"What is it, Joe?" Michelle asked alarmed at the seriousness in his tone
He sighed heavily, "I need to tell you something but I need you to promise to stay calm."
"Joe, you're scaring me." She was in the kitchen on the cordless phone and sat down at the table
"I'm sorry, Babe." He said, "But I think I know who this guy is that Corey talked to."
"Who?" She asked
"He's a guy I arrested about ten years ago." He told her, "I'll tell you all about it tonight but they are going to put a unit outside the house and at Corey's school. I've got to call and talk to them."
"Joe, it would just scare the kids it they saw a police car." She said trying to take all of it in
"It will be unmarked, across the street but close enough for them to keep an eye on things." He explained, "The same for one outside our house."
"Joe, are you sure this is necessary?" She asked
"Yes, I don't want to wait until he tries something else." He said, "I'll tell you more when I get home. The unit should be there soon." He paused for a moment, "I love you."
She smiled, "I love you, too."
He hung up and called Corey's school and explained to the principal, Mr. Walters what was going on and that the car would be as inconspicuous as possible and that the staff and teachers were not to tell the children anything.
Later that night after dinner Michelle helped Corey with his homework then did some more work on her article. Joe sat on the steps of the deck that led down into the yard drinking a beer and trying to deal with all the emotions going on inside him. He hadn't thought about Falco in a long time and the whole thing came rushing back over him like a tidal wave. He was still out there when Michelle came downstairs after checking on Corey, who was sound asleep. She grabbed another beer for him and went outside.
She stood next to him and handed him the beer, "Here." She eased herself into a sitting position
"Thanks." He said twisting off the cap
"You wanna talk about it?" She asked
He sighed heavily and took a drink, "It was about ten years ago." He began, "Falco was low level mob guy and I arrested him for racketeering. We couldn't pin anything else on him but he vowed to get revenge when he got out."
"Joe, why didn't you say something before?" She asked
"Do you know how many guys vow to get revenge? Most of the time it amounts to nothing." He explained
"But you think he's serious?" She asked
"Yeah, I do."
"Excuse me, Detective." One of the officers assigned to the house came around the corner, "Just making sure everything is alright."
"We're fine, Jim. Thanks."
"Would you guys like something to eat?" Michelle offered, "I can bring a plate out to you."
"Oh no, Mrs. C. we couldn't." He begged off
"Yes you could. You can't live on doughnuts and fast food all the time." She insisted
"Well, okay." He relented, "Thank you." He said heading back to the car
"Good." She said, "So you wanna help me up, Detective?" She asked
"Oh sure." He said, "But I'll take the plates out- "
"Detective!"
"Go inside." He ordered Michelle, "and check on Corey."
She silently went inside and Joe pulled his gun from behind his back and went around to the front of the house to find Officer O'Malley standing by the unmarked car almost frozen.
"What is it, Jim?" He asked
"Benson." He managed to get out, "He's dead." He pointed into the car
Joe looked inside and saw Officer Benson slumped over with a bullet in his head, "Oh God." He looked around and didn't see anyone, "Jim, did you see anything?"
"No, I got back here and found him like that but no one was around." He responded still visibly shaken, "There was this note on the windshield." He handed it to Joe
I can get you anytime I want
A chill rand down his spine but he had to keep his cool, "I'll call it in." Joe said placing the note in a plastic bag and handing it to him, "Come on inside but don't let my wife see that note."
They came in the house and Michelle met them coming down the stairs, "What happened?"
"Is Corey alright?" He asked heading to the phone in the kitchen
"He's fine." She said, "What happened?" She asked following him into the kitchen as O'Malley stayed in the foyer
"This is Carvelli, we have an officer down outside my house…no he's …he's dead."
"Oh my god." Michelle mumbled and looked down the hall at O'Malley who just stared into space
"Okay, thanks." Joe said and hung up
She went to him and hugged him close, "What is going on?" She asked
He gently rubbed her back, "He got Benson." He told her
She sighed heavily reluctant to let go of him, "How are we going to be safe if he can get to us even with protection?"
He moved his hand to stroke her hair, "We'll get him. We'll get him."
"Excuse me, Detective." O'Malley said upon entering the kitchen, "They're here."
He pulled away and looked at his wife, her eyes searching his for assurance, "I've got to go talk to them."
She nodded her understanding and he kissed her gently on the forehead and caressed her abdomen, "I love you."
She smiled and he headed out of the kitchen, "Stay here with her." He told O'Malley
"Yes, sir." He replied
Michelle gathered herself and smiled at the young officer, "How about that plate of food, huh?"
"Mrs. C, you don't have-"
"It's alright, it keeps me busy." She said and began preparing his plate
Joe met the homicide detectives outside as they were cordoning off the area and neighbors began to look outside from their windows. A few came outside and were told to go back in. Joe explained what happened from the beginning with Corey seeing someone outside his window and about Mike Falco.
"You didn't see or hear anything?" Detective Fowler asked, a man in his mid-fifties with salt and pepper hair, he had the look of a seasoned detective
"No, I was outside in the backyard with my wife and officer O'Malley and like I said, when he went back to the car he called out and I told my wife to go inside and I went to see what had happened."
"I need to talk to him." Fowler said
"Yeah, he's inside." Joe led him into the house as the medical examiner was taking the body away
Once inside Fowler and O'Malley sat at the kitchen table discussing what happened although he couldn't offer much more than Joe. Michelle and Joe went upstairs to check on Corey who managed to sleep through the siren and the commotion. They stood in the doorway of his room as the light from the hall cast a beam of light across his face. Joe looked at his wife and the look of fear was replaced with intense anger. He knew it well, the set of her jaw, the narrowing of her eyes.
"I don't care what you have to do, Joe. I want that bastard caught." She said and walked away
He hung his head and watched as she walked with determination down the hall and back downstairs. He looked at his son one last time and then closed the door and went downstairs to join his wife and the detectives.
Fowler got up from the table and tucked his notepad into the pocket of his suit jacket, "I think we've got all we need but it's not much."
"Thanks for coming so fast, Lenny." Joe said shaking his hand
"Wish I hadn't needed to." He looked at Michelle, "Thank you for the coffee, Ma'am."
Michelle smiled and nodded as the three men headed out of the kitchen
"Joe, I'll call you as soon as we find out anything."
"Okay." He said
"Take it easy and don't let that wife of yours out of sight, especially now." He said, "The kid, too."
"I don't plan on it." Joe said
He nodded then looked at O'Malley, "Come on, Jim. I'll drive you home."
The next morning at breakfast Michelle and Joe did their best not to let on that anything happened and Corey seemed completely and blissfully oblivious as he ate his cheerios.
"Corey, finish up your breakfast and I'll take you to school." Joe said
"But I ride the bus." Corey replied
"Well, I'm taking you from now on." Joe insisted
"Okay."
"Here's your lunch sweetie." Michelle handed him his lunch box
The phone rang and Michelle walked over and answered it, "Hello."
"Hey Shell, it's Sarah."
"Hi, what's going on?" It's your sister she mouthed to Joe
"Did she say what movie we're going to tomorrow?" Corey asked excitedly and she motioned for him to hold on
"I'm sorry, what was that?" She said, "I've got a very excited eight year old here
"Well, I thought about taking Corey and the girls to The Incredibles."
Joe shook his head furiously and Michelle gave him a puzzled look, "Uh, Sarah I'll have to call you back."
"Okay, bye." Sarah replied
"Bye." Michelle said then hung up, "Joe, what was that all about?"
"He's not going to a movie." Joe said
"What?" She asked
"Dad." Corey said in a whiny voice
"Son, I'm sorry but you're not going anywhere this weekend."
"But why?" he asked
"Because I need you to stay home." He replied
"But I already said I could go."
"Honey, is this really necessary?" Michelle interjected
Joe shot her a look and she backed down. They always backed each other up and she stepped over the line.
"Corey, I'll explain to Aunt Sarah why you can't go. Please understand." Joe said
Corey jumped up and furiously pushed his chair back, "I hate you!" And ran out of the room
"Corey." Michelle called after him then looked at Joe, "So, that went well." She picked up his cereal bowl and walked over to the sink and washed it out
"You weren't any help, you know." He snapped
She turned around to face him and leaned back against the counter, "You think keeping him a prisoner in this house is the best thing to do? You said you didn't want to scare him."
"I don't but after last night…" He said
"Joe, I meant what I said about wanting this bastard caught but we cannot let this control us. The more overboard we get the more he can sense something is wrong."
Joe got up and went over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "I know but there is something I didn't tell you about last night."
"What?"
"There was a note on the windshield of the car and it said 'I can get to you anytime'." He explained, "I can't allow us to be vulnerable."
"You think Falco would grab Corey in a crowded movie theatre?"
"I don't know but I can't take any chances." He caressed her belly and tears began to form in his eyes
She placed her hand over his, "Hey, we're tough. We'll fight together."
He smiled that crooked smile that always melted her heart, "I love you." He whispered
She leaned in and their lips met in a tender kiss, "I love you, too."