Freedom Fight: Beginnings Series Book 9 (36 page)

“I searched,” Sgt. Ryder said solemnly, holding a glass of lemonade while talking to Hal on his front porch. “I even went to the prison where my brother was held. I did find him. He died in his cell of the plague. My other brother, I never found.” He finished off the last of his drink. “This was good. Want some before it gets warm?”

Hal looked at his own empty glass. “Yeah, thanks.” He handed the glass to Sgt. Ryder.

He took it and walked in his house.

Hal rocked in the rocking chair. Prison. Brothers.

Flashback . . .

The four boys lined the hall of the wood paneled Gaithersburg police station, oldest to youngest, sitting in metal chairs. They could feel the presence of their father before they even saw him. It was a
scary sight as they waited. When Joe walked in, white shirt, black tie, shoulder harness and gun, he looked at his sons, all of them showing signs of a battle. Joe walked up to Robbie, rubbed his head, and kissed the nine year old. His hand laid on Hal’s face. Joe moved to Jimmy, examining the massive amounts of cuts and bruises, and then shook his head at Frank, who sported the least.

“Mr. Slagel.” An officer came from a back office door. “Back again?”

“What did they do this time, Jerry?”

“Seems one of your boys, they won’t say which one, got jumped by another group of boys and as usual, it’s all for one with your kids. They went after the boys, more joined in, and Frank . . .” Jerry shook his head. “Frank’s facing charges now.”

“Christ.” Joe knew by looking at his sons which one it was. “Charges?”

“Seems, again, someone thought Frank was older than he was. One of the kids had an older brother, twenty-five, twenty-six years old and Frank pretty much . . .”

“Kicked his ass?” Joe questioned. “Give me the man’s name. I’ll handle it.”

“Mr. Slagel these are serious charges.”

“I’m serious too. When my ass gets a hold of this man for decking my sixteen year old son, he’ll see how serious I am. Big or not, Frank’s a kid, a goddamn kid. Now give me his name and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Jerry held up his hands. “All right.” He pulled out a small note pad, wrote down the name, and handed it to Joe. “I can’t give you his number but, since you’re CIA, you can find it. Something has to be done about this. Never is it just one of them in here. It’s all of them. And now you have Jimmy, who’s never in trouble, following the pack because of family pride.”

“You’re goddamn right and I’m not changing a thing about that so don’t suggest it. My boys stick up for one another and that’s the way it will stay. Take one of us on, you will take all of us on. That’s the way I was raised and that’s the way they have been raised.”

“Twenty kids were involved. It took five squad cars to break it up.”

“Yeah, and I see my boys are the only ones in here, again and again, I will just take them home.” Joe pointed to the door. “Let’s go boys. Line 'em up and move 'em out.”

All four boys stood and walked to the door. Joe opened it.

“Have a good day, Jerry.” Joe placed the paper in his chest pocket and followed the boys to the car.

The six block ride home from the police station was silent. Hal knew by the way Joe peered into the rearview mirror and the way he finished his cigarette awfully fast, things didn’t look good. They knew it was coming, they waited for it, and lined up, sitting on the sofa, they got it.

“Will one of you boys care to tell me!” Joe blasted, “why in God’s name I have to get called from work to pick you up at the police station!”

An alarm went off and like a wake up call all four boys started talking.

“Dad,” Jimmy spoke up, “it was my fault. I said something . . .”

“No,” Frank interrupted, “it wasn’t your fault and you know it. We handled it.”

“Yeah!” Robbie added. “Frank handled it.”

“Dad.” Hal pointed. “I said no. I didn’t want to get involved. They made me.”

Joe whistled, shrilly and loudly. “Enough!” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his pack of Camel’s.

Uh-oh
, Hal thought,
Dad’s lighting another cigarette. He’ll fling the hand as he yells and ashes will fly
.

Sure enough Joe did. “Couldn’t you boys have handled this correctly? Huh? How many boys jumped you Jimmy? I know it was you they jumped.”

“Four.” Jimmy looked up.

“Four? Wanna tell me how twenty got involved? What did you do, go to the park when everyone was there? You couldn’t find these boys one at a time? That’s the way it’s done, one at a time. You boys stand watch. No one else jumps in while Jimmy kicks the shit of him, one on one. But
NO
. It’s a free for all the way you boys are. A game. . . . You!” Joe pointed at Robbie. “Look at you! Nine years old.” Joe grabbed Robbie’s face. “One more scar on this face, I’m going to jail for child abuse. You are too young for this shit.”

“It’s fun.” Robbie smiled

“It’s crazy. Chip one of those teeth and you’ll go toothless. Hal . . .”

“Dad,” Hal tried to connive. “I was totally . . .”

“Innocent? Bullshit. Since when are you innocent? I’d bet my last dollar that you jumped in first. You always do. And Frank, goddamn it, learn to control your strength. I can’t keep paying other people’s medical bills. You think I have a money tree out in the yard? You think I just go out there and pick a few hundred dollar bills? Jimmy.”

“Dad.”

“Shut up!” Joe blasted. “This is it. You will never walk into my house with your ass beat again. You hear me. You will learn to fight and defend yourself.”

“I hate violence,” Jimmy argued.

“Tough. You’re a Slagel and you have to start sticking up for yourself. From now on, every time you come into this house with your ass beat, Frank is gonna beat your ass again. You hear me? He’ll kick your ass until you learn how to kick his.”

“Oh my God!” Jimmy exclaimed.

“Exactly!” Joe blasted. “Now everyone of you wash up. I’m hungry. Let’s uh . . .” Joe calmed down. “Let’s go grab a pizza somewhere.”

End of Flashback …

A glass of lemonade extended to Hal. “Captain.”

Hal snapped out of it. “Thanks. Sorry.”

“You looked in deep thought.”

“Oh I was.” Hal sipped the lemonade. Cool but not cold. “You talking about prison made me remember how many times me and my three brothers ended up at the police station for fighting.”

“Sticking together?” Sgt. Ryder asked.

“Always.”

“It’s so evident you were raised like that. That’s the way you treat your men.”

“Train them too. I know I pound them sometimes, but that’s the best way to learn. My father taught us how to fight and how to take care of ourselves. He had some trouble with Jimmy. He used to have my older brother kick his ass until he learned how to fight. And uh . . .” Hal smiled. “Jimmy learned. Eventually it became a game to them. Jimmy came close sometimes. My oldest brother was big, really big. Frank’s one tough guy.”

“What . . .” Sgt. Ryder shook his head. “What . . . Frank?”

“My oldest brother. Why?”

“How odd. The name of the . . .” Sgt Ryder stopped himself from saying the coincidence he was going to give. It was too outlandish of a thought. It would be more cruel of Sgt. Ryder to tell Hal that the Beginnings man was big and his name was Frank, than a coincidence the captain would find amusing especially with the Captain in such the reminiscing mood. Sgt. Ryder didn’t want to dampen it.

“Elliot, the name of what?”

“Oh nothing. My dog’s name was Frank.” Sgt. Ryder sipped his drink. “That’s all.”

“Funny.” Hal chuckled. “When Jimmy bought his first pet snake he named it Frank too. Pissed Frank off.”

Seeing The Captain smile as he thought of his brothers and talked more of their childhood, told Sgt. Ryder he made the right choice.

Ellen sitting on the couch holding Nick was an unusual sight for Henry to see when he walked in his house.. For the most part, Ellen would hold the baby only for a short time then set him down. But now she was cradling the baby close to her chest, playing with his abundance of soft black hair.

“Hey El,” Henry said softly, joining her on the couch. “Good morning.”

“Morning. Back already?”

“Yeah, wasn’t much. Want me to take him.”

“No, you don’t like to. Besides, you can have him when Joe comes to get me.”

“Where’s Joe taking you?” Henry asked.

“Get this...to church. Joe wants me to go to church this morning before Robbie and I take off.” Ellen heard a long sigh come from Henry. “What’s the matter?”

“Do you think this trip is a good idea.”

“I feel fine.”

“Not your health. This . . . going to the farm to trigger your memory thing.”

“That’s not all I’m doing Henry.” Ellen stroked the baby’s hair. “If Frank is gone, then I need to say goodbye to him.”

“I guess I understand.” Henry’s head dropped. “It doesn’t seem real yet.”

“No it doesn’t.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be real to anyone yet. You’re a big key to that.”

“How do you mean?” Ellen asked.

“I guess, like me, everyone might think if you see him as gone, then he must be because you would know, not by seeing it, but by feeling it, that Frank was dead.”

Ellen hated the words, ‘Frank’ and ‘dead’ being used in the same sentence. It gave her the creeps and an uneasy feeling she didn’t want to have. Before she could comment to Henry, Joe knocked on the door then walked in.

“Ready Kiddo?” He asked.

“Yep.” Ellen stood up holding Nick. “Though I hate the thought of sitting through a Reverend Bob service.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hand the kid to Henry and let’s go.”

Ellen handed over Nick. “I’ll see you later, Henry.”

“Please, I want to see you before you leave.”

“O.K.” Ellen kissed Nick. “Bye.”

No sooner were Ellen and Joe out the door than Nick began to cry. “What?” Henry asked him so irritated. “Why don’t you like me?”

“Need to talk to you,” Joe told Ellen very calmly as they walked.

“I had feeling something was up. What’s going on?”

“Today at services, Reverend Bob is going to announce a special memorial service for Frank tomorrow morning.”

Ellen stopped walking. “No, Joe. You can’t do that. Frank isn’t dead. He isn’t.”

“Yeah, but what did I tell you? Huh?” Joe moved her to walk again. “If we’re gonna look for Frank, then we are going to do it
without the community knowing. If the community thinks Frank is alive then the person working for George will tell him. I can’t take a chance George knows we’re looking for Frank. I can’t. If George thinks we think Frank is dead, he’ll keep him in one place. If he thinks we’re looking, he’ll move him. That’s why this trip of yours and Robbie’s is about saying goodbye. That’s why we’re having a memorial service.”

“I understand.”

“You have to grieve tomorrow, Ellen. Your grief is a big key to the community thinking Frank is dead.”

Ellen stopped walking again. “It’s so strange you said that.”

“Why is that?” Joe asked.

“Henry just said the exact same thing to me. The exact same thing.”

“Is it any wonder? You said it yourself. You and Frank are the closest thing two people can get to being one. Everyone knows that, whether you were with him or not. That’s why I believe so strongly that my son is alive out there. I believe it because you believe it and that’s all the proof I need.” Joe placed his arm around Ellen and walked her to church.

^^^^

“You have to be joking me, right?” George asked with such annoyance to Captain Anvers.

“No, sir. I just received word. Your train is delayed.”

“How in God’s name can it be delayed? I’m the only one riding it?”

Captain Anvers hesitated, but knew he had to deliver the truth. “Well sir, the conductor, he um . . . the conductor . . .”

“Yes?” George waved his hand to hurry Captain Anvers along.

“Well sir, the conductor was playing around and he broke the brake handle. You haven’t any brake control on the train.”

“He what?” George blasted. “Shoot the man for crying out loud.”

“Yes sir.” Captain Anvers started to leave.

“Wait!” George cried out. “I’m not serious about that. I need him to drive the train. Just . . . just let me know when it is fixed.”

“I can do that.” Capt. Anvers saluted and walked away.

George smacked himself in the forehead. “Idiots. I have idiots working for me.”

^^^^

The joined voices of those in attendance finished the hymn and Paul ended the song with his usual organ flare. Rev. Bob waded through the silence and stood up, walked closer and faced his congregation. “Before we conclude today’s service, I have an announcement. Tragically, this past week, Beginnings lost one of its own. An ‘original’, a comrade to many of you, a leader. Frank Slagel moved on from this world to a far better one.”

Joe pinched Ellen’s leg when he saw her smirk and roll her eyes. “Drop your head.” He whispered.

Ellen did.

“Tomorrow morning,” Rev. Bob continued, “all work schedules that are not community necessary will be suspended for one hour at eleven a.m. for a special memorial service for Frank. All of you are invited to attend so that as a community we can join during our loss and seek guidance together. Let us pray . . .” Rev. Bob lowered his head as did everyone else in church. “Oh Heavenly Father . . .”

^^^^

“This absolutely has to be done by two,” Robbie explained as he walked with Dan, one of Beginnings’ security men.

“Why?” Dan asked.

“Because, it does. I don’t know. Frank always said it had to be done by two. When you gonna cut that hair.” Robbie tugged on Dan’s long ponytail.

“Ow. What are you doing? Frank’s not here so you take his place.”

“Yeah,” Robbie grinned, “and you’re taking mine.” He handed Dan a clipboard. “At least for a couple hours. You’re head of security.”

“Gee thanks just what I wanted. Responsibility.”

“Oh my God.”

“What?” Dan looked up from his clipboard. “Jenny?”

Robbie snickered as he saw Jenny in her Sunday best coming over the hill. “Why is she wearing that blue dress.”

“Because she can. Jealousy over wearing a dress will get you no where. Wear one at home. That’s what Ed Wood did.”

“Ha-ha? Aren’t you funny. I’m not the one with girl hair.”

“Girl hair?” Dan laughed. “You’ve been hanging around Denny too much. Uh-oh. She’s waving.”

“God, it sucks being so hot.” Robbie rubbed his chest. “Every female wants me.”

“Robbie!” Jenny ran to him. “Do you have a minute? Hi, Dan. You have a strand of hair . . .” Jenny reached up and tucked it behind Dan’s ear. “There. You need to tighten the tail. Robbie . . .” She caught her breath. “Can I talk to you?”

“I guess. What’s up? Whoa!” Robbie was tugged away from Dan.

“I need some advice,” Jenny said.

“I’m not real good with female problems but shoot.” Robbie folded his arms.

“I need to know how to be a bully. You know, pranks kids would play on other kids to bully them.”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Weren’t you a bully in school.”

“No.”

“You used to pick on me. I distinctly remember, when I was five, you told me my freckles were a road map to hell. My destiny.”

Robbie laughed, then stopped. “Sorry but that was you. I wasn’t a bully in school. Could have been but I was afraid to be. See, Frank and Jimmy were picked on so much as kids, my Dad vowed that if we ever picked on anyone, he’d tie us up and let that person beat us up.”

“Really? I wonder if Joe has a statute of limitations on that policy. I’ll ask him.”

“No you won’t.”

“Yes I will.”

“Jenny, who are you bullying.”

“Um . . . no one in particular. I’m uh . . . I’m writing a book.”

“A book?” Robbie asked.

“Yes, we have no authors in Beginnings. Well, Danny but Danny does everything or at least says he does. He says he writing the new Moby Dick. Did he mention to you that Captain Ahab was originally Asian and they changed it at the last minute?”

“I didn’t hear that one,” Robbie said. “A book? You know, I may not have been a bully, but I have some good ideas.”

“Really? Will you share them?”

“Sure.” Robbie shrugged.

“Great.” Jenny pulled from her belt purse a piece of paper and a pen. “Shoot.”

“Now?”

“Yes, it’ll only take a minute and I feel inspired. Go on. Tell me.”

With one arm folded across his waist, Robbie thought for a moment, then rambled.

^^^^