CHAPTER 12
As the limo moved through the night the two old friends shared thoughts and discussed ideas about what they had just experienced... Mike thought it was fun but Berry knew it was his living... they each had their own sort of interest... it really didn’t matter why, they were both deep in the feeling of power that came with discovery of secrets.
The clock scolded both of them as they headed back to Berry’s office... it was 9:30, Mike was late, and Berry was running behind as usual. Time once again had been the enemy… holding them to its relentless ticking, thrusting them forward into each moment, taking their precious life one tick at a time.
As they raced the clock, the big black frame of the automobile zipped through the darkened streets like a jet fighter cutting through forbidden territory, its pilot aiming directly for the target like a man with a mission heading into destiny...
...
Listen, have you heard anything else about me? ... I mean is there talk of knocking me off or something? ...
Roger laughed one of his big hardy laughs and smiled widely at Lee. No Lee, there hasn’t been any talk of rubbing you out, or knocking you off, or any other cliché you can think of... he stopped and thought for a second... he was wondering how to keep Lee in a low profile, and yet calm him down.
Look Lee, I’m not saying that some people may not have it in for you, I’m sure you’ve made some enemies in your life time... But that also doesn’t mean someone has a contract out on you either... let’s just play it safe for a while, you stay here, and I’ll find out for sure.
Well... ok if you think it’s best, but this place is so drab, It could use a little color, a painting here and there, I could do wonders, why you should see what I did for Marvin... He was absolutely struck when I was finished... he said he had never seen so much expression of love is a room before...I know I can...
Ok, so you can decorate rooms well, I don’t think Richard is interested in a re-decorating job right now... Just lay low, hang out, and think of it like a vacation.
Weeeell, if it was a vacation, I’d be in Jamaica mahn... Lee had spent a lot of time in the southern hemisphere, St. Thomas and the Virgin Islands, and he liked the idea of being a “Rich American” in the sunshine and the islands cater to this type of tourist. Lot a nice lookin fellers down there... this palace is full of uglies Roger… I have better taste than that.
I’m not asking you to date the tenants Lee, just stay here till I can find out what’s going on... ok? You gonna be a good boy?
Sure... I’m always good!
As he was leaving Arnold’s, Roger considered that Lee might be in real trouble, but he always kept a cool head... trouble was not what worried him... it was Lee’s jabbering nature that might cause problems... Lee could never keep his yap shut... always had something to say... he was hoping that this time Lee would put a zipper on it... it could mean his safety, not to mention keeping Roger from finding out some details before those involved got wind of what he was up to.
He was thinking that it might be a good idea to contact Berry to see if he had learned anything else about the mysterious phone call...
Hey Bear, Yeah, I got a few minutes... was just thinking of touching base with ya... Well, now would be fine... ok, see ya in 10... Rounding the corner on Donaldson Boulevard Roger swung into the Kwik Mart and pressed the end button on the cellular as he stepped out the car. He had just enough time to grab a quick snack and make it for Berry office... he was thinking of how hungry he had become...
...
While everyone had been doing their assigned tasks, the computer was laboring away in its undaunted manner, tearing through data files from here to Timbuktu, looking for matches to Berry’s queries. Buried in the mounds of found information, almost un-hailed and quietly hidden between The Scoring Committee For College Sports and the Organization for United Sports Fans, a piece of data was stored that held an answer to Berry’s question. It had popped out a while back, and was patiently awaiting discovery.
Berry was ignoring all the callings of time now, even the big round clock hanging above the office area could not get his attention. He was steeped in cyberspace, emerged in a swirl of techno babble, scanning the tiny words in the ancient way of one at a time...
It was too important to skip even a letter at this point... he had to get something concrete soon... it was his reputation at stake... how selfish... I’m thinking about myself, and so many other lives are at stake here... whether he liked it or not, he was beginning to take a more conservative stand on this case... almost taking sides, something he tried not to do, because when you get emotionally involved in a case, it can color your findings, and hamper your ability to achieve an objective solution... he was thinking that he would have to review his attitude...
He glanced right at it and started to move on... blinking his eyes he leaned up to get a closer look...
A very short entry detailed some basic information on one of the organizations with ties to the senate committee for the Public Ventures and Endeavors for State Commerce. The organization was called the State Funding Committee for Wagering Ventures. While it was not unusual that gambling had become a large revenue source for many states, what caught his attention was that one of the committee members was William Parks, who was also the chairman of the Committee for the Review and Replacement of Collegiate Athletics Programs.
Berry’s mind had stored this small fact when he was reading the entry he had found for the Committee for the Review and Replacement of Collegiate Athletics Programs earlier. It was funny how this man’s name had stuck in his head... he was thinking about what he had thought when he had read this man name... William Parks, or Bill Parks for short....
Bill Parks... it kinda reminded him of a bill for parking his car ... it was just one of those funny little coincidences using memory mapping that provided an edge... it gave him the break he was looking for... maybe God was on his side... maybe he was getting outside help... maybe he had been up too long and his brain was running on empty...
He sent the new data to his stored folder on the case and switched off two of the systems... it was time for some rest... he would review it tomorrow when he was fresh... when he had more motivation... for now he would be content to know that it was there waiting for him... patience, now that’s what I have grown to understand... wiser, and more patient, the tortuous and the hare... slow and steady... he was thinking that he WOULD win the race...