Susan nodded and put out her hand.
“Nice to meet you, and please call me Sue.”
Rachelle smiled and hugged Anthony Powers again, saying, “I'm sorry.” She walked away without saying anything to Paul.
“Well,” Paul said, “nothing like first impressions. I think I need a drink.”
“Son,” his father said, “I think you need more than that.” There was a young boy who could be heard two tables away saying, “Just when it was getting good!”
“Shhh,” his mother said.
Rachelle was now on the other side of the restaurant and was shaking her head. She felt like such a fool that she did not go to the other side to check on the patrons until Paul, his father, and Susan left. Joey Z would have had a stroke if he had known about the episode. Deborah had invited Rachelle to spend the week before Christmas with her and her father in Belle Terre with the dogs because she did not want her best friend to wake up alone during the holidays. It was at this minute that Rachelle decided to take her up on it. She sent her a text that she would be over later that evening and would be staying until the 26th.
Even though the Pink Mansion was only five minutes away from Rachelle's house on Prospect Street, it was a world apart, and Rachelle needed the hideaway. She got to the house at 10:00 pm and Deborah was waiting for her with blankets and hot chocolate to watch TV by the fireplace.
“I can't watch TV tonight,” Rachelle said as she began to tell Deborah what happened in the restaurant.
Deborah tried to keep from laughing as Rachelle explained to her what transpired in the restaurant. “Listen,” Deborah said. “You'll feel better after watching your favorite, Suze Orman.”
“No,” Rachelle said “I just want to go to bed.”
Deborah grabbed her shoulders. “Rachelle, you are going to watch Suze Orman with me.”
Rachelle was startled by her insistence. “OK, gee whiz, OK.” They snuggled under the blankets as Deborah's father, William Lance, kissed them good night. Rachelle wasn't sure about Deborah's insistence on watching the show because it appeared they were having conversation through most of the show. Finally, Deborah said, “Shhh, this is my favorite part.” She made the television louder.
Suze Orman began to speak. “Tonight I'm going to end my show differently. I've been asked to do this before, but I had refused until I got this particular note. I made a phone call to the person who seemed to have connections to get this in my hands and to verify the information.”
Orman continued, “Dear Rachelle. . .”
Deborah looked at her friend as she sat up when she heard her name being spoken by Suze Orman.
“There are so many things I need to say to you, yet for reasons I understand, you have been hesitant. My life has been filled with so much good and so much bad that all I could think about was how I would feel if this happened or that happened. My judgment about you or us did not have clarity because of my lack of confidence in you believing in me. My insecurities have made my personal life something that means nothing if you are not part of it. I miss you, and everything you are, whether funny or sad, angry or happy. You told me once, quote, ‘I believe in you.' You believed in me more than anyone, and yet I believe I let you down.”
Rachelle had tears in her eyes as Deborah held her hand while Suze Orman continued to read.
“I let you down because I was so busy worrying about how I would be if something happened to you that I was willing to experience the journey without you. There would be no journey worth it if it was not shared with you. Therefore, Rachelle Robinson, I am asking you to share the journey with me, to believe in me again, and to marry me and be my wife and be the mother of my children. I promise to give you everything I have to show you how much you mean to me. I promise to be there and always be by your side when you need me. I promise to be a better man. I promise to make you believe in me again. Love Always, Paul.”
Suze Orman put the letter down, looked at the camera, and spoke. “If that isn't romantic, I don't know what is.” Then she signed off with her famous sign-off, “People first, money second, things third.”
Rachelle put her hands in front of her face and cried as Deborah held her.
“Why are you crying?” Deborah asked as she held her tightly.
Rachelle looked at her as she spoke. “I made an ass of myself at Z Pita tonight. He must have made this arrangement a week ago.”
“It was three weeks ago,” Deborah said. “You wouldn't let him speak to you, so he went this route. Thank God my father has connections.”
Rachelle put her head on Deborah's shoulder as tears flowed from her as well. She ran her fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head. She let a minute of silence go by before she spoke to Rachelle. “Well? What are you going to say?”
There was silence as Deborah leaned her head forward. Rachelle was sleeping. It was the first time since the breakup that she has seen Rachelle fall asleep so fast. She sent Bud a text asking him if he had seen the show, to which he replied Yes.
He also sent a text to Paul that read, I’m proud of you, Detective Powers. His message was answered, Thanks, Detective Johnson. Sleep tight with the ghosts tonight. Bud smiled as he put the phone down and said to himself, “The ghost can kiss my ass tonight; it's a great night.”
DECEMBER 18
It was 8:00 pm the next night when Paul got out of his vehicle and started to go up the stairs to his apartment. He reached the fourth step when the door behind him was opened by someone who had a key. He turned around and it was Rachelle. She shut the door and leaned against it with her arms folded. Paul stood on the fourth step, not sure what to do or say, but the silence was getting awkward.
Finally Rachelle spoke. “Thank you for the romantic proposal.” The detective was a little taken aback by her words but let her continue. “I need to know where you were these past six weeks and what you were doing.”
Paul started walking down toward the bottom of the stairs as he replied, “I was sent on a confidential assignment to track down Barbara Sherman. Then I took time to spend with my father and his fiancée in Florida.” He let out a half smile as he tried to continue, “You know the woman you confronted in the . . .”
Rachelle held out her hand and interrupted him, “Yes, I know who she is.” She turned her head, looking for more to say, and finally said, “Did you get done with what you had to?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Did you hurt anyone?”
“I'm a cop, Rachelle.”
“Did you abuse your authority?”
“What's this about, Rachelle?”
“I want to know for sure what kind of man you are.”
“I will do anything to protect what I love.”
“That was my sister as well; she is in jail. Am I going to lose you also because you would do anything?”
“No,” he replied. “No,” he repeated to himself.
“Did you sleep with anyone during the past six weeks?” He moved closer to her as he replied with a half smile, “Rachelle, I . . .”
She interrupted him again, “What are you smiling about? I need to know if you would ever betray me. Did you sleep with anyone while you were away from me?” She continued to stare at him, looking for his answer.
He slowly shook his head side to side as he tried to touch her, but she moved her arms to avoid contact.
“I would never betray you, Rachelle,” he answered.
She had learned from a detective, so she pushed further. “So the answer is ‘No'?”
“No,” he replied. “I didn't sleep with anyone.”
Rachelle was satisfied but not yet ready to forgive. She smiled and spoke. “I will see you soon.”
She opened the door and shut it behind her as Paul stood there and realized she never accepted his proposal. The dampness in the back of his head was start
ing again, which was a sign he needed to get upstairs and calm himself down. He didn't understand what had just happened, but he was depressed she didn't fall into his arms. The past two years had made Rachelle a stronger woman. She was, after all, the centerpiece of the Face of Fear. From the original notes of, who do you love? It was about her, Madison's actions, his indecisiveness, and the repercussions of her writings to draw out the kidnappers, to the attempts on her life. He sat down on the bed and recalled the night both he and Bud arrested Madison and took her to the precinct. When they got there, he asked Bud for a couple minutes alone with her. The conversation was imprinted in his mind forever.
“Why, Madison?” as he stared at her crying in the backseat of the car.
“Why?” he asked.
She answered, “You tell me, Paul,” through her cries. “Who do you love?” It was obvious the answer to the question was Rachelle. Everything she had done was out of love for her sister, and he was doing the same for the woman he loved. It seemed to always come back to Rachelle. He wanted to call her back and go downstairs, but he decided to take a shower instead.
Things were suddenly becoming very clear as to what was truly important. It was another forty minutes when Paul walked down the back stairs, cut through the alley to Main Street in the village, and took a walk in the cool, brisk air. Paul passed Starbucks on the corner of Main and Arden and continued past the Gap, Pindar Wine, and Kimi Japanese restaurant. He stopped at Tommy's Place, which had been Timothy's Bar and Grill during the Face of Fear Investigation. He started walking again past Vincenzo's Pizza and came to the famous corner where people still look at the ladder going up to the roof of what was now called the Frigate. Even the Ocean City Café was now called the Steam Room.
Life goes on, he thought as he turned right on East Broadway. He looked at the cars coming off the ferry and was happy to see K-9 dogs waiting to check cars before boarding to go back to Connecticut. He walked to the dock at Danfords and remembered how much he enjoyed holding Rachelle's hand as they looked at the names of the boats in the marina. It was always his most favorite thing to do when it came to walking the marina dock at Danfords. Reel Therapy, Luna Sea, and Irish Wake were his favorites in tonight's walk, but the one that made him laugh was Broke but Afloat.
He left the dock to cross the street to the Fifth Season restaurant parking lot and went by the back of what once was Best Bargain Bookstore to Trader Cove's parking lot to get back to his apartment. The one constant that did not change in this beautiful village was the parking space problem. No one seemed to know what the answer was, but it was a detriment when Paul wanted to have dinner with friends who needed a vehicle. The walk was just what he needed to clear his head.
DECEMBER 23
It had been almost a week since Paul spoke to Rachelle in the stairway, and he had not heard from her. He was confused that she did not accept or decline his proposal. He drove out to the Riverhead Correctional Facility, where Lynagh, Healey, and Baker were undercover to get a final report before pulling them off the assignment. He and ADA Ashley met with them in a secure room for an hour.
Baker handed over fourteen names of doctors who were given to her as accepting cash for samples of oxycodone and Vicodin or prescriptions for them. There was more. Gary Reynolds was given the name of a prominent male doctor from the Hamptons. Reynolds was given the name by over half a dozen inmates. ADA Ashley looked the list up and down as Paul asked many questions of Ellyn Baker and Gary Reynolds. By the time they were finished Paul looked at ADA Ashley and suggested it might not be a bad idea to have more undercover reporters and/or cops serve time in jails. Ashley didn't reply, but he nodded in agreement that it may need to be looked at seriously. Not only did he have fifteen names of doctors breaking the law, there was a problem with young girls aged sixteen to seventeen who were in the same cells as adult women. The overcrowding had become such an issue that Ellyn Baker was almost in tears recanting stories of possible abuse to these young girls who were afraid to talk.
“Why did they talk to you?” Ashley asked.
“They didn't have to,” Baker replied. “Remember I've been here for the past three weeks. We are not helping anyone by crowding minors in a large cellblock with women of all ages.
Yes, some women are protective, but many in here are too strong physically to fight. If this is the case in jail, what the hell is going on in the prisons?”
Powers looked over at Ashley. “We should have a meeting with DA Steinberg and Cronin. I agree with Ellyn, we need to do more than investigate these doctors.” He looked over at Lynagh and Healey, who had been standing by the door dressed in their correctional officer uniforms.
“Anything to add to this?” They both nodded as Lynagh spoke. “The staff here has been very helpful, and no problems.”
Powers nodded and looked back at Ashley. “What would you like to do?”
Ashley responded quickly, “We will try and get a warrant for the records of the prescriptions based on this undercover assignment. If we get it, I'll send auditors in and have them crawl up their asses with their own stethoscope. Prescriptions, samples coming in and out, plus we will match up the names and see how many inmates we have in here that received prescriptions from the names of doctors we have on the list. We will go from there.”
Powers nodded and looked back at Reynolds and Baker. “Gary, I want to thank you for not only being here for the past three weeks but for the past fourteen months at Bedford Hills. It was a crucial part of saving lives.” He looked at Baker and smiled. “Take Christmas Eve and Christmas off, both of you are leaving today. Thanks very much.” He touched Ellyn's hands and she felt a rush go through her. Stop, she kept thinking, stop, and get control of yourself.
Paul looked over at Lynagh and Healey. “This is your last day here as well. Finish out the day and be ready to accompany Ashley to some of our favorite doctors on the 26th.” They both nodded as Powers and Ashley left the room and asked to take a tour of the women's cellblock section. They walked through and saw what Detective Baker had informed them of. There were at least half a dozen girls under the age of eighteen in the same cellblock. One of them looked even younger, but Ashley was assured she was sixteen but just looked younger.
Powers shook his head.
“I thought the reason Yaphank jail was built was to stop this shit.”
“Yes,” Ashley said, “it was the reason, but apparently it's not the answer.”
“Well,” Paul replied, “we better find it fast.”
Ashley and Paul went their separate ways as the detective sergeant drove home alone. He suddenly found himself getting depressed. He was alone, he missed Rachelle, and he missed the dogs. Most of all he was depressed he did not get a reply from his proposal. In some ways he could not blame her, but he thought he would have heard from her even if it was a no. His thoughts were interrupted with a phone call from Bud, who invited him to have dinner with him at the restaurant. “8:00 pm, OK?” Bud asked.
“Great,” Paul answered, “I need to vent anyway.”
Bud laughed, “That's what a partner does. No problem.”
He met Bud, who was waiting for him on the front side of the restaurant where the TVs are on the wall. Usually, Paul would be at table three, but there was a couple already there. Paul looked around and was hoping Rachelle would be there, but she was not. Bud sat across from Paul and had him laughing within minutes. Paul could hardly keep down his food when Bud told him the jail in Yaphank had to clear out a section because Kevin Sysco had a serious intestinal problem and the attorneys and public defender were able to convince the judge it was inhumane and cruel punishment to have the other inmates around him. Paul was laughing so hard he thought he was going to pass out.
“I love you, man,” he said as he looked at Bud. His partner nodded and looked at his watch and nodded for Joey Z to make the Fox News channel a little louder.
While the restauran
t was quiet, Bud wanted Paul to see the Hannity program. Tonight it was Monica Crowley, Paul's favorite, subbing for Sean Hannity.
“Tonight,” Monica Crowley said, “I'm honored to do something very, very different. This is for you, Paul Powers.” The detective looked up startled at Monica Crowley saying his name on television.
“People have found so many ways to propose, but I'm here to say to you that I am honored to accept your proposal on behalf of Rachelle Robinson for marriage. In her words:
‘Dear Paul,
I accept your proposal and your promise. I too promise to always love you, be there for you, but most of all to always believe in you. I accept whatever life brings as long as you keep your promise. With much love, Rachelle.'”
Monica Crowley folded up the paper, looked at the screen, and said, “I don't know how to follow that up, but we'll be right back.” Her trademark smile faded out as Bud grabbed his partner's hand while Joey Z stood about five feet back with a huge smile on his face.
“I need to see her,” Paul said.
Bud smiled. “She's upstairs waiting for you, my partner.”
Paul tapped Bud's hand and ran out the backdoor, which Joey Z normally didn't like, but he made an exception this time.
Bud looked at Joey Z and said, “Well, I guess the Budster did it again.” He looked around at the dirty dishes and spoke again. “I guess I'm stuck with the check.” Joey Z laughed as he handed Bud the tab for the meal. “One thing about you, Joey Z,” Bud said, “you never forget the check.”
Joey Z always had a comeback. “Yes, my friend, but I don't have your life. I'm just a sixty-two year-old man trying to make a living.” He walked away with a smile and spoke again. “Hey, Brett! Don't charge Bud for the Pita bread.” Bud just shook his head as he laughed.
CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24
1:00 PM
You couldn't have asked for a better Christmas Eve. It was lightly snowing and about twenty-nine degrees. Deborah had asked Bud to spend Christmas Eve with her and her dad as well as close friends of theirs that had made a tradition of going over to the mansion. Bud was uncomfortable intruding on their tradition and instead he asked her to come over later and stay the night with him. While she was now twenty-eight and wanted to be with him, she was struggling with telling her father she would be with Bud for the night, especially on Christmas Eve.
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