by James Ross
“I’m content with you.”
“But I’m going to make you share me. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Farley grinned. He sort of liked the suggestion, but was still apprehensive about all of the arrangements. “You make the plans.”
“I want you to screen the ones I pick out for us.”
“I don’t have time to go through hundreds of e-mails!”
“That’s my job. I’ll only give you the ones that appeal to me. That’s why we’re looking at cple4hotfun.” She read some more. “I think you’ll like these two. It goes on to say we are physically fit and enjoy a very active and wild sex life. We are for real and expect the same.” Pamela moved the cursor around the monitor. “Look, it shows their sexual preference. He’s straight and she’s bi-curious.”
“Are you comfortable with that?”
“Hell yes. By the looks of her I could get interested.” Farley laughed. “I think you want her more than I do.”
“I might!” Pamela got up, fetched the Chablis and returned to the computer. She scrolled down the page. “They’ve got everything on this site!” The data moved. “Look, here are some testimonials from people they have met.”
“What does it say?”
“This is from pleasureseekers591. It took us a long time to meet C and M and the wait was well worth it. The chemistry was magnetic the instant we laid eyes on each other. T said that C was incredible in bed and 4 hours with M is what every woman needs. We can’t wait to meet this 2some again. We’re counting the days until we can play for a whole weekend.”
“It’s good to see that they’re not wasting their good looks.”
“And look at this one from curiousinnwburbs. We were lucky enough to attend a party hosted by C and M. This couple is totally awesome. The guests were beautiful, willing and the play time was NON-STOP. C is an incredible woman. Her silky skin, attractive figure and insatiable appetite for sex had me well what can I say—speechless. T said that M seduced her with his sense of humor, quick wit and irresistible charm. And that’s not to mention an attitude that took them to every room in the house. We can’t wait for the next party!”
“Remind me to get plenty of sleep to prepare for them.”
“I can’t wait to watch you with C.”
“It sounds like M will keep your mind occupied.”
Pamela scrolled across the page until the mouse positioned the cursor over an icon that said video. “They have posted six videos.”
“I dare to ask what those show.”
Pamela hit the link and a new page popped up. “Farley we have to watch this one.” She hit the play button on the video that was titled Hotel Fun. “Look, they posted this three days ago.” The pair watched as two women first appeared on the bed together. After ninety seconds one man joined them and after apparently steadying the camera another man joined the fray three minutes into the action.”
“They’ve lied already.”
“Why do you say that?”
“From what I just saw she’s not bi-curious.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
“I had no idea that this kind of stuff was on the Internet,” Farley said as the tape abruptly ended.
“I want her,” Pamela said, her speech slurred and her desire peaked. “I’m sending them an e-mail.” She typed hurriedly. After hitting the send button Pamela pushed Farley to the floor. “But I want you first.”
CHAPTER 52
Summer was changing to fall. The kids couldn’t spend as much time at the golf course as school took precedence. However Aieshia and Carla usually found time to bring them by later in the afternoon or on weekends.
Some things never changed—the turning of the leaves, shorter days, cooling temperatures and, of course, the billable hours from attorneys. What a racket. The lawyers did nothing but keep events in limbo. Their cause was to perpetuate spats.
They paraded around like they were smarter than the rest of the world. In some ways that could be true. Their actions generally produced a paycheck. The lawyers did nothing to actually contribute to the GDP—unless, of course, you lived in Illinois. That state had risen to the top in turning litigation into a burgeoning industry responsible for a major source of revenue.
Shae was busy with a pair of scissors. Her enthusiasm was bouncing off the rest of the people in the clubhouse. “What are you working on?” J Dub asked.
“A tape.”
“What for?”
“A finish line.”
“What sort of finish line?” J Dub and Curt had always taken an interest in sports, especially track and field.
Shae reached into a satchel that Carla had nearby. She produced a flyer and placed it on the table for the pro to read. SPECIAL OLYMPICS in bold letters informed the pro. “This.”
J Dub picked up the flyer and examined it. “That’s not until next spring.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why are you making the finish line so early?”
“So Pabby can put it in his room.”
“What for?”
“A reminder.” She tilted her head and looked as suggestively to him as she could. Shae placed the scissors down, reached up with her right hand and twirled the hair by her ear.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s in it.”
“He is? Doing what?”
“Running.”
“I didn’t know he could run.”
Shae shook her head up and down. “He’s fast.”
J Dub found that hard to imagine. Pabby walked fast with his head down, but the pro didn’t think that it would translate to speed in a race. “Really?”
“Yes. Real fast.”
J Dub reached for the tape and examined it. “I’ll have to check that out.” He knew the perfect place to test the teen. He and Curt had marked off the cart path along one of the lakes on the course. The guys often jogged out there to stay in shape.
“Hey, Doc!” J Dub said as the vet walked through the door. “Those traps are wiping out the squirrel population.”
“The squirrel is a…”
“Pabby!” Aieshia warned.
“I saw the fox on the golf course yesterday. He looked like he had put on a few pounds.”
“The fox is a…”
“Pabby!”
“You’re not teeing off for a while, are you?”
The vet shook his head. “Let’s load the traps in the Gator and rid ourselves of some pests.” He glanced at Pabby. “Come on. Let’s go outside.” The youngster jumped at the suggestion.
“Elmer was circling today,” Doc said as the trio headed for the cart barn.
“Elmer?”
“You haven’t heard about Elmer?”
“No, enlighten me,” J Dub answered as the guys jumped in the utility vehicle.
“Elmer is the eagle that sits on the bridge across the Mississippi.”
“The eagle is a member of the bird family called Accipitridae. Eagles differ from many other birds of prey mainly by their larger size, more powerful build and larger head and beak. The eagle has a very large hooked beak to tear flesh away from its prey as well as muscular legs and powerful talons.”
“That’s good to know, Pabby.”
“It’s been on our endangered species list,” the vet added.
“Their eyesight is extremely keen which allows for them to see their prey from a far distance. Their good eyesight is attributed to extremely large pupils which ensure minimum diffraction from incoming light.” Pabby had drifted into the world of birds. “Eagles live in large nests which are generally built in the tops of tall trees or on a high cliff. Many species generally lay two eggs and the older, larger chick normally kills its younger sibling. The dominant chick tends to be female as they are larger than the male.”
“I’m impressed that you know so much about the eagle,” Doc said. The guys loaded the traps into the back of the vehicle. Two squirrels were about to be eliminated. “When the weath
er gets a little colder I’ll have to take you out with a friend of mine who is a falconer.”
“What’s a falconer?”
“He raises falcons.”
“The falcon is any species of raptor…”
“Okay, we’ll all have an opportunity to learn more about falcons if Doc is going to take us out to meet his friend.”
“Adult falcons have thin tapered wings which allow them to fly at very high rates of speed and enable them to change direction rapidly. The Peregrine falcon has been clocked at speeds in excess of two hundred miles per hour making them the fastest moving creature on Earth.”
J Dub looked at Doc, not knowing how to take Pabby’s mind off his mission. “That’s all good to know, but let’s wait until we go before we learn more about them.”
They pulled up to the maintenance shed. Doc placed the cages on the ground, pulled out a pellet gun and shot both squirrels. He grabbed the remains and disposed of the critters by throwing them on the creek bank. “If that fox keeps going like he has been maybe he’ll get lead poisoning.” He chuckled.
“The fox…”
“Come on, Pabby!” J Dub was starting to get a little tired of the recitals. The teen was in a focused mood today. “Hop in. Let’s see what Shae was talking about.”
“Are you my buddy?” J Dub nodded.
The trip to the lake wasn’t all that far. The guys got to cross two bridges that were built across creeks. Boards on the overpass rattled and made a sound much like a car going over railroad tracks. They had to stop twice to wait for golfers to hit. When the time was right they traversed a fairway careful not to get in the way of flying golf balls. Dirt had settled in an irrigation line causing a minor speed bump.
J Dub pulled up to a spot that was a personal favorite. He and Curt often parked next to the pampas grass just off the dam wall. A large cottonwood tree provided shade. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves above. “What are we doing?” Pabby asked.
“This is where Curt and I come to run. It’s peaceful back here. We can go around the lake and not bother any of the golfers.” The guys exited the Gator. “Shae tells me that you’re going to be running a race next spring.”
Pabby nodded.
“I want you to see what we did on the cart path,” J Dub said leading the pair over to a thick white line on the asphalt. “This is a finish line that we painted. It comes in handy when we’re running and imagining that we’re running a race.” They walked further. “Shae tells me that you’re real fast so I’d thought I’d let you show me some of your speed.”
Pabby blushed. “Now?”
“If you want,” J Dub said as they continued to walk away from the line, “but I want to make sure that you stretch out before you take off.”
Pabby put his head down, hunched over, craned his neck forward and took oversized steps. He couldn’t wait to show J Dub and Doc how fast he could run. His pace easily outdistanced the two men. When he got to the curve he stopped and started touching his toes. After several minutes he said, “Ready.”
“Okay. Let’s see you run to the line.” It was a distance of a little less than a hundred yards. “On your mark. Get set. Go!”
The teen took off. He sprinted as fast as he could toward the finish line. J Dub and Doc nodded approval. It was impressive. As Pabby approached the white line two minks scurried from the bed of the lake.
“Dammit!” J Dub said to Doc. “I didn’t see them behind the grass.” J Dub hurried toward the water as Pabby sprinted to the line.
The kid leaned forward with his nose imitating a horse running through the finish. He immediately stopped and placed his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. After replenishing his oxygen debt Pabby turned to J Dub. “Where were you going?”
J Dub whispered to Doc, “I don’t dare tell him about the m-i-n-k-s, do I?”
“The American mink is a semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal. It grows to about two feet in length and weighs between two and three pounds. However some can get as large as seven pounds. They are very territorial and can often be seen along the banks of lakes and ponds. A mink’s fur is very sought after for its use in clothing.” Pabby looked at J Dub. “Why does everyone think I can’t spell?”
CHAPTER 53
For the most part the Judicial Inquiry Board for the state of Illinois is similar to boards in other states. Its existence was authorized by the legislators in Springfield. Nine members serve on the board at a time. Two are judges appointed by the Supreme Court and the Governor appoints three lawyers and four non-lawyers. Somewhere between five and eight employees work in the Chicago-based office. Two investigators cover the entire state.
Complaints usually come from people that have lost cases and have a gripe with the way the court ruled. Within the board is a Code of Judicial Conduct which serves as a guideline to assist judges in maintaining high standards of judicial and personal conduct. When a complaint is filed the board either decides to close the complaint, investigate it or require a judge to appear before the board. If an investigation does take place then the investigative report is forwarded to each board member and a decision is rendered based on the majority vote.
All complaints are confidential and are handled solely within the Board. Any disciplinary action is a reprimand, censure, suspension, removal from office or retirement. Generally one to three judges a year face disciplinary action. Most complaints come as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol. When all is said and done a judge gets reprimanded much like a private citizen for a first time offense, fined a few hundred bucks and ordered to undertake alcohol counseling, unless of course, a more serious violation occurs.
In a nutshell the board looks good to the public and gives them a place to complain. In reality very few judges are adversely affected. Next to none of the procedural complaints are investigated. The Judicial Inquiry Board was very much like the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
The campus of Bradley University in Peoria was the site of a two-day seminar concerning investigative techniques. The site was centrally located in the state. Those from Chicago got out of the city and the agents from the southern regions of the state got to take a trip north. Gambling boats on the Illinois River provided a brief respite from the intensive meetings if the bars near the campus didn’t have enough action.
One of the investigators for the Judicial Inquiry Board was a young man by the name of Jacob Russell. It was sort of a coming home trip for Jake. He was from Logan County, Illinois which was south of Peoria and about thirty-five to forty miles north of Springfield. The southern part of Tazewell County and northern part of Logan County had been involved in a money grab at one point in time as federal money came into the state to fund the settlement of windmill farms.
The seasonal winds exited Iowa, picked up steam across western Illinois and created a wind tunnel through Logan and Tazewell counties. In an attempt to capture energy from wind and convert it to electricity the government provided lucrative aid. Wind turbines standing 265 feet tall and sprouting three 125-foot blades sprang up across rich, fertile Illinois farmland.
Occasional blasts of methane gas from hog farms permeated the air. White framed farmhouses surrounded by a row of trees on the north and west stood on higher ground. The region was rife with power line easements and railroad rights-of-way. Pole barns blended in with microwave towers. Interstate I-155 mile markers mingled with farm bureau co-ops and implement dealerships. Cottonwood spores blew through the breeze as milo, soybeans, wheat and corn flourished. During planting season and at harvest time this part of the world was crawling with green and yellow John Deere equipment that had been manufactured a few miles to the west at nearby Moline.
All of this played a major part in the upbringing of Jake Russell. The farm setting established his core values, work ethic and moral judgment. Jake had been active in 4-H and had won a blue ribbon with one of his cows at the county fair. He had been active in high school sports, went to a state college an
d often thought about a career in agriculture which really meant that he was going to take over the family farm one day. Then the land leases that accompanied the modern windmills entered the picture and at college Jake decided he liked being a sleuth.
A political favor here, a handshake there and a timely job interview landed him a position in Chicago with the Judicial Inquiry Board. After pleasantries had been exchanged he had the opportunity to exchange notes with a friend, Willard Butts, whom he had met over the years. Willard was with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
“Are you sure you weren’t a teenage rock star in a previous life,” Jake joshed as Willie flashed his teeth at one of the downtown pubs.
They had both shared a few beers. “Why do you always say that when you see me?”
“You’ve got a smile made for television.”
Willie blushed. “That’s appreciated. I only wish that I could use it more.”
“These quasi-government jobs have a way of taking the fun out of life.”
“I thank the good Lord I never chose a career in law. Dealing with the red tape around these assholes can put you in the crazy farm. They stall. They tell white lies. They try to circumvent the truth. They twist everything to make themselves look lily-white.”
“Do you think the judges are any different?” Willie snorted as the words came out of Jake’s mouth. “They’re from the same educational tree you know.”
“You mean the one that teaches them how to manipulate, play both sides of the fence depending on the situation and keep an accurate accounting of billable hours?”
“And wield a gavel.” The pair laughed.
“The ones that can’t make a living then migrate into politics and become the leaders of the free world.”
“Only in America.” Jake took a cold sip of beer.
“The rotten bastards would bill their mothers and sell them for profit.”
“It’s frustrating.”