Black Forest, Denver Cereal Volume 5 Read online

  Katy, Paddie, and Noelle were sitting in a row at the kitchen table.

  “Not at all,” Delphie said. “We’re making get well cards for Paddie’s mommy, Jacob…”

  “And my Mom,” Noelle beamed.

  “And Sandy,” Delphie said.

  “And baby Rachel,” Valerie said.

  “Mommy, look at mine!” Katy jumped up to show Jill her crayon drawn cards. Jill took the card from Katy and ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’.

  “Neither Sam nor Mike took a call from Colin,” Jill said under her breath to Delphie. “Did you?”

  Delphie shook her head.

  “You think it was…” Jill started

  “The creature?” Delphie asked. “Yes, it lured the children here.”

  Jill put her hands on Katy and then put them on Paddie. For good measure, she checked Noelle. She shook her head. It hadn’t affected them.

  “What would it want with the children?” Jill asked.

  “What indeed,” Delphie said.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Monday evening — 5:45 P.M.

  “You’re sure he’s here?” Heather asked.

  Tanesha and Heather were sitting in plastic chairs on either side of Sandy’s wheel chair. Heather held Mack on her lap. They were sitting just outside the hospital’s surgery center.

  “He’s right there,” Tanesha said.

  From their position across the wide, busy hallway, they watched Dr. Cas Morgan come out of surgery and walk down the hall.

  “He’s definitely cute,” Heather said.

  “Cute and feisty,” Sandy pointed to Dr. Morgan talking to a nurse.

  “What do you think?” Tanesha asked.

  “Still feel the stomach punch?” Heather asked.

  Tanesha nodded.

  “I can’t tell if that’s good or bad,” Sandy said. “Did you ask Delphie?”

  “No, I did not ask that woman,” Tanesha said.

  “Didn’t want to know,” Heather said.

  They laughed. They watched Dr. Morgan walk down the hall.

  “Are you talking about that guy?” Ava asked. “Dr. Cas Morgan?”

  The three women turned to look at the young woman. She was watching Dr. Morgan. She was tall, thin, with a Denver Police badge on her belt. She wore a dark blue jacket with “Crime Scene Forensics” stenciled on the back over her long sleeved T-shirt. Her long dark hair was pulled back in an efficient ponytail. The women looked at each other.

  “Do you know him?” Sandy asked.

  Ava’s head jerked to look at Sandy. She glanced at Heather and Tanesha.

  “Oh sorry,” Ava said. “I’m Amelie. You’ve probably heard Seth call me Ava. He asked me to stop by to bring Sandy a CD on my way into work. And… I couldn’t help but overhear and…”

  “Heather,” Heather stood up to shake Ava’s hand. “This is Mack.”

  “Tanesha.” Tanesha followed suit. “Sandy can’t really get up. She’s supposed to be resting.”

  Sandy waved to Ava.

  “Do you know Dr. Morgan?” Sandy asked.

  “I know of him,” Ava said. “Some hotshot big wig at Homeland Security ordered a DNA through the CBI. I was coming here to get Seth, so I offered to take it. I spent about three minutes with him, Dr. Morgan. He complained. A lot. Fascist state, stuff like that. But his immigration is on the line, so he had to give a sample.”

  “DNA?” Heather asked.

  “Listen, I feel really awkward,” Ava said. “I’m sure you think Seth and I…”

  “We aren’t people who judge love,” Sandy said.

  “We’ve known Seth a long time and like him a lot,” Heather added.

  “Don’t feel awkward,” Tanesha said. “We’re acting weird because we’re trying to mind warp you into telling us all you know.”

  “About Morgan,” Ava said. “What I know… Um, he’s married, five kids… They aren’t here. They’re supposed to come here as soon as he gets right with immigration. I guess. Mostly…”

  Ava’s voice trailed off.

  “I don’t know how to say it,” Ava said.

  The women were silent while they watched Ava think.

  “Mostly, he’s not who or what he says he is,” Ava said.

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY-EIGHT

  Deniability

  Monday evening — 6:15 P.M.

  “Thanks for the push,” Sandy said. She turned around to look at Ava. “The kids are probably waiting for me in my room.”

  “Easy,” Ava pushed Sandy’s wheelchair down the hospital hall. “I wanted the chance to talk to you anyway.”

  “Yeah, we figured,” Sandy said.

  “We?”

  “Me, Heather and Tanesha,” Sandy said.

  Ava nodded.

  “Turn here,” Sandy said. “We have to take that elevator.”

  Ava pushed the up button and went back to her position behind Sandy’s chair.

  “You wanted to talk to me?” Sandy asked.

  “I do,” Ava said.

  “About Seth?” Sandy asked.

  “About Seth,” Ava said.

  The elevator bell rang and Ava rolled Sandy into the elevator. A family ran up to get on the elevator.

  “I’m sorry,” Ava said. “Police business.”

  The man and women caught their children before they entered the elevator. Their shocked faces took in Sandy and Ava. Sandy laughed when the elevator doors closed.

  “Seth is a police detective,” Ava smiled. “It’s police business.”

  “What’s going on?” Sandy asked.

  “You’re Seth’s only real family,” Ava said.

  “Sissy and Charlie too,” Sandy said.

  “You’re the only person I’ve found who knows him at all,” Ava said. “Like what’s on the CD?”

  “You know Seth writes music,” Sandy said.

  “I learned that this morning,” Ava said.

  “He writes a sonata or a concerto when he’s working on a big case. Every once in a great while he writes a symphony. He finishes the bulk of the writing while he’s working a case and then works the piece until he’s ready to start a new one. I assume this case is heating up enough for him to start a new project.”

  “He didn’t sleep last night,” Ava said.

  “He’s starting a new project,” Sandy said. “He won’t sleep much until the case is done. Anyway, the CD is his latest completed piece. He gives them to me to see what I think. I listen and send them on to his agent.”

  “His agent?” Ava asked.

  “Seth’s work is amazing,” Sandy said. “He’s in such demand that there will be buzz for weeks prior to the piece going on the block. This is the first piece in… maybe a year.”

  “On the block?” Ava asked.

  “For auction,” Sandy said. “They auction the rights for movies or whatever. It’s a big event. You’ll have to ask Seth if he’ll take you. I always go, of course.”

  “Auction?”

  “This piece is highly anticipated because he worked with a cellist. There’s hope it’s a symphony for a whole orchestra.”

  “A cellist?” Ava asked.

  “You know, you’re repeating what I say,” Sandy said.

  “Oh, sorry,” Ava said. “I just don’t know anything and I want to know everything.”

  “He dated a cellist for a while,” Sandy said.

  “Is he dating her now?” Ava asked.

  “He wouldn’t be dating you if he was dating her,” Sandy said. “Seth’s a lot of things but he can’t handle more than one woman at a time. Except Maresol and me. But we don’t really count.”

  The door opened and Ava wheeled Sandy off the elevator.

  “Why don’t we find a place to talk?” Sandy asked. “The kids can wait for a few minutes. I bet you didn’t come all this way to talk about Seth’s music or his auction.”

  Ava pushed Sandy into a small empty waiting area just off the elevator landing.

  “Does Seth make a lot of money sellin
g music?” Ava asked.

  “Yes,” Sandy said. “So does everyone involved – his agent, his publicist, the Colorado Symphony. Seth has an incredible talent.”

  “He played for me this morning,” Ava said. “I…”

  “It’s hard to believe,” Sandy said. “Is that what you wanted to ask?”

  “Yes,” Ava said. “Well, no…”

  Ava’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to make a decision.

  “You really like him,” Sandy said.

  “I really like him,” Ava said. “Really. He’s almost three times my age.”

  “You’re…?”

  “Twenty-three,” Ava said.

  “Seth’s fifty-eight,” Sandy said. “That’s not three times.”

  “More than twice my age,” Ava said.

  “And?”

  “I like everything about him. Even before I knew about the music or the house or… the money… He’s funny… incredible in bed. He really listens to me… remembers what I say. When we’re alone, it’s like I’m the center of his world. I feel like I could spend my life with him but…”

  “He’s not going there again,” Sandy said.

  “Why?” Ava asked.

  “We don’t have time for the why,” Sandy said. “What do you really want to know?”

  “Ex-wives,” Ava said. “I want to know about his ex-wives.”

  “Short answer or long answer?”

  “I have to get to work and your kids are waiting for you,” Ava said.

  “Short answer for now,” Sandy said. “Seth’s first wife only wanted him for his parent’s money. But his parents disowned him for being a cop.”

  “But…”

  “The house?” Sandy asked. “That’s part of the long story. The first wife had a couple of girls and then divorced him. She thought she’d get a large settlement but his father had just disowned him. She got half the rights to some of his work, not chump change but not what she thought she deserved. I didn’t know Seth when he was married to her. So I only know what he says and what my Dad used to say.”

  “His daughter is in town?” Ava asked.

  “Lizzie, his oldest,” Sandy said. “She’s a little younger than you are. She’s staying at my apartment to ‘get to know her Dad.’ That’s what she told me but she hasn’t spent any time with him.”

  “I guess I knew that,” Ava said. “Seth’s called her a bunch of times but she doesn’t return his calls.”

  Sandy nodded.

  “He says my ex-wives.”

  “His second wife is a little different,” Sandy said. “It’s a very sad story. You sure you want to hear it?”

  Ava nodded as if she was prepared.

  “You know Seth and my Dad worked vice,” Sandy said.

  “And got addicted to drugs… alcohol,” Ava nodded.

  “Right,” Sandy said. “Seth met Bonita while he was high. They got married while he was high. He wasn’t writing music then.”

  “Because he was high,” Ava said.

  “Mostly because he wasn’t working out big puzzles,” Sandy said.

  “Like murder,” Ava said.

  “Right,” Sandy said. “Anyway, Bonita and Seth had two boys in two years – Pablo and Gabriel. After Gabriel was born, Seth decided to get clean. He wanted to be a detective, my Dad was already sober and… Gabriel was special… musical. He would fiddle with the piano keys. Seth cleaned up his act, started running, and playing the piano again. Of course, he and Dad made detective, no problem. But Bonita was an alcoholic. Things didn’t go so well.”

  “It doesn’t sound good,” Ava said.

  “They lived in this tiny house in the Highlands,” Sandy said. “Seth and Dad got their first big case and Seth stopped sleeping. He was either writing music or working. Bonita was furious. Seth was just gone and she…”

  “Felt abandoned?” Ava asked.

  “Mostly, she didn’t like his work affecting her drinking time,” Sandy shrugged. “I don’t know that for sure. I just think that. Seth stopped playing the piano at home.”

  “Where did he play?” Ava asked.

  “The posh places are the Brown Palace or the Burnsley. He tries out classical music there,” Sandy said. “But when he’s stuck and can’t think of what’s next, he plays at Charlie Browns.”

  “The dive bar?”

  “He loves to play the sing-a-long,” Sandy said. “There isn’t a piano player in town who won’t just move over when Seth shows up.”

  “Seth’s good,” Ava said.

  “Seth’s really good and doesn’t take the tips,” Sandy said. “It’s a great deal for the piano players.”

  “You were talking about Bonita?” Ava asked.

  “Bonita got drunk one night and went to find him. The kids were in the car. It was dumping snow. She ran the light at Broadway and was hit by an 18 wheeler. She and Pablo died at the scene. She was eight months pregnant. They tried to deliver the baby but he didn’t make it. Gabriel hung on for about a week.”

  Ava blinked back the sorrow she felt for Seth and his family.

  “Seth never got over it. He blames himself,” Sandy said. “It nearly killed him. For a while, Dad and I weren’t sure he would make it. He vowed to never marry or have kids again. So, no matter how much he likes you, he won’t make it permanent.”

  Ava’s head went up and down in a nod.

  “You should just enjoy your time with him,” Sandy said. “He’ll treat you well. You’ll have a lot of fun, eat a lot of donuts. But prepare yourself, some day it will end. It does with everyone.”

  “Everyone except you,” Ava said.

  “And Maresol,” Sandy said. “Maresol is Bonita’s mother. But we’re not his lovers.”

  “Sandy?” Aden’s voice came down the hall. “I hear her voice…”

  “I have to go,” Sandy said. “Feel free to come by. I’m here until I’m better. It will be a while. I’d like to get to know you.”

  “That’s nice of you,” Ava said. “Especially since…”

  “Enjoy yourself,” Sandy said. “Really. Soak it up. He’ll give you everything you ever dreamed of.”

  “Except marriage… children,” Ava said.

  “Except what he can’t give,” Sandy said.

  “There you are,” Aden said. He leaned down to kiss her. “I was getting worried.”

  “It’s my fault,” Ava said.

  “Have you met, Ava?” Sandy asked.

  “At the mansion,” Aden said.

  “Nice to see you again,” Ava smiled. “I need to get to work.”

  Impulsively, Ava leaned down to hug Sandy. She whispered, ‘thanks’ and took a hasty retreat to the stairs. Ava made it to the first floor before she started to cry. Through blurry eyes, she ran to her car. Sitting in her warm car, Ava cried for Bonita, Pablo, Gabriel, and the unborn baby. She started her car when her phone rang. Wiping her face with her hand, she confirmed that she was on her way in. Turning the corner onto Seventeenth Avenue, she vowed to enjoy her time with Seth as if each day was a gift. By the time she reached the downtown station, Ava was back in control.

  For now.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Monday night — 8:15 P.M.

  “You have to come get me,” Razor whispered into Charlie’s disposable phone.

  “Where are you?” Charlie asked.

  Charlie set down his hand of cards. He stood up from the poker game he was playing with Nash and Teddy on the floor of his room. Leaving Nash and Teddy to argue over who won, Charlie went out into the hall of the apartment over Sandy’s salon.

  “You know where,” Razor whispered. “He’s going to kill me. I just know it.”

  “Okay, okay,” Charlie said. “I’m going to get some help. Hang on.”

  “I’m hanging either way,” Razor said. “Ah shit…”

  Charlie’s phone cut out.

  “Razor?!” Charlie looked at the disposable phone. It was out of minutes. He threw the phone against the wall. “Fuck!”


  Hearing Charlie, Pete came running from the kitchen. Nash and Teddy stuck their heads out the door.

  “What is it?” Pete asked.

  “I have to go out,” Charlie said. “I need…”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Pete said.

  “I have to go,” Charlie said. “Razor…”

  “You’re not going out in the middle of the night to see your drug buddies,” Pete said.

  “God damn it!” Charlie yelled.

  Charlie jumped up and down with anger. Unimpressed, Pete scowled at him.

  “You’re not listening to me!” Charlie screamed. “I have to go!”

  “I’m not hearing anything worth listening to,” Pete crossed his arms.

  “Okay fine. I wasn’t exactly honest with Uncle Seth,” Charlie said. “I know I should have been but I wasn’t. Now, Razor’s in trouble.”

  “Drugs or alcohol.”

  “Murderer trouble,” Charlie said.

  “Murderer?” Pete asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “I need to call my Uncle Seth and Aden and…”

  Collapsing into himself, Charlie fell against the wall. He looked up at the ceiling.

  “What is it?” Pete asked.

  “Have you ever had the feeling that you totally and completely screwed up but you didn’t really know you were screwing up when you were screwing up?” Charlie asked.

  “Yes,” Pete said. “I’ve felt like that.”

  “I really screwed up, Pete,” Charlie said. “You have to help me. Razor’s my best friend and…”

  “And he’s high?”

  “The guy hung him,” Charlie said.

  “What guy?” Pete asked. “You’re not making any sense.”

  “The guy, the murderer guy,” Charlie said. “The one Uncle Seth has been looking for.”

  Pete looked at Charlie as if he’d lost his mind.

  “Call Aden,” Charlie said. “Call him now.”

  “You need to settle down,” Pete said. “If there’s anything here, the adults will take care of it.”

  “They can’t,” Charlie screamed “I have to.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you can’t get in,” Charlie said. “Only I can and now Razor’s going to die and…”

  “Okay, okay,” Pete said. “I’ll call Aden. But you’re not going anywhere until I talk to Aden.”