Bridge Over Troubled Water

by Alfonso Vaughn

  "Why would he want to be freed from you?" asked Darryl. "He needs you. More than ever. You know you believe this."

  Darryl reached out for Ellie's hand. He was so close to her. She appeared amenable, and even edged closer to him. Closer, inches away. Then she stopped, stepped back, locked eyes with the railbird Jerry, and mouthed "I love you."

  Jerry couldn't even scream. Ellie's closing eyes had already accepted what was about to happen as she stepped off the pipe.

  Darryl dived for her. Both bodies disappeared under the blanket of fog. A deafening silence. Everyone on the bridge stood in a dumbfounded state. Jerry snapped out of it.

  "Ellie! Ellie! What the fuck have you done?!"

  The guards let him go. No one had the heart to stop him as he climbed the rail and jumped to where he hoped the pipe was. He landed on a solid surface and immediately got down on his knees to search through the fog.

  "Ellie, Ellie!"

  "I got her, Jerry. I need your help!"

  Jerry's head rose above the blanket of fog as he tried to follow Darryl's voice.

  "Where?"

  He felt all around with his hands, moving up the pipe as he did.

  "Where?"

  He kept searching. Searching. Then grabbed a hold of Darryl.

  "I've got you, I've got you," he said with relief.

  "You need to get her arm!" ordered Darryl.

  Jerry put more effort into it, reached down farther.

  From the bridge, nothing could be seen through the fog. Helms turned to two of his officers.

  "Get down there and help."

  The officers carefully descended, made sure their feet were securely on the pipe before letting go of the rail.

  "Where are you?" shouted one of them.

  "We got her," Jerry assured them. "We're coming up."

  He appeared through the fog, followed by Darryl. They put all their energy into dragging the trembling Ellie into view.

  The relief on the bridge was immediate. Jerry and Darryl dragged Ellie right up to the railing. They both held on to it while putting a protective arm out in front of Ellie.

  She slapped Jerry hard across the cheek.

  "I don't want to live!"

  He forced her into an embrace.

  "I'll always be with you. Always."

  Jerry let her go, and he and Darryl ushered Ellie to the two officers, who hauled her over the rail and into the custody of their colleagues.

  Ellie was then handed over to the paramedics, who brought her to the ambulance as Jerry and Darryl climbed over the rail. Once their feet were firmly set down on the main surface of the Golden Gate, Jerry threw his thankful arms around his colleague.

  "I owe you everything."

  "Still have to bring you in."

  "Wait until she leaves?"

  Darryl glanced at Ellie as the paramedics checked her out.

  "Okay."

  Helms strode over.

  "I've worked with you for over thirty years, and you pull this shit now."

  "I was trying to rescue my daughter."

  Helms shook his head.

  "I meant about Bill Allen. We have to bring you in."

  "You might not like what you hear."

  "Did you kill him?"

  "We'll work it all out down at the station."

  "Goddamn right we will."

  "What about Lindsay?"

  "We're negotiating with the French," barked Helms.

  Jerry laughed in spite of himself.

  "She moves fast, I'll give her that. After Deborah, it should have sunk in that I'm better suited to being alone."

  Helms reached for his cuffs.

  "You're probably right. Let's go."

  "Wait," Jerry said. "I want Darryl to bring me in. Just let me talk to Ellie first. You owe me that after all my years of service."

  Darryl nodded his agreement to Helms, who stormed off.

  "We'll be having a very long conversation at the station, Craig."

  "Don't we both know it, Captain."

  Helms waved the comment away as he got into his car.

  Jerry walked to the ambulance, waited for the paramedics to finish checking her over, and stepped in close to Ellie. Two psychiatrists approached, but stopped at a fair distance.

  "They're gonna put me back in the funny farm."

  Jerry shook his head.

  "That's not gonna happen. Your mom is taking you to the land of chocolate and cuckoo clocks. I've made the arrangements."

  "Why are they arresting you?"

  "Just a misunderstanding. Listen, what's important is your future. Promise me you won't give up until you're a part of Logan's life."

  "You mean 'we'?"

  "Just promise me."

  "I promise, Dad."

  Jerry kissed Ellie, stared deep into her eyes.

  "I love you so much. Give your mom a chance. It'll be better with her. Grow, Ellie. Grow."

  "I'll try."

  Jerry kissed her one last time before standing aside and letting the psychiatrists do their thing. He and Ellie sheepishly waved at each other as the ambulance's doors were closed. Seconds later, it disappeared into the distance. A tear ran down Jerry's cheek.

  The other emergency vehicles made their way to other situations; their tail lights faded in the distance. The fog was creeping over the pavement.

  It was just Jerry and Darryl, who waited by his car. They exchanged glances as Jerry made his way over, clapping his hands.

  "The hero. I knew you'd make a great apprentice. I have an eye for talent."

  "Don't try and sweet talk your way out of this."

  "How's marriage?"

  "A struggle."

  Jerry studied the fog, breathed in the air.

  "I love this city. 'Baghdad by the sea.' Although it isn't as fucked up as its namesake, it never lets you forget who you are."

  "And what is that?"

  "Me? What am I? I'm a father. A savior to some. A drinker. A gambler. And a selfish son-of-a-bitch."

  "But Ellie--"

  "She had no support. I was the city's when I should have been hers."

  "You've saved dozens of lives. Made a real difference."

  "Did I? All my time and effort went into my vices. I've been more concerned about a horse than my daughter. How fucking pathetic is that? I didn't know how to be a father when it mattered, because I drank and gambled my life away. I can't live with that. At least the goddamn nag has started to win."

  At the Fields racetrack, Slim Genie tried her hardest to move up the field. Although she was in perfect stride, a loose piece of turf caused her to lose her footing, and she awkwardly collapsed onto the track. Neither she nor the jockey moved. A hush fell over the crowd.

  In the trainers' area, Buzz, obviously shaken, stood over Slim Genie, who was lying on her side. The vet shook his head, took out a needle and injected her. Within seconds, Slim Genie breathed her last. A blanket was draped over the body.

  Darryl listened as Jerry shook his head in disgust.

  "I'm a real scumbag."

  "Okay, let's go," said Darryl. "Helms will be waiting."

  "Promise me one thing."

  "Sure."

  "Look after Ellie. If she and her mom aren't getting along and she wants to come home, will you help her out?"

  "You'll have contact with her."

  Jerry looked off into the distance, inhaled.

  "With me in jail? No, she needs a new start. I can only stifle her future. So will you help her, or not?"

  "You know I'd do anything I could to help her."

  They locked eyes. The stern look on Jerry's face was not for negotiating with.

  "Walk, Darryl. Walk."

  "Walk where? Are you crazy? I have to bring you in!"

  Jerry glanced at the rail.

  "I'm not gonna be a caged animal. And I'm not--"

  "What about Ellie?"

  "
I've weighed up the advantages against the disadvantages. Guess what? The advantages outweigh the disadvantages."

  "Goddamn it, you're not thinking right."

  "We both know you're not gonna convince me otherwise."

  "Please, Jerry; let me bring you in, get you some rest. Give you a night to think things through. You need it. You're not thinking straight!"

  "You're gonna have to call the shots now. Be number one. And you can handle it. You're a much better person than me."

  "You can't do this! I can't let you do this!"

  "Yes, you can. You'll think of something to tell them."

  "Listen, you sick bastard, I can't just let you give in."

  "Remember what I told you? Once someone has made up their mind, nothing else matters."

  Darryl's head shook in disbelief, his mouth agape. The words were lost.

  "Do it. Walk away, Darryl."

  "So what, I just turn and walk? After everything we've been through?"

  "You just turn and walk."

  "I don't know what to say."

  "That you promise to look in on Ellie."

  Darryl nodded.

  "Now go. Go."

  The two men stared at each other. Darryl was about to walk, when he stopped.

  "I need to ask one more thing, Jerry."

  "What's that?"

  "Should the boys at the station be looking for Bill Allen's murderer?"

  Jerry smirked.

  "Me first: you and Ming in the bedroom?"

  Darryl had to laugh.

  "Ming."

  "Wow. Give Helms a hundred dollars for me."

  "Sure."

  Darryl expected an answer to his question, and Jerry knew he deserved one.

  "I don't think our colleagues should waste too much effort trying to find the killer..."

  "I don't believe it."

  "Let's just say it wasn't first degree. More like manslaughter...but then, what difference does it make? Dead is dead, right? Now go. Let me find my peace."

  A brief period of silence, then an exchange of nods, and Darryl finally walked away.

  Tears formed in his eyes as he paced alone on the Golden Gate. The fog was now knee-high, layering everything in a brilliant white. He stared straight ahead as he kept walking.

  Jerry made it to the rail, stared over the fog, and breathed in the cool, damp atmosphere.

  The whole environment was tranquil...

  Peaceful.

  Surreal.

  Interrupted by the splash...

  Darryl stopped, wanted to go back, but fought it and moved on. He continued walking past his car, in need of some fresh air.

  The bay's waters were still murky, perfect for the sea lions in their pursuit of fish.