They All Fall Down

Joe and Rachel trudge into the station, exhausted from the night before. It took the manager until nearly midnight to tell them about Bambini's assorted affairs. It took the officers another two hours to get the informant and his family settled into a safe house out of Bambini's reach.

I'm glad it's quiet today. Joe thinks, Zig Zagging around a handful of officers heading toward his desks.

The squad room serves as headquarters for several sectors within the department. A thin, white partition wall separates each. The barrier divides the different branches but does little else. Often the officers have to yell over the other to be heard. On busy days the noise level can reach a deafening height. The panel is the mayor's response to the captain's expansion request. He claims that it's all the city can afford.

"Morning, Sergeant, detective," Jerry says, glancing up from his computer.

"What's so good about it?" Joe grumbles. Grabbing his cup from his desk, he stomps toward the back.

"What's wrong with him?" Jerry questions, watching his boss storm away.

"We had a very long night."

Jerry smiles. A gleam sparkles in his eye."Oh, I see." He winks.

Rolling her eyes, Rachel shakes her head. "Not that, Jerry." She playfully smacks his arm. She then pictures her and Joe together. If only it could be. She sighs. "We didn't finish our interrogation until nearly two."

"He must've had a lot to say."

"He thought tap dancing around the truth was his ticket out until Joe set him straight.."

"I bet the boss was pissed when he tried to feed him a line of bull."

"Pissed doesn't even begin to describe it." Rachel laughs. "I thought the poor guy was going to crap himself before Joe was through."

Jerry recalls a few of his boss's interrogations and chuckles. "Like that wannabe gangster, we had a few months back."

"I thought we'd never get that smell out."

"So, what did the man have to say?"

He said Jeff didn't visit the restaurant that night but had seen the guy around because he's one of Bambini's hired guns. The manager then explained that Bambini threatened to kill him and his family if he didn't lie to the cops. The guy said Bambini threatened all his employees. That's why they all look the other way. Joe told the man he'd protect him if he told us everything he knew. Seeing this was his ticket out, the manager went on and on about Bambini and his shady business affairs. Pulling out her notebook, she hands it to Jerry and says, "I swear Bambini has his hand in every crime known to man."

"With so many officials in his back pocket, chances of a conviction are slim to none."

"Not this time, Jerry. Not this time." Rachel smiles. Not with me on the case.

****

"Wake up, Mommy, wake up. Oh, please, wake up," the four-year-old cries, watching the blood gush from the back of her mother's head.

Opening her swollen eyes, Julie looks around. She sees her dark, oak-stained cabinets running the length of the two outer walls, her gray fridge between them. The stove and sink sit in the center of the room. Pots and pans hang from a rack above it. She and Jeff decided to modernize the kitchen two years ago. Why am I down here? Julie tries to move but finds her hands and feet bound by a course rope tied too tight to escape. She suddenly recalls the past two days and how she and the girls are being held hostage in their home. Since Jeff has yet to return, she can only assume he's already dead.

"Please wake up, Mommy, please," Abby sobs.

Julie glances up to find her youngest child secured to a kitchen chair, tears streaming down her pale, bloody face. Julie looks around to find the two of them alone. This may be our only chance, Julie thinks. "I'm alright, baby," she says, scurrying across the hardwood floor. "When I untie you, I want you to run to the neighbors and tell them to call the police, ok?"

"What about you and sissy?"

"We'll be alright until the police get here."

"But, Mommy."

"You have to, baby. You have to. You're our only hope."

"Hurry, Mommy, before the bad man comes back," Abby says, trying to tug free.

"Hold still." Julie grabs the ends of the rope and tries again. The cord still wouldn't budge. "I can't loosen this thing with my teeth." Julie scans the room, hoping to come up with another idea. Seeing the doggie door, she wiggles over to it.

Abby recalls Rebecca trying to crawl through and getting stuck. "You can't get through there."

Julie eyes the small opening again. "You're right. I can't." She's searching for another idea when she hears footsteps outside the kitchen door. Julie inches her way toward the entrance and waits.

"What are you doing, Mommy?"

"Shh," Julie says, keeping a close eye on the kitchen door. The wooden barrier swings open. Two enormous feet step into the room. Julie straightens her legs as he takes another step.

Losing his balance, the intruder tumbles to the floor. "You're going to pay for that," he says, trying to climb to his knees.

Drawing her legs back, Julie kicks the edge of her corner cabinet. The large, sturdy piece topples over. The handcrafted molding thunks the goon in the head. Cookware clatters across the room.

"What's going on in there?" a second voice asks. Steve finds his buddy buried under a pile of rubbish when he shoves his way through the door. He sees the child in the chair, but her mother is nowhere around. The second intruder tromps toward Abby, a scowling look on his face. Grabbing a fist full of long blond hair, he leans in close, glares into her big brown eyes, and growls, "You better tell me where your mommy is before I beat you the way I did, your sis. They forced Abby to watch Rebecca get beaten to a pulp, saying she'd be next if she didn't behave.

Slumping down in her seat, Abby begins to cry. "Please don't hurt me, mister, please," she begs. Her frail body trembles when the man moves closer.

"Tell me where she is, and I won't. Don't, and you'll end up like your sister."

"I'm in here," Julie yells.

"Mommy, no," Abby yells, crying harder.

Steve follows the voice into the small pantry. Looking to his right, he finds the basement door partially open. "You're down there, are you?" He smiles. Flipping on the light, he quickly scans the room. He sees boxes of stuff lined against the wall, but there's no sign of Julie. "Come out, come out wherever you are," he says, looking around.

Lifting her feet, Julie kicks the back of his legs.

Losing his balance, Steve tumbles head-first down the wooden steps.

"Noone messes with my babies," Julie says, kicking the door closed.

***

Jeff watches the little girl play in the sandbox as he pulls up alongside the house. I wish there were another way to do this, he thinks, taking a quick peek at the phone. I do it, or my family dies.

Seeing a shadow in the sand, the young girl looks up and smiles. Figuring he's one of Daddy's many friends, she pats the sand beside her.

That's a neat castle you have there. Did you build it by yourself?"

Smiling, the child nods.

"I'm impressed."

"Gracias."

"You're very welcome."

A screen door slams too. Jeff finds a burly man running their way when he stands. He looks down to see the child playing contently in the sand.

"Get away from my girl," A heavily accented voice screams.

Jeff glances at the little girl again. "I"m so sorry, baby. I really am." He scoops the child into his arms.

The frightened preschooler begins to wail.

Jeff leans in and whispers, "I won't hurt you, honey, I promise."

"Put my daughter down," Antonio yells. Raising his gun, he takes a shooter's stance.

Pulling the gun from his pocket, Jeff presses it against the child's head. "Drop your weapon, or I'll shoot."

"Papa," the child yells, reaching for him.

Jeff nervously glances around, then says, "I'm not playing around here, Antonio. Drop your weapon, or your child gets it in the head."

"Salvame papa. Por favor, salvame." (Save me, papa, please save me.) The child bawls.

Jeff hears footsteps behind him. He's hoping it's Luigi, but he turns to find Antonio's twin a short distance away.