Silenced Justice: A Josh Williams Novel (5 page)

Chapter 9

Monday, August 24, 2009

11:45 AM

Fort Myers Beach, Florida

The Southwest Airlines flight began its approach to the Fort Myers International Airport. Josh looked up from his iPad. Keira was asleep, lying against his shoulder. Josh nudged her. She opened her eyes.

"Time to stop snoring and put your seat up," Josh said.

"I do not snore," Keira answered, stretching as she adjusted the seat.

"I bet the people in the row behind us would disagree," Josh said, smiling and taking her hand.

"Are we there yet?"

"Just about, I got an email message from Sergeant Calise. He sent me his address, wanted to know when we'd be there."

"Did he ask what it was about?" Keira asked.

"Nope, just said he'd be there all day."

"Hmm, you'd think he'd be curious."

"You would, wouldn't you?" Josh answered. "Oh, and I got a picture from Chris. She took Cassidy to Barrington beach. Look," turning his iPad for Keira to see.

"Oh my god, she's covered in seaweed and sand," Keira said, hand over her mouth. "It will never come out of her fur."
Keira smiled and shook her head.

The plane landed, taxied to the gate, and the flight attendant opened the door, jumping out of the way.

Josh and Keira watched as the twenty-seven people who boarded by wheelchairs could retrieve overhead bags and walk from the plane. Known as the
Miracle of the Jetway
, it is the best therapy in the world.

They followed the miraculously healed from the plane, and then found the rental car counter. After getting the car, they headed to Fort Myers Beach.

* * *

Driving across the San Carlos Bridge gave them a spectacular view of the beach and island. Fort Myers Beach is a mix of hotels, motels, condos, houses, beach bars, restaurants, and businesses.

Some of it is the redneck heaven of vacation spots, some of it quiet and reserved.

Jimmy Calise lived alone in a mobile home just outside the area known as Times Square. Josh pulled into the lot and followed the directions to a small, rundown, faded white, rusting trailer.

The front of the trailer overlooked the beach; but the torn awning drooping over the windows blocked the view.

Parked next to the trailer was a 1987 Chevy with RI plates. The car was as rusted as the trailer. It hadn't been in Rhode Island in a long time.

Parking next to the Chevy, Josh started to get out of the car. "You want to come in with me?" he asked.

"Nah, I'll go walk on the beach. I saw a coffee shop just as we came over the bridge. If you finish first, come get me there. Or I'll just walk back here."

Josh walked to the door of the trailer, watching as Keira strode down to the beach.

Knocking on the door, he heard a voice from inside. "Come on in, Lieutenant."

Josh opened the door and walked in. The inside of the trailer was beautiful; handmade hardwood table and chairs, some oil paintings of the beach, spotless kitchen.

Seeing the reaction, Jimmy Calise said. "I keep the inside nice and let the outside look like shit. Keeps my tax appraisal down. I don't go out much anyway."

Josh nodded. "Smart, I guess. Nice location though, right on the beach."

"It’s a pain in season. Too many drunks on the beach and traffic sucks. Not that I drive anywhere much."

"Ah, yeah. I saw the car."

"It runs great. I just use it to go to the liquor store and for food shopping. Speaking of which, you want a drink?" pouring himself a water glass full of rum.

"No thanks, little early for me," Josh replied.

"Used to be for me, I got used to it. Suit yourself," taking a seat on one of the stools near the kitchen counter. He did not offer Josh a seat. "So what can I do for you, Lieutenant? I've been gone a long time."

"Josh, please, call me Josh. This isn't anything official. Just doing a favor for a friend."

"Must be a good friend to travel all this way," raising his glass, “So, ask away," his eyes studied Josh’s face.

"Do you remember a case, a rape murder investigation, suspect was a guy named Darnell Grey?"

Josh saw the recognition in Calise; eyes squinting, jaw clenched.
He remembers and he didn’t expect this.

"Yeah, I know the case. Guy raped four women and killed one. What about it?"

"He was killed in prison, couple of weeks after he got locked up. Did you know that?"

"Everybody knew that. Hell, it was the fastest way to deal with the bastard," dropping his eyes to his glass. "Should happen more often."

"Was there anything about the case that, well, wasn't right?" Josh watched for more reaction.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Calise studied Josh for a long moment, "There were always things that weren't right. Witnesses aren't worth shit, can't talk to the suspect without his lawyer, no case was ever perfect."

"But with this one, anything you can think of might help."

"What are you looking for? Why ask about ancient history?" Calise asked, pouring more rum into the glass.

"Grey had a daughter; she wants to know if her father did this. She just wants to know the truth."

"Well, I guess I can understand that. But I don't know how I can help. I was on the job just a few years then. My role was to keep my mouth shut and learn," taking another drink. "That's what I did."

Josh looked past Calise and saw a frame with a Ranger Battalion Emblem and Ranger Tabs.

"Were you a Ranger?" Josh asked.

"101st."

"Did you know Grey was in the 1st Cavalry at Ia Drang Valley in 1965?"

Calise glanced at the picture frame, "No, I didn't…not a good place to be."

"Look, this isn't going to go anywhere except to satisfy his daughter's curiosity. Nobody's gonna get jammed up. She just wants to know the truth."

Calise took a drink and looked into the glass. "Let's just say you should check the lineup reports," looking up at Josh.

"You mean report? There was only one lineup."

A sad smile came across Calise. "That's all I got Lieutenant, all I got…"

Josh walked over and put out his hand. Calise raised his glass, but made no effort to shake Josh’s hand.

Josh went to the door, "Thanks, Sarge. I appreciate your taking the time to see me. There is one more thing."

Calise, half listening, lost in the enigma of remembering and regret, looked up.

"Why would Fatso Bellofatto tell me to come see you?"

Calise eyes narrowed as he fixed Josh in a menacing glare. "You know what used to piss us off? The Rhode Island State Police." The words were deliberate and angry, if slurred.

Josh saw the alcohol fueled rage in Calise's bloodshot eyes.

"They'd come in and arrest a bunch of seventy-five year old men. Then claim they'd taken down a multimillion dollar gambling operation. The lifeblood of organized crime my ass. Half the guys they arrested had holes in their pants. Then they'd leave the rest of the shit in the city for us to clean up,” waving his hand around the room, “You know, like the gangs, drugs, shootings, robberies. It was all bullshit," slamming his glass on the table, rum splashing out.

He refilled the glass, tossing the now empty bottle into the trash.

Taking another long drink, his eyes bored into Josh. "Guys like Bellofatto cared more about the streets being safe then they did. He helped us out when we needed it. Never about his business, of course, but he heard things in places we couldn't go. I got to know the guy; I knew he was in prison when Grey was killed. I talked to him about it. He told me not to worry; the mulignan got what he deserved."

Looking to defuse the tension, Josh said, "I understand. The street isn't always black and white is it? Thanks, Sarge," turning to the door.

"Wait a minute…"

Josh turned back.

Calise, his head down, appeared drained. "You got the case file?" he asked. "Our case file?"

Josh shook his head, "Not yet."

"Well, you'll find this out sooner or later…" Calise stood, walked past Josh, and went outside to the beach. Josh followed.

"This is why I live here, you know. This is my front window on the world," gesturing to the Gulf of Mexico, overlooking Sanibel Island.

Josh looked out at the water. It was a beautiful view.

"I was the one that grabbed him."

Josh turned and looked at Calise. "You were the arresting officer?"

"Yeah, working the East Side near the Pawtucket line. We got the call for a suspicious auto. As we pulled up, we saw the guy dump the body in the river and run," Calise took another drink. "I went after him and caught him."

"So you had him in view the whole time?"

Calise, his eyes red and brimming from the alcohol, looked at Josh. "That's what the report says."

"Is it what you say?" Josh asked.

"In the parlance of police work at the time, I observed the suspect run and apprehended him." A sad smile crossing Calise's face.

Josh waited a moment. "Who wrote the report?"

Calise, unsteady on his feet, tried to refocus his eyes on Josh. "It was a team effort. The arrest got me bumped to detectives," turning away. "Now that is all I got, Lieutenant. Take care," heading back to the trailer.

Josh watched him stagger away.

"Lieutenant," Calise said, over his shoulder, "don't bother trying to come back another time. When I said that's all I got, that is all I got. I'm done with this," disappearing inside, slamming the door behind him.

Josh turned to the beach and saw Keira walking towards him.

"So, how'd it go?"

"Not too bad, didn't give me much. Said we should check the lineup report. He made it sound like there was more than one report. And…"

Keira raised her eyebrows, "I thought there was only one lineup?"

"So did I."

"What else did he tell you?" Keira continued.

"He was the arresting officer. Said his report was a team effort. Someone coached him to make the arrest more solid. It got him transferred to detectives, a reward of sorts. They massaged the report to make it better."

"There's a shock," she answered.

"Let's take a walk," Josh said.

"Why, you are just full of surprises, aren't you Mr. Williams?"

Taking Keira's hand, they walked along the water's edge. After a mile or so, they came to a small bench near a beach access point. Josh pointed at the sign on the bench. "So who do you think Harry Gottlieb is?"

Keira smiled, "Says he's the Fort Myers Beach Director of Sunsets. Sounds like a great job."

They sat down, enjoying the warmth of the sun. Josh put his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Josh remained quiet for some time, staring at the water. Keira looked up and said. "What's wrong? I can tell there's something bothering you."

Josh smiled, pulled her closer, his arm tightening around her. "It's nothing, just thinking."

Keira sat up, turning to face him, "You? Thinking? Now I know something is up," she laughed. "Okay, out with it. Or we spend the next five days sitting here until you talk."

    Josh started to speak, paused a moment, looking back out to the ocean. "It's nothing. Just bothered by the way things were back then. I wonder if it has changed all that much."

"Of course it has changed," Keira said, taking both his hands in hers. "Your reopening this case shows it is different now. It's not perfect. They'll always be cops with attitudes, the sole arbiters of justice as they see it, willing to ignore the truth. But not you and not most of the people on the department."

She pulled Josh to his feet, "Come on, let's walk some more," wrapping her arm around his. "Listen to me. I know I am always ranting and raving about the injustices I see; but I know they are the exceptions to the rule. Doesn't make them any less evil, or me any less determined to bring them to light, but I realize they are not representative of most cops. Cops like you.

"Your willingness to search for the truth gives me hope. Things have changed. As long as there are people like you, Chris, Chief Brennan, and others it will continue to get better. I know it will."

"And you," Josh said, pulling her to him, kissing her, holding the embrace. "I may not always like what you do, but I always respect your courage and determination. I hate to admit this, but we need more people like you holding our feet to the fire."

Keira smiled, "Why, Mr. Williams I do believe you are trying to seduce me."

"Is it working?" Josh said, returning the look.

"Indeed it is, Mr. Williams. Indeed it is."

"So, now what? Where would you like to go? I'll take you wherever you want," Josh said, kissing the top of her head.

"Why don't we just find a place to stay, lay on the beach, go out to dinner, and just forget about the rest of the world for a few days?"