Stay close

25

Earlier that day, Ken had made his way to Megan Pierce’s sliding glass door off the wooden deck. Barbie had gone through the garage-backup in case the door was locked. It wouldn’t be necessary. The sliding glass door was unlocked. Ken quietly opened it. He was about to step inside when the doorbell rang.

He slipped back outside and ducked low. The cop Broome entered the house.

Ken wanted to curse, but he never cursed. Instead he used his favorite word for such moments: “setback.” That was all this was. The measure of a man isn’t how many times he gets knocked down. It is how many times he gets back up again.

He texted Barbie to stay put. He tried to listen in, but it was too risky. No matter. Ken stayed down and out of sight. The Pierces’ backyard had plush Brown Jordan furniture. There was a corner fountain and a full-size soccer goal and a cedar swing set that had definitely seen better days. It was really a very nice house. Ken wondered how this seemingly ordinary woman and mother fit into the disappearance of Carlton Flynn, but that was indeed his job.

He waited. He thought about Megan Pierce’s kids. He could almost see them kicking the ball into that soccer goal, lounging on the furniture, having a burger grilled on the Weber.

He thought about what that life must be like for the father of the house. Kids. Family dinners. Barbecues. Church on Sunday. His beautiful wife smiling through this sliding glass door as he taught his son to play catch. Ken wanted that life. He wanted that for himself and, he realized, he wanted it for Barbie. He could almost see her through that window now, smiling at him, filled with love. He could see them getting their children to bed, making sure they all brushed their teeth and said their prayers, and then he could see the two of them disappearing into their own bedroom hand in hand. He could see Barbie closing the door and turning toward him.

What more could any man want?

He knew, of course, that it wouldn’t be that simple. He had compulsions, but even those he could share with his beloved.

What was he waiting for?

He turned back toward the house. He didn’t relish making these children motherless, but right now he saw no other alternative. Fifteen minutes passed. Megan Pierce accompanied Detective Broome to his car. After they drove off, Ken and Barbie met up by the rented Miata.

“What do you think that police officer was doing here?” Barbie asked.

“I don’t know.”

“We should have come up last night.”

“It was too risky.”

“So now what?”

They drove off, back to the Garden State Parkway heading south. Ken wasn’t all that concerned. Chances were excellent that Broome and the Pierce woman were heading back to Atlantic City. Ken picked up speed. Three miles down the parkway, he spotted Broome’s car. He stayed way back, not really bothering to follow. No question now. They were going back to Atlantic City.

Two hours later, Broome parked in the lot at the police precinct. Broome took Megan Pierce in through a side entrance.

“Now what?” Barbie asked.

“I love you,” Ken said.

“What?”

He turned toward her. “I never told you. But you know.”

She nodded. “I love you too.”

He smiled and took her hand.

“Why did you tell me now?” Barbie asked.

“I will do anything to protect you. I want you to know that.”

“I know that too.”

He took out his cell phone and dialed the number. It was answered on the third ring.

“Goldberg.”

Ken said, “Hello, Deputy Chief Goldberg.”

Silence on the other end of the phone.

“I remembered that you didn’t want me to call you Mr. Goldberg,” Ken continued. “You said that you preferred Deputy Chief Goldberg.”

“Yeah,” he said in the wariest of voices. “What do you want? I’m kinda busy here.”

“I don’t mean to disturb you, Deputy Chief Goldberg, but this is a matter of some urgency.”

“I’m listening.”

“Your colleague Detective Broome just entered your precinct.”

“So?”

“He is with a woman named Megan Pierce.”

Silence.

“We will need to talk to her.”

“The same way you talked to Harry Sutton?”

“That isn’t your concern.”

“Like hell it’s not. Why do you think I’m so busy?”

“Deputy Chief Goldberg, please find a way for us to reach her.”

“Reach her?”

“Let us know how and when she’ll be leaving. It might be best to encourage her to leave alone.”

Silence.

“Mr. Goldberg?”

No “Deputy Chief” this time. The slip had been intentional.

“Got it,” Goldberg said before hanging up.

Ken took Barbie’s hand. “Should we get married?” he asked.

“That’s hardly an appropriate proposal.”

But she smiled when she said it, and his heart soared. He sat with this woman who meant so much to him, his partner in everything really, his soul mate like no other, and just let his heart soar. “You’re right. I’ll prepare a proper proposal.”

“And I’ll prepare a proper way to say yes.”

They held hands and watched the door and just enjoyed the moment. A few minutes later, Detective Broome exited without the woman. Barbie let go of his hand. “We should split up,” she said.

“But we just got engaged,” he said with a small chuckle.

“Not officially, mister. But you know I’m right. You take the car and follow the detective. I will keep an eye on the precinct.”

“Don’t take her on yourself,” he said.

She shook her head and dazzled him with a smile.

“What?”

“We aren’t even married yet and already you’re bossing me around like a husband. Go.”

Lorraine was pulling the handle for a draft beer when Broome approached. She looked up and gave him that crooked smile. “Well, well, as I live and breathe.”

“Hey, Lorraine.”

“You want a drink, or are you going to give me that classic line about being on duty?”

Broome sat down. “I am on duty. And, yeah, pour me two fingers.”

She finished with the draft and sauntered-Lorraine never walked, she sauntered-toward the corner of the bar where they kept the good stuff. Broome spun around on the stool. There was a line at the buffet. An actual line for the food. On the stage a girl danced with the enthusiasm of a coma patient. The old Neil Diamond classic “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” played through the speaker system.

Lorraine handed him the drink. “Something I can do for you, Detective?”

“Do you have a guess?”

Lorraine arched an eyebrow. “I assume you’re not back for a second round.”

“I wish.”

“Liar.”

Broome didn’t know how to take that one, so he pressed on. “I talked to your old friend Cassie or Megan or whatever you want to call her.”

“Uh-huh.”

“The situation is bad. Did you hear about Harry Sutton?”

Lorraine nodded as a shadow crossed her face. “Did you know him, Broome?”

“A little.”

“He was just the best. Harry had this way about him, I mean, everyone loved Harry. Even you cops. You know why? Because he was genuine. And he always cared. Biggest heart I ever saw. He believed in everyone. There were some girls in here I couldn’t stand. Obnoxious pains in the ass, sure, but some were just plain bad. But Harry, he’d still try to find the good. He’d still want to help and not just to get in their pants, though, hell, he sometimes did that too. Who could resist a guy who looked at you like that-like you really mattered, you know?” Lorraine shook her head. “Why would anyone hurt someone like Harry?”

“That’s what I’m here to find out,” Broome said.

“It’s corny,” she said, working the bar with a dishrag, “but the world is a little crappier today without him in it. You can just feel it.”

“Then help me, Lorraine. For Harry.”

“What, you think I know something about it?”

“It’s all connected,” Broome said. “Harry’s death is just one part. I got a guy in jail for eighteen years who may be innocent. Carlton Flynn is missing, and there are a lot of other men missing or dead.”

He stopped.

“Including,” Lorraine said, clearly seeing the light, “Stewart Green.”

“Yes.”

Lorraine cleaned the bar a little more. “So Cassie told you I was the one who saw him.”

“I sort of forced her to give up the name.”

Lorraine gave him the grin again. “You’re such a tough guy, Broome.”

“She wanted to call you first, but I wanted to tell you myself.”

“Because of our past?”

Broome shrugged and took a deep sip. “Did you see Stewart Green?”

“I can’t be sure.”

He just looked at her a little longer.

“Yeah, okay,” Lorraine said. “I saw him.”

Two gray-haired men came up to her bar. The taller one leaned forward, winked, and said, “Hey, Lorraine, the usual.”

“Use the other bar,” Broome said.

“Huh?”

“This bar is closed.”

“You’re sitting here, ain’t ya?”

Broome replied by showing them his badge. The two men considered taking it further, just to look tough, but then thought better of it. They turned and walked away.

“Those are two of my best tippers,” Lorraine said.

“You’ll make it up to them. You said you saw Stewart Green.”

“Yeah,” she said. Lorraine pushed the hair off her face. “But he looks different.”

“Different how?”

“Different all over. He’s got a shaved head and a goatee. He wears hoop earrings and got a tattoo on his forearm. He was in jeans and a tight T-shirt, and he’s clearly been working out.”

Broome frowned. “Stewart Green?”

Lorraine didn’t bother replying.

Broome thought about those photographs on Sarah Green’s fireplace mantel. In these photographs Stewart dressed in either polo ’n’ khakis or a business suit. He had a bald spot he’d started to cover up with a wispy comb-over. He looked soft and puffy.

“When did you see him?” he asked.

Lorraine started cleaning a glass with too much gusto.

“Lorraine?”

“I’ve seen him more than once.”

That surprised him. “How many times?”

“A few.”

“What’s a few? More than twice, more than five times?”

“I don’t know,” Lorraine said. All hints of that playfulness were gone now. She looked frightened. “Maybe once a year, once every two years, something like that. I don’t keep track.”

“Once every year or two?”

“Yeah.”

Broome’s head was spinning. “Wait, so when was the first time you saw him?”

“I don’t know. A while ago. Ten, fifteen years maybe.”

“And you never thought to contact the police?”

“Huh?”

“You saw a guy who’d gone missing. You never thought to tell us?”

“Tell you what exactly?” Lorraine put her hands on her hips, her voice rising. “Was he a criminal you were after?”

“No but-”

“And, what, do you think I’m an informant or something? I’ve worked in this business for twenty years. You learn quick that nobody sees nothing, you know what I’m saying?”

He did.

“I wouldn’t be talking to you now only…” Lorraine suddenly seemed depressed and deflated. “Harry. How could someone hurt Harry? Look, whatever, I don’t want more people to die. When you’re a customer in here, I don’t much care what you do. Break whatever commandment. But if people are starting to die…”

She turned away.

“When was the last time you saw Stewart Green?”

Lorraine didn’t answer.

“I asked-”

“A few weeks back.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“It might have been around the time that that Flynn guy disappeared.”

Broome froze.

“Lorraine, I need you to think hard about this: Was he here on Mardi Gras?”

“Mardi Gras?”

“Yeah.”

She thought about that. “I don’t know, it could be. Why?”

Broome could feel his pulse start to pick up pace. “In fact, when you saw him over the years, could it have been during other Mardi Gras?”

She made a face. “I don’t know.”

“It’s important.”

“How the hell would I remember something like that?”

“Think. You guys give out beads on Mardi Gras, right?”

“So?”

“So think back. You remembered Stewart had hoop earrings. Close your eyes now. Picture when he was here. Was he wearing Mardi Gras beads maybe?”

“I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t know.”

“Close your eyes and try.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Come on, Lorraine, this is important.”

“Okay, okay.” He could see now that her eyes were welling up. She quickly closed them.

“Anything?”

“No.” Her voice was soft now. “I’m sorry.”

“You okay?”

She blinked open her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about Stewart Green?”

Her voice was still soft. “No. I gotta get back to work.”

“Not yet.”

Broome tried to think it through, then he remembered: Erin had the security footage. That was how they had realized the Mardi Gras connection. Erin could look through them now and search for the man Lorraine described. He debated dragging Lorraine in for Rick Mason to sketch, but Mason was also an expert on age-progression software. He could work that with what he now knew-shaved head and goatee? — and then bring it back to show Lorraine.

“I don’t understand,” Lorraine said. “Why did you ask about Mardi Gras?”

“We see a pattern.”

“What kind of pattern?”

He quickly figured, why not? Maybe she’d remember something. “Stewart Green went missing on Mardi Gras. So did Carlton Flynn. A man named Ross Gunther was murdered on Mardi Gras. Other men too.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Neither do we. I have pictures that I want to show you-of missing men. Maybe you’ll recognize one.” He had the file with him. No other patrons had come over to this corner. They sat by the main stage while a stripper dressed as Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin started to dance to “A Whole New World.” The act gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “magic carpet ride.”

Broome took out the photographs and started to spread them on the bar. He watched Lorraine’s face. She took her time with the most recent one, the one that had been sent anonymously to his office.

“That’s Carlton Flynn,” she said.

“That one we know.”

Lorraine put it back and went through the other pictures. The tears were back in her eyes.

“Lorraine?”

“I don’t recognize any of them.” She blinked, turned away. “You should go.”

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing.”

Broome waited. For a moment Lorraine said nothing. He had always seen her upbeat, always with that sideways smile, the smoky voice, the throaty laugh. She had always been the dictionary definition of the good-time party girl.

“I’m dying,” Lorraine said.

Broome felt something in his chest dry up and blow away.

“I just came from the doctor.”

He finally found his voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Cancer. It’s already pretty far along. I have a year, maybe two.”

Broome could feel his throat tightening up. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Okay.”

Lorraine tried to give him the crooked grin. “Believe it or not, you’re the only one I’ve told. Pathetic, right?”

Broome reached his hand across the bar. For a moment she didn’t move. “I’m glad you told me,” he said.

She put her hand on his. “I’ve made choices people don’t understand, but I don’t have regrets. I was married once, and yeah, true, he was an abusive son of a bitch. But even if he wasn’t, that life just wasn’t for me. This one was. I’ve loved it here. It’s been a lot of laughs, you know what I mean?”

Broome nodded, met her eye.

More tears came to her eyes. “But this is the part that sucks about having no one, you know? I wish… oh man, I sound like such a baby… I want someone to care. I want someone to be crushed when I go. I want someone to hold my hand when I die.”

Again he wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t want to sound patronizing. He wanted to do something, anything. Broome liked to be detached-emotions were messy-but he hated feeling helpless.

“I’ll be with you, if you want. I’ll hold your hand.”

“You’re sweet, but no.”

“I mean it.”

“I know you do, but that’s what I meant. Sure, I could find some people who pity me enough to be with me at the end. But the kind of thing I’m talking about, you only get that through commitment. You only get that through being with someone during good times and bad, over years, in a real relationship. You don’t just get to ask for it in the end, you know what I’m saying?”

“I guess I do.”

“It’s okay. Like I said, I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s life. You can find joy and be happy-but you don’t get to have everything.”

The simple wisdom that is the truth. She smiled at him. He smiled back.

“Lorraine?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re beautiful, you know.”

“You hitting on me?”

“Maybe.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Would it be a pity screw?”

“For you or for me?”

She laughed. “Maybe both.”

“Even better,” Broome said. “I got this case right now, but as soon as it’s done…”

“You know where to find me.”

Her hand slipped out of his then. She started down toward the other end of the bar. Broome was about to leave when Lorraine said, “I assume Cassie is helping you out?”

“She is. She may have even gotten a look at Harry’s killers.”

“How?”

“She went back to his office last night.”

“Alone or with Ray?”

Broome stopped. “Ray?”

Lorraine’s eyes widened a bit. He could see that she wanted to take it back, but Broome was having none of that.

“Who the hell is Ray?”