Magnificent writing---again. Now we can see what tragic events can happen if real threats are not eliminated at the outset. A pre-desposition for evil will produce more evil and a great writer will write even greater lines.
Laus Deo
overbore
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CHAPTER 62
“Your wife was found with another man in a hotel in the city,” said the Imam.
“My wife…another man,” said Mohammed Hassan. He was shocked at the announcement and it showed in his speech.
“He was not one of the faithful and he is being dealt with by others,” said the Imam.
“No, I want to deal with him myself,” said Hassan.
“This can be arranged, but for the moment, your family has been dishonored,” said the Imam.
“And how may I arrange for my family’s honor to be returned?” asked Hassan.
“As shari’a law would dictate,” said the Imam.
“Is this not against the law?” asked Hassan.
“There are laws of man and laws of Allah. Which would you rather choose to follow?” asked the Imam.
“You should know the answer to this,” said Hassan.
“What you require is in the next room,” said the Imam.
“And he is not one of the faithful?” asked Hassan.
“No,” said the Imam. “You are free to restore your honor where he is concerned.”
Hassan got up and crossed the hallway. However, before turning the doorknob he paused as this was a line he wasn’t sure he should cross. But he decided he would come face to face with the man who defiled his wife before making a judgment. Opening the door, he was shocked at the occupant. While bloody from resisting and a black eye was showing across his face, he immediately recognized his former friend.
“Frankie Tidwell?” asked Hassan.
“Yes Stephen,” he said angrily.
“You are the man that was with my wife?” asked Hassan.
“Yes, getting her away from you until you decided to change your life and start treating her better,” he spat.
“But you are my friend!” exclaimed Hassan.
“I can still be your friend Stephen, but what you are doing to your wife and children is despicable!” said Frankie angrily.
“I am no longer Stephen, I am Mohammed Mohammed Hassan, a servant of Allah,” said Hassan.
“And that right there is why your wife needs to get away from you. You are Stephen Grant,” said Frankie. “And I hope there is still a good man in there somewhere.”
“I am a devout follower of Allah and Mohammed His Prophet. That name is of a dead man who was captivated by the sinful ways of this world,” said Hassan.
“And now I see why your wife wants to leave you,” spat Frankie.
“She spoke of leaving me?” asked Hassan.
“Yes, your so called ‘life’ is destroying the wonderful person she is. It’s destroying your family. Can’t you see that man? Your family is lost to you and they have brainwashed you into believing otherwise!” shouted Frankie.
“My family is my concern!” growled Hassan. “And you have no right to be interfering with it!”
“Your wife came to me for help! She came to me to speak her mind! You’ve got her so scared she can’t even speak to you about this! Your first born child is gone, your son is gone and your other daughter is at risk from these perverts! Your family is gone man! Wake up and see this!” yelled Frankie.
But Hassan had heard enough. He knew his family’s proper place was with him and the path he had chosen. His wife’s defiance and her betrayal would be dealt with. But to have this man speak as he did was insulting and needed to be dealt with as well.
“Answer me this, what did you do with my wife?” he asked.
“She can answer that question,” said Frankie.
“Did you defile my wife?!” demanded Hassan.
“She is lost to you as long as you stay on this path,” said Frankie.
“Did you sleep with my wife?!” demanded Hassan once again.
“Diana still loves you, but you just can’t realize it,” said Frankie, still avoiding the question.
“I can see something happened between the two of you,” said Hassan as he withdrew the fixed blade knife at his waist. “Your evasiveness is all the answer I need.”
“Wait! I didn’t sleep with her! Stephen, come to your senses man! She needed help and I was there as a friend! We just talked; nothing more!” said Frankie, suddenly scared at the turn of events.
“I don’t believe you,” said Hassan.
“Okay, we kissed and nothing more! She stopped it before it could go further. We were drinking and things got a little out of control! Stephen, I didn’t defile her!” said Frankie.
“And you now covet what I have. Even the Old Testament says do not covet thy neighbor’s wife. Don’t you remember your Sunday school?” asked Hassan as he closed the gap.
“I don’t covet her! I just want her to be safe and happy again! You all are my friends and I want you all to be happy!” he yelled as his head was yanked back and his throat exposed
“A friend would not attempt to defile his friend’s wife,” said Hassan.
“Is Diana going to be okay?” asked Frankie as he knew it was pointless to argue further. He could see the mindless robot Stephen had been turned into and knew it was pointless to continue to try and sway him. He silently said a prayer to God to ask for forgiveness, knowing he was at his end, powerless to resist with his hands and feet bound as they were.
“It is no longer your concern,” said Hassan in an even voice as he said a silent prayer for Allah to forgive his friend in the afterlife…
Hassan departed the room, knowing in his heart his wife had been unfaithful. But he would at least give her the chance to explain her actions. Opening the door into the next room, he found his wife bound to a chair in the middle of the room with her abaya hanging loosely around her shoulders.
“I didn’t do what they said I did! I was not doing what they have accused me of!” she exclaimed. “Oh my God Stephen! Why is there blood all over your hands?”
“You were unfaithful with one of my friends,” he said.
“No, nothing happened!” she exclaimed. “Why are your hands covered in blood?”
“You cheated on me…with one of my friends!” he growled.
“No, I never cheated on your, I swear it!” she exclaimed.
“Why would they lie to me?” asked Hassan.
“Because they want you to become a mindless robot to their desires! Please, you have to believe me! I love you and would never do that to you!” she exclaimed.
“Again, why would they lie?” he asked as he looked around the room.
“I don’t know…please, Stephen, listen to me. Let’s go, right now. You, me and the children. Let’s just go, get out of here and be a family once again. We can find Cindy and be a family once again. But these people are twisting your brain. I want it to be like it was before! I don’t care you have converted to Islam. We can find another place to live and still be faithful! Please, let’s go and be a family again. It used to be the most important thing to you. Your own daughter is out there alone in this world and she was driven away by these people! Please! Stephen! We need to be a family once again,” cried his wife.
“With one of our friends,” he repeated when she was done. Her words fell on deaf ears.
“He…tried. But I stopped him. I couldn’t betray you like that,” she cried.
“Why did you even put yourself into that situation to begin with?” he demanded.
“Because it felt good to get out and live my own life for a change! I wanted to go out and be like I was before! I can’t continue living a lie and what I’ve become! I’m not Adila Hassan, I’m Diana Grant! I can’t do this anymore Stephen! We can’t do this anymore! I want it to be like it was before! I want us to be happy and a family! We can get Stacy, Donnie and Cindy back together and go live our lives someplace else! Please Stephen, I’m begging you! Please let’s just leave and start over someplace else! Please Stephen, I wouldn’t betray you like that!” she pleaded.
“And you spoke to Frankie of divorcing me?” he asked.
“It wasn’t serious! I needed something to shock you! Something to make you wake up and realizing what you are doing is destroying our family! Please Stephen, look at what we’ve become!” she cried.
“You made statements to one of our friends that made him believe you were on the market so to speak, you were in a hotel room by yourself with him for a considerable amount of time and you expect me not to believe you didn’t betray me? You didn’t cheat on me?” he yelled.
“Stephen, I still love you and couldn’t cheat on you!” she exclaimed.
“That name no longer means anything to me. That is the old and impure name of a man who is now dead. I am Mohammed Mohammed Hassan, a loyal follower of Allah and Mohammed his Prophet and you have dishonored me for the last time,” he said as he moved towards his wife.
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“My honor has been restored,” said Hassan after cleaning up and finding the Imam.
“Not yet,” said the Imam.
“What else is required of me?” asked Hassan.
“Your daughter is still out there. By this time she is surely impure,” said the Imam.
“And my honor will be restored when I deal with her?” asked Hassan.
“Yes, when you do what you have to do, your honor will be restored. Allah will be pleased when you restore your honor,” said the Imam.
“And have we found her yet?” asked Hassan.
“We are close,” said the Imam.
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“You need to go turn on the TV,” said Erica over the phone.
“What?” asked Charlie. “What’s going on?”
“Just go, now,” ordered Erica in her best doctor voice. Charlie didn’t argue and collected up Cindy before heading into the house and turning on the TV to the nearest channel. A “Breaking News” caption was playing on the bottom of the screen. He turned it over to a network he trusted and watched as the “breaking news” was all over the channel.
“…and the trial will commence immediately. We’ll be back momentarily after this word from our sponsors,” said the voice of the anchor before the screen went to a commercial break.
“What is going on Erica?” asked Charlie. “All I see is the evil pit of doom in Washington.”
“They are impeaching the President!” she exclaimed. “They are not doing the committee meetings or anything else. They are going straight to the trial with none of the normal political nonsense.”
“Is that a fact?” asked Charlie.
“Yes, the President has already stated he won’t stand trial and the whole thing is a mockery of justice. However, the Supreme Court stated he can and will be tried in absentia if they have to and removed from office that way,” said Erica.
“And he gets the notification when the movers show up?” laughed Charlie.
“Suppose so, but I’m hoping the replacement won’t be just as bad,” said Erica as the station returned to the news, speaking of the trial in the Senate, who was representing who and what evidence they had and most importantly, if they had enough votes to carry the impeachment. The two talking heads got on the news channel, cued in by a remote link. They discussed the pros and cons of the trial as well as what evidence was already outstanding against the President. Since the impeachment vote in the House came through, he had blinked and removed all the Executive Orders as well as returning the funding to the States he had removed it from. But enough was enough and on a straw poll, he would be impeached as he had gone too far and with too much. They agreed to disagree as they typically did as one blamed the other for being a radical right wing conservative hypocrite and the retort of being an ultra left wing liberal hypocrite. And they argued the points back and forth several times before moving into the substance of the debate.
“Of course there is enough evidence pointing to what went on. And the Attorney General is right in the middle of it as well. It’s hard to plead innocent when you go on network television and proclaim what you are doing in prime time,” said Ronnie Case.
“But at the time, he was more concerned with returning Cindy Grant to her family, which still hasn’t occurred,” said James Irwin.
“And he felt taking away federal funding from the States was an effective measure to coerce them? Is that an acceptable behavior in your world?” asked Ronnie.
“I never said it was acceptable, but is that an impeachment worthy offense?” asked James.
The two continued arguing on the TV as they typically did. Charlie turned to Cindy. “Not very often you are responsible for getting a President impeached.”
“I’m sorry?” she asked.
“You, young lady. Yes, you had a part in that,” said Charlie. “Of course this won’t exactly be something you can crow about.”
“What did I do for this?” asked Cindy.
“Baseline problem,” said Charlie. “You started the ball rolling on this by coming to Tennessee for help. It rolled downhill from there.”
“Actually, if you hadn’t picked me up, none of this would have ever happened,” said Cindy with a grin. “So actually, it’s your fault.”
“Can’t do that, you get the blame,” said Charlie.
“And why can’t I shift it to you?” she asked.
“Because I’m the adult,” he said with a chuckle as he continued to watch the two argue on the TV. The anchor announced the trial would start in four days and due to the nature of the crimes, the Vice President was going to be the Acting President until the outcome of the trial. The Senate had a vote of no confidence in the President and it was determined until the trial was over, the President should sit on the sidelines. It was certainly an odd time in the political scene of America, but one that was necessary nonetheless.
“So now what?” asked Cindy.
“We wait for whatever comes out of this,” said Charlie.
“And my father?” asked Cindy.
“We’ll deal with that as it comes up,” said Charlie.
“Do you think this changes anything with him?” asked Cindy.
“Maybe, the entire community up there is under the microscope, so I wouldn’t think it will be too long before they are brought to justice,” said Charlie.
“And the rest of my family safe,” said Cindy.
“Which is what we are hoping for,” said Charlie, but not wishing to give up Cindy so easily.
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“…Police are offering a reward of ten thousand dollars for any information relating to the double homicide of a man and woman found yesterday evening. The two individuals, identified as Frank Tidwell, originally of Oregon and Diana Grant of California were found by joggers yesterday in Patterson, New Jersey. The two were victims of a knife attack to the throat and were bound prior to death. Police Detectives say they have no leads in the deaths or the disappearance of the husband Stephen Grant, also known as Mohammed Hassan. Mohammed Hassan is wanted for questioning by the police in the murder as well as the alleged child abuse of Cindy Grant, recently in the news. The police state the murders took place twenty four hours prior to the bodies being dumped. And in other police news today…”
“This isn’t good,” said Mitch as he watched the broadcast link sent to him by Anderson. The State had already been alerted by the New Jersey State Police about the murders and asked they make contact with Cindy to inform her of the death of her mother. But it certainly didn’t make it any easier telling Cindy what happened, especially since her father was still out there.
“I’ll go out with you and get the minister from Charlie’s church,” said Sarah.
“Out where?” asked Mitch.
“When you tell Cindy,” said Sarah. “You are planning on telling her right?”
“I…I have no idea how to do this,” said Mitch.
“We need to make sure Charlie and Erica are around. She’ll need a stable foundation when she gets this news,” said Sarah.
“Why do people do what they do?” asked Mitch.
“Honey, you know there isn’t an answer to that question,” said Sarah. “Let me make a few calls. And she’s probably going to need a trip to see the psychologist.”
“Yeah, I’ll get changed,” said Mitch as he went upstairs and changed clothing. He called Charlie in advance to make sure they were going to be at home before they came out. After getting Charlie away from the house, he explained what was going on and what had happened in New Jersey.
“What’s going to happen to her mother?” asked Charlie.
“What do you mean?” asked Mitch.
“She’s going to have to be buried,” said Charlie.
“I don’t know. Want Anderson to check into that?” asked Mitch.
“I think it’s the least we can do for her to see her mother has a proper burial. And also, get New York to check into the sister as well. With no mother in the picture and the father still on the run, someone knows where her sister is at. She needs to be pulled from wherever she is and entered into foster care,” said Charlie.
“In Tennessee?” asked Mitch, but knew Charlie had a point.
“Either place. Erica and I would take her in as well if she was a foster child,” said Charlie.
“You’ve got a heart five acres wide Charlie,” said Mitch.
“I just want to see her done right Mitch,” said Charlie.
“I know bud,” said Mitch. “We’ll be out there in about an hour.”
“Who’s going to tell her?” asked Charlie.
“I was thinking it might come best from you and Erica,” said Mitch.
“Mitch, I’m not sure if I can do something like that,” said Charlie.
“You’re the only one she knows and trusts enough to tell her,” said Mitch.
“Maybe the minister?” asked Charlie.
“He doesn’t know her well enough to do something like that. But we are still bringing him along just in case. Sarah is also getting the psychologist on the line to help if needed,” said Mitch.
“Mitch, this isn’t going to be easy,” said Charlie.
“I know, but again, it’s going to come better from you,” said Mitch. He ended the call and got ready himself. Charlie went back to the house and collected Erica and took her outside.
“Mitch just called,” said Charlie.
“What happened?” asked Erica.
“Cindy’s mother was murdered,” he said.
“Oh dear Lord,” said Erica. “What happened?”
“They seem to think the father is involved, but he still has yet to stick his head up,” said Charlie.
“I hope the Devil burns him for eternity for what he’s done,” said Erica.
“I’d like to arrange the meeting,” said Charlie. “But we still have the problem of telling Cindy.”
“This isn’t going to be easy,” said Erica.
“I know, but Mitch seems to think it would be better coming from me,” said Charlie.
“You are the one she trusts the most. While I hate to put you in that situation, it would come best from you,” said Erica.
“But I’m not sure what to say,” said Charlie.
“Baby, I have faith that you’ll find the words,” said Erica. “What about the burial?”
“Mitch is going to get Anderson to check into that,” said Charlie.
“Somewhere in Tennessee?” asked Erica.
“I was thinking right over there in the family plot,” said Charlie.
“I think Cindy would really appreciate that,” said Erica.
“She’s like family now anyway,” said Charlie.
“More than you realize,” said Erica. “Which is why it’s best for you to tell her. We’ll all be there, but the words should come from you.”
“Hey, you guys coming in to lunch?” asked Cindy from the porch.
“Best to go ahead and eat,” said Charlie.
“That’s not going to work, you’ve got it written all over your face,” said Erica.
“Now?” asked Charlie.
“Your decision,” said Erica. They headed back to the house and entered into the kitchen. Cindy was busy bopping around the kitchen getting the lunch things ready. Charlie stopped her and motioned for her to sit down at the table.
“What? Am I in trouble or something?” asked Cindy as she saw the look on both their faces.
“No,” said Charlie. “Cindy, I…”
“What?” asked Cindy. “Something wrong?”
“No…yes,” said Charlie. “I just got a call from Mitch.”
“Okay, and?” asked Cindy.
“They heard from New Jersey,” said Charlie.
“I don’t know anyone in New Jersey,” said Cindy.
“I know,” said Charlie and took in a breath, not finding an easy way of telling her. “They found a body yesterday and identified it. Your mother was murdered two days ago.”
Cindy’s face went pale then flushed back up. Her lip started quivering and tears filled her eyes. “No, it can’t be. Please say you are joking.”
“Cindy, I wish I was joking,” said Charlie as he took her hands.
“No! There has to be a mistake! She can’t! She can’t be dead!” exclaimed Cindy as the tears came down her face.
“The police made a positive identification,” said Charlie. “I’m so sorry.”
Cindy looked at him again with the tears blurring her vision. She didn’t know what to do right then besides cry and scream. She fell onto his shoulder crying as hard as she ever remembered crying in her life. She sobbed loudly as he patted her on the back and attempted to calm her. But he also realized how much of a shock it was to lose someone so close to you. And in that respect, he never had anyone to cry on then. But this time he could support her and be the steady rock in her life. She continued to cry and exclaim “no” under her breath. Eventually she was able to compose herself long enough to ask about her sister.
“She is missing as well, but they think she is being hidden by the community in New York,” said Erica.
“But she could be in danger!” said Cindy through more tears.
“We can only hope for the best,” said Charlie.
“But she needs me now! I’m all she has left!” she exclaimed. “They have to find her!”
“The police are looking for her as well as your father,” said Charlie. “They think he might be involved with what happened.”
“I don’t have a father anymore!” screamed Cindy. “That monster is not my father!”
She broke down once again and Charlie even had a tear come into his eye as well. Someone he cared about was hurting and he hurt along with them. Erica took over as the shoulder to cry on as she and Cindy both cried and shed their emotions. Mitch, Sarah and the minister entered the kitchen as the front door had been unlocked. Cindy barely acknowledged their presence before going off into a fit of crying once again. Charlie got up to leave for a moment while Sarah and Erica continued to console Cindy. They were joined in the adjacent room by Pat.
“Anderson said they can get the body transferred here when they complete the autopsy,” said Mitch.
“I’ve got a place she can be buried,” said Charlie.
“Figured you did,” said Pat. “And I’ll do the ceremony.”
“What’s next?” asked Charlie.
“A lot depends on finding the sister and the father. We get him and he will go away for a long time,” said Mitch.
“And the sister?” asked Charlie.
“New York is supposedly still looking into it,” said Mitch.
“Not cutting it Mitch,” said Charlie.
“I can’t force them to go faster Charlie,” said Mitch.
“They need to find her as well as her father. This is getting old,” said Charlie.
“I know,” said Mitch as his cell phone rang. The psychologist made himself immediately available if he needed to be. Mitch told him he would call back as soon as they knew something definite. They returned to the kitchen where Cindy was still in a bad state. Not that Charlie didn’t understand where she was coming from. He took her back into a hug and knew that she needed support more than anything right then. Her world had been rocked and she needed something steady in her life to cling to. Between him and Erica, they could provide the stability necessary for her to weather the crisis in her life.
Little did they know another crisis would eventually emerge. And this crisis would change their lives forever.Leave a comment:
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As The Great Ric Flair would say.............WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!Leave a comment:
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Occam's Razor is a line of reasoning that says the simplest answer is often correct; to quote Mr. Spock, It is quite logical to believe the obvious. 35,000 people have been killed in Pakistan thus far by a " peaceful religion" and there is no sign whatsoever that is will not continue everywhere unless we are protected---which comes down to who is responsible for our individual protection; "Alphabet Soupers" or we the people. Soon, very soon the line of impeachment, so expertly written by Grand, will be crossed, and our first battle is impeachment.Leave a comment:
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CHAPTER 61
“Mister Speaker! The President cannot continue the path he is currently on! His actions are grossly illegal and completely out of line with the standards our country was founded on! This body has been ineffectual in stopping him thus far and this needs to stop! He cannot continue to hold the money, the people’s money, from the citizens of this great nation. He has made a power grab including attempting to dismiss seven governors freely elected by the citizens of the States they lead. He cannot continue to dismiss publically elected officials in violation of State election laws. And these so called Executive Orders that are, again, illegal and in contrary to the basic freedoms we enjoy? Using government agencies of which we have no control to enforce his will? Attempting to use the military to enforce policy over what? Over a young girl attempting to find justice from a pedophile and a dangerous radical sect bent on destroying her life?”
“This cannot continue Mister Speaker! I make a motion for immediate impeachment hearings for the President as well as an official review of certain federal agencies involved in this scandal. The Attorney General needs to be confronted by this body in order to face the charges as well. But the buck stops at the top as the old saying goes. This body of elected representatives cannot continue to be effective in representing the people if we do not do something and right now! And the President must, I repeat must stand in account on what he has been doing!”
“My fellow representatives, we should be ashamed of ourselves for not doing something sooner. We should be ashamed we have not put an end to this madness before it got out of control. We should be asking, begging our constituents for forgiveness for turning a blind eye to an under aged girl who only wants to live her life free of religious persecution. Did our own forefathers not come to America to escape the very same thing we have stuck our heads in the sand over? Has this nation not always stood as a refuge for those escaping persecution? Is this nation not the bastion of the world for justice? Have we been doing our jobs fellow representatives in being the checks and balances on the Executive Branch of the government? Or are we going to continue to let this criminal activity go unchecked?”
“Mister Speaker, I bring forward the motion for impeachment of the President of the United States,” concluded the Representative from South Carolina. He was immediately drowned out by applause and yells of “seconded!” from the gathered masses in the House chambers. The Speaker attempted to regain order, but the applause continued for several minutes before his banging of the gavel finally brought them back under control.
“Order in the House! I will have order in this House!” he thundered. “As the motion was seconded by the Representative from Arkansas, I will bring it forward for a vote.”
“Mister Speaker! Point of order!” yelled a Representative from Oregon.
“The chair recognizes the Representative from Oregon,” said the Speaker.
“Where is this so called evidence? Have you considered a committee to investigate these matters? Are we going to forego the procedures of this House because it is popular to do so? There are protocols we have to follow here and we are no better than the President for dismissing them out of hand,” said the Congressman from Oregon.
“Are you out of your mind? We cannot let this go on any longer! The President has cut funding to over half the States in the Union! Half! There are currently thirty one States having discussions of secession from the United States right now! Thirty one! Are we to allow the breakup of this country, the one we are supposed to be representing, because we allowed the President to continue on a path of destruction and power grabbing? Are you prepared to allow him to withhold the taxes your constituents pay each and every day because he is trying to pressure someone to do something illegal? I am not prepared to allow this and am not prepared to let it continue one second longer! And if this body cannot act like it is supposed to in keeping the Executive Branch under check, maybe those States considering secession should leave the Union and start over.”
“Thomas Jefferson said it best when he said history will tell us of what a bad government is. Will history judge this House to be ineffective in stopping tyranny when we had the opportunity? Or will history say we stood up for the just and right cause in putting a stop to the madness sweeping this government and this nation? I for one want history to judge me as standing for the principles this great nation was founded on. Wouldn’t you want the same?” asked the Speaker, answering the call for more red tape. It was unorthodox having the Speaker go after a representative like that, but he was fed up with procedures when action was desperately needed. The vote was not necessarily agreed on as a small portion of the minority party got up in protest and left. But that meant the vote was extremely lopsided as even some in the minority party saw what the actions were doing to their States and crossed over the political lines. In a bipartisan Washington, unity was finally found and the vote recorded for posterity. But it was a foregone conclusion it would pass as the Executive Branch had upset more than a few States in the process of attempting to get Cindy back. And his so called majority in the Senate had rapidly vanished when he started cutting funds to States that typically supported him. Any trial there would likely end in disaster.
But still, even with his closest advisors urging him to back off the position, he still was too far into the situation to back off with grace. Even though he was believed globally to have been weak and ineffective, he was digging his heels in now and stubbornly resisting any attempts at resolving this latest standoff between Tennessee and the remainder of the States allied with them and his own Executive Branch. However, even though he was stubborn, the States were being more so as the so called acting governors sent by Washington were laughed out of the States they were sent to. After the first three attempts, the handpicked individuals started backing away and refusing to go. All in all, it was a standoff waiting for one side to blink.
After the vote in the House, the impeachment charges were sent to the Senate. Senators gathered in conference rooms behind closed doors to discuss the situation. They also saw no resolution to the problems and had to act quickly in order to preserve the Union. The Justices of the Supreme Court were also brought in to the back room meetings to get their opinions on the matter. And in unusual circumstances, they also agreed something needed to be done. So the Senators and Congressmen make contact quietly with the Vice President and informed him he might be getting a promotion soon. His first reaction was to inform the President, but he was smart enough to see the writing on the wall and understand, what the good Lord gives, the good Lord can also take away. So as acting President of the Senate, he would attempt to find the middle ground, but would also go with the majority opinion and cut ties to the man who had brought him along for the ride.
They decided the impeachment process would be started as soon as possible in the Senate. And with the mood of the country in what had happened, it wouldn’t take long. Additionally, the approval ratings were now the worst even for a President that had set highs for that very same category. But again, the American people wanted justice and their representatives were prepared to sacrifice anyone they needed to in order to win election again.
********************
“Diana, I’m surprised you called so quickly,” said Freddie Tidwell. He noticed she wasn’t wearing the traditional Muslim garb for the dinner and also noticed her husband wasn’t around again.
“I just needed…just needed to get out,” said Diana as she took the offered seat and sat down. She had snuck out of being watched in her current situation and used some money to buy a decent outfit for once. And had done up her makeup as well. She felt like a person for the first time in such a long time and didn’t care who knew it or who saw it.
“Want to order now or wait a few minutes?” asked Freddie as he took his seat. “And is Stephen coming along?”
“No, Stephen will not be coming tonight,” she said and turned to the waiter. “The house white please.”
“And for you sir?” asked the waiter.
“The same, thanks,” said Freddie. After the waiter departed, he turned back to Diana. “I was a little worried about you the last time we talked. You didn’t seem very happy.”
Diana took in a deep sigh before replying. Frankie was a decent family friend and she had known him for several years. If she couldn’t be honest with him, who could she be honest with?
“I’m not really happy right now,” she said and went on to explain her current situation, the situation with Cindy and how it was tearing their family apart. She further ranted on about the community and how Stephen was away for something right then instead of just leaving and attempting to regain control of his family. The glass of wine arrived and she drank the entire glass down and ordered a refill before the waiter left. “So yes, we have unhappiness in our lives right now.”
“I saw that thing on the news, but thought it was a different person. Coincidence of the same name and all. I mean, it looked like Stephen, but I never thought he would do anything like this,” said Frankie.
“He has and it’s tearing our family apart. My son is somewhere in Pakistan at some school, my other daughter is staying with a family in upstate New York, my first born child is in Tennessee and we haven’t seen her in almost five months…” she said and her voice trailed off. She was close to tears and needed a few moments to compose herself. “Sorry, I think the wine is hitting already.”
“No, you just needed to get some things out,” said Frankie.
“I have more than a few things to get out,” said Diana. “I’m thinking I’m going to tell Stephen we’re getting a divorce.”
“You sure about that?” asked Frankie.
“I need something to shock him to the core,” she said and a tear escaped down her face. “Maybe I might go through with it, but hopefully it will make him understand how serious I am about him getting away from the situation we are in.”
“Listen, we can do this another time if you want,” suggested Frankie as he saw her close to breaking down fully. And he didn’t want her to be embarrassed in front of an entire restaurant or cause a scene he might have to explain.
“No, I won’t get too many opportunities right now,” said Diana, wiping the tear away.
“Want to move someplace more private so you can get it off your chest?” he suggested.
“Where else would we go?” she asked.
“I’m one of the managers, I can arrange for things,” he said and got up. Departing, he came back several minutes later and took her arm. “I’ve got something set up.”
“What?” she asked.
“Again, I can get favors in here,” he said and led her away from the table. They got into the elevator and headed towards the top floor where the executive suites were located. Using the card, he opened the nearest suite and waved her inside. “A little more private.”
“Frankie, I can’t!” she exclaimed. “This has to cost you a fortune!”
“Doesn’t cost me a dime,” he said and waved her again. “No big deal and we can order room service. This way you can cry over dinner if you want.”
“Well, I suppose,” she said and entered in, not feeling very comfortable with being in the hotel room with him alone, but again, who could she trust if she couldn’t trust him. They sat in the dinner area and ordered up from the executive menu. While waiting, he poured her another glass of wine and showed her around the room.
“A hot tub! And I didn’t bring my bathing suit,” she said with a laugh and a smile to let him know she wasn’t serious.
“Well, up here you don’t need one,” he laughed. “But down in the restaurant they might object.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she laughed. “Can I kick off these shoes?”
“Get as comfortable as you want,” he said as they headed back towards the table. As expected, service was quick and they ate, catching up a little and letting her shed more emotions. She cried several times through dinner with him staying quiet the entire time. But the same thought kept driving through his brain; why would anyone do this to their family? What makes a person forsake their own family and cause them such pain?
A knock at the door was heard and Frankie answered the door. “Guessed on the size sir, but I think this should work.”
“Thanks,” said Frankie and passed over a tip. Heading back towards the table, he handed her over a bag. “Listen, tonight you can relax. I kind of figured you have a lot of pressure on you right now and from what you’ve said, don’t get the opportunity to get out much. So this evening, you just relax.”
“I’m already a little better off,” she said and looked inside the bag. “A bikini? Are you serious?”
“The bellhop guessed on the size,” he said. “I ordered it while we were having dinner.”
“Frankie,” she started, but the alcohol she had been drinking was clouding her judgment. “I’m not sure.”
“Nobody up here but you and me. Relax as much as you want,” he said.
“The idea of a good soak does sound nice,” she said and wavered a bit.
“You can change in the bedroom if you want. There’s privacy there,” he said.
She thought about it again for several moments before deciding she want going to relax that evening and didn’t care what anyone else thought. Getting up, she headed towards the bedroom and came out several minutes later having changed into the two piece. “At least keep me company over here.”
“I didn’t get one for myself,” he laughed.
“Sit on the outside then,” she said and shed the robe she was wearing. And not unlike Cindy, Diana Grant had genetics help her keep a good figure even though she was well into her thirties and out of shape.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” he remarked. “Look the same as you did ten years ago.”
“I wish,” she said and dipped into the hot water. He poured them both another glass of wine from a new bottle while she closed her eyes and soaked in the tub. They talked until the bottle was empty again and she was getting drunk from the alcohol and the heat of the water increasing her circulation. She saw him pouring another glass for her out of yet another bottle. “I’ve about had enough, but one more won’t hurt.”
“So you think Stephen will go for the divorce?” asked Frankie as he handed her glass over.
“I don’t know,” she said and sipped at the overfilled glass. “I feel like I need to do something though.”
“When are you going to tell him?” he asked, interested enough.
“When I see him again and when he’s away from the rest of those freaks,” she said. “Thanks for listening tonight by the way.”
“What are friends for?” he said.
“You’ve always been a good one,” she said and watched as he removed his shoes and socks. He started undressing and laying out his clothing on a nearby chair. “What are you doing?”
“Going to join you for a few minutes if that’s okay,” he said. She didn’t object as he removed everything but his underwear before sliding in himself. However, once inside, he removed his underwear as well and set them on the outside. Again, she didn’t object, but blushed up slightly. He didn’t notice as she was flushed from the hot water. “So what else is on your mind?”
They continued talking for several more minutes and she noticed he crept close to her in the tub. Again, she wasn’t sure why, but nothing bad had happened yet and she let it go. He refilled her wine glass once again and handed it over. The impairment had taken hold by then and she didn’t object to the next glass of wine. They continued talking for several minutes before she gently massaged her temples, the wine hitting harder than it should have.
“Here, let me,” he suggested and massaged her temples. She sighed in pleasure as he continued and felt his hands working around to the back of her neck. She stretched out her neck and put her arms on his shoulders while he continued. He untied the top string on the bikini around her neck, but the remainder stayed up and in place so it wasn’t a huge deal. The massage felt really nice to her and she let him continue working out her neck and shoulders. Finally she looked up and they were face to face. Out of nowhere, he kissed her and pulled her in tighter. She was lost in the moment and went back at him, kissing him passionately. She felt his hands working down her back and attempting to undo the straps on the bikini. He had just about gotten it undone when an alarm went off in her head and she withdrew from the kiss.
“Wait, this isn’t right,” she said as she withdrew, her arms still around his neck.
“I just want you to feel special tonight,” he said, but didn’t go further with the advance.
“Frankie, you are a very handsome man and have made me feel special tonight. But I still love Stephen, even with all his faults,” she said with half a smile. She had let herself slip as this was the first time she had been romanced in quite some time. But she knew it wasn't right.
“I just thought…” he started to say and didn’t finish.
“Maybe if I was divorced this could have gotten interesting, but again, I’m still in love with my husband and couldn’t betray him like that. If something like this is going to happen, I want to do it with a clear conscience after a divorce. But right now just isn’t the right time,” she said.
“Rain check then?” he asked with a grin and a laugh.
“Maybe, who knows,” she said with a smile and a kiss on the forehead for his troubles. “I’m flattered by the offer though, thanks.”
“Sorry for making you feel uncomfortable,” he said and they both withdrew from each other, both uneasy about the advance.
“You certainly didn’t make me feel uncomfortable. You’re a good looking, charming guy with a lot of things going for him. But now isn’t the time,” she said with another smile. She tied the top strings on the bikini top and got out of the tub while he searched for a towel. Dressing in the robe, she headed back towards the bedroom to dry off and change out of the bathing suit. He respected her privacy enough to change separately and headed to an adjacent room. He heard her showering up to wash off the chlorinated water before reappearing several minutes later wearing what she had for dinner.
“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression,” she apologized.
“No, it wasn’t right of me to try and take advantage of the situation,” he admitted. “You were emotional and I tried to take advantage of that.”
“At least you admit it,” she laughed. “Apology accepted.”
“Listen, I want to help. Not because of what happened here tonight, but because I think you are a good person and it’s killing me inside to watch what they are doing to you,” he stated.
“Help how?” she asked.
“Well, I have a two bedroom place. You and your daughter could stay there until things settle down. Or at least until you get the chance to talk to Stephen,” he said.
“I wouldn’t want to be a burden,” said Diana.
“You never would be and I promise no forward advances. I’ll be on my best behavior,” he said with a grin.
“I couldn’t do that. It wouldn’t look right no matter how proper we both were,” she said.
“Okay, I can set you up here for a few days. You said during dinner the family you are staying with is reporting your movements to the community in New York, so you can stay here and not have to worry about that,” said Frankie.
“At what your hotel costs? No thanks,” she laughed.
“At no cost. Shoot, I could even get you a part time job in the meantime,” he laughed. “Seriously, the staff does it all the time, staying overnight in rooms I mean. Maybe not long term, but we can hide you here.”
“I don’t know,” she temporized.
“At the very least you will have some privacy. We have a floor of rooms that are being renovated. They are another two months or so from getting finished, but the east wing is done with everything already in there ready to receive guests,” he said.
“And when someone finds me?” she asked.
“I can talk to the other managers,” he said.
“You sure this will be okay?” she asked.
“I think it will be just fine as soon as I explain the situation,” said Frankie.
“I wouldn’t want to be a burden or have you get into trouble,” she said. But still hadn’t turned him down.
“Listen, those Muslims are taking away your soul and personality. Do you really want to wear that oppressive veil and robe everywhere? I doubt it and if you take my offer you can wear what you want again, think what you want again, drink and eat what you want and without any trouble. I can help give you your life back,” he said.
She thought about the offer for several moments before deciding he was right. For far too long they had stolen her identity, her personality and forced her to be someone she wasn’t. She was tired of being told what to eat and drink and when to pray and not being allowed the freedoms enjoyed by women around her on the streets. She decided it was far past the time for her to take back control of her life and start doing things her own way once again. And Stephen would just have to understand this was her life to live and not as others wanted her to live. He could go along with it or he could face the divorce. But she was going to get her children and start living their lives the way they were supposed to, free to choose what beliefs they wanted to have.
“I’ll do it,” she said resolutely. And for the moment, she was clear headed and felt really good about the decision she just made. She would finally stand up to Stephen and end the abuse and the substandard treatment. She was finally doing what she should have done a long time before. And she hoped she could reach Cindy in time to make a difference and bring her back into her life. If Stephen wanted to come along, he would have to change his ways as well since she wouldn’t accept him until he did. But more than anything, she wanted to be a family again. And if that meant only her and the children, she would make things work somehow.
“You want to move tonight?” asked Frankie.
“Sure, I’ll need to get some things from the house I’m at, but tonight sounds great,” she replied.
“I’ll get you a cab,” he said and they took the elevator downstairs. Once they arrived at the door, he made another suggestion. “Just as a friend, I’d like to come along with you. Just to make sure nothing goes wrong and you get out safely.”
“I think I’ll be okay,” she said.
“Seriously,” he said.
“Okay, but if I get confrontational, you have to stay out of it. Understand?” she asked.
“I’ll be a fly on the wall,” he replied as he waved down a cab. Like many in New York City, he didn’t own a car and relied on public transportation. Once inside, she gave the street address to the driver and they departed in silence. However, after entering a neighborhood, they were cut off by a dark van which screamed around the left side on the narrow road. It got in front, effectively blocking both lanes before coming to a stop in the middle of the street. The cab driver slammed on the brakes before it hit the back of the van and honked at his horn angrily. He never noticed the sedan that pulled up behind him and the four occupants that got out. The driver didn’t realize what was happening until the back door was yanked open and a scream was heard. He noticed the three others getting out of the van, carrying pistols as they approached.
“Hello Mrs. Hassan, fancy meeting you tonight,” said Ramzi as he reached in to drag her out.Leave a comment:
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Once again, Grand, top notch writing and showing us the dielema of being a target or taking pro active action that may also have bad consequences; Occams Razor in action.
Laus Deo
overboreLeave a comment:
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No...can't say that's ever happened lol. Normally it's "why haven't you gotten off your duff and finished it yet?"Originally posted by Abigailnumber2 View PostLeave a comment:
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CHAPTER 60
“…and a reward of one million dollars will be included for any information leading to the arrest of the kidnapper of Haseena Hassan, a.k.a Cindy Grant or any information that leads to her recovery. Please call the toll free number for the Federal Bureau of Investigations to give this information. Tennessee has continued to try the patience of the Federal Government and has not voluntarily given up any information about her current whereabouts. So henceforth, the Governorship of Tennessee is in violation of the law and the President had appointed an acting Governor until such time as special elections can be held. Federal Agents have been unsuccessful in his arrest thus far, but are close to an apprehension. Additionally, any office in the State of Tennessee that has assisted in concealing the location of Cindy Grant is also in violation of the law and the member will forfeit the office. Are there any questions?” asked the Attorney General of the United States. Twenty questions were voiced at one time and he was prepared for them.
“Gee boss, you’re fired,” laughed the Tennessee Attorney General.
“As are you,” laughed the Governor. “What do you think of this?”
“Besides the fact he can’t do that?” asked the Lieutenant Governor.
“Besides that,” said the Governor.
“Well, the people of this State won’t care for that decision much. And frankly, will probably kick the acting Governor out when he comes to town,” said the Attorney General. “You don’t tell us what to do in this State unless you happen to be paying the bills. And last time I looked, they weren’t paying any of our bills.”
“And you have the support from other States as well. I’m sure you can be expecting a bunch of calls over the next day or so with support,” said the Lieutenant Governor.
“So what do we do?” asked the Governor.
“We hold our own press conference and push the fact we were legally elected in accordance with the State laws. Additionally, the President cannot just up and fire you. This is a State matter and no concern of his,” said the Attorney General.
“Additionally, we’ll be introducing legislation in the House and Senate confirming the fact you are the duly elected Governor of this State and Washington can take a hike,” said the Tennessee Speaker of the House. “And if they don’t like it, who cares?”
“Anything else?” asked the Governor.
“The FBI and other federal agencies have been caught trying to sneak in over the past few weeks. We’re detaining them as we find them,” said the Director of the TBI.
“Anything more on the investigation from New York?” asked the Governor.
“They cannot find the family in question or the agent who conducted the investigation. They are basically washing their hands of it,” said the Director.
“And what do we do now?” asked the Governor.
“We wait for Washington to blink. They will have to eventually,” said the Lieutenant Governor.
********************
“Yes, is this the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office?” asked the voice over the phone.
“Yes it is,” said the dispatcher.
“I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind,” said the voice calling from the blocked number.
“Go ahead,” said the dispatcher.
“I would like to know why your office is hiding a runaway girl from her family,” said the voice.
“I’m sorry, who’s calling please?” asked the dispatcher.
“I said I want to know why your agency is part of a conspiracy to conceal Haseena Hassan and not return her to her family,” said the voice.
“I don’t know who that is. This is the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office. Are you sure you have the right number?” asked the dispatcher.
“Yes, you might know her as Cindy Grant. You have her and we want her back,” said the voice.
“You must be mistaken, we don’t know anyone by that name,” said the dispatcher, making notes about the time, the caller, the voice and other information that might help track down the caller.
“No, we know you have her and we want her back,” said the voice.
“Specifically who might want her back? I would like to help you, but you aren’t giving me enough information to process your request,” said the dispatcher, continuing to make notes.
“I represent her family and we will get her back,” said the voice.
“I don’t know anyone by the name you mentioned. Can I get your name, a callback number and your location to pass on to an investigator?” asked the dispatcher.
“She needs to be returned. The people responsible for hiding her will be made an example of. Their blood will run freely in the streets where we find them and Haseena will be returned to her family. And if she is impure, she will be dealt with as the shari’a law would dictate as well. The blood will flow freely on that day,” said the voice before the line clicked off.
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that? Hello? Hello?” asked the dispatcher, making mad notes right then and hoping this was just a prank caller. But the message had been clear and they needed little prompting. The first thing to be done was getting an investigation started on the caller and second was to inform Mitch about the call. The dispatcher called for relief to go in person to talk to Mitch and pass on the information. After arriving at his office, he informed Mitch of the conversation and let him hear the recording.
“Try and track it down and get with the TBI. They may be able to track some information we can’t,” said Mitch.
“And Charlie? Should we call him and warn him?” asked the dispatcher.
“No, not until we have more information,” said Mitch. “Track it down quickly.”
“Charlie needs to know there was a threat against him,” said the dispatcher.
“Until we make sure this isn’t some lunatic who randomly made a phone call, we don’t let Charlie know. He could go off the deep end,” said Mitch.
“Yes sir,” said the dispatcher as he left the office. However, he knew Charlie had the right to know about the information and decided to pay him a visit after his shift. They had gone to school together and he knew Charlie needed to know the threat against him and Cindy. He only had another three hours on shift and would head out there in person after getting relieved. He passed on the information to the investigators and headed back to his office where he monitored calls and sent units out to loud dogs barking and minor vehicle accidents. Nothing out of the ordinary and certainly nothing to be excited over. After his relief came in, he headed straight for Limestone Cove and pulled into Charlie’s driveway. He saw Charlie out working in the front yard on what appeared to be a planter for the spring.
“Hey Phil,” said Charlie as he took a break.
“Charlie, need to talk to you,” he said without pleasantries.
“Sure thing,” said Charlie and removed the gloves he had on. “What’s on your mind?”
“I got a phone call today. Someone calling about our little situation,” said the dispatcher.
“Okay,” said Charlie. “Which situation?”
“The one concerning other residents out here. They called here specifically looking for her. Somehow they know she’s here,” said the dispatcher as he continued explaining the conversation and giving Charlie the transcripts.
“Who did?” asked Charlie as he started looking through the transcript.
“The folks you are trying to lie low and avoid,” said the dispatcher.
“Does Mitch know?” asked Charlie after he completed reading the papers.
“I informed him as soon as I got the call,” said the dispatcher.
“And what did he say?” asked Charlie.
“Told me he would work on it, but I think you have a right to know,” said the dispatcher.
“I appreciate the heads up,” said Charlie and watched as the man walked away. He thought about the call and what it represented. And he also wondered why Mitch hadn’t said anything about it. The phone call represented a clear and direct threat to Cindy’s security. And if Mitch wasn’t going to do anything about it, he certainly would be. He made a snap decision in his mind and started preparing for the journey and the final reckoning that would occur at the end of that journey. It was far past time for him to be more proactive in the situation rather than just wait around for something to happen. He knew he needed information and went to the computer to get everything he could on the case as well as hoping to get pictures of the father and the Imam. He got a few shots from long range and a younger picture of the father, but it would have to do. He also learned the father still had yet to be found, but Charlie was patient and would find him first.
Armed with information, he headed to his gun safe where he would arm with something far more deadly than facts alone. Looking around, he grabbed the weapons he was most familiar and the most proficient with. He grabbed some gun cases from the basement and packed away the rifles before selecting a shotgun and two pistols. It looked like a lot, but he planned on finishing everything up in one go and ending the game they were playing.
Going downstairs, he planned on an extended trip and packed accordingly. He grabbed the long life foods and tossed them into a bag along with several containers for water. He had the knowledge to live off the land for a long time, but would prefer more creature comforts. And from his time in the Army, he knew better foods would keep him more alert in the lack of sleep. And when he did get the opportunity to sleep, he wanted to be as comfortable and warm as possible since it made for better resting conditions. He started packing away a bug out bag, but tailored it more towards an escape and evasion bag. He started carrying the gear upstairs and went to his truck to put on the bed cover so the items inside couldn’t be seen by the casual observer. As he came back upstairs, he passed Cindy.
“Charlie, is everything okay?” asked Cindy as she saw him carrying an ammo can and one of his cased rifles and heading to the truck.
“Yep, everything’s perfectly okay,” he said resolutely.
“Are you sure?” she asked as it looked like he was planning on a long trip somewhere and not telling her.
“Positive. Just something I need to do,” said Charlie. “You need to get your go bag ready and pack another bag for an extended stay at Erica’s place. Get Spazz packed up as well, his food, litter, litter box and toys.”
“Why?” she asked, suddenly concerned not everything was fine in his or her world.
“Don’t argue with me. Just go pack up some clothes right now,” he said, but not sternly.
“Charlie, you’re scaring me!” she objected.
“Everything’s going to be just fine. Just go pack up some things,” he said. He would explain to Erica about why he suddenly needed to go to New York and deal with the problems that had come up. He knew Erica might try to talk him out of it, but he knew in his heart this was what should have been done a long time ago. For the past few months, Charlie had been living with fear in the back of his mind. Fear of the unknown and reactive in nature. But for the first time, he felt like this was the right course of action. He was no longer afraid since it would come to an end in the near future.
Cindy wavered for several moments before going into the house and packing up her clothing for a quick trip. She also called Mitch to let him know Charlie was acting far out of the ordinary and might need a friend close at hand. Grabbing her bag, she started packing away her clothing neatly and watched out the window as Charlie came out with more items and stowed them away in the back of his truck. He was planning on going away for a more than an overnighter and she got a little more afraid on his determination and the fact he seemed to be carrying enough ordnance to start World War Three. Several minutes passed before Mitch came rolling up in his vehicle.
“Charlie, what are you doing?” asked Mitch.
“What should have been done last summer Mitch,” said Charlie as he put his precision rifle in a hard case in the truck.
“All because we got a prank phone call?” asked Mitch, who knew exactly what the problem was. “You need to think about what you’re doing, Charlie.”
“I have thought about it Mitch and I’m not going to let them terrorize us or her any longer. I’m going to take care of this problem once and for all,” said Charlie with grim determination on his face.
“Listen, it was just a prank call,” said Mitch.
“They called your office and said her name specifically. They called this county specifically!” said Charlie with an edge in his voice, wondering why Mitch was taking things to nonchalantly.
“And what happens to Cindy while you’re gone?” asked Mitch.
“I’ll have Erica keep an eye on her,” said Charlie. “Or Mrs. Tilson and Jeff.”
“And what happens if you don’t come back?” asked Mitch.
“I’ll make it back,” said Charlie.
“And if you get caught?” asked Mitch.
“I won’t,” said Charlie.
“But if you do, what happens to her?” asked Mitch quietly.
Charlie stopped arranging the gear in the bed of his truck for a moment before thinking about that point. He started to think things through to their logical conclusion and what would happen if he failed. He really didn’t have a plan for the aftermath, just for the reckoning he was about to deliver on those he felt had been a problem long enough.
“I’ll be fine,” said Charlie as he continued to organize the gear in the truck.
“Charlie, you need to think this through. What happens if you get killed? What happens to Cindy then? You’re the only good thing in her life she’s known in the past few years and you need to stop and think about what would happen to her if that rug was yanked out from under her,” said Mitch, trying a different track.
“I would hope Erica or you and Sarah would take care of her,” said Charlie.
“I don’t want to be the one to tell her you got killed,” said Mitch.
“I won’t be,” said Charlie.
“You know life happens and anything can happen when you slip up. It only takes a little glitch to ruin everything,” said Mitch.
“I won’t slip up,” said Charlie.
“I can’t let you do this,” said Mitch.
“They called this county Mitch! They called here!” growled Charlie as he pointed his finger at Mitch several times. “And you didn’t say anything about it!”
“Along with the other ninety plus counties in this State, Charlie! They called each and every one of them in alphabetical order fishing for info! And that’s why I never said anything to you about it!” Mitch growled in return.
“I didn’t know that,” said Charlie after pausing for a moment.
“If there was a specific threat, do you honestly think I wouldn’t have told you?” asked Mitch.
“I would hope you would,” said Charlie.
“After I got the call, I started getting the call traced very quietly not to alert anyone. If the inquiry was traced to this county, they would know where to start looking,” said Mitch.
“And what did they find out?” asked Charlie.
“Each and every county got the same call, all from the same area in Washington. The TBI checked into it and called each and every dispatcher in the State and came to the same conclusion,” said Mitch.
“And that conclusion?” asked Charlie.
“It’s all a hoax. The government was fishing for information about where she might be. They used some pretty inflammatory rhetoric and said things that would lead us to believe otherwise, but the calls came from a government switchboard. However, nobody gave them anything,” said Mitch.
“So I’m overreacting?” asked Charlie.
“To say the least. You can’t take matters into your own hands,” said Mitch.
“I was going to put a stop to this once and for all,” said Charlie.
“And become the number one suspect at the same time?” asked Mitch.
“Whatever makes her safe,” said Charlie.
“You keep her safe and you need to remember that. She is not safe if you are sitting in a jail rotting away,” said Mitch.
“I just want the problem to go away,” said Charlie.
“The public opinion is on our side, New York is getting pressure from everyone and you still want to go off slaying the dragons?” asked Mitch.
“Again, whatever keeps her safe,” said Charlie.
“Put this stuff away and go talk to that girl. You’ve got her scared out of her mind right now,” said Mitch.
Charlie paused to think about what was going on. In a rash decision to go off and take care of the problems her father and his religious cult were causing, he didn’t think everything through to the logical conclusion. But turning around, he saw a really good reason for staying behind standing on the porch with her bag in her hand and the cat in the carrier at her feet. Cindy had a worried expression on her face and looked scared at the situation to her front. He knew it was a mistake to go charging off without thinking things through to the end result. And in the end, he could be dead or in jail. But it was a chance he was willing to take if it kept her safe.
But right then, Charlie knew he had something to live for. To continue his life and being. Cindy had given him a reason to continue living and not to screw anything up. And along the way had taught him it was okay to open his heart and love again. And also given him the opportunity with Erica he might have missed had he not been brought out of his funk. And in looking at her, he saw she depended on him to keep her safe and provide for her continued being. So in thinking he had nothing to lose by going off and slaying the dragons like Mitch put it, he learned he had plenty to live for standing there looking scared. And even more to live for coming into the driveway as Erica came home. He dropped what he was doing and headed over to the porch and grabbed her in a hug.
“Mitch? Is everything okay?” asked Erica as she got out of her SUV.
“Yeah, just fine now,” said Mitch as he got into his cruiser and headed back towards Erwin.
“What was that about?” asked Erica.
“I was a fool and Mitch called me out on it,” said Charlie as he took her into a hug.
“A fool about what?” asked Erica.
“Nothing worth mentioning,” said Charlie with a smile. “Just reminded me I have all the gifts from God I might ever need.”Leave a comment:
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Guest repliedBet no one has every asked you to slow down on pumping out chapters. :confused: I can't keep up anymore:cool:Leave a comment:
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