247
Aligned Design
Ch 45
Bobby and Gleason slept late. They woke slowly and snuggled. Bobby kissed her deeply, stroked, and nibbled, wanting to make love. But she did not reciprocate; her back still hurt and she felt crampy. Gleason put him off with a promise of later. She showered first, dressed and went to the kitchen where she made a pot of tea for herself and a pot of coffee for Bobby. She did not throw up.
Bobby saw the unopened pregnancy test in the wastebasket. He took it out and threw it against the shower wall. Goddamn her! She's playing these fucking games! He was so angry with her! Bobby leaned on the front of the sink and seethed. Why won't she cooperate? I just want to know. That's all; just know for sure. Sonofabitch! Bobby's head began to pound. He needed to calm down. He pushed off the sink and ran the shower.
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Sledge and Eames got up early. Well, Sledge got up early. Actually, certain parts of Sledge were up before the rest of him. So, he woke up Eames; and, she got up on him. Even though they had gotten to bed late, after much playful tossing and turning, Eames was up for more.
Sledge showered, dressed and headed out to One Police Plaza. Eames luxuriated in post-coital bliss. She drifted off to sleep.
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The wreckage looked worse in the daylight. Speed unsuited for weather was ruled the cause of the pileup. Firefighters, police officers and EMTs removed all of the bodies – twelve fatalities and four injured, three not expected to survive. Notification of next of kin would follow positive identification.
Tow trucks pulled apart the mangled metal carcasses and hauled them away on flat beds, covered with tarps, to the Melbourne PD lot and garage for inspection. There, inspectors searched each piece of wreckage for VIN number, registration, and returnable goods. Specific causes of injury were determined as well. It was slow, sad work. The experts worked quietly, respectfully.
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The happy trio woke horny as hell. The train wasn't until eleven forty so they had time to play. And did they! After everyone had each other for breakfast, they ordered up from room service. Kylie was such a good host, dinner, a movie and now breakfast. Jenny and Tilley were going to miss their new friend.
Everyone showered, together, then they dressed and Kyle took them to the train. Jenese used Kyle's cell phone to call Canvettelli and ask him to meet the train. Of course, Canvettelli played around, being too busy, being angry, and being the spoiled bitch that he is.
"All right, I'll meet you. Did you do the deal? Did you get the money from the guy you sold the paintings to? Did you? How much?"
"I do not want to discuss this on the phone. We'll talk about it when I see you. I can't wait to see you. It's been a long time. Have you missed me? Meet me at the train. Ok? See you. Bye, bye."
Tilley always felt just a little threatened when Jenny talked like that to one of his associates. He knew he had nothing to worry about, really. But, still, Jenny was so, so, Jenny.
Kyle kissed them both and saw them onto the train. What a couple of jerks, he thought. Still, he had five hundred he didn't have yesterday and had a great time last night and this morning. But, really, what a couple of jerks.
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Gleason waited for him at the table, sipping her tea. He walked in and put a hand on her neck. "You ready?"
"I made you coffee," she said, looking up at him. She got up to pour him a cup and they sat. Bobby was desperate to talk with her. She needed to see a doctor, soon. This pregnancy would be risky because of her age. He did not want to argue with her.
"Bobby I didn't . . ."
"I know. I saw it." He said nothing else.
"Let me finish, ok? I didn't do it because I am not pregnant. I cannot be pregnant."
"Why! Why can't you be pregnant, Gleason. Tell me! Why the fuck can you not be pregnant? Huh?" As soon as it was out of his mouth, he regretted it. "Honey, I'm sorry." His hands tried to push away the words, out of the air. Neither said anything. Then, softly, Bobby asked, "Gleason, when was your last period?" Bobby looked down as he asked her.
Gleason shut her eyes tight. He will not let this go! She set down her cup and said, "I don't remember."
Bobby looked up, "What do you mean you don't remember?"
"I don't remember! I only have three or four periods a year and they are very light."
"What does your gynecologist say about this? They have pills to regulate your cycle."
"I've never been to a gynecologist."
"Honey, you need to see a doctor. Have you ever had a mammogram?" he asked.
"No. Bobby, until the shooting, I had only been to one doctor and that was for a headache that would not go away. You saw those pills."
Bobby ran this through his mind. "You never saw a doctor when Clive . . . when he did what he did to you?"
Gleason looked away, "No."
"You never –"
"No. Bobby, I never went to a doctor. I never told anyone. I never showed anyone. I do not need a doctor. Now can we stop this? Please?" Gleason stood up and went to the closet for her wrap. "Are we going to get breakfast or not?"
Bobby wanted to get this out in the open. He shouted at her, "Gleason I think you are pregnant and you need to see a doctor. All right? Will you see a doctor?"
She spun around and shouted, "No! I don't need a doctor. I'm not pregnant! I'm starting my period today or tomorrow! My back hurts, I'm having cramps. Now please! Please. Leave it alone. Please."
Bobby didn't know what to think. He had noticed that she had not thrown up this morning. She was not digging around for bread or rolls. She seemed cranky, she'd yelled at him twice. Maybe she's not, he thought. Bobby stood and went to her. He reached for her tentatively. She stepped into his arms.
He whispered into her hair, "All right. All right. I'll leave it alone." He took his coat and they went to breakfast.
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"Hey, look at this," a vehicle inspector said, looking into the mangled back end of Jenese's vehicle. His colleague walked over.
"What?"
"Look at this. What's at look like to you? Does at look like pitchers to you?"
His colleague bent and held the utility light higher, peering through the missing back window. "Yeah, that's art, all right. Or was. Hey, Jordon, we're gonna need photos of this."
Jordon walked over to the other two. "What's ya got?"
"I have a feeling we're going to want photos of this art. Shoot it in the vehicle, then each piece separately. They're pretty busted up. See if you can group the parts that kind of look like they go together." To the inspector he said, "Tag each piece, or group of pieces, and set them in inventory. Keep the crating as well. The driver might have been a courier. We'll run him in the system and see how things match up."
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The slugs from Navicky's and Pangborn's heads arrived from the ME's office and went straight to the lab. An analysis of the stippling on all four slugs determined that they came from the same weapon, a Glock .22. The lab ran the slugs through the system looking for matches. It took a while.
Later Sunday afternoon, the DVDs containing surveillance of the storage facility arrived and went to Larry who began to digitize them. The storage facility's surveillance system was state of the art. Each camera recorded everything for seven days. In color. Sodium vapor lamps lit the place at night in an amber glow and the cameras recorded nocturnal animals prowling about, raccoons, rats and such.
Larry had trouble copying and digitizing the content because his equipment was too old and slow to do the surveillance DVDs justice. After making several adjustments, rigging a bypass and soldering a new route, Larry was able to make his equipment do what he wanted. It took a while.
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Deakins and Angie slept late. Julie got up and called Matt. Matt was her boyfriend. Matt had to work yesterday and last night, so Julie was able to be with her folks. She actually had a good time going to dinner and then the movie. Seeing Alex and her date was a neat bonus. She didn't want to admit it, but her mum and dad could be pretty cool most of the time.
But they would not be cool about Matt; he was nineteen and a bad boy. Matt loved her and she loved him. Because they loved each other, he said they didn't need to use condoms. They had been going out for three months. Her folks had no clue.
She dressed and met him at the curb.
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Rodgers never made it back on Saturday. She was dog-tired and pissed. Her damn sister, one crisis after another. Rodgers always knew she was supposed to be an only child. She wanted to get these two done and get home to sleep.
She pulled Navicky's body from the drawer and wheeled him over to station one. Damn, he was frosty. He'll have to sit a bit. She went and pulled out Pangborn's body, wheeled him to station two to thaw and then went to get a cup of coffee.
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Sledge met Bishop in the parking deck. They nodded and rode up silently. Bishop went to the coffee room and brought back two cups. Sledge started sending out the task forms he had completed yesterday afternoon.
His phone rang, "Sledge. . . Yeah, where? . . . Are you sure? . . . Ok, in an hour. . . . Yeah, thanks."
Bishop returned with the two cups as Sledge stood. "We're out of here. That was the Coast Guard. They found a body on the pier and they think the vic's connected to the sailboat. Let's go."
Bishop took a sip, set down her cup, and then took a sip from his. She followed Sledge to the lifts.
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Bobby and Gleason didn't talk much during breakfast. Gleason ate her fruit plate and didn't touch the muffin. Bobby kept stealing looks at her. He saw her lean forward a few times.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"I have cramps. I told you I'm going to start my period, Bobby. I told you I'm not . . . that way," she whispered back to him. She was not pleased.
Ok, it's her period, he thought. He was so sure, though, all those symptoms. Maybe he just wanted it. He's getting older. She is the one. She is getting older, too. Bobby wanted to be a father. He wanted to do what his father had not been able to do. He wanted to be a good father so his child wouldn't turn out bad like Ritchie, or, or odd like himself. He wanted a family, with a normal, healthy wife who would be a normal, healthy mother. Sometimes you don't get all that you want, he thought. He had Gleason. They would have each other. It would be enough. It would be everything.
"Are you ready?" Bobby asked Gleason. She nodded and they stood. Bobby draped her wrap around her and rubbed his hands on her upper arms, giving them a slight squeeze. Together, they went to pay the bill.
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"Angie, Angie! Julie's gone!"