idioms..sayings understood by native speakers part eighty seven
Larry and Joey waved as they sent off Katie, Millie and Oscar. They wanted to make a good dinner for the three when they returned from the cemetery.
"So, what do you think? I found a roast in the freezer."
"Pot roast does sound good to me. Let's get crackin... They should return in a couple of hours or so."
Joey smiled at Larry. He was always the impatient one.
"Here. Start peeling." As he handed Larry a sack of potatoes, while he pulled out the meat and put it in the microwave to defrost.
---
Jerome drove, listening to the three in the back of the big sedan.
"I know this will be hard, but whatever the message your father left you. You know he loved you very much, right." Oscar stated quietly.
Katie stared straight ahead. This old man's kindness wasn't something she wanted to hear right now.
"I know my dad loved me. He always took things on himself, thinking I would not be able to handle it." She swallowed hard. "My dad was very selfish."
"Selfish?" Millie echoed. Glancing at Oscar, with a worried look on her face. "If it is selfish not to want to worry the people you love, I guess I am not sure what love is."
Katie did not answer and stared straight ahead. Suddenly she noticed they were not heading the right way to the cemetery.
"Um, excuse me. Um, Jerome, is it? You are not heading the right way."
"Oh, I am taking a short cut. It is okay, Miss."
"Katie, don't worry. I would trust Jerome with my life. He is like a son to me." Oscar stated, patting Katie on her arm in a reassuring fashion.
---
"Understood, sir. We will be at the cemetery at ten." Scott knitted his eyebrows together.
"The old man recused himself?"
"His sister?"
"Okay. The state police will be our back up."
"It could really get tricky, sir. We have reason to believe that the Matthews are in on it."
"They did not want us to be with them. So Oscar and Millie Johanson, and Katie Hauser are coming by themselves."
"They would not change their mind, sir. Katie is the man's daughter. Steve Hauser sent the message for her. It is hopefully evidence of the organ trafficking, but who knows? I mean it could also be a good bye letter."
"Yes, sir. I understand that you now going bald."
"Yes, sir, I know that you are at your wits end."
"And the FBI will be coming. Great. Please let them know of the twins that I am working with, Deshaun and Dejuan Hopkins. I do not want to get them shot by friendly fire."
"Sir, here is the plan."
---
Deshaun pulled out a bike from the back of the old van. Scott donned in bike clothes with a bullet proof vest under his shirt and his side arm hidden under his shirt. He hopped on the bike and started to ride through the cemetery. Deshaun and Dejuan dressed in dark green overalls with the name "ACME Lawn Service on the back. They pulled out rakes, trimmers, and a mower. As they saw the black limo with heavily tinted glass pull through the open gates of In His Arms Cemetery. Scott weaved through the narrow paths running parallel to the car It stopped. Katie Hauser got out. They watched as she went to her mother's grave and found the flowers that had been delivered. She pulled out an envelop and then returned to the car...Not stopping to do anything, and not opening the envelope.
Deshaun hit the shortwave.
"Dejuan, are you feeling lucky?"
"No. Something is definitely wrong. She is as impatient a teenager as they come. She would have torn open that letter like there was no tomorrow."
They watched and saw a driver get out. He opened the door for the girl to hurry her along into it.
"I'll be damned. That is ChuckE."
"Which means...."
"They already got to them. Millie and Oscar are hostages, I bet."
"Shit."
Scott listened in and did the unthinkable. He rode straight towards the limo.
Jerome closed the door and ran around to the driver's side door as Scott yelled,
"Watch out!!!!"
Jerome went down, as Scott skidded to a halt.
"Ah, man. Are you all right?"
Jerome righted himself.
"Yeah... yeah. I think so."
"Wow. We should exchange licenses or something, don't you think?" Scott paused, hoping his nerd like ways would come forward. "I mean, you could sue me. I hit you. I was just going around you know, and I thought I had time to get by before you came around and then there you were before I could even stop. I am so sorry. Here, " getting off his bike, he helped brush the man off. As the door was open, Scott peaked in. There sat John Matthews, who arched an eyebrow at Scott.
"So, Mr. FBI agent. What are you doing here on a Sunday morning?"
"M...Mr. Matthews, is it? I was just going for a Sunday bike ride. My mom's house is not very far from here. Small world, isn't it?"
"Quite. It looks like your bike is wreaked. Can we offer you a ride?"
"A ride?" Glancing at the young teenager sitting beside the man, looking very scared.
"I wouldn't want to put you out. Besides, it is not a far walk. Take care and thankyou for the offer." He pulled back and concentrated on the driver.
"Are you sure you are okay?"
"Yes."
"Fine then, I will just be going." As he turned he saw Deshaun pushing the mower closer and no sign of Dejuan.
The window rolled down.
"Scott, you don't seem to understand. Please get in the car. Now." John held a nine mil and pointed it at the young man.
"Sir?"
"Don't Sir me. I don't believe in coincidence. You are here to investigate us. Since I don't believe in loose ends, you should get in the car."
Scott thought for a moment.
Jerome opened the passenger side door and had Scott put his hands on the frame. He frisked him and found the side arm and short wave.
"Ah, this should be interesting." John stated. "Jerome, help the man in."
Scott found himself sitting beside John Matthews. Katie on the other side, spoke up.
"You really are FBI?" She sounded truly dissappointed.
"Well, I am not really a field agent." He muttered.
Deshaun hit the short wave.
"Scott has been taken."
"I know. Get over here. I put a tracker on him. Just in case." Came the answer from Dejuan.
Deshaun watched the limousine disappear. The old van met him halfway and Deshaun hopped into the driver's seat, with Dejuan getting into the back to follow.
"Why did he climb into the limo?"
Deshaun shook his head. "He looked into the back to see who was in there. He knew she would open the envelope as soon as she had it. And when she did not, he knew something was up."
"Yeah and now we have a hostage situation to the max. A teen, an agent, and an old married couple.... no wonder I wasn't feeling lucky." He watched the scope. "Go left out of the cemetery and catch the exit on..."
Slammmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!
Dejuan went flying off the seat and landed hard.
"What the hell, Bro?"
Deshaun looked back. "I guess our back up is here."
Dejuan righted himself and looked at two marked state trooper cars, and three unmarked black SUVs surrounding them.
"Get out of the van and put your hands up."
"I thought Scott let them know we are the good guys."
"Hang on, bro. Let me link to his boss."
---
Carl sat in a dark room across from his aunt and uncle who were both bound to straight back chairs. He had a gun in his hand and was told by John to keep them here until they got back. Two of John's goons were standing outside of the door. His cell phone had been confiscated by John, in order to "keep him from temptation."
Damn, thought Carl. How am I going to get everyone out of this alive?
"Carl." Oscar whispered. "I don't care what happens to me. Get Millie out of here. She doesn't deserve any of this."
"What?" Millie hissed. "I am not going anywhere."
"Listen to me. I need you to be safe."
"You listen to me. I am not about to leave you here."
Carl looked at them.
"Guys, no one can leave here. John has his goons outside."
"How did you get mixed up in this?" Millie asked in a hushed whisper.
"Aunt Millie, my name is Matthews I wanted to find out the truth. Now, I am facing my rite of passage. I will help you.....somehow..." Remembering the conversation with John, earlier.
"It will be simple. We will hold Millie and Oscar hostage. The girl will get whatever Hauser left behind and turn it over. Then, we arrange for Millie to go into a diabetic coma. Oscar will die of a heart attack from the shock of seeing his dead wife. Katie will succumb to the stress of her dead father, and two dead foster parents. You will be apart of this, to see if you really are on our side or not." Forcing Carl to turn over his cell phone and handing him this gun, Carl figured it was empty. He pressed the clip release and it did not hold a single bullet.
"Millie, help me. What kind of insulin do you have in your purse?"
"Lispro and Glargine, why?"
"Which one is fast acting?"
"The Lispro, why?" She stared at Carl. "I have already had my coverage for today. I ate a very good breakfast."
"Do you have it with you?"
"Of course, Carl. I take it right before I eat something. It starts working in about fifteen minutes."
"That long?"
Oscar looked down at the floor. "Don't do that, Carl. You still are innocent."
Carl folded his arms, narrowing his eyes.
"I will do what needs to be done. Isn't that what the Matthews have always done?"
The door opened. Scott entered first followed by Katie, who was being escorted by John Matthews.
"Carl. We have some more guests. Please tie them up." Holding the nine mil against Katie, he nodded to the ropes on the floor.
Carl complied. He was trying to think of a plan. He had one, but it was a really poor one.
Scott sat on the floor beside Katie, wondering what the twins were doing right now.
---
"Fine. Follow us, but don't get in our way. Those people are our friends." Deshaun stated, as he took a two way radio from one of the officers. He hit the clutch and drove around the scattered cars. Turning left for the interstate.... Dejuan closed his eyes and said a little prayer...
---
"Please... I want to see what my dad left me." Katie begged.
John arched an eyebrow.
"Your dad was a great salesman. He helped to promote our business world wide, Katie. He was as involved as anyone in our organ trafficking business."
Katie knitted her brows. "I know. He wanted me to get a heart and this was the only way he could come up with one. Just read the letter... Please."
"What? Do you want to hear his justifications? You already know it." John taunted.
Carl stood up and grabbed the envelope, tearing it open.
"Uncle John, you plan on them dying here anyway. Might as well take last requests."
"Carl, sometimes you take all the fun out of life."
Carl sighed, taking a deep breath.
"Dearest Katie did,
"If you are reading this, then I did not make it. I tried every way I could to get you a heart, but I never imagined that a type O heart would be so hard to find. The doctors kept putting me off, and putting me off. I finally came across the Matthews side business.... organ trafficking. Because I understood what it meant to be waiting in line for a heart for you, I was able to promote the sales that they wanted.... trying hard not to think about how those organs were obtained. There is a key in this envelope that will open a locker at the bus station that holds all my records, sales, reciepts, everything that I have been involved in for the last two years. Please give these to the authorities. I was going to turn myself in anyway if I had survived, so since I am dead, I could care less what others think of me...as long as you live. Katie, you are my daughter. You are all I have left of your mother. You must live, work, get married and have a family. Katie, I want you to be happy. If you can achieve that, then I will have succeeded in my life. And I hope one day, you will forgive me...."
"loving you forever, your dad."
Carl's voice broke as he finished.
Katie started to cry.
"Give me a break." John muttered. He looked at his nephew.
"Get me Millie's purse."
Carl reached down and got it.
"Open it, and remove the Lispro with the needles."
Carl complied.
"Draw up a full syinge."
Carl did.
"Okay. Nephew, inject Millie with that please."
"Uncle John, I..."
"Why don't you do your own dirty work, John? I mean I am your twin sister." Millie stated in disgust.
"Millie, Millie, Millie. Runt of the family, an embarassment to us all." He leaned down and looked into Millie's eyes. "I am just putting you out of your misery.... You should thank me. I am saving you from blindness, from losing your feet, from kidney failure.... from all those complications of diabetes." He reached out and smoothed her hair.
"Don't touch her." Oscar grounded out.
John laughed. "Oscar, that is rich. You really think you are in a position to do anything?"
Scott got his hands free from Carl's bad rope tying.
John got up and stood by Carl with his gun pointing at Oscar.
"Give your aunt her shot. Or I will start by shooting Oscar and make it look like suicide over losing his dear wife."
Carl came up to Millie, with tears in his eyes
"I am sorry, Aunt Millie." And shot the 100 units into her arm.
"Good boy, Carl. Now I know you are one of us. Welcome to the family."
Carl sighed. "Uncle John, Chris said you weren't always such a cold hearted beast. He told me you had an artist's soul."
"What?? Chris doesn't know anything."
"Grandfather took all your paint supplies and canvasses. He made you burn all your paintings."
"Shut up." John stated evenly. "It was just a stupid hobby. Not fitting for a Matthews, not at all."
"And then there was that maid... Your first love... wasn't she?"
"She laughed at me when I confessed my love. But I showed her."
"And you have been showing everyone that you cannot get hurt again."
Millie spoke haltingly. "John, I saw what father did to you. It was horrible. I felt so small, and useless. I couldn't help you or anyone in our family."
"Like I would ever need help from anyone.... especially you. Father always believed what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
"I think that was meant for circumstances in life.... not for the abuse you kids went through while you were growing up. John, I have always pitied you and your brothers. Millie told me some of the things you went through."
"Shut up. I don't need some shoe salesman pitying me." John raised the butt of the gun and swung to smash it against Oscar's face.
Carl was behind John and grabbed his arm. Scott lept up and tackled John around the legs, and held on. As the gun went flying, Carl laid his weight on John's back and stretched his arm out, pulling his suit coat sleeve down, esposing his long sleeved shirt on his upper arm. He took a syringe from his pocket and stabbed his Uncle. Then pressed the plunger, he held on, and whispered.
"We only have to wait fifteen minutes, Uncle John. I hate to see you go this way, but you have left me no choice."
John struggled, "What the ... What did you do?"
"I just gave you 100 units of Lispro. You should be starting to feel a little light headed any moment."
"So you are just like the rest of them... you betrayed me. But you killed your aunt, too. So what is this, are you guys going to take over the business?"
"In a way.... we are going to make Matthews toys the best in the world."
"Bull shit." He muttered, and then he couldn't focus very well.
Millie spoke up. "John, if you struggle, you will drop your blood sugar faster... understand?"
"Millie?...you aren't dead?"
"No dear. I took about four glucose tablets, while we were waiting on you. I daresay, my sugar is quite high... but will even out when the lispro hits."
John started to feel weaker... and weaker... Scott got up and untied other three.
Millie grabbed her machine and took John's blood sugar. 37 read on the monitor. She pulled out her packet of glucose liquid. Oscar tied the ropes around John's hands and feet while Carl forced his uncle's mouth open and Millie poured it in. Carl closed it, and forced John to swallow.
Outside the room there was a yell and two hits sounding through the door, it swung open emitting the noon day light into the from. Deshaun and Dejuan walked in with their guns raised, then lowered them as they saw the hostages had been freed and John had been tied up like a Christmas turkey.
---
The Attorney General and Stanley Kutzavitch had gone through all the evidence in Steve Hauser's locker. They had sworn testimony from Carl of the conversation between the Uncles, along with the tape. They had motive, and intent... it was an air tight case. The four Matthews brothers were in lockup, away from the general population due to the nature of their business.. no one knew if a relative of one of the many victims might be an inmate. The charges of abuse for Sara Matthews had been dropped with her permission. She already filed for divorce. The charges of attempted rape for Jenny Lundstrom had also been dropped. She had no reason to pursue the case since this one seemed to carry a heavier jail sentence.
to be continued.................
