I quickly dressed and headed to the convent.
I was the last to arrive and joined the group consisting of the captain, the Bishop, Ox, Ed and his partner.
The M.E. had just loaded the body onto a gurney.
We watched as the body was wheeled to the waiting meat wagon.
The captain turned to us. “How could this have happened?”
None of us uttered a word.
Just then, a nun hurried up to the Bishop.
“This is just horrible! Is Father Aequitas all right?”
The Bishop looked puzzled. “Who is Father Aequitas?”
Now it was the nun’s turn to look puzzled. “He was here this afternoon. He said that he was from the Chicago Diocese and that you had sent for him to talk to Father Brannigan. I directed him to his room.”
A strange look came over the Bishop’s face. “Aequitas --- that’s the Latin word for ‘justice’.”
The captain shook his head, “So the vigilante was dressed as a priest? How could we have overlooked that possibility?”
He turned to us. “Did any of you see a priest this afternoon?”
Ed’s partner raised his hand. “I saw a priest this afternoon, but I didn’t think anything of it. There have been priests and nuns all over the place every day we’ve been here.
“He was alone, but then later I saw him with Father Brannigan. They walked by the foyer on the way to the chapel.”
“What did he look like?”
“Well, he was wearing one of those robe things that priests wear --- he was a white guy --- older --- and he had a mustache and goatee. That’s about all I can remember.”
He turned to the nun, “Is that the man you talked to?”
“Yes, that’s him exactly.”
“Can you remember anything else?”
“Well, he seemed really nice.”
The captain just shook his head.
Each of us was questioned but Ed’s partner was the only one who saw the guy.
As soon as the media got hold of the story, the proverbial poop hit the fan.
Once again, the department was held up to ridicule for not being able to protect a priest locked away in a convent.
Even worse, the vigilante was being heralded as a hero for administering justice for the abused children.
It was a city divided.
The only good thing to come out of Brannigan’s murder was the return to our regular shifts.
With New Year’s just a few days away, we were all glad that there was no more overtime.
I looked forward to relaxing and celebrating the holiday with Maggie.
Weeks ago I had made reservations at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse on the Country Club Plaza.
It was one of our favorite places to eat, but we never got out the door for less than a hundred and fifty bucks, so we saved it for special occasions.
On the day before New Year’s Eve, as soon as I saw Ox, I knew something was wrong.
“Hey, Buddy, why the long face?”
“New Year’s Eve. I totally screwed it up.”
“How so? Aren’t you and Judy going out?”
“We have a date, but with all the stuff going on, I totally forgot to make reservations and now I can’t get us in anywhere. Everything’s full.”
The look on the big guy’s face broke my heart.
“Look, Maggie and I are going to Ruth’s Chris on the Plaza. I’ll call and see if I can get a table for four instead of a table for two.”
“You’d do that?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Easier said than done.
They too were booked up and it was a table for two or nothing.
I called Maggie and explained the situation. I was surprised at her response.
“Cancel the Plaza. We’ll do something else.”
“What?”
“What’s more important, one meal at a fancy restaurant or supporting your partner? We can go to Ruth’s Chris another time.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
My mind was on the three inch filet mignon sizzling on the hot plate of melted butter that I was not going to be eating, when I got back to Ox.
“No tables available, but if it’s okay with you, Maggie and I would like to join you and Judy. We’ll find someplace to go.”
“No, that’s just not right.”
“But it’s what we want to do.”
“Thank you.”
I could see the look of relief on his face.
It turned out that the best we could do was my favorite haunt, Mel’s Diner on Broadway.
The food was always delicious, but the ambiance was a world apart from the famous steakhouse.
Ox picked up Judy and met us at Mel’s.
It was Judy’s first visit to the diner and she seemed eager to delve into the wonderful world of comfort food.
Everything at Mel’s is either deep fried or cooked in butter on a big grill. It may not be the healthiest food in the world, but you always leave very full and very satisfied.
At my urging, Judy had ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes smothered in cream gravy.
Her ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ as she tasted each bite led me to believe that she was not disappointed.
We had just polished off our main course and were busy trying to decide which of Mel’s home made pies we wanted to order, when a figure walked into the diner.
Every eye in the place was on him immediately.
He just didn’t fit.
While everyone else in the diner was dressed in jeans and casual clothes, this guy looked like he had just stepped out of a Calvin Klein ad.
He was tall with rugged good looks and a body that could only have come from hours in the gym.
He was a stud and he definitely knew it.
His gaze drifted from one patron to the next until his eyes locked on Judy.
“Oh crap!” she said, slumping in her seat.
The guy wasted no time approaching our table.
“Judy!” he said, smiling through perfect white teeth.
“Derek! What are you doing here?”
“I was hoping you had come to your senses.”
He looked disparagingly around the diner and then his eyes focused on Ox.
“So is this the best you could come up with?”
She ignored the insult. “Have you been following me?”
“Let’s just say that I’ve been keeping tabs on you and when I saw you in this pitiful place on New Year’s Eve --- well, I couldn’t help but come to your rescue.
“My current employer has rented the penthouse at the President Hotel and is hosting a party there and ---.”
“You pompous bastard! How dare you barge in here and disturb our dinner!”
He reached for her arm, “Let me take you away from all this.”
She jerked away, “Don’t you touch me.”
Ox calmly put his hand on her arm, “Let me handle this.”
The big man stood and looked Derek in the eye, “I don’t know who you are and I don’t much care, but it’s quite apparent that you’re upsetting my date and I think you should leave.”
Derek looked down at Judy, “So now you’re letting Neanderthals speak for you?”
That was the last straw for Ox.
Using his most intimidating big boy voice cultivated from twenty-four years of patrolling the streets, “That’s it, Pal!
“You’ve definitely worn out your welcome. If you’re not out of here in the next five seconds, you’re going to be wearing a corsage of Mel’s chicken gravy on that fancy suit and that pretty smile will be missing some teeth. Do I make myself clear?”
Apparently, he had made his intent crystal clear and Derek wanted no part of it.
“Very well then, I’ll leave.” Then turning to Judy, “You’ll regret this someday.”
He turned and stalked out of the diner.
The patrons at the other booths applauded and Mel showed up at our table with huge s
labs of pie.
“On the house.” he said.
Judy was visibly shaken and Maggie took her hand, “Who was that guy?”
“Ex-boyfriend --- a big mistake. I was doing some off-duty security work at the auto show. Derek was a model and spokesperson for BMW. We got to talking and well --- you can see how a girl could be impressed. The guy drives a Ferrari, for gosh sakes.
“We went out a few times, fancy places with all the trimmings, but I came to realize that I was just another ‘thing’ to him, like his fancy car and his jewelry.
“I tried to break it off, but as you could see, he’s not used to taking ‘no’ for an answer. That’s why I moved here from north of the river. I wanted to get away from him.”
“Maybe Ox got the message across,” I said.
Judy took his hand, “Thank you. You were wonderful.”
Ox looked depressed. “How can I ever compete with a Ferrari and a penthouse at the President? I’m just a lousy beat cop.”
Judy smiled, “You big goof! You just don’t get it, do you? Hang on for a minute.”
She slid out of the seat and went to the big jukebox in the back of the diner.
After flipping through the selections, she deposited her coins and pushed the buttons.
Soon, the beautiful voice of Patsy Cline filled the diner.
The song was about a woman who must choose between love and riches.
The song ended with the soulful words,
“And the hand that brings the rose tonight, is the hand I will hold.
For the rose of love means more to me, than any rich man’s gold.”
“Now do you get it?”
A tear rolled down the big man’s cheek.
We all went back to our apartment after dinner.
We popped open a bottle of Arbor Mist and chatted while we awaited the magical hour.
The end of the year is always a time for reflection on the events of the past and our hopes of events to come.
It was hard to believe that we had crammed so much into one year.
“The best thing that happened to me this year was getting hitched to this wonderful woman,” I said, taking Maggie’s hand.
“Even though it meant getting abducted by Hawaiian zealots and escaping from a dormant volcano,” Maggie replied, shaking her head.
Judy’s mouth dropped open. “You’ve gotta tell me that story.”
It took a half hour to share the adventures of our Hawaiian wedding.
“Don’t forget about blowing up the lake in Loose Park,” Ox said laughing.
“That was you guys! I want details.”
It took another half hour to tell her about the religious nuts who tried to blow up Kansas City.
By the time we had finished reminiscing about the ‘sting’ that had brought a huge pharmaceutical company to its knees, it was almost midnight.
We refilled our glasses and toasted the New Year as the clock struck twelve.
We hugged and kissed and declared that the evening had been a great success.
After my friends left, I thought about all the drama that had filled our lives this past year and I secretly hoped that the year to come would be a bit less traumatic.
But it wasn’t to be.
CHAPTER 16
The New Year was off to a lousy start.
A cold front and winter storm had moved into the region late on New Year’s Day and by the time Ox and I were on patrol, freezing drizzle was turning into snow.
Traffic was at a crawl and the radio had been busy directing the traffic guys to fender benders all over the city.
We had just pulled into Dunkin Donuts for a cup of joe and a long john when the radio crackled again.
“Shots fired at the bodega on Southwest Boulevard. All units in the area respond.”
We were just a few blocks away.
“Car 54 responding.”
We parked in front of the bodega and everything looked quiet inside.
We drew our weapons and moved cautiously to each side of the door.
Ox leaned in for a look and whispered, “Body.”
Seeing no movement inside, we entered and made a sweep of the retail area.
We found a second body on the floor behind the checkout counter.
“Call it in,” I whispered. “I’ll check the back.”
I moved through the door into the storeroom. There were rows of shelves holding boxes of cereal, candy bars and chips.
At the far end was the door to a bathroom that stood partially open and the exit door to the alley that ran behind the store.
I made my way to the bathroom and was about to peek inside when I heard a rustle behind me.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure charging toward me with a crowbar poised in mid air.
I ducked and took a glancing blow to my shoulder.
It hurt like hell, but the momentum carried my attacker past me and I jumped on his back.
Only it wasn’t a he --- it was a young woman.
I wrestled the crowbar from her hand and she began to swing wildly with her fists.
By this time, Ox was on the scene and helped me restrain the woman.
“Calm down!” he ordered. “We’re the police!”
The woman looked dazed. “You’re cops? You’re not Cruz’s men?”
“You’re okay,” I reassured her. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Mario!” She became agitated again. “Where’s Mario?”
I looked at Ox. Neither of us wanted to break the bad news.
By this time, the place was crawling with cops and Detective Blaylock appeared on the scene.
Medics checked the woman whose name was Rosa Alverez.
After determining that she had not sustained any injuries, Blaylock began his interrogation.
“Ms. Alverez, can you tell us what happened here?”
“I came by the store to see Mario --- we are --- were engaged.” She began to weep.
“We’re truly sorry for your loss. What happened next?”
“Mario was stocking the candy rack. His father, Manuel, said that we could talk after the stocking was done. Mario asked me to go to the storeroom and bring a box of Milky Way bars.
“I was searching for the bars when I heard someone enter the store.
“I peeked around the corner and saw that it was Hector Cruz. I was afraid so I stayed in the back.”
“Why were you afraid?”
“Hector Cruz is a very bad man. Everyone fears him.”
“Go on.”
“I heard Hector ask Manuel for his payment, but Manuel told him that he was paying no more.
“They argued and I saw Hector pull a gun from his pants and shoot Manuel.
“I ran to the back of the storeroom and hid behind a big tissue box. Then I heard the second shot and feared for Mario’s life.
“I heard footsteps coming into the storeroom but I was very quiet and he did not see me.
“Then the police came.” She looked at me, “So sorry, I thought ---.”
“It’s okay,” I said, rubbing my shoulder. “You did the right thing.”
“So you can positively identify Hector Cruz as the man who shot Manuel Gonzales?”
“Yes, it was him!”
At that moment, Antonio Vargas, the head guy in the gang task force, came through the door.
“Whatcha got?”
“Hey, Tony. I think we’ve got a hot one for you.”
After Blaylock had shared what we had discovered, Vargas rubbed his hands together.
“Maybe we’ve got that bastard at last.
“Cruz is the undisputed leader of the Latino gangs on the West side. He’s mean --- nobody wants to mess with him.
“He’s involved in everything that’s dirty on this side of town.
“He’s been arrested three times and we thought we had him cold each time, but our eye witnesses either recanted their stories or wound up dead.
“He skated every time.
”
I looked at poor Rosa Alverez sitting in a daze across the room.
She was probably thinking that her ordeal was over, but it was just beginning.
Knowing full well the outcome of Cruz’s previous trials, Rosa Alverez was placed into protective custody.
She was sequestered in a safe house with two armed officers on duty around the clock.
Given the fact that our last protective detail was a total failure, every one of us assigned to the safe house took nothing for granted.
All went according to plan and there were no incidents leading up to the trial.
Ox and I being the first officers on the scene were seated in the courtroom along with Rosa and Manuel Gonzales’ widow.
The prosecution called the usual witnesses, the Medical Examiner to establish time and cause of death, and the CSI guy to testify about the evidence at the crime scene.
After each of them had testified, defense council asked the same question in his cross-examination, “Did you find anything in your investigation that would directly connect my client, Mr. Cruz, to these brutal murders?”
The answer in both cases was ‘no’.
Then I heard the Prosecuting Attorney call my name.
After I was sworn in, he asked me to relate what I had witnessed on the day of the murders.
I told my story from the time we received the call to the moment when Rosa Alverez attacked me with the crowbar.
“When Rosa realized that you were policemen, what did she tell you?”
Defense council jumped to his feet. “Objection! Hearsay!”
“Sustained!”
“Officer Williams, did Rosa Cruz tell you she had witnessed Hector Alvarez shoot Manuel Gonzales?”
“OBJECTION! Your honor?”
“Mr. Prosecutor, I will not warn you again.” Then to the jury, “You will disregard this last question.”
Seeing that he had taken me as far as I could go, he turned me over to the defense.
“Officer Williams, when you arrived at the scene, did you see my client Hector Cruz?”
“No.”
“Did you find any evidence linking my client to these murders?”
“Only the testimony of an eyewitness.”
“No further questions.”
The judge turned to the Prosecuter, “Any more witnesses?”
[Lady Justice 07] - Lady Justice and the Vigilante Page 14