Book Two: Part Four - Binding Evil - Chapter Eight

Wednesday – September 5th

The Squad Room – 8:36 a.m.

“Now that you all know what’s going to happen come the twenty-fourth, I want as many viable options and suggestions on how we will operate this thing when the president shows. So I need ideas for you, by the tenth.

“More than likely nothing will happen, but when I think back in the last two years alone; any damn thing could come up to put a wrench in the works. And I don’t want that to happen.

“By the tenth, suggestions made, except it or not; I will begin to set a plan in motion for all of this; but started brainstorming, guys.

“Now, I know this is two days after the wedding,” and she looked at Ed, “but I’ve decided to put the wedding on hold until the following Saturday, the twenty-ninth.” She looked dead serious, and Ed nodded and smiled, meaning it was fine with him.

“Oh, and for all of your beer-drinking, Cowboy-loving, god’s-gift-to-women guys; the reception and food will be at Benny’s Pub. So bring your lady friend or wife, boyfriend, or husband. Just try to be on your best behavior if you can remember how.”

Someone from the rear said, “Oh yeah, there you go already. Just ruin all of our fun, why don’t you.”

That brought on a few laughs.

“Anyway guys, it’s our day to shine, with or without the president’s recognition on Monday the twenty-fourth.

“If I see any of you guys on the twenty-fifth, that means we still have our jobs. Now, get out there and be safe, and keep our streets safe.”

As everyone left the room, Ed looked at her and said, “Glad you mentioned that date. I was going to ask if you wanted to up it a week because of what’s coming.”

“Figured you might,” she smiled.

“Something else, too.”

“And what would that be?”

“Come next summer, I’m quitting the force. I’m going to go after that piece of paper that says I will be a lawyer. I have enough in savings, stocks, and other mutual funds, plus I’ll get a portion of my pension. If we end up with a cash-flow problem, I can always sell a few shares here in the air along the line.”

“Ed, do me a favor?”

“What?”

“Just shut up and don’t worry about it. But as to money, have you forgotten? Mark left Stevie and I well off, and since you’ll soon be a part of this family, don’t worry about finances. I’m sure we can manage just fine.

“I had a thought just now.”

“Uh-oh. What thought, Jan?”

“I could write a book. Call it ‘The Cop and the Lawyer’. I arrest, you defend. Two different blue suits clash in a courtroom, and at night, in the bedroom; then they really clash.” Baker’s grin widened.

“Uh, you might want to keep that one undercover and out of sight.”

“Undercover, certainly, but I’ll never let you out of my sight.” She winked, read him quickly below the belt, released him and turned to walk out the door, when her cell phone rang.

Ed was almost directly behind her when she stopped and said, “Baker.”

“Hello, sweet Janis, it is wonderful to hear your voice again. I promise not to keep the law. I wanted to express my deepest regrets. I heard what happened with your ex-husband and your son. As to the other trash that died, who cares. I do hope your son is managing well.”

“He isn’t your concern, Eddie. Wait, I forgot, you like it when I call you Freddy, right? Are you in town? Watching me again? Why the call?”

“My, my, my, sweet Janis, Janis, Janis; stalling for time to trace this call won’t do you any good. Besides, I’m not anywhere even remotely close to you. Try Central Europe, my dear. And, I’m really making a name for myself here; or I should say the authorities and the media is. They have given me a name from an old television show, but without the s on the end. they call me the Dark Shadow. You should keep up with foreign affairs more. sweet Janis I now have over sixteen body counts that have gone straight to hell, sweet Janis. And when I decide to return; you will join them.”

“Newsflash, Fredrick. I know something about you I shouldn’t.”

“Interesting, and exactly what would that be, sweet Janis?”

“Though you have aged since your parents died, and though we have nothing on file to determine exactly what you look like; you may not want to ever remove what makeup is on your face right now. I know that you and your brother, Peter, were identical twins.”

“What? WHAT! You, you bitch! How did you find that out? Oh, I will so fuck you up when I come back. And you know what? I think I’ll do all three of you! First, that cocksucker, Manning. I know that puke has been doing you! You can watch me carve his ass to pieces.

“Then, your kid! Cut off his other fucking leg, so he’ll be the right size to bounce across a room before I cut off his head and put it in you fucking lap! Do you hear me? DO YOU!”

“Loud and clear, Fredrick. I’ll be waiting. Oh, Ed says hello and he misses you terribly. And remember, Eddie-Freddy-Fredrick-Dark Shadow, or whatever the hell you call yourself; you touch my son, you shallow mindless-pit of a human being, and I will blow your fucking ass to another world.”

“That’s my girl. Violence and anger; fits you well. And violence will be your end.

“Enjoy your life while you can sweet Janis. I’ll be back to take it all away from you.

“One last thing, sweet Janis. When you do get to see the real me, it will be one more surprise you will have never seen coming.”

He hung up.

Baker immediately dialed up her phone provider and told the operator to patch her into 1961-APN. It’s a security police code to trace the last three incoming calls.

A live operator came on and said, “I will be able to have that information for you within two to three minutes. Please hold.”

The operator lied. She was back within a minute.

The last three calls did her no good. Two calls came from Ed’s cell phone. The last call, from Fredrick, came from a street phone in Brussels.

Technology these days is incredible.

Even though Baker put up a good front on the phone, she still pressed herself against Ed.

She was scared. Not just for herself, but for the two men she loved most in the world.

The Second Call – 12:45 p.m.

“Baker.”

“Hi, mom. Guess what?”

“Hi, Bub. I give already. What’s what?”

“I made it on the basketball team.”

“You, you what?”

“I’m part of the team. I keep track of the individual player scores, and Coach says he’s going to teach me certain play calls, so it’s like I’ll be either the offensive or defensive coordinator.”

“Well, look at you. Not even a full week and you’re already in like gold.”

Baker squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. In like gold, was one of Mark’s sayings when he would land a big contract for the firm he used to work for in Montie. If Stevie caught on, he didn’t let on.

“Nah. More like brass, but it’s all good. See you this afternoon. Love you, mom.”

“Love you, bub.”

Lord knows she wants him to grow into a fine man, but sometimes she feels he’s growing too fast for her to keep up with.

She glanced up and said, “You know, Mark, I think we created a tornado and not a son.”

Rim Road Pass – 6:30 p.m.

Not that it was necessary, but Ronald used this time of day to simulate cloud cover.

Both he and Alexandria fired the same distances as before. He scored two nineteens’ and a twenty. She scored a sixteen, seventeen and a twenty. She improved on the first two targets and maintained on the last.

She has proved herself to excel in the bedroom and slowly getting better in the field.

If Ronald had a conscience, he would have felt bad for setting her up.

But he had none.