PART III - Chapter 24: THE DAY "IT" HAPPENED

 

 

Chapter 24

The Day “It” Happened
(Ó 2010)

EuroRail Station

Paris Gare de l’Est

Paris, France

Three Days Later

“Merci.” Logan said to the woman in the small gift shop in the corridor of the EuroRail station in east Paris. He purchased a single rose; and the woman had tied a lavender ribbon to it, just as he had asked. She also had wrapped it neatly in white tissue paper for him; he then turned and gathered his two suitcases that he had purchased in Zurich. One was a large case that had an extending handle with built in wheels at its base for easier means of transport. He also had a large satchel that he placed on top of the rolling suitcase. In these cases was his new wardrobe that he had also purchased while in Zurich. Everything else that he had originally brought with him from the United States and the Caribbean had been disposed of.

It was now 8:30 in the evening and he had just arrived from a three-day stay in Zurich. This would turn out to be the last time in his life that he would ever travel anywhere. In Zurich he had made all arrangements with his finances. Long ago after his discharge from the Foreign Legion, he had set up a small savings account where his Legionnaires pension would be deposited. Back then, it was to be a savings account for his “golden years” as he would put it. However now, the account was used to help create a larger account for all the monies that he had commandeered from the street gangs in Chicago. He knew that the suspicions and tensions were still going on between these gangs because of his actions. He would now monitor the progress of the events that were caused by his endeavors from a distance via the new craze known as the Internet.

Logan now began to make his way to the entrance of the train station where outside the drivers would be with their taxis competing for fares. He stepped outside and that’s when the realization struck him. He was back in Paris … back in France …back in Europe … he was back home.

Home. Yes, he thought to himself, he was now home and he was now safe. Safe from any situation that could have possibly happened to him back in America. He looked around himself, sighed and felt for the first time in years, that he belonged somewhere, and that somewhere was here in Paris.

He looked to the drivers and signaled to the closest one, who then jumped into his cab and sped towards Logan. “Good Evening Sir.” The driver greeted him in French. The driver was a burley looking man, a little heavy set with a moustache; he wore a cap and denim shirt that was open to the chest that revealed his hairy chest and two gold chains. He opened the trunk and took Logan’s luggage. Logan stood by the back door of the taxi. When the driver shut the trunk, he asked Logan, “Do you know where it is you are going sir?”

Logan told the driver in French that he had to make two stops. First to a small borough, then to the METRA commuter train station that is nearby there. The driver looked at him with a puzzled expression, “Do you know this borough?” Logan asked the driver.

“Yes, I know it very well.” The driver answered. “Come, I will take you there.”

Logan climbed into the back seat of the taxi and the driver got behind the wheel and then they both sped away in typical Paris cab driver fashion. As they entered the main streets Logan then looked around to the view of Paris, it had not changed hardly at all since he had left. He took in the sights like a tourist; however, he was still absorbing the feeling of being home. He would take a quick occasional glance at the driver, who was glancing back at him through the rear view mirror. Logan knew why the driver looked at him the way he had, it was because of the name of his destination. It is the borough that is inhabited by the gay and lesbian community of Paris. In addition, the single rose in his hand probably did not help matters much.

The driver then asked, “Are you going to be in Paris long monsieur?”

“Yes, yes I am, in fact I’m going to be here for a very long time. I’m moving back.” Logan answered, and he then felt that it was so pleasant to be having a conversation in French again.

“Oh really, well then welcome home monsieur!”

“Thank you very much.”

The driver then asked, “So, you know people in the borough which we are going to?”

“Yes, yes I did. I just want to see quickly if anything has changed. I use to live there for a short while.”

“You had a home there?”

“Yes I did, I lived there for a short time after I was married.” Logan answered. He began to feel a little suspicious of the driver. He felt that the driver was trying to figure Logan out; he began to think that the driver himself may be a gay man, the type that was referred to as a “bear” because of his size and build, and that he was trying to maybe ‘hit’ on him.

“You and your wife use to live there monsieur?”

“Yes, yes we did.” Logan answered gently, “She lived there before I did. I moved there after we were married.” He looked at the drivers face in the mirror and then he added humorously, “And I know what you are wondering because of where we lived, the answer is ‘yes’, she was a real girl.”

The taxi driver let out a friendly laugh and then Logan began to once again look at the sights of Paris. He then remembered the first time that he had to come here, and the taxi ride he took to Fort de Nogent, he began to have old memories mixed with old emotions. He recognized all the shops and taverns along the way, and as soon a he saw one of his old landmarks, he expected the next to follow. Within fifteen minutes, he was in the district where he and Lily use to live.

“Go up two more streets and turn left.” He told the driver. The driver nodded and came to a stop at the red light. There Logan could see the flower shop where he first bought Lily the roses and card to make up to her on the first, and only, time she was angry with him.. The light then turned green and the driver then made his way up to the boulevard where Logan had instructed him, once there he turned left. “Slow down and pull over to the alley right there on your right.” The taxi the slowed down and stopped right in front of the entranceway of the alley, once there he handed a fifty franc bill to the driver and said, “Wait right here for me please, it will only be a few minutes.”

The driver took the money and then saw the expression of deep sadness on Logan’s face, “Oui monsieur.”

Logan then opened the door and got out of the taxi. He stood upright and looked around himself, took a deep breath and swallowed hard. He looked forward down the sidewalk where he saw the now darkened windows of Clive’s Coiffeur’s. He experienced a mixed sense of joy and relief seeing that it was still there and doing business. He looked at the three steps that led up to the entry door, the steps where he said good-bye to Lily on that morning. He looked to the window, the shade was not drawn down, he could see where her old chair was, and he remembered how she waved good-bye to him on that morning from the window. Her smiling face and her fluttering fingers … wearing her lavender sweater and black skirt … waving and smiling … on that morning. Logan felt his throat tighten and his eyes beginning to tear.

He then looked down to alleyway and his breathing became slightly labored. He took a deep breath, and with the single rose in his hand, he began to saunter into the alley. The alleyway was small, only about four feet wide. It was concrete on the ground and the walls of the buildings on either side were brick. Logan stopped halfway down and turned to a spot on his left. The tears were now beginning to roll down his face as he knelt down and placed the rose on the ground right next to the wall.

Unbeknownst to him the taxi driver watched and observed Logan as he knelt down in the alley. The driver then got out of his taxi and stood up to continue watching. As the driver continued to do so, he removed his cap.

Logan meanwhile just gazed at the placed where the rose now lay. He then touched the wall and then the ground around the rose as the terrible memory returned again to him, as it did everyday, since the day - - -

 

 

- - - “it” happened.

“Come along luv,” Lily said to him that morning in their house, ’Chalet de Lily’ as he named it. Logan had just finished his morning coffee; he then rinsed the cup in the kitchen sink and placed it in the rack to dry. They both were leaving their home to catch the METRA commuter train to go into the city of Paris. She stood at the doorway, wearing a long sleeved lavender V-neck cotton sweater with a black skirt, black hosiery and lavender shoes. She also wore a lavender headband in her curly hair, which was today being worn down over her shoulders. She was putting on a multi colored denim jacket and Logan stepped over to her and assisted her with it. “Thank you sweetheart.” She said to him and then stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. He then took his own black leather jacket from the coat stand next to the door and out it on. He opened the front door for her and then both stepped out into the cool morning air.

Together they proceeded down the walkway of the small home that he purchased for her some years before, there in the small peaceful village just outside Paris. Lily took Logan by the right arm as she always did as they both began their morning walk together to the train station just a half a kilometer away.

 

“And what is on your agenda today dear?” She asked him.

“Oh, just some training thing of some sort, urban warfare type stuff, hostages in apartment building things I believe.” He answered.

“Sounds exciting indeed luv, will you be finished in time to pick me up before closing?”

 

“I’ll make sure of it, I’m the instructor today.”

She then smiled up to him and held onto his arm tighter. Soon they were at the station and the train came within five minutes. They boarded and sat right next to a window. In a half minute the train shut its door and began to pull away. This was the time when Lily would nestle up against Logan while still holding on to his arm, then rest her head on his shoulder and close her eyes to get a little more sleep.

He then watched as the scenery past by and how soon the small villages became more urban communities and then metamorphosis zed into the hectic city. They both got off at Lily’s stop where he would always walk her to the salon. That morning he came in with her to greet all of their friends and have a little small talk before he would have to leave to get to the police headquarters. He stayed and talked with them all for a few minutes while Lily prepared her station for her first appointment. When she was finished she came over and joined the group and then said to him, “Don’t be late honey.”

“Okay sweets.” He said as he looked to his wristwatch and then to the others, “I’ll see y’all later today.” He then turned to leave and Lily took his arm and went outside with him. He stepped down to the bottom of the stairs and turned to her. She stood on the middle step so that she could be eye level with him. She then wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him and said, “You have a nice day honey.”

“I’ll give it my best.”

“I love you Logan.”

“I love you too sweets.”

She then embraced him around his neck, kissed him once again, then placed her forehead onto his, lovingly looked into his eyes and said to him, “You come back to me my Scowls Like the Wolf.”

She released him and saw that he was smiling at her, he kissed her one more time. He then turned and began to make his way to the corner and back to the train station. Lily had then stepped up back to the entry and returned inside the salon. She went back to her station to double check all her combs, brushes, scissors and all the rest of her accessories. She then stepped up to the large bay window of the salon and looked at all the activity on the boulevard. She saw Logan as he was just about to turn the corner of the street and he turned around. He saw her standing at the window, she smiled and him and waved to him with her fingers fluttering. He returned her wave and he disappeared around the corner.

It was the last time … that he ever saw Lily’s smile.

* * *

Two men were standing on the corner in the opposite direction from the salon. They both watched as “The Legionnaire” kissed his wife good-bye and then wave to her again as he turned the corner and then was headed back to the train station. They waited for five minutes, then the taller of the two split from his partner and walked down the boulevard. He kept himself on the sidewalk across the street from the salon, as he past he looked through the main window and observed the wife of “the Legionnaire” now greeting one of her clients. When he came to the corner he looked in which “the Legionnaire” had took and saw that he was now nowhere in sight. “The Legionnaire” now was on his train well on his way to the police headquarters.

The taller man then continued to walk up the boulevard to the next corner, where then he crossed the street and took up his position for the strategy they both had been planning for the past week. The taller one now signaled to his partner, now all they had to do was watch … and wait.

They did so over the next few hours. They would periodically switch sides by waiting for small groups of people that were walking in either direction, then step behind them a few paces and stroll past the salon to the other position. They both watched as the clients for the day came and went, each time the door of the salon would open they both would look anxiously to see if by chance … this time … maybe the wife of “the Legionnaire would be stepping out.

Then at 1:10 PM, she stepped outside the front door and they both signaled to each other from their positions. “The Legionnaires” wife stood at the top of the steps and was putting on her denim jacket. She was either getting her afternoon tea as they observed over the past few days. or running a quick errand, whatever it was it did not matter. What mattered was that she now was outside and alone, now they just had to see which direction she would begin to walk.

The wife of “the Legionnaire” stepped down the small stairway and turned in the direction that her husband had taken earlier that morning which meant that she was going for her cup of tea. The two men then executed their plan for if she took this direction. It was the taller man who was now in the position of intercepting her from her front, meanwhile the shorter man started to come up from behind her. If they both timed right then they will intercept her right at the entrance of the alleyway.

Their timing turned out to be perfect and the tall one stopped in his tracks and blocked “the Legionnaires” wife from walking any further.

“I beg your pardon.” She said to the man, however he stood fast. The “Legionnaires” wife looked up at him and said, “Excuse me, may I pass?”

Just then, the shorter man came up from behind her, grabbed her by the arm then said quietly and sternly with a strong Slavic type accent, “Move this way bitch!” He then forcefully guided her into the alley.

They quickly moved her halfway down the alley then pushed her up against the wall. They both stood very close to her, the shorter man on her right, the tall one on her left. “What … what do you want? I only have a few francs with me. What do your want?” She asked them. She was extremely frightened, they both could see it in her face and hear it in her voice.

“We are not here for money,” the taller one said to her, he also had a deep Slavic type accent, “are you the wife of the Legionnaire policeman?”

“What?” She answered both scared and confused.

The taller one then grabbed her around her throat with one hand and asked again angrily, “Answer me my question! Are you wife of Legionnaire policeman?”

“L-Logan?”

“You are his wife then, yes?” The tall one asked sternly.

“Y-y-yes.” She answered, “What is this about?”

The shorter one then answered, “This is about business bitch, and your man have been very bad for business for long time. He take from us, we now take from him.” With that, there then was the clicking sound of his switchblade knife. He then plunged the blade directly into her chest under her left breast and directly into her heart.

She gasped from the pain, looked down to see him pull the knife out of her and saw her lavender sweater begin to turn bright red.

“Logan?” She whispered, “Logan.”

The shorter one the plunged the knife again into the same area. The wife of the “Legionnaire” then closed her eyes and then her knees buckled. She slumped down to the pavement and died instantly.

“Die bitch,” the shorter one said, “your man a pain in our fucking ass too fucking long.”

* * *

“Hey! Hey you two! What are you doing there with her?”

The two men turned their heads to the other end of the alley to see a thin man in a pink knit shirt holding hands with another much muscular man. The two men then turned to run.

“Stop!” The man in pink yelled then he and his partner started to walk quickly in the direction the two men had run. The man in pink and his partner then stopped suddenly as they saw Lily lying lifeless against the wall, her blood still pouring from her. “OH MY GOD!” He screamed, “WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? POLICE! POLICE! HELP!” He then looked to his muscular partner, “GO AFTER THEM! HURRY!” His partner then began to run after the two murderers. The man in pink knelt down beside Lily and he started crying, “Oh my God, it’s ‘ce petit coiffeur’. Why did they hurt you little one?”

Meanwhile his partner now was in full chase after the two murderers, “HELP! STOP THEM! SOMEBODY HELP!” The muscular mans screams started to draw attention from all on the street. They saw him as he chased them down and he was gaining on them. 

The two killers now began to feel panic as all eyes on the street began to focus on them. The shorter man who had stabbed Lily then veered away from his accomplice into the street not paying attention to the traffic. He ran right in front of a fast moving car and it struck him hard sending him flying backwards and right out of his shoes. The knife that was still in his hand flew another two meters from him. The driver of the car then panicked and touched the gas pedal again making the car go forward and roll over the shorter mans legs and he screamed in agony.

Meanwhile the muscular man was still chasing the tall killer. The muscular man screamed, “STOP HIM! HE HURT A GIRL IN THE ALLEY! HELP! STOP THAT MAN!”

Just up ahead of the tall killer there was a large bullish woman with cropped red hair who saw the two men as they were running straight for her. She heard the man screaming that the man he was chasing had hurt some girl in the alley. The big woman was carrying a large shoulder bag that had some canned milk that she had just purchased. She took off the shoulder bag and waited for the tall man to come in front of her, she then swung the bag around and caught the tall man square on the bridge of his nose sending him to the sidewalk.

The muscular man then pounced on him and began to strike him about his head with his fists. He screamed to everyone that began to gather, “Call the police! He hurt that girl back there! Call the police!” 

The commotion now began to attract more onlookers. People looking from their windows and stepping outside of the doors. People who were standing or walking on the sidewalks now gravitated to the two men, one being held down on the sidewalk, the other now crawling from the automobile that struck him. Someone saw the bloody knife on the pavement and screamed, “What is that?”

Then people began to gather at the entryway of the alley where they were observing the man in in pink, kneeling down in front of the body of ‘le petit coiffeur’ crying hysterically. People began to scream, people began to cry, “What happened?“ or “Who did this?” It soon became apparent that the persons responsible for this evil act were now the ones that were simultaneously being held down on the sidewalk and crawling in the street. “There they are!” some yelled, “Get those pigs!” another screamed, “Do not let them get away!” The emotion of shock among the people of the borough was now turning to anger. The word spread like a firestorm among them, “They killed ‘le petit coiffeur’, there in the alley, why?” Why did they do it, she hurt no one!”

Now some of the crowd descended upon the men lying in the street and began to assault them with their fists, kicking them with their feet, or throwing any loose objects that they could get their hands on at them. The scene now was starting to turn riotous.

Then … from the distance … was the sound of police sirens as they drew nearer.

* * *

In the meantime, inside of the salon, Miriam heard the sound of the tires screeching on the street and the heard the loud thud as the car outside struck the man who had run directly in front of it. She then stepped over to the window to see the beginnings of the crowd around the man lying in the street. “Oh my!” She gasped, “Someone has just been hit by a car.” Cosette and Bricey then came to the window to observe. “Should we call the police?” She asked.

They all three then watched as the scene outside of the window started to become chaotic. “Clive?” Bricey called to him, Clive was just finishing a trim on one of his regular clients, “Come here and look at this, something strange is going on.” Clive brushed off his client and then came to the window and the client joined them.

The crowd was now shouting and gathering around the man in the street, Clive observed as other people were pointing up the boulevard and he looked to that direction. “What on earth?” He said flabbergasted. He saw three separate incidences occurring. The first was a crowd of onlookers gathering at the alley just to the side of the salon, the second, was further up the boulevard where a crowd of people had surrounded another man who was being held down on the sidewalk by a very muscular man. The third, Clive then looked to the man in the street. Whatever happened the crowd had become angry and incensed at these two men. The two separate crowds were screaming obscenities and beating the men on the ground. Clive looked back up the boulevard and saw two transvestites that he knew flailing the man on the sidewalk with their large purses. “What has made them so angry? Yes, call the police; this is turning into a riot. They all will kill those men. My Lord, what happened?”

The four of them, along with Clive’s client watched with amazement at the uproar just outside of the window and then soon they began to hear the wail of the police sirens as they drew nearer. Miriam then said, “I’m going outside to see what the matter is.”

“Be careful.” Bricey said to her.

Miriam then went to the entry door of the salon and stepped out onto the porch, the people were still angry shouting to “Beat down those two pigs!” She looked over to the entrance of the alleyway and noticed that the people standing there were more docile; in fact, they all seemed to be in shock. She then went down the three steps from the salon and onto the sidewalk. She came to the crowd at the alley and saw that not only were they in shock, but some were stunned and crying, many had their hands over their mouths and some had their faces buried onto the chest of their partners or lovers and were weeping. Miriam then began to make her way through the crowd and then stepped to the front of all of them. She saw the man in the pink shirt kneeling down along with two other gay men, they were crying and trying to comfort the man in pink. Miriam then saw someone lying down in front of them … and then Miriam froze.

She saw the lavender shoes on the feet of the girl lying in the alley. “Lily?” She called out and then began to step closer to the men and the girl who was lying down. “Lily?” She called again, this time slightly louder. She then came right up next to all of them, and looked down at the girl on the pavement, her blood soaking through her sweater and in a puddle in front of her. Miriam gasped and began to breathe with much labor. “LILY!!! NOOOOO!!!!” Miriam collapsed onto the pavement screaming uncontrollably.

Miriam’s screams were heard all over the boulevard and into the salon. Cosette then ran from the salon, out to the street and into the direction of the screaming. Cosette pushed through the crowd and saw as her beloved now laying on the cold alley pavement weeping hysterically. Cosette then saw Lily’s lifeless body, and all the blood, and then she too began to scream, “LIIIII---LEEEEE!!! She collapsed on top of Miriam and began herself to cry uncontrollably. She then reared her head back and began to scream, “CLIVE! CLIVE!! PLEASE!! COME HERE CLIVE!! HELP CLIVE!!!”

In the salon, Clive heard Cosette’s screams and immediately bolted from the room with Bricey and his client right behind him. They quickly came down the steps and to the sidewalk to the alleyway. This time the people parted for them. Clive and Bricey saw their friends on the pavement crying in each others arms, and then Clive looked to the wall and saw Lily. Clive screamed and lunged his way to her, the two men kneeling with the man in the pink shirt quickly stood and restrained Clive from going any further. “LILY! OH MY GOD!! OH MY DARLING LITTLE GIRL!! LILY!! WHY?!!” The men holding Clive back had to strain themselves because his shock gave him strength. He screamed, “WAS IT THEM?! THOSE MEN OUT THERE!! DID THEY DO THIS TO OUR LILLIAN?! I’LL KILL THEM!! I’LL KILL THEM BOTH!!” Clive then tried to break away and headed back to the entrance of the alley, however Cosette stood and grabbed onto him. He then stopped and fell to his knees and weep hysterically holding very tightly onto Miriam and Cosette, “WHY?! WHY?! WHY DID THEY DO THIS?!! WHY HER?! WHY DID THEY DO THIS TO HER?! MY DARLING GIRL! MY DARLING LITTLE GIRL!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!”

Bricey in the meantime stood frozen in his steps looking down at Lily … he then fainted to the pavement.

* * *

The gendarmes upon their arrival at first did not know what to make of all the mayhem that they came upon. It was an almost circus like scene that they witnessed. First, the many gay men, from the most feminine to the most masculine, the lesbians also from one range of the spectrum to the other, and transvestites all attacking the two men one of which was on the sidewalk and the other lying in the street. Striking them with their fists, purses or any loose objects that they could get their hands on. They were scratching them with their fingernails, even kicking and biting them.

Then second, the crowd of people, the same variety of the gay and lesbian community that lived in this borough, gathered at the entrance of the alleyway. That group of people were completely opposite in their emotions. They were silent, stoic, crying and in shock.

The gendarmes spilt into teams to save the men who were being attacked. Pulling off the gays and lesbians, ordering them either to the sidewalk or against the walls. Soon a police van arrived. The gendarmes then were able to surround each man and protect them from the enraged homosexuals. The man on the sidewalk was able to stand, all bloodied and beaten he had an expression of fright in his eyes as he looked around as he and the gendarmes listened as the usual peaceful inhabitants of this borough were calling for the death of this man as well as that of the man still lying in the street.

As for the man lying in the street, a police medic quickly checked him over and found that amazingly he had no broken bones yet he was in much pain not only from the automobile that had struck him, however also from the beating the crowd had given him. (The medic would later on say that, the car had inflicted the least of his injuries).

The team of gendarmes who came up to the group of onlookers at the alley entrance had no trouble whatsoever when asking the people to step aside. All had expressions of shock and deep sorrow on their faces. When they entered the alley they found Clive crying, he had Cosette under one arm and Miriam on the other and they both were wailing and crying hysterically. The senior ranking officer came to the head of the rest of the gendarmes. He saw Bricey unconscious in front of Clive and the two women. He then saw the man in pink, still kneeling in front of Lily’s body, and all her blood in front of her.

The senior officer called for a medic to assist Bricey, he then stepped over to the man in pink, “Do you know this woman?” He asked.

“I know of her,” the man in pink answered, his voice quivering, “everybody here knows ’le petit coiffeur’ but those people there,” he said pointing to Clive and the girls, “they … they are her friends. Those animals out there … they did this … they did this to her.” The man in pink then buried his face in his hands and then continued sobbing.

The senior officer then stepped over to Clive and the girls and knelt down to them. He looked at Clive, “I’m sorry monsieur, but did you know this woman?”

“Know her!?” Clive exclaimed, “We all loved her!” Clive was trying to somehow regain control of himself. “We all loved her. She was our dear friend. Why? Why did they do this? She never harmed anyone or anything. She was nothing but gentle and kind. Why?”

“We will get to the bottom of this monsieur.”

“Logan!” Cosette then cried, she looked to the senior officer and the grabbed him by his shoulder, “Please! You have to tell him … you have to get him … you have to tell Logan!”

“Who is Logan mademoiselle?”

Then Clive spoke, “Listen to me officer, you must contact Captain Reginald Thiebulet, do you know him?”

“Captain Thiebulet? Yes, I know him.” The officer answered, “What does he have to do with this?”

“The girl there is married to one of the men under his command.”

The senior officer then had an expression of surprise come to him and asked, “This woman, are you saying that she is the wife of a police officer?”

“Yes! Yes, she is, and he is under the command of Captain Reginald Thiebulet. Please contact him immediately. He has to inform Logan.”

“This Logan, he is the husband of this woman?”

“Yes, he is, please call the Captain, please.” Then Clive looked to the ground and began weeping again.

The senior officer then stood, he now seemed enraged. He looked at his men and began to bark orders at them, “You two, help the gentleman here and the ladies with anything they need. You, medic, take that man with his friends. You there help the man there to his feet and see if he needs further assistance then get his statements. You two there, cover the body of this woman treat her with respect; she was the wife of a police officer.”

* * *

Zoe sat back down at her desk after she informed Captain Thiebulet that there was a phone call for him and that was of the utmost urgency. She worked silently for some seconds when suddenly she was startled by the cry of “WHAT?! OH MY GOD!” from the Captain himself in his office. She then heard the urgent tone of his voice although it was muffled through the office door. Some moments past and the Captain came out from his office with the expression of shock and exigency on his face, and, for the first time ever since she has known the Captain, there seemed to be tears in his eyes.

“Find Jean-Luc and get him on the phone immediately.” He said to her. He then went back into his office where she now saw him pacing the floor. She phoned the central dispatch to have Jean-Luc Pontius located, she looked back through the open door of the office where she saw the Captain in an agitated state. He was simultaneously pacing, wringing his hands, rubbing his eyes, clearing his throat and it appeared that he was laboring to keep himself from crying.

She stood and went into the office, “What is it sir? What is the matter?”

The Captain held his hand up and answered, “I’ll tell you as soon as I hear from Jean-Luc.” The Captain then continued his pacing back and forth. In a few moments, the phone rang and Zoe ran to answer.

“Yes, Jean-Luc? Please hold.” She said, then turned to the Captain, “It’s him sir.” She was holding the phone out to him.

The Captain then took the phone and Zoe listened, “Jean-Luc? Where are you? Is Logan with you? No? Good. Get over here to my office immediately. Drop everything and get here, use your lights and sirens if you have too. Something has happened … something terrible and I need your help with it. Just get here and I’ll tell you then. Come by yourself, don’t let anyone know that something is wrong, but get here fast.” He then handed the phone back to Zoe, who then replaced it on the receiver base.

She now looked at him and saw just how deeply disturbed he was. He then went to his desk and sat down.

“What is it Captain? What is so terrible?”

He sat at his desk wringing his hands, “Something very terrible my dear and it concerns Logan.”

“Logan?”

“Yes, that was a senior officer on the scene of a disturbance in the borough where the salon where Logan’s wife is employed. Apparently she was attacked by two men there … she’s dead.”

Zoe gasped, “Oh my God NO! NOT LILY! NO!” She then began to cry.

Thee Captain then said in a quivering voice, “And now I must find a way to inform him. I cannot do it alone; I need Jean-Luc here to help me with this. My God, why her? She would not hurt anyone or anything. Why did they do this to her?”

Zoe continued crying.

The Captain then stood up and went to her, “Listen, listen to me Zoe, I am going to need you to on this also. Do not tell anyone of this until Jean-Luc gets here and I have discussed it with him. Do you understand?”

She nodded yes to him and he took some tissues from his desk and handed them to her.

“Now, I also need for you to find out where they transported the two men who did this. I want them brought here for interrogation, let anyone know that I want them here and no place else. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir.”

“Now get to that, and we must pull ourselves together, because Logan is going to need us.”

“Yes … yes Captain.” She said, and then went to make her phone calls

* * *

All stood silent in the boulevard as the body of ‘le petit coiffeur’ was gently picked up by the gendarmes and placed on the gurney. A white blanket was placed over her, covering her from head to foot. They began to slowly move the gurney on its wheels towards a waiting ambulance. Everyone stood rigid and motionless when they lifted her, then placed her in the ambulance. All that could be heard was the sound of the running engine of the ambulance and the muffled crying of the onlookers.

Le Petit Coiffeur, the little hairdresser. How could someone do something so horrendous to her?, The little hairdresser who would always be standing at the window of Clive’s Coiffeur’s when she was not working with a client. Who would always have a smile and a wave for any and all who passed by her window. Who would always have a kind word and gentle conversation with all in the borough. She had become a fixture there. Someone known and loved by all, because she never judged any of them. She would treat them respectfully and with never ending kindness. She had befriended them all, those of their orientation, who would feel outcast, would always find a kind word, gesture, and open heart from her, as well as a listening ear.

All, loved by all, adored by all, knew her. To them she was … an angel in human form.

And now … she was gone … just like that … in an instant act of pure evil. 

All watched in stunned disbelief after ‘le petit coiffeur’ was placed in the ambulance, the doors were shut behind her, and the vehicle carrying her body slowly drove away.

* * *

Zoe placed the phone back on to its base then looked at both Captain Thiebulet and Jean-Luc, with tears now welling in her eyes she said, “He has just entered the building.” Jean-Luc had arrived some time earlier and the Captain had given him the terrible news. The Captain then had Zoe dispatch an official car to go retrieve Logan from the training session that he was conducting. The driver had no idea of what was happening, which at the time was an advantage. All he knew was that he had to pick up Lieutenant Morrow and bring him to the Captain’s office for a matter of complete urgency.

Jean-Luc, whose eyes were still red from crying himself, told her, “If you are not up for this Zoe then you can go to the ladies room and wait, we understand.”

She then nodded “yes”, and left the room abruptly. She passed through her own office and stepped out into the hallway. She then looked further down and saw the lighted numbers above the elevator as they counted up in number. She knew that Logan was in that elevator car so she hurried herself to the ladies rest room that was right in between the Captains office and the elevator. She entered the ladies room and waited by the door in silence. Time now slowed down from anticipation of the moment. The twenty seconds that lapsed from the instant she entered the rest room to the sound she heard as when the elevator door opened seemed like an eternity.

She listened as the elevator doors opened and she then heard the footsteps of Logan as he walked down the hallway, past the ladies room door and then to the office. She opened the door slightly and peeked out to see him as he entered into the office. She waited for a few seconds, and then she stepped out from the ladies room and made her way back to the office door. Once there she saw that the door to the Captains office was closed and she could hear the muffled sound of the Captains voice speaking in a low calm manner.

There then was the silence. The silence that seemed to go on forever.

Then …the silence was broken. She could hear Logan. “No! No Jean-Luc! NOOOOO! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” She then heard a loud thump to the floor. She then burst into tears and stepped up to the office door. Logan’s was screaming at the top of his lungs. She heard him scream “NO!” and it was followed by another loud thump. She then heard it being repeated.

“NO!” Thump. “NO!” Thump. “NO!” Thump.

She then opened the office door and saw Logan screaming and crying out of control. The thumps she heard were from him pounding his fists onto the office floor. The pounding of his fists was causing the lamps on the tables to rattle, even objects on the Captains desk vibrated and moved slightly. Jean-Luc went to his knees on the floor next to his partner and placed his hand on Logan’s back. Logan then clutched onto Jean-Luc’s pant leg then crawled up and buried his face onto his chest sobbing ferociously. The Captain then stepped over and tried to, in some way comfort Logan.

Zoë watched him there in disbelief. There he was, “The Legionnaire”, the Captain’s “secret weapon”, the man who seemed to be fearless in his work. The first to go through the door, the man known to unquestionably place himself in danger to protect his men, who would take on any mission against any of the vile criminals in Europe, and never showed any fear. This man of great size and great physical strength was now lying on the floor, quivering and sobbing like an infant. This brave man, now reduced to just a fraction of himself.

Logan then to start to become hysterical and began to hyperventilate. The Captain then looked to Zoë, “Quickly! Zoë! Get me a medic up here! He needs some attention!” 

She then stood up quickly and picked up the phone. “Hello, we need a medic to Captain Thiebulet’s office immediately! What? We need medics here now please! Yes, for the man you hear screaming, yes. Yes, please hurry!”

* * *

Many hours later, after Logan was sedated by the medic who arrived, the two men who murdered Lillian Emily Morrow sat alone next to each other in the interrogation room. Both were restrained by their wrists and ankles in the uncomfortable metal chairs in which they sat. Each wrist was handcuffed to the armrest, and each foot shackled by the ankle to the legs of the chairs. In front of them was a long metal table. Both men were in pain, they were bloodied and beaten. Their faces and bodies bore the cuts, scratches and bruises not only from the mob that attacked them, but also from all the police officers that they were in contact with since their arrest.

They were both brought there immediately during their transport to the nearest medical facility. They were denied any medical attention … by the stern orders of Captain Reginald Thiebulet.

Earlier at their initial interrogation, it was revealed that they knew of the identity of “The Legionnaire”, which was a secret among the French National Police. However, over the past fourteen months, two attempts have been made on the life of Logan Morrow. Two attempts that were thwarted by Logan himself. These two attempts though had made Captain Thiebulet suspicious that there may have been a mole somehow planted among the police department somewhere. This suspicion had been confirmed with the initial investigation.

The two men had been sitting alone in this position for now over four hours. No one had come in and checked on them since they were first placed there. They sat there in the silence and said not a word between each other, because they were ordered not to converse in any way what so ever while they had to wait. The officers who ordered them so let them both know that they would be right outside watching and listening, that if they heard the slightest sound from either of them, that they would gladly supplement more to their pain.

Suddenly the door to the interrogation slowly opened and in walked the hulking figure of Captain Reginald Thiebulet, looking almost fresh in his black suit, crisp white shirt and solid red tie. Behind him followed Jean-Luc Pontius, he was dressed more casually in jeans, t-shirt and a leather jacket. Jean-Luc closed the door as slowly as the opened it. Both men wore expressions that were a mixture of somberness and anger, for they both had just arrived from the morgue, where they had to witness, as their friend, Logan, had to identify the dead body of his beloved. They had to watch as the coroner lifted the sheet that covered Lily’s body, and how Logan, the man who faced down many a dangerous enemy and situation, again broke down, cried, and then faint to the floor He had to be sedated further and was now in the hospital in a drug induced sleep.

Jean-Luc slowly stepped over to the corner of the room, he said nothing to the two killers and did not even make any eye contact with them. Captain Thiebulet however stared directly at them both. He then slowly removed his suit jacket and placed it on a hook that was on the door. He then loosened and removed his red tie and then placed that on the hook. He stepped over to the side of the table, placed his large hands on it and gently moved it to the side of the room, leaving the two men totally exposed. The Captain then stood directly in front of them, and then began to slowly remove his cufflinks; he placed them both in his pants pocket. He then, still glaring at them, began to roll the sleeves of his shirt halfway up his huge forearms. Forearms that his friend Logan would refer to as “Popeye arms”. He then slowly unbuttoned his shirt down to the middle button, revealing his hairy barrel chest. He then stood there, looking down at them both, the tall one to his left, the shorter one to his right.

The Captain then took one-step sideways to his left, lifted up his right leg, and violently planted his foot directly into the chest of the taller man knocking him over backwards to the floor while in the chair. The Captain then stepped in front of the smaller one and repeated his brutal kick into the smaller mans chest sending him also backwards to the floor. The Captain the stepped between them, took each ones head in one of his large beefy hands, grabbed on to their hair and lifted them both back upright in their chairs.

He then grabbed each man by their outer ear, he then placed a vice grip on each mans ear and sadistically twisted them back forcing each man to look directly at his face. “You both will answer every question that I have for you.” He said to them with his teeth clenched, “You will both tell me everything that I want to know. You both will cooperate with me totally. That woman you murdered today? She was a friend of mine. Do you see that man behind me? His partner and best friend is the of the husband of the woman you both killed today. Which means that she was also a good friend of his.

“In fact we both were very fond of that woman, we loved her. Now, you to will tell me everything, for now your lives are mine, and let me tell you something you two filthy pigs, both your lives are now completely fucked. Because now you have nothing in your lives but enemies. You have crossed a line; you both crossed a crucial line today. It is one thing to kill a police officer, but you two, as I said; you crossed a line into fatal territory. You killed a family member of a cop; you killed the wife of a police officer.

“And now I am personally going to make life hell for every crime family in France and in all of Europe; and I am going to let them know that it is all because of you two. I am going to spread the news of this through Interpol and all other police agencies in every country on the continent. Even the police that your pig bosses have bought off will turn on them all, because they are after all still cops, and they will know about the dead girl today, who did it, and why every time will bring in and harass the scum dogs that you all are. Everyone we bring in will no the name of both of you, we will even show them your pictures to let them see the pigs responsible for them having no peace in their lives or businesses.

“We will harass them, we will hold them, we will do everything legally and yes, illegally to them and there will not be one idiot politician that will be able to help any of them in any way … they will not dare.

“You both will plead guilty to this. You both will go to prison, you both will not be safe anywhere, because I will be in command of your safety. I will have you both placed on a life long suicide watch because I will not let you take the easy way out. I want; or rather, WE want for the both of you to live out the rest of your filthy worthless lives filled with nothing but physical pain, unending fear and mental torment.

“Now, you will start to tell me everything … EVERYTHING! Starting with … why her? Why did you murder her?” - - -

 

 

- - - The two men who murdered Lily turned out to be low ranking members of an Albanian crime family. It was also revealed that yes, there was a mole, or spy, that one of the crime families was able to plant in the police department. In fact, this mole was a police officer who was planted by the crime family by joining the police department, going through all training, and becoming a police officer. His main objective was to find the identity of “The Legionnaire” as he was known. The man who was becoming very bad for business all around.

These two men had learned of the identity of this special police officer and decided between themselves that they were going to get instant status in their crime family by bringing down this officer who was code named “The Legionnaire”. They presumed that if you cannot kill him, and then destroy him by taking away the one thing that was the dearest to him, and that would be his beloved wife.

She was murdered because of him … he always believed … after “it” happened. He would forever blame himself for her death.

Yes, they did succeed in finally bringing to an end the career of “The Legionnaire” however ironically, they would never have the chance to receive the status that the so desperately sought. They did pleaded guilty to the murder of Lillian Morrow and received each forty years in prison, and their lives were constantly monitored by both Reginald Thiebulet and Jean-Luc Pontius.

Logan did have the chance to confront them before they started to serve their sentences; however, he only asked them one thing. He wanted to know if she had said anything before she died. He was heartbroken to hear that her final words were of her calling his name … calling for him was her final act in life.

He also thought of how the last thing she ever said to him was also his name.

- - -“You come back to me my Scowls Like the Wolf.”- - -

“Did you know her monsieur?” The taxi driver said. His voice breaking the silence and Logan’s train of thought.

“Excuse me?” He answered.

“I asked if you knew her, the woman that was killed there.”

“How do you know about her?” Logan asked.

“Oh monsieur, everyone that lives around here knows the story of ‘Le Petit Coiffeur’.” He answered now stepping away from his taxi and into the alley; his hat was in his hands. “It was a great tragedy here, Le Petit Coiffeur was much loved by everyone here,” he then looked in Logan’s eyes, “and of course by her beloved husband. All wonder whatever became of him.”

“Yes,” Logan sighed, “whatever did become of him indeed.” He then looked at the driver and asked, “Could you please take me now to the METRA station that is close by?”