Black Forest, Denver Cereal Volume 5 (35 page)

“
O’Malley.”

“
It’s Ferg,” the Crime
Scene Unit supervisor said. “We’ve got trouble.”

“
What’s up?”

“
Homeland’s taken over the
Saint Jude investigation,” Ferg said. “There’s a guy here who wants
all the files. I told him that I’d have to call you.”

“
Who’s the
guy?”

“
I didn’t get his name,”
Ferg said. “He’s talking to the Chief.”

“
What’s he look
like?”

“
He’s tall, fit, hands
like a football player and... he’s… very good looking,” Ferg said.
“I feel dumb saying it but the women are acting like flies on
shit.”

“
Black with light eyes?”
Seth asked.

“
More like caramel
colored,” Ferg said. “You know him?”

“
If it was my way, I’d
fuck him,” Seth laughed.

“
Yeah, isn’t that
weird?”

“
Give him everything,”
Seth said. “He’s got a cop’s mind. Best profiler in the
country.”

“
How’s Amelie?” Ferg
asked.

“
Stronger,” Seth looked
over at Amelie and smiled.

“
Did she answer the
phone?” Ferg asked.

“
Yep,” Seth
said.

“
Thought so. Poor girl,”
Ferg said. “Her voice is gone.”

“
Just worn out,” Seth
said.

“
I don’t know O’Malley,”
Ferg laughed. “You must have worked your famous magic to find a
nice girl who won’t talk your ear off.”

Seth laughed.

“
I didn’t say that
culturally insensitive statement,” Ferg said. “Plus you know how
much I like Amelie.”

“
Did you say something?”
Seth asked.

“
Oh, I almost forgot,”
Ferg said. “The senior Homeland agent is coming to get the maps.
This guy says you have to turn them over. Terrorism or some
crap.”

The doorbell rang.

“
Sounds like they’re
here,” Seth said. “I wonder if they brought donuts.”

“
Doubt it,” Ferg said.
“Pricks. What are you going to do?”

“
What can I do?” Seth
asked.

“
They’re just going to
take this from us,” Ferg said.

“
We’ll see,” Seth
said.

“
Over my dead body,
O’Malley,” Ferg said. “That guy killed a Denver cop. He’s
ours.”

The doorbell rang again and a fist pounded
on the door.

“
I’ll see what I can do,”
Seth said. “Listen, I’ll be so jealous if you fuck that
guy.”

Laughing, Ferg hung up the phone. Ava held a
T-shirt out to Seth. He gave her a partial smile and grabbed the
shirt. He trotted out into the hall and down the stairs. He opened
the door and laughed. There were five men standing on his walk.
Wearing dark Ray Ban sunglasses and digital fatigues, they stood
like muscular statues. The large man at the door moved into the
house. Without saying a word, he frisked Seth. Turning in place, he
nodded. Two identical people stepped out of a black SUV idling on
the street.

“
Did you at least bring
donuts, Trece?” Seth asked.

“
Nah man, no time. We just
got back in town,” Captain Andrew “Trece” Ramirez said. “Dropped
off Rasmussen and came here.”

Wearing the same dark glasses and fatigues,
the two identical people walked through the doorway.

“
Is all this ceremony
really necessary?” Seth asked.

“
It’s good practice,” Max
Hargreaves said. He took off his glasses.

“
For?”

“
We’re trying to look
identical,” Alex Hargreaves said. She took off her glasses to hug
Seth.

“
You’re identical twins,”
Seth said. He shook Max’s hand.

“
See, practice works,” Max
laughed.

“
Dad said you had some
maps?” Alex said. “We need everything you have.”

“
They’re over here,” Seth
said. “Do you have his map?”

“
I do,” Alex
said.

“
Did you finish it?” Seth
asked.

“
I was supposed to do it
last summer, but I never got there,” Alex laughed. “Colin and Max
are going to help me today. I think I can have a map
in…”

She looked at the material he had given her
and shook her head.

“
Not sooner than five
hours,” Alex said. “Maybe six hours to get most of the details
drawn. Aren’t Jake and Mike supposed to help?”

“
And your nephew?” Max
asked. “Charlie?”

“
We can meet you
anywhere,” Seth said.

“
My office in the Federal
building,” Alex said. “Noon.”

Seth nodded.

“
Bring Delphie,” Alex
said.

“
I haven’t seen Delphie in
a long time,” Max smiled.

“
We love Delphie,” Alex
said.

“
Anything else?” Seth
asked.

“
Lunch?” Trece
asked.

“
Bring lunch,” Alex said.
“Something good.”

“
Little Anita’s,” Trece
suggested.

“
Got it,” Seth said. “Raz
got the forensics files.”

“
Good,” Alex said. “We
went through the FBI profile on the plane.”

“
How did you get it?” Seth
asked. “He would only give me a summary.”

“
He wouldn’t give it to us
either,” Alex said.

“
He didn’t have to,” Max
said.

“
We have admin rights to
the FBI server,” Alex said. “It was fairly easy to
find.”

Shaking his head, Seth smiled.

“
Raz will have his report
at noon too,” Alex said.

She gave him a nod. She and Max put their
glasses on in unison. They walked together out the door. The men
waited until Max and Alex were in the SUV before following them.
Trece closed the door. Shaking his head, Seth went back up the
stairs. He turned into his bedroom to find Ava nestled in the newly
made bed.

“
You found the other
comforter?” Seth asked as he took off his clothing.

She pointed to the closet.

“
When you were looking for
my wife’s clothing?”

She gave him a half smile. He slipped under
the covers next to her.

“
Wanna try again?” she
whispered in his ear.

“
Of course,” Seth
said.

Using her finger, she indicated that she’d
brushed her teeth.

“
Good thinking,” he
said.

She kissed him. Their lips began their happy
play across each other’s mouth. She was moving toward him when his
phone rang. She stopped moving. He flopped back on the bed and
chuckled. Reaching the table by the bed, she gave him his phone. He
smiled his thanks.

“
O’Malley,” Seth
said.

“
Dad! It’s
Lizzie!”

“
What’s going on?” Seth
sat up in bed.

“
Some bitch was just here
looking for Ava,” Lizzie said. “She said she was
Amelie’s
sister
.”

“
What did you tell her?”
Seth asked.

“
I told her that
Ava
had some police
thing this morning,” Lizzie said. “The bitch pushed her way in and
insisted on seeing Ava’s room. I showed her the room and… When did
you put her stuff there?”

“
Yesterday,” Seth said.
“You were out with Sandy.”

“
Oh yeah, that,” Lizzie
said. “I decided to put the baby up for adoption.”

Seth blinked and looked at the clock. The
long hand clicked to 6:35. This was turning into quite a day.

“
Sandy went with me to
Catholic Services yesterday,” Lizzie said. “Is that
okay?”

“
Honey, you need to do
what makes sense to you and what’s best for the baby,” Seth said.
“Only you can know for sure what that is.”

“
They were nice, but…”
Lizzie paused for effect. “They need a release from… you know
who.”

“
Your step-father,” Seth
said.

“
Right,” Lizzie said. “I
called him and he pitched a fit. He said the baby belongs to him.
‘He’s my property.’ He and Mom want to raise him. He’s telling
everyone I’m surrogating for them. Surrogate? Me?”

“
Don’t worry, honey,” Seth
said. “I know how to deal with your step-father. If it’s best for
the baby to give him up for adoption then that’s what will happen.
Only you know what’s best for your baby.”

“
That’s what Sandy said,”
Lizzie said. “What are you going to do?”

“
Don’t worry,” Seth said.
“I’m proud of you for even considering it, Lizzie.”

“
I get to pick the family,
if I want to,” Lizzie said. “And I can have an open adoption.
That’s where I can be involved if I want. It’s just
that…”

“
What?” Seth
asked.

“
I don’t think the baby
will ever get a fair shake in life if I’m around,” Lizzie
said.

“
Why would that be?” Seth
asked.

“
Because,” Lizzie said.
“His father is my father or my step-father and…”

Lizzie began to cry.

“
It’s okay,” Seth said.
“You’re already doing the right things. I’m proud of you for
thinking of what’s best for your baby.”

“
I want to rub it in their
face, you know,” Lizzie said. “But I see Rachel and how little she
is and how precious she is and… A baby is a person. A person
shouldn’t be rubbed in someone’s face.”

“
You’re right,” Seth
said.

“
Oh, so I told Ava’s
sister that Ava lives here.” Lizzie switched the subject to try to
gain some control over her emotions. “She said something snide
about Sandy and how this was a half-way house or something. I told
her that Sandy was my sister and she should shut up. After she
stalked through the place, she left. She said she works for the DA.
She told me to tell Ava to call her ASAP. That’s what she said,
like it’s a word, a-sap. Who says that? Weirdo.”

“
Sounds like you did a
good job,” Seth said.

“
I really like Ava, Dad,”
Lizzie said. “But…”

Lizzie dissolved into tears.

“
What?”

“
I mean, she’s
twenty-three,” Lizzie said.

“
And?”

“
I’m twenty-two,” Lizzie
said.

“
And?”

“
Do you want to have sex
with me too?” Lizzie asked.

“
No, honey,” Seth said.
“It’s not like that.”

“
What’s it like
then?”

“
I don’t see people as
their age or education or what schools they went to or where they
come from or how much money they have…”

“
All that stuff that
matters to Mom,” Lizzie said.

“
I guess so,” Seth said.
“I see people as a whole – soul in body, God’s light in human form.
It doesn’t matter to me whether Ava’s young or old. Does that make
sense?”

“
That’s what you always
say,” Lizzie said. “It’s just that…”

“
This is a confusing time
for you. To me, souls call each other and the relationship we
choose is a sacred bond. I love you Lizzie but I could never make
love to you,” Seth said. “Is there a way I can help?”

“
Can I come over today?”
Lizzie asked.

“
I have to work this
afternoon,” Seth said. “Why don’t you come over for
breakfast?”

“
Maresol has Sunday’s
off,” Lizzie said.

“
I can…”

“
No you can’t and don’t
you dare ask Ava,” Lizzie laughed. “Let’s go out.”

“
All right,” Seth said.
“Ava and I will meet you…”

“
Watercourse,” Lizzie
said. “It’s across the street and Ava can see her new sort of
house. Do you think she would be my friend?”

“
I don’t see why not,”
Seth said. “Should I ask her?”

“
No, that’s all right,”
Lizzie said.

“
See you in an hour,” Seth
said.

“
Ok Dad,” Lizzie said.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you.”

“
What?”

“
I introduced myself as
Elizabethe Barth,” Lizzie laughed. “My alter ego. That woman was so
nasty I figured she didn’t deserve to know my real
name.”

“
Good thinking,” Seth
said. “Bye honey.”

“
Bye bye Daddy,” Lizzie
said.

Seth set the phone down on the table.
Rolling onto his side, he looked at Ava. She was lying on her side
looking at him. He saw renegade tears seeping from her eyes.

“
Who did you call honey?”
Ava’s croaking whisper of a voice tore at his heart.

“
That was Lizzie,” Seth
said. “She wants to give her baby up for adoption but her
step-father won’t have it. She and Sandy went to talk to Catholic
Charities yesterday. Sounds like I’m going to be talking to the
step-father tomorrow.”

Ava nodded.

“
Your older sister went to
the apartment this morning,” Seth said. “The DAs office is on alert
for this Saint Jude thing. Everyone, from the DA to the
secretaries, is working around the clock to get through all the
evidence. They’ll need to be on their game when they get a chance
to interview Saint Jude. Your sister must have stopped by on her
way into the office.”