Naked Justice

Chapter 24

BEN ASKED CHRISTINA TO come to his apartment that night so they could coordinate their efforts and make the most of the rapidly diminishing days before trial. Christina stopped at Ri Le’s for takeout. Cashew Chicken Delight was a favorite indulgence, but one reserved for times of special need.

After dinner, Joni returned to her apartment. Ben played with Joey for a while, tried unsuccessfully to get a reaction out of him, then gave him his bath and got him ready for bed. He turned out the overhead light, turned on the Goodnight Moon night-light, flipped on the baby monitor, and nestled down in the rocking chair with pajamaed Joey in his arms.

He gave Joey a bottle of apple juice and began to rock. Technically Joey was probably too old to still be drinking from a bottle, but it seemed to comfort him. He drank from a cup during the day, but any variation in the bedroom routine only made the process more difficult than it already was.

“I know you, I waltzed with you once upon a dream …” Ben began his usual bedtime routine. Joey had tired of nursery rhymes early, but fortunately, Ben’s musical repertoire was vast. They had spent the first three months together singing nothing but the theme song from the Flintstones. Now they had graduated to a series of Disney favorites. Ben liked to start with “Once Upon a Dream,” from Sleeping Beauty, since the music was Tchaikovsky’s and Ben could play it on the piano. Then they moved to Cinderella—“A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “So This Is Love.”

Joey was restless tonight. He squirmed in Ben’s arms, as if trying to get away. He twisted and shoved and tried to sit up.

“Joey, please go to sleep.”

Ben gently pushed him back into his arms. Joey immediately pushed himself back up.

“C’mon, Joey. It’s bedtime. Sleep.”

Joey did not care to sleep. He twisted around, pulling one arm out of his pajamas.

“Joey, stop that. It’s bedtime.”

Joey began chattering. Ga-ga-ga-ga and ka-ka-ka-ka. Gurgling and drooling and humming.

“Joey, Uncle Ben has work to do tonight.”

Joey was on the floor now, crawling toward his toys.

“Joey! Tonight I don’t have time to play Pooh Bear.”

Joey stopped momentarily on hearing the familiar words. Then he continued crawling.

“I’m serious, Joey. I don’t have time.” He tried to scoop Joey up; instantly Joey began to wail at the top of his lungs.

“All right! All right, already! We’ll play Pooh Bear.”

Joey turned his head slightly. One could almost imagine that he was considering the proposition.

Ben scooped him back into his lap, sat in the chair, and began singing. “Winnie the Pooh—Pooh!” On the second Pooh, he poked Joey in the tummy. Joey stopped crying. “Winnie the Pooh—Pooh!” Ben poked him again. “Chubby little cubby …” Ben continued singing the song, stopping for a poke and a tickle on every “Pooh!” By the end, Joey’s displeasure had disappeared. Even if he didn’t make direct eye contact with Ben, he seemed much happier.

“All right, Joey, this time you poke me.” Ben pulled up his shirt, exposing his belly button. He sang the song again, pausing after the first Pooh.

Joey hesitated, still not looking directly at Ben. Then his eyes turned and he reached out and jabbed Ben in the stomach. Hard.

“Oof!” Ben laughed. He had to. He tried a few more verses, and with each Pooh, Joey supplied a strong and hardy poke, each time a little quicker. They had played out this routine several nights in a row now, and it seemed to get better each time. Although Joey never spoke and was still pretty much in his own world, this was as engaged as he had ever become with Ben.

After several more pokes, the routine ended. “All right now, let’s calm down. It’s bedtime, you know.”

This time Joey seemed willing to accept the proposition that the day was at an end. He nestled into Ben’s arms and closed his eyes.

“Do you know you’re the sweetest widdle boy in the whole wide world? Yes, you are!” Ben rubbed his nose against Joey’s. “You are the sweetest, smartest boy in the world, Joey. I love you so much!”

Joey smiled, turned onto his side. In a few minutes, Ben heard the soft rhythmic breathing that told him the child was finally asleep. He tiptoed over to the crib and gently laid him down.

Ben pulled the bedroom door to and joined Christina in the living room. “What are you up to?” he asked.

“Not much. Reading about our esteemed city council. Come here a sec.”

Ben’s eyebrows knitted. “Why?”

“Don’t ask questions. Just come.”

Ben walked over to the sofa. As soon as he reached Christina, she yanked up his shirt, poked him in the stomach, and chirped, “Pooh!”

Ben’s face flushed a bright crimson. “Ha-ha.”

Christina rolled over on her side laughing. Ben looked annoyed and started to walk away.

“Wait!” she said. “I want to do the whole song!”

“Fat chance.”

“Aw, Ben, don’t be a spoilsport.” She segued into baby talk. “You know I think you’re the sweetest widdle boy in the whole wide world.”

“You’re a laugh riot, Christina.” Ben opened his briefcase and removed his files. “I can’t believe you were spying on us. At bedtime, no less.”

“I was not spying. I sat here the whole time.”

“Then how—”

Christina pointed to the white plastic receiver on the coffee table. “You turned on the baby monitor, remember?”

Ben whipped open his files. “I hate that thing.”

Christina pressed her hands against her chest in mock offendedness. “How could you? I gave it to you.”

“Yes, and if I’d known you were going to use it for covert surveillance, I would’ve given it back. In fact, I think I will.” He grabbed the baby monitor and tossed it to her. “Here. Take it with you when you leave. The transmitter, too.

“Ben, it’s a safety device. So you can hear Joey crying in the night.”

“Are you kidding? He sleeps ten feet from where I do and he has lungs like a whale. I’ve never had the slightest trouble hearing him cry.”

Christina was still laughing. “Whatever you say. After all, you’re my pwe-cious, pwecious widdle baby boy!”

Ben threw his files down on the floor. “Why do I get the distinct impression we are not going to get any work done tonight?”

Christina gasped for breath. “Because you’re the sweetest, smartest boy—”

“Stop already!”

She smiled. “Next to Joey, of course.”