After the Vows

Jim Beckett's Journal

Chapter 11

Dear Johanna,

I sat down with Ryan and told him everything I could remember that J.J. said or did. Every one of my paralegals will be doing the same. Esposito and Ryan are tracing his financial and phone records and Captain Gates got a warrant to seize all the files, papers, and electronics from his apartment.

The D.A. decided to take up Donovan's killer, (I don't believe I've told you his name, it's Harvey Portman), on his order to spill who was behind the murder, in exchange for a deal. He didn't name Bracken. He named someone, a Jeremy Creason, who was supposedly associated with Vulcan Simmons' operation, but that is much the same thing since Simmons worked for Bracken. Creason, Simmons' presumed partner in crime, has disappeared. The NYPD is working with the DEA to trace him down, since if what Portman says is true, Creason would have been part of a huge drug operation the DEA is still working to unravel.

You and your colleagues were there at the beginning of it all, my love, going after Vulcan Simmons in Washington Heights, trying to clean up the streets and take back the neighborhood. Your loss was more than a tragedy to Katie and me, it was to all the people who have been hurt or killed by a drug operation that grew to monstrous proportions.

Rick has put forth the rather hopeful proposition that the impetus behind the murders of Donovan and Pulgatti and Katie's attempted murder, may be coming from the drug operation as it tries to preserve itself and not from Bracken himself. I hope he's right but I find it highly doubtful. Pulgatti had a direct tie to Bracken and so does Katie. It is much more likely that Bracken is either pulling the strings right now or set things in motion. In either case it is dangerous for Katie since she unwittingly invaded the drug operation, met highly placed operatives, and observed a great deal. I don't think Rick has ever forgiven the NYPD, or at least the captain of the narcotics unit, for putting Katie in that kind of peril. I'm not too forgiving myself.

As far as replacing J.J. in my office is concerned, I have promoted Dana Blouser to be manager of the other paralegals. As I expected, so far she is doing a wonderful job. I was not aware of it before, but she told me she is benefiting from a scholarship that was set up in your name. I don't believe I ever wrote about that. It is actually a very sweet story and one I'm enjoying thinking about right now.

Katie and Rick were tracking down the killer of a lottery winner. While they were pursuing the investigation, Rick was asking everyone what they would do with the money if they won the lottery. Everyone Rick asked was gleefully forthcoming with their fantasies - except, as you might expect, Katie. She refused to tell him anything, which of course drove him crazy. It was before Rick and Katie became a couple, but he understood her pretty well even then, and came rightfully to the conclusion that she'd want to do something to preserve your legacy. He went to the dean of your law school to set up a scholarship for a civil rights lawyer who would help the sort of under-served people you used to aid. Then Rick arranged a fund raiser to provide the money.

Like everything that Rick does, except for the wedding, the fundraiser and the scholarship became huge. A foundation was started to fund students from multiple law schools, which is how Dana received her scholarship. I'm on the board of directors of the foundation. Rick throws a fundraiser every year now. The first one was at the Old Haunt. As you can imagine, that was a bit uncomfortable for me, but I got through it. After that, Rick won a poker bet with James Patterson and Patterson has to spring for a facility every year. Rick has implied that for Patterson that is little more than pocket change, but Patterson has provided some marvelous venues. The last one was at a place called the Cordoba House which I believe was on Katie's and Rick's original short list for their wedding. Katie never told me why they didn't choose it, but she looked slightly embarrassed when I asked. Martha has really been in her element at these affairs and she brings a number of her show business friends. That is a considerable attraction for donors with deep pockets.

Getting back to Dana, she is very grateful to our family. You are a special heroine for her. She has asked me for information on your cases so that she can study them. I had to go to Katie for that. She took all your records when she was working on solving your murder. It was a good thing that she did, too. I was in pretty bad shape then. I don't know what I would have done with them. She and Rick packed the records away after she put Bracken away. She just handed Dana sealed boxes.

The worst thing about the present situation is that until recently, Katie had found closure with your death. Not only had she put away the records, she had even put away a ring of yours she wore around her neck as a reminder. I hate to see that peace disturbed. I think Rick hates it even more. He was hoping that after the wedding he and Katie would have time for some wedded bliss. Bringing back the whole Bracken affair is anything but blissful, especially on top of the mystery of Rick's disappearance. I know that Katie will find her way through all of this, but it breaks my heart to think that she will have to.

The uncertainty of the present situation makes it more important than ever to be able to hold on tightly to each other as a family. As long as I live I'll be there for Katie. Rick feels the same and Alexis and Martha rally round in their own ways. You are the missing piece, but I can feel you with us and I think that Katie does as well. We are, all of us, thankful to have made it through so much. We will have as much joy as we can, whenever we can. Whatever happens with Bracken or anyone else, together we'll have the strength to make it through.

Forever love,

JB