Blue Justice - Thomas Anthony - Страница 15

She smiled.  “You are welcome, baby.”  She wiped the forming sweat off my forehead with a paper towel.

“I have to go in to work for a few minutes.  Chief Davis just called.  He said it was urgent.”

“Well, there go the hedges,” she replied.

“I’ll try not to be long.  Also, he said Margaret is preparing a baby shower for you.”

“Okay, sounds great!  She is always thinking of something.”

I gave her a big hug and a peck on the cheek.  I reached in my pocket for my car keys and walked to my car.  It was about a ten minute drive to the city and I was going to take it a little slow today.

When I got to the station, Chief Davis was waiting for me.  He ushered me into his office.

“Have a seat, Jared,” he said, pointing at the chair in front of his desk.  A few months ago, I was sitting in that same chair in front of a former chief who got caught up in a scandal and lost his job.

I sat down.

“Jared, I got something for you that is long overdue.”  He reached in his middle desk drawer and took out a gold sergeant shield.

“I wanted to make it formal and give it to you on Friday but there are some other pressing matters.  Congratulations.”  He passed me the shield.

“Thanks?”  I assumed this was a sweetener for what I was really here for.  “I had been aware this was coming for some time.”

“Jared, I don’t know if you have been keeping up with the news around the world but there is a lot of violence happening out there, especially to police officers.”

“Like Ferguson and Baltimore?”

“Yes, among other things.  But I was talking about New Orleans.” He said.

“Oh?”  My curiosity set in.  “What about New Orleans?”

“Three police Officers—white police officers--have been killed in cold blood within the last week.  Nobody has seen anything.  The Police Commissioner of Louisiana is a good friend and an old army buddy of mine. ”

I placed my left elbow on the arm of the chair and rested my chin.  I wanted to hear everything.

“He and I talked about this crime and I recommended he get some outside agency assistance.  I recommended you.”

“I’m flattered, Chief, but what can I do that they haven’t already done?”

“Well, for starters, you could move around better being an outsider.  Jared, the officers that were killed were white and they allegedly had some bad dealing with the minority public.  Commissioner Flanagan believes that these killings are vendettas.”

“You mean like the CDPK?”

“What are they?” he asked.

“Well chief, these are some thugs in Chicago who call themselves the “Chicago Police Department Killers.”  CDPK.   And they got started some years back when a friend or relative of theirs was busted by a police officer and sent to prison.  They claim that the Officers planted evidence on them.  So they see it as a life for a life and started killing Chicago Officers in the broad daylight.  Just come up to them and kill them in cold blood.”

“I had no idea.” said the chief.  “I thought I was up on things but you got one over me there.”  I could tell he felt a little awkward and out of touch all of the sudden.

It felt good being on top of things and to know stuff the chief didn’t.

“Jared, I need you to go to New Orleans tomorrow, Tuesday, and be back here Friday.  Your role is to assist in the investigation and you will be partnered up with someone who will show you around.”

“I hope Charlotte will understand.”  I said thinking out loud.

“Don’t worry, Margaret and I will be there for anything and everything.”

“Okay Chief, I have to get home and break the news to her.”

“Okay, and also tell her if there is anything and I do mean anything she needs; tell her to call any time.”

“Even for the pickled ice cream cone?”

He laughed.  “Even for the pickled ice cream cone.”

When I got home and told Charlotte everything.  I was surprised that she was okay with me leaving.

“It’s who you are, Jared.  I know you want to be in on that case because that’s who you are.”  She barely got her arms around my neck because of her belly.  And I’m proud you’re so good at what you do.”  I just had to kiss her for that.

The next morning, I woke up with the aroma of bacon flowing in the house.  My stomach was growling at me.  I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face.

When I walked into the kitchen, I saw a whole spread of bacon, eggs, grits and Miss Ruthie’s Pancakes.  I was in heaven.  Charlotte was helping her mom bring the food to the table.  Jimmy Earl was already sitting down.  Ruthie was looking great.  She had her gray streaked black hair braided in a ponytail.

“Good morning everybody,” I said before sitting down.

Charlotte placed my plate down in front of me and kissed me.  Breakfast was good already.  Ruthie placed Jimmy Earl’s plate in front of him.

“Jared, you say grace,” said Ruthie.

“Yes, ma’am.”

After the ladies sat down, we all bowed our heads.  I held Charlotte’s hand.  I said grace and everybody said Amen.

“We hear you going to New Orleans,” said Jimmy Earl, sopping his biscuit in syrup.

“Yep, but only until Friday.  I don’t know how much help I can be, but the case does intrigue me.”

“Son, I want you to be careful now, you hear?  That Baltimore thing has gotten out of hand and I ain’t ever thought I would see our people acting that way.  It is shameful.”

“It sure is,” said Ruthie.

“I will be fine.  This time it’s a little different.  Everybody is looking for the killer of three white officers who were supposedly bad toward minorities.  So I think I will be pretty safe.”  I said, trying to ease everyone’s minds, especially Charlotte who was looking at me and touching her belly.

After breakfast, Charlotte walked me to my car.

“Please be careful. Okay?”

“Okay, I will.”

She kissed me.  I could tell there was some worry she wanted to express but she didn’t.

“We will be waiting.”  She smiled.  She now referred to herself in the plural all the time.  I loved that.  I kissed her again.

“I love you.”

I got in the car and backed out the drive.  Ruthie and Jimmy Earl waved bye.  Charlotte stood, looking serious, with her arms crossed.

“I will call you when I get there.” I called to Charlotte.

“Okay.” She yelled, again rubbing her belly.  I sensed that Charlotte was uncomfortable with me going to New Orleans but she didn’t let on.  However, I saw it in her eyes and felt it in her touch.  She was afraid of something.

Chapter 3

My flight was leaving in two hours.  I took I-20/59 north to Birmingham.  Traffic was light for a Monday afternoon—until I got to malfunction-junction at mile-marker 124.  Everybody was slowed to the speed of a mashed bug.

“I just be—damn!”  I hit the steering wheel with my fist.  Being in slowed or stopped traffic doesn’t bother me much, but people who constantly change lanes, cut in ahead, and clog already stopped lanes, pisses me off sometimes, especially when I have a plane to catch.

The traffic finally started moving again at a good speed and I exited off onto the airport exit.  I parked my car in parking deck and walked across the street to the terminal with my suitcase in one hand and my overnight bag on my shoulder.  The weather was warm but smelled like rain coming.  The smell of coffee tinged my nose also and I wanted some.

I checked in with the clerk at the Delta Airlines desk.  She checked my credentials and notified her supervisor that I was checking in also, probably because I was a police officer and that I was carrying my weapon on board.  Of course my weapon was in my suitcase, still the Transportation Security Administration and the US Marshalls scrutinized me also, even though I had gotten permission.

After going through the boarding process of TSA, I gathered my carry-on items and put my shoes back on.  The smell of coffee got stronger.  I turned right and walked toward the coffee shop.  I ordered a large cup, and added 3 creamers and 4 sugars.  I paid the cashier and then walked on to the gate.