CHAPTER 220: Bury The Past

Summer Holliday was working out on her least favourite fitness machine:  The weight lifting chair.  She much preferred running on the treadmill whilst watching the TV but all three were being used so she made do with the "torture chair" as she liked to call it.  As she was facing the doors to Movers n' Shakers gym, she could see everyone arriving and leaving.  One new arrival was smiling at her and walked over in Summer's direction.  This new arrival, a young black woman in a turquoise outfit, seemed to know who she was although Summer was struggling to put a name to the face.

"Hey, Summer.  Hard at work I see" said the newcomer.

"Err...yes.  Hey, is that you, Joanna?  You look so different!"  Summer stopped working out and stood up so she could get a better look.  "I didn't recognise you with that hairstyle"

"It's new...in fact everything you see is new.  I had my hair done and bought this outfit" replied Joanna.

"You look fab, Joanna.  So why the new look?"

"My usual look is kinda...of the streets, you know?  I'm a college girl now and I want to look like I belong on campus.  I take note of what all the students are wearing and I went for this, the hair...I even did my make up to look more with-it.  Whaddaya think?  Does this look collegiate to you?"

"I don't know, I never went to college...unless you count catering college.  But that's totally something Barbara or my friend Suzy would wear.  You look amazing."

Joanna nodded and said thanks.  "I should have come down here first and then had my hair styled but it's the end of the first semester and I'm at a loose end these days; I'm not used to vacations and time off!"

"You worked solidly before going to college?  What line of work were you in? asked Summer.

"Erm...hospitality, kind of..." replied a sheepish Joanna.  "Nothin' spectacular...ah it was a shit business, I'm glad I'm out of it."

"A lot of long and odd hours, eh?" said Summer, innocently.

"Oh very odd...anyway, movin' on.  It's busy in here today! I was hoping for a go on the treadmills."

"Good luck with that!  Clinton, the personal trainer, has his own private mentoring group over there and they've taken over the machines."

Jeremy entered the gym and walked over to the ladies.  "Joanna, hey, you look great!  I like the new look"

"Thanks, Jeremy.  I'm gonna change into my work out clothes but I'll catch you cats later, dig?"

"Cats?  Dig?" said a confused Jeremy.

"I'll explain those words, Jeremy, later..." said Summer, smiling at her friend's innocence about the modern world.

Joanna headed to the changing rooms and then back downstairs to work out with the punching bag.  She preferred doing that to lifting weights because it kept her self-defence technique in good order.  Over the years, growing up and working the streets, knowing how to throw a quick jab to the jaw or stomach came in handy.

Her conversation between herself, Summer and Jeremy reminded her of how much her life had changed in the last few months.  Those two were nice, naive white folks who were pleasant to be around...heck, a lot more pleasant than most people she knew...but what if they found out about her past?  How patient, nice and pleasant would they be if they knew?  Only Action knew who she really was, but he wasn't blabbing.

After the work out she showered, got changed, reapplied her make up and styled her hair.  She was now going to head into town to meet a guy she was interested in:  Pace Tye.

Pace was a fellow university student in his sophomore year and he'd been one of the first friendly people she had met since starting college and she noticed there was some kind of vibe going on between them.  Neither of them had mentioned it to one another and they certainly weren't an item but Joanna did think about him and the way he approached life in a relaxed, open minded way.

She met him down by the Waterside Warble bar, one of her old stomping grounds.  Joanna had mixed feelings about coming back to the streets she grew up in.  But with a new look and a new sense of purpose she pushed her uneasiness aside when she saw Pace.

"Hey, Pace...good to see you" she said, enthusiastically.

"Hey Joanna...or should I say wow?  You look amazing" he replied.

"Oh this little outfit?  It's a recent thing; I'm trying a new look"

"Well it definitely suits you.  So, are you ready for some fun?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm up for a bit of that now the semester is over.  Why did you pick here to meet?  Was it the flea market?"

"Actually I'm here for the music.  Do you like a bit of jazz?  A bit of African, Latin American or a Salsa vibe?"

"I am DEFINITELY up for some of that!"

They strolled along the public square, ignoring the stalls of used and second hand items and made it all the way to where a woman was singing African folk songs.  They paused to catch her act, which was proving popular with the locals.

When the singer finished a song, Pace offered to buy Joanna a drink from a nearby food stall.  As he did so she looked around her old neighbourhood.  It had cleaned up a little in recent months but that was probably because of the market and the live music; the city council had somehow cleared away the low lives and homeless for one day.  She noticed a wishing well nearby; that was new and something she had never seen before.  She had a nickel on her so, on a whim, she tossed it into the well and made a wish.  "I wish I won't foul things up with Pace" she said in her mind.

Pace returned with the drinks and handed one to her.  "Enjoying the vibe?" he asked.

"Sure.  Music's good...the drink's real good and the company's not bad either" she said with a smile.

"Here's to school vacations" he replied, raising his glass.  "What do you have planned?" he asked.

"Nothing yet...I'm open to suggestions" she said, flirtatiously.

"I'd better get my thinking cap on" he replied.  Shall we sit down...somewhere away from the crowd?" he suggested.  Joanna nodded and they spied a graffiti covered bench near the basketball court that fitted the description.

Pace began to chat "You know...we meet up nearly every day on campus but I hardly know a thing about you."

"And you're also a bit of a mystery to me" she replied.

"OK, I'll give you the brief autobiography.  I'm from Philly originally.  Dad's a mechanic, mom's a full time mom, I have two annoying sisters and about a billion relatives whose names and birthdays I'm supposed to know off by heart."

"A real big family, eh?" Joanna said, smiling.

"Yep...so I absolutely love the tranquillity of campus life and having my own space...which is why I'm going to spend most of the vacation here in Sim City and only pop back to Philadelphia for a couple of days towards the end."

"So hopefully I'll get to see a bit of you before you head home" she said with a smile.

"That's my hope as well.  So, what's your story?" he asked.

Joanna drew a deep breath.  "Well, I was born just a few blocks from here, actually.  My family is...well, non-existent.  Both parents are dead.  I had one brother but....he died as well..."

Pace's face went from smiling to sad.  "Oh, I didn't realise..." he said, almost apologetically.

"It's not like I've been forthcoming with this stuff since I arrived on campus.  I'm still coming to terms with some of it as well...but...on the positive side, I had a wealthy great uncle who left me a small fortune in his will"

"Get out of here!" he exclaimed.

"It's true.  So, I quit these streets, moved to Willow Creek and enrolled in college." she said.

"Wow...just wow.  That's a helluva backstory.  I knew you were interesting from the first moment I met you." he said, admiringly.  Joanna, however, deliberately left out the sordid part of her past.

"Fancy another drink or something to eat?" Pace asked.

"Sure...I'm getting a little hungry now" she replied.

The two walked back over to the food stalls and Pace ordered a couple of burritos and sodas but as he was doing that, a man in a loud pink suit approached Joanna.

"Say...I recognise you from somewhere.  I'm sure we've met before" he said.

They had.  This guy was once a client.  Worked in advertising and was a sex addict.  He threw a private party for some clients and hired some prostitutes...Joanna was one of them.  It paid well enough but he and his friends were boorish drunks.  He couldn't manage it on the night he had so much to drink...

"Maybe...or maybe you have me mistaken for someone else?" she replied, coldly.  Pace had returned.

"Hey there..." Pace said, his quizzical gaze flitting between Joanna and this random guy.

"Hey Pace, thanks for the drink." she replied.  "I'm sorry, I can't help you" she said to the man before walking off with Pace.

Pace said nothing about the guy and didn't ask Joanna either.  He carried on having a conversation with her as if nothing had happened.  Joanna wondered if he was either genuinely so cool it didn't matter or else he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by asking her who that man was.

They eventually ended up at the Waterside Warble bar and Joanna thought the date was going well.  

"You must be very familiar with this bar..." said Pace.  "...I didn't know you're from the Spice Quarter and that you had a rough upbringing.  Had I known I'd have taken you somewhere a bit more upmarket and different."

"Not to worry...it's cool just hanging out.  You know, I don't know another guy like you?" she said.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" he replied.

"Oh it's all good, baby, it's good."

Pace turned to look at Joanna and he had a smile on his face but with his eyes narrowed as he took a good look into her face.

"You know, I get the feeling that there's a lot going on with you...I mean layers, depths, even secrets" he said.

She smiled wryly at what he said.  "I don't know about the former, but definitely the part about secrets.  But then, don't we all have them?" she replied.

"Yeah...and, hey, I don't want to pry into anything that makes you uncomfortable.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that those secrets, the life path that led you here...it makes you fascinating to be around.  That's a compliment, by the way..."

"Yeah, I know" she replied, smiling at him.  "Maybe, in time, one day...if we're still friends...I might share some things about me but I want to move forwards, you know?"

"I hope we'll be friends for a very long time" said Pace.  "And I dig the moving forwards thing"

Talk turned to the next semester but the vibe between the two of them was still good and Joanna liked Pace a lot and could see herself becoming romantically involved with him but she was also aware that she had never been in a proper romantic relationship with anyone before and that was still gnawing away at her from the inside.  

The day was drawing to a close and Pace got up from the bar.  "I'm sorry, Jo, but I got to do a small favour for a buddy who's moving house at the crack o' dawn tomorrow so I need an early night and I've already had waaaayyy to many of these!" he said, pushing the empty drinks glass away from him.  "I really liked being with you today and I hope we can see more of each other during the vacation."

"I would like that too...and sorry if I've been all evasive and..."

"Don't sweat it, Jo!  I get it.  I really do.  Now you have a great rest of the evening and I'll give you a call."

She got up from the bar as well and they both hugged each other.  It was a close, firmly held hug that lasted beyond just being friendly.  With this hug with this man she felt something she had rarely ever experienced:  Secure.  

"You take it easy" said Pace as he left.

"You too" she replied and that was all that was necessary to say.  The softness in their voices communicated a lot more than mere words.

Pace headed off but Joanna wasn't ready to leave yet.  She returned to the bar where the barmaid took one look at her and said "the same?"

"Yeah, just one more" replied Joanna.

"Cute guy.  Are you going to see him again?" said the barmaid as she poured Joanna a drink.

"I hope so...I hope I don't screw things up with him." Joanna replied.  "I gotta lotta baggage..."

"Don't we all?" replied the barmaid.  "If we let that get in the way we'd all die lonely"

"I guess...I've done some pretty bad stuff..."

"Was it by design?"

Joanna paused before answering.  "By someone's design, not mine, although it took me a long time to break away from it.  I could have stopped myself earlier...could have..."

"But you have now?"

"Yep...turned my life around and then he enters into it"

"I hope he's worth it"

"He just might be.  Better than all the others, at least.  You got a fella?"

"I had...a husband as well.  He got killed in Vietnam."

"Oh man...here I am feeling sorry for myself and..."

"Don't sweat it.  We all have something from our past to deal with but it looks like you might have found some hope."

"As long as I don't foul up..."

CHAPTER 41: Five Little Maids

 

One of the perks of being in the police force was that it allowed an ordinary beat cop to enjoy the luxury facilities of the Skye Fitness Club, courtesy of a year’s free membership to all at the 13th Precinct for their assistance in resolving the hostage situation last New Years’. Action had a daily exercise regimen and in his view why just pound around the local streets when you could enjoy the luxury penthouse views whilst on the treadmill?

After showering and getting dressed he noticed Nancy Landgraab had just arrived. Their eyes made contact for only a second but it was enough to prompt her to break off her warm up exercises and head over to him.

“Officer Action” she said as a greeting.

“Mrs Landgraab. I hope you are well” he replied.

“I am and thank you for keeping Mortimer Goth off my back”

“I just keep the peace, I don’t insert myself into other people’s problems”

“I understand and your impartiality will not affect the Landgraab Foundation donation to the Police Veteran’s Fund.”

“Why should it?” Action remarked.

“Oh…no reason. You protect and serve…just remember who that is” she said, cool as you like, before returning to the treadmill. Action watched her go, suspiciously, and headed off to work.

13TH PRECINCT HQ, 10:58am

“Chief wants to see you” said Officer Datta.

“Makes a change…he usually wants me nowhere near his office” replied Action, sauntering off to the Captain’s office.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” he said, after entering.

“Action…sit down! I know you like to be out in the field but…you’re too slow getting results!” said the Captain.

“I gather evidence, sir, with all due respect” said Action.

“Well, sometimes you have to knock a few heads about to teach the villains on the street just who’s boss.”

“I don’t like to haul some juve into the slammer and then find out he didn’t do the crime” said Action.

“I want results today, Action….actually I want results YESTERDAY! Get to it!”

“Yes. Sir” said Action, getting up to leave. No sooner was he out of the Chief’s office than Sergeant Kitchen approached him.

“Hold your horses, Action, there’s been a big burglary over at the Solar Flare lounge in Oasis Springs” he said.

“I’m on my way” said Action, putting on his cap.

THE SOLAR FLARE LOUNGE, 10:28AM

A full squad was on the premises already gathering evidence. Action noticed some unusual marks on the ground and brought them to the senior detective’s attention.

“Footprints…two sets. One large, man sized. One smaller but also male. Although the length would suggest a female it’s too broad and has to be a man’s. They ran across the flower bed here and into a getaway vehicle…you can see the tyre marks there; that indicates a quick getaway. I reckon it was a large vehicle as well; pick up truck or van.”

“It looks like a load of artwork’s gone missing.” Said Datta.

“Makes sense; the Solar Flare promotes a lot of new artistic talent on its premises so they have originals but they’re not well guarded.”

“And we’ve got some witnesses as well…I’ll dust for prints, you start the interviews.”

“Typical, I bet I’ll get the confused old ladies and retired majors….oh, hello nurse!” said Action, noticing who the witnesses were. Three very attractive young women.

The first was called Judy Dyble and she described the van she saw parked out the front. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it leave or who drove it but I definitely noticed it was parked oddly. I got a partial licence plate…651 is all I remember, sorry”

“Well, don’t be, that was very helpful Miss Dyble” said Action, warmly.

Moving on to his second witness, a perky blonde called Skye Warner, he got more information.

“I saw two guys run out of the building carrying paintings…they wore ski masks but one I noticed wore a short sleeve shirt and shorts…he was young looking. They waved a gun at me and I had to duck behind this stone bench”

“That was the right thing to do…and very brave of you to remember those details; it all helps” said Action, again trying to put Miss Warner at ease.

The third witness was inside the lounge: A striking young woman called Chloe Gibbs who was dressed in the height of mod fashion.

“I…I…was rehearsing for my live set when these two men in ski masks burst in and took the paintings there and just over here. They tried to grab my guitar but when I protested they waved a gun in my face…I’ve never been so scared in my life since….since….well, I heard my husband was killed at Ia Drang last year.”

Action put down his notepad. He’d fought at Ia Drang as well; it was a desperate fight for survival.

“I’m an ex-Marine, ma’am, I understand” he said, sympathetically. “Anything else you noticed?” he continued.

“Well, one of them…the one with the gun…got real close to me and I could see his eyebrows were red. He must have red hair”

“That’s very useful, Miss Gibbs”

“Call me Chloe”

“Sure thing. Now listen, Chloe, I’ve got some photos of some suspects here in this holder. I want you to look at them to see if you recognise any of them.”

Chloe looked at the photos in turn and shook her head. “No, they don’t look like the man I saw…it’s the eyes that I remember. They don’t have the same kind.” She said.

Action thanked her and headed back to the police station…he felt for Chloe, being a widow so young was rough and how many brothers in arms had he seen lose their lives in combat, never to see their loved ones again?

Back at the station Action looked at the evidence gathered and started to put together a crime map. What he had so far was two men, a van description, one of the men had red hair, a short sleeve shirt and was wearing shorts but no names yet. A new pair of villains working the town? Perhaps.

Action was having a drink of water in the evidence room when he heard the blades of the ceiling fan start to sound like the blades of a Huey helicopter. The room got hotter, like the jungle and he could hear cries, screaming and gunfire all over again. Chloe’s story reminded him of how he’d narrowly avoided getting killed himself and it triggered a Vietnam flashback.

The shift had ended and Action needed to switch off from work. He was hungry and remembered the Spice Festival was happening tonight. That sorted out his food problem…now he needed the company of a beautiful lady….he’d been casually seeing Katherine Bowie, the socialite, and things had been going well between them. Phoning her as he was ending his shift, she agreed to meet him in the Spice Quarter.

“Hard day at work?” she said, instinctively reading his face.

“You could say that…fancy some decent chow?” he replied.

“Always up for that and pleasant company” she smiled.

The festival was busy but they found a place to sit, eat and talk.

“I’ve always been grateful for the presence of the police…I couldn’t do what you do, couldn’t put up with the horrible and wicked things people do” she said.

“4 years in the Marines trained me well to deal with it” he replied.

“That’s what I admire about you, Action, your bravery" she said before breaking into a smile "amongst other things"

Action smiled as well and leant in towards her.

"So what's a rich girl like you doing with a brother like me?" he said.

"I don't care for categories...I see someone I like, I want to be with them" she said, calmly.

"Aren't you bothered by what other people might think?"

"Are you?" she said.

Action shook his head. "Never needed or cared for affirmation from others" he said. "Let them think what they want...I don't let them stop me"

"We're very much alike, John" she said, smiling.