Houseboat

by Paul Shadinger

  “Not today, but I promise to return and tell you. I promise to tell you the whole story. Will that do?”

  Mouse turned his hands over and smiled, “Yes, you’ve never lied to me.” Mouse turned to me. “Did you know I saved Sakol’s life one time? When we were young?”

  I responded, “I know very little about Sakol. It wasn’t until a few hours ago that I thought he always spoke in his funny little way.”

  Mouse laughed so long and hard he had tears in his eyes. “Sakol loved to watch old Charlie Chan movies when he was a kid, and he thought it was great the way Chan talked. He also liked what a great detective he was. He practiced for hours to talk like that. By the time we were in junior high school, he had all the teachers fooled. They even tried to put him in special education classes because they thought he was a retard. The problem was he scored in the top percentile on all the tests they gave him.” Mouse laughed at his recollections.

  “The best thing about it all was the girls seemed to love the way he talked.” Until that moment, I’d never thought of Sakol as a sexual person. For some reason his accent seemed to preclude him having a sex drive. I know it doesn’t make sense, but that was how I thought about Sakol. I looked at Sakol, and he grinned for a moment.

  Sakol tuned back to Mouse, “Where’s Jersey? I need to see him and the sooner the better. It’s important and you know I’d never ask you for your help if it wasn’t necessary. True?”

  Mouse nodded, and I could see he was deep in thought before he responded. Finally he told Sakol, “Tell me when and where, and I’ll have him delivered to you.”

  Sakol gave Mouse an address, and asked if it was possible to have him delivered today. Mouse held his arms open with his hands facing outwards. “I will try my best. As always, I can make no promises. I’ll call you on your cell when I have him.”

  Sakol stood, signaling me it was time to go. He walked over to the diminutive man and wrapped him in his arms. They hugged each other for a long time. When Sakol released Mouse I heard him say, “I miss you little man. I really miss you. I wish we could see one another more.”

  Mouse nodded his head, “I understand. We all do what we have to. It was great to see you. Even if the circumstances weren’t what we would have chosen.” Mouse turned to me, “Matt, it was nice to meet you. Please give Sharon my best.” Again I was stunned, too surprised to make any comment regarding his comment that he knew Sharon.

  Sakol turned to leave the room and I followed. My mind was trying frantically to organize what I had just learned. It was going to take some time to sort through all of this and even longer for it to make any kind of sense.

  CHAPTER 34

  After we left Mouse’s, I found that I didn’t have the words to describe what we just left. Home doesn’t seem proper. Place of business doesn’t seem to accurately describe it either. Would it not be too bad of a pun to call it Mouse’s hole? I wondered for a second if I dared ask Sakol what he would call the place we just left.

  Sakol and I left the rundown area and headed for a coffee shop where we stopped and ordered breakfast. Both of us sat quietly in the booth; each of us lost in our own thoughts. Mine were split between what was going on with Hollis and Price and everything that entailed, and of course, Sharon. It was becoming evident to me she was a larger part of my life with each passing day, and I was pleased how much the idea excited me.

  Another part of my mind kept reviewing the short conversation I’d just witnessed with Mouse. I didn’t know exactly who the little man was, but his knowledge of what was happening in Seattle, and with me, was beyond frightening. I wondered how he knew about Walter and our relationship? And, I also didn’t want to forget to ask Sharon what she knew about the fascinating little man I had just met. Mouse acted as if they were old friends. That conversation was going to be a very interesting one.

  Finally, Sakol grunted, pushed away his empty plate and looked at me. “We go. Now,” he said and stood up. When I asked him where, he told me he wanted to return to the hospital. He wanted to see Jeff.

  As we rode towards our destination, I asked him to tell me about Mouse and the story about saving Sakol’s life. Sakol proceeded to tell me the story about the two of them growing up together. He told me when they were both six years old, Mouse’s family had moved in next to Sakol’s family, and because there weren’t any other kids on the block, the two of them started to play together. Over time they became best friends.

  Sakol reminisced, telling me stories about their antics during grade school and junior high. Sakol mentioned how several times he’d saved Mouse from various bullies. Finally, when the two of them were in junior high, both of them signed up for self-defense classes. Sakol looked over at me and grinned, “You might not know this to look at him, but Mouse holds several degrees in various martial arts disciplines. He keeps bodyguards around, but if it came down to it, he could save them faster than they would be able to save him.” Sakol laughed aloud at this remark and it was obvious from the warmth in Sakol’s voice as he told me the stories, he considered the diminutive man a very close and dear friend.

  I tried several times to get Sakol to tell me how Mouse had saved him, but he would carefully steer the conversation away from that subject and he never did tell me exactly what Mouse did. But Sakol did confide to me before we got to the hospital even though he was fairly positive he knew what Mouse did as a profession, it would be difficult to bust him.

  Finally as we drove up in front of the hospital, Sakol ended his story with, “Someday my supervisors will force me to make a decision. Someday I’ll have to either resign from the force, or arrest Mouse.” Sakol looked at me and shook his head, “I know this, and yet I’ve no idea what I’ll do when the time comes.” Sakol parked the car in silence and I remembered how he had dropped the Charlie Chan routine when he talked about his old friend.

  We were able to see Jeff L. and I was pleased to see how well he looked, considering what had happened. At one point he asked Sakol to leave the room. I was surprised. After we were alone, he looked at me and beckoned for me to come closer. Looking me in the eye, Jeff L.’s voice was almost a whisper as he said, “I know what you did last night. I knew you were with me and talking to me. Your words helped me a lot. You are a better friend that I was. I am sorry. You saved my life and I owe you.”

  I know there were tears in my eyes but I didn’t care. “Bullshit. You owe me nothing. You would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed. I’m glad I was there and I was able to help.”

  “But I was so nasty to you. If you had done what I told you to do, if you had gone home, I would be dead now. I am so sorry for the way I acted.”

  I was getting embarrassed now. I needed for this to stop. Besides, there were other problems that needed to be addressed. “Please, Jeff L.. I need for you to stop this. You’re safe and that is all that’s important. Sakol and I are working on the rest. And most of all, I need to get out of here before Frank finds me. Don’t know if you know this, but he thinks I could have prevented this. And I guess in a way I could have. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you about Price and Hollis. Anyway, I need to leave. Now!”

  Jeff L. lifted one hand a little and I took it in mine. I could see the tears in his eyes and his voice was still just a whisper. “Thanks for coming to see me. And thanks for last night. Somehow I will make it up to you. I promise.”

  I squeezed his hand gently, laid it back on his chest and with a smile on my face, I told him, “Fuck you. Just get better and don’t be such a turd when I call you next time.” As I left the room I could hear him chortling.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  I headed home and when I got there I found a note from Sharon. One of the nurses had called in sick and they were short staffed. She wrote she didn’t know when she would be back but she would call me when she had a chance. I took BJ out and watched her wander around the vacant lot.

  After I returne
d from the lot with BJ I was restless. There was nothing I could do except wait for Sakol to call. Sharon called and told me she was going to be really late and I assured her things were just fine. She told me she had looked in on Jeff L. and he was pestering the doctors to go home. His wife Dee and Sharon were trying to get him to see the wisdom of sticking around for a few days to make sure there were no complications. Finally Frank had stepped in and ordered Jeff L. to stay in the hospital and even more importantly, told him to shut up and deal with it. I laughed and we hung up.

  Around midnight I got the call from Sakol I had waited for all day. He gave me the address where we were to meet in about an hour. I told him I would see him there. I took BJ out for another outing and then we went down to the garage to get my truck and go meet Sakol. The address he gave me turned out to be his home and I parked my truck on the side of his garage. I rolled the window down a bit for BJ and noticed she was sacked out. Sakol and I got in his squad car and we were off to find Mouse.

  When we finally stopped it was in a remote area of North Seattle. We stayed in the car, waiting. After about a ten minute wait, a stretch limo came around the corner and stopped next to Sakol’s car. Two men who looked like ex-offensive football linemen got out of the limo, and stood. Considering Mouse’s size, I could understand why he’d want to surround himself with large, frightening looking men. It was simple, it was because they made great protection. However, I was aware of the truth and it was clear to me the bodyguards were more for show than for protection.

  Once the bodyguards were sure nobody was waiting to harm Mouse, they opened the back door. Mouse stepped from the back of the limo, his attire still impeccable—you would have never guessed it was the middle of the night. From the pocket square in his suit coat pocket to his highly polished shoes, he looked like something from an ad in Gentleman’s Quarterly.

  Sakol got out of the car and stepped over to Mouse. The little man looked up at Sakol, and, as he spoke, he sadly shook his head, “We seem to have a problem.” Mouse nodded at one of the bodyguards who stepped to the trunk of the limo. The key fob was lost in the giant’s hand. He pushed the proper button on the fob, and the trunk popped open. Mouse had moved to the end of the limo and pointed at the body curled up in the trunk, “Here he is; as promised.”

  We all stood looking into the trunk for a moment until finally Sakol asked, “This is Jersey?”

  Mouse nodded his head, “Yes, I am sorry. We found him too late.”

  “What happened?” Sakol responded.

  “We found him dead in his apartment. He had been shot twice in the back of the head, obviously an execution.”

  The five of us all stood for a moment looking at Jersey’s dead body tucked into the large trunk. It would seem Hollis was cleaning up loose ends. Finally, Mouse turned to Sakol, and asked, “What do you want me to do with him?”

  Sakol pondered the situation for a moment, “Well, I really wish you hadn’t disturbed the crime scene, but it’s too late now. How about you take him back to where you found him. When you’re finished, call me and give me the address and I’ll call it in.”

  Mouse nodded his head in understanding. “Will you still come and tell me what this is all about sometime?” Mouse asked.

  “It’s a promise.” Sakol paused for a moment, and continued, “Is there any way Hollis could know about you?”

  Mouse seemed surprised at Sakol’s question. “I don’t see how; it was Jersey who contacted Price, not me. I’d never heard about Price and Hollis until they got to town. Why do you ask?”

  “It would appear Hollis is making sure there’s nobody left to talk. I’d hate to see you swept up in this somehow.”

  Mouse smiled warmly at his old friend. “Thanks for caring, but I feel safe, at least for now.” Mouse extended his hand to Sakol, and they shook hands. Mouse looked at me and bowed his head. “I hope to see you again, Mr. Preston. Please come visit me any time.”

  I thanked Mouse for his generosity, but I knew in my heart there was no way I’d ever go back to the place Sakol had taken me to. Sakol and I got into his car, and we decided to find an all-night restaurant and have a cup of coffee.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  I was pondering the idea that lately Sakol and I were spending a lot time sitting in restaurant booths when Sakol’s cell phone went off in his pocket. He grunted into the phone. “You talk. I listen.” I heard buzzing on the other end of the phone, and then Sakol tuned to me, “Write down, please.” We were back to ‘Sakol the cop’. “8909 Freemont,” he said aloud. I wrote it on piece of paper I found in my pocket.

  Sakol spoke a few more words into his phone, thanked the person he was speaking to and then hung up. As he slid out of the booth Sakol told me, “We go. Come!”

  Once we were in his car, he reached down to the floor, picked up his blue light, and placed it on the roof. Sakol flipped on the siren, and we went careening out of the restaurant parking lot. As we sped down the deserted streets I asked Sakol who was at the address. He told me one of his detectives had found Green and the lawyer had provided an address for Bottomsley and for Dudley. Sakol finished up, “I just hope we’re there in time. I am afraid that Hollis may have already gotten there and silenced the two of them.”

  When we were about two blocks from our destination, Sakol reached over and turned off the siren and then pulled the light down off the roof. After he turned onto Freemont we drove slowly down the block looking at addresses. Once we were across from 8909, we parked on the street. Even though it was dark, I could see the front door of the house was standing wide open. When I pointed it out to Sakol he muttered, “Not good.”

  Sakol picked up the microphone off the dashboard and called in the address, explained what was happening and then requested backup.

  “Do we wait?” I asked.

  “You wait. I go,” he replied. Sakol looked at me and pointed his finger. “Alone!” he added.

  “But I want…” I never got the chance to complete my sentence.

  Before I could say any more, “You wait! I go! Alone.” This time he sounded slightly angry with me. “No argue. Understand?”

  I nodded my head. I wasn’t happy with this idea, but I knew better than to argue.

  Sakol quickly crossed the street, but before he stepped through the open front door, I saw him remove his pistol from the holster on his belt. It was just a few minutes before he returned to the car, but it seemed like hours. When he leaned over and looked into the car, even under the streetlights I noticed his normally tanned face was drawn and without color. I thought he didn’t look very good. Sakol continued to lean against the car taking deep breaths. Finally he told me, “Fat lady dead in kitchen, punk dead in bedroom; both shot in head, twice. Punk also had throat slashed.”

  It definitely appeared as if Hollis was cleaning up all the loose ends. I thought slitting Dudley’s throat had been Hollis’ way of paying him back because of what happened to Price. I pondered the gruesome question whether Hollis had slit Dudley’s throat first or shot him and then slit his throat. Any way you cut it, it showed a lot of hate stored up. And then, as I was sitting in the car, I began to wonder if perhaps I should start looking behind me.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  I spent a few hours during the day catching up on some sleep and it was now early evening. I found myself standing in the vacant lot with rain beating down on my head. As I was waiting for BJ to finish her business, I realized how close it was to Christmas. Bright colored lights sparkled on some of the houses surrounding the lot and I remembered I had done nothing to prepare for the holidays. I hadn’t even purchased a gift for Sharon. I promised myself that tomorrow I would rectify that situation.

  When Sakol sent me away after his gruesome discovery, before I even realized where I was, I’d driven from where the taxi had dropped me off to pick up my truck, then drove all the way home, parked the truck, came upstairs and released BJ, and
the frightening thing was I couldn’t remember any of it. My mind was still dealing with all the deaths Hollis had committed and in Jeff L.’s case, tried to commit. It disturbed me I was driving too often without realizing what I was doing. In my defense, there was a lot going on in my life.

  When Sakol had walked out of the house after he’d discovered Bottomsley and Dudley, his face had been ashen. I knew this wasn’t the first murder Sakol had investigated, but whatever he’d witnessed in the house had really left an impact. When I asked to go into the house, Sakol had told me I couldn’t due to the possibility of accidentally contaminating the scene. Sakol concluded, “Even if I could allow you to, trust me, you do not want to go in there.” Over the years, I’ve seen more than my share of dead bodies, and I guess Sakol was correct; I didn’t need to see two more. In addition, looking at Sakol, whatever else had happened in that house, I was fairly positive it wasn’t something I needed to see.

  I could also tell he wanted me gone as quickly as possible. There was the off chance Captain Frank might show because of this being a double murder and both of us were certain I was still on Frank’s shit list. The last thing he’d said to Sakol was he wanted my fat ass in jail. So we decided I needed to go, as quickly as possible. Sakol summoned a taxi for me. It whisked me away before anybody else arrived at the scene.

  I was still standing out in the vacant lot with BJ when my cell started to play its little song. It was Sakol, so I answered, “Sakol, what’s up?”

  “I still at murder. Two thing. Neighbor report dark blue car, like what police drive, and Frank been and went. Gotta go.” The cell phone was silent in my hand.

  My assumption was Sakol was describing the same Crown Vic I’d seen the night when Jeff L. was shot. To me, it was obvious the person driving the car was Hollis. I knew the car I saw that night when Jeff was hurt had been a dark color, and it was the same kind of Ford popular with police. If Bottomsley’s neighbor had said it looked like a police car, it sure seemed like I was correct. To me, this meant Hollis had shot and killed the nephew, and his aunt, as well as shooting Jeff. The problem for the police was a Ford Crown Vic isn’t that rare. Even though police liked the model, so did many other drivers. Stopping every dark blue Ford that looked like a cop car was asking the impossible. As much as I didn’t like it, it seemed like Hollis was reasonably safe for now.