***
Jannifer Howard was sitting out in the sun room sipping tea when the door bell sounded. She made her way through the study and into the foyer. When she reached the lead glassed front doors, she could see two men standing under the portico, holding up what appeared to be police badges. Jannifer opened the doors, thinking the worst. “Has something happened to Jason?” she questioned, worry lining her flawless face.
“No ma’am. He is fine.” The man put away his badge. “I’m Detective Cummings and this is Detective Ward. May we come in?”
“Of course.” Jannifer opened the doors fully, allowing the two men to enter the home. “Follow me,” she ordered as she led them into the formal living room. “Please, sit.” She sat in her favorite wing chair positioned next to the marble fireplace.
“We have some questions about your son, Ma’am.”
“You said he was alright.” Jannifer eyed the men suspiciously.
“He is.” Cummings took a deep breath, not completely comfortable lying. “Detective Howard has applied for a position within the police department that would be a promotion. We are interviewing various people as part of the process.”
“Really?” Jannifer smiled widely. Maybe her son was finally coming around, vying his way into a prestigious job within city hall.
“When was the last time you saw your son?”
“He was here for dinner a few weeks ago.”
“Alone?”
“Yes. He recently broke up with his girlfriend.” Jannifer smiled again. “I am hoping he will finally listen to his mother. I have the perfect woman for him.”
“I see.” Cummings was beginning to feel a twinge of sympathy for Howard.
His words seemed to encourage Jannifer. “Jason needs to get serious and settle down. He’s getting older, it’s time for him to get married and have a family. My mother stipulated in her will that he had to have a child by age thirty-five in order to inherit his trust fund.”
Ward was furiously scribbling in his note pad. Cummings kept the questions flying. “Did you know, Ms. Howard, that your son’s significant other had been pregnant? That she suffered a miscarriage a few months back?”
It was the first time Jannifer had been speechless during the entire conversation. “No,” she finally answered curtly.
“Were they serious, your son and the doctor?”
“They lived together.” The disapproval couldn’t be missed from Jannifer’s face. “But she wasn’t right for him. Not the correct upbringing.”
What a bitch, Cummings observed as he thought about his loving, supportive mother. “Your meaning, ma’am?”
“Jason was brought up for a life of public service. He was raised thinking he would carry on the family name in politics. The woman he was with, well, she had a middle class upbringing. I believe her parents worked full-time, lived paycheck to paycheck. That simply isn’t what Jason was raised to take for a wife.”
“Does Jason know about the stipulation to gain access to the trust fund?”
“Of course he does. And all he has to do is come to his senses and marry Anna. They’ve known each other since they were children. She is perfect for him and they would have beautiful children.” Jannifer smiled, caught up in her own fantasy.
“Did he mention the position he is interested in? Say anything unusual? Act differently?”
“No.”
Cummings and Ward stood. “We greatly appreciate your time, Ms. Howard.”
She stood as well; ready to escort the two men to the door.
“Is there anything else we should know about your son?”
“I may not agree with all of his decisions and choices, but if there is something he desires enough, he won’t stop until he gets it. Nothing will stand in his way.” Jannifer had shared that, thinking about the potential promotion her son was being considered for. Cummings and Ward took the statement a different way, wondering if Jason’s response to Mia’s departure had been the poisoning.
When the detectives left, Jannifer sought out her cell phone in the kitchen. She dialed her son. He answered on the second ring, having recognized the number. “Is everything alright?” he asked. Jannifer rarely called him.
“Jason, was your girlfriend pregnant? With my grandchild?” Her voice was terse and full of accusation. Jannifer didn’t believe in beating around the bush. She had been unnerved, learning this information from the police detectives and not her son.
“Where the hell did you hear that?” Jason growled into the phone. This was the last conversation he thought he would be having with his mother. The topic was uncomfortable to be discussing, especially with her.
“People talk, Jason. Is it true?”
“Yes,” he sighed. “Why do you care?”
Jannifer drew in a breath. His question had hit a soft spot. Jannifer loved her son and she always felt a small twinge of guilt when it seemed he did not realize that fact. “I care about you, Jason. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, mother. It wasn’t me that was rushed into emergency surgery.” It pissed him off that his mother tried to ignore Mia’s existence.
“I know that,” Jannifer snapped, “but it was your child, too, wasn’t it?” Jason didn’t even give her a respond. “I’m sorry, Jason. I’m sure it’s been hard for both of you.” She thought for a moment regarding what Jason had said about taking a break from Mia. “Is that why she moved out?” She was realizing how serious Jason and Mia had been.
There was no way Jason was about to explain why Mia left and where exactly their relationship stood. He wasn’t even sure he knew what the status of their relationship was. “Look mother, I am in love with her. I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true.”
“I just want you to be happy, Jason,” Jannifer told him, and she meant it. “If being with her is what makes you happy then I’m glad.”
***
Ward had known Detective Keith Grimes since the police academy. They had gotten through it together, both initially becoming beat cops. Eventually, Grimes had gravitated towards homicide and Ward to a special investigations unit. As he approached the home where Grimes resided, Ward hoped he had a memory of their friendly past. Ward was sure once he started making accusations about Grimes’ partner, things would start to get uncomfortable fast.
It was late in the afternoon. Keith and his wife had been missing each other for almost a week. He had made an effort to be sure that he would be home to greet Monica when she arrived from work. They were in the bedroom, in the midst of foreplay, when he heard the knock at the door.
“Shouldn’t you get that?” Monica asked as she pulled away from her husband’s naked chest.
“I am hoping they will go away.” Keith started to kiss her again, but the knocking started up again. “Shit,” he muttered. “Don’t go away,” he told her as he got up and slipped on his trousers that had ended up on the floor.
He opened the door and recognized Ward. “Detective,” he greeted him and moved back so Ward could enter.
“Keith, good to see you. I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” he said, noting Grimes’ bare torso. “I have a few questions I am hoping you won’t mind answering.”
“About?”
“Your partner.” Ward saw Grimes’ posture stiffen.
“Is there some official investigation I should know about?”
“Can we sit?” Ward asked. “I really was hoping this wouldn’t be so…awkward.”
“Sure, have a seat.” The men sat in the living room. “You know there’s no greater loyalty than to one’s partner, right? Jason’s saved my ass more than once.”
“Yeah,” Ward nodded. A large Bible sitting out on the coffee table caught his eye. “I get it. And if I didn’t have to be here, asking you, I wouldn’t be.” Ward took out his cell phone and passed it to Grimes. There were photos of the suspect Jason had roughed up. The suspect had a black eye, bruised cheek and in the last shot, exposing his chest, a bruised flank. “You and Howard coll
ared this guy?”
“Yup.”
“Did Howard do that to him?” Ward accepted his phone back.
“No. Jason never touched the guy’s face, and I hardly think his forcefulness left the marks on the guy’s side. Those photos are bullshit.”
“Was Detective Howard ever alone with the suspect?”
“No. We were both there the entire time.”
“Have you spoken to Jason since he was put on leave?”
“No,” Grimes lied. There was no reason for him to mention the short conversation in the parking garage.
“He’s been acting differently lately, would you say?”
“Look, I don’t know what you’re insinuating, but Jason is a damn good cop. He has been going through some rough patches in his personal life, yeah, that’s true, but he is a damn good cop.”
“Rough patches?” Ward probed.
“His girlfriend miscarried. Maybe if they had been married before starting a family, things would have worked out differently.”
That was a strange thing to say, Ward thought. He almost hated himself for asking the next question. Investigating and possibly uncovering flaws in fellow officers was more than uncomfortable. Who didn’t have a skeleton or two in their closet? “Do you know if Detective Howard ever hurt his girlfriend? Threatened her? Is that why she moved out of state?”
Grimes instantly popped up from the couch. “I think we’re done here,” he answered, ignoring the questions that had been posed. Ward nodded, understanding that Grimes would not incriminate his partner, whether Howard was guilty of something or not.
“Thanks for your time, Keith.” Ward saw himself out.
VIII.
After spending three days alone in the cottage with Jason, Mia returned to work in the emergency room Saturday afternoon. While they had been alone, they had talked, made love, and come to peace with what had caused Mia to run from Boston. Jason had admitted the resentment that he had let build towards Mia for becoming pregnant; but he also admitted that he didn’t blame her. They had agreed to discuss their future, wedding and kids and happily ever after, once Jason’s issues were settled. It had been a therapeutic few days. Mia was healing. If only the accusations against Jason could be put to rest.
Tyler barely glanced up at Mia as she took her a seat at the nurse’s station. He was sitting, casually chatting with one of the nurses. The emergency room was quiet; there were only two patients currently being seen.
“Do you want to give me a report?” Mia questioned, feeling uneasy about how Tyler might respond. He didn’t give her a hard time, but told her the male patient had received several sutures to his left forearm and was receiving IV antibiotics. The twenty-something female patient was there for minor cough and cold symptoms. She would be able to be discharged once the chest x-ray results were back, assuming nothing abnormal popped up.
“I’ll be in my office for a while if you need anything.”
Almost an hour later, both patients had been discharged. The emergency room was empty---a rare occurrence. Rather than sit idle, Mia started to pace around the department. She ran into Tyler as he was headed towards the employee lounge.
“Mia, how are you doing?” he questioned as he moved in closer to her, trapping her between his solid form and the wall. She didn’t answer but gave him a strange look. “I know there have been a lot of questions about your boyfriend. I heard that the police searched your place and his back in Boston. Must be rough.” Tyler leaned in and put both his hands on each side of Mia. “I just want you to know I’m here if you need anything.” And with that, Tyler started to walk away from her.
Mia followed Tyler into the lounge and grabbed his shoulder. Thankfully, the room had been empty. “Do you think you can intimidate me like this?” She stood in front of him, hands on her hips, glaring at him.
Tyler tilted his head back and laughed. “Do you have some pent up sexual frustration you need to get out?” he asked in an amused voice. “Like I said, I’m here for you.”
“Just leave me alone, Dr. Daniels.” Mia stormed out of the lounge.
He grinned like a Cheshire cat. Tyler loved getting under her skin. At one time, she had been interested. Tyler was confident, even though Mia didn’t realize it yet, she would be interested again.
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
IX.
Mikey and Caroline were inseparable the first ten years of their lives. They had been born fraternal twins, Mikey six minutes older than his sister. They both had wide smiles, blue-green eyes and dark hair. Where ever one was, the other didn’t trail far behind.
Those first ten years were mostly happy ones. They resided on the outskirts of Boston, with their parents who seemed to love each other but had never married. Their father worked a construction job while their mother worked at a local store part-time, to help make ends meet. All was well until Dad started to screw the construction company’s secretary. He claimed he was in love. Their mother threw him out, he was fired from his job and the children didn’t see much of him after that.
The next year or so was a struggle. Life had changed drastically; no more smiles on their mother’s face and no more holiday celebrations or family dinners. Everyday seemed to be a struggle. Their mother tried to earn enough money to support her family, working long hours at the store. She received no help from their father; she didn’t even know what state he had moved to. Mikey took on more and more responsibility as time went by; assuring his sister was fed, took her baths, had clean clothes and did her homework. Mikey was convinced that both he and his sister’s success were linked with doing well in school, going to college and succeeding in careers.
“Mikey, I have to work late tonight,” his mother told him as she was grabbing her coat and purse. She was on her way out of the apartment to walk the three blocks to the bus station. “I left a grocery list with money on the counter. Could you please pick those things up after school?”
“Sure, Mom.”
“Great, have a good day.” She kissed his cheek and flew out the door.
Their mother never came home. The first night, Mikey wondered if she had decided to leave, like their father had. By the end of the week, Mikey had rationalized that something had to have happened to her. Her boss had called, leaving a few messages, inquiring why she hadn’t showed up at work. By the third message, her boss had been angry, threatening to fire her. It wasn’t until the rent was due that anyone realized the two children had been living alone, their mother missing. Upon understanding the situation, the landlord, upset that he would be out of a month’s rent, called the authorities and the children were placed in state foster care.
The first family that took them in showed little affection; they were after the check. The first night there, Mikey and Caroline had been shown to a room they were to share containing two bare twin mattresses and little else. The woman had thrust sheets and blankets into Mikey’s hands and told him he could make up the beds. For dinner, the woman brought a tray to the room with two glasses of water and two sandwiches. Nothing more. At bedtime, it was the first night of many that Mikey tried to comfort his sobbing sister and hold her until she fell asleep.
The family had three kids of their own and paid little attention to the foster kids. Their days were filled with school and trying to be invisible. It was crystal clear that the family wanted nothing to do with the pair, just the state money to house them. They were given shelter and fed. Nothing more. Mikey spent each night before going to sleep convincing his sister everything was going to be alright. Caroline wanted her mother and Mikey had no explanation to give her. Nobody knew what had happened to her.
They hadn’t had to change schools until they were moved to the next foster family. And a few months after arriving there, they were told they would move again, but this time they were to be separated. Mikey fought the decision, but at age twelve, had little power or influence to do anything about it. When he turned sixteen, he felt he did. Mikey applied to be emancipated and he plan
ned on getting Caroline out of the foster system and has her live with him.
Mikey went in front of the Honorable Stewart Howard shortly after his sixteenth birthday. The judge had briefly reviewed the legal documents and had essentially already made up his mind. The kid had lived in foster homes for the past few years---what was a few more?
“Your Honor, I have a job and I am on the Deans’ list at school. I can support myself and I have started to apply to colleges. I want to get my sister out of foster care. We’ve been separated for four years and I want---“
“I have read the paperwork, Michael,” Judge Howard informed the teen. “I applaud your efforts with work and school. But I am denying your petition. If you want to be reunited with your sister at age eighteen, so be it.” The judge hammered his gavel. The decision was final.
***
Caroline had grown into an attractive young woman. She looked a lot like her mother had, long legs, long dark hair and wide eyes with long lashes. She no longer looked like a girl. She had the breasts and curves of a woman.
Her foster parents paid her little attention. They collected the money from the state for allowing her to live in their home. She had a roof over her head, food and basics. No extras and no affection.
She sought the affection from the boys in her school. Caroline hung with the ‘wrong crowd’. She had already lost her virginity, been drunk on several occasions and when it was available, smoked pot. She had even tried cocaine once.
Mikey’s visits with his sister were infrequent. They talked on the phone but Caroline lied to her brother. Mikey had no idea that Caroline had turned to drinking, drugs and sex. In his eyes, she was still a twelve year old little girl.
“Interested in coming to a late night party at my place?” Shawn was a senior and Caroline was happy he was asking her.
“Sure,” she agreed.
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