Black Forest, Denver Cereal Volume 5

by Claudia Hall Christian

  “Don’t worry, honey,” Seth said. “I know how to deal with your step-father. If it’s best for the baby to give him up for adoption then that’s what will happen. Only you know what’s best for your baby.”

  “That’s what Sandy said,” Lizzie said. “What are you going to do?”

  “Don’t worry,” Seth said. “I’m proud of you for even considering it, Lizzie.”

  “I get to pick the family, if I want to,” Lizzie said. “And I can have an open adoption. That’s where I can be involved if I want. It’s just that…”

  “What?” Seth asked.

  “I don’t think the baby will ever get a fair shake in life if I’m around,” Lizzie said.

  “Why would that be?” Seth asked.

  “Because,” Lizzie said. “His father is my father or my step-father and…”

  Lizzie began to cry.

  “It’s okay,” Seth said. “You’re already doing the right things. I’m proud of you for thinking of what’s best for your baby.”

  “I want to rub it in their face, you know,” Lizzie said. “But I see Rachel and how little she is and how precious she is and… A baby is a person. A person shouldn’t be rubbed in someone’s face.”

  “You’re right,” Seth said.

  “Oh, so I told Ava’s sister that Ava lives here.” Lizzie switched the subject to try to gain some control over her emotions. “She said something snide about Sandy and how this was a half-way house or something. I told her that Sandy was my sister and she should shut up. After she stalked through the place, she left. She said she works for the DA. She told me to tell Ava to call her ASAP. That’s what she said, like it’s a word, a-sap. Who says that? Weirdo.”

  “Sounds like you did a good job,” Seth said.

  “I really like Ava, Dad,” Lizzie said. “But…”

  Lizzie dissolved into tears.

  “What?”

  “I mean, she’s twenty-three,” Lizzie said.

  “And?”

  “I’m twenty-two,” Lizzie said.

  “And?”

  “Do you want to have sex with me too?” Lizzie asked.

  “No, honey,” Seth said. “It’s not like that.”

  “What’s it like then?”

  “I don’t see people as their age or education or what schools they went to or where they come from or how much money they have…”

  “All that stuff that matters to Mom,” Lizzie said.

  “I guess so,” Seth said. “I see people as a whole – soul in body, God’s light in human form. It doesn’t matter to me whether Ava’s young or old. Does that make sense?”

  “That’s what you always say,” Lizzie said. “It’s just that…”

  “This is a confusing time for you. To me, souls call each other and the relationship we choose is a sacred bond. I love you Lizzie but I could never make love to you,” Seth said. “Is there a way I can help?”

  “Can I come over today?” Lizzie asked.

  “I have to work this afternoon,” Seth said. “Why don’t you come over for breakfast?”

  “Maresol has Sunday’s off,” Lizzie said.

  “I can…”

  “No you can’t and don’t you dare ask Ava,” Lizzie laughed. “Let’s go out.”

  “All right,” Seth said. “Ava and I will meet you…”

  “Watercourse,” Lizzie said. “It’s across the street and Ava can see her new sort of house. Do you think she would be my friend?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Seth said. “Should I ask her?”

  “No, that’s all right,” Lizzie said.

  “See you in an hour,” Seth said.

  “Ok Dad,” Lizzie said. “Oh, I forgot to tell you.”

  “What?”

  “I introduced myself as Elizabethe Barth,” Lizzie laughed. “My alter ego. That woman was so nasty I figured she didn’t deserve to know my real name.”

  “Good thinking,” Seth said. “Bye honey.”

  “Bye bye Daddy,” Lizzie said.

  Seth set the phone down on the table. Rolling onto his side, he looked at Ava. She was lying on her side looking at him. He saw renegade tears seeping from her eyes.

  “Who did you call honey?” Ava’s croaking whisper of a voice tore at his heart.

  “That was Lizzie,” Seth said. “She wants to give her baby up for adoption but her step-father won’t have it. She and Sandy went to talk to Catholic Charities yesterday. Sounds like I’m going to be talking to the step-father tomorrow.”

  Ava nodded.

  “Your older sister went to the apartment this morning,” Seth said. “The DAs office is on alert for this Saint Jude thing. Everyone, from the DA to the secretaries, is working around the clock to get through all the evidence. They’ll need to be on their game when they get a chance to interview Saint Jude. Your sister must have stopped by on her way into the office.”

  “Why?” Ava asked.

  “She wanted to see where you were,” Seth stroked Ava’s shoulder. “They do care for you.”

  Ava sighed.

  “Your sister wants you to call her,” Seth said.

  “Control me,” Ava croaked. “That’s what she wants.”

  Seth put his finger over her lips.

  “Save your voice,” he said.

  She nodded.

  “Lizzie wants to have breakfast at Watercourse,” Seth said. “Are you up for that? You can see the apartment after breakfast.”

  Ava nodded.

  “I have to meet with Homeland at noon,” Seth said. “It will probably take all afternoon and maybe more. We’re meeting to finish a map to find Saint Jude. Would you like to come?”

  Ava shook her head.

  “What would you like?” Seth asked.

  Ava threw herself at him. He held her at bay.

  “We can stop at any time, any time,” Seth said. “Give the signal and we stop.”

  “Signal?”

  He tapped the bed.

  “It is wrestling after all,” he said. “Try it.”

  She tapped the bed. As it if it was their first time, they began carefully, slowly, respectfully and ended in a fervent explosion of joy.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday mid-day — 11:05 A.M

  Valerie sat on the main living room couch waiting for Delphie. Delphie, Charlie, Mike, and Jacob were leaving for the Federal Building the moment Mike and Charlie returned from Mass.

  Valerie was going with them. Her mind was made up. She steeled herself for their complaints and arguments. Those psychics were used to pushing her aside all of her life with their ‘you don’t have any powers’ talk. If she’d learned anything from Katy, it was that she, Valerie, was more powerful than anyone thought. Her hand went to the growing baby girl in her belly. Together, she and the baby were going to find this Saint Jude.

  “Are you ready to go?” Delphie asked as she came in from the garden.

  Surprised, Valerie turned to look at Delphie.

  “I need to shower.” Delphie jogged up the stairs to the apartment she and Sam were sharing.

  Certain Delphie’s attitude was a trick, Valerie crossed her arms.

  “What’s with you?” Jacob asked as he came into the living room from the kitchen.

  “I’m going with you,” Valerie said.

  Jacob opened his mouth to speak.

  “Before you say anything,” Valerie stood up to make her point. “You need me. I mean think about it. Noelle, Nash and Katy made that light. Who has the combination of Noelle and Nash and Katy’s capacities? You? I don’t think so.”

  Jacob opened his mouth to speak again.

  “I do, that’s who,” Valerie said. “If Delphie and I work together, I bet we can find where the turd is holding up. But you need me. You can’t do it yourself. Can you?”

  On cue, Jacob opened his mouth.

  “No, that’s right,” Valerie said. “You can’t. If you could, you already would have. And Katy can’t do it by herself. Noelle, Nash and Katy just made
a light. That will be important when we go to get the asshole but you have to find him first. That’s where I come in. You need me.”

  Mike came in through the door from the driveway.

  “Charlie’s in the car,” Mike said.

  “And don’t you tell me I shouldn’t go,” Valerie said. “If anyone should go, it should be me. And I’m not working right now. I won’t overtax myself or hurt the baby. The baby and I want to do this because who knows? This guy could have been looking for us all along. I have the DNA. The baby has the DNA. The guy takes people with our DNA and tests them against that horrible creature that only Jake can fight. And I’ll give you that. Only Jake can fight that thing. Well, and the dragon, but you’re not a dragon and I’m not a dragon and…”

  Valerie took a deep breath and Jacob opened his mouth to speak.

  “Don’t you argue with me, Jacob Marlowe. You know I’m right,” Valerie said. “Plus Mom always, always, always said, ‘Valerie you’re…’”

  “The brightest light in this world,” Jacob and Valerie said in unison.

  “Right,” Valerie said. “Oh good, there’s Delphie.”

  Picking up her Dior handbag, Valerie walked toward the door. She kissed Mike ‘hello’. He helped her with her coat and she went out to the driveway.

  “What was that?” Mike asked.

  “Valerie’s going with us,” Jacob laughed.

  “I thought we already decided we needed her,” Mike said.

  He nodded to Delphie.

  “Did you tell her?” Delphie asked.

  Mike and Jacob shook their heads. Scowling, Delphie flicked them on the forehead.

  “Ow,” Mike said.

  “You were supposed to tell her,” Delphie said.

  “She figured it out,” Jacob rubbed his forehead.

  “Are you coming?” Valerie yelled from the driveway.

  Delphie and Mike trotted out the door leaving Jacob to lock it.

  “Brightest and bossiest light in the world,” Jacob muttered.

  “I heard that!” Valerie yelled from the back seat of Mike’s SUV.

  Laughing, he joined Valerie in the back seat.

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY-FOUR

  Reveal

  Sunday mid-day — 11:20 A.M

  Seth pulled into the no-parking zone in front of the busy Children’s Museum parking lot. Parents were dropping their children off in front of him. Seth stuck his Denver Police Department card in the window of his blue sedan and got out. Over the general mayhem of children and parents, he raised a hand in greeting to the DPD officer. He stopped short to avoid running over a jubilant three year old trailing her father.

  “Need some help, sir?” the officer asked.

  “Just looking for someone,” Seth said.

  “You need anything, Detective O’Malley, you let me know,” the officer said.

  “How often do you work here?” Seth asked.

  “Couple of days a week,” the officer said. “Puts diapers on the baby.”

  “Ever see an old guy, homeless? Shaggy grey hair. Black eyes. Looks like he should smell but his clothing is clean.”

  “Lives over there?” The officer pointed toward some bushes near the river.

  “Yeah, has a camp just off the river over there,” Seth said.

  “Guy looks like a crazy or a drunk but if you talk to him he’s sharp, sharper than I am,” the officer said. “Told me once he lived out because he always wanted to be Huck Finn as a kid.”

  “Mike,” Seth said.

  “Tunnel Rat Mike,” the officer said. “Well, that’s what it says over there.”

  “Where?”

  “His memorial,” the officer said. “Sorry Detective, the guy expired last summer.”

  His fear confirmed Seth let out a breath.

  “Want me to show you the memorial?” the officer asked.

  “I don’t want to get you in trouble,” Seth said. “A good side job is hard to find.”

  “Ain’t that the truth?” the officer said. “It’s over there.”

  Seth’s eyes followed the man’s arm to the bushes next to the river.

  “Where his old camp was?” Seth asked.

  “Not exactly,” the officer said. “This is more on the walkway so people can see it and leave their respects. Someone leaves a half empty beer there every week or so.”

  “Grolsch?”

  “Flip top,” the officer nodded.

  “His favorite beer,” Seth said.

  “Sorry man, was he a friend?”

  “Old friend,” Seth said. “Thanks for your help. I’ll go look.”

  Seth moved across the sidewalk toward the South Platte River. He swerved around excited children and their parents. Walking to the edge of the cement, he took the dirt ramp down to the path along the river. Reviewing what the officer said, Seth shook his head. Huck Finn, indeed.

  Seth looked back to see if anyone could see him. Lower than the Museum complex above, Seth was well covered.

  “Out of the way!” a male voice yelled.

  Seth jumped out of the path of a racing cyclist. He waited a moment until the biker disappeared down the path and stepped into the brush. The warm summer day retreated into the cool shadow of the bushes and the river. He moved along the edge of the river until he found the spot that Tunnel Rat Mike loved.

  Stepping through a thin gap in the brush, he entered a small clearing. As his eyes adjusted to the deep cool shadow, he bent down to what remained of Mike’s possessions – a tightly rolled sleeping bag and an airtight steel munitions container. Looking up, his heart stood still.

  A cheap Saint Jude medallion on a steel chain hung from a broken tree limb. Overwhelmed, Seth closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for his friend. Blowing out a breath, Seth controlled his sorrow. This scene was set up for Seth. Saint Jude would have known he’d come looking for Tunnel Rat Mike. Seth smirked. But Saint Jude did not really know Tunnel Rat Mike.

  The munitions container had to be booby trapped. The sleeping bag too. Seth looked toward the path and back to the water. Climbing out of the hollow, he walked back to the Museum parking lot to find the officer.

  “I need some help,” Seth said. “Can you get a couple of uniforms down here?”

  “Detective O’Malley requests back up at the Children’s Museum. I repeat; Detective O’Malley requests back up.” The officer called in. Turning to Seth, he said, “That’ll bring them.”

  Four police cruisers wailed into the Children’s Museum parking lot. The officers jumped from their vehicles and ran over to where Seth was standing.

  “I only need…”

  Police Cruisers continues to roll into the Children’s Museum parking lot.

  “We’re going to have a riot,” Seth said.

  The officer smiled. Seth raised his hand and the officers followed him to the trail. Seth set up four officers at one end of the path and four others at the other end of the path.

  “No one gets through,” Seth said. “Period.”

  He waved five officers to him. Standing on the ridge overlooking the dirt path, he set the men up in a tight line.

  “Sir, are we protecting you?” an officer asked.

  “You are covering my actions,” Seth said. “Remember at Sand Creek? He was watching. He’s here… somewhere… watching. I need you to create an effective cover.”

  “If he’s here, sir, why aren’t we going to get him?” the officer asked.

  “He’s not physically here,” Seth said. “And I don’t have time to wait for the electronic surveillance guys to find the camera.”

  “Yes sir,” the officer said.

  “The rest of you surround me,” Seth said.

  The remaining officers surrounded Seth in a tight circle. Under his command, the circle followed the railroad ties which held back dirt and created the path.

  “Stop,” Seth said.

  He nudged the officers in front of him out of the way.

  “I need a knife,” Seth sa
id.

  The officer standing next to him held out a Petzel Spatha knife. He opened the small knife with a 3 inch blade using one hand. Seth took the knife from the young man and stuck it in between the railroad ties. They heard a ‘click’ and a fourteen inch piece of railroad tie popped open. Seth tugged at the wood until a tidy compartment appeared. Putting on latex gloves, he reached into the compartment and pulled out an insulated metal box the size of a large cereal box. There was a metal lock on the top. He indicated for two of the officers to hold the box and took out his keys. Using a small key from his keychain, he opened the box and smiled.

  No, Saint Jude didn’t know Tunnel Rat Mike at all. Seth closed the box and the compartment.

  “I need to get this out of here,” Seth said. “Saint Jude will kill for the contents of this box. He’s already killed to keep it silent.”

  “I’ll take the box,” a tall officer near him said.

  “I’ll cover him,” his partner said.

  “Get it to my blue sedan,” Seth said. “I’m right behind you. Let’s go.”

  Running as a group, the men surrounded Seth. They collected officers as they passed. The officers reached the parking lot and got the box into the trunk of Seth’s sedan.

  “I’m late for a meeting with Homeland,” Seth turned to the officer moonlighting at the Museum. “Have you ever been to Tunnel Rat Mike’s lair?”

  The officer nodded.

  “Can you get CSU there?” Seth asked. “Saint Jude killed Tunnel Rat Mike and booby trapped the site. They need to be super careful.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” the officer said. “There are enough guys here. We’ll get it done. They’ll want to talk to you.”

  “Tell them to call me,” Seth said. “I’m on my way to the Federal Building.”

  Seth raised a hand to the troop of men who had showed up to help him. Turning on his siren, he turned out of the Museum parking lot. He was accelerating onto turning off of the Sixth Avenue Freeway onto Kipling when his phone rang.

  “O’Malley,” Seth said.

  “Are we going to get that box?” Ferg asked.

  “Do you work all the time?” Seth asked.