THE LEGACY – CHAPTER 22
The next morning, Ruthie made her way down to McGinty's with a spring in her step. She had agreed to handle the paper today so Gary could surprise Toni by taking her sailing. The weather looked perfect and Ruthie hoped that everything went well for them. She could see that at times the relationship was strained due to the time demands of both their jobs. What was good, though, was that they went out of their way to make time for each other. They did all the little things that couples do to remind themselves of what was truly important. Ruthie had to admit that Gary was better at the romantic stuff than Toni, but the detective was learning fast, especially with a hopeless romantic like Abby offering advice. Ruthie gave a wistful sigh; she hoped that if she ever had someone in her life that their relationship would be as strong and as deep as Gary and Toni's.
Then she reflected on today. She enjoyed helping Gary out, but she had to admit that the most attractive thing about helping with the paper was the opportunity to spend the day with Teressa. In her experience there was nothing like spending time with your best friend, even if it was saving people that rarely realized that they were in danger.
She bounced into the bar with a huge smile on her face "morning Marissa, Walters; it is just the most beautiful day today."
"Really" Marissa said with a grin "describe it for me".
The blind woman sat back and listened to Ruth describe the morning, the sights and sounds, smells and feelings. She loved listening to the young girl describe things because she put such passion into what she was talking about. "Well, if it's as lovely as all that, I can see why you're in such a good mood."
"It's just the kind of day that reminds you of what life should be like" then looking around said "what's up with the paper today?"
"I don't know yet, admiral Hobson has yet to grace us with his presence."
Just as she said that, Gary could be heard coming down the stairs. Ruthie snapped to attention and saluted saying "good morning commodore, off to the briney deep are we?"
"Real funny RC" Gary replied, pointedly ignoring both Marissa and Teressa who were in the process of laughing themselves silly.
"So what's up today" Ruthie asked, a serious demeanor dropping over her like a shroud.
"Three today; an apartment fire, a hit pedestrian and a mugging."
"How close together are they" Ruthie asked as Teressa came over to hear.
"You'll have to hurry from the fire to the pedestrian, but you should have plenty of time to get from the pedestrian to the mugging."
"What do you think, is the El good for getting from the fire to the hit and run, or should we hoof it?"
"I'd have to say run, you're pretty far away from any El stops."
Ruthie grimaced at the news; it wasn't unexpected, just unpleasant. "OK, when's the first?"
"About 10:15 this morning, down near Wrigley Field."
Ruthie looked at her watch and her friend "what do you say we get down there early, who knows we might be able to gain a little time between save one and save two."
"Sounds like a plan Camden, I'm ready when you are."
Ruthie smiled at her friend "OK Walters, after you" then turning to her mentor "I'll do my best Gary, don't worry about that."
"I don't RC; I don't worry about that at all."
She was almost out the door when she hesitated "be careful out there today" she waved the paper at Gary "I don't want your name popping up in this thing and forcing me to call the Coast Guard to find your waterlogged butt."
"Just get going you little punk" Gary said with a laugh as Ruthie headed out the door. Turning to Marissa "you think they'll be OK" he asked.
"Yeah Gary" Marissa answered "I think they'll be just fine."
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Meredith liked working on Saturdays because the staffing was way down and so she could actually get some work done without being interrupted; but not today.
"Can I talk to you Jefe" she heard from the door.
Looking up from her desk with a sigh, Aguilera was at her door wearing an odd expression. "Sure Ags, what's up?"
The girl came in and sat down, almost furtively, like she didn't want to frighten Meredith away. "I kinda stumbled across this story, and I'm not sure what to do with it. I was hoping you could give a bit of direction."
"Well I make no guarantees but I'll try, what's the story?"
"I think I've come across someone who is genuinely psychic."
Meredith stiffened up at that, afraid of where this conversation would go. "You got a name on the person?"
"Yeah, Ruth Camden, you remember her, right."
"The girl that saved you, yeah I remember her; so why do you think she's a psychic?"
"Well while I've been working on this thing for features, I started to notice a lot of letters thanking a person named Ruth or thanking some anonymous girl that just happened to match her description perfectly. I've done some follow up, and I've got ten different situations aside from mine where the people are willing to swear that Ruth Camden saved them one way or another."
"Could be she's just been where the action is lately and is one of the few people willing to help strangers."
"I thought of that, but these stories are scattered all over the city, the girl would have to be some kind of bad luck magnet for that to be the case."
"What about Munchausen's by proxy?"
"What the hell is that?"
"It's a psychological condition where someone causes disasters so thy can sweep in and be the hero. Mostly you see it in guys like firemen, but anyone could have it, could it be something like that?"
"Possible, but real improbable there Jefe, there's a jumper here and there's no way she could have caused that."
Meredith sat back and thought for a moment. She realized what had happened and cursed herself for her stupidity. She had anything about Gary screened out, but she had forgotten that he had been having some girl help him out with the paper the last few months. And of course Aguilera had twigged to the coincidences. She gave a deep sigh, damage control time.
"The question is, does it rise above the level of coincidence, and before you answer, let me tell you what my coincidence yardstick is. I read about this a few years ago and checked out all the facts myself; it's totally legit. There's this little resort down in the Cayman's; not a top flight place but the kind that does good business on word of mouth. Anyway, in the span of fifteen years, there were six fatal accidents at this place, not an out of the ordinary number. But every time there was an accident, there just happened to be a doctor right there to revive the victim, so even though the accidents were fatal, no one died."
"So, a doctor at a Caribbean resort isn't that rare."
"True, but the kicker is that each time, it was the same doctor that revived the victims. And the guys not even a trauma doc; he's a podiatrist from St. Paul."
"But if he was there all the time, that's not so far out there."
"True again, but the fact is that he stayed a total of seven weeks at the resort over those fifteen years; every time he was there he saved someone. So, is your story more or less plausible that the one I just told you?"
"Mine's more plausible" Janet said reluctantly, "she could have just been in these places by chance. It's not likely, but it's more likely than your example."
"Then you've got some more work to do, don't you. Look, I'm not saying drop it, but stuff like psychics goes more with the tabloid press that something like this place. That story has got to be iron plated and copper bottomed and researched and noted to a fare thee well before the higher ups would even be willing to look at it. So work on it, but be aware that it most likely won't go anywhere."
Janet reluctantly nodded and stood up.
"By the way, I talked to Steve in Features; they really like your work, so keep it up."
Janet gave her boss a sincere smile and headed back to the Features area.
After the girl was off the floor, Meredith stopped smiling. She picked up the phone and dialed. It was picked up on the second ring and then passed to the person she needed to speak to. "We've got a problem" was all she said, but the person on the end of the call knew exactly what she was talking about.
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"So what the heck are we doing down here Hobson."
"It's a surprise, I told you that already."
"But you know I hate surprises."
"No, you're just impatient."
"True enough. Hey do we know someone who owns a boat?"
"We do indeed."
"Who is it?"
"Us, we own a boat."
"Since when?"
"February, listen it's a long story, but let's get on the boat first, and out into the lake, then I'll tell you everything."
"So we're going sailing?"
"Yep"
"But you don't know how to sail."
"Sure I do, I've been taking lessons since I bought the boat."
"Well aren't you the schemer Hobson."
"Just keeping you on your toes Brigatti."
"So where is it?"
"Right here"
"This one, the one that says 'Toni's Treasure' on it?"
"Of course, who else would I name it after. Now climb aboard and let's get this show on the road."
"Uh, hate to break it to you Hobson, but there aren't any roads."
Gary looked up to see his wife giving him a broad smirk. He shook his head, "smartass" he muttered. "Now if you're done making fun, unhook the lines while I fire up the engine and let's get going; unless the peanut gallery has any more comments to make."
Toni just fired off a backhanded salute and move to the bow lines. The engine came to life and once they were clear of the moorings, they moved out of the harbor and out into Lake Michigan. It was indeed a perfect day.
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The apartment fire had gone really well. The guy whose apartment it was, was still drunk from the night before so getting in had been simple for two fairly attractive girls. They had claimed to be looking for a friend of theirs, and poof they were in. While Ruth had flirted with the idiot, Teressa searched the place and found the silverware stuffed in the microwave. Guessing that had been the source she had cleared the appliance out and then checked the paper. The story was gone, then it had just been a matter of getting herself and Camden out of there. They were able to manage it, but not before Ruthie was forced to agree to take the guys number. This had given them plenty of time to get to the pedestrian.
This had turned out to be a jogger that twisted his knee and fell into traffic. The girls caught him before he hit the pavement, but not before he twisted the knee. Supporting him between the two of them, they were able to get him to the hospital, just four blocks away. In those four blocks it became painfully apparent that he thought Teressa was just the living end. After they had dropped him off in the ER, the girl found his business card in the back pocket of her jeans. Not even wanting to think about how it got there, she threw the card away and the two of them headed for some lunch. The mugging wasn't until three thirty in Douglas Park.
The two friends were still laughing about the 'hotties' that had tried to pick them up, when the saw the mugging victim, or at least someone that looked just like her picture. She was walking one of those little mop dogs and enjoying the spring day. Ruthie spotted the guy 'crap, he's huge' she thought to herself, and immediately called 911. Teressa went down to try and distract the woman long enough for the police to get there, and to help protect her if the police were late. As soon as she finished the call, Ruthie went down to help her friend, and she saw that the police would probably be late. Teressa was playing with the woman's dog when the guy broke cover and started right for them. His eyes widened a bit when Ruthie joined them, but he kept on coming. "I've already called the police" she informed the man "so if you have any brains whatsoever, you'll leave now."
The man hesitated, you could see him think it over, but in the end, he kept on coming.
"Run" Teressa yelled at the woman "get the heck out of here."
"What about him" she asked.
"We'll deal with him, you just run" Ruthie told her. The woman picked up her dog and sprinted off, leaving the mugger just two victims instead of three. This didn't make him happy. He kept coming and the girls started backing up, it wasn't fear so much as it was good strategy. Hold the guy off until the cops got there, and don't get physical unless there was no other option. Unfortunately the guy realized what was going on and charged, taking away every other option. The goon was going for Teressa, so she threw herself to one side and swept the guys legs, while Ruthie shot a kick into his gut; knocking the air out of him with a loud rush as he went down. Immediately Teressa was on his back with all her weight and trying to pound his head into the path. Unfortunately she wasn't nearly heavy enough to hold him down, or strong enough to put his lights out. He reared back, straightening himself up and throwing her off his back and onto the ground. But before he could take advantage of this, Ruthie's right heel crashed into his jaw and he went down for the count.
"You OK Walters" Ruthie asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine Camden, just bruised my butt and my ego, but I'm OK."
"Let's just hope the cops get here before he tries to wake up" Ruthie said and she helped her friend to her feet.
Fortunately the police did get there before the mugger regained consciousness, so after taking the two girls' statements they headed off and the girls headed for McGinty's. "Check the paper one last time Camden, make sure nothing else popped up."
Ruthie took her friends advice and did check the paper, but it was clear and the rest of the day was theirs.
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"So you're telling me that RC gave up her studio days for a month so you could learn to sail without me finding out?"
"Yep"
"Remind me to thank her when we see her again, OK Hobson."
"I've thanked her a time or two myself Toni, but I'll give you a chance."
The pair of them walked into McGinty's after a day on Lake Michigan. Toni had never been sailing before, and she had loved it, the sun and the wind were like nothing she had ever experienced before, and the story about how Gary had ended up with the boat in the first place was first rate. When they walked in, the first thing they noticed was the somber mood, for some reason everyone seemed down, then they noticed that Meredith was there talking to Marissa, and from their expressions it wasn't good news.
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After the mugging, the two friends had just wandered around Chicago a bit, enjoying the day. When they got to McGinty's though, all the joy seemed to be snuffed right out. Gary was at the bar along with Toni, Marissa and Meredith; Ruthie remembered a conversation where they had referred to themselves as 'Hobson's Angels', she smiled at the memory, but she was the only one smiling. "So, how was sailing" she asked.
"Great RC, but we need to talk" Gary said, his expression getting even more somber.
"Sure, where" Ruthie asked.
"Let's go upstairs."
"I'm not gonna like this am I" Ruthie asked.
"No Ruth, you're not" Marissa answered.
They got to the loft and Meredith told her tale about the assignment and the letters and the fact that she had forgotten that it wasn't just Gary dealing with the paper.
"So you're saying that this girl is on to me" Ruthie asked.
"Yep" Meredith answered.
"And there's nothing you can do to stop her?"
"Officially, nothing and even unofficially there's not much."
"So the only option we've got is for me to never help with the paper again, is that what you're saying?"
"Yes Ruth" Toni said "that's it exactly. We can't risk the general public finding out about the paper, and we can't stop this girl from looking. Fortunately she just thinks you're psychic, she doesn't suspect Gary of anything and she has no idea about the paper. But in order for that to remain the case, you've got to stop helping or she will find those things out."
"I was afraid of that" Ruthie said as her world came crashing down around her.
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Janet was at a bar near the Sun-Times thinking about what had been said that day. Carson had made it pretty clear that no matter how well researched the story was that it would never get her blessing. And without that, none of the higher ups would take it seriously. Maybe if she went to a different editor. Meredith had said that Steve liked her work, if she took her idea to him, maybe he would push it through. But Carson was right about one thing, she needed ironclad confirmation for anything to be taken seriously, and so she was back to her earlier dilemma. On one hand she had her ethical standards, and on the other, the kind of story that came along once in a lifetime. She believed in it and had already put so much into it, could she really drop it. No, no she couldn't do that, not now, not ever. To hell with Carson holding her back, she would get the confirmation however she could and then shove the story approval right in that snooty wenches face. Janet polished off her Whisky Sour and wandered off into the night, wishing life were a lot simpler than it was.