Shot at Redemption

by Ken W. Smith

  “You deserve it, Chief,” McCoy said. “You saved our asses so many times on the battlefield. It’s the least we could do.”

  Gunny downed his mug, then asked, “What’s next, Jay? Where are you going? Have you thought about it?”

  “No. I figured I’d go back to Norfolk with you guys and take some time off to figure things out. You know, do a lot of fishing and scuba diving. Maybe go down to the Bahamas for a few weeks. I may even go back home and spend some time with my family. It’s been fourteen years since I left for boot camp.”

  “How about law enforcement?” Natalie said. “You could get a job with the FBI or Secret Service.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I haven’t thought about my options. I didn’t know I was going to beat the charges.”

  An attractive dark-haired waitress came over to the table. She gave McCoy a friendly smile, who blushed when she placed her hand on his shoulder, “Are you going to order any more food?”

  “How about cheeseburgers all around,” McCoy said. “And another round of beer. You’re welcome to join us.”

  “Maybe later when my shift is over, sweetie.”

  The night flew by. Jay and Natalie danced to fast rock and roll songs then clung to each other for the slow romantic songs. The bar filled up with Marines and sailors, and Jay felt he was back in Virginia Beach. Gunny Mack kept the beer flowing, and Jay excused himself to use the men’s room. As he waited for his turn, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

  Jay turned to see a tall, slim man with gray-speckled hair. The man’s face looked familiar, but Jay couldn’t place it.

  “Are you Jay Mendes?” the man said.

  “Yeah, who’s asking?” Jay said a bit warily. He wasn’t expecting anybody to know him outside of his small circle of friends.

  “Steve Bonner. We met at the Marine sniper school about five years ago.”

  “Bonner. That’s right. You were one of the instructors. If I remember, you were a Gunnery Sergeant.”

  “That’s right. Retired now. I wondered if you had a few minutes to talk. After your visit, of course.”

  “Sure, I’ll be right out.”

  Jay and Bonner stepped out the front door of the bar and onto the sidewalk. The sun was setting. A crowd of men in white robes and women in black burkas huddled across the street. Otherwise, things were quiet.

  “Jay, are you still on active duty?”

  “No, I got out today. I’m heading back to Norfolk in the morning. Why do you ask?”

  “Have you ever thought about staying here in the Middle East? Work as a private contractor.”

  “No. I haven’t been home in a long time and miss the states. Why do you ask?”

  “I run a small maritime security agency. I hire ex-SEALS and Marines to work on commercial vessels. They train the crew in self-defense and protect them against pirates.”

  “Sounds interesting, but I’ll pass for now.”

  “The pay is great, and it’s tax-free.”

  “Thanks anyway. Like I said, I’ll pass.”

  “No problem,” Bonner said. “If you know of anybody interested, I’m looking for someone right now.” Bonner handed Jay a business card.

  Jay took the card and shook his hand. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll keep it in mind.”

  Jay turned to go back into the hotel when he noticed the small group of men and women had grown. Several of the men held signs in Arabic.

  “Hey, Bonner, what’s going on?”

  “Oh, nothing to worry about. It’s the nightly demonstration.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They’re Shiite Muslims protesting against the ruling Sunni dictator. They’ve been doing this for years. They want a change in government and want the Americans out.”

  “Why are they gathered outside the front gate of the base?”

  “They harass the American sailors. Try to provoke a confrontation so they can use it against us. Ignore them, and they won’t be a problem.”

  * * *

  Jay looked at Steve and realized his memories were returning. “So why are you here?” Jay asked. “Is there a problem?”

  “Your contract is complete. Unfortunately, the Institute isn’t offering an extension. Apparently, the ship is hiring a new full-time security officer as well as a diver. They’re hiring two people to replace you.”

  “That’s reassuring, but it doesn’t help me. What am I going to do for work?”

  “You could take another assignment in the Middle East.”

  “No, thanks, I’ve had enough overseas deployment. I want to settle down here on the Cape with Olivia.”

  “I’m sorry, Jay, but all of my contracts are offshore. So, I need to run since I have to grab a MAC flight at Hanscom Airbase later this afternoon.”

  II

  Part Two

  Chapter 7

  Jay escorted Steve off the ship and said his goodbyes to the Captain and the ship’s crew. By the time he disembarked, it was after supper, and Jay was starving. He thought about going straight home, but instead, he walked to his old Jeep Cherokee parked in the employee’s parking lot. Jay bought the car from a crewmate for one hundred dollars and a round of beers at the Landfall. He liked the great deal he got. But Olivia thought he was crazy for driving a dark orange car. Jay intended on painting it but never brought it to the body shop. He opened the door, and the smell of mold almost killed him. He threw the bags in and shut the door fast. Walking seemed a healthier idea.

  “Phew, can’t you clean that junk heap?” he heard a familiar voice say from behind him. He expected to see his little sister Jessie. He imagined her dressed in a cheerleader outfit, waiting to bound into his arms. Instead, he turned to see a tall, slim supermodel. Now twenty-one years old, Jessie Mendes was drop-dead gorgeous. She towered over Jay’s five-foot-six-inch frame. Her long, dark hair was pulled back by a jeweled barrette framing her sparkling blue eyes. A perfect set of white teeth smiled back at him. Her thin legs were wrapped in a sleeveless, knee-length dress with four-inch red stiletto pumps completing the package.

  “Look at you, Jess!” Jay said as he hugged her. She returned the hug with little kisses on each cheek. “You look amazing! Are you on the air?”

  “Not yet. I will be.”

  “Who’s your next victim?” Jay said with a smirk. “I mean subject.”

  “You.”

  Jay looked past Jessie to see a cameraman setting up a tripod. The satellite truck with a large six on the side sat in a parking space across the street in front of the NOAA office.

  “I don’t think you want to interview me. I’m a boring old crewmember.”

  “Are you kidding? You’re my brother and a Navy hero! My friends told me about the party Mr. Cataldo threw for you. I’m sorry I missed it. I was working on a project. I need one more interview to finish it.”

  “I’m not sure about this. When did you land the new gig?”

  “Well, it’s not a real job. I mean, I’m still in college. It’s for practice. My professor will review it and give me a grade. The cameraman is my classmate, Roger. The station loaned us the van.”

  “Wow, that’s cool. Promise nobody will see this interview? Otherwise, I won’t sign a consent form.”

  “Promise. The farthest it will go is my professor’s computer.”

  “Okay, you have a deal. Ask away.”

  “We’ll do a practice run to test our lighting and camera angles.”

  Roger fussed with the equipment for a few minutes. He gave Jessie the thumbs up when he was ready.

  A red light went on.

  “This is Jessica Mendes from Channel Six News,” Jesse said, looking into the camera. “We’re here tonight with a new hero. My brother, Jay Mendes. He’s a…” Jessie turned to Jay.

  “Jay, what’s your rank?”

  “Cut!” Roger screamed.

  Jessie snarled at him. “Roger, you don’t have to yell, cut. We’re not filming yet. This is only practice.”

  “Oh, so
rry. I like saying it.”

  “You’re not a Hollywood director,” Jessie said. “You’re a journalism student.”

  Jay smiled. He loved the banter between his sister and her friend. It reminded him of their childhood when they would fight about everything.

  “Okay, Jay,” Jessie said. “What’s your job and rank?”

  “I’m not in the Navy anymore. My rank was Chief Petty Officer. I worked as a security officer on a research ship until a few minutes ago.”

  “Okay, let me start again. This is Jessica Mendes from Channel Six News. We’re here tonight with a new hero, my brother, Jay Mendes. He’s a security officer aboard the R/V Nereus II. The ship is a research vessel operated by the New England Marine Institute. Jay, can you tell me about any stories aboard the ship?”

  “Sure, Jessie,” Jay said with a serious look on his face. “I was escorting a group of researchers visiting Salvador Brazil for a night on the town. On our way back to the ship, pirates attacked our launch. I shot three of them from a moving boat at a distance of two hundred yards in the middle of the night. Then fended off two other pirates attempting to board the boat. I killed one by stabbing him in the neck. One of the researchers killed the other one.”

  Jessie stared at Jay with her mouth wide open. “Cut,” she said. “Is that true?”

  “Naw, I’m joking. Thought you would like something exciting for your broadcast.”

  “Oh my God, Jay. You had me going. What happened?”

  “Pirates harassed us, but nobody got killed. That would have caused an international incident.”

  “Okay, do you mind filming the interview one more time? Then we’re done. I’ll get a good grade on this one. Do you want to grab a bite? The school gave me some money. We can go to the Landfall.”

  “Sure, let me call Olivia first,” Jay said.

  “Olivia, who?”

  “Cataldo. You remember our next-door neighbor in Maravista.”

  “Of course I know, Olivia. She was Jojo’s girlfriend. You mean you two are a thing?”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “How? When? You need to tell me all the sordid details?”

  “They won’t show up on the evening news, will they?”

  “No, Entertainment Tonight.”

  * * *

  Jay called Olivia’s phone, but it went straight to voicemail. He wasn’t sure if he was annoyed or concerned. He wanted to see her.

  They were able to get a table at the Land Ho, a popular seafood restaurant without waiting. It was still the off-season on the Cape. The summer would arrive in two months, bringing swarms of tourists.

  Jay ordered a beer for himself and Roger and a glass of Pinot Grigio for Jessie.

  Jay raised his glass for a toast. “To Jessie for her first legal drink with her big brother. May, you become a successful and not too snobby television reporter.”

  Jessie laughed, almost spilling her drink.

  Two of Jay’s crewmates passed their table on the way to the bar. More crew members streamed in behind him. They were celebrating another safe return—a sailor’s tradition dating back hundreds of years.

  “Hey, Mendes,” Juan Alvarez, a coxswain mate, said as he walked by. “We’re telling Olivia you dumped her for a hot chick.”

  “She’s my little sister, Alvarez. Cool your jets.”

  “Well then, is she single?”

  “Not for you. She has higher standards.”

  Alvarez laughed and pounded Jay on his shoulders. “Hey Mendes, about that night in Brazil. The girls told me you were one mean-ass shot with that AR-15.”

  Jessie glared at Jay. “You said you were joking!”

  “I was,” Jay said. “He’s talking about shooting on the range. He was part of my security team.”

  “Yeah, sure, Jay,” Jessie said. “I don’t believe you. You’re probably one of those Navy SEALS but can’t tell me, or you’ll have to kill me.”

  It was Jay’s turn to choke on his beer.

  Time flew by fast as Jay and his sister reminisced about the fun they had growing up. They told stories about taking their Dad’s fishing boat for a joyride and getting stuck on a sandbar. They wrapped up the night by walking back to Jay’s Jeep.

  “Jessie, it was great to spend time with you. Don’t be a stranger. I want you guys to meet Olivia.”

  “Jay, Roger, and I are friends. We aren’t dating.”

  “You could have fooled me,” Jay said, elbowing Roger in the arm.

  Roger glared back at him. “No, she’s right. Jessie has a boyfriend.”

  Jay turned to her. “You’re kidding. You two aren’t a thing?”

  “No,” Jessie said. “I’m dating a guy named Andrew Bessie, the third. He goes to Brown in Providence. I met him through a sorority sister. Andrew works for a newspaper in Providence.

  “His father owns it,” Roger said.

  “Jay, he asked me to marry him when we graduate. We’re engaged. You didn’t notice?”

  Jay looked down as she spread the fingers of her left hand out. A sparkling diamond ring adorned her ring finger.

  Jay stared at it. His little sister had grown up.

  Then a thought came into his head. “You said his name is Andrew Bessie. That means your married name is going to be Jessie Bessie?”

  Jessie stopped and put her hands on her hips. “Stop it, Jay! Don’t laugh. Andrew’s family is very well regarded in the Rhode Island social circles. They have a ten-room mansion in Newport. His father owns a fifty-foot yacht.”

  “Jessie Bessie? It’s like the movie The Wedding Singer. Drew Barrymore’s married name was going to be Julia Gulia.” Jay couldn’t stop laughing. Roger joined him.

  “Cut it out, you two!” Jessie said with a pout. “Stop making fun of me.”

  Jay wiped the tears from his cheeks with this sleeve. “I’m sorry, Sis. I didn’t mean to get you upset. I’m sure he’s nice, and I’m very happy for you.”

  He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon. Be careful out there.”

  Jessie hugged him back and wiped the tears off his face. “I love you too, Jay. You stay safe. Stay away from those pirates.”

  Chapter 8

  Jay drove the quarter-mile to Olivia’s apartment in less than a minute. He bounded up the stairs two at a time. The door to her apartment was a bit ajar, but he didn’t seem to notice. Jay wanted to scream hello at the top of his lungs. Then he realized it was almost one in the morning. He should wake her gently.

  When he was able to push the door open, he knew something was wrong. Jay dropped his duffle bag. The bedroom door was open. He saw sheets and a floral comforter lying in a pile at the foot of the bed.

  Was she alone? Was she hurt? Perhaps sick or drunk from a late-night party? Jay stepped into the bedroom doorway and looked in. Olivia was sprawled on her back, naked and sound asleep. A pool of fluid stained the bed sheets between her legs.

  There was a noise in the bathroom—a toilet flushing. The bathroom door opened. A tall man with salt and pepper hair stepped out. He was only wearing a pair of underwear. The man was older but in incredible shape: Six-pack abs and no body fat. The muscles in his chest and arms bulged. When he saw Jay, his face turned flush red. He ducked back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

  Jay vaulted over the bed, lowered his left shoulder, and plowed through the bathroom door. Splinters flew from the hinges as the door smashed inward. Jay slammed into the sink, bracing himself for a fight—but the bathroom was empty. The window next to the sink was open. He ran over and looked out. The street was quiet. Then he heard a car engine start. He caught a glimpse of a car leaving without its headlights on.

  Jay went back into the bedroom and found Olivia still sleeping. He realized he was at a crime scene, and it appeared that the stranger drugged and raped Olivia. Jay stepped out of the bedroom and closed the door. Then he pulled out his phone and dialed nine-one-one.

  * * *

  Jay spent the r
est of the night and the next morning in the ER waiting room. Finally, a nurse emerged from the exam room.

  “Are you Mr. Mendes?” the nurse said. “Olivia asked for you to come in.”

  Jay found Olivia lying in bed. Her face was pale, and her eyes bloodshot.

  “Olivia, are you alright?”

  She shook her head.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean? Did that man hurt you?”

  She nodded. “The doctor said they found semen….”

  “Oh God no,” Jay said. “I’m so sorry.”

  Jay leaned over to hug her, but Olivia shook her head. “I need some space,” she said.

  “Do you know the man who attacked you?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is I went to a dinner at the Institute. I ate and had a glass of champagne. The next thing I know, I’m waking up in the hospital.”

  “Were you drugged?”

  Olivia nodded, “The doctor said they found traces of something called GHB in my urine.”

  “What does that mean?” Jay said.

  “He said GHB is a common date-rape drug. It comes in a clear liquid, and you mix it with a drink.”

  “Like your champagne?”

  “It could be. I don’t know.”

  “Do you remember seeing anybody suspicious at the dinner?”

  “No, Jay, I can’t remember anything.”

  * * *

  It took the rest of the day for Olivia to shake off the effects of the drug. She was distracted and said she wanted to rest. Jay didn’t argue, deciding to visit his mother and wash his laundry.

  Jay missed Olivia and wanted to do something to help. He tried calling her, but his calls went to voicemail. He spent his time job hunting and working out.

  A week later, she finally responded and told him he could come over.

  Jay found Olivia doing work in the kitchen. She gave him a quick kiss but returned to her books. He felt something was wrong but couldn’t put his finger on it.