Three Sides of the Tracks Read online

  “No, no. I can do it myself,” Bernard grumbled as Danny tried to help him to the stand.

  “I ain’t climbing up there,” he said to Phillips in passing, referring to the witness box.

  Bernard hadn’t shaved or changed clothes in days, judging by the look and smell of his faded blue jeans and T-shirt. Straggly shoulder-length hair might have seen a comb yesterday but not today.

  As the bailiff held the Bible to swear him in, Bernard’s head snapped toward the judge. “Are you watching me?”

  Judge Gilbert frowned. “It is my duty to watch people in my court, Mr. Davis. And you don’t ask questions in here. I do. Myself and the two attorneys. Is that clear?”

  “Clear? Is what clear?” Bernard responded.

  “Is what I told you clear? Do you understand it?”

  “Course I do. I ain’t stupid.”

  “Go ahead with your examination, Mr. Phillips,” the judge said, the expression on his face matching the irritation in his voice.

  “Mr. Davis, do you remember being shot on August fourth?”

  “Yeah, wouldn’t you?”

  “Did the man who shot you say anything prior to shooting you?”

  “Asked about a boy and said I wouldn’t be the first. He was right scary waving that pistola in my face. But I tricked him.”

  “How was that, Mr. Davis?”

  “Not telling you. Not with him watchin’,” he said pointing at Morrison. “See that slicked down hair? Just like them Gooks use to look ‘cept shorter. Same round glasses too. What y’all let him in here for anyways? He’s liable to have a satchel charge and blow all our asses up.”

  Phillips looked at Judge Gilbert and held up a finger, silently asking the judge to give him a moment to explain Bernard’s condition.

  “The Veterans Administration has you on medication. Is that right, Mr. Davis?”

  “You been snoopin’ round my medicine cabinet? How’d you know that?”

  Morrison stood up but, before he could object, Phillips turned to the judge. “May I approach the bench, Your Honor?”

  “I’d say you’d better approach it very quickly,” Judge Gilbert said and waved for Morrison to join them.

  The three huddled on the opposite side of the judge’s seat from where Bernard sat. “Judge, Mr. Davis was much more coherent when I last interviewed him, and even though he is unorthodox in his statements, I can assure you his testimony—”

  Judge Gilbert leaned forward and pointed his finger at Phillips. “I can’t believe you wasted the court’s time with this lack of hard evidence or more reliable witnesses. Do you appreciate the attorney fees this man has to pay for the serious allegations you brought against him?”

  “I do, Your Honor, and I wouldn’t have called Mr. Davis if I’d been aware of how severe his medical condition is. I’ve seen him on several occasions, and he never gave any indication—”

  Judge Gilbert held up his hand. “I’ve heard enough. Dismiss your witness.”

  Phillips walked around to Bernard. “Mr. Davis, thank you, sir. That will be all for today.”

  “Shore will, and you’d better be careful and watch that one,” Bernard said, pointing at Morrison.

  Phillips rolled Bernard’s wheelchair out the gates where Danny waited.

  “I’m not calling you,” he said to Danny. “Feds are going to have to take this one.”

  Phillips faced the judge. “I apologize to the court, Your Honor. I wasn’t completely aware of Mr. Davis’ medical condition. That’s all I have, Your Honor.”

  Judge Gilbert had a serious frown on his face. “To arrest a citizen on the flimsy evidence you’ve presented is a flagrant abuse of the justice system. I ought to bring you up before the Bar. The only reason I’m not is because this is the first time you’ve come before me in such an unprofessional manner.”

  “Sir, as I said or should have said, there are extenuating circumstances that prevent me from—”

  “Such as?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say because to do so might jeopardize other investigations, sir.”

  The judge looked at Jessie. “Mr. Whitaker, I’m ordering all charges against you dropped with apologies from the court. You’re free to go after a little paperwork is completed.”

  A big grin spread across Jessie’s face, and he slapped Morrison on the back. “Imagine them trying to pull that on me? On me. Jessie Whitaker. You did good too, Charlie.”

  Morrison hid his disgust. “Thank you, Jessie. I hope you still think so after you receive my bill.”

  “Hell, don’t worry about that. Just come when I call. That’s all you need to worry about.”

  Morrison forced himself to concentrate on his files as he stuffed them into his briefcase.

  * * *

  Danny wheeled Bernard back to his van. “You sure you’re okay to drive, Bernard, and don’t want me to ride with you and get my car later?”

  “I’m cool, bud. I saw where that was headed. Just messin’ with their heads a little bit, but keep that to yourself,” Bernard said and winked. “See you later.”

  Danny watched Bernard drive off in his VA-supplied van then got in the Taurus Bernard gave him and went home.

  * * *

  Jessie went to the clerk of court’s office and demanded his bond money immediately.

  “Mr. Whitaker, the judge’s order of disposition of the case will have to be processed and the check issued. I can’t just write a check for a million dollars and hand it to you.”

  “You minimum wage hussies love it when you have a little power, don’t you? Here,” Jessie said, reaching in his pocket and shoving a $20 bill through the window, “buy you some new lipstick. You remind me of Miss Boo.”

  Jessie’s elation at the dismissal dissipated on the way to his car. Slink had obviously hoodwinked him, or that hair lip would be dead by now. His thoughts turned to whether Deadhead and Iggy were up to the task or whether he should go to New York or Miami and hire someone. But that would be risky. One thing’s for sure though, he told himself. That hair lip won’t see another birthday.

  Jessie closed the car door and cranked it up. He turned his head to see whether any traffic was coming and caught sight of Bernard leaning against the side of his van, parked at a gas station about 50 yards away. He had a big grin on his face and held a grayish tube in his hands, which he raised and pointed toward Jessie.

  Jessie swore under his breath. “What the hell is that fool doing?” Then he saw the trail of smoke coming from the gray tube.

  The LAWS rocket hit Jessie’s car with an explosion that blew the doors off and lifted the car a foot off the ground. A fireball rose into the air that drew the attention of people a mile away.

  Scattered body parts were all that remained to bury.

  50

  Break

  Stuart Hathaway parked against the curb in front of Belinda’s house. Houses on that street were built with small or almost nonexistent front yards leaving plenty of room in back for trees and workshops.

  He sat for a moment composing himself and thinking of what he could possibly say to make up for almost 20 years of silence, then took a deep breath and opened the door with a trembling hand.

  Stuart normally walked upright and square shouldered, but today his steps were slow and his shoulders drooped with the weight he carried.

  Belinda opened the door before he knocked.

  “Hi, Daddy. I saw you through the window. Come in.”

  Encouraged by her smile, Stuart opened his arms and wrapped them around Belinda. He was unprepared for the sobs coming from deep within his chest. Although a few inches taller than her, his frame seemed to shrink to fit hers as they clutched each other cheek to cheek.

  The regret welling out of him felt so good, so right, that Stuart didn’t try to hold back. He just let it run its course. His daughter’s touch awakened his memory of how the embrace of a loved one fed the heart’s need for companionship.

  “It’s okay, Daddy. It’s okay,�
� he heard her say through her own sniffles as she rubbed his back.

  “Can you ever forgive me for what I did to you and that boy?”

  “Daddy, it was never my place to forgive you. I chose to do what I did. I knew full well how it would turn out. I will say I didn’t know how much it would hurt sometimes, but it wasn’t because of you. More to do with Martin than anything else. I’ve been so sad since he died. At least while he was alive, I could love him even though I couldn’t be with him. But now. Now, I feel empty. But seeing you helps. It really does.”

  “That means the world to me, Daughter. You mean the world to me. I left your mother. I couldn’t stand one more day of her vile.”

  Belinda looked shocked. “Where are you staying? Do you need some place to stay? You can stay here, if you want.”

  “No, no. MJ and Delores put me up in their guest house. For now. I’m just taking it day by day.” He grinned as he wiped his face with a handkerchief. “I’m finding it quite relaxing to not give a damn.”

  “Daddy!”

  “Let’s sit down. I don’t know who looked more shocked: you just now or your mother when I stormed out of the house.”

  They sat on the couch together. Stuart leaned back and Belinda perched on the edge facing him.

  “What about my grandson? Think there’s a chance of repairing that damage?”

  “He has a lot of resentment, but he’s not the type person to hold a grudge if he thinks someone is sincerely sorry. At least when it comes to his own troubles. When it comes to me, he’s a little less forgiving. He still wants to punch Reverend Holcomb,” Belinda said with a smile.

  “I want to punch Reverend Holcomb,” Stuart said.

  “Maybe that’s something you two have in common you can build on.”

  “Where is he?”

  “He and his girlfriend are out back washing cars, I think. They were the last time I looked.”

  “Same young lady who came to the funeral?”

  Belinda nodded.

  “She remind you of anyone?”

  Belinda cocked her head.

  “Oh, don’t look so innocent. You know who I mean.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you. I didn’t know who she was till later. I almost swallowed my teeth when MJ told me. Not many around with that kind of moxie.”

  Belinda tossed back her head and laughed.

  “Come on. I think this would be a good time to start breaking the ice. If you’re game?” Belinda said with a mischievous smile.

  The smile left Stuart’s face and a hint of trepidation replaced it.

  “What’s the matter? Don’t have the moxie?”

  That brought back the impish smile along with a chuckle. “Guess I can’t let a gal outdo me, huh? Come on. But you have to be my bodyguard.”

  “Sure. I’m with you.”

  Belinda slipped her arm through her father’s as they walked through the house and out the back door.

  51

  Visiting Bernard

  Danny drove to the Atlanta VA Medical Center where Bernard was undergoing psychiatric treatment.

  He’d been to visit him once before, shortly after Jessie’ death, but, as soon as Bernard saw him, he began raving that Danny was a Viet Cong undercover agent out to kill him, and the nurses asked him to leave—but not before Bernard managed a surreptitious wink.

  Danny took the elevator to the fifth floor where the psychiatric unit was located and told the nurse who he was and whom he wanted to visit.

  “I’ll ask Mr. Davis if he wants to see you before I buzz you in. Don’t want a repeat of the last time,” the nurse said.

  Danny nodded and leaned against the wall while he waited.

  Only a few moments passed before he saw Bernard rolling up the hall in his wheelchair and grinning from ear to ear.

  The nurse had a smile too as she buzzed open the heavy locked door and let Danny inside.

  Danny bent down to hug Bernard, but Bernard stood and grabbed Danny in a fierce bear hug.

  “Dang, bud, I’m shore glad to see you. Tired of talking to these fruitcakes all the time.”

  “You look great, Bernard. They must have good food here.”

  “Well, it’s regular. Can’t say it’s all that good, but it’ll do. It’ll do. Come on down to my room. Got one all to myself, and we can talk plain.”

  Danny followed him down the hall, the smell of high-power cleaner and bleach irritating his nose and eyes. “Keep this place clean, huh?”

  “Yeah. Lot better than it used to be. Right after the Nam it was crap. Pull you up a chair,” he said when they reached his room.

  “So did that diary help?” Danny asked, a grin creeping across his face.

  “Haha. Think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?”

  Danny cocked his head as the grin grew wider. “Having that judge testify you weren’t of sound mind during Mr. Whitaker’s hearing might’ve helped a little too.”

  “Well, I gotta admit you got that one right, but, hell, I think ole Bart Phillips wudda give me a medal anyhow.” Bernard’s eyes glittered with a conspiratorial look. “Even without my diary. What gave me away?”

  “Come on, Bernard. You made such a fuss over the VA telling you to keep track of your episodes and spells that the first thing I thought of was that diary. Then I remembered some of the things you said at the hearing and put two and two together. I figured you would have said more but didn’t want to get me involved in case anything went down. You played me pretty good, didn’t you?”

  Bernard pointed a bony finger. “Don’t get uppity now, Mr. Smarty Pants. I just figured you’d be smart enough to, as you say, ‘put two and two together’ and take the diary to Phillips or my lawyer if I’d of had one. Got to give you credit though. You’ve been a good pardner. Good to have a pard what tells it like it is. Fella needs a pal like that. And you been a good one.” His eyes misted up as he finished.

  Danny leaned over and patted Bernard’s knee. “Bernard, you’ve been my best friend since I was little. You know that.”

  Bernard’s head drooped so Danny wouldn’t see the tears running down his cheeks. He wiped his face with a sleeve, sniffled a few times, and looked up. “You know ole Bart Phillips took that insanity plea without a fight. I think he was glad I did it. Course he wouldn’t ever say that.”

  “Why didn’t you just shoot him with a rifle or something?”

  “Hell, bud, do you know how long I been waitin’ to use that rocket launcher? Bought that thang off a guy what smuggled it out of Nam. Wasn’t sure it’d still work, but it shore did, huh?” Bernard chuckled. “That SOB won’t be hiring no more hit men.”

  Danny laughed along with him. “Nope. Hit men or anything else. A couple people saw you with that tube and knew what it was and took videos with their cell phones. It was even on the Internet. One minute Jessie was there and then that rocket hit, and Jessie was just gone. One side of the car lifted up several feet. I mean it was a huge blast. I copied some videos for you, if you want to see them when you get out.”

  Bernard’s eyes sparkled and he nodded eagerly. “You bet I do. Say, how’d your gal friend take it?”

  “Kind of hard to say. She hated him, but, still, he was her father. I think she’s disappointed he was the way he was, but she knew he would never change, so . . .” Danny shrugged.

  “How you and her gettin’ on?”

  “Great. Mom says that Caroline and I remind her of her and Dad’s relationship. One day they were best friends, then all of a sudden it turned to something else. Now that I have some money I’m gonna get this dang lip fixed.”

  “Good for you, pard. Good for you.”

  “Oh yeah, I hate to tell you, but they took your guns. They had guys with metal detectors going all over the house.”

  A big grin lit Bernard’s face. “They took some of my guns. Those bozos got what I wanted them to get if they ever came lookin’. They couldn’t find all my stuff even if they bulldozed the place down. Hahahahaha.” />
  “Wanna give me a hint?”

  “Strictly between me and you. Don’t go braggin’ to nobody.”

  Danny nodded.

  “Let’s just say my hot water heater don’t work.”

  Danny shook his head and chuckled.

  “And that’s not the only place neither. I still got enough stuff to put on a little show if I want. Cops mess with me they’ll get what they got last time. Speakin’ of that, I got a card from a pal of yores. Look on the bed stand.”

  Danny lifted a stack of correspondence and picked up a postcard.

  “Yeah, that’s it.”

  The postcard was a photograph of a bearded mustached man surrounded by three dark-haired beauties under an umbrella on a beach. The man held up a shot glass as if he were toasting someone. “Get well soon. Read all about it on the Web, S.”

  “Well, I’ll be. He got away. Has he always been that lucky?”

  “Yeah, Stink, Stick, Slink, whatever he calls himself, is as lucky as he is rotten. ‘Get well soon,’ my butt. He’s just showin’ off with all those gals around him. But I guess between me and him, we give ole Whitaker his due.”

  “That you did, Bernard. That you did.”