A Life for a Life

Life for a Life

A tarnished, vintage clock ticks rhythmically beside him. The soft hiss of the radiator adds to this tranquil mood. I need to stay awake. Rubbing his weary eyes, Joe scans the report again to find it's become one big blur. Grabbing the coffee cup beside him, Joe inhales the last of the cold, bitter liquid.

The captain and his detectives have been working through the night, trying to collaborate their suspect's statement and find a way to connect Romero to them, but they haven't had any luck so far. Yawning, he shuffles through the mass of papers scattered across his desk. Like the other pieces in his office, the antique desk is a piece of Berryville history. It was handed down from one generation to the next as a reminder of how far the town has come and the struggles it's survived. Their forefathers rebuilt the small town after being demolished by the Civil War, making it a mix of old and new that continues to grow and thrive each day. 

We have to be missing something. Joe picks up Mike's statement and quickly scans through it again. He starts to read Diego's report when his phone rings. "Captain Bower." He puts the call on speaker and then kicks back in his chair.

"Joe, this is Captain Taylor from the Tulsa PD. Antonio Gonzales's attorney just informed us that his client wants to talk for a reduced sentence. I told him he should wait until he gets to Berryville, but he insists on doing it now."

We might've just caught our first big break in the case. Joe scoops up the receiver. "What kind of agreement are we talking about?"... I'll discuss it with the DA, see what he says." He starts to dial Max's number when he sees him at the door. The captain waves him in. "I was just about to call you." Joe chuckles, hanging up the phone.

Max is a giant of a man in both size and stature. He has short, midnight-black hair and olive skin. His usual business attire, dark suit, and clip-on tie give him a mysterious vibe like a character from the Godfather movie.

Max closes the door and says, "Don't worry, Joe, your son is in capable hands. Jessica and Jeremy have agreed to watch him, and Bonnie said she'd check on them throughout the day."

"I wasn't worried, sir. How's Jessie doing?" Her pregnancy has been problematic from the start. The doctor believes her body wasn't completely healed from the miscarriage when she conceived again.

Chuckling, Max shakes his head and says, "She's fat and sassy like her big sister was."

Joe recalls how unbearable Rachel was in her last trimester. He shakes his head. "I pity poor Jeremy."

"He seems to be taking it all in stride—her little sister, Sammy, not so much. I tell you, Joe, World War Three erupts in my house every night. But Bonnie insists she and Jeremy stay with us until after she delivers despite it all." He plops in the chair, "I swear, Joe, my wife, and girls are about to drive me crazy. If I didn't escape to the cellar now and again, I probably would lose my mind." 

Joe recalls how strong-willed the Webb women can be. "I barely survived one. So, I can't even imagine all the hell you're going through, sir."

"I'm just glad it'll be over soon."

Joe chuckles. "I know the feeling well. How was Joe Jr.?"

Max's face softens. "He slept like an angel through the night."

Joe runs his fingers through his thinning hair. "I wished he'd do that for us."

"Bonnie adds a little cereal in his bottle to keep him full, stopping him from waking up through the night."

Joe's face lights up. "I'll have to remember that, sir."

"How's the investigation going?"

"Not good." Joe sweeps his arm over the papers scattered across his desk. "Romero knows how to cover his tracks well."

"I'm sure you'll get a break in the case soon."

"I think we have, sir."

Max arches his brow. He scoots to the edge of his chair. "Yeah?"

"I just received a call from Tulsa PD. They said Antonio would tell us what he knows about Romero for a plea."

"Do you have anything on him?"

"Just the burglary charge. Like Romero, he knows how to hide his dealings well."

"Diego's confession didn't help?"

"Diego claims Romero tells him to keep an eye on things, but that was about it. Romero paid Diego under the table; their meetings always occurred in a desolate area. We have their phone records to show they talked, but we need a way to prove what the conversation was about. My detectives are running into similar problems with Mike's statement."

"How's that?"

"They can't find anything concrete to tie Romero to a crime. It's like he took lessons from Al Capon." Al Capon is a notorious crime boss during the prohibition era. The police charged him with numerous crimes, but tax evasion was the only thing that stuck.

"Maybe Antonio's statement will tell us more."

Joe looks down at his desk. "It sure couldn't hurt."

***

Manny pulls his phone from his pocket as he steps into his apartment. I need to get everything in order before I leave. He glances around the sparsely furnished room, waiting for the call to connect. It consisted of a worn-out leather hide-a-bed and a matching recliner. Manny figures it's probably original furnishings from when they first built the place. The rent is cheap, and the neighbors keep to themselves, good things when you're in his line of work.

He sees the traffic moving steadily along the highway when he looks out the window. A siren sounds in the distance, and a city bus squeaks to a stop. The smell of fried chicken wafts through the room. The delicious aroma makes his stomach growl. He opens the fridge to find it's bare. Hearing his boss's voice on the line, Manny puts the phone on speaker so he can continue his search. "I finished the job, sir," he says, slamming the cabinet doors closed.

"You can pick up your tickets at the Tulsa terminal. Your flight leaves at nine."

He glances at the clock. I have one hour to get my affairs in order. "Where am I headed, sir?"

"Morocco with me. I'll need a brawny man like you to help me run my new business."

"What about my bonus?"

"I'll give it to you when we land."

"But I..." The call disconnects. I guess I'll have to wait to eat. Pocketing a handful of change, he surveys the room. I need to pack and make a few quick calls. Like his boss, he hates to leave any loose ends. He's tossing clothes into the suitcase when someone pounds on the door. Startled, Manny spins around.