LEFT BEHIND - The Sequel, Part Twelve

"Detective Joe Carlino, please."

"Joe! It's for you!"

"Carlino!"

"This is Rachel Cory! I think I know where Carl Hutchins is hiding!"

****

"The clerk at the wig store is positive Joe's the guy who bought the grey wig, Captain." said Gary.

"And - the gun?" said Gabe.

"Lookin' back on it," said Gary, "When we started searchin' the cottage, Joe opened the door of the baby's room, but he didn't go in there. Then he went to the next room - Carl's room - and closed the door. I didn't think anythin' of it at the time, but what if he had the murder weapon in his pocket all along? He goes into the room, by himself, takes out the gun, comes out and says he found it."

"It's hard to believe that an officer with Carlino's sterling reputation could do such a thing." said Gabe. "What motive could he have had for killing Grant?"

"Grant Harrison had a knack for findin' out people's dirty secrets." said Gary, "And when he thought he had the whip hand, he was totally obnoxious. He tried to put pressure on me, once. He'd found out about me bein' a drunk, and the reason why I left my previous job -"

"Ratting out crooked cops is nothing to be ashamed of." said Gabe.

"No, it's not, no matter what some people think." said Gary, "So I told Harrison to stick it where the sun don't shine. But maybe he had somethin' on Joe."

"I think we should confront Detective Carlino." said Gabe.

"I'll get him"

Gary entered the squadroom just as Joe slammed down the phone, grabbed his coat, and ran out.

****

Joe entered Grant's suite, gun in hand. Carl was waiting for him.

"You have a key, of course." he said.

"Hands up, Hutchins!"

Carl obediently raised his hands.

Joe took a shiney object out of his pocket and tossed it onto the floor between them. Carl looked at it; it was a nickel-plated revolver.

"Pick it up!" said Joe, "Who knows - you might get lucky!"

"I think not." said Carl, "A Saturday Night Special? Anyone who knows me knows that my weapon of choice is a Glock."

"It doesn't matter." Joe shrugged, "I can put your fingerprints on it after."

"After I die while resisting arrest?" Carl suggested.

"You got it!"

"And did Grant resist arrest as well?"

"He never got the chance!" said Joe, "I popped him as soon as I came in."

Rachel, standing in the kitchen, had seen and heard everything. She looked around for something to use as a weapon; there was an iron skillet hanging on the wall; she reached for it - and was grabbed from behind, as a hand clamped over her mouth!

"Tell me, Detective," Carl was saying, "How do you square your present behaviour with the oath you took to serve and protect the people of Bay City?"

"I'm servin' and protectin' 'em by gettin' rid of you, Scumbag!" said Joe.

He raised the gun; Carl tensed himself for a spring -

"Hold it - right there - Joe!"

Gary came out of the kitchen, gun in hand, breathing heavily from having run up the back stairs, all the way to the penthouse.

"You are - under - arrest!" he panted, "Drop your - weapon!"

As Joe hesitated, he added, "Captain - McNamara -knows! It's - over!"

Joe dropped his gun. As Gary put the cuffs on him, Rachel came out of the kitchen and flung herself into Carl's arms.

"I told you I was innocent!" said Carl.

****

Later, as Joe sat in the Interrogation Room, Gabe looked at him and shook his head.

"You have the right to remain silent." he said, "You know that. But, off the record, I would like to know why. Why does an honest cop suddenly turn rogue? Was Grant blackmailing you?"

"NO!" Joe said, "Oh, he was into blackmail - and kidnappin' - and bribery -and murder - and God knows what else, but he never had nothin' on me!"

"Then, why did you kill him?"

"Because he deserved to die!" said Joe, "Because I got sick of watchin' him break the law and get away with it! Him with his money and his fancy lawyers and the judges in his pocket! He never had to face the consequences of his crimes, never! If he hadn't been richer than God, I'd have been able to put him where he belonged years ago!"

"I think I understand," said Gabe, "You were frustrated by your inability to build a case against Grant that would stand up in court."

"Every time I tried, evidence would go missing', witnesses would disappear, judges would be bribed -and that rich prick would sit there with that arrogant smirk on his face!"

"But why frame an innocent man?" Gabe wondered.

"Innocent!" Joe scoffed, "Ryan Harrison was my friend!"

"So you framed his father for a murder you committed? "said Gabe, "That makes absolutely no sense."

"Do you think I wanted Ryan's kids raised by Carl Hutchins?" said Joe, "Him and Harrison were two of a kind! With Carl out of the way, those kids would of had a chance to grow up clean!"

"And you thought you had the right to decide that?" Gabe sighed, "You used to be a good cop."

"I still am!"

"No, you're a killer."

(And self-righteous to the last :-D)

****

"I suppose you will be wanting this." said Carl, taking a miniature tape-recorder out of his pocket,"I got Detective Carlino's full confession on tape."

"You took a crazy chance, Carl." said Gary, "You could of been killed!"

"Only if he went for a head-shot." said Carl, "I'm wearing a kevlar vest."

"Could we go for a walk first?" said Carl, "I feel as though I've been shut away from fresh air for a hundred years."

****

As Carl and Rachel strolled along the waterfront, they could hear music coming from the Harbor Club: The look of love is in

"All the charges have been dropped." Gary said, "You're free to go."

"I'll drive you home." said Rachel.

They stopped in the cone of light beneath a streetlight, and looked into one another's eyes. It was snowing lightly, and snowflakes spangled Rachel's hair like diamonds. As Carl bent his head towards her, she lifted her face for his kiss. Their arms went around each other, and tightened.

Be mine tonight! /Let this be just the first/ Of so many nights like this!/ Let's take a lover's vow/ And seal it with a kiss! / I can hardly wait to hold you/ Feel my arms around you!/ How long I have waited! -

"I love you, Carl!"

"Rachel, My Love! My One True Love!"

****

When Rachel woke up the next morning, she felt a gentle hand stroking her slowly from shoulder to hip; then warm lips nuzzled her neck. She rolled over so that they were face to face.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, My Love," said Carl, "I hope you are not going to say that last night was a mistake, which you deeply regret."

"Je ne regrette rien." said Rachel.

(I regret nothing - which was the title of an Edith Piaf song)

"What many women cannot give, one woman can." Carl quoted, "She stood before me like riches that were mine.

Even then, in the dark, I was tortured, ravenous, unfree,

Ashamed, and shameful and vicious.

A man is so terrified of a strong hunger;

And this terror is the root of all cruelty.

She loved me and stood before me, looking at me."

"Who wrote that?" Rachel asked.

"D.H.Lawrence." said Carl, "There's more: I could put my face at last between her breasts,

And know that they were given forever,

That I should never starve,

Never perish;

I had eaten of the bread that satisfies

And my body's body was appeased.

There was peace and - "

"GRANDPA!" Hearing Carl's voice, Steven and Kirkland burst into the room. "Oh! Hi, Grandma!"

"Hi yourselves, Squirts!" said Rachel, glancing down to be certain that she was covered below the armpits. The boys giggled.

"Are you and Grandma getting married?" said Kirkland, adding "OW!" as Steven elbowed him in the ribs.

"That's up to Granny!" said Carl. "Well, Rachel? I had intended to propose under more romantic circumstances, but will you marry me?"

"Well, I - YES!"

The End.