PART III - Chapter 38: THE INTERVIEW FOR THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

 

 

Chapter 38

The Interview for the School Newspaper
(Ó 2010)

Mid November 2011

Chicago, Illinois

 

 

Nadine Rose Todd, now twenty-one years of age and just as beautiful a young woman as she was a young girl, still with her crystal blue eyes as her most outstanding feature, along with her near perfect caramel colored skin that has never known blemish in her life. For the last three years she has been employed as the receptionist and secretary for Captain David Todd of the Chicago Police Department, her father. She was given the position by her father when after she had graduated from high school, for at that time she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. No idea what to major in college and not even and idea of which college to attend. Her father consoled her by telling her that her college money would always be there for when she needed it, then offered her the position which was open. His one inside joke about the whole situation was that it was really to his advantage to have Nadine Rose working for him. Because he would have the most beautiful secretary in the world, and no person could ever accuse him of having any type of an affair with her.

Ever since she was a little girl people have been telling David, and Nadine Rose herself, that she should seek a career in modeling, which had always bothered her. She considered herself to be a very intelligent and intellectual type of woman. She had always perceived super models and the actresses of the modern day as “shallow minded divas”, or just “plain out right stupid girls who think they are just above everyone.”

However, the decision of her being employed by her father for all this time had indeed paid off, for Nadine Rose announced to her father just a few weeks before that she wanted to seek a career in law enforcement, particularly in the field of forensics. She told her father how she had always been interested in crime scene investigations, how the idea of combing a huge area to find that one small piece of evidence that would solve a crime always fascinated her.

Her decision made her father very happy in an out of the ordinary sort of way. For he always thought that one of his sons would be following in his footsteps, but they went onto their own separate careers, E.W. with his business degree, and David Jr., who would soon be graduating from the Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland. His only worry and he informed her of this, was that she, his beautiful, loving and caring little girl, and would have to start growing a thick skin to be involved in this type of work.

“You’re going to see the worst in human beings.” He told her, “You’ll see all that they’re capable of, just how evil they can be to each other. You’ll probably see more horrible atrocities in one month than a soldier will see in war within a year. You’ll have to control your emotions and in some cases appear as if you have a heart of stone, it’s a survival mechanism you’ll have to create. Because for instance, you could be viewing the body of an infant that some crack mother had put in the microwave for an hour, then later that day, have to listen to the shit of some jerk as you write him a speeding ticket. Nobody knows of the things that we have to see, and basically nobody gives a shit either.”

She was very satisfied and content with her decision. For now she knew that she would have a purpose with her life, and she had always wanted a career that would be intellectually challenging. She really did not want to be one of those “air headed bimbos”, as she put it, which could only get through life on how they dressed and looked. So she enlisted in the upcoming class of the Chicago Police Academy and was scheduled to begin this coming spring.

It was now just a few minutes past eleven in the morning and she was doing some of the more trivial aspects of her job of maintaining files and taking phone messages when the door to the office opened and a young man the same age as she entered. He was Caucasian with long blondish hair with about a weeks worth of unshaven facial hair, wearing blue jeans and a purple hooded sweat shirt that bore the logo of Northwestern University in nearby Evanston. Northwestern University, although a member of the Big Ten Collegiate conference was always said by many that it should be part of the Ivy League. Because of its academic requirements and of course the expenses of attending there.

The young man was also carrying in has hand his backpack that had some school supplies. He first saw that Nadine Rose’s back was to him, and he stopped to quickly gaze over her svelte figure from behind. He then broke into a small smile of approval, then she gracefully turned around and he saw her face. He had to stifle himself and keep from gasping when he caught sight of her beauty. He stood there in a stunned silence. She looked right back at him, not impressed with his appearance, especially the unkempt hair, and partial facial growth.

“Yes, can I help you?” She asked him coldly.

The young man then reach down inside himself to gather his thoughts, then turned on his charm, for which some reason always was successful for him when it came to women. “Yes, yes you can,” he said smoothly and then stepped over to her and extended his hand in greeting, “I’m Curtis, Curtis Attwood; and you are?”

“Nadine Rose,” she answered extending her hand only in courtesy, “Captain Todd’s secretary. I take it you are the journalism student that has the appointment with him this morning?” She then quickly released his hand.

“That is correct,” he answered with an over abundance of charm, “I’m a senior at Northwestern, I’ll be graduating next spring with my degree.” She now could tell, from her own experiences of the past, that he had gone immediately in the phase in which he was going to try and impress her. She referred to this as “subliminal bragging”. She knew then what would be coming next, the flirtatious interrogation that would not only get information about her, but also for him to give more information about himself, and she was indeed correct, “You know, this will be my fourth year here and I still am going through a bit of a culture shock. You see I’m from a small town in Rhode Island, and well, Chicago is still so huge to me. Are you from here originally?”

“Been here all my life. It’s my hometown.” She answered with a non-interested tone.

“Really? Because you look as though you should be from Europe or something like that.”

Nadine Rose let out a short snorting laugh, “Yeah … right. Captain Todd should be here any second. He had to step out. He knows you’re coming though.”

Curtis then decided to take his approach with her more patiently. “So, how long have you worked for Captain Todd?”

“Almost three years now.” She answered coldly, and then she sat down at her desk. “You can take a seat there if you wish.” She said pointing to the other side of the room.

He then stepped to the back of the room and took a seat, he then said with a bit of an arrogant tone “I hear that he’s a bit of a tough guy, you know, the stereotypical old Chicago cop type.”

Nadine Rose looked at him with a slight expression of cold disgust and answered, “Yes he is. He is indeed a ‘tough guy’ as you say. You would have to be considering what they see and go through everyday. It takes a tough man to do this job, not to write about this job.” As she said this, she was rolling her head back and fourth on her neck, just as her mother does when she is angry and making her point.

Curtis then held up his hands and defended himself, “Hey there now, I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m sorry, please don’t be angry. You sound as if you are very fond of your boss.”

“Fond?” She said and then began to stand up from her seat. “No, I’m afraid I’m way beyond ‘fond’ as you say of Captain Todd.” She then stepped to the front of her desk, leaned against it, crossed her arms and again began to roll her head as she spoke, “You see, I love Captain Todd. He is the first man in my life that I have ever loved and I always will love him. He will truly be the only man in my life that I will love with all my heart.”

There was a few seconds of bitterly tense silence between them. His eyes were locked on the expression of anger and disgust that she at that moment had for him. He was confused, why would this beautiful girl that he had just met, in a few short minutes, become so angry with him that she would confess this deep love that she possessed for her boss that any other normal human being would kept to themselves.

The answer then came as the door to the office opened and in entered Captain David Todd. When he did so, the anger and disgust immediately disappeared from her face. It was replaced by a huge loving smile as she said, “Hi Daddy.” She saw as a look of jolted surprise came to Curtis Attwood’s face, and then she could see as he became filled with uneasy embarrassment. “This is Mr. Attwood from Northwestern. He’s here for his appointment with you.”

David stepped over to the young man who was filled with embarrassment and confusion. He stood up nervously and extended his hand to David. David shook his hand and said, “Hi, nice to meet you. Can you give me just a second?”

“Sure. I mean yes sir. I mean … yes … by all means.”

David turned to Nadine Rose, “Did you get hold of your mom?”

“Yes Daddy, I gave her the message. She said that as long as you were leaving a little early could you stop off and get some things at the store, I made the list … here.” She said and handed him a small sheet of paper.

“Oh, she’s making the cranberry chicken.” David said.

“Yep, my favorite. I’ll be home on time for that.”

“Good, any other calls? Did you hear from Uncle No by any chance?”

“No,” she answered, this time with an expression of concern, “He hasn’t called in yet.”

“Oh.” David said, with the same concerned look. He then turned to the young man behind him and said, “You can go into my office there and take a seat, I’ll be with you in a second.”

“Yes … yes … sure. Thank you sir.” Curtis answered nervously and began to make his way to David’s office. He turned his head and watched as David and his, which took him by total surprise, daughter continued in their conversation.”

“Daddy, can I go to lunch now?” She asked him.

“Sure punkin, go right ahead.”

“Daddy?” She then said, this time she looked at him with the expression of a little girl.

“Yes, punkin?”

“Can I borrow some money for lunch?”

“Borrow?” He asked sarcastically, smiling the whole time.

“Okay, can I have some money for lunch? I’m meeting Leah and Natalie at the deli down the street.” She then looked at Curtis as he returned her look all the while slowly making his way in David‘s office. “They both are my best friends, ever since grade school.”

David then reached into his pocket and pulled out a money clip with a Chicago White Sox logo on it. “Leah and Natalie huh? Here,” he said giving here a fifty dollar bill, “I’ll take all three of you, have lunch on me.”

She took the fifty dollar bill and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, “Thank you Daddy. I love you. I’ll be back in an hour.”

“You can take a little extra time if you need, say hi to the ladies for me.”

“Thanks again, you’re the best.” She then went to her desk to retrieve her purse and then went to her closet to get her coat. She went to the door, opened it and looked to Curtis Attwood, who was still in a state of embarrassed shock, “Good-bye Mr. Attwood.”

“Good-bye miss.” He answered. She then left them alone.

David then stepped into his office and said to Curtis Attwood, “Please, you can take a seat in the chair in front of my desk.” He then stepped behind his desk and pulled out the chair and exclaimed, “Daughters, they can be so expensive, and there’s something about when you have a daughter, her best friends, well they become extensions of her, and a father will seem to take them on too. Remember that when you have children.”

“Thank you sir.” He said as he took a seat, “So, she’s your daughter huh?”

“Yes, she’s the baby in the family. Her brothers are both grown and on their own. I know what you’re thinking, how could she possibly be my little girl. Well the answer is simple; she looks just like her mother.” This had been David’s built in response his entire life, for it still perplexed him how, throughout his whole life, that there was this constant barrage by all around that “we must all unite’, and with all of the calls to end racism ‘as we know it’, that ‘there must be no judgments’, and that ‘we are all equal’. Yet, still, in this modern twenty-first century, he would get looks of surprise whenever he was seen with his family for the first time. The white man married to the black woman with their mixed race children.

So now David decided to break the tension by getting started with what Curtis Attwood was really interested in. “So, you want to do an interview with me for the school paper right?” 

“Yes, yes sir I do.”

“And you want to talk to me about the Chicago vigilante case, is that correct?”

“Yes, yes sir I do.” Curtis answered, “Is Captain Jaworski going to be joining us?”

“No, I’m sorry Mr. Attwood. Noel will not be joining us today. His wife has not been feeling well the past few days, so he took her to the doctor this morning. I hope you’ll understand.”

“Oh I’m sorry, don’t worry it’s Okay. I hope it’s nothing serious. And please, call me Curtis.”

“Thank you Curtis, we hope so too.” David answered and then continued, “I have to say though, when you first contacted me last month, I was surprised that you wanted to talk about the vigilante case.”

“Really, why is that?”

“Because nobody has wanted to talk about him in years. I guess it’s out of sight, out of mind. He’s just become like a famous Chicago urban legend now. The interest in him has been reduced to just a trickle. I mean his last attack was in 2000, and he just stopped, he disappeared, and with time so did the interest in him.”

Curtis then reached down into his bag and retrieved paper, pen and a small digital tape recorder. “But look at what happened because of him, the political scandals and all, it’s like no story ever, and you and your partner are like, part of the history of this town.”

“Yeah, but my partner and I suffered much through that whole ordeal. We came out looking good and all, but if I could do it all over again, knowing the stress that the whole ordeal caused to me and my family, well, I’m sorry, I’d be selfish, and pawn it all off onto someone else.” He then smiled at the young man and said, “Those three movies they made for TV alone were punishment enough, I mean did you see who played me on the NBC movie for God’s sake?”

This caused Curtis to laugh and become more relaxed with David.

“So Curtis, what is it that you want to know.”

“I’m going to do my term paper as an investigative report on the vigilante.” He answered, “I would like to cover all aspects of it if I can. They will be in an investigative series in the Daily Northwestern newspaper. If all goes well, maybe I can get it published in a major periodical somewhere.”

“Well, everything that there was to tell has been told.” David answered, “There have been countless news articles, television reports, books have been written, and again three awful made for television movies … which stretched a lot of facts to create more drama I might add.”

“Everything has been told?” Curtis asked with a probing tone.

David answered with a slight sternness, “Yes Curtis, everything has been told. Before you continue let me tell you something, I have been interviewed and raked over the coals because of this man. The best thing that ever happened to me is that he just out and out stopped. When you screw over and destroy people in power, well … they seek revenge. Fortunately for my former partner and I, he so completely helped expose those people that they could not use us as a scapegoat politically of some sort. Now, here is my opinion on so called ‘investigative reporters’, and I want you to listen to this because it will help you tremendously.” David then leaned over to him, “I’m a child of the 60’s, and I remember the Watergate scandal. Ever since then, every reporter has tried to be the new ‘Woodward and Bernstein’. Listen to me, Woodward and Bernstein? They were a one shot deal. It isn’t going to happen again. My partner and I were getting all that shit from reporters who believed that we were actually helping the vigilante.”

“Well, you both did stop the investigation, haven’t you?”

“Stopped the investigation?” David answered in an angry tone. “We never stopped the investigation. That case is still open; you see that closet behind you?”

Curtis turned and saw a door in the corner, “Yes.”

David stood and motioned to him, “Come, and take a look at this.” Curtis stood from his seat and went over to the closet with him. David opened the door and inside were many filing cabinets and cardboard file boxes. “There it all is my legacy if you will, and the legacy that I share with my former partner I shall add. This investigation is still open, and I and Captain Jaworski are still in charge of it. We never stopped, he did though, the vigilante, and this is all that we have. For eleven years now, he’s given nothing to add.” He turned to Curtis and said firmly, “So don’t start off wrong with me here on this kid. You want a story. I’ll give you a story, you want a good grade, and I’ll help give you a good grade. But don’t come in here with that attitude that you are going to be in the profession of sticking it to the man and bringing down corrupt officials. Because the way your chosen profession has gone over the last few decades, reporters are trusted as much as the politicians … and that is well below used car salesmen.”

Curtis had been humbled, “I’m sorry if I acted abrupt to you in any way Captain Todd. I apologize.”

David looked at the young man; his lips were pursed as he looked at Curtis up, then down, then up again. “All right then, I believe that we understand each other. Let’s go back to my desk then and we can begin.”

After both men returned to their seats Curtis then asked. “When was the last time you and Captain Jaworski ever interviewed anyone about the attacks?”

David thought for a second and then answered, “That would probably be sometime in early 2002, we went to the home of Julian Chekov, just to see if there was anything to follow up on.”

“That long?”

“Yes, you see, something came along that became more important than finding the vigilante, it was a little thing called 9-11. Every police force in the country made the terrorism threat their number one priority and the vigilante case was put to the side. Besides that … he just stopped … he just disappeared. We still do pay visits all those involved from time to time, just to get updates on them. But the last real interview we had with anyone would have to be with Chekov I‘d have to say.”

“And you and Captain Jaworski, you both never had a suspect of any kind? Nobody that you ever focused on?” Curtis asked.

“No.” David answered confidently, “If you go back to those files right now, you will see the names of over two thousand suspects from that farce called a task force that Dee Dee Stillwater, and later Jorge Garcia put together to try and cover their asses. Nothing, not one person in there is suspect; you’re welcome to look at them anytime. We did though have many theories of who he might be, I’ll give you the name of an FBI agent that assisted us in this, he will give you all you need to know about the mind and thought process of this vigilante as well as any others.”

“Which theory of yours stood out the most?”

David then answered, “We always believed that whoever this man is, or was, that he was very skilled in military black operations. Special Forces type, you know, Navy SEALS or Green Beret. The fact that the war which followed after the attacks in New York and on the Pentagon may have given that theory some merit.”

“How’s that?” Curtis asked and began to take notes.

“Well back then, before the attacks, we did a four state search of all current and inactive military personnel who are involved with these Special Forces, but nothing panned out. However, that FBI agent that I’ll get you in contact with? He informed us that sometimes these Navy SEALS types who are involved in black operations, you know, those things that must be done, but Uncle Sam doesn’t want anyone to know about. These guys are the elite of the elite, and are highly valuable to the CIA. So valuable that the CIA thinks they would be worth hiding, even if the police are looking for them. In the eyes of the CIA boys, these guys are of more value than some common street scum who ended up crippled by him.”

“And you think that he may be one of these black ops guys because …?”

“Because of how skilled he is as what he does.” David answered, “Only someone with his type of skill could have pulled off what was done here. When 9-11 happened, if he were one of these elites, he could have been called up and shipped over there. He’s either still there … or he’s dead.”

Curtis finished jotting his notes and then produced his digital recorder, “Do you mind if I record you?”

“No, go right ahead.”

“Why have you never written a book about the investigation?” He asked.

“A couple of reasons, one, I’m not a professional writer, and the other, why should I? There have been so many already. It will just be the same old information recycled under a different name.”

“Because it would be from your own prospective, one of the detectives on the case and all.” Curtis said, “You could have someone write it with you if you wanted.”

“Someone say … like yourself for instance.” David answered sarcastically.

“Well if you ever would consider it, yes.”

“If I ever consider it okay.” David said, “But why should I put yet another book out there. I say again, it’s all nothing that everyone doesn’t know already. And the books that were written were done so through interviews of myself and Noel Jaworski. I’m mean, didn’t anybody learn anything from that first O.J. Simpson fiasco. Everyone had to write a book to get their share of the profit. Me? I’m very content that it has all gone away, and I pray all the time that it just stays away. It’s very peaceful.”

“You really believe that?”

“Yes, because really, nobody wants us to find him anyway.” David answered bluntly, “With the exception of all those he really hurt. And look who he has really hurt, corrupt politicians, street punks, drug dealers, pimps, rapists, organized crime figures and wealthy pedophiles.”

“You really think that nobody wants you to find him?”

David leaned over to him and asked, “Have you or anyone that is close to you been a victim of a violent crime?”

“Why … no … not at all.”

“Then you cannot possibly understand basic human nature.” David said, “Do you have any children?”

“No, no I don’t”

“Your mother, is your mother still alive?”

“Yes, she is.” Curtis answered.

“You have any brothers and sisters?”

“Yes, a younger sister. She and Mom are both back in Rhode Island.”

“Rhode Island huh? Not exactly the crime wave capitol of America is it?” David now said sarcastically, “You close with your mom and sister?”

“Yes, I am very close with them both.” Curtis answered.

David folded his hands on his desk and looked directly into the eyes of the young reporter to be, “Then let me ask you something. And I want your honest answer, not that lock step ‘violence never solved anything’ shit either. I want the answer of a man, his human answer. What would you do if a couple of real lowlifes grabbed your mom and sis off the street and repeatedly raped and beat them behind a garbage dumpster in an alley?”

Curtis sat there silent and did not answer.

“Come on now son … I won’t tell anyone … how would you feel?”

“I would be devastated.” He answered timidly.

“Because you’re the type that won’t fight back, aren’t you?” David asked softly.

“No, I’m not the fighting type.” Curtis halfheartedly admitted.

“And the fact that you probably could not even defend them if it happened in front of you, which devastates you more … doesn’t it?”

“Yes, I have to honestly say that does.” Curtis said quietly.

“Now son, let’s add this to the mix. What would you do if my vigilante caught them in the act and in one swift motion, broke the bodies of these attackers of your mom and sister? Beat them to a pulp and crippled them … right in front of you. You witnessed the whole thing … maybe even saw his face. You watched as he made them pay many times over with their own bodies for what they just did to your mom and sister. Then I come along and ask you to help me find the man who avenged them. Be honest with me now … are you going to help me find him?”

Curtis sat silent, he thought for a moment, and then answered, “To be honest … no. I’d probably lie to protect him.”

“Congratulations son, you’re in touch with your human side after all.” David said and sat back in his chair. “Now how would you like to have that burden on your shoulders, to be the one that has to find and bring in a man who is considered to be nothing but a total hero … still … in the minds of practically all the people of this city?”

“Would you bring him in?” Curtis asked curiously. “I mean, if you did someday find out who he really is. Would you bring him in?”

“If I found strong evidence on the man that proved he was the vigilante, yes I would arrest him and bring him in to sit trial. That is my duty; I swore that I would uphold the law.” David answered, “How would you like to be the one that has to do that? To arrest the man who in the eyes of all out there is the one true person that has made life a little safer for them? Who has done the things that many of us would really want to do to this scumbags. He took that all upon himself, to do the types of things that we all would really like to do to those who have caused harm in the most atrocious of ways. And you’re the one who arrests him. If that day ever comes, my name and that of my family will be real shit in this town. To them I will be no better than the ass-wipes he attacked.”

“So you would say that apathy on the part of the citizenry is the main reason that your investigation in this case is mostly hampered by.”

“No, because apathy means that you show no interest at all.” David answered, “There was a lot of interest and attention paid when this was all going on. When you have the citizenry cheering on this man, and you know in your heart that his worst enemy wouldn’t turn him in, well, what you have then is one massive case of accessory after the fact.”

“Did anyone ever see him?”

“Yes, two people.” David answered, “The then fifteen year old rape victim that was the reason this case began at all. You see, she was grabbed off the street, dragged into an alley then beaten and raped by two scumbags behind a garbage dumpster.” David saw the expression on Curtis’s face, “Yeah, it really did happen. The other was the Russian mob figure Julian Chekov. He may have even seen his face, but that doesn’t mean anything because it’s hard to get a sketch artist to draw a picture from a blind man. I believe he did see his face, and that‘s why he was blinded.”

“Among other things I understand.” Curtis said, “I was wondering if there could be a way where you could assist me in interviewing the vigilante’s victims.”

“Targets.” David said correcting him. “Everyone refers to them as ‘targets’, we see the people who were harmed by the ‘targets’ as the real victims.”

“Oh, alright, targets then. Are you still in contact with them?”

“Yes, of course.”

“And you just mentioned the victims of these ‘targets’, is there anyway you could find the whereabouts of any of them?” Curtis asked, “Because I just had the idea come to me that their stories and perspectives would help to add a great deal to my report.”

“I’m still in contact with many of those victims yes.” David answered, “The victims I would have to personally contact and let them know of your intentions, they would probably want me to be there as a sign of trust. But, I don’t see any problem with talking to them, except one thing.”

“And what is that?”

“If they think you are going to use any information that you seek from them as a way to help find and identify the vigilante, well, they’ll drop you like a stone off a bridge. Like I said, he is their hero, he gave these people the revenge they wanted, and they will not jeopardize him in any way.”

“You’re kidding.” Curtis asked, he seemed a bit amazed.

“No, I am not kidding, they are all very serious about that. For instance, the rape victims of Freeman and Ortega. Many of them were afraid to even venture to walk out to their front yards for years. Living frightened all the time. This man avenged them, and they believe he gave them their lives back. I have that to contend with also. If I ever do find him, I have to been seen arresting him on their TV screens. I still would have to face these people afterwards.”

“You look as if you and Captain Jaworski are in the ultimate lose - lose situation.”

“You know it,” David agreed, “as far as the ‘targets’ are concerned, there may be a few difficulties there.”

“What sort of difficulties?”

Well, let’s start at the beginning.” David answered, “As far as Billy Freeman and Raul Ortega, well, first of all Billy Freeman is dead. He died some months back. Lying in that bed, in that small room in the prison infirmary for what, fifteen years! He just stopped functioning. He stopped eating and taking water, so they tried to force feed him intravenously, but he just kept sliding downward. It was almost as if he willed himself to death.”

 

“My God.”

“And Ortega is not any better, “David continued, “they had to move him into an old large pantry room in the back of the infirmary because the noise from his respirator makes so much noise. He lies there still, day after day staring at the ceiling and watching all that shit that’s known as daytime television. He has hardly spoken a word in a couple of years; he’s almost in a like total catatonic state. So I doubt that you’ll really get anything out of him.”

Curtis jotted down a note and then asked, “What about the Bartholomew’s? Can you contact them?”

“Mitchell and Jared? Oh yes, I always know where those two are, I have too, they’re both registered sex offenders. And I still drop in on them from time to time. They may or may not talk to you and if they do, it will be old Mitch doing most of the talking.” David said, “He’s still unemployed, nobody wants anything to do with either one of them. If he does grant you an interview, be prepared to get hit still with his tidal wave of bullshit on how he and Jared were singled out and such. Old Mitch, they took away his money, they took away his power and they took away his empire. The one thing that they could not take away from him was his arrogance. Wait until you see them, they are less than a shell of their former selves.

“They both live both very humbly and frugally in an old house up in Lake County. It’s right on this farm up there way off the road. It’s one of those farms that grows pumpkins and such then has this little carnival every year for Halloween with hayrides and all. It’s one of the last true farm stands up there. The farmer did not like the idea of renting the place to the both of them, but it was at the beginnings of the housing crunch and he needed the rent.

“They both live as recluses. Mitchell takes care of Jared and all his needs. They are surviving on the interest that is generated from the last couple of million dollars he has left. And believe me; they are still trying to sue that out of him.”

“Where’s Mrs. Bartholomew?” Curtis asked, “Whatever became of her?”

“You mean Laura Hathaway?” David asked.

“Hathaway?”

“Yes, Laura Hathaway.” David answered, “She went back to her maiden name. She filed for that name change the same day that she filed for her divorce from Mitchell.” David paused and then smiled, “You know, if there is anyone that I’m really happy for in this whole ordeal, it would be her. She was the first one to sue Mitchell; she filed for the divorce before any other lawsuit was filed against him and Jared. She got the most feared divorce lawyer in the Midwest to represent her, Gloria Goldstein. She has a motto on her business card, ‘Guaranteed Half or I’ll Kill Him and Myself’.”

Curtis let out a laugh.

“I mean it, when she got through with Mitchell, she got Laura over two hundred fifty-four million dollars. And he agreed to pay Laura in one lump sum and almost immediately, he didn’t fight her on it, he paid her off right away, and you’re not going to believe why.”

“Try me.” Curtis said.

“If I didn’t hear it from Laura myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. I spoke with her after the divorce; she came to visit me in my old office. She told me that Mitchell had instructed her to take the money and place it in a Swiss bank account in Europe, and when, as he stated ‘after this all blows over’, he’ll take back the money to start over someplace else, maybe even in Europe. Can you believe the balls on that guy? He put his wife through all that humiliation and he still expected her to do his bidding, even after she divorced him. That‘s what I mean about his arrogance, he really thought that she would just take the money and do as he said.”

“She came to visit you? Why?” Curtis asked.

“Yes, she came to apologize to me and my partner for the way her son and ex-husband treated us during Jared’s interrogation. She apologized to everyone that her ex-husband and son ever harmed. She also came to say good-bye.”

“Good-Bye?”

“Yes, good-bye.” David said. “You see, she told us that not only did she divorce Mitchell, but she had disowned her son. She called him a monster and an abomination. She was leaving the country for good and leaving them both far behind her. She did follow Mitchell’s instructions though and placed all the money in a Swiss account, however, it’s all in her name only. All that money is hers and in her control.”

“Hey, good for her.” Curtis said.

“I agree,” David concurred, “if you want to speak with her though you’re going to need a passport. She, last time I heard, has become part of the upper echelons of the European society crowd. She bides her time with charitable events for abused and exploited children in Europe and Africa. She spends most her time bouncing around the Mediterranean. I hear that she has a home in both Barcelona and the Greek Isles and she rarely comes back here to the States. I think she even gave up her citizenship here and became a Spanish national. I’ll say it again, I’m very happy for her, and I hope she’s doing okay, wherever she is over there.”

Curtis then bent down to his backpack and retrieved a notebook and began thumbing through the pages. He then stopped, looked at the notes and then said, “This brings us to this guy, this Gregior Divic, can you tell me about him? Because I think now that an update on all those ‘targets’ who be a great addition to this.”

“What is that?” David said referring to the notebook.

“Oh this?” He answered, “This is just some of the many notes I have been taking to prepare for this interview. You see Captain I have read all those books that you mentioned for research into this project.”

David smiled at the young man, “Oh really? Well anyway as far as Divic is concerned, you’re going to need your passport to find him also.”

“He left the country too?”

“Yes, but not by his own choice.” David answered, “And you might as well not waste your time looking for him because there is probably a good chance that he’s also dead.”

“Probably?”

“Yes, because he was the reason for one of the scandals that were on the side, you don’t know much about it because it all happened in DC, and not here.” David said.

“Can you tell me about it?”

“Sure,” David said, “Divic was under the charge of a certain FBI agent by the name of Jay Boldini. Boldini was the man who initially took the file known as ‘The Pink Book’ from Divic. Boldini was a weasel, his ex-partner admitted to that and testified against him at his hearing. Turns out Boldini had some big political aspirations; he wanted to run for office in Vermont, where they would take a guy like him. He had his eyes on a U.S. Senators seat there. He contacted all those whose names were in ‘The Pink Book’ and began to strong arm them sort of say. He was blackmailing and extorting them, getting them to agree to any future financial and public backing.”

“He was using blackmail and extortion, hey; he was going to be a politician wasn’t he?”

David laughed, “Yes, but, there was that investigative reporter who uncovered all that when she broke the news of all the other scandals here.”

“You mean Sherry Thornton?”

“Yes, that’s her, Sherry Thornton.” David answered, “I think that story is the reason she got up to the major leagues, she’s a reporter on the number one cable news network now. Anyway, Boldini’s political dreams all went up in smoke. The FBI fired him and took any pension that he would have been receiving. They almost were going to send him to prison, but he plea bargained and testified against most of those people in The Pink Book. The last I heard of him, he’s a P.I. somewhere down in Miami. You know, doing the real low life stuff, spying on cheating husbands and wives sort of thing. You can probably find him in the directory down there, whether he’ll speak to you is another story.”

“And Divic?” Curtis asked, “What makes you think he may be dead?”

“Well, after the honcho’s in the FBI cleaned up the mess with Boldini, they went to Divic and they also got all they could out of him on the people in ‘The Pink Book’ not only that but also everything he knew about his businesses here and all his contacts. After the FBI boys figured they had got all they could out of him, they paid him a little visit in the middle of the night at the medical facility that they were holding him at in Missouri. The Feds had revoked all his credentials for being in the country; they gathered all his belongings and drove him to the airport where he was placed on a plane with an FBI escort. The plane was bound for Bosnia or Serbia, wherever the hell he was from. Once there, they just took him off the plane and left him there. A bureau guy we know told us that if you have enemies in that area of the world, well, they have long memories and they always hold their grudges. He being in a wheelchair would not mean shit to them. They would know that he had returned, they would find him and they most definitely would kill him.”

“You sound so sure of that.”

“Noel and I, this connection we have at the FBI, he’s in Behavioral Sciences; he knows how they are in that part of the world.” David said, “What we see here? Gang warfare wise I mean, it’s nothing compared with what goes on over there. They have tribes and sects there that have been fighting and killing each other for a thousand years, over shit that happened a thousand years ago. It almost like second nature to them.”

Curtis then looked down at his notes again, and then asked, “Then there is Percy Higgins, what about him? Any way that I can speak with him?”

David laughed and asked, “Do you ever watch Sunday morning television?”

“Sometimes yes, why?”

“Well, Percy he was known on the street back then as ‘Gem P’, he was the leader of a gang called the Four S, for the South Side Stone Soldiers.” David answered, “The vigilante broke him up pretty good, and he was the first to have his drug money taken. But, today he has a new moniker, today he is the Right Reverend Percival W. Higgins, the ‘Free Wheeling Man of the Gospel’, bringing to you LIVE, the ‘Power Prayer Hour’ from the South Side Prophet of the Savoir MB Tabernacle.”

“Wait a minute,” Curtis said in surprise, “Is he that nut case preacher in the wheelchair?”

“One in the same, and he’s making more money now as a false prophet of the Lord, than he was as a pimp and drug hustler, and all tax free too I may add.”

“I’ve seen him! What a shyster!” Curtis exclaimed, “I woke up early one Sunday morning and I was channel surfing and I came across him. He’s was such an obvious fake that I first thought it was some sort of comedy show. Then after about ten minutes I realized that this guy really believed the shit he was saying.”

“Not only does he believe it, but more important to him, so do those saps in the church and those watching at home.” Davis said, “Leave it up to old Percy to figure a way to make money off what had happened to him. And I don’t for a second believe that his mother and his real minister are not behind that whole thing.” David paused for a second and then continued, “But I do have to give Percy credit on one thing, he still takes care of the two cohorts that were attacked with him on that night.”

Curtis flipped through his notes and then asked, “You mean Isaiah Price and Darnell Spence?”

“Yes,” David answered, “Isaiah Price never recovered from his coma, he is still in it to this day. It has decimated his body. Hard to believe when you look down at him that he was once one of the most feared running backs in Illinois high school football history. And Darnell, well his brain damage was so bad; he’s just like a big dumb kid. The best way to describe him is that he is just like the character Lenny in John Steinbeck’s book ‘Of Mice and Men.’ He hangs out at the park all day, with all the other kids, because he’s now like I said just like a big kid himself. He hangs out with them and just shoots baskets all day. If someone asks him what happened to him he just answers, ‘a man made me like this, a man I never saw’.” David paused, looked Curtis right in the eye austerely and then added, “It’s hard to believe what they once were, how they both instilled fear into everyone around them. But, I do remember, and that’s why they still get no sympathy from me.”

“Really?” Curtis asked, “You have no sympathy for any of the vigilante’s targets?”

“Well, I shouldn’t say that, really.”

“How about ‘The General’, from the Eight Ball Thugs?” Curtis asked again looking to his notes.

“No, I have no sympathy for Artemis Tate, no.”

“Why?”

“Because he has no remorse for what he’s done, and if you think that Mitchell Bartholomew is still arrogant, then wait until you speak with The General.” David answered, “He’s still delusional and has a bad case of self-denial. He still believes he runs the Eight Ball Thugs. He sits in his wheel chair still barking out orders that are never obeyed. The Eight Ball Thugs, like all the other gangs that had their leaders attacked, along with the media exposure from the political scandals have had their credibility on the street diminished greatly. Yes, the remaining members of the Eight’s are still trying to get that street cred back, and they help to support The General financially, but his word no longer means shit to anyone.”

Curtis looked at the legal pad and said, “Well then, that just leaves …”

“Carlito Garza and Julian Chekov.” David finished for him.

“Yes, what about those two? Any sympathy for them?”

David paused to reflect and think of what he was going to say. After a few seconds he replied, “One thing that all the targets have in common is this, and that is that the vigilante has instilled a horror in all of them. Some will hide it better than the others, but all these men are frightened just the same. The vigilante left them in a way so that they will never forget what happened to them that night. He spoke to each of them individually, and he knew what he was doing to them. He’s cursed them. He’s cursed them to relive that moment over and over in their minds. Plus, and you can ask any of them this, they always hear him speaking the words he said to them.

“Carlito Garza and Julian Chekov, those are the two that show this trepidation the most. They also were the two who, in their day, were the most feared in their, let’s say professions. They were the most ruthless and the most sadistic of all the targets. They were the most feared on the streets. You would not know that now if you were to speak with them, and as a matter of fact, if you truly want to pursue this project, then if there were anyone I would like you to see it would be those two. I will arrange that for you.”

“I would appreciate that,” Curtis said, “I’d appreciate it a lot.”

“I will do my best to make arrangements for you to speak with all of the targets, but those two I believe should be a priority for you.” David said, he then folded his hands on top his desk, “Carlito Garza lives as a shut in. His girlfriend, Daisy, who is also known as ‘Kittygato’ still takes care of him to this day. She nurses him and watches over him. I believe in her own strange way, she does truly love Carlito. He does not ever leave their home, and he gets frightened of being alone. Any sound around him, especially at night, makes him very nervous. You see, that’s what he said, the vigilante, he whispered in all their ears that he would be watching them always, that they would never know when he was around or not, and the funny thing is, all the targets believe that still to this day.

“Then there is Julian Chekov. He was not paralyzed like the others, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not worse off than all the others because he was blinded, along with the other thing that happened to him. Captain Jaworski and I did speak with him last in 2002, he was living in a Russian Orthodox Church, and I understand he is still there. He gave the priests there a substantial amount of money to live there and for them to take care and watch over him. He lives in a small modest room there, very quietly and peacefully.” David then leaned back in his chair. “I have a little sympathy for them because they show remorse for all the bad things they have done to other people, especially Chekov. Julian told me that because he is now blind, he can see the faces of all the people he has harmed and terrorized, he even broke away from his father and the crime family. He’s still the only man who saw the face of the vigilante.”

“He can’t help you with that?” Curtis asked.

“He can’t because like I said, it’s hard to make a composite sketch from a blind man, also even if he could, he wouldn’t.”

“He would not help you?” Curtis asked surprised.

“No, he wouldn’t. Julian believes that God sent this man to punish him for his sins, also in his own strange way, Julian forgives him. He saw first hand the rage that the vigilante possessed. Julian believes that this man has rage because a man like himself took something the vigilante loved away. He even said that he hopes that the vigilante will forgive whomever it was that caused his rage.”

“Unbelievable.” Was all Curtis could say.

“Indeed,” David said with a small laugh, “Julian Chekov was once called ‘The Russian Pit Bull’, now he’s just a frightened, humbled man. But, when we spoke to him, he at the time seemed truly sorry for all the things he’s done in his life. When I arrange things, I’ll go with you to see them both. Julian will be easy, but Carlito, he may be a broken man too, but it’s Kittygato who still has her claws out.”

“How about you sir?” Curtis asked,

“Me?”

“Yes, what do you think ever happened to the vigilante?”

David again paused to gather his thoughts on what it was he wanted to say, “I’m like Julian, I hope he has forgiven whomever it was that made him that way. Where he is, who he is, we still have not one idea that even comes close. He’s been gone all these years, he probably accomplished whatever it was that he wanted to do and then he just stopped.” David then sat up straight in his chair and added, “Either that, or he’s probably dead himself.” David then stood up from his chair and looked at his watch, “I’m sorry, but this is all the time that I can give to you for today, I have a few meetings to attend.”

Curtis then finished scribbling a couple more notes and then began packing his notebooks in his back pack. “Well I want to thank you Captain for seeing me and assisting me, by any chance do you know when you can make these arrangements for me?”

“Yes, they should be soon, maybe even by this weekend, I have all your contact information and my secretary will call you with all the arrangements I’ll make.”

Curtis looked at him with an expression of embarrassment, “Your secretary, you mean your daughter, right?”

“Yes, my daughter, she’ll be in touch with you. Come on I’ll see you to the door.” David then stood from his desk while Curtis began to gather his notes and pens and replaced them into his backpack. While doing so he looked over to the wall where the door to David’s office was and saw many pictures and award certificates, all framed. One picture though caught his attention. It was a professional photo of a beautiful blond haired woman and Curtis noticed that it had been autographed.

Curtis pointed to the wall and asked, “Do you mind if I take a look?”

“No, be my guest.”

Curtis stepped up to the photo and read what was written on it. It was in an almost perfect handwriting, and it read:

To David Todd and Family, Thank you for everything! Thank you for being there and thank you for understanding. Love with all my heart, Stephanie Morris XOXOX

 

Next to the photo was another one with David and his family with the woman in the autographed picture. She looked as if she were in some sort of costume. “You know Stephanie Morris? The actress?”

“Yes I do, Both Noel and I have known her for quite some years now.” David answered and stepped over beside him, “This picture is of all of us in New York, she was performing in ‘Wicked’, and she sent us great tickets. She always does.”

“She’s on Broadway? I’ve seen her in a couple of movies I believe.” Curtis said.

“Yes, she been in a few films, some television too, mostly supporting roles. But it’s the stage where she found here true niche. She does it all there, singing, dancing and even dramatic roles. She been up for the Tony award a couple of times, in fact I believe she’s up for it again.”

“How do you know her, may I ask?”

David looked down to the floor, gathered his thoughts and answered, “Stephanie Morris is the one who started all of this with the vigilante.”

“What? How do you mean?”

David looked at the picture, then to Curtis and said calmly, “Stephanie was that little fifteen year old girl that was raped in the alley by Ortega and Freeman.”

Curtis did a double take in total surprise when he heard what David just said. “Oh my God!”

“Yes, it’s true.” David continued, “Oh, she’s very open about it, and she’s an activist for victims of rape and other sex crimes. She’s a little hellcat too. She’s been up before congress lobbying for tougher sentences for rapists and those who commit sex crimes. She pushes for mandatory sentencing; she also lobbies to put emphasis on the crime, and not the previous problems of the perpetrator. She’s the only person I’ve seen that those dicks in Washington get nervous over.” David began to laugh, “One time she was testifying before congress, and she felt that one of those idiot congressman was not paying attention to her testimony, she stopped in the middle of it, stood up and just lambasted and embarrassed this senator in front of God and everybody. She wiped the floor up with him. She’s very passionate with this cause.” David looked at her picture again and continued, “She’s even spoken to the U.N. General Assembly and other world governments, speaking to them on the crime of ‘rape as a weapon’ that some of these tyrannical dictatorships and terror organizations practice. She’s the only famous woman that speaks out on this; I don’t even see our women politicians doing that here. I support her completely; she has a very noble cause.” 

“Do you think she would speak with me also?” Curtis asked.

“I think I can arrange that”. David answered.

“Really? That would be great!“

David laughed and then stepped to the entry door of his office and into that of Nadine Rose’s. Curtis was right behind him, back pack in tow. At the door of the office David extended his hand to the young man and said, “It was nice to meet you Curtis; I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“I’m looking forward to it Captain,” Curtis said shaking his hand, “til this weekend then. Good-bye.”

David then opened the door, “Good-bye.” he said, and watched as Curtis walked down the hallway, turn right, and then disappear.

David then closed the door quietly behind him and made his way back to his own office where he quietly shut that door behind him also. He then went to the window of the office that had a view of the street below him. In a few moments, from his third story window he saw as Curtis Attwood made it to the sidewalk on front of the police station and then began to walk away from the building.

David then felt that he was secure enough to return to the large closet that held all the files from the ‘Spinal Tapper’ vigilante case. There were twelve large cardboard file boxes stacked neatly up against the back wall. David stepped over to these boxes, three stacks with four boxes high. He then stood in front of the middle stack and removed the top two boxes and placed them both gently to the floor. The third box he picked up and then placed it on top of the two he had removed.

He then unwound the black twine that was used to keep the box securely closed and then opened the flaps. He reached for one thin file that was packed in tightly with the rest, one thin file in the place where he and Noel would always easily find it. He removed the file and set the others so that he would be able to replace it right back in the exact spot. He opened the old file to see the name of the man for whom it was made. It was the ‘Task Force’ surveillance and the missing person reports for one … Logan Ian Morrow. He opened the file and looked to where his handwriting was on the surveillance portion which read, “Ms. Garifino has since rescinded her initial statement, feeling she had an error in her judgment.” He then looked at the copy of the missing persons report. There stamped on it in large red letters were the words: PRESUMED DECEASED/POSSIBLE SUICIDE. There was a date underneath, August 4, 2002.

Janeane Garifino. David thought to himself that if there was one person in the world who made a complete drastic change in their life during this whole ordeal that it was the former Janeane Garifino. He smiled to himself and remembered, it was just a couple of years ago - - -

 

 

- - - in the late summer of 2009. David was walking by Daley Plaza where there was a political demonstration being held by a large group of people who called themselves ‘The Tea Party Express’. He was walking around on the outside of the crowd when he heard a woman calling to him. “Lieutenant Todd! Lieutenant Todd! Is that you?”

David turned to see who it was that was calling to him. He looked around the crowd and then saw a woman that was waving to him. She looked somewhat familiar to him and he began to step closer to her. She was a rather attractive woman with black hair and she was somewhat petite. She was wearing a women’s blue business suit with a skirt, and had an American Flag lapel pin. David felt somewhat uncomfortable, because he did not know who at first this woman was, and it showed on the expression on his face.

When he stepped up to her and asked, “Yes, miss?”

“Don’t recognize me do you?” The woman asked.

“I’m sorry, I’m afraid not.”

“It’s me … Janeane. Janeane Garifino!”

Stunned astonishment came to his face, “Janeane Garifino? Oh my God! I hardly recognized you. How long has it been?”

“Don’t use time as an excuse Lieutenant, it’s the hairstyle and the business suit. Plus, it’s Allred now, Mrs. Janeane Allred. Been that way for six years now.”

“You’re married? Belated congratulations.”

Thank you, and I’m a mommy too. Two boys, the oldest is three and the other is fourteen months.”

“Well even more congratulations then.” Then David’s curiosity had him ask, “What are you doing here?”

“Well … this is probably going to shock you lieutenant.”

“Captain.” David interceded to correct her, “It’s Captain now.”

“Well, it looks as though you get some congratulations then too.”

“Thank you.”

Janeane Allred then continued, “Well as I said … Captain … you’re probably going to be shocked by this … but I’m involved now with the Libertarian Party of Illinois … and I’m part of the Tea Party Express here.” David then had an utter expression of surprise on his face, the last time he saw her was in his office to sign the paper stating that she may have had an error in her judgment concerning Logan Morrow. Because she came to his office wearing the same Che Guevara t-shirt, as well as military fatigue pants and tennis shoes. She saw the expression on his face and then said, “I know what you’re thinking, what the hell happened to her … right?”

“Yes … Mrs. Allred … what the hell did happen?”

“Three things Captain Todd,” she answered, “marriage, children, but most of all, watching and working with your boyfriend turned husband as he works his own business. Those three things together brings you back down to the real world real hard.”

“Speaking from experience, I have too agree with totally Mrs. Allred.”

“Janeane, Captain … please … there’s no need anymore for any formalities, please call me Janeane.” She said to him.

“In that case,” He looked back to her, “just call me Dave.”

“Of course then Dave.” Then a solemn expression came to her own face, and she asked, Tell me … Dave … did you ever hear anything about Logan? Was he ever found anywhere?”

David looked to her and answered, “No Janeane, Mr. Morrow has never been found or located by us or the department. To tell you the truth, after 9-11, all the priorities changed. Even with the investigation on the vigilante himself, he disappeared too and everything was put on the far back burner. Even the Mayor disbanded the task force not to long ago. What choice did he have? Considering what was discovered on who was running that task force. No, nothing has ever been found on Mr. Morrow … and I’m sorry … I presume the worst case scenario for him.”

“You think he committed suicide?”

“Yes … I’m afraid so.”

“From what you and your partner told me of his life … I’m afraid he may have done so too.”

David then changed the subject, “Yes … but anyway Janeane, you’ve made a complete change also, I have to say that … well … you look so much different … you look fantastic I have to say.”

“Why thank you very much Dave.” She said, “I have too say that when you come down to Earth and reality sets in, well … it causes positive changes. I’m sorry but I have to go. It was great seeing you again Dave. Tell your partner I said hello.”

“I’ll do that Janeane, it was great to see you too.” He then looked over to the large Tea Party crowd and then asked her, “So, your part of the Tea Party Movement here huh?”

“Part of it?” She said with a big smile, “Hell man … I helped to organize this!” - - -
 

- - - David looked at the file and then remembered Julian Chekov, and of what he wished for the man who had blinded and castrated him. David then whispered, “Yeah you, let’s hope you’ve forgiven whomever it was that took her away from you.”

David then replaced the file back to its place.