CHAPTER 13
Hi... What’s up? How’s your day goin? ... It’s been one of those days for me... Berry had called her to ask a favor, but as was always his nature, he spent some time discussing the daily routine of life. It wasn’t just idle chit chat to him... he really was interested in how those others wandering through this life were handling the way it treated its participants...
Actually, I’ve had a great day. The dean’s office called this afternoon to let me know that a donor has given a large grant to the institute. We now have enough funding to provide an excellent program for the next three years! By the way, I have some information on that project you working on...
Berry’s ears perked up... Listen, do you have some time this evening, I’d like to hear about it...
I have to go the gym at six but I’ll be home by 8:00... If you want, you can drop by about eight thirty and I’ll fill you in...
Great!! I’ll see you around eight thirty...Berry hung up the phone and begin to bounce around inside his head... it was all beginning to get very exciting... like putting together little pieces of a large picture... a picture puzzle, YES, that’s what it reminded him of.
He could recognize small areas but none of it seemed to fit together yet... the anticipation was pushing him like a steam roller... not to fast as speed goes, but steady and threatening... looming behind him... the thought that he was getting close to some answers, close to finding the string that would untangle this ball of twine, was beginning to come to the front of his mind...
...
Look, what I have been doing is beyond improper ethics, it’s criminal... If I get caught it would be the end to my career, not to mention my freedom... because of your background you may know how to deal with this, but I just can’t bring myself to accept it...and let me assure you I would not go down alone... He was panicking and she knew it...
Now listen Charles, you’re not thinking straight, calm down, it’s not like we’re murdering people... she smiled and somehow he could feel the calmness...
Well I suppose that it’s not that big a deal, it’s just that I worry... during the sixties I would have been revered as one of the greatest providers of a pure source... only today it’s not only illegal it’s also considered socially wrong.
Charles, you’re a wonderful person, and what you’re doing is helping millions of people… just make me enough for the next few months... I can store it... until I need it...
You can’t store it very long... it loses its potency...
You’re the chemist Charles... but however you do it, I need enough to get by until august, then it will be all over and we can quit... will it keep in refrigeration?...
It can be kept in cold storage to prolong the strength... but exactly how much are you talking about?
Well, figure it out.., you know the current rate, carry that out until August...
All right... he hesitated to think… from the current rate of use he figured it would take several days to synthesize that much... I can have that done by this weekend... if that’s it ok...
Of course Charles... whatever you say... just try to get a quantity made that is enough to provide me with its use until then... remember Charles, this will help change a lot of things, it would be great if we could walk the streets again free from worry, this could help... You know it’s for the best... shall we meet Saturday evening, say around nine thirty?
Her soothing style was designed to bring even the most agitated person into a feeling of calmness... the years of practice... she was putting them use... it was having its calculated effect too...
Ok, I’ll have it there for you...the same place?
Yes Charles… that will be perfect... her mind had already formed a plan...and she knew... it WOULD be perfect...
He sat staring at the telephone as if in a trance, his mind was far off almost floating on the edge of space and time... not really thinking any one thing, while thoughts of all kinds flooded the secret places in his mind... he was strangely at peace with the world and himself... surrounded by beakers of strange colored liquid and twisted tubes that swirled with mysterious fluids he sat in a daze...
...
A small light pole lit only a deserted walkway leading up the alley... in the darkened shadows one could imagine numerous sinister figures concealing themselves... waiting for someone to pass by to silently steal their life away... from out of these shadows stepped a figure striding with paced steps, rocking to a rhythm of its own... as the figure passed through the boundary of the light, a familiar face shown out from under the hooded jacket... it as Bobby V., his dread locks shining from the rays of light reflecting off their weaves...
He was a man on a mission, hands in both jacket pockets... an obvious pistol shaped bulge showing from the right jacket pocket, concealing his security, but intended to speak to those looking on without saying it... that he was protected...
He paused at the end of an old garage and glanced back down from when he came with a look that said he was certain there was someone waiting at the other end... a look intended to warn those concerned that he was more than protected... he had company... if needed, the cavalry was ready to charge... of course everyone knew he never went anywhere without his brood of followers... it was his advantage in the self contained world he lived... the rules said it was expected... those who didn’t were fools...
As he turned around another figure stepped from behind a truck that was parked further on down the alley, and begin to strut toward where Bobby was standing... for anyone looking on it appeared like one of those mysterious meeting scenes from an old spy movie...
The rain coat clad figure strutted up to Bobby and stopped a few paces to his left... turning into the light a clean cut black man in his late forties wearing a fishing hat could be made out... he spoke with authority...
THIS is not something you want to be messin with Bobby... I know you have some respect in the neighborhood, but this if far out of your territory...
Lessen mahn, if it volvs de hood it volvs Bobby... Bobby dohn care how far it go... de brahdah needs ta know...
Ok bobby, it’s your ass... I’m just trying to keep ya alive... this thing goes real deep... some really bad people are in this thing... I know you’re not afraid of dyin, I just want ya ta know, ya may just be doin that if you get involved in this...
Yah, wehl you just give me de faucs mahn.. Bobby will take care of de rest...
The clean cut man stepped closer to Bobby and began to speak in low tones... Bobby looked intense and shook his head from side to side now and then as if he was surprised at what he was hearing...
After a few minutes the man leaned closer and said something that must have really shook Bobby up... he stepped back and looked at the man... Shoooot... ya foolin me brahdah? ...
The man just shook his head and turned to walk away... Bobby grabbed his arm and stopping him... if fit come dawn to it, where do ya stand brahdah...
The man stared straight into Bobby eyes... they exchanged a look that went beyond the boundaries of class and position, a common knowledge of understanding... Bobby knew where the man stood... without even hearing his answer...
If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be talking to ya... I though you already knew that... he was a little put out by Bobby’s attitude...
Bobby smiled a big gleaming smile... and the man walked back down the alley to disappear just as quickly as he had appeared...
As he slipped back down the alley, Bobby held within a great secret... the street wisdom he knew told him to keep most of this to himself... but he would have to let it out sometime... have to provide some details to get something in return...
...
He was thinking about timing as he pulled up in front of her house... this friendship was good timing... it was something he needed at this time in his life... something he had missed in all his other relationships... they could talk... or not... verbal communications sometimes was not necessary... they had a kind of special
level of communications...
It was funny... not like a joke’s funny, but funny as in ironic or strange... so many different people he had known... so many personalities... and this one was different than them all... she understood him, and that was a feat in itself...
As the door opened, that familiar smiling face greeted him... He planted a kiss on her cheek... and walked across the room toward the kitchen... Smells good... whatcha got cookin? ...
A bunch of us are throwing a birthday party for Marsha... she’ll be forty this Friday... we want to help her over the mark... I’m making some brownies and a few other goodies for the get together... doing that cookin thing... or bakin thing I guess... either way, don’t let me forget to check the oven at a quarter till.. ok?
He stopped to watch her walk by... Sure, can I sample the wares, or are they strictly for the ladies?
Oh, I suppose you can check out one or two... If you’re good!
Yes mommy, I promise to be a good boy...
As she began to enter the kitchen again she turned and grinned at him and her eyes twinkled with that look of mischief... I was referring to something else...
They both smiled with that understanding smile... It had been their choice to avoid an intimate relationship until they both believed that the time was right... they had discussed the subject on several occasions... it was something that they both wanted, but neither had decided when... they were afraid it might cloud the real issues...
Oh... well all I can say about that is that I’m always good!...
As he followed behind her into the kitchen, he leaned over and kissed her on the neck... she smiled and looking over her shoulder giving him a wink... since you’re in such a good mood, I have a favor to ask you... it’s really no big deal... I was just wanting to get your assistance with something I need for next Thursday...
Oh... the TV thing on local crime... you want me to get you some local statistics?
Well, that would be nice, but not what I was getting at... Ammm... you see I ahhh... well the truth is I’m not sure what to wear... I know it sounds kinda dumb, but I have always heard that you shouldn’t wear certain type of clothes and fabrics on TV, something about how they look through the cameras... anyway, I was sure you would know about these things... your have such great fashion sense... I wantta look nice, not like some dumb geek... can you help me out on this?
Dianne smiled as she thought about his considering her up on fashion... it said that he like the way she dressed... in a roundabout way it was a compliment... not that she had to fish for compliments from Berry... he was always quick to point out this or that thing that he like about her... she was thinking that is was different then most of the men she had known... most of them barely recognized she was there let alone notice something like that...
Well they say that stripes are out... they tend to vibrate on a TV set... and the combination of red and blue doesn’t work well on TV... the two colors seem to cause a flicker effect... and if you’re going to be on a green screen, you know one of those TV tricks where they superimpose a background image over the people... like the pictures or the weather maps on the news... you shouldn’t wear green, because that’s the color they use to blend the backgrounds with... anything that shade of green will not be visible... that’d look great... your head with no body...
They both burst out laughing at the same time... the mental image of Berry’s head floating in air on TV was more than they could stand...
As they walked back toward the living room Dianne spoke over her shoulder to Berry... I have a couple of things I want to discuss with you, but before that, I have something you might be interested in... It might be a lead in the case you are working on...
While they settle each into a comfortable position she filled him in on what she had learned.
It seems that over 25 years ago the Famous Dr. Marie Burton was an instructor at a small Midwestern college. She was married and had a 15 year old son. Her son died in an accident during football practice at the local high school. She sued the coach and the school but lost her case. A year later she divorced her husband and moved to the east coast to continue her studies in psychology.
Well that certainty sheds some light on her stance on contact sports... no wonder she’s so bitter... now if I can figure how all this fits in...
If this was a murder case, she could be the prime suspect... since you’re looking for the major players in this organization, she qualifies as the prime motivator for this movement... she satisfies all three of the criteria for a suspect... motive, means and opportunity... She certainly has a good motive. Her position gives her the means, and the lecture circuit provides the opportunity to spread the idea… I would say that if you find out as much as you can about her, you’ll find out a lot about this organization...
You may be right... I’ll have to take a closer look at her... I always thought that she was a key, but I am beginning to think that she may be the primary key to this case... she may lead me to the information I need to provide Gruter with some ammo for his attack...
Berry’s mind was swirling with ideas... pieces of ideas, fragments of thought... he concentrated harder… attempting to make some order of it all... finally he turned his thoughts to what he COULD deal with... the now and the present... On another note, what was it that your wanted to talk with me about?
Well there are a couple of things I did want to talk with you about... do you have some time? Sure... I always have time for you...
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