Jack said, “Yeah, there is that. Just a detail, right?”
Roger couldn’t resist, he pointed at Ashley, “Ask a federal judge.” Jack went pale and his jaw dropped. Roger winked at Ashley, and she played along by frowning at Jack.
Then she laughed, “How can you tease a man standing in his undershorts in a 40 degree basement?”
Jack said, “Yeah, what she said.”
Then Jack got serious, he whispered to Roger, “You got a whole neighborhood of dead people out there. Well, two that I know of.” Roger sent a trooper out to retrieve his wool overcoat from the back seat of his car. They had already found the other women, and there were three.
The ambulance attendants were there, and Paul said he would ride with the girls to the hospital and have a trooper follow him. Roger asked Jack if he needed to go to the hospital and he said he just wanted Joy, and some clothes. Roger handed him the phone and said, “Tell her to meet us at the police center, fix herself up pretty and bring you nice clothes. You both are going to be all over the TV News tonight!”
Jack grabbed the phone and kept talking to Joy even as Roger was guiding him back up the slippery slope of the yard to the cars. They got to the car, and Roger told Jack he needed his phone back. After about four, “I love you too, honey’s,” he finally got it.
Ellen told us to go back to the police center. Linda said, “Ellen said we’re done.”
Mary gasped, “How did she mean that? Done how?”
Teresa said, “I think we did good on this. There was a lot going on!” I didn’t say anything, I had been counting issues all along, and I think we were about a C+. It’s not like they can grade us on a curve. We are the only ‘group’! Also, I’m not sure, but I bet squirrel tossing is not an allowable sport in Heaven.
Ellen didn’t say what she wanted us to do at the police center, so we decided to check out parts of the building we hadn’t seen before. We ended up in the non-violent section of the holding cells. There were only a few of the cells occupied so we took turns going in and out of the empty ones. It was pretty cool. We decided to go out to the parking lot and see what the reporters were up to. Teresa kept standing in front of the cameras and making faces. I did too, until Mary mentioned that we weren’t sure that we wouldn’t show up on film. We had never thought about that. Guess we wait to see the six o’clock news.
One reporter’s truck had the radio on and none of us had heard any new songs lately, so we sat in his truck and listened to the radio. We were bored, like four kids. We went out into the field by the station and made a bunch of snow angels, which turned into a snow ball fight ‘til we realized someone might see the balls flying around. Poor Ellen, I think we are hopeless.
* * *
* * *
CHAPTER 24
* * *
Roger finally was able to get his phone from Jack, call Chief Doyle and the DA, and tell them he wanted a news conference scheduled for 6:00. That gave them one hour. He wanted Jack and Joy on the Evening News. Roger filled them in on the developments of the arrest of Devon and the rescue of Sandy and Ashley. He could hear the relief in their voices. He also filled in the Chief on Patterson, as much as he could. Roger and Jack were still in Roger’s car. Roger hung up his phone and looked at Jack, “You are a real hero today. I am going to make sure the world knows that tonight, but you also could have really screwed this up and cost those two women their lives! I want you to think about that. I want you to promise me you will never involve yourself in something unless someone you trust asks you to!” He looked Jack in the eyes and said firmly, “I mean this Jack.”
“I promise. Man, do I promise.” Jack laid his head against the headrest and cried.
When Joy got to the station, she looked really nice. She took one look at Jack and said “Where are your clothes?” He was talking to a group of officers in the main hall in Roger’s wool coat, his underwear, socks, and boots. Everyone around them just started laughing.
Paul had returned from the hospital where Sandy and Ashley were being checked by medical staff. He had asked them to call him when they were ready to come home. He went looking for Roger and found him talking to Agent Nelson about the Patterson arrest. Agent Thor and his team had returned to the center for the press conference. Thor and his guys looked like they had spent the day in Hell, and in many ways they had. Paul thought, I bet Thor is right up on the podium before it’s over.
The guys from Indy were bringing the task force up to date on the body count… nine at the foreclosure homes, and so far eleven on the tax property list. Everyone was shaking their head in disbelief. They knew this case, and Devon, was going to make FBI history. Unfortunately, this probably wasn’t the last case like this they would get. As soon as Paul was seen in the room, everyone wanted an update on the rescue. Even though Paul felt absolutely spent, he took the time to recount all of the events for them. They had worked hard on this case too.
Roger was congratulating Agent Nelson and Senior Agent Phillips when Paul joined them. Agent Nelson looked at Paul, “We got a full confession!” Paul glanced at Roger.
Roger rubbed the back of his neck and said, “Why didn’t he lawyer up? This doesn’t make sense.”
Roger gestured he was going to his office and asked Paul if he had a minute. They went into the office, shut the door, and both of them dropped their heads on the desk. After about two minutes, Paul raised his head and said, “Oh my God!”
Roger lifted his head, “I think it’s over, for the most part. Thor’s got some work to do.” They both started laughing. It would be months before the tension from this case would really be gone, but tonight was a start. Ellen appeared on Roger’s lap. Roger looked at her and said “Please, don’t tell me I have a problem.” Ellen shut her eyes. Roger said, “Good.” Ellen put her paw on the phone. Roger looked at Paul, “Do you believe this?” Then he looked at Ellen, “You want me to call someone?” Ellen winked. Roger asked, “Kim?” Ellen winked. Roger dialed Kim, and Ellen went over to lie on Paul’s lap.
Kim answered, “Hello?”
Roger said, “It’s me. We got him!”
Kim said, “I know! Mom has called twice. She is so excited. Are you okay?”
Roger answered, “Yes.”
Kim said, “I know you are probably beat, and I am not sure this is even appropriate. Tonight is the memorial for my mom and her friends down at the bar they used to lunch at. More of a wake I guess. I know they will be there. I wouldn’t mind you seeing that I have a ‘normal’ side too! They have good burgers if you haven’t eaten.”
Roger didn’t even have to think about it, “Kim that sounds great. I would like to see your normal side, but I have a couple of hours here yet.” Kim gave him directions and hung up.
Paul looked at him, “You are going on a date? Tonight?”
Roger laughed, “Not really, a wake for Kim’s mom and her friends at their bar.”
Paul said, “I’ll be staying at Ashley’s tonight. She’s still pretty spooked. This was a bad one.”
Roger added, “Jack said Sandy is going to move into Nettie’s place until she figures out what she wants to do.”
Paul shook his head. “Strange world.” Paul pushed his chin out in a quick motion, “What is the story on Patterson? I’m with you. Something doesn’t pass the smell test.”
Roger said, “I’m going to give you the short version. He and Devon met because Patterson was going down for child molesting. Devon negotiated a way for him to buy his way out of it. They became scum buddies. When Devon married Sandy and found out her Trust money was at Commons National, he told Patterson he could have a couple of million if he got Sandy to sign papers transferring all her money to him on her birthday. Once Devon started collecting so many women, he literally didn’t have time to kill them all. Patterson agreed to get rid of them for Devon, but later decided to keep them alive by feeding them. I don’t think he has the stomach for killing. Get this, Patterson’s reason for not feeding them anymore was that there
were too many. He claims Devon took too many. That wasn’t the deal. He had work and social commitments. There just wasn’t enough time.”
“Doesn’t explain why he confessed.”
Roger tapped his pen on his desk, “He isn’t stupid, and I bet he has a ton of money hidden. He has a plan.”
The press conference was unbelievable! There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd. Roger had walked them through the horrors of Devon, the unselfish decision Jack had made to become the POI, and Jack’s heroic, albeit unauthorized, rescue of the two live hostages. Jack was signing autographs for the reporters while holding Ellen. One of the reporters asked him about the cat, and he answered, “This is Ellen. She doesn’t really belong to me, but she brings us good luck! And she doesn’t like baths!” Ellen had raised a paw for the pictures. (The photo had been picked up by AP Wire Service and caused Ellen a small reprimand. Another story.)
Paul had left for the hospital to pick up Sandy and Ashley, and Roger was reviewing the directions Kim had given him. The Tavern, Niles, Michigan, just over the state line she had said. He found the street on his map, grabbed his coat, looked for Ellen, but she was gone.
Roger found the bar and there was a bright neon orange sign on the door that said “Shallow End Gals –Memorial Wake.” He went in and saw Kim sitting at the bar with a bunch of people around her. She saw him come in and said, “Roger, I saved you a seat!” The little crowd moved away, so he could sit. He gave Kim a little kiss on the cheek. She was so beautiful. She looked like she was actually glowing when she smiled, “You did it.” Kim smiled.
“WE did it,” Roger said.
Roger looked around. It was a medium size bar, clean, and the people there looked to be from all walks of life. It was a long “U” shaped bar, with a walkthrough space so the staff could get to the kitchen and back side of the bar, with booths lining the other walls. Roger asked, “The sign says; Shallow End Gals?”
Kim nodded and said, “See how this part of the bar only has six stools and the other side has maybe twelve?”
Roger laughed, “So they call this the Shallow End.”
“Right, this was Mom, Mary, Linda and Teresa’s favorite place to sit at lunch time. The staff would put napkins out, so no one else would sit here.” Kim pointed to the bartender wearing a Statue of Liberty Costume. “That is Carol. She likes to dress up. Then she pointed to another waitress, “That is Lou, she owns the place. Then there’s Jocelyn, Sadie, Sandy, and Marianne. They have all been here forever.”
Kim looked at Roger. He was smiling. Then he said, “Were all these people friends of your mom?”
Kim looked around, “I don’t think so. I knew most of the people Mom knew. They had a lot of mutual friends. I think a lot of these people knew Linda, Mary, and Teresa more than Mom. Mom didn’t get out much over the last ten years or so. She was what we called ‘Transportation Challenged’.”
Roger laughed, “Wonder how that works now?”
Kim laughed, “I hear there are issues.”
Roger realized how difficult Kim’s position was. He looked at her, “How long will things be like… this?”
Kim said, “I don’t know, but I feel lucky. She hasn’t been totally taken from me.” Roger thought her eyes looked like pools of Caribbean water. He felt like he could see her soul, and her pain.
He looked around the bar again, “Are they here?”
Kim cleared her throat, “Not yet.”
Ellen had told them to take some personal time and enjoy the wake, but to behave. Hmmm, that is pretty limiting. In mortal life I could only think of two people I really didn’t like. I had daydreamed that if I ever had the chance I would get even with them, nothing mean. Just a little payback. Now was my chance, and it didn’t seem worth it. Life is funny. After- life is funny. I decided to super clean house for Kim before I went to the wake, and play with the cats. That was me then, and I guess that is me now. I put some more cat food out for the strays, made sure Kim’s door was locked, and went down the street to the bar.
Mary had decided to visit the Coldwell Banker Real Estate Office where she had worked. She had some good friends there that in life would pester her too. Ray, the main culprit, was at his desk getting ready to go to the wake. Nicky McFarlan, another realtor friend of Mary’s, yelled from the kitchen, “Ray! Did you know there is a cake in here with your name on it?” She was taking a finger full of frosting.
Ray came into the room, “Don’t do that! It says ‘Ray”, not just anybody!”
Nicky shook her head and said, “You are such a shit! Are you planning on eating the whole cake yourself?” She watched as he retrieved a large knife from the drawer and slammed it shut with his butt.
“I most certainly am.” He took a big swipe of frosting with his finger and made a long moaning sound. “Oh this is good!” Then he took the knife and tried to cut it, frowning, he scraped the frosting to one side and saw it was metal. “This is spooky,” he said to Nicky. “Only Mary would do this to me.”
Nicky was laughing, and Ray came over and jokingly was choking her. Nicky laughed, “Stop –stop. I didn’t do this, HONEST!” Ray sort of backed away from the cake.
Henry, another agent in the office, yelled, “Jesus! That doesn’t sound very professional out there!”
Ray said, “I don’t know if I’m going to the wake or not.”
Nicky said, “See? I told you to quit choking Mary four times a day! Karma!” Ray went back to his desk to finish up the BPO for Equinox World Services.
He had been working on it for over two hours, and it was almost done, “I hate this website!” Then, “AAAGH!” All his data was gone. “What Happened?” Ray was furious! Mary had pushed the delete button.
Nicky grabbed her jacket and leaned over Ray’s computer, “Karma.” Mary felt that was a job well done and laughed all the way to the bar.
Linda went home to visit family. Bob was asleep in his chair with the TV going. She could see he had been reading the newspaper. She went to the kitchen and cooked some fried chicken, made some lasagna, and put them in the refrigerator. She didn’t know what Bob would think when he found them, but she knew he would know they were from her. If that’s breaking the rules, then so be it. While the food was cooking, she cleaned the house a little and did some crafting. She made each family member a little scrap book in the two hours she was there. She put them right on the dining room table to be found. She knew they would be treasured. Then she left for the bar.
Teresa decided she could not pass up the opportunity to mess with her sister Sheila. Sheila took great pleasure and pride in playing tricks on her ‘older sister’ at any opportunity. Teresa decided that Sheila’s doll collection, which filled an entire room of Sheila’s house, would be a perfect way to ‘spook’ little sis.
Teresa flew around Sheila’s house placing the dolls in unexpected places, like peeking out of air vents so you could only see the eyes, sitting on a shoe rack, holding a yogurt in the fridge. She even tucked one in Sheila’s bed. Her favorite was the ugly doll she hung from a hook on the back of the bathroom door so that when Sheila looked in the bathroom mirror the doll was staring at her. Teresa put some hair gel in the dolls hair to make it look even more crazed, and used Sheila’s eyeliner to ‘enhance’ the doll’s creepy look. That ought to get her, Teresa giggled. Then she left for the bar.
* * *
Roger and Kim were talking to people who came over to offer their condolences. Roger was impressed with the number of people with funny memories. Kim had said to him more than once after someone left, “I’ll tell you someday. There’s a lot more to that story.”
Carol came over to Roger, “Okay. How do I know you?” Kim pointed up to the TV where a repeat of the press conference was playing with Roger speaking. Carol went crazy! “You are that dude! WHOA! F-B-I-!” Half of the people at the bar stopped talking, and Carol screamed as she pointed to the TV, “This is the FBI dude that caught the killers!” Everyone cheered, clapped, and whistled.
&nbs
p; Kim looked at Roger who looked embarrassed. She said, “Oops, so much for a quiet little night in Niles, Michigan.”
Carol got his autograph, along with about twenty other people, and then Carol came back over. “Dude! You have about fifty free drinks here. I’m puttin’ them in the register ‘cause I know you’re not drinkin’ tonight.” She winked at Roger. Then she looked to Kim, “You go girl!” and walked away.
Kim winked at Roger, “Pretty much what it’s like here.” They both laughed. Kim gently elbowed Roger, “They’re here now.” She held her glass up. Half of the bar did the same thing not knowing what they were toasting, but what the heck. Then she said, “So is Ellen.” Roger looked at the floor and down the aisle. Kim laughed, “When she is around mortals she is a cat. If she isn’t going to show herself…” and Kim whispered to him. Roger’s eyes got real big. Kim said. “The real one is alive. This was a comfort thing. Do you really expect any of this to make sense?” Roger was shaking his head. He had eaten, and they had been there about two hours. Kim knew the party would go ‘til closing, she said to Roger, “I think I am ready to leave. It has been a long day.”
Roger got up also, “I’ll get you home.”
They said their goodbyes to the people around them, and once they were outside Kim said, “I walked here. It’s only two blocks. I think I’ll just walk home. Thank you for coming tonight. I enjoyed being with you, and I know you must be tired.” She gave Roger a little kiss on the cheek. Roger thought he saw her eyes starting to glisten with tears.
Roger held on to her hand and said, “I’ll walk with you.”
Kim looked at him, “I don’t know that I’m the best company.”
Roger said, “We don’t even have to talk.” They didn’t. The whole two blocks they just walked. It was a nice crisp evening. Roger felt good with Kim. When they got to Kim’s front porch, there was a black cat eating the food she had set out. Kim looked at Roger, and they started laughing. They knew it wasn’t Ellen. She didn’t eat cat food. Roger walked back to the bar, got in his car, and put the window down, so he could hear the sounds of laughter and feel the night breeze. He was very glad he had come to the wake.
Alcohol Was Not Involved : A Shallow End Gals Trilogy Page 24