to tell Lisa about what happened with Danny. There would come a time he’d have to tell her. Today was not that time. If nothing else, he rationalized to himself, it wasn’t something you discussed over the phone. He did tell her about Kellan’s son. For all the helplessness it might cause her to feel, she needed to know. Perhaps a call to Andrea might make both of them feel a little better.