CHAPTER 33 34 35 36 Epilogue
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“ It’ s not bad. I just talked to George. He said it was a courtesy call,” Sam said to everyone leading Eddie to the front door. The officer stood outside as Maurice held the door for Eddie.“ Mr. Dodge may I have a word with you in private?” The young officer requested. Eddie stepped outside and nodded to Maurice who closed the door.“ First off I want to express how sorry I am for your loss.”“ Thank you,” Eddie said.“ I don’ t know who you are. I looked you up in the data base. All I found were two accidents that were not your fault,” his eyes searched Eddie’ s face for a reaction. Eddie wore the face Frank had given him.“ It looks like maybe someone had to put something there because at first glance it looks like you are a truck driver,” he said, looking at the opulence surrounding him.“ I asked around and only a few fellow officers have ever returned a firearm they removed from a scene. Usually you come to the station, fill out a bunch of paperwork and in a month or two you can come and retrieve your weapon. Judges and Senators are the people who get special deliveries,” he continued. Eddie offered no answer because he heard no question.“ I drove to your house and called my supervisor to say no one was home. He called me back thirty seconds later with this address.” This kid had pointed a gun at him and watching him squirm put a ray of sunshine in an otherwise miserable day. Eddie made a mental note to call George and say thanks.“ You have three vehicles registered at your address. Do us a favor and place one of these in the back window of each. Drivers side, lower corner,“ he said handing Eddie three nondescript window stickers.“ We need to know who is on our side. It is pretty obvious I’ m not supposed to know who you are Mr. Dodge so please sign for your handgun and accept my apology.” Sam had heard enough. She turned off the intercom and called George. Eddie signed for the package.“ Apology accepted,” Eddie said.“ Was he really your son?” the cop asked. Eddie nodded.“ Kids!” he said, shaking his head and handing over the plain brown bag.
Inside the house Eddie asked Maurice if he knew where a sledgehammer could be found. He was not certain, but knew Mr. Evans kept an array of tools in the garage with his automobiles. He handed Eddie a set of keys. The phone rang and George picked up the receiver.“ I’ m sorry if I was mean to you, George,” Sam said.“ I have absolutely no fucking idea what you are talking about,” he said.“ Who did you call?”“ I don’ t kiss and tell.”“ I need one of your stories. They make me laugh, even if it’ s only on the inside,” she pleaded.“ Yeah I should sell this joint and go do stand-up comedy.”“ Are you going to make me beg?”“ No. But I can’ t give any names, except those you already know,” George stated.“ Was he a good guy or a bad guy?”“ Gotta use a good guy for this,” he said and began the story.“ This new Rep comes in,” he started.“ You mean like House of Representatives?”“ Yeah. You gonna interrupt the whole fucking story?” George asked.“ Sorry.”“ Now that he is some kind of big shot, he thinks the girls should push aside the rules. One of the girls comes and gets me because Bruno is dealing with the biker boyfriend of one of other girls who decided to return to the roost. The boyfriend is pissed because she ain’ t home as much as when he was pimping her ass. But after a couple of weeks the novelty wears off and she wants to come back to where guys don’ t get to use her like an ashtray. Seems one of the guys liked to put out his cigarettes on her.
Bruno takes the guy outside. He hates pimps almost as much as I do. So he quietly tells the guy maybe he should fetch his own beer and figure out how to make his own sandwich. And maybe he needs to stop letting a bunch of other guys take care of what he ain’ t man enough to take care of himself. For the first time in his life, the biker has what could actually be considered an intelligent thought. Bruno is way too calm and the guy leaves. He really wanted the guy to take a swing knowing the security cameras would catch the action.