Dead Man Running (13 page)

"
Should be?  You're not sure?
" asked Chi.

"
We can't have no screw ups, Mook.  Wiley debating Capshaw is a sucker bet, man
,
"
said Elias.

"
I'm bringing in a consultant.
"

"
A consultant?  To cut off power?  What the hell?
" challenged Chi.

"
I don't like you bringing anyone else into this, Mookie.
"

"
It's alright.  You know the guy, it's
Hamid
.
"

"
I thought he was a magic guy?
" asked Elias.

"
He moonlights as an electrical contractor.  He's fully bonded in the
Tri
State
area, in case you need some work done.
"

"
Just cut the power
motherfucker
.  Let's say at about eight oh five.
"

"
No problem.  Let's syncopate our watches.
"

Chi and Elias
stood,
shook their heads and
walk
ed
away.

That evening all wa
s ready at the Channel Twelve stud
io for the debate.  Two lecterns face
d
each other at opposite ends of the stage.  An audience of several hundred
wa
s seated behind the cameras.

Elias, Chi and Jan
we
re
in the front
row.  Humphrey
sat
nearby. 

At
eight
sharp the
debate
moderator
t
ook
his place in front of the lecterns to commence the debate.

"
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.  We are here tonight for the final debate between Representative Benjamin Wiley and
New York
State Auditor General Delores Capshaw. 
My name is Chip Reap and I will be the debate moderator. 
Right now, I would like the candidates to take their places.
"

As t
he audience clap
ped
Wiley and Capshaw emerge
d
from offstage and walk
ed
to their lecterns.  Amazingly, Wiley st
ood
behind the correct one, unassisted.

"
A few ground rules.  Audience members are reminded not to cheer or make any other expressions following candidate's remarks.  Each candidate will be asked a question by an audience member and his opponent will have two minutes for a rebuttal.  First, each candidate will have three minutes for an opening statement.  Ms. Capshaw won the coin toss backstage and she decided to go first.  Ms. Capshaw.
"

"
Thank you, Mr. Reap.
"

In an alleyway
a block from
the station a
white panel truck
wa
s parked near a manhole.  The writing on the side of the truck read HARLEM ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS.  The manhole cover ha
d
been removed.  A dim light
shone
from inside, where
Hamid
and Mookie
we
re
struggling to cut the power.  Mookie
held
a huge pair of cable cutters
while
Hamid
studied
the electrical grid diagram.

"
Man, I thought you knew what you were doing?
"

"
I do.  It's just that I'm used to working in houses, not out in manholes.
"

"
Where do
I
cut, man?
"

"
You can't cut just anywhere, you got to cut this the right way or you can be electrocuted.
"

"
Well, figure it out.
"

Hamid
point
ed
to a section of cable near the junction box.
  "
I think you need to cut here.
"

"You think? 
Are you sure about this?  I don't want to get electrocuted, man.
"

"
I'm sure.
  And if I'm wrong, I can just bring you back to life like I did Wiley."

Back in the studio, Capshaw ha
d
finishe
d
her remarks.

"
Thank you, Ms. Capshaw.  Now, Representative Wiley, you have three minutes.
"

Wiley look
ed
at the moderator then stare
d
out at the audience.  There
wa
s a long pause
and the audience
became
silent
.

"
Less than three minutes, Mr. Wiley
," prompted Reap.

Wiley continue
d
to stare. 
He
grunt
ed
loudly.  Then he grunt
ed
again.

Elias slump
ed
down in his seat, hiding his face. 

When are they going to cut the power?
 

Just when Elias thought that things couldn't get worse, they do. 
Wiley
beg
an
to dance
and sing
.

"
Put your left leg in, then right leg out.
"  He cap
ped
the line with an
other grunt.
  "
Do the hokey pokey and turns yourself around.
" 
Another grunt
accompanied by an inelegant turn
.
  "
That's what it's all about.
"

In the alleyway near the station Mookie ha
d
the cutters poised over the cable. 

"
You better be sure about this.
"

Mookie chop
ped
into the thick cable. 
Instantaneously
electricity
arced across the tool and
surge
d
through his body.  His body sizzle
d
and smoke
d
as his hands
stayed
glued to the cutters.

"
Come to think of it, maybe that wasn't the right spot
," said
Hamid
.

The lights of the surrounding
residential
neighborhood
dim
med
, then die
d
.  The
station's block
wa
s still lit
, however
.

He looked down at Mookie's still smoking body.  "Maybe I should have sprung for
two
pairs of insulated cutters and gloves." 
Hamid
donned his insulated gloves and
pick
ed
up another pair of cutters.  He cut a
second
thick cable. 

The station
wa
s now dark.

In the covering darkness of the studio – the huge space 'lit' by laptop screen
s
and cell phones -
Jan rushe
d
up to
the dancing
Wiley with Chi and Elias close behind.  The m
oderator addresse
d
the audience, shouting to be heard above the sounds from an audience in near panic.

"
I'm told that the studio and the surrounding neighborhood ha
ve
suffered a major power failure.  The backup power supply is not operating.  In
consideration
of those circumstances, this debate is canceled.  Station personnel are here to escort everyone safely outside.
"

Using her BlackBerry to light her way
Capshaw
stormed
over to Wiley.
  Jan had reached the candidate and halted his dance.  He stood calmly by her side.

"
I know you had something to do with this
, Wiley
.  And I hope you don't think I don't know what the hokey pokey is all about.  So what my father is serving twenty to life for embezzlement?  You bastard.
"

Humphrey approache
d
.
  "
Let's go, D
o
lores.  They're leading everyone out.
"

"
This isn't over.  I'm going to do everything I can to bring you down, Reverend!
"

"
You better watch your back
,
you high yellow
bitch," said Jan coolly
.
  "Y
ou never know what can happen to you.
"

"
Are you threatening me?
"

Jan smiled.  "
No, I'm just saying you need to watch your step.  Leaving the building, that is.
"

Capshaw sto
mped
away with Humphrey in tow.

"
That was stupid
," said Elias
.
  "
Why didn't we just have Wiley eat her?
"

"
Too many people around
,
"
she replied.

"
Girl, you got a problem
," said Chi.

"Let's get him outta here," Elias barked.

Inside the limo Elias Turnbull felt confident. 
He sat in the back with Jan and Wiley.  Chi was behind the wheel. 
"
All we have to do now is sit tight.
"  He turned to Jan.  "
Don't let him out of your sight.
"

"
I won't.
"

"
Chi, I want you there too.
"

"
I don't need him to stay with us
," protested Jan.

"
Yes, you do.  I don't want him wandering out anymore.
"

"
That hasn't happened again
,
"
whined Jan.

"
And it won't!  Chi, do as I say!
"

Chi nodded, made eye contact with Elias in the rear view mirror. 
"
Alright.  I'll watch him like a hawk.  I just got to go home and get some stuff.
"

"
Make it quick.
"

SEVEN

The next day
Fred Jones and Lou Leone, the detectives investigating Bernadette Brinkman's disappearance, knock on the front door of the Wiley
residence
. 
An impatient
Jones
pushed
the
ornate
doorbell
three times
.

"
Remember, Fred, this is a
c
ongressman.
"

"
No problem,
Lou,
I left my plunger
and brass knuckles
at the station.
"

The older cop looked around warily for video cameras.  "Shaddup, you dope.  They could have you on tape right now threatening a congressman."

Inside, C
hi
was in the kitchen when he heard the knocking and doorbell
.  He flip
ped
his grilled cheese sandwich
onto a plate
then turn
ed
off the burner.

Jan c
ame
in
to
the room.  The doorbell r
ang
again.

"
You expecting anybody?
" she asked.

"
No.  I don't know who that is
."

"
Do you think we should answer it?
"