Target: Mendez: An Alex Mendez Tale

by Edward Hancock II

  “Yes?”

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  “Go where?” Danny asked.

  “We’re going to head around back.”

  “Why around back?”

  Opening the door, Chief Steelman said, “Because Kellan and Janet are staking out the front and I really don’t want them to find us. That’ll end our little party real fast, now wouldn’t it?”

  “But, wait,” Danny said, grabbing the chief’s arm. “You’re still his commanding officer, even if I’m not.”

  The chief’s head sank.

  “Danny, I resigned. Now, follow me.”

  “Yes sir, Sir.”

  “You don’t need to call me Sir, Danny. And you sure don’t need to do it twice.”

  “On your six, Chief.” Danny said, opening his door.

  Chapter 39

  “The Bible is clear,” Alex said, leaning forward. Mere inches separated Alex and Derrick Calloway, who sat across from him leaning forward in his seat. Though Alex was unable to truly put the thoughts out of his mind it was, in a sense, as if all the sins Calloway had committed were, in fact, gone. At the very least, going away. Alex knew exactly what was happening. The saying goes, “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. God had called him to minister to Calloway. And, in the process, God was qualifying Alex for a mission he knew he did not yet fully understand. “For the wages of sin is death. Do you understand what that means?”

  Calloway nodded.

  “Tell me what it means to you.”

  Alex noticed Calloway’s hands suddenly start to tremble. His face went noticeably pale.

  “It’s okay,” Alex said. “There’s no right or wrong answer here. Maybe an incomplete answer. Remember, we’re in this together.”

  Calloway smiled. Shook his hands.

  “I, um—Well, I guess it means I’ve sinned. I’m a sinner. And I’m going to die.”

  Alex shook his head.

  “I said no wrong answers and I meant it. But let’s explore what you said. You said you are going to die in your sins, right?”

  Calloway nodded.

  “Well, here’s the good news,” Alex said, smiling. Gazing down to his Bible, he read, “’but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.’ Disobedience to an infinite eternal God deserves an infinite, eternal consequence. God shows us His character and his laws in his creation, the world around us. He has also written His laws in our hearts… on our conscience. He has also given us His Word, the Bible. God loves man and He has provided a way of escape by sending His only son to die in our place. So, yes, you deserved death. I deserved death. We both deserve death now. But, we have been freed from the curse of The Law by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. By our acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice. By allowing Jesus to pay our sin bill, if you will, we have been saved from our justified fate.”

  “So, if a person goes out and just sins and sins and sins, they can claim Jesus and be free? That doesn’t sound right to me,” Calloway said.

  “Well, that’s because it’s not right, really. Realistically, could you go out and sin and sin and sin? I don’t really know. Depends on which religion is right I guess. But, if we look past religion, I will tell you this. When you truly ask God into your heart – when you truly mean it – you won’t have the desire to kill. You won’t have the desire to rob a store. You won’t have a desire to lie, cheat others or misuse God’s Gift of Salvation. Well, you may still have the desire. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. So, you’ll probably still have certain urges. I guess it’s possible. But, from personal experience, the spirit is grieved when you commit a sin you know is wrong. I don’t think asking God into your heart is enough for people like us, lifelong sinners. I honestly believe it takes time. We’ve lived in the flesh so long that it takes practice to learn to live in The Spirit.”

  “But, how do I know if God really accepted me? How do I know He’ll approve of me? Save me?”

  “You know because of Romans 10:13. ‘For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ See? It doesn’t say he might be saved or that God will think about it. Nowhere does it say God will let you know. It says ask and it’s done. That’s all it takes. You ask Jesus into your heart the way we did in prayer. Now, here’s a hard question. Did you mean it? When we prayed, did you mean it when you invited The Lord to take control of your life?”

  Tears filling his eyes, Calloway nodded. His face turned red. He sniffled. A large tear dropped to the floor.

  “God heard you, Derrick. I can’t see your heart, but I believe you were sincere when you asked Him into your life. But God sees your heart. He knows. You can’t fool God. He knows the temptation that will befall you from here. In fact, I’m going to be honest. The temptation that will befall you now will be greater than it ever has before. Take it from me, the Devil attacks you hard in the beginning. We are planting seeds of faith and he wants to make sure they don’t take root. He’ll give you the chance to be mean. He’ll give you the chance to be lustful. He’ll give you the chance to be rude or thoughtless or whatever. Whatever your sin, your vice, Satan will give you plenty of opportunities to give in. And it’s up to us to resist.”

  “I’m not strong enough.”

  “Oh but you are equipped,” Alex said, smiling. “You have the power of prayer. You have the Bible to read. You have a billion brothers and sisters praying with you and for you whether you, or they, know it or not. You have all the power in the world…” Alex paused, stuck out his hand, inviting Calloway to shake it, which he did. “Brother.”

  “How?” Calloway asked, his voice shaking behind the flood of tears. “How can you call me brother after…after everything I’ve done?”

  “You accepted Jesus tonight, Derrick,” Alex said, smiling. “You aren’t perfect, but God has forgiven your sins. Remember the story of the woman caught in adultery? Where are those who would persecute you? Nowhere. Certainly not in this house, right?”

  Calloway nodded again.

  “Then, in keeping with the words of our Lord and Savior, neither do I persecute you.”

  “You’re a good man, Alex,” Calloway whispered, dropping his head, folding his hands as if engaging in a personal conversation with the Almighty.

  “I will be,” Alex said, “If I live long enough.”

  Hands still folded, Calloway raised his head.

  “I don’t think I’ll live long enough.”

  “You’ve got the rest of your life ahead of you now,” Alex said. “No matter how long that is, just make the rest of your life the best of your life.”

  “I like that.”

  “Thanks,” Alex said, chuckling. “I just made it up.”

  Chapter 40

  Janet close behind him, Kellan made his way up Alex’s driveway, ducking behind the strange vehicle, then behind Alex’s to mask their approach.

  “You sure we should be doing this?” Janet asked.

  “We have to get a closer look, Janet. I have to know.”

  He knew he was right, of course, but what was he going to do if his suspicion was right?

  “What makes you think Calloway is in there? What if Alex called somebody to give him a ride back to the hospital or something? What if his car wouldn’t start?”

  “If his car wouldn’t start, he’d have called Moe, wouldn’t he? And if someone else had given him a ride, their car wouldn’t be in the driveway, immediately behind his.”

  Silent, Janet pursed her lips and shook her head, submitting to the logic in Kellan’s reply. She shivered, hugged herself.

  “You okay?” Kellan asked. “You up for this?”

  “I’m just cold is all,” she said, “I’m a Texan to the bone. We don’t do winters.”

  “You tellin’ me,” Kellan whispered. “Brotha’s don’t do cold. Texans don’t do cold. Texas brotha’s really don’t do cold. Now, let’s go.”

  ***

  Trying to scale the wooden privacy fence had proven nothing if not that To
m Steelman was in better shape than Danny had ever been. Once a Marine, always a Marine. His fingers had numbed quickly in the cold and his leg muscles were painfully tensed, making the climb about as difficult as the Tin Man climbing a frozen flag pole.

  When he finally managed to scale the obstacle, Steelman had already ventured to the opposite side of the yard, peered over the fence and returned just in time to greet Danny as he fell in a lump to the ground.

  “Could you be a little louder,” Steelman whispered. “I don’t think the neighbors are awake yet.”

  “Sorry, Chief.”

  “Move it, boy!” Steelman whispered, still possessing the authority of a veteran Drill Instructor or commanding officer.

  Without a word, a crouched Tom Steelman headed toward the opposite fence. Quick as a cat, he made his way across the yard, Danny lumbering in a similar crouch – albeit far less steady – to keep up.

  “Okay, are you going to be able to make it over this fence or do I need to give you a boost?” Steelman asked, half joking.

  “This one, I got,” Danny said, noting the cross planks providing a foothold that was missing on the outside edge surface.

  Chapter 41

  When Alex returned from the bathroom, he found Calloway standing next to the built-in book case adorning his living room wall. Despite the many books, photos, decorations and knickknacks, Calloway’s attention seemed drawn to one item. The flag given to his parents on the day they’d buried Alex’s brother, Ted. Folded in a perfect triangle, encased in a cherry-stained wooden case, behind a single pane of glass, the flag bore no sign detailing the identity of the deceased.

  Stepping into the living room, Alex sniffled as if his nose were running – it wasn’t – cleared his throat and approached Calloway in a manner one might approach a curious child in a museum.

  “My brother, Ted,” Alex said, when Calloway looked his way. “He died when I was a teenager. A senseless act of violence. And, no, they never found the killer.”

  “Kinda like my family,” Calloway said, almost choking on the words. Clearing his throat, he repeated the word “family”, perhaps to be certain Alex had understood him. Perhaps, Alex thought, maybe just to hear himself say it again.

  “Looks like we have something else in common eh?”

  “How do you do it?” Calloway asked. “How have you lived with the pain for so long and not wanted revenge?”

  “Derrick,” Alex whispered, leaning toward him, “I’m going to tell you something not many people know. The reason I became a cop was in the hopes of taking revenge on the person behind Ted’s death. I didn’t want to arrest him. I didn’t want justice. I wanted revenge. And I was determined to stop at nothing to get it. I was a teenager when it happened. Fifteen or sixteen. I don’t remember exactly. But, to be totally honest, I lived with that need for vengeance in my heart well over seven years before even being able to pin on a badge. Wasn’t long after I became a cop that revenge just lost its allure.”

  “What happened?”

  “Same thing that just happened to you, Derrick. I found God. Oh, it didn’t happen overnight. And I’d be lying if I said the thought never crosses my mind. That’s how I know what you can expect. Everything you once were is gone now. God’s forgiven you and washed you in the blood. But – and I speak from experience here – the memories that were in your flesh don’t get washed away so quickly. Some things go quicker than others.”

  “Who’s this?” Derrick Calloway asked, pointing to a picture frame on the shelf.

  “That? Well, that’s Alyson. Lisa’s cousin. She’s—Oh God! She’s at the hospital and I’m supposed to be there!” Alex growled at himself, reached for his cell phone.

  “Who are you calling?” Calloway asked, suddenly very nervous.

  “Derrick, I’m sorry. But I really have to go to the hospital to see Alyson. I was supposed to have been back hours ago.”

  “I see,” Calloway whispered.

  “Derrick, I’m sorry. I—”

  “It’s okay,” he answered. “I understand. Alex, I’m the one that’s sorry. If it hadn’t been for me, none of this would have happened.

  Offering an awkward smile, Alex sat in the nearby recliner, flipped open the cell phone, turned it on.

  As it loaded up, a succession of beeps told Alex he’d had numerous missed calls and several messages.

  Noting that only one of the calls were from Lisa, Alex opted to call Moe first.

  He picked up on the first ring.

  “Yeah, Moe. It’s Alex.”

  Chapter 42

  “See anything?” Janet asked.

  “You mean besides my own breath? No.”

  Crouched in front of the bushes, looking into Alex’s dining area, nothing and no one was visible. He should have been able to see the edge of Alex’s living room, but it provided no clue as to what might be going on.

  Silent, he motioned for Janet to follow him to the front door. The door itself was secured with a two deadbolts. It wasn’t an impossible obstacle by any means, but it would prove difficult, should a quick entrance be called for.

  “I know where Alex keeps the key,” Janet whispered, eliciting a worried look from Kellan. Pointing to a nearby flower pot, she leaned closer to him. “In there.”

  “If he’s in the living room, you really think he’s going to not hear the sound of two deadbolt locks?”

  Penitent, Janet stayed silent.

  Placing a finger to his lips, Kellan approached the front door. Careful to limit his sounds and his profile, even at night, Kellan placed an ear near the front door. When no sounds radiated through the closed door, Kellan looked toward Janet and, dejected, shook his head.

  A look from Janet asked the question to which he didn’t immediately have the answer.

  What now?

  ***

  Danny’s climb over the fence would, in no way, be called stealthy. A thin layer of ice gathered on the slats, causing him to lose his grip numerous times, so landing on the ground was a welcome conclusion to a clumsy feat. Though the chief had managed to scale the fence and land without alerting the dog, Danny’s thumping against the fence, grunting, cursing and the final thud with which he landed, while not loud enough to alert many people, did immediately alert Brandy Mendez of his presence.

  When he held out his hand, a quick sniff resulted in a welcoming slew of licks. Her furry black companion took a little more convincing but soon he, too, was convinced of Danny’s benign purpose.

  “So much for the guard dogs, eh?” Danny whispered, eliciting a soft chuckle from the chief.

  As they sat still, not a single sound broke the silence of the night. Not a cricket chirping, not a buzz buzzing. Not an electric transformer whirring. Even the wind, though blowing, seemed to be doing so in muted fashion.

  “Okay, so how are we going to get in?” Steelman asked. “Not like we can just break the glass in the patio door. I’m thinking they’ll hear that.”

  “Leave that to me,” Danny said, heading toward the door, Brandy padding obediently beside him.

  “How’d I know you were going to say that?”

  Chapter 43

  As much as he wanted to call her and let her know everything was okay, Alex decided not to call Lisa right then. When you get down to it, how would he explain inviting her cousin’s attacker and would-be killer into the house for a prayer meeting? He might explain it to her later.

  Returning to the living room from the kitchen, Alex handed Derrick Calloway a Dr. Pepper. He’d made tea earlier, but neither of them was in the mood for it. Instead, they both opted to seal their meeting over the beverage of choice in the Mendez household.

  “Thank you.”

  Alex nodded but said nothing. Sitting back down, Alex directed Calloway to his chair. As Calloway sat, Alex picked up his Bible again.

  “I’ve got one more thing I wanted to read to you, if you’re okay with that.”

  “I want it all,” Calloway said. “Read whatever you want.”
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  Alex opened his Bible. The heater kicked off, filling the room with silence. Outside, he heard Brandy barking.

  “Gremlins coming to get us,” Alex laughed, nudging his head toward the sound of the barking. Calloway smiled, but did not laugh.

  Clearing his throat, Alex looked back toward his Bible.

  “Okay, where was I?”

  ***

  Brandy’s barking was certain to alert Alex. Buddy seemed as a backup singer, occasionally chiming in as if emphasizing certain lyrics in Brandy’s twilight song. Bending down again, Danny patted her head.

  “Girl, you have known me since the day they brought you home. Now shush! Sit!” Danny whispered.

  Obedient to a fault, Brandy sat on the cold lawn, making a tiny indent in the gathering snow.

  “Okay, now,” Danny said, turning back toward the patio door. “Got it!”

  Sliding the door open, Danny turned around and winked at Chief Steelman.

  “You do that often?” Steelman asked, leaning forward so as not to be heard by anyone else.

  “Little trick my brother taught me,” he said, sliding the door open wide enough that he and Chief Steelman could enter.

  Entering Alex’s bedroom, Danny put a finger to his lips. In the dim light provided from the kitchen, Steelman’s eyes widened. Slow, careful, Danny made his way toward the hallway. Stumbling, Danny almost screamed. Catching himself on Alex’s dresser, Danny felt a hand on his arm. Steadying himself, he looked toward the hall. No shadows moved.

  Down the hallway, the kitchen crossed into the foyer which crossed into the living room. They could move down the hall in secret, but any approach beyond the kitchen would not be stealthy. Of course, if there was a need for an approach, there would be no need for stealth.

  Observe and report, Danny thought to himself. Well, maybe observe sans report.

  Stepping into the hallway, Danny trained his ears toward the living room. Each footstep was muted by the thick carpet. They would not be afforded such a luxury once they reached the edge of the kitchen.