The Guardian at the Gate - Book I - Chapter 3 – Big Joe

The Guardian at the Gate - Book I - Chapter 3 – Big Joe

 

            Big Joe was sitting at his desk when Kody walked into his office.  He was halfway through the doorway when he stopped and lightly tapped at the door. “You said you wanted to see me Big Joe? You got time now or should I come back?”

            Big Joe looked up at Kody and met his eyes.  He then looked at the chair sitting across from his desk.  Then he looked at Kody and then back at the report he was reading.

            Kody stepped around the chair and planted himself into the seat and laughed to himself.  How many times had he seen Big Joe give a similar look?  A look, which said what the hell you thinking son?  Sometimes I just have to wonder why boys act like such an idiots.  That look had never come at the station though.  No normally it came in Big Joe’s garage and was directed at L.J. but Kody had received it a few times himself.  If L.J. was the one who happen to do dumbs things from time to time, then his oldest friend was suppose to be talking some sense into him and stopping him from doing it.   

            Kody’s favorite Joe look came in his basement though.  It was probably of the dumbest things that L.J. had ever done, but he had to admit when the guy did dumb things he did it with style.

           

The back door slide open and Kody turned around to see Monica, and Tanya walk in.  They looked like they’d seen a ghost.  His baby brother came in next. Koy, had a smile on his face and his blue eyes sparkled with delight when he pushed the blonde hair out of his eyes.  So he wasn’t really a baby brother two years younger and getting ready to have his senior year in high school, but he would always be Kody’s baby brother. 

            “Man, L.J. is a fucking idiot.” 

            “What the happened?”  Kody said as he stood up and crushed out his cigarette and took a long pull off his Miller Lite. 

            “Well, we took your car to get Monica and Tanya?”

            “You did what?”

            “Ya, L.J. came up and said you said it was cool for him to take the ’95 Camaro.  You’d just let me and Slimy take it to pick up our dinner, I was thinking you were just letting every give it a spin tonight.  Anyway so we took up to North Wander.”

            “Mother fucker, that is my car.  You shouldn’t just take it when you want.”

            “Hey, I was ready to take the Blazer, but he said you said we needed to pick the ladies up in style.  He said that chicks dig a convertible.  You are college men who am I to say what ladies like?  You ladies dig the convertible done ya?” He said and nodded at Monaco and Tanya. 

            Kody turned to L.J. and his latest conquests looked at them, and the looked back at his baby brother.  “So, where is L.J. now.” 

            “Um, he had to run home really quick.”  Koy said as he grabbed a beer and headed for the stairway. “Ya, he had to go home.”

            “Stop!” Kody bellowed and Koy stopped with his foot on the step.  “You come back her sit on the couch with these two and why don’t you tell me what happened and why L.J. had to go home real quick?”

            Monica spoke up at this point “He had to take shit.”  The three of them all exchanged looks and then started to laugh.  “Or at least that is what he told the cop.”

            “Cop?”  Kody’s right eyebrow raised on his forehead while the left sank inward as he stared at the trio. 

            “Ya, um we got like pulled over on the way here by the police.” Tanya added and she ran her fingers through her blonde hair.  Kody thought to himself who the fuck else would pull them over, and wanted to lash out at the blonde for being an idiot, however, he wasn’t really talking to her for the intellectual stimulation she offered.  No, not this one she would do for a bit longer. 

            “So, you motherfuckers took my car, and then you got pulled over how fucking irresponsible is that.  I will never let any of you ever back into my car.  So, how fast was he going when he got pulled over?”

            The three exchanged another set of looks.  “We promised we wouldn’t say, because L.J. knew you would be mad.” Monica said. 

            “Monica, shut up. No one asked you to speak.  Koy, tell me know how fast he was going.”  He looked hard at his baby brother.  The look was one that told his brother if he didn’t answer him and answer him fast there would be consequences.  Monica scoffed, but Kody turned his eyes on her and the look on his face shut her up quickly. He then turned his eyes back to Koy. 

            Koy giggled “110.”    

            “110 miles per hour?  And just where in the hell was we doing this, down US 41?”

            The room was silent.  No one looked at each other.  No one said a word.  Kody eyed each one of them.  He looked down, walked over to the table picked up his Camel’s and pulled one out.  He put it into the corner of his mouth and then pulled his zippo out of his shorts pocket and lite the cigarette.  He switched his beer from his right hand to his left and looked at three.  Then he turned away.  Then he turned back.  Then he threw the beer can as hard as he could up against the fireplace.  “100 and fucking ten in my car, down US 41.  Tell me you are joking?  He could have killed you guys.  Koy what the fuck where you thinking?  You let him do that?”

            “What was I gonna do, I told him no.  I can’t reach and pull the emergency break, going 110, can I?”

            The back door slide open again and Kody turned to see L.J. walk in.  He walked right past Kody and the three stooges on the couch and walk to the bar.  He went behind.  Pulled down the bottle of Jack and a shot glass. He poured himself a shot and hammered it.  “Wahooooooooooooo! Fuck.  That was intense fella’s.”

            Kody looked at L.J.  Shook his head and laughed.  “So, you finally got to drive my Camaro?  How was that?”

            “That bitch fucking halls baby!”  He poured another shot and downed it.  “Balls to the wall, I told you once, I told you a hundred times, you have to live balls to the wall or what’s the point.  That bitch can purr and well, we had to see what she can do.” 

            “She will do 130, the Phoenix is bad ass, but 110 on US 41 with my baby brother in the car.  Dude, if I did that with TK you would castrate me.”

            “Well, I know you brother, you wouldn’t do that with TK, so we don’t have to worry about that.  Look, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have taken her out so hard.  I just got a little carried away.  I mean that baby hums. I told you Phoenix was a dumb name for a car.  It needs to something like Sweet and Tender.”

            “That’s what you named your parents van.”

            “Ya because it a good name.  Or how about Rhonda, or Florida?”

            “Stop trying to name my car and tell me why the fuck you were going 110 in my car down US 41 with my baby brother in the car.  I swear to god if you tell it was because you had to shit, I am going to punch you in the face.”

            “Like you did over Geckler?”  They both laughed.  “Plus, I just told the cop I had to shit.  I didn’t really have to.”

            “And?” 

            “Well it was a county job.  So, when I passed him I just kept going.  Figured I could lose him in Connors Manor and I thought I did that is why I pulled into my driveway.”

            “Wait you ran from the cop?”  He turned and looked at the stooges on the couch.  “You didn’t tell me he ran from the cops.  You said he got pulled over.” 

            Tanya started to say something.  Kody cut her off before it came out.  “Not a word.  Really.  Not a word.”  He turned back to L.J.

            “Well, I wasn’t really running.  When, I saw the cop, I was already going 110, I figured at that point there was nothing I can do but enjoy the ride.  Plus, I had come up with a plan.”

            Kody looked at his friend.  Shook his head.  “This ought to be grand.”

            “When the cop got to my house, I was getting out of the car.  He was like hold on their son.  I grabbed my stomach and was like but officer I really got to go.  I am cramping up like terrible.  I have to shit sir, no joke.  That is why I was driving so fast.”

            So, I ran in and acted like I had to shit.  Then when I came back out the Camaro was gone and it was just the cop.

            “Ya, by that time I think he figured out two things.” Koy’s voice came from the couch.  “First that he was at the Sheriff’s house, and two that the car was register to one Doc Ransom.  He told me to drive home and drive safe.  I said yes sir and came straight home. Can I go upstairs now?  I have to call my own ladies.”  By this point, Koy had his arms around both girl’s shoulder and a grin on his face.  He looked at each one and then looked into his brother’s eyes and raised his eyebrows twice. 

Kody laughed.  “Go, tell Gina, I said hi.”

“No, tonight isn’t shower night with Gina, it’s pool night with Angie.”  He got up and looked at the girls on the couch.  “Ladies.”  His brother was such and idiot.  He pushed his long blonde locks back and headed up the stairs. 

“That aint my Gina is it?”  L.J. said.  “You know that just aint right if it is.”

“You never owned her L.J.  I am pretty sure you loved her though.  But ya, it is the one and same.”

“That son of a bitch.  Well as long as you keep your promise I guess it is ok.” He looked at Kody and Kody looked away.  “You son of bitch, you held her didn’t you.”

Kody laughed and walked over to get a beer.  He looked over at the couch.  “Not the time.” 

“All right but this conversation isn’t over.”

Kody turned to the stairs as he heard Koy coming back down them.  “Koy thought you had pool to.”

He stopped as noticed the man in the brown uniform following his brother down stairs.  Kody sat down on a barstool.  This wasn’t going to be pleasant.  This never was. 

“Well.” The man said as he twisted the Sheriff’s hat in his hands.  “Girls you ought make arrangements to go home.  I see Slimy’s truck in the drive, he can probably take you, I don’t really care, and you should just go.  Koy go sit by your brother.  The three of us are going to have a little talk.”

Kody stood up and started to speak “Big…”

“Don’t Big Joe me Kody.  What am I going to do with the three of you?  Hmm?  What the hell was he doing driving you car in the first place?  110?  Damn it.  Girl’s go.”

“Wait.”  L.J. said.  “Tanya and Monica go to Kody’s room and start a movie.  We will figure this out and then”

That is when Big Joe hit Kody and L.J. with the look.  The look they had been getting since they were ten.  The look that Kody some how knew they would be getting until they went to their graves.  The look that said so much without saying a word, the look that conveyed, anger, frustration, and disappointment. 

“Girls do what L.J. said.  Go to my room, and then I will get someone to take you home after we are down here.  But go, and go now, please.”

The girls went up the stairs chittering at each other.

Big Joe walked over to the bar and sat down.  “How stupid are you boys?  I just don’t know what to do with you? L.J. you should be in jail right now.  Anyone else would have been.  The car should be in the impound, and Koy you should be heading to juvy.  Instead, I get a call from courthouse while I am packing up at the office.  Telling me that my son has been clocked at 110 miles per hour in Kody ransom’s Camaro and what exactly should they do about it.  I wanted to tell them to take you all to jail.  But you’re my boys and well I can’t do that.”  He gave Kody and L.J.  the look again. 

“To be honest, Big Joe, I was here the whole time.  I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Well Kody that might be.  However, this is your brother, your responsibility.”  Looking at Koy.  “And that is your best friend and they both have shit for brains.  So no, you might not have been in the car, but you are as responsible as they are.  You guys do this stuff.  Its like the time I caught you guys playing tag in the Corvette’s.  You do this stupid stuff and then you try to one up one another.  It’s got to stop.  I am just real disappointed in you boys.  You know better.  Now I ought to wait her until Doc gets here and ask him what I should do with the Camaro.  What do you think he would say to that?”

“Impound it.” Koy and Kody said at the same time. 

“That before or after you guys picked you up off the floor.  You know your Daddy has no tolerance for these shenanigans.”  The brother looked at each other and then looked down. Damn Kody thought to himself, I wasn’t even there and he makes me feel guilty for it.  He is good. 

“Big Joe, what’s going on here?  What are you here for?” a voice came from behind them.  Kody turned and saw his older brother Kane walking towards him with a pretty blonde on his arm.  Kane was packing a can of Skoal in his left hand and detached himself from the blonde so that he could put in a dip.  He offered the tin to Big Joe, who accepted it packed and put in his own lipper.  “Oh nothing Kane.  Just came to see what these three yahoos were up too.  Wanted to see L.J. before I went home.  Knew he was here tonight.”

The other three boys exchanged look with each and went with it.  Though Kane was known for his own trouble making, Big Joe, knew that he took his own form of justice on his brothers and didn’t want the eldest Ransom brother to know what why he was really here.

“Koy, get Big Joe a beer.  Get me one.  He looked around at the other two and said “Get L.J. one.  Kody?”

“Beer me.”

“Hey hon. I am gonna have a beer with my brothers and their friends.  You want to show yourself out.  I will call you later.”  She leaned over and hugged him and kissed his cheek.

“Ok.” She said and headed up the back stairway.

“You remember when she was my high school English teacher.” Kody said to L.J. The men all shared a laugh. “Nice work Kane.”

Kane took the beer from Koy and opened it and sat down. 

“Hey Pop.  What did you think of Monica’s rack?”

“Which was Monica?” 

“Dark hair”

“It wasn’t to shabby.  Who was the other blonde though, was the McLaren girl?  She has really matured.”  He said and took a pull of his beer.  He shook his head and adjusted the dip in his lower jaw.  “I am too old for this shit.  Boys behave yourselves tonight.  L.J. walk me to my car.”

 

 

“Something funny son?” Kody didn’t realize he was laughing out loud.

“Ya, you old man.  I was just thinking about the old days.  When you were my best friends dad and both me and his boss.”

“Still you best friends dad.  Your boss as well, I guess.”  Big Joe looked long and hard at Kody and tossed him a report.  “Can’t believe two fuck ups like you and L.J. would turn out to be my best cops.”

“When will L.J. be back?”

“Oh, he and Monica should be back next week.  They decided to stay an extra week in Hilton Head.  Should have never bought that town house down there.  But Gari wanted it, and well.”

“What Gari wants Gari gets?  Just like when we was kids.”  Kody had to smile but then again he hadn’t read the report in his had yet.

“Ya. That is the way it is.  She is the boss.”

“Yes, sir, I’ve always known that.”  The to shared a smile and then Big Joe nodded at report.  “Mayfield and I took that one this afternoon.”

Kody scanned the report.  He looked for key words and the highlights.  Mayfield was good at giving the highlights.  He missed that.  Most of the small town folks around here couldn’t right a report for shit.  Kody, Big Joe, and L.J. had it down.  Everyone was an amateur.

“Grave robbers? In Wander?”

“Grave robbers, in Wander.”  Big Joe turned in his chair and opened his little fridge and pulled out two Coors Light. “Bite the bullet with me?”  Kody looked and help out his left hand and Big Joe tossed him a silver can.  One of the perks of the small town life though was having beers in the office.  Can’t complain about that.

“Joe all the graves were fresh?”

“Last two weeks.”

“If I look at these names, they were all Westies, right.”

“Yup, but what does that matter?”

“Well, not to be that guy, or not politically correct, but they wouldn’t necessarily have anything worth stealing.  It isn’t the most wealthy part of town.”

“Son they took body parts not things of value.”

“Well, not that people are buried with a lot of valuables these days anyway, but was thinking maybe the body parts were to cover their tracks.  Make it look like grave desecration and make off with a little money.”

“Hmmm.  That might have made sense in the 1800’s but not now.”

“Agreed.  Just trying to make some sense out of grave robbing here.”

“I know.  These are usually frat pranks.  When I was in school they made us go on panty raids, now it’s making them do stupid dumb stuff like picking up body parts to proof they love the frat.”

“Ya, didn’t they make you get in phone booth with a goat and a rubber or something?”

“It was a pig and cigar.”  The shared a laugh.

“What can you tell me about these scratch marks?”

“All over the grave sites.  Like a rabid dog dug the up or something.  You should have seen some of the claw marks on the coffins.  It don’t make no sense.”

“Claw marks? What did they look like?”

Big Joe handed him another folder.  “See for yourself.”

“Wow.  IF it was a dog it was the biggest goddamn dog I have ever seen.  They look like a cross between scratch marks and human hands.  I have never seen anything like this.  Wait…” Kody got up and walked out of the room.  Through his Door Big Joe could see Kody walking over to his desk and picking up another file.

Kody came back in and sat down.  He flipped his file and read.  We get anything back form Dirty Steve yet about the girl?”
            “He called.  Said for you to go over there.  That is why I called you in.  You got something?”

“I don’t see how I would.  I just remember some of the bruising on the girls arm.  Like she had been held down.  Could be have been something with really big hands holding her down.  Probably was.  I am jumping at shadows.  My mind is with her.  Doing anything I can do to make a connection.”

Big Joe was quiet for a long time. He took a swig of his beer and set his glasses on his desk.  Then he leaned on his elbows on is desk and moved a little closer to Kody. “Kody I have done this job for a long time, but I aint never seen anything like that little girls body.  So clean, yet hidden out in the woods. Makes no sense.”

“I hear ya Big Joe.  That is pretty messed up.  I have seen a lot of shit, haven’t done this as long as you but I specialized in murder at the bureau and I have not seen a body in the condition that we found that body in.  Like you said, so clean and disinfected, I never seen a killer to that.”

“You think we got a new kind of crazy here?  You think we have a serial killer?”

Kody looked at the man behind the desk and took a long pull off his silver can and finished the beer.  “To be honest, I don’t know what we got.  However, I don’t think we have a Serial, and I will tell you why, if you give me another beer.”

Big Joe turned to the fridge and pulled them both out number too.  “Now you got to go see Dr. Steve so this be your last one.”

“I am picking up what you are throwing down baby, just beer me.  You know I don’t drink in drive, it aint my style.  Never was, never will be.”

“Ya.” Big Joe handed over the beer.

Kody cracked open the beer took a pull.  Then set it on the desk and moved forward to rest his elbows on his knees and looked at Big Joe.

“Reason number one I don’t think we have a serial.  We only have one body.”

“One that we know of.”

“Big Joe, don’t waste my flavor here brother.  Come on.  We have one body right now.  So no matter what this one is too early to call.  However, if you will let me finish?”  He raised his right eyebrow and squinted with his left eye as to say don’t interrupt me I am an expert on this subject.  Big Joe nodded his assent. “Serial killers are sick fucks that like to leaving calling cards.  There were no call cards here.  This body was scrubbed clean. I guarantee when Dirty Steve gives us our feed back there won’t be shit on the body.  Nothing at all.  I have dealt with a lot of Serials and they all have something, something to tip their hand.  Nothing here.”

“Ok, and you got any other reason.” Big Joe said sipping his beer

  “I do.  This body was hidden. The killer who ever it was is ashamed of what happened.  The body was left off the side of the road, in the open, but not the wide open.  It was off in the bushes.  Who ever left that body out there didn’t know what they were doing with it.  They wanted to get ride of it and fast.  When they did get ride of it they covered it up and hid the kill marks.  Serial wouldn’t have done that.  Go back to reason 1, calling card.  No, we might have an all-new crazy, but until bodies start piling up lets assume we are dealing with a serial killer.  I think we are dealing with a crime of passion.  The way the body was ravage.  Who ever did it showed great anger.”

“So you think this Frame boy could have done it?”

“Frame is 130 pounds soaking wet.   I am not saying the Jenna was a big girl, she wasn’t but she was in shape.  Volleyball player right, all state athlete?  She would have beaten the shit out of Dean Frame.  I don’t think it was Frame.  Could be.  Maybe he was hopped up on something and got some type of rage.  It happens, but I don’t think so.  Frame is a weasel.  A junky and a pimple on the societies ass, not a killer.  I think he is innocent of murder.  Let’s be clear about that.  Frame is still pound scum and deserves to be in a cell.  No Frame isn’t our guy.  I will put money on that.”

“Then who, and why.  I got a dead girl in a shape neither of us has ever seen.  I want you to find this who and get the why.  It makes me angry when people die on my watch.”

“Well that is what I do for a living.  Try to find the killers and bring them to justice.  However, one thing I have learned is you really never know the why.  Even if you have all the evidence in the world, you can never get in there head and really understand why.”  He crushed his beer can and belched.  “Fuck me.  That carbonated water always gets me.”

“You making fun of my beer?”

“No, I love the bullet.  It is my favorite American beer.  Well next to PBR.  However, it is pretty thin, and I can drink lots of them.”  He smiled and sat back.  “Big Joe, I will find this guy.  I want justice for this girl.  I will also look into the graves.  Don’t worry about it, I am here now.  You can count on me.”

“I know son.  I know I can.  I am glad you are back.  These last six months have been great for us all.  It is good to have the family back.  Even if we don’t know why they are back.”

The unasked question stretched from the man behind the desk to the man in the chair.  It said a lot, yes I am glad you are home, but why are you.  What is your story?  Kody looked away from the man he had often considered his second dad and stood up.  “Big Joe, that is a story for another day.  When I am ready.  I will tell it.  For now I guess you wouldn’t be satisfied with I am just wanted to be home.”

“Kody, you hated this place your whole life, so no, wouldn’t believe that ever.  I have been doing this job to long to believe that crap.  No matter what the reason, I am glad you are home.”

Kody was staring out the door.  “Ya, home.  Me to.”  He turned to walk out.

“Kody one more thing.”

“What’s that Big Joe and if you tell me your are her for me whenever I need it and we have a chick flick moment, I am gonna punch you in the face.”

“Like you did L.J. over Geckler?”

They both laughed.  Kody looked towards the ceiling and shook his head.

“For real Kody, I need you to promise me something.  You will stop giving Alicia such a hard time.  Now I don’t know what happened to the two of you.”  Kody looked hard at Big Joe.  “Ya, Kody, I wasn’t born yesterday, I remember when you used to dote on her back in the day.”

No Kody said to himself, it’s that I don’t expect you to remember that I doted on her, but it is that you would have the nerve to say you don’t know what happened.  When you, know exactly what happened.  What happened back then, what happened to me and to L.J. and…

“Seriously Kody.  Her father did a great service to this town, and now she is.  He was good friend and she is a nice girl.  You know tourism is up 15% since she took over the paper?  You know who cares about that?”  Kody rolled his eyes. “That’s right not you, but this County does.  You know who pays your salary, that same County.  See how things work?”

            Kody just looked at Big Joe and didn’t say anything.

            “That’s right son, I am still a politician.  Sheriff is an elected position in Indiana.  You know that.  So well, sometimes we have to place nice.  What I don’t need is my best guy fighting with the press.  You here me?”

            “Yes boss, I will try to remember we are servants to the people and I will try not to fight with the tabloids.”

            “Tabloids?  Son, she is doing her job.”

            “She can do her job, come on over the last six months everything we have done has been under a microscope. Then she prints all those old urban legends and making a mock out of what we do.  I just wish, she would not be on us so hard.”

            “Well, maybe if you didn’t let her agitate you so much she wouldn’t?  You’re a smart kid and a great cop, but this for some reason she seems to be an itch you can’t scratch. So find a way to deal with it son.  She isn’t going anywhere nor is her paper.  This isn’t San Francisco, we are a small community and people are in our business.  It is just the way it is. 

            “Yes sir.”

“I am sorry Kody, one more thing.”

“Yes, boss.”  Kody turned away from the door and looked back at this boss. “Are you gonna make me play nice with another pillar of the community?”

            “No, son.  You have been back for over six months now and you still have not been out to see Uzi.  You need to do that and get it over with.”

            Kody put his hands in his jacket pockets and let out a breath and wished he could have a cigarette.  “L.J. told you?”

            “L.J. said he’d asked you to go out there with him.  But you wouldn’t.  I know it aint because you are scared to go out there.  I used to catch you out there visiting him at all hours of the night.  What changed son?  I think it is healthy for you to go out and see him.”

            What changed?  What changed Kody thought to himself?  Oh Big Joe, if you only knew.  If any of you knew.  If you only knew about Uzi, and me would you still want me here if you knew. “I just can’t right now. So much has happened, and when I am ready, I will tell you but right now, I can’t face his grave.  Nothing has changed?” Except I see him, I see him everywhere now.  I hear his song.  His song from grave, his song of the dead man. 

            Big Joe looked hard at Kody.  “You alright boy?  I didn’t mean to upset you?  I know that was tough on you boys.  Losing a friend like that.  However, I feel the anger on you and sometimes I wonder if everything you do isn’t to try and avenge him.”

            Kody was looking at the ceiling and shaking his head.  “Your right.”  He looked at Big Joe “I do need to go see Dirty Steve now though, can I do that.  Dead girl remember?  Lets deal with one murder at a time.”

            Big Joe said nothing to this.  Kody didn’t want to talk.  Not now.  Big Joe knew, just like L.J. and Kody himself knew that he would at some point.  Sometimes you just need to bring Kody along a little bit.  He shook his head, and said, “Don’t drink to much with Steve, I expect you on time tomorrow. I swear when the two of you get together you always turn up late for work.”

            “Night Big Joe.”

            “Night son.”  Big Joe watched Kody walk out and he frowned.  The Kody that came home wasn’t the same Kody that left.  He’d always been a moody boy, who could get done, but this anger was new.  Then again what had the boy seen?  If anyone knew the world could be a cold dark place it was Kody Ransom.  Uzi was just the first piece of that puzzle.  Big Joe finished his beer and called Gari, he told his wife he would be home soon, he just need to lock down the office.     

The Guardian at the Gate - Book I - Chapter 4 – Dirty Steve