The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Shit. Speaking of suspecting, I have to go. I hear Joe is having a big group suspect meeting. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Yeah. Thanks.” John nodded and turned. When he did, he saw Johnny walking toward him. “Shit.”

  “Hey, John.” Johnny smiled. “It warms my heart to see you two getting along. So . . . he agreed?”

  “Yep,” John said. “He agreed. We’ve been talking about it. We’re gonna do what you want.”

  “Good, because as soon as I figure out how, my Uncle Hal is first.” Johnny started to walk away.

  “Johnny.” John stopped him. “You’re awfully focused on your Uncle Hal.”

  “Because he killed Bev.”

  “What if you succeed in taking care of him and you end up being wrong? What if someone else is the killer?”

  Johnny acted as if he couldn’t care less. “Then I’ll take care of them.”

  Blowing slightly in a huff of disbelief, John shook his head. “You have all the answers. You know, Johnny,” he spoke sarcastically. “I hear Joe’s starting to have group suspect meetings. Why don’t you save yourself the trouble of eliminating them one by one and just . . . kill them all.” John walked away. Even though his comments were meant to be facetious, they did more than he anticipated. He didn’t just leave Johnny standing alone. He left Johnny standing in thought.

  ^^^^

  He knew exactly where to go, and how long he had to wait. Running his fingers through his longer dark blonde hair, he checked to see if anyone was around and hurried to the far end of the utility building where Joe’s office was located. Like a pouting child, he slid down to sit on the ground. Huddled tightly against the wall with his knees brought up, he draped his arms over his legs and dropped his head to his knees.

  “Hey, Dean.” Dan from Security said as he walked by him

  Without lifting his head, he raised his hand in a wave.

  ^^^^

  The face of Joe’s watch screamed how far behind schedule they would run. He shuddered at the thought of all those people in his office. Robbie and Jess were there, along with Henry and Hector and it was already crowded. Four more were still to arrive. He’d have to find a bigger place to hold the meeting when he got every single one of the suspects together, but he grabbed the main bunch, the viable ones, and unfortunately, the ones that would cause the ensuing migraine.

  Elliott Ryder entered the office and was greeted with looks of surprise. “Am I late?”

  “Right on time,” Joe stated. “I’m just surprised to see you. We heard you weren’t feeling well.”

  “I’m getting better. Ellen hooked me up last night.”

  Henry’s ‘tisk’ of disgust rang out.

  Hector nudged him. “I don’t think that’s what he meant.”

  “Antibiotics.” Elliott overheard them speak. “I have a tough cold.”

  “Have a space.” Joe held out his hand. “I didn’t bother setting up too many chairs.”

  Finding a space on the other side of the file cabinet, Elliott leaned against the wall, barely noticed.

  “Ow.” Dean grabbed his arm in the quick paced walk with Ellen to Joe’s office.

  “Hurry up.” Ellen told him turning her body to face him. In her spin forward she swiped him with her purse by accident.

  “I swear I’m gonna have a bruise.” Dean rubbed his arm. “Take this off.” He reached for it.

  “Dean, it’s my purse.” Ellen tugged when she felt it slip from her shoulder. “Stop. We have to get into Joe’s.”

  “El, this thing is as big as you. If you can’t stop hurting people with it, don’t carry it.” He pulled it again. “I will.”

  “Fine. Look weird.” Letting go and assuming Dean had the bag, she cringed when she heard it drop. “Oh, way to go, Dean.” She bent down to get it and saw the contents on the ground. “Good thing everything didn’t spill.”

  “What matters did.”

  “What?”

  Anger filled his eyes as Dean lifted his Danny Dollar card. “What’s this?”

  “Shit.” Ellen hurried and stuck the items into her purse. “We’re late.”

  “You took my card.”

  “No I didn’t.” She nearly ran to Joe’s office.

  “You stole from your own husband.” Dean trailed behind. “Don’t tell me you used it in New Bowman.”

  “OK. I won’t.”

  “El!” He screamed out.

  “Dean.” She spun around. Her purse swung forward off her shoulder and hit him. “We’ll discuss this later.”

  “God, I wish I could press charges.”

  “You would.” She opened the door and stepped in.

  “Joe, she stole from me,” Dean tattled as they walked in.

  “I did not. Joe, I’m married to him,” Ellen defended. “Don’t I have the right to have his Danny Dollar card?” She turned to her right. “Oh, hey Elliott, I barely saw you back there.”

  Elliott peeked out and waved with an innocent smile.

  “How cute.” Dean rolled his eyes then turned to Joe. “Joe, tell her it’s not right. She stole my card.”

  Joe opened his mouth but didn’t get a chance to speak.

  Henry spoke up. “How can you call it stealing from your own husband? You guys are supposed to share. It’s not stealing.”

  “See.” Ellen nodded.

  “Oh, Henry would agree,” Dean snapped.

  “I agree,” Robbie interjected. “Actually, Dean, you wouldn’t have this problem had you just bought her the purse.”

  “Yeah, I would have had bruises a couple days sooner.” Dean rubbed his arm. “Let’s all spoil Ellen and give her everything she wants.”

  “Joe,” Ellen called out. “Tell him.”

  Joe’s hand slammed down. “Knock it off. What the hell is the matter with you two coming in here arguing? Keep it to yourself and keep it at home. Christ. Find a place to stand.”

  Ellen stepped back and bumped into Dean. “Watch out.”

  “You wouldn’t need so much room,” he whispered, “if you didn’t have that luggage you call a purse.”

  With a ‘sorry’, Frank walked into the office.

  Joe peered up. “Calmer?”

  “Yes,” Frank answered.

  Hal walked in.

  “No,” Frank said. “I was. Not now. Why does he have to be here?”

  “Frank, he’s a suspect like everyone else,” Joe answered.

  Hal shut the door. “Dad, if it’s going to cause tension, I’ll leave.”

  “No, you’ll stay,” Joe instructed.

  “Leave,” Frank told him.

  “Frank,” Joe warned.

  “Robbie,” Frank spoke up. “Do me a favor. Don’t talk to Hal or I’ll get pissed at you.”

  “All right,” Robbie shrugged.

  Hal’s mouth dropped open. “How can you do that? Frank,” he lowered his voice, “maybe after the meeting we can talk.”

  “I have nothing to say to you. You . . .”

  “Frank,” Joe tried his warning. “Don’t say it.”

  Verbally, Frank trudged on., “You slept with Ellen.”

  Hal cringed.

  Dean’s loud, ‘what!” erupted in the room. “When?” he asked Ellen. “When did you sleep with Hal?”

  “Oh!” Dramatically, Frank boasted, “You didn’t know? How about this Dean? Hal’s the mystery man we were trying to figure out.”

  “Hal’s the mystery man?” Dean repeated in question. “Ellen?”

  Hal, nearly covering his eyes, spoke up. “Can we leave what occurred between me and Ellen, while you two weren’t with her, out of this meeting?”

  From the other side of the file cabinet, Elliott walked forward. A look of shock and question was on his face. “Captain.”

  “Elliott.” Hal was surprised to see him. “Look, let me explain.”

  Frank folded his arms. “I want to hear this. Explain to your best friend how you dogged him. Because . . . El and I may have been broke up, bu
t if I recall . . . him and El were a couple. Weren’t they”

  Hal closed his eyes.

  “Captain,” Elliott spoke softly. “I know this is not the place but after this meeting I would like to talk to you.”

  “Talk?” Frank taunted. “Fuck that, Elliott. Nail him. I can’t. He’s my brother. You can. He dogged you.”

  “Frank!” Hal said yelling his name. “Stop it.”

  “Oh, no.” Frank shook his head. “You’re the one who acts all high and mighty. You stab your brother in the back and your best friend. I’d say Dean too, but you made no bones about it, the way you kept beating him up.”

  So aggravated, Hal spoke, “Will you stop it. Grow up.”

  Joe looked at the entire room of people, those who bickered, Jess and Hector who seemed to facially be fighting a headache, and Henry who looked offended. Then he glanced at Robbie who sat calmly in the chair looking at his nails and waiting. “Robert? Anything you want to do or say right now?”

  Robbie shook his head. “Nah. I’m good.”

  Lifting his hand in an ‘it figures’, Joe prepared to yell out. “If . . .” He cringed as the noise level drowned him out. “Christ.”

  Dean’s voice rose over the noise. “Frank, you’re instigating Elliott but what about us? I’d like to know how Hal ended up being the mystery man.”

  “Me too,” Henry said. “That’s very incestuous sounding, El.”

  Ellen couldn’t get a word in edge wise.

  “El?” Dean asked. “I thought Robbie was the mystery man. Or was it Robbie also, and you just left Hal out of the truth?”

  Ellen gasped. “No! How dare you accuse me of sleeping with every Slagel?”

  “Hey.” Joe barked out. “Leave me out of this. And can we . . .”

  “El?” Dean questioned.

  Hal stepped forward. “Quit badgering her. It was me.”

  Dean’s hand lifted. “So this explains why you kept pummeling me every chance you got.”

  “No,” Hal corrected. “I kept pummeling you because you were cheating on Ellen with Bev.”

  “I did not sleep with Bev!” Dean shouted. “So, Ellen, was the ‘Hal’s like a brother’ a crock of shit? How could you have sex with Hal?”

  “I didn’t have sex with Hal!” Ellen screamed in defense.

  The room went silent.

  “No.”Hal spoke up. “We . . .”

  Joe cringed. He knew it was coming. “Christ.”

  Hal finished his sentiment. “We made love.”

  The room groaned.

  Joe’s head fell to the desk.

  “Great,” Frank spoke up. “Now we find out they’re having a love affair.”

  Hal looked at Elliott who stared at him. He tried, he really tried to send Elliott some sort of sign it was all a misunderstanding, but everyone shouted and Hal’s head spun.

  “Why am I the last to find these things out?” Dean asked. “First you steal my Danny Dollar card, then I find out you had a long affair with Hal.”

  “It wasn’t a long affair,” Ellen said.

  “So you were lying before,” Dean nodded. “Next thing you know, I’m gonna find out you slept with Frank last night.”

  Enough was enough, Joe stood up with the loudest of piercing whistles. “Shut up!” He screamed his loudest, his face a beet red. “This is a goddamn suspect meeting. I need order, you . . .” He pointed to Dean. “And you.” He swung his finger at Ellen. “Both. Out of my office. Now!”

  Ellen’s mouth dropped open. “But Joe . . .”

  “Don’t but Joe me,” he complained. “Your little asses came in here first starting the tension with this bickering shit. Out! Out! And the rest of you, if I hear another word, another argument about anything that has nothing to do with Bev, I swear to God I’ll pull out my gun and shoot you.” He saw Dean and Ellen standing there. “What are you waiting for? Out!”

  “Fine,” Ellen said snobby, spun her body, hit Dean with her swinging purse, and stormed out.

  Dean followed in suit. “Wait.”

  “Go away.”

  “Ellen, we need to talk.” He grabbed her arm.

  “Off!” She turned her body and pummeled him with her purse. “You got us kicked out.”

  “Me!?” Dean screamed. “You’re the one who hid the fact that you were with Hal.”

  “Dean,” Ellen bluntly stated his name. “I wasn’t with Hal. I swear. I don’t know where that came from. Look at the disk. OK? It was Robbie.”

  “So why did Hal admit it?”

  Ellen shook her head. “You know what? I’m not going to argue with you. I told you the truth.”

  “Just like you told me about Frank last night.”

  Nothing happened!” Ellen shouted. “I never got a … a…” Her words slowed down. “Chance to. . .” Her eyes shifted to the right.

  “Chance to tell me the truth? Finish your sentence.” Dean said then saw where Ellen looked.

  They were so engrossed in their argument that they didn’t notice the man of average height with longer blonde hair, standing there watching. He didn’t just stand there. He stood close and smiled.

  “Dean.” Ellen stepped back. “Who . . . who . . . Dean, call Security. I don’t know him.”

  “I don’t have my radio,” Dean told her.

  “Hi,” he spoke softly. “Oh my God.” He grinned such a perfect smile. His green eyes, though hidden behind glasses, pierced through her. He reached his hand out to Ellen’s face.

  Ellen screamed and stepped back.

  “Hey!” Dean shouted. “Get your hands away from my wife!”

  “Dean.” Ellen stood behind him.

  He lifted his hands. “I’m not here for trouble. Don’t you know who I am?” he asked.

  “Haven’t a clue,” Dean stated. “I know everyone in Beginnings. How you broke perimeter is beyond me. El, go get Frank.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “You know me.” He smiled. “Look at me. Just look at me.”

  “Oh my God,” Ellen whispered and stepped out from behind Dean.

  “El.” Dean looked oddly at her. “Go get Frank.”

  Ellen stepped closer to the man. “Dean, look at him. He looks just like you only taller,” She wisped. “Like William. Oh my God.” She peered up to the man. “You’re . . .”

  “Yes.” He nodded.

  “Dean.” She stood astonished. “It’s Billy.”

  “Who?” Dean asked.

  “Billy. Our son,” Ellen said.

  “What?” Dean laughed “Billy is seven.”

  “Twenty-two years ago,” Billy answered. “In this time frame, not in mine.”

  Dean, in a daze, walked closer to him.

  “Dean,” Ellen whispered. “He has your face.”

  “Billy?” Dean questioned.

  “Yes. It’s so good to see you. We can talk later, but now . . . we have to hurry. The Aragon Window will only be open for another eight minutes. Please.” He held out his hand.

  ,Ellen looked from the palm of the thin hand to Dean. “I think he wants us to go with him.”

  Dean looked at Billy. “Where?”

  “I believe you call it . . .” Billy took a moment to think. “New Bowman. Bowman. I can’t recall. It’s not important. We just need to go now.” He took Ellen’s hand.

  Dean separated them. “O.K. Stop. No.” He shook his head. “You approach us, tell us you’re Billy and say ‘you have to come with me’. The something window . . .”

  “Aragon,” Billy corrected.

  “Whatever.” Dean waved his hand about. “You say ‘let’s go’, grab my wife . . .”

  “My mother.”

  Dean huffed, “And expect us to go. No explanations. What in the world made you think, that without being informed, we would just follow you? Did you think we wouldn’t question? And what the hell is an Aragon Window?”

  Billy, in such a Dean fashion, ran his fingers through his hair. He spoke rapidly, after glancing at his watch. “The Aragon window
is what you call the time machine. Special permission was granted for me to come back, get you, have you two do what you have to do, and return you unnoticed.”

  “What is it that we need to do?” Dean asked.

  “Dean.” Ellen shook her head. “I think he wants us to go with him to his time frame.”

  “Yes,” Billy said in relief. “I have four minutes. Please.”

  “Not that,” Dean snapped. “I understood that. What in the future?”

  “If you’ll trust me, I’ll tell you when we get there,” Billy pleaded.

  “I don’t know you,” Dean argued.

  “I’m your son,” Billy retorted. “I’ll just take her.” He took Ellen’s hand and started to walk.

  “Billy,” Ellen spoke pacifying as they moved, Billy pulling her one way and Dean the other. “Not that it’s a bad thing to go, you know, to the future, but it took me three weeks to get a hair appointment at Bentley’s Hoi House of Hair and I really can’t miss it.”

  Billy stopped. Ellen flew back into Dean. He grasped her again. “In this time, you’ll be gone a matter of seconds. Well, forty-two seconds give or take one. That’s it. How long you’re in the future remains to be seen. It’s up to you.”

  “Can we get back?” Ellen asked. “Can you assure that?”

  “The Aragon window will make a return trip. Yes. Remember Dr. Godrichson said even if time is rippled and the machine becomes nonexistence in the time frame you left, the window will still allow you to return. The window stays in limbo until you reactive it.” He looked down at his watch. “Now we have less than two minutes.” He grew nervous. “I hate wasting the energy.”

  “Fine.” Ellen adjusted her purse. “I’ll go. It’ll be interesting. Dean?”

  Dean stood behind as they walked toward the end of the utility building. “I better get back.” He mumbled and hurried to catch up. “You know, Billy, I took several trips in the Regressionator. I don’t recall it having a limit. Actually, in theory, that is absurd.”

  Billy stopped cold.

  “Besides, ” Dean spoke arrogantly, “it has not been over six minutes since you approached us.”

  Billy faced Dean. “Fine. I lied.”

  “You lied!” Dean yelled.

  Billy winced. “Please. Thank God you two were fighting or else everyone in that office would come out. I had to lie. I had to add a sense of urgency. My father told me that people are always walking around and I couldn’t take a chance of being seen.”