Justifiable Homicide

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Peter had his brief case with him and had the taxi guy drop him off down on the waterfront where many restaurants and tourists hang out. He went in Ivar’s Fish restaurant looking like Peter and came out a half hour later looking like a hippie with a beard and baggy pants with a sweatshirt to match. He sported a pony tail and a bushy beard with black framed glasses on. He walked down the waterfront reading a brochure and when he thought it the perfect time, he took a taxi around the downtown area changing twice from one taxi on one street and another going the opposite direction. An hour later he was back at the hotel in his room changed back into his everyday look.

  Peter loved this game of tag and after carefully putting his disguise away, guesses that his phone was probably tapped by now. How to contact Toni and when he checked his mail, saw her room number on it just a few rooms down from his. Peter took his bag of clothes and made for her room. One knock on the door revealed a girl who he didn’t recognize as Toni, but when she smiled at him, realized her disguise was very good indeed. Peter moved in quickly and she shut and locked the door, turned around and jumped into his arms wrapping her legs around his middle and arms around his neck. Peter smiled back and gave her a big wet kiss. A few minutes later they were on the bed in the throes of steamy lovemaking. Toni had a thousand questions, but Peter told her he would give her a complete story later as they needed to find a place where they weren’t being watched. After a shower, disguises back on, they took her rental car and left the hotel for the Tacoma area. On the way he asked her when she arrived here and how was the drive west. She filled him in on all the mundane things wanting him to tell his story of Florida and why he was here in Seattle. Peter said, “Hang on to your shorts Toni. I’ll fill you in when we can stop and relax. Remember the FBI is damn good at their jobs and soon a manhunt will take place looking for me. Let’s keep the disguise going and find a motel along the freeway where we can catch up on the past, present and future.”

  Toni replied, “Ok, but I’m hungry and just south of Tacoma is a motel with rather good food. Take the 84th street exit and you’ll see the motel I’m talking about.” Twenty minutes later, checked in as a married couple, they went to the restaurant for dinner. While eating dinner Peter filled her in on his visit to Florida. He told her about his visit with the captain and his role in the vigilante group. Toni had a shocked look on her face as Peter raised his hand to stop her from speaking and then he went on to tell her that the captain in Seattle had been found out by a detective in his own department. “However,” he continued, “the detective is on the side of the vigilantes and passed on some old files to the captain.”

  Peter took a more serious approach and said, “Toni, the gig is up. I, on my own, found the Florida captain and so could others. Now the Seattle guy has been found out so the operation must end now.” Their steaks arrived and both dug in with relish, from hunger, after a trying day and then a bout of lovemaking. Toni sat deep in thought as Peter watched her eat. He missed her, he thought. And while he was thinking of her she looked up at him with warm eyes and told him she thought she was in love. Peter said, “Maybe me too,” with a big smile. How about we pay the rent on your RV Park and take a trip to Mexico for a couple weeks. Let’s fly to LA and buy a car to drive down to Mexico or we could throw caution to the wind and fly down direct from Portland.”

  Toni said, “I love it and after dinner let’s take my motor home to Portland and lay on a beach doing nothing.” Peter nodded his head and finished his steak and then ordered some coffee to stay awake after a long day and it appeared an even longer night. No doubt the FBI was checking all the flights out of Seattle and Portland, but that was ok with him. Toni would book a ticket without appearing to be with him and hopefully no one will realized they were together.

  Four hours later they parked in long term at the Portland airport and on the way Peter had found a flight that left at one am for Guadalajara Mexico. Peter without his disguise sat in his first class seat and Toni still under her disguise sat across from him in her seat. They played eye games and facial expressions for the first half hour and then both fell asleep only waking when the plane landed with a jar rattling the cabin. Like tourists they checked into the hotel separately but had rooms next to each other. For Peter he hadn’t yet told Toni the whole story and it could wait until the morrow as they fell asleep again in each other's arms letting the Pacific air wash over their bodies with the windows wide open.

  When they woke up, it was dark outside and a nice cool breeze was blowing into their hotel room. Peter looked at his watch and it was just before half past nine. Like kids they took a shower together and made for the restaurant for some Mexican food. It was there that Peter dropped the bomb shell on Toni. Amid a chatter of tourists speaking English and some other foreigners from Europe speaking their language and the Mexican staff rapid firing Spanish, along with a band playing outside the restaurant, it was difficult to communicate. However, after an order of tacos and burritos he said, “Word came down through the FBI who got it direct from the Attorney General that if all violence ceases, two things would happen. One would be amnesty for all concerned and the other is a serious revamping of sentences for such crimes as we have been witnessing. Now Number One as you follow his orders has asked you to e-mail all concerned and here is his written order for me to give to you,” as he handed Toni a small post-it telling her to listen to Peter that the game was over.

  Toni read it over and over and then looked up at Peter who was munching on a taco dripping with sauce. She said, “I fine with this, but what about us? Are we history too?” Tears started running down her freckled face landing on her uneaten burritos. Peter stopped chewing and reached across the table and took her short fingers and held her hand in his. Toni had dropped her face to her chest and Peter felt pangs of pity for her thinking he would abandon her.

  “Toni, this is not the end of us. Maybe this is our beginning and look we have lots of time to really get to know each other and as we are both adults here, time will tell if we are meant for each other. I feel something I’ve never felt before about a lady and let’s see how it develops. I’ve been recalled back to Washington, but told them I would finish my vacation first. To hell with them and let them wait. They are following me to see if I was part of the group and that is and was none of their business.” Peter let it hang there as Toni wiped her eyes and slowly a smile crossed her lovely face. She started to eat her food when he pulled out of his pocket a small box and gave it to her.

  Toni saw it was a jewelry box with a small pink bow on top. She dropped her burrito and slowly opened the box to find a ring set with diamonds on the sides and a white pearl on the top of it. Peter was smiling and she looked at him with love in her eyes as another flood of tears rolled down her cheeks. This time Peter knew it was tears of love and not sadness. Toni slipped the ring on her finger and told him it was beautiful.

  After dinner they walked the area where throngs of people were hacking their wares and guys were following them strumming guitars singing Mexican love songs. Peter was generous and soon a gaggle of kids followed them for a few pesos. They wandered around for an hour or so and them back to the motel for a goodnights sleep mixed with love making. It would seem that a match was in the making, but Peter knew that a long ways to go lie ahead of them. A real conflict was brewing at FBI headquarters and it would take all of his faculties to withstand the oncoming grilling he faced.

  56

  Unknown to Joy, Pect and Robin they were all on the same train to California. At dinner time Pect noticed the Joy seemed in a funk. Like him relationships didn’t last long in this line of business. He thought she felt the same way he did and realized it was time to split the sheets and move on. Both had money to burn and Pect thought Chile would be nice this time of year. Joy, as they made their way to the dining car sensed Pect distance and she too knew it was time to move on. With the bank full of money she could go anywhere and where anywhere was, she knew not. Europe maybe, she thought. Rumor ha
d it some high powered politicians, frustrated with the terror groups were looking for someone to put a few hits on groups of terrorists that were hard to prosecute.

  Pect and Joy were led to table, sat down and looked at the menu. Pect looked up and saw Robin a couple tables down facing him. He sat with some old folks as he was a single and the train with so many passengers forbade a diner to eat alone if people were waiting. Pect thought he recognized the guy and whispered to Joy not to turn around but he told her he was sure he knew the big guy eating a few feet away. “How do you know him, by the way?”

  “He and I were in the service together. Special Forces and he was at the time my Top Sarge, but that was for only a short while and then they transferred him out. He’s a quiet guy and very dedicated to his work. I wonder if he is still in the service or a better question,” as their dinner came and Joy started eating her Salisbury steak, “what is he doing on a train alone.” Pect turned quiet and had ordered the same as Joy and then he looked up after a couple of bites and said, “My God, this shit tastes like chemicals, but now I remember his name: Robin Edgar.”

  “Well, why don’t you say hi to him and ask him what the hell he is doing on a train for LA?” She smiled at him and sopped up some gravy with her bread. Pect took a drink of wine and looked up once more at Robin who by now had spotted Pect looking at him.

  Robin had almost finished his dinner when he saw Joy and Pect come in and sit down not far from him. His eyes were for the tall woman who carried herself with confidence and authority. Robin could tell she was a leader and not a follower. His eyes moved back to the guy and some recognition occurred back in his mind from years ago. The guy was built solid and packed upper body strength from pumping weights, Robin thought. The girl had her back to him and then out of the corner of his eye saw the guy with a glass of wine in his hand slowly brings it to his mouth. Robin and Pect locked eyes and held the stare for a good ten seconds before Pect turned away setting his glass on the table. Now Robin placed the guy from some years back in the army. No name came to mind, but somewhere sometime he knew the guy was service.

  Robin was distracted by the old couple who were having dinner with him as she asked Robin the usual questions: where are you from, what do you do and where is your wife and on and on. Finally after he told them he was a grave digger by hand and his wife committed suicide, they shut up and quickly left their desert and coffee on the table.

  Pect said to Joy, “The old folks left and I’m going to slide over and have a chat with the old Top and see what’s up in his world. I’m bored to death anyway. I’ll be right back,” as he got up and Robin locked eyes once again as Pect moved to his table and without words looked at the empty chair. Robin gave the nod to sit down and Pect said, “I’m sure we know each other and as I’m bored to death on this train, thought I’d see if I was right. Pect introduced himself and Robin shook his hand.

  Robin said, “You too look familiar and were you in the service?”

  “Yes and I remember you as a Top Sergeant with Special Forces, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “You're not mistaken and now I remember your face, but name I couldn’t come up with in many years,” as he smiled at Pect. I’m out of the service now and just taking a little vacation away from my job in LA.”

  Pect replied, “Me too and that is my lady friend over there liking her dinner more than me,” he said with a big smile that kind which relieved the strain of the conversation. Both were thinking about their recent activities and wanted to keep the secrets just that: secrets. Robin looked out the window into the dark of the night with a reflection off the window clearly showing Joy finishing her desert and Robin caught her eye looking out her window with his reflection rocking back and forth keeping time with the movement of the train.

  Joy finished and stood up, turned around locking eyes with Robin who nodded acceptance to their conversation. Joy sat down next to Pect and introduced herself to Robin. Robin was impressed with her strong grip and piercing eyes as she took him in wondering why he was on this train. To Joy he looked like one of them: a mercenary from way back. Joy knew she wouldn’t get a straight answer out of him so she just sat there while the two men bantered back and forth on army stuff. Joy was rummaging around me her bag when she saw the light of a message on her hand held computer. She picked up the puter and held in under the table while she opened her mail up. A message was flashing and when she read it, she breathed a sigh of relief. The message said to hide out for awhile and they would be in touch in a few days. Joy put the puter back in her bag and excused herself for the ladies room. She told them she would be in the bar car drinking coffee if they wanted to join her. Both said they would see her there in a few minutes.

  When Pect and Robin entered the snack or bar car, they saw Joy watching TV and the news was blasting out the recent murders in the Everett, Olympia and Shelton areas. The reporter, as Pect and Robin sat down, was saying this had all the hallmarks of a vigilante killing and especially noteworthy was the killing of a house owner that boarded senior citizens. He went on to say that not one of the seniors could identify the killer as each description was different from the rest of them. When the police arrived all house members were sitting around the table with their dead house mother lying on the dining table. The reporter went on to say that the house mother had been accused before of abuse of seniors, but had escaped the laws of justice once again. More briefly he told of the politician who was murdered in his bed in Olympia and gave the background of him being an alleged sexual predator on aids in his office and the lumber manager in Shelton who was found hanging from a tree in a remote location near a lake north of Shelton. Once again this had the signs of vigilante work as the lumber manager had been on more than one occasion sited for drunk driving and the reporter went into detail about the school bus incident. Last on his long list was the sexual offender found in his apartment with two bullet holes in his head while lying in bed reading a sex magazine? To wrap it up the reporter went on to say that a poll had been taken over the phone and eight out of ten people endorsed the killing of all four murders.

  When the newscast finished a smattering of applause was heard around the car and Joy, Pect and Robin looked at each other with a look of knowing who did what. Robin was first to put a grin on his face and Pect lowered his face with an even bigger smile while Joy, the iron maiden, kept a stoic look about her. Robin being the oldest sat back and sipped his bitter coffee and said, “Well kids, we seem to be heading in the same direction and I wonder how it is that we are on the same train. Could it be possible we have the same agenda and if so, shall we come clean or play some games with each other,” he looked at Joy with friendly eyes and coyly put on his best smile. Joy wasn’t ready yet to come clean, but Pect took the lead.

  “We came from Everett as I wanted to see where the big planes of Boeing were made. I would guess you wanted to see the capital in Olympia and visit one of the major areas of lumber production in Shelton,” he said tongue in cheek back to Robin.

  Joy who still was observing the big man across the table and from his look of denial realized he was a hit man too for the same organization she was working for. She said, “Let’s cut to the chase here. I got a message to take a break for a few days and I for one am going to my bed and I’ll see you guys in the morning for breakfast.”

  Pect and Robin sat, switching from coffee to beer, until the attendant told them last call for the night, swapping stories both ancient and contemporary.

  57

  After a few days enjoying the sights and swimming in a warm ocean, Peter knew it was time to head back to a Washington DC spring and what lay ahead; he felt no need to be stressed out about. He had Toni and they fit like a pair of gloves. They had a lot in common, but a lot not in common, but each respected the other’s views. Peter liked government and Toni hated it for its bloated size and lack of its social responsibility. Families were antithetical to each other. She was from a wealthy family of high social status and he was fro
m your basic middle class. Now as they lay on the beach under a giant umbrella Toni rolled over and played with hair on his chest while his eyes were closed faking a nap. Toni said softly, “Peter are you sure they will give the VO group amnesty? If so I’m ready to hang up my hacker’s hat and find something else to do, like maybe have a baby!” Peter’s eyes flew opened and looked into a smiling face and gave her a big hug.

  “I am sure all is above board, but why they want me in Washington is beyond me. I would like for you to stay here until I find out what they want. That will also give me time to tell Sandy our relationship is over. That in it will cause serious fallout akin to a nuke going off. She has and was determined to land my cute butt and make a life with a high ranking FBI man so comfortable he’d dare not run astray.” He laughed and Toni laid her head on his chest flicking his nipple.

  “I’ll hang out here for a few days and then if I don’t hear from in two days, I will fly to Portland and pick up my motor home and head east. You can always reach me by e-mail you know.”

  “I will mail you when I can. I don’t want them to find out your mail address from one of the office computers. I will make sure they are above board on this call and if it’s secured, then I will call you or mail you.”