Fake News

by G L Rockey

  Zack walked behind his desk and looked down at her.

  Hair slicked back on the sides, she wore a white-gold polo shirt tucked into beltless jeans.

  Looking at her bare toes propped on his desk top, Zack, thinking orange blossoms wet with rain said, “Would you mind putting your shoes on?”

  “Why?”

  “Anyway, do you mind if I sit at my desk?” He set his mug down and lit a Camel.

  Ted chucked his toothpick in the wastebasket and stood. “I’m gonna check the fax machine, be right back.”

  Mary stood and held her right hand up. “Before you go, Oz-man, listen to this. The reason I was out-a-pocket” She tipped her head. “I been by Chief Manny’s office, and guess what?”

  Zack, Jim and Ted displaying raised brow expressions, Zack said, “What?’

  Mary said, “I got an interview.”

  Watching her basking in the moment, Jim waived his hand, “Okay, we give.”

  She sat back down, “Seems there was a gruesome murder last night at the Miami Beach Ocean Resort.”

  Jim said, “That’s ancient history.”

  “Not so fast, big boy…the murder victim, a white male, turns out to be the same white male cop on the Channel 10 famous video.”

  Silence then Jim said, “How they know that?”

  Mary said, “They opened the victim’s Ocean Resort safe deposit box. Turns out he had phony ID, registered as Russ Parker he was in fact David Taylor from Arlington, Virginia.” She pointed her right index finger between Jim’s eyes. “And guess what else, Mr. Jim?”

  Jim said, “He was a transvestite drug dealer.”

  Ted scratched an ear. “What?”

  Zack, in amazed wonderment, shook his head.

  She continued, “The white Lincoln sedan of infamous Channel 10 video fame, a Hertz, was rented to a Russ Parker in Arlington…hello.”

  Zack, Jim, and Ted exchanged glances.

  Mary paused to savor the moment then said, “The chief said that the dead guy, David Taylor, alias Russ Parker, is a dead ringer for the little fat guy on said Channel 10’s infamous video.”

  Like a church at 3:00 a.m., silence filled the room.

  Ted said, “I gotta go, be right back.”

  Mary leaned back in Zack’s chair.

  Jim said, “Okay, so it all confirms my theorysome kind of out-of-state drug deal gone sour.”

  Zack lit a Camel and blew smoke in the air. “We got riots, anarchy, martial law, terrorists, dead aliases, cops dressed up as cops, President Benny smack in the middle of it alland ace reporter Jim Roberts thinks it’s a drug deal gone south.”

  Jim stood and walked to the window. “Zackary, I’m concerned you’re forcing the facts to fit a larger conspiracy theory.” He paused. “Whether the truth is there or not.”

  “Mary, do you mind if I sit at my desk?” Zack asked again.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  2:10 p.m. EST

  Five minute after he had left, Ted ambled back into Zack’s office with a puzzled look on his face, “Okay, folks, look at this little ditty that sat in the fax machine all by its lonesome.” He handed the message to Zack. “Think it’s for you.”

  Zack read the fax aloud: “Champ, the up is down. First to know. One Bohemia coming up. Call for J.C. at T. T. C.’”

  After thirty seconds of pondering, reading the fax a third time, Zack handed the message to Jim.

  Jim read it then said, “I don’t get it.” He handed the fax to Mary.

  Mary read the message and dropped her hands to her side. “‘Call for J.C. at T.T.C.’ What is that—somebody found Jesus Christ?”

  Ted smiled.

  Jim shook his head.

  Preoccupied, Zack closed his eyes, opened them, turned to his video phone, thought a minute, began to press a number then stopped. Joe Case’s presence strong, he turned the phone off.

  “What’s the matter? Who were you going to call?” Jim asked.

  Zack paused. “Well, let’s just think about this.” He hesitated and thought, Okay, I’m paranoid, but is this office bugged? He looked around. Could be. He picked up a pencil and printed large letters on a yellow pad: COULD THIS OFFICE BE BUGGED? He showed it to the group.

  Ted rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Why?”

  Mary tilted her eyes in disbelief. “What did you boys drink for lunch?”

  Jim smiled. “Zackary, come on.”

  Left index finger to his lips, right index pointing to Jim then the door, Zack signaled that he and Jim would leave. He indicated that Ted and Mary were to stay. His eyes asked for acknowledgment.

  Amid a mix of confused, amused, amazed and concern-for-your-health glances, they all nodded agreement.

  Zack spoke. “Well, lady and gentlemen, this fax is obviously from some crackpot who wants to sell us an exclusive eyewitness account of something.” He looked out the window at the growing columns of black smoke on the horizon. “Mary, how about seeing if you can get some reaction from one of our dear Florida senators. They’ve been very quiet.” He turned to Ted. “And Ted, why don’t you track down the mayor.”

  Ted said, “She’s on her way back from Rome.”

  Zack, ignoring him, said, “See what she has to say about this latest development.” He cued Jim. “Jim, let’s go downstairs and check on that extra.”

  Jim said, “But I”

  “Let’s just go.” Zack put his cell phone on his desk and pushed Jim through the door.

  Jim, stumbling: “But Zackary, I”

  “Just go.” They walked down the rickety stairs, past the pressroom, past the receptionist desk, through the front door and outside.

  Chapter Thirty Four

  2:20 p.m. EST

  General MacCallister reported to Dr. Lande on a secured line: “Our southeast office has intercepted a coded fax message to that Miami rag, The Boca. Our people traced Bimini Island as the source. We will continue monitoring the defrocked jerk.”

  Chapter Thirty Five

  2:30 p.m. EST

  Outside at the San Luis Mall water fountain, Zack said to Jim, “Wait here, I gotta go make a phone call. Got a couple quarters?”

  Jim said, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.”

  Jim gave him two quarters.

  “Be right back.”

  Zack went to a pay phone next to the San Luis Cafe, inserted two quarters and, from memory, pressed the old Bimini Road number.

  After two rings: “Tea Company.”

  Zack recognized the thin voice of the owner, Jay.

  “Is this The Bimini Road?”

  “No longer Bimini Road, The Tea Company.”

  “Is Mr. Joe Case, there?”

  “Joe Case no longer here, nope.”

  “Oh. Well, this is Carl at Verizon. We’re conducting research on pay phone locations. Do have a pay phone at your business?”

  “Who is this? I’m busy here, Jessa Chriss.”

  “It’s for environmental research, sir, do you have a pay phone there?” Zack asked again.

  “Yes, by the entrance, but I’m not interest in monkeying around with you right now, everybody have cell…waste a money…busy as one-arm man in ass-kicking contest.”

  Zack thought, He has that mixed up, said, “I understand, but just so I can complete my research, what is that number?”

  “What number?”

  “The pay phone number.”

  “Jesus ChristI don’t know…nobody use…everybody cell…”

  “Could you do me a big favor, get the payphone number, would appreciate it much.”

  “Jesus Christ…”

  “Please.”

  Ten second later, Zack heard Jay say, “Number is 555-3552.”

  “Thank you very much.”

  Zack hung up and dialed the pay phone number.

  After ten rings, Jay answered. “Ha-low.”

  “Hi, Jay, this is Zack Stearn, editor of The Boca, remember me?”

  “How could forget?”<
br />
  “I got a fax from Joe Case, the former owner”

  “You just call me? Telephone man?”

  “Yes, your business phone is probably bugged.”

  “Pinko basteeds.”

  “What’s with the fax I got, up is down, first to know, Bohemia coming up, call for J.C. at T. T. C.”

  “Somebody was in, you know, a Pi friend of Joe Case. Said you would be calling, said Joe need to see you. Have some kind of up-down, down-up, I don’t know, proof—he need to show you.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “You’re kidding—from a big shot journalist? What is that?”

  “I know, but what’s up?”

  “What’s up? How do I know? Joe fucking crazy, you know Joe. He need see you, something. That’s all I know. You better go. Pi guy said if you call, give you message. I don’t know nothing. You think my business phone is bugged, huh?”

  “I think.”

  “Pinko basteeds.”

  “Where?”

  “Where who?”

  “Where is Joe?”

  “To Bimini, Pi guy say Brown’s Marina, go to quick.”

  “But”

  “But what? You confuse me, I don’t know nothinggotta gobusy as a one-arm man in an ass-kicking contest.”

  Chapter Thirty Six

  2:45 p.m. EST

  Nonchalantly strolling back from the pay phone to Jim, Zack dragged the last life from a Camel and flipped the butt to the parking lot surface. Thoughts bounced around in his mind: Joe CaseBimini RoadThe Tea Companyit’s a fairy tale, a dreambut then, I’m getting better at dreams or else Lewis Carroll’s Tweedledee truism is right–Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.

  He stepped to Jim. “Jimbo, Tweedledee was right.”

  Jim squinted his eyes. You okay?

  “If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.” He paused, “It’s that logic part that gets the world in trouble every time.”

  “What?”

  “One-arm man in an ass-kicking contest.”

  “It’s one-legged man.”

  “I want you to listen to me carefully and tell me where I’m wrong, okay?”

  “I usually do.”

  “Walk with me,” Zack said.

  They began a slow stroll around the shopping mall. “A friend of mine has sent me a message.”

  “That fax, Ted found?”

  “Yesand we need to go to Bimini, tonight.”

  Jim stopped and studied Zack. “Say again, Bwana?”

  “I have a funny feeling that something very big is going on and that we need to go to Bimini, tonight.”

  “That’s what I thought you said.”

  “Something big is going on.”

  Jim laughed. “Zackary, what’s the joke?”

  “Joe Case, former The Bimini Road restaurateur, wants to see me.”

  “What?” Jim swallowed, choked, coughed. “That crackpot jerk”

  “He’s the ‘J.C.’ in the fax message.”

  “Zackary, please, I lost you.”

  “The ‘JC’ in the fax is Joe Case, he’s relocated to Bimini.”

  “Wait a minute.” Jim stepped back.

  “Keep it down, act like we’re just chatting.”

  Eyes squinted, Jim wiped his lips. “I knew you were starting to forget things, but full-blown Alzheimer’s coupled with paranoia—I didn’t think you were this far gone.”

  Zack stepped closer to him. “Listen to me, this is serious.”

  Jim chuckled. “Yes, indeed, Alzheimer’s coupled with paranoia is very serious”

  “Jim, think about that fax for a minute. What is now happening on Main Street U.S.A., the big picture, the past twenty-four hours?”

  “I’m not following you, Bwana.” He put a hand on Zack’s shoulder. “Zackary, ol’ boy, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Let me get you to a doctor.”

  Zack brushed off his hand. “This is not funny.”

  “Zackary, will you stop for a minute? Listen to yourself. Joe Case is crazy as a bedbug in a French bordello.”

  “Will you look at me?”

  Staring into Zack’s eyes, Jim said, “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, we have to go to Bimini, tonight.”

  “Zackary, how? I meanwe can’t just take off and go to Bimini. I meandamn, man.”

  “Last time I saw Joe Case he said something”

  “Zackary, Joe Case is nuttier than my mother’s Christmas fruitcakes.”

  “He’s found something.”

  “Dementia praecox, and you caught it.”

  “Sometimes I think that would be easier.”

  “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “You said that already. Yes, very.”

  “But I don’t get it.”

  “Don’t try, I’ll explain to you later. We’re going to Bimini, tonight.”

  “You might be going to Bimini, Bwana, but my black ass is staying in Miami.”

  “Nice try, and you did, and we’re going to Bimini, tonight.”

  “HowI mean, how do you propose?” He stopped as the thought hit him–Veracity. “Oh no, no, I’m not going to Bimini in that tub of yours.”

  “Are you referring to Veracity?”

  “None other.”

  “How could you.”

  “Sorry.”

  “I wouldn’t think of putting Veracity through the strain. Besides, they’re probably watching her. We need something fast and loose.”

  “Oh, my God.”

  “We’ll drive to Fisherman’s Marina. Its south of Homestead Bay Park. I’m pals with, Buddy Morganti, the marina owner. We’ll borrow his Top Gun.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Cigarette boat.”

  “Oh, my God. Look, I want you to see a shrink, I know a good”

  “Listen to me, this fax is not a coincidence. The way this thing has evolved, the video, Benny, I feel it in my bones.”

  “Skull and crossbones.”

  “We could be under surveillance right now.” Zack looked skyward. “Satellites can read the writing on a nun’s underwear.”

  “Holylisten, Zackary, they say the first sign of Alzheimer’s can be paranoia.”

  “Who says?”

  “Some interview I saw, a TV talk show.”

  “Say no more.” Zack put a hand on Jim’s shoulder. “When we go back to my office, act like nothing unusual is going on. I’ll say you’re going to keep digging on the cover-up angle to this blasted video story. Got that?”

  Jim nodded his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe this.”

  “I don’t believe many things. Now, I’m going to that pay phone to pretend to make another call”

  “Pretend, Zackary, I”

  “Relax. When I return we go back to the office, tell Ted and Mary we checked out the fax, a former of-the-cloth classmate of mine playing gamesnothing to it.”

  “That’s more like the truth.”

  “Act like nothing happened. Do some work. Hang around, then you leave, say you are going to check out some leads at the mayor’s office, something. I’ll leave with Ted so it looks like nothing out of the ordinaryI’ll tell him what’s going on, have him drive me to the Jabberwocky, take my car to Veracity, he can stay on board tonight.”

  “Oh, my God”

  “You have your passport?”

  “It’s at home.”

  “When you leave, go home and get it. I’ll meet you at Jabberwocky, six o’clock. Are you listening to me?”

  “Yes.”

  “At Jabberwocky, come in so I’ll know you’re there, go in a corner somewhere, when you see Ted leave, you leave, I’ll meet you in parking lot at your carwe’ll be at Fisherman’s Marina less than an hourget Buddy’s Top Gun, be in Bimini in no time.”

  Jim cupped his
face with both hands. “You really are serious about this, aren’t you?”

  “Dead.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “You’re in good hands.”

  “Oh, my god, Zackary, no kidding, the stress is getting to you, let me get you to a shrink.”

  “Jimbo, I want you to think about what has happened yesterday and today, in just twenty-four short hours, and tell me what you think is going on.”

  Jim put his hands on his hips. “How ‘bout a couple of white cops, dealing in drugs, prostitution, snuff a sister who tries to stiff them?”

  “What about the Lincoln, Hertz rental, what Mary said about the dead ringer?”

  “Okay, so the cops are involved in a bigger drug operation.”

  “That’s too easy an answer and you know it.”

  “And what is yours?”

  “Look, I don’t have time to debate this. Take a minute to think about it. Go ahead, get your thoughts together. If you don’t want to go, let me know. Take all the time you need. I’m going to that pay phone to fake a call. Then we’re going back to my office, you are going to leave, I am going to meet you at Jabberwocky, six o’clock, don’t be late, then we’re going to Bimini.”

  “Damn, Zackary. What if you’re wrong?”

  “When have I ever been wrong?”

  Jim shook his head. “I give up.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll be here.” Jim sat on a cement stool and gazed at three large orange-and-white fish swimming in the fountain’s rippling water. He spoke to the fish. “I know how you must feel, in that small pond, going round and round.”

  Then, trying to stack logic together, he contemplated going to Bimini. “Joe Case is a nut case. I could end up dead.”

  With that thought circulating in his head, he watched Zack swagger back toward him. He stood.

  “Zackary, I’ve been thinking ”

  “About what?”

  “Why did you just make a fake phone call?”

  “Let’s just say, editorials.”

  “You’re insane.”

  “The world is insane. We’re right at home, and take that tie off, and don’t bring your cell phone when you meet me at the Jabberwocky, ditch it in your office.”