Ocean- Part 37

Chief Grady sat in his office with his head in his hands. The thought of cutting either Barker or Kline had made his stomach turn. Unbelievable! These kids come in on their days off and work hours-upon-hours of overtime without complaint, Grady stewed. And what thanks do they get? They get canned. Ah, who am I kidding? It’s only a matter of time before we’re all handed our walking papers. His brain continued the rant until a knock at the door offered a much needed distraction.

            “You okay, Chief?” Barker asked as both he and Kline entered the office. “We were starting to worry.”

            “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks,” Grady replied, though his tone didn’t support the words.

            “So, which one of us is getting sacked?” Kline laughed.

            “How did you know?” Grady asked

            “Are you kidding? You look like someone just ate your last bear claw, Chief. So, who’s it gonna be?”

            “Not sure. They don’t really care which; they just said one of you had to go.”

            “Rock, Paper, Scissors, for it” Barker and Kline said simultaneously. 

Chief Grady had to laugh as he watched his two deputies battling it out. More often than not, the pair ended up throwing out the same object. Each time, they’d laugh even harder until they’d forgotten it was supposed to be a somber moment. 

            “Ha! Paper covers rock,” Kline hooted triumphantly.

            “Best out of three,” Barker challenged.

            “You’re on!”

The laughter continued as they proceeded with their game. Grady covertly sent a text to his wife alerting her to the situation, knowing he’d need her to cheer him up when he got home. Sharon did one better and prepared a home-cooked meal, complete with dessert, and brought to the station for lunch.  The deputies were still battling it out when she arrived. 

            “Rock! Paper! Scissors! Shoot,” they called out in unison.

            “What’s going on?” Sharon asked, pointing at the deputies.

“They’re deciding which of them is going to stay and which is headed to the unemployment line.” Chief Grady laughingly answered. He shook his head and stepped in between them. “Take a break and let’s have some lunch.”

Hours later they were still talking, laughing, and eating. The phones remained dead and Chief Grady wondered if somehow they’d messed up the switchboard. For that brief moment, he didn’t care. There’s virtually no one left in this desolate community anymore, anyway, his inner-voice offered in consolation.  Though he tried to make light of it, in truth, it broke his heart.

            “Hey! You guys haven’t heard anything from Hooper have you? I mean, if they can just figure out what’s out there; it could save our town.” He exclaimed, reaching for the phone.  “I’m calling him right now!”

Hooper had left both his office number and his cell number so Grady dialed both. The cell number went straight to voicemail but the office number was answered by a pleasant-sounding secretary.  She was quick to explain that Dr. Hooper, as he had just completed his doctoral thesis, had been awarded a grant and his team was now in the middle of the Indian Ocean on a special study of the Mustelus manglorensis shark.

            “Oh,” Grady sighed, seeing his hopes crash and burn. “I don’t suppose he left any messages for me then, Chief Thomas Grady?”

            “Hmm,” the cheery voice answered. “Let me see…Grady, Grady? Oh! Here’s something… uh-oh. There’s a letter here that I was supposed to mail out over a week ago. Oh my, I’m so sorry. I’m new here.”

            “That’s okay,” Grady replied, trying to keep the frustration from his voice. “We were all new once, right? Why don’t you just go ahead and open it and read it to me. You can mail it afterwards and no one will be the wiser.”

            “Oh, I don’t know…Isn’t tampering with the mail a federal offense?”

            “It hasn’t been sent through the mail, yet so it doesn’t really count. I promise, I won’t say a word. Now, be a lamb and read that letter for me, please. It might be a matter of life and death. Hooper was working on something for me and it sure would be nice to know what he found. Besides, I’m the Chief of Police. Would I tell you to break the law?”

            “Oh, okay.”

Ocean- Part 36

    Chief Grady’s heart thudded slow and heavy in his chest as he left the hospital. He hoped that Poole’s therapy would improve once he was far away from the horrors he’d witnessed and a town with so many memories haunting him. Perhaps, just knowing that vast miles separated him from the ocean would bring the ex-deputy peace. Grady regretted every eye-roll and frustrated sigh at Poole’s poor grammar, wishing he could once again hear the botched sentences and strain to read Doug’s scribbled handwriting.  I hope the kid knows how much I’ve always cared about him, he thought as he crossed the parking lot. Guilt-ridden and sad, Grady drove to the bakery; intending to bring something back for Kline and Barker. His favorite, a little shop run by the Antonettis called “Let Them Eat Cake”, had been open a few days ago but was since boarded up tight. A quickly scrawled “Closed Permanently” sign was taped to the door.  He tried a couple of other places but they had all closed too.  His next stop, the grocery store, was open but yielded disturbing results. Inside, the place was a shambles. Aisles were cluttered with boxes waiting to be unpacked, while shelves had been picked-over and left bare. The bakery department was empty; no one had even bothered to turn on the lights.  Concerned, Grady searched the store until he finally found the manager, Rodney Gates.

            “Hey, Rod,” Grady called out.

The harried man held up his index finger signaling for Grady to wait a second then he pointed at the phone. 

            “C’mon, you can’t do this to me,” he barked into the receiver. “I can’t run the place by myself for crying out loud. I expected this from the teenagers but not you, Todd. I gave you a job when others wouldn’t! I didn’t hold it against you that you had a criminal record. I promoted you to assistant manager and this is the thanks I get? Don’t come looking for a good reference from me, pal.”

Frustrated, he hurled the cordless phone, usually reserved for use in the office, and watched it smash to pieces when it hit the floor. 

            “What can I do for you, Chief?” Rodney Gates said, acting as if nothing had happened.

            “Is it just you here, Rod?”

            “Yup, most of ‘em didn’t bother to give me any notice, let alone two weeks.” He groaned. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve got a call in to corporate. I expect they’ll shut the place down. I just hope they can transfer me somewhere so I don’t have to start all over again, from the bottom. I’m too old for that nonsense.”

            “I know what you mean. At the rate we’re going I figure it won’t be long ‘til I’m out of a job too.  Listen, you don’t happen to have any baked goods that aren’t stale do you? I’d like to bring something in to the station, for the guys.”

            “There might be some prepackaged stuff: Hostess, Little Debbie, something like that still left. They’d be in aisle six. If you find it, just go ahead and take it. My treat.”

            “Thanks, Rod. I hope the corporate guys can help you out but I’ll sure miss you and Audrey.”

The only treats available in aisle six were dented boxes of chocolate cupcakes and low fat mini-muffins.  Grady took them and left a wrinkled up ten-dollar-bill on the register before leaving. Rodney was on his cell phone, trying to find an employee to come in and help.

    Back at the station, Kline and Barker were wading through mounds of paperwork while still trying to man the switchboard.  Grady dropped the packages of snacks on the table and greeted his only remaining staff members.

            “Hiya, Chief!” Kline chuckled. “So…I’ve got good news, bad news, and worse news. Which do you want first?”

            “Wow, when you put it like that…hmm, let’s try some good news for a change.”

            “Okay, the good news is, thanks to the discovery of a serial killer in Philadelphia; national newscasts are no longer interested in our beach.”

            “Let me get this straight,” Grady scoffed. “A serial killer is good news?”

            “Well, not for Philadelphia but we aren’t getting national attention anymore. So, between that and the new campaign by the Neighborhood News team to help prevent suicide, there haven’t been any new reservations for any of our hotels.”

            “Hell, it’s a dark day when a serial killer means good news. Do I even want to hear the bad and worse news?”

            “Probably not, but on one account, you don’t have any choice.  You’ve got a visitor in your office, Mr. William Sterling the third, our acting mayor.” Barker interrupted, placing obvious emphasis on “the third”.

            “I’d rather meet with the serial killer,” Grady groaned as he shuffled off to his office.  “Hold my calls.” 

Inside the chief of police’s office, William Sterling III sat with his feet up on the desk, reclined, as he gabbed on the phone. He pretended to be startled, ending his call abruptly and moving out of the chief’s seat. 

            “To what do I owe this pleasure, Bill?”

            “Ah, well, I wish I could say this was a social call, Tom. The council has been meeting non-stop trying to cauterize the cash-flow hemorrhaging from our reserves. I can’t believe the mess Dale left us with. Thank you, by the way, for handling that particular mess.” Bill Sterling’s chuckle stuck in his throat once he caught sight of Chief Grady’s piercing glare. “You know what I mean, of course. I’m sorry. I haven’t had much sleep and I have a tendency to try to lighten a tense situation.”

            “No need to apologize, Bill.  I’m sure you weren’t intentionally mocking the suicide of our former mayor; that would make you a monster. But here’s a nickel’s worth of free advice, if you plan on becoming a career politician; you should probably learn how to curb that instinct. It won’t bode well with the voters if you mock their hardships.”  

            “Yes, thank you, Tom. Anyway, let’s dispense with the pleasantries and get to the point. We need to-“

            “Let me guess, you want my resignation too.” Grady interrupted.

            “No! Not at all! Chief Grady, you have the council’s utmost respect. We would never ask you to resign. Sadly, the problem is in retaining two deputies. Now that the hype has blown over and we don’t have droves of sad-sacks flooding the beach, we just can’t afford to pay two deputies in addition to your salary. You’ll need to let one go.”

            “You’re kidding, right? Bill, we’re already down a deputy with Poole gone. We have no one operating the switchboard and now you want to cut another deputy?”

            “I’m sorry, Tom, we have no choice. We’ve lost most of our residents. The businesses are closing up shop. What else can we do?”

Chief Grady had a suggestion of what the council could do, and where they could go, but self control prevailed and he withheld his flippant remark.

Ocean- Part 35

As expected, Marsha began sobbing again when Chief Grady arrived at the Mayor’s office. She’d tried, unsuccessfully, to wheedle out information about her former boss.

            “Oh, thank goodness you went straight over, Chief. Is he…was he...d-d-dead?”

            “Now, Marsha, you know I can’t discuss police investigations with you. I’m only here to get your official statement. Since you called me, I need the proper paperwork to support my inquiry at the Farmington residence. You mentioned an email. I’m going to need a copy of that for the file.

            “Oh, I don’t know if I should do that. I don’t think Dale would want me handing out copies.”

            “Dale, huh?”

“Well, he isn’t the Mayor anymore,” Marsha insisted when Grady cast a curious look her way.  “Saying ‘the ex-Mayor’ sounds so…I don’t know, pathetic; and he hated being called Mister Farmington. What else was I supposed to call him?”

            “Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me what you call him but you’re obstructing police business by withholding that letter. I’m sure you don’t want to impede official police business, do you?”

            “I’d need permission from him, unless he’s dead, of course.” Marsha slyly hinted, hoping to have her curiosity satisfied.

            “Well, I guess I can just talk to Bill Sterling since he’d be your boss now with Dale resigning. I know he’s here, I recognized his car in the lot.  Go ahead and let him know I need a quick word. I guess that means he’ll find out that you were faxing resumes on company time and tax payers’ money. Sounds a little like stealing if you ask me.”

            “No, there’s no need to bother Mr. Sterling, Chief. Here’s the copy you need. I’m sure you have plenty to do without wasting your time here. Have a good day now.”

Grady chuckled as Marsha shuttled him out of the office as quickly as possible.

     In the privacy of his vehicle, the chief was able to review the letter of resignation.  The most notable quality, other than citing the council for his untimely death, was the abundance of misspelled words and grammatically incorrect sentences but, at least, Dale had the presence of mind to keep it brief. Bottom line: I quit, you suck, I’m going to kill myself and it’s all your fault.  Grady shook his head in disgust. What a waste, he thought grimly. Mayor Farmington hadn’t always been his favorite person but he hated the thought of people showing so little respect for the life they’d been granted. 

    His next order of business filled the pit of Grady’s stomach with dread. Dale Farmington’s closest relative was still his wife, Sylvia. She needed to be notified of her husband’s death but, given her already fragile state, it needed to be handled the proper fashion. Upon arrival at the hospital, Grady met with Dr. Garrett and they agreed that they would relay the news together.  Surprisingly, she took the news without the need for additional medication. She cried and admitted she would need time to grieve but, thanks to her therapy, she did not feel the urge to harm herself. Both Chief Grady and Doctor Garrett praised her for working so hard in therapy. 

            “That reminds me,” Grady added as he wrapped his arms around Sylvia in a warm, friendly, embrace. “I saw your interview last night, Sylvia. Sharon and I are so proud of you. You are one of the bravest women I’ve ever had the privilege to know.  It’s an honor to call you my friend.”

After meeting with Sylvia, Grady headed to the opposite end of the wing to room 908 to visit Poole.  He felt guilty that he hadn’t had the chance to visit for a little while but it was doubtful that Doug had any comprehension of time. Much like his last visit, Poole was completely unresponsive; blindly staring off into the void. His grandmother, Rose, had been dozing in the chair by Doug’s bed but she was genuinely pleased to see Chief Grady again. 

            “It’s so good to see you again, Chief,” said Grandma Rose as greeted him with a hug. “I was a little afraid we might not get the chance to say goodbye.  My children have decided that it’s not safe for me to stay here anymore. Some development company bought my house and we’re transferring Dougie to a facility near my oldest boy’s home in Vermont. It’s a landlocked state so I guess we’ll be safer there. You know, I’ve spent most of my life in this community. My husband bought the property before we wed. As the years went by, we built on additions and remodeled. After my husband passed, I swore I would live here until the day I died. It’s a funny thing, Chief, do yourself a favor and don’t get old. All of the sudden, your children will decide they know more than you and they plot and plan behind your back. Next thing you know, your house has been sold and you’re being bundled up and shipped off to live with your know-it-all son and his moody she-devil wife.” She sighed wistfully and shook her head.  “Sorry about that, I shouldn’t have dumped my woes in your lap like that. You’ve got more than your fair share as it is, Chief.”

            “Ma’am, I am so glad I got the chance to say goodbye to you. You are an exceptional lady. I will miss both you and Doug. I hope he finds peace when he is far away from here and, perhaps, healing as well. I have a feeling that you’re getting out at the best possible time. I doubt this place will feel the same now that so many of our neighbors have left. It’s probably just my natural distrust of strangers but I suspect that the developer, the one who has been snatching up every piece of property he can get his hands on, has his own agenda. Somehow, I doubt it is the preservation of our community that he cares about so I think you’re probably better off in Vermont. It might break your heart to see what becomes of our once-beautiful community when it’s all said and done.”

Rose hugged the chief again and brushed a lone tear from her wrinkled cheek when he took Doug’s hand and shook it one last time.  

***Be sure to return Monday, May  19th for the next installment of Ocean***

Ocean- Part 34

The housekeeper’s scream faded and her face paled. Chief Grady managed to catch her before her body collapsed to the floor in a terror-driven faint.  He carried her to the nearby living room and set her down on an overstuffed recliner before bringing her a glass of water.  A few seconds later, her eyelids fluttered open and she gasped.

            “Shh, you’re okay. Here, have a sip of water.” Grady said as he pressed the glass into her trembling hands.  “Feeling a little better now, Miss, um; I apologize, I don’t know your name.”

            “Kramer, Alicia Kramer. Thanks, I’ve never been the fainting type before but my body has been doing strange things since this little one became a part of me.” She patted her barely-showing baby bump and smiled.

            “That’s completely understandable. My wife said she experienced all sorts of new and strange physical reactions while she was pregnant. Most of them were good but morning sickness and raging emotions….not so much.” Grady laughed. “Ms. Kramer, or may I call you Alice? I mean Alicia…sorry about that. Please, stay here and recover. We’ll need to get a statement from you but that can wait until after I deal with the kitchen. Would you mind waiting until one of my deputies gets here?”

            “Not at all.”

Grady used his cell phone to call the station. The line rang and rang, setting his temper aflame.  Three rings, that’s supposed to be the max. They all know it, so why isn’t anyone answering? Six, seven, eight, where the heck are they?

            “It’s about time,” Grady snarled into the phone when Barker finally answered on the tenth ring.  “What the heck is going on over there? I take one morning off and this is what happens?”

            “Sorry, Chief,” Barker replied once he could get a word in after his boss’ rant. “Kline and I are a bit rusty on the switchboard.”

            “Why are you two on the switchboard? Where’s Francine?”

            “Yeah, about that,” Barker sighed. “She quit. She walked in this morning and dropped a resignation letter on your desk and walked out. Needless to say, I was pretty pissed off so I called her cell and she was out in the parking lot, bawling. Chuck found another job so he sold their house without even consulting her. He told her if she didn’t leave with him right now their marriage was over. He said he couldn’t deal with the death and the stench from the beach anymore. She said she couldn’t bear to face you so she took advantage of your morning off. Speaking of, what are you doing up so early? I thought you said you were going to sleep until noon.”

            “Well, it seems that some folks know my home number.  Listen, I need one of you to meet me over at Mayor Farmington’s house ASAP.”

            “Everything okay?”

            “No, it’s not even remotely okay so make it quick, okay?”

            “You’ve got it, Chief! I’m on my way.”

With Alicia resting and Barker on the way, Chief Grady walked back to the kitchen to get started.  He began by taking pictures: First, the nearly-empty bottle of Scotch and a completely empty bottle of Valium on the kitchen counter. *click* The pool of blood surrounding Dale Farmington’s body like a morbid antithesis to the snow angel.  *click* The blood-soaked antique rifle that used to hang on the wall in Dale’s office which was now resting across the deceased’s feet. *click* The wall, sliding glass door and parts of the kitchen island now splattered with gore, brain matter, and bits of bone fragments. *click* *click* *click* 

    Moments later, Deputy Barker arrived on the scene, glad to be rid of the dreaded switchboard.  He’d naively assumed that the Mayor was filing a complaint about his neighbors or a noise ordinance violation since those were the norm with the Mayor Farmington. He was shocked to see the former mayor sprawled across his kitchen floor with a flap blown out of the side of his head.

            “Whoa! That is not what I was expecting when you told me to get over here.” Barker gasped.  Regaining his composure, he whispered, “It looks self-imposed…Do you think it’s a set up or did this have something to do with his wife’s interview?”

            “I’m not one hundred percent sure but I’m going to need your help after you take a statement from Ms. Kramer. She’s in the living room, recovering. She was the first one in and had a little fainting spell. Not that it matters but she’s pregnant so just go nice and easy with her, okay?”

            “Anything you say, boss.”

After giving her statement, Alicia Kramer was permitted to leave with the understanding that she was prohibited from discussing anything that she’d seen since there was a full investigation underway. She thanked Chief Grady for his kindness and scurried out before anyone changed their minds and made her clean up the mess in the kitchen. Though she would never have wished Dale Farmington ill will, Alicia was glad she wouldn’t have to wear that stupid uniform anymore. 

     Once the body was removed and the cleaning lady was long gone, Chief Grady and Deputy Barker tagged the former mayor’s laptop as evidence.

            “Once you get back to the station, I’d like you and Kline to see if you can get inside this thing. We’re going to need access to his emails and, if possible, any social media sites. I’m going to stop over and have a chat with his secretary, Marsha. She’s the one that called me. She said he’d sent out some sort of letter of resignation last night so I want to get a copy of it from her. After that, I guess I need to stop by the hospital. Someone needs to notify Sylvia Farmington and I guess it ought to come from me…even though I wish it didn’t!”

            “So much for your morning off, huh?” Barker sighed, resting a sympathetic hand on Grady’s shoulder.  “I’m gonna spend a few minutes digging around in his office before heading back to the station. Guys like him usually have a list of log on names and passwords written down somewhere. It’ll make our job easier if we’ve got those first.”