The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (66 page)

“
It doesn
’
t taste like
mamma
’
s
?
”
 
Madeline offered.  Jessica nodded.  Madeline reached for a book and flipped through the pages for a minute.  She pulled out a sheet and handed it to Jessica.  Jessica scanned it and her mouth dropped open.

“
Fried salmon patties, fried potatoes and onions, white beans, cabbage, and corn bread!?!
”
 
Jessica exclaimed. 
“
Madeline, this is his dream meal!  Can I copy this?
”

You can have it,
”
Madeline replied. 
“
That was Sam
’
s copy.  We had to get it from his mother.
”
 
She shook her head. 
“
He would always eat anything anyone cooked, but you knew it wasn
’
t what he wanted.  In fact, according to Sam, he cooked three quarters of their meals.  He
’
s a good
boy,
he just has a little
bit of a
strange streak in h
i
m.
”
 
Madeline thought about that for a moment. 
“
Well they all do, don
’
t they.
”
 
She paused and got a huge smile on her face. 
“
Want me to help you make that?
”

“
Now?
”
 
Jessica asked.  Madeline nodded and Jessica grinned broadly. 
“
He would love it.  Has he ever tried to make it?
”

Madeline laughed out loud.  Jessica looked at her in surprise. 

“
Have you ever seen the man cook?
”
 
Madeline asked.  Jessica shook her head no. 
“
It
’
s amazing.  He can
make all sorts of things, but when it comes to his favorite meal, he absolutely ruins it.  It
’
s like he
’
s too excited.
”
 
Jessica was silent thinking about that statement and applying it to a bigger picture.  Madeline saw the look on Jessica
’
s face.  She walked over to Jessica and squeezed her shoulders. 
“
He
’
s a good man Jessica.  He
’
s a good man,
”
she said quietly.

John had talked to Rosa for what felt like hours.  It was relaxed and informal, but it was still tiresome.  Arthur had been there the entire time.  John was surprised with some of the things Arthur knew, but maybe he shouldn
’
t have been.  John was thinking about wrapping things up, when he caught a scent.  He sniffed the air. 

“
Do you smell that?
”
 
He asked, interrupting Rosa.  Rosa looked at Arthur who shrugged.

John knew that smell.  John knew that smell like he knew the back of his hand.  He always felt comfortable when he smelled it.  It was home.  John had a hard time as a kid with his ability.  His parents accepted him and loved him unconditionally.  When he was having particularly bad days,  his mother would always make him his favorite meal; fried salmon patties, fried potatoes and onions, boiled cabbage, white beans, and cornbread.  The smell stirred up feelings inside of him of comfort, safety, and love.  He opened the door half expecting to see his mother there, instead he saw Jessica, with the biggest grin in the world on her face.  He looked at the table and there it was.  John didn
’
t know what to say.  He just pointed to the table.

“
Now listen,
”
Jessica began. 
“
I don
’
t want you thinking I
’
m you
’
re little maid or cook, or that I
’
m going to tidy up after you, but I thought you might like a little comfort food.
”
 

John grinned at Jessica and sat down.  He took a bite and was instantly happy.  He looked at Jessica.

“
Jessica, I think I umph.
”
 
Jessica had sprinted the distance between them and put her hand over his mouth before he could finish the sentence.  The look on her face was of complete seriousness.  John didn
’
t know what he had done, but it was wrong, and he knew it.

“
John,
”
she began, with tears in her eyes. 
“
You don
’
t get to say that.  Do you understand?  You don
’
t get to
say I think before whatever the rest of that sentence was going to be.  You either do or you don
’
t.  Until you do, you don
’
t say it.  You can
’
t take it back once you do.  You have to know, and until you know, then you don
’
t know.  That made no sense.
”
 
John was breathing carefully through his nose, his mouth full of food. 
“
Don
’
t say it until you mean it.
”
 
She backed up and took her hand off his face. 
“
I hope you enjoy it.  I
’
m tired and going to bed, good night.
”

Jessica took off.  John finished chewing and looked around the room.  Madeline looked at John with sorrow in her eyes.  John stood up and walked up to Arthur.

“
Arthur,
”
he began. 
“
I need a favor.
”
 
Arthur nodded. 
“
I think I need to go find a meeting.  Will you drive me?
”

“
Of course John, of course,
”
Arthur said.  They headed out of the house.  Madeline began to put things in containers to go into the refrigerator.

“
I don
’
t understand,
”
Rosa said.  Madeline stopped looked at Rosa and smiled.

“
Rosa,
”
Madeline replied. 
“
I don
’
t know if those two understand yet.
”

Arthur drove for a little while.  He thought he knew where a couple of AA meetings were
being
held, but since he wasn
’
t a member, he really had no idea.  John kept staring out the window. 

“
You have no idea where we
’
re going do you
,
Arthur?
”
John asked.

“
No, John.  No I don
’
t,
”
he replied.  John pointed towards a little coffee shop and Arthur pulled in. 
“
You think we can find out in there?
”

“
I have no idea,
”
John replied. 
“
But I thought maybe I could sit and you could let me talk for a bit since we can
’
t find one.
”
 
Arthur nodded.  They went inside, found a booth away from everyone.  Arthur order
ed
coffee and John had a glass of water.  John started at his water for a minute and then spoke, never looking up from the water.

“
Do you remember the Gates case?
”
John asked.

“
The case that got you discredited with the FBI four years ago?
”
 
Arthur asked.  John nodded.

“
I never worked the Gates case,
”
John replied still staring at the water.  Arthur looked very confused. 
“
Another agent was actually responsible for the goof.  But when Gates got killed there was an emergency meeting with just a few people in the FBI.  Originally it was just me and Trip that knew I had nothing to do with the case.  There was a plant in the mafia.  He was an FBI agent, and he told many made men that I had been paid off and taken out Gates.  We used the opening to bring down the whole family.
”

“
I
’
m sorry
,
John, made men?
”
 

“
Sorry
,
Arthur, made men are those in the mafia who have taken the blood oath and are now a part of La Cosa Nostra,
what we know as the mafia,
”
John replied still staring at his glass of water.
“
They
’
ve taken a blood oath to belong to the organization and die for it before they would
tell any of its secrets.  This FBI man was just an associate, a non-made member, but he knew the Underboss, or second in command, really well.  Anyway, my friend, Mark, convinced them I was on the take.  You know about what happened with the FBI.  Mark told me I needed to look the part, so I started drinking in bars while I was supposed to be suspended.  This was about the time that Chet and Jessica were finally let into the loop.  When I was finally cleared by the FBI, the mafia thought they had a G-Man under their thumb.
”

Arthur sat for a minute. 
“
John, did the Mafia kill Sam?
”

John shook his head. 
“
I don
’
t think so
,
Arthur,
”
he replied. 
“
I don
’
t think they would have killed her and not kill me.
”
 
John was silent for a few seconds. 
“
Mark died during a disagreement at a strip club.  A patron, a made-man, shot Mark.  I was told I had to make the problems go away with the shooting, and I did, but I hated it.
”
 
John hrmpped a laugh.
 
“
You
k
now they use
d
to call me
“
The Saint.
”
 
I told them I was married and I didn
’
t want any of their girls they had dancing.  I was so worried about the things I might have to do to get in their good graces.  I told Sam all about it, and Arthur, she was not comfortable with the assignment at all.  I promised if it came to it, I would quit before I hooked up with one of the girls.  The boss was there one day, Anthony Lucciano.  He asked me why I didn
’
t help myself to some of my rewards, so to speak.  I told him that I meant no offense to him or anyone there, but I had made a personal vow to my wife that I never planned on breaking.  I told him, respectfully, if that was a problem that I would go or whatever they wanted me to do.  Tony looked at me and said,
‘
That
’
s what
’
s wrong with today
’
s Young Turks, no respect for honor or rules.  John, if any of these guys give you trouble, they
’
ve got trouble with me.
’
 
I never had a problem after that.
”

John paused and continued to stare at the water.

“
John, do you want a drink, is that what
’
s wrong?
”
 
Arthur asked.

John gave a rueful grin. 
“
Arthur
,
I always
want
a drink, but I never want to drink again.
”

Arthur thought about that for a minute.  When he spoke it was very softly. 
“
That must be horrible.
”
 
John nodded. 

“
If I had never tried to,
”
John began, but Arthur cut him off.

“
Stop
,
John,
”
Arthur said, slapping his hand against the table. 
“
Stop it now.  You did what needed to be done.  Sam knew it and loved you for it.  Besides
,
you said yourself
,
it wasn
’
t the Mafia.
”