The Vigilante

by Ramona Forrest

  “You take things too much to heart, Martha. Can’t let stuff bother you that way.” Jake remembered the purple spots on her arms that night, but decided not to mention them. Maybe when he worked with her, he would. He remembered the exotically clad woman he’d seen before, tried to see Martha that way, but couldn’t. Who the woman had been, remained a mystery. Jake stayed a few more minutes, finished his next beer, and said good night. “See you at work, Martha.”

  After a time, Martha whispered to Lizzie, “When it gets busy and really noisy again, say it out loud so they can hear you, how you need to visit the little girl’s room. It’s near the door, so move outside from there and get into your car. When you don’t come back, I’ll come looking for you and we’ll make our get-a-way. I can’t take any more of this place.”

  Lizzie nodded. Shortly after that, she chatted up a storm and then said, “Oops, gotta visit the powder room, back in a few.” She edged out and sailed toward the flower decked, ‘Le Femme’ sign, as it was called.

  Martha watched her go and finished a bit more of her drink. Lizzie edged slowly out of the place. If Imperato watched, Martha had no idea, but she prayed he hadn’t. The men in that booth had kept rather silent, which only added to her fears. What’ll I do if he tries to dance with me again?

  After about fifteen minutes, she decided to look for her friend. Getting up, she sauntered toward the ‘Le Femme’ sign. Entering, she found a good spot to take a look at the booth behind hers. The men, including Imperato, seemed to be in deep conversation at the moment. “Good, I’ll slip out. Hope they’re not talking about me.” The thought added to her caution as she slipped to the door.

  Outside, in the fresh, cold night air, Martha hurried to Lizzie’s car idling nearby and hopped in. “Thanks, girl, I think you just saved my life!”

  “Well, we’ve had our exciting night out! One I could forgo doing again for the rest of my life!” Lizzie’s agitation and fear made her reckless. She swerved to get back in her lane. “That alter of yours will get us killed, woman! Look how I’m driving!”

  Martha finally noticed. “Take it easy, Lizzie. Maybe we gave him the slip, but thanks to Jake’s big mouth, the man knows where I work. I’m afraid I haven’t seen the last of him.” Martha looked behind them. Nothing followed that she could see. “If I have a police detail on me, right now, I wouldn’t mind it. I don’t see anyone, so maybe not.”

  During what remained of the night, Martha found she couldn’t sleep. Instead, she wandered about her snug home, that safe and secure haven, realizing with cold reality that she’d never be safe again with a man like Charles Imperato trying to find her. I should hop the next plane out of here, that’s the only chance I’ve got to stay alive!

  CHAPTER 31

  Martha shivered uncontrollably. Oh Bob, I need you as never before!

  He hadn’t phoned or said anything that would let her know where she stood with him. It left her feeling lost. Pacing past the phone, she saw the insistent light blinking. “Oh, maybe he called me after all!” She grabbed up the receiver and pressed the play-back button. Jeannie had called, saying they’d found a house north of Denver in a great neighborhood. She tried to be excited for her daughter but, in her own despair, couldn’t manage it.

  Then, she heard Bob’s deep, resonant voice, reaching out to her in her despair. “Martha, I must see you again, we need to talk.” He chuckled softly. “Yes, Martha, just talk. Give me a call. Believe me, I don’t care what time it is.”

  She needed no further encouragement, and with numbed, excited fingers, pressed the numbers. “Hello, Bob.”

  “You’re home. Finally. Stay there. I am on my way over.”

  Martha hung up and did a happy dance. “He’s on his way over!” She ran to the bathroom, showered, and hurriedly changed her overdone make-up and clothes. “His opinion of me wouldn’t improve a bit seeing me in that sleazy get-up.” Smoothing her drying hair and lounging clothes, she waited with a heart racing so hard it made her breathless.

  At the sound of his truck, she ran to the door and let him in. He said nothing, just reached for her, crushed her in his arms and covered her face with wild, passionate kisses. He bent her backwards and ravished her mouth with a hot, passionate fever that quickly turned her into a frantic mass of wanting.

  “Is this your idea of talk?” she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

  “Yeah, it is.” He reached for her again. “I can’t help this.” He clutched onto her like a drowning man. “I need you, girl.”

  Nothing verbal would be settled, not just now anyway. The effect of his advances took its toll on her, and with her own passions madly aflame, she was powerless. She did nothing to stop his wild love making, nor did she want to.

  Bob had cast some sort of spell over her, a wonderful, magical aura of passion she’d never known in her life or even imagined possible. She forgot everything and let herself go. If there existed anywhere a cure for her problems, this wasn’t it, but somehow, the wild ecstasy of it seemed to help immensely. She pulled him into her bedroom. “Let’s talk in here.”

  Later, lolling in the soft languor of fully satisfied passions, Bob raised his head and laughed out loud, an exalting, joyous, crowing sound. “Woman, what have you done to me?” He looked into her eyes. “Never in my life have I known what we have together.” He cleared his throat. “Martha, I don’t give a damn in hell what you’ve done, or who you’ve done it to. I only know I can’t let you go. I’ll never let you go!”

  “Oh, Bob, I feel that way, too. I loved Chet and mourned the loss of him for a very long time, but we had nothing like this.”

  “Maybe we ought to get married—wouldn’t you think?” Grinning broadly, he grabbed her and crushed her warm body against his. “So, what do you say, girl?”

  “I’d love to marry you. But I think I should get my mental mess cleared up first, don’t you?” She looked into his eyes. “Bob, I love you like I never dreamed I would ever love any man. I never thought I could.” She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “You’re a miracle in my life.”

  “That settles it then.” He lay back, gazing around at her bedroom. “You have a nice home here,” he mused, his voice dreamy soft. “Where would we live? It’ll be your choice all the way.”

  Martha knew she should mention her newest debacle of Imperato. What if it was the last straw for him? Fear of losing him all over again held her back. She could only answer, “Anywhere with you would do for me, but I just found out my daughter and family, are moving north of Denver. I had thought to relocate somewhere within an easy distance so I can see them and Will. He’s not doing so well in some areas. I take him to Biggie’s Burgers and, little as that seems, it has helped in several ways.”

  She didn’t want to get into Will’s problems and couldn’t bring herself to speak of the Charles Imperato threat. She should let him know of that, but the magic of tonight was too wonderful to be destroyed by such a subject.

  “If you want to move close to them, I have no objections. My daughter will visit me wherever I live.” He snuggled close against her and, holding her in his arms, dropped off into a deep sleep.

  Martha lay awake. Just when real happiness is within reach, I’m hunted by the police and now, an overbearing criminal who wants me dead! Hot, burning tears flowed down her cheeks as she lay beside the best man she’d ever known, contemplating her own cruel death at the hands of a man she’d never heard of until a few weeks ago. How on earth can I tell Bob this new threat?

  Spending long, miserable, years behind bars for clipping the cajones off a couple of pedophiles had become a definite possibility. She gritted her teeth. “After his silences when I told him the things I had done as Serena? I can’t,” she whispered into the darkness of her room. She needed to tell him everything, but she couldn’t, not yet. Oh God, please, not yet! She wanted and needed this bit of happiness, stolen or not.

  ***

  Ryan called his newest surveillance officer in for a conference. Carla
Martino entered quietly. Her small, slim figure, and dark features appeared wraith-like as she took a seat opposite Ryan. “Yes sir, you wanted to see me?”

  “How’s it going in the Martha Lavery case?”

  “Puzzling, to say the least. She hasn’t made me, not yet anyway, but the things she does are contrary to the type person we believe she is, a model citizen, grandmother, and educated practicing nurse.”

  “How do you mean? What are you seeing? Where does she go?” Ryan already knew the woman under surveillance to be a very real puzzle. One he’d like to unravel. If Martha Lavery was his vigilante, what would cause a woman like her to take that kind of vengeance?

  “I saw her and a friend dressed like a couple of street walkers visit The Paradisio for one thing. That’s not the sort of place one would expect a woman like her to frequent. Not a professional nurse, certainly. But as a suspect, her conduct could be almost anything, couldn’t it?” Carla wore a quizzical expression across her small, petite features. “A point of interest, sir, this big dude went past her booth and came back to question her. I saw real fear come over her and her friend. In time they managed to slip out. It was an escape, plain as day.” She frowned. “I asked a couple of questions. That big dude was Charles Imperato. What do you make of that?”

  “Damn it all to hell! That is news, Carla. I’ll get that sorted out ASAP. She’s not the type to associate with a man like that. I’m damned sure of that. I don’t know enough about her, but he isn’t the sort to be in her radar.”

  “She’s got a male friend, too,” Carla added. “And things seem very active in that area, as well.” She smiled. “The guy spent last night with her, anyway.”

  Ryan knew if she was his vigilante, an assault against a child might have to take place before she’d take action again. Now her personal life had taken on a whole new dimension with the addition of Imperato. What’s that all about? “What the hell’s going on with that woman? No other criminal activity so far?”

  “Nothing at all. I’ve only been on her tail for a couple of days, but I’ll keep you posted. I am alternating with Helen Markham, so she doesn’t get a line on us. Helen’s very good, Ryan.”

  “You bet she is. Okay, thanks. Good work.” He motioned for her to leave and, as Carla slipped out, the light on his intercom lit up. “Yeah?”

  “Jake Collins is here to see you, sir.”

  “Really? Okay, send him in.”

  Jake sauntered in and took a seat. In spite of the self-important look on his face, he looked uncomfortable and kept his head a bit too low for Ryan’s liking. I get the feeling ’that he’s a damned snitch. He’d never held that type in high esteem. But maybe he’ll say something worthwhile.

  “Well, Jake, the receptionist said you might have some information for us, that right?” The man squirmed a bit. Feeling guilty for ratting out an acquaintance, are we? Ryan wondered.

  “Well, maybe. I work at the hospital, Mercy, as you know. I met you there in the ER one time. You asked for any information about those purple stains, if anybody knew anything about that.” His chest expanded noticeably. “I’ve seen those stains on one of our nurses, twice, in fact.”

  Ryan’s gut instinct told him he’d mention Martha. “So, tell me everything you can about the circumstances and definitely the timing. Who you saw the spots on? Could be something.”

  Jake immediately puffed up with his own importance. Ryan actually saw him relax and become comfortable as he began his story.

  “There’s this nurse, Martha Lavery, by name, an older broad. Usually don’t pay the older ones much mind, but twice I saw her with these spots on her arms. She’d used some kind of make-up to disguise them, but you could see them plain as day. The second time was when we were working in psyche. She reached for some stuff and when I noticed them, I asked her how she got ‘em. She said she didn’t know, maybe from work, or the lab. Seemed kinda fuzzy about it, like she really didn’t remember. But she hadn’t been around any lab stuff that I saw.”

  “Anything else about this Martha Lavery you thought unusual?”

  “Well, one night, I saw her go ballistic at a shriveled up old man dying of cancer. That’s not like her either. She’s usually a real kind nurse, you know, all touchy-feely.” He drew a deep breath. “Anyway, this one night, she ran out of that room and nearly knocked me over. Never even saw me—I know she didn’t.” He straightened in his chair. “Then I thought I saw her in The Paradisio one night dressed like a hooker. She wore leather, spike-heeled boots nearly up to her ass, skin tight leather clothes, and enough make-up for three women. I wasn’t sure it was Martha back then, or even now, but I wasn’t the only one who questioned that.”

  Ryan felt unreality creeping in at how clearly Jake described Martha’s activities. After what Carla had just told him, he knew it was true.

  “Well, anyway,” Jake continued. “It was that same night this overdressed broad gives the knee to Charles Imperato. I’m sure you know who that dude is. Looked like he forced her out on the dance floor against her will and she got ticked off. She decked him and left him doubled up and groaning on the floor. Ran out of the place like a scalded cat.”

  Jake shook his head. “Damn sure wouldn’t want to be in that woman’s fancy high-heeled boots! Imperato’s been in there several times since that night, looking for her. He’s after her for what she did to him, especially in public, that way. He wouldn’t be one to tolerate being made a laughing stock.” Jake blew out his breath. “If it was Martha, she’s in one hell of a mess!”

  He sighed. “She came in there the other night with a friend, and I knew for sure it was her this time. Both were dressed up some, but not the way I saw her the other time. Imperato came in and looked around like he has a lot of other nights. He spotted Martha, stopped at her table, and must have asked her something. I saw her shaking her head. I don’t think Imperato was convinced because he kept looking at her, even moved into the next booth. If she knows who he is, she outta be scared shitless of him. A guy I know was there and saw it, too. The gals managed to sneak out and left in a hurry. We heard tires squealing as they drove away.”

  “You say you believe Imperato may be looking for her?” Ryan frowned. “That’s not good news. She’ll be in a hell of a lot of trouble if that’s true.” He shifted in his chair. “He knows where she works, you say?”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s my fault. I sat with them for a while and we talked about it. I told her a little about him, but I’m not sure she understands the danger. Should I warn her? What do you think?”

  “We’ll take care of that. I’ve recorded all you’ve said here today, and when it’s ready, we’ll have you sign the write up. We might need you as a material witness, and your testimony in court one of these days.” Ryan indicated it was time for Jake to leave. As the door closed behind him, he picked up the phone and punched a number. “Yeah, Harris, got a minute?”

  “What you got, Ryan? You sound a little worried.”

  “Just get your ass in here.”

  Harris was quick to reach Ryan’s desk.

  “That fool woman has got herself in a real mess, now.” Ryan quickly told Harris what he’d heard about Martha and the drug lord. “She needs protective surveillance now. If Imperato finds out where she lives, she’ll be in deep shit. He isn’t sure she’s the woman who decked him, but he’s sniffing around.”

  Ryan sobered considerably as he changed his subject. “Harris, we have positive DNA evidence taken from those hair ribbons we found at the Denny Garver place. That bastard murdered a young girl, six years old, in Memphis about five years ago, and we just got another positive ID from Dallas. He’s got a deadly record and it spans about twenty years or more. He must have started in his late teens. He’s what? About forty-five now? I wonder how many more there’ll be. We got a lot of it from the trophy ribbons the man couldn’t bring himself to part with.” He shook his head. “Damn it to hell, Harris, we needed this vigilante, years ago!”

  “God, Ryan, i
t makes me sick to hear that, but he’s headed for death row with what we’ve got on him now. I wonder how his lawyer will plead this case. Got himself a hotshot lawyer right off. I suppose they’ll beg for mercy in his case because poor Denny had an abusive father, a mean dog, or whatever the hell else they can drum up to save a pig like that. And he’ll only face an easy, painless shot in the arm twenty years from now after all the hearings, appeals, and other bullshit.”

  “Bitter, are we?” Ryan knew the situation as well as any man on the force. “Hell, Harris, what do we do about Martha? Even if she is our vigilante, we’ll need to protect her. How do you suppose we go about that without telling her what we know?” He held his hands out in question. “We’ll double our tail on her, that’s for sure. Have Carla alerted about what we know of Imperato’s bunch, just in case. She could be in danger, too, just doing the tail.”

  “Gotcha. We’re going to be busy from now on.”

  Harris left the office and Ryan thought seriously of calling on Martha for an in depth interview. He knew damned well she wouldn’t talk and he didn’t have enough concrete evidence to force the truth from her.

  CHAPTER 32

  Again, Bob hadn’t called for a couple of days. Unable to understand his reasons for not contacting her, Martha felt alone, isolated, and threatened. The feeling came over her much too easily, anymore. But then the phone rang and caution took over. She carefully glanced at her caller ID before daring to answer. Seeing it was Lizzie, she picked up.

  “Yes, Liz, what’s up?” she said, trying to sound upbeat. Lizzie had her own life to live and Martha had burdened her too much already.

  “Not much. I just called to see how you were.”