Chapter 20
Arriving at the apartment building on St. James, Malika was excited to see her car. She looked at Bobby with one raised eyebrow.
"Rangeman efficiency. The keys will be either under the seat or the side pocket," Bobby shrugged.
"How did you get my keys?" she asked.
"You dropped them in front of Shorty's. Tank gathered them up. We were afraid the lightning deactivated the chip inside the key. Apparently not. I will lock the car while you head inside. Are you going to wrap the sheet around you again to get into the apartment?"
She laughed, "My neighbors will think I was at a toga party. No, let the old men have a thrill. It's like a wet t-shirt contest." Malika sashayed her ass at Bobby and took off for the apartment door. He smiled to himself, the lightning, rain, and proximal burns didn't dampen her libido. Tonight promised to be exciting.
As she walked across the lot towards the rear of the apartment, the back entry door opened, and Joe Morelli stepped out. It was apparently he was still upset by happenings earlier at the Walgreens in Mercerville. "I knocked, but you didn't answer." He looked at her attire and leered at her breasts showing through the blouse. "I see you've changed into something more suitable."
Malika took a couple of steps back, giving herself room to maneuver. She also mentally reminded herself the door had exterior security cameras. If Joe made any aggressive move to her, she wanted it recorded before she took a more forceful response.
"What do you want, Morelli?" she shouted so Bobby and nearby apartments would hear. She would pay for the effort tomorrow with sore vocal cords. It was the second time she had raised her voice this evening.
"You can speak. I knew it. All this time, you could talk but were too damn arrogant to speak to me."
"I had my reasons, Morelli. Now, why are you here?"
"I'm looking for Cupcake."
"Try the grocery store, or maybe you should return to Tasty Pastry where you can take some fresh young girl behind the cannoli counter as you did Stephanie years ago."
"So you do know where she is."
"I didn't say I knew where she was. I know what you did to her. Your Lothario ways are well known in Trenton Joe."
"My what?"
"Did you flunk Literature, Joe? I assumed you had to be educated to be a cop. But since you are lacking, Lothario means seducer. People warned me you would come catting around as you do to a dozen different women's residences. I've already let you know I'm not interested. Why are you stalking me?
"I don't stalk, bitch."
"I beg to differ. Did you just happen to be at the Mercerville drugstore earlier today? You've been sitting in this parking lot or along the street frequently. I've seen your car cruising past the Lourdes clinic near Dix. "
"I'm looking for Cupcake and I want to ask you out on a date."
"Are you trying to keep up your record of seducing every Burg woman under 50, and I'm your next victim? You call me arrogant, stalk me, assault me this afternoon in Mercerville, and call me a bitch. Once you had smooth moves, but now you are a joke, a disgusting shadow of the once great Joe Morelli."
Joe was turning red, his hands clenched, and teeth grinding. "So why won't you go out with me?"
"Just because the all-holy Detective Joe Morelli hasn't plucked my plum doesn't mean I have to agree to date you. Why on Earth would I go you with you? Lord knows what disease you have picked up in your sexual exploits. But if you need a reason why I'm refusing you, because I'm engaged."
"Yeah, right, where's the ring?"
"I'm a surgeon. Jewelry is a bother."
"Oh yeah, the I am the doctor baloney. If you were a doctor, you would not live in this dump. Only losers live here."
"Morelli, you are insulting the senior citizens here who have supported your police detective salary." Malika raised her voice to assure the man listening just inside his window could hear. Mr. Butowski, retired TPD detective. She noticed Bobby was only a few yards behind Joe with his cell phone in hand, no doubt recording the interaction. "The reason I'm living here Detective Morelli, is I'm a bit behind in finances due to losing everything in a fire. Ms. Plum's rent was paid up for several months."
Morelli threw his head back and laughed, "Cupcake was never ahead on her rent. She was a joke, so incompetent at her job she had to live off the largess of others like her mother and me. Manoso paid her rent, so she'd be his whore."
"But then why did she continue to sleep here. Why did she not live full time with him or with you? Stephanie wanted to maintain her independence. It is more important to her than a dead-end marriage popping out babies like the rest of the brain-dead women in the Burg. The thought of becoming a wife under your domination is repugnant to her."
"Cupcake is mine. I was the first one between her legs. She will make my babies once I get her away from that thug."
"What makes Stephanie special? I understand you were the first between many Burg young girls' legs. Why aren't you branding them as yours? As for being a whore, yeah, it is what she was doing with you. You two were not married. Then again, it is what you been doing with women and men since your testicles descended? I think the term better applies to you."
"I've never fucked a man."
"No, you were on the receiving end, to be precise. Need we discuss a couple of male bars in Toms River, especially Cowboys?"
"How the hell do you know that?"
"The military was investigating illegal drug activity to servicemen. Don't-ask-don't-tell, but several military cops from McGuire-Dix recognized you and gave you a pass. You might want to get a blood test Morelli. You have had plenty of exposure through various, ah, portals."
"Shit," was all he could say.
"What you imagine Stephanie and Mr. Manoso were doing together has been blown out of proportion in your twisted mind. She was faithful to you when you two were together, except for Hawaii. That was unplanned and not as frequent as you imagine. Think back, Morelli. She wanted to take you to Hawaii. Manoso showed up because she saw one of his skips and called him. To get into the resort, they had to pretend to be married."
"I'm sure they pretended a lot."
"When you barged into their room, their suitcases were packed. He was returning to Trenton. She was going back to Honolulu. How often do you think they had intercourse? I imagine you have had more action this week, Detective Hypocrite than the few times she has been intimate with Manoso over the years."
"And now she's his whore."
"Your relationship with her is over and has been for months! Calling her a whore is disingenuous judging from your actions, including plowing through the nursing staff at St. Francis in under a year."
"How do you know?"
"I told you, I'm a doctor. I may have been injured and unable to speak for several months, but my ears worked."
"You are a doctor, huh? I don't see you at St. Francis."
"Think Morelli. Where do I work? You follow me several times a week. What was I wearing at the drugstore earlier today? Grantedm I wasn't in uniform because I don't work on base though I am an Air Force doctor. Several St. Francis nurses are in the Reserves and have served at McGuire-Dix clinics. While I work out by the base, living here brings me closer to my fiancé."
"Yeah, so we are back to that lie. Who is this cheap bastard who lets you live in this dump and can't afford an engagement ring?"
"I am." Bobby said.
Joe spun around surprised how close Bobby was to him. Joe turned back to Micky, "You are scraping the bottom of the barrel with this thug. Can't you find someone better?"
Micky laughed, "You consider yourself better than Doctor Robert Brown?"
Morelli laughed, "Yeah, right, and I'm the Prince of Naples. Why would you want to marry a monkey?"
"It's better than dating a horses ass like you." She was trying to get him upset.
Joe's face was redder, and his body began to tense. One is never at their fighting best when tensing up. Bobby was ready to intercede but knew Malika could take care of herself.
As expected, Morelli stepped forward while raising his hand to swing. The move was so telegraphed, he all but sent out engraved notices of his intentions. Malika simply moved her head to the side, helped his fist past her head with her left hand, and trapped his right arm against her body. With her right hand, she hit him in at the base of his penis and added a second pop on his throat before he could react to the penile pop. For a finale, she raised her knee to his scrotum. The throat assault wasn't strong enough to cause severe damage as had happened to her. Yet it would cause him to panic and fight for his breath and not continue the fight. The gonad and penial hits were for pain. Wanting to confine him, Malika tapped him behind his knees, forcing his face to the ground. Since she still had his hand trapped, she rotated and kneeled on his scapula, causing him further pain. He was down, contained, and not a drop of blood spilled, though she wasn't sure his testicles were still intact, especially since he was trying to wretch. With the throat hit, vomiting now would be possible, but it wouldn't be pleasant. Twenty minutes from now, it might be fatal.
Bobby was beside her, taking on his phone, "Yes, Morelli at Steph's St. James Street apartment, in the parking lot." He disconnected and chuckled, "TPD and EMTs are on their way." He handed her his handcuffs, "Need some help?"
"My arm!" Joe whizzed.
She leaned over and whispered, "It's OK; you can still pleasure yourself with your left hand assuming everything still works." The handcuffs clicked together.
Mr. Butowski came out laughing, "That was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. This big burly guy taken down by a delicate woman like you. Are you a Ninja?"
"No, sir, it was Systema."
"I heard you say you are in the military. Are you a Russian Spetnatez?"
"No, sir, my father was. I learned from him. I'm surprised you've heard of it."
"Glasnost or something. Several of us went to Moscow on a cultural exchange with their police. Some Russian Army guy gave a demonstration."
"Was he tall or short?"
"Short, barrel chest, like me."
"Ah, I know him. He is truly the master."
Gazarra and Costanza were the first on the scene with Lester and Tank right behind. The four stood and admired Joe's painful predicament. Unfortunately, with Trenton's humidity, Malika's shirt was still plastered to her braless breasts. Tank was embarrassed, Lester grinned until he saw Bobby's face and quickly locked himself down.
"Attack…police," Joe croaked.
"That won't fly Detective Morelli. You assaulted me earlier today in Mercerville. I'm sure there is a video. And today, thanks to the fine quality video here on this building's exterior plus Doctor Brown's and Mr. Butowski's cell phones, you are once again on Candid Camera."
Malika raised herself off Joe, and the officers lifted a very sore Morelli to his feet. Gazarra shook his head, "Morelli, you stupid jerk, not everyone considers you an Italian Stallion."
Malika smiled and uttered softly so as not to be caught on the police cameras, "More like a Dago Horse's Ass."
Costanza laughed but covered it as a cough. Lester had his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Tank smiled.
As the EMTs came over to check out Morelli, Micky explained what she had done and suggested a trip to St. Francis to monitor his breathing as well as examine his genitalia.
Bobby disconnected his phone and turned to Gazarra. "Rangeman has the video transmission of the event here. It is being sent to TPD headquarters with attention to you as well as to the chief. You might want to interview Mr. Butowski here as I believe he was watching everything from his window. Of course, you are welcome to my video too."
Eddie Gazarra began, "Ma'am, we will ask the Walgreens in Mercerville if they have surveillance tapes. You might want to take out a restraining order against Joe here in Trenton. It won't stop him from coming after you again, but another incident, and he might go to jail."
Malika nodded, "I had already planned on it. There goes my Saturday."
Tank asked, "Is there anything else we can help you with, Doctor?"
"Yeshche raz spasibo za vashu zabotu." (Once again, thank you for your concern.)
He nodded and spoke to Lester, "I believe she is in safe hands now."
Lester smiled, wiggled his eyebrows, and left with Tank.
Malika paused for a moment, "Ah Tank, wait. Does Rangeman have an attorney that could accompany me to the police station?"
Tank smiled, "I'll call him."
"Spasibo Bol'shoy coin." (Thank you Big Guy)
Tank smiled and tipped his head. As he and Lester walked back to their SUV, Les spoke up, "Do you dance?"
"What?" Tank sputtered.
"Bolshoi..."
"It means big or great," Tank grumbled. Now Lester had a new nickname to torture him.
When Bobby and Malika got to the apartment, he went in and cleared the residence. Once she entered, and the door was locked, she cautioned, "Front door cameras."
He nodded and gave her a head start to the bedroom before he followed. The still damp clothes were reverently removed as he assessed, not his patient, but the women he loved. "You are cold. You need to shower first."
"I was hoping you'd warm me up."
"I plan on it, but I want you trembling with passion, not from hypothermia," Bobby said.
"Since I need to avoid the burns, maybe you want to handle the showerhead, Dr. Brown."
"We could opt for a bath together."
After a warming bath and hanky panky, they moved to the bed for round two. This coupling was physical love. They touched and kissed each other from the eyebrows down to the feet. Each spent extra time on the others' erogenous zones. Bobby's nipples, abs and genitalia were treated with devotion. In return, he avoided her burns, starting at the breasts. Surpisingly her breasts were not as sensitive as for other women, but Bobby enjoyed giving them full due for his amusement. Malika's super responsive area, beyond the obvious central core, was behind her knees.
As they lay naked in bed cuddling, lost in their post-coital bliss, Malika's phone rang. She read the name and smiled, "Stephanie?"
"Oh my gosh! I just saw the video. Did you castrate him?"
"Nope, I used a high hit to prohibit urine flow, a throat pop to frighten him, and a more advanced Plum Ball Knocker technique to entertain the two boys. Next time I WILL remove all parts, sauté them, and feed them back to him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere."
Bobby was chuckling about the term, Plum Ball Knocker. "That move has saved Bomber more times than I care to think about."
"Joe will need a catheter for a while. He's going to be very swollen. I may have also ruptured one-hung-low."
"If you could have ruptured both testicles, the male half of Trenton would give you an award. No Joe Morelli offspring. Let's hope tonight puts to end his predatory ways."
"Do you have predatory ways, Bobby Brown?"
He chuckled, "Yeah, I believe I'm feeling another predatory move coming on now." His lips found her lips and began moving south, way south.
-0-
Malika's Saturday morning was spent at TPD downtown completing the forms against Morelli and verifying the first restraining order. The district office in East Trenton near the Burg would have been able to do the paperwork, but Rangeman's attorney drove her to police central, downtown.
The desk sergeant listened to the previous day's actives with a bored face. "Miss, are we talking about Detective Joseph Morelli, a homicide detective?" The sergeant stressed DETECTIVE as a way to protect his officer.
Without turning to her attorney, Malika replied, "Sergeant, apparently you did not hear me introduce myself nor have you looked at my papers, which also identifies me. I am Major Malika Arkendeney, a flight surgeon with the US Air Force. You may address me as Major or Doctor, or even Ma'am. In no way will I respond to your demeaning, Miss. If you refuse to take my complaint about Joseph Morelli, I will speak to your superior immediately."
"Now, there's no reason for you to be upset nor for you to bother the Captain with this misunderstanding with Detective Morelli."
Before Malika could respond, her attorney stood, "We will be speaking to your captain, now. His voice was low, cold, but cut like a scalpel.
"He's a very busy man. It may be some time."
The attorney smiled a smile Malika has used on occasion and realized the desk sergeant was about to be filleted. "We will wait for Captain Stokowski or …his supervisor."
"I'm not sure he is here today," the officer mumbled, surprised the attorney knew the captain's name.
As they moved away, the attorney called someone, Malika didn't catch the name. They sat, and the attorney quietly said, "In a few minutes, this will be interesting." Malika didn't need him to expound further. Within five minutes, a man in a suit followed by another man in a police uniform came into the lobby. The duo walked to Malika and her attorney. "Jack, what brings you to my building today?"
"Simon, this is Major Malika Arkendeveny, US Air Force flight surgeon. Major, this is Police Commissioner Simon Burnside."
Malika was already standing and shook hands with a man she could easily see being a policeman. He was imposing, tall, maybe just over one hundred eighty pounds, excellent posture, in his late fifties, fit, nary a pouch stomach, weathered face, and big, strong hands.
"The major came to file assault charges and a restraining order on one of your homicide detectives, but the desk sergeant has been less than helpful. In fact, he's been quite disrespectful and demeaning."
The commissioner's eyes flipped to the desk sergeant who was listening. Suddenly the sergeant knew what the attorney meant when he said: "or his supervisor."
"Sergeant Rugotti," the Commissioner bellowed, "You will contact Captain Stokowski and IAD Captain Burger. Both are in the building, as you know. Have them meet me immediately in my office."
"Yes, sir," Sergeant Rugotti quickly answered. The sergeant's day was not off to a great start and would probably get worse.
As they exited the elevator on the top floor, the Commissioner told the woman sitting near the desk, "Ms. Abrahams, Captains Stokowski, and Burger will be joining us. Send them right in."
Malika flicked her eye to her attorney. He winked back.
The Commissioner's office did not contain second-hand city reject furniture. The desk and side chairs were dark walnut with oxblood red leather upholstery. The thick blue carpeting would surely muffle any ass-chewing this impressive commander could hand out. "Major Arkendayey, I want to extend my apologies for the conduct of Sergeant Rigotti. We are here to serve the people. Sergeant Rugotti will be reminded."
Malika nodded, "Thank you, sir." She assumed the reminder would be bloodless, unlike the reminders Ranger Manoso handed out at Rangeman.
"As you have probably gathered, Jack and I know each other and have known one another since St. Mary's high school here in Trenton."
"I sincerely hope you were on the same team, I'd hate to be part of a continuous adversarial relationship," Malika smiled hoping to add a bit of levity before explaining why she was here.
The commissioner smiled, "He was a tight end, and I was left guard. We knocked a few heads back then."
"And I hope you still do, sirs," Malika smiled.
A rap on the door indicated at least one officer arrived. After making introductions, Captain Herman Stokowski, of Homicide began, "Does this have to do with Detective Joseph Morelli? I received the file this morning. I haven't finished reading it or reviewing the videos, but have already forwarded a copy to IAD, internal affairs." The captain's slumped shoulders and shaking head indicated this wasn't the first problem with Joseph Morelli.
At that moment, the IAD officer arrived, "Excuse me, I had to print off this before coming up."
After introducing the two captains to Malika and her attorney, Malika broke protocol of letting her attorney speak first. "Excuse my assertiveness, gentlemen. I did not intend this to be such a production. If the desk sergeant downstairs had done his job and not been so insulting and condescending, we would not be together." She then went on to describe her encounters with Joseph Morelli, including the stalking culminating with the previous evening's events in the parking lot of the St. James Street apartments. Officer Gazarra's report was the one the homicide captain had read.
"There's more coming from the county?" Captain Burger asked.
Malika's attorney nodded, "I contacted them this morning."
Commissioner Burnside turned to the IAD captain, "I want Morelli on immediate suspension."
"I was working on that, sir," the homicide detective began. "Morelli is currently at St. Francis."
"That would be because of me," Malika said. "Detective Morelli was attempting to smash me in the face, and I stopped him."
The captain smiled, "I'm sorry I missed it."
"There are videos courtesy of the security company's outside cameras and Dr. Robert Brown's and retired TPD detective Bolkowski's phone videos," added the attorney.
"Did he require surgery?" Malika asked the captain.
"I don't have the full medical information. Morelli will be under observation for 24 to 48 hours as he has a catheter and some breathing difficulties," Stokowski responded.
"I was afraid I had ruptured a testicle or two as well," Malika said sheepishly.
The four men looked uncomfortable. Stokowski continued, "Between the medical leave and the suspension, he won't be working again soon."
Malika's mind laughed, "working again soon" would apply to several functions. If the testicles are ruptured, he'll eventually be able to perform, but there will be no Morelli babies.
"Which brings us to why we are here this morning," the Rangeman attorney continued, "Two encounters in one day would appear to be escalating encounters. My client wants them to stop now."
"Major, you are renting an apartment once occupied by Stephanie Plum. She is notorious for the number of trespasses, explosions, and dead bodies occurring in her apartment." The IAD captain stated. "Ma'am, you might want to move out of the apartment. It seems to attract craziness."
"Are you calling your detective crazy, Captain? Less than a week after moving into the apartment, Detective Morelli arrived at the door and propositioned me having never met me before. Several days later, Helen Plum came and assaulted me as well as two of your officers on information supplied by Detective Morelli. He has been seen and documented sitting in my apartment's parking lot on several occasions. He also often follows me to and from work at Lordes clinic. That seems a bit out of the way for a Trenton detective. Add in to the assaults yesterday, I've been seeing Detective Morelli far too frequently for it to be incidental."
"Major, you were dressed unusually."
"Excuse me, Captain, but yesterday in Mercerville I was dressed in scrubs. There is nothing sexy or revealing about scrubs. Last evening I was caught in a downpour and was returning to my apartment for dry clothing. Wet clothing sticks to skin."
"So, what do you want?" Captain Stokowski asked.
Before she shot back with an answer unbecoming an Air Force officer, she looked at her attorney to answer. "Gentlemen, first of all, your desk sergeant downstairs needs retraining. His condescending and sexual overtones are out of step with police policy. Second, we will file an assault charge on Joe Morelli here in Trenton as well as another in Mercer county. We will also file stalking charges with documentation. A full investigation will determine if he had any official business beyond Trenton's borders."
Before any of the police officers could say something, the attorney continued, "Ms. Plum ended her relationship with Detective Morelli last October, a year ago. She has not seen him or spoken to him since. Yet he continues to be seen following her around town and sitting outside her current residence." Then reaching into his portfolio, the attorney pulled out another file and handed it to the Commissioner. Simon Burnside's jaw clenched after viewing several photos and noting the dates and times.
The Commissioner spoke, "Are these Rangeman photos?"
"The ones showing Morelli sitting in front of Rangeman or following her are from Raneman. The ones with the various women were taken by Frank Plum and friends a year ago, which led to Ms. Plum ending their relationship. As you can see, all photographs are dated and time stamped allowing investigators to determine if Dective Morelli was on duty at the various times or were these personal hours."
Looking to the Homidicde captain, the Commissioner said, "I want Morelli's timesheets pulled and cross-checked with these dates and times. IAD will get these," referring to the photographs.
"These are not the originals," the attorney added, indicating of the copies went missing, others could be procured.