Chapter 61

Agent Wilkes fbi
Master J janets new boyfriend and MMA instructor.
E. M Hawks Auto Repair Service.

Waking up with Thia in my bed was like being twenty five years old again. She looked like her mother, and god help me, she reminded me of her and those days. Of course I knew she wasn’t her mother, and when I tried to roll out of bed after only three hours of sleep, I knew I wasn’t twenty five again. I was just selfish and I knew it. I went through a few minutes of intense mental anguish wondering, if I was responsible for Thia’s current sexual identity crisis.

I gave some thought to putting the 38Colt pistol in my mouth and ending it all. I also told myself that I couldn’t do that to her. It came back to, I was such a fucking coward.

So what I did that morning was to struggle out of bed, take my pills with a glass of simi frozen chocolate milk, then slip on a sweat shirt and cargo shorts for my walk with Mikah. I took the two two mag off the night table. Then picked up my baton, crammed it a different pocket, then hooked up Mikah, and away we went. The war club in one hand and Mikah’s leash in the other. Mikah hopping a little, but she was stable because I was her forth leg on those walks. Ever since those early first days, before the neighborhood thugs learning it was a bad idea to fuck with me, I tooled up for my walks. Yeah, I had to walk on my fucked up hip with a couple of extra pounds of shit, but like the old saying went. ‘If it don’t kill me, it makes me stronger, and if it kills me what the fuck’.

Our walk was uneventful, except I had the world on my mind. I had my guilt over Thia, my anticipation of the breakup with Janet, and the half dozen messages from the FBI laying in my in box as dormant as a cornfield in January. I just did not want to turn that particular patch of shit. I know, I was full of bad metaphors and screwball opinions even back then.

It was a depressing day, even though the weather was beautiful on that late May morning. I was just in a funk because I loved Thia in so many good ways, but also in that one, not so good way. Hell I made the decision to stop beating myself up, and just do the best I could for her in the short time we spent together. The mental anguish I felt was almost debilitating. When I stepping into the parking lot of the car wash, the first thing I notice was that Thia’s car was gone. Then I noticed the Metro, and remembered that I had forgotten to ask about it.

I knew better than to turn the phone on while walking Mikah, so I waited the couple of minutes until I was inside. First I took off her ‘I’m on a walk’ rig’. Within ten second she had checked her food dish, then found her bed. Mikah waited patiently while I showered, and fixed our breakfast. I had a bran muffin and some more meds mixed with a glass of fake orange juice. She had the usual vet approved doggy breakfast.

Then and only then did I allows myself to have a cup of coffee. I sat down on the deck with the coffee to contemplate the universe, I also turned on the phone. There were a half dozen plus one message on the screen. I pulled them up in order and dealt with them one at a time.

Number one: Ed, I don’t know what you think you know, but nothing has changed. I’m going to work on the scrip at Master J’s house. I’ll touch base with you later. I need to set up a time to pick up my stuff.

Number Two: This is Special Agent Wilkes, we need to set up a meet. His voice said.

The next two were hang ups.

Number five: Ed this is Mica. We need to talk about the kids again. Call me.

Message six was a hang up.

Number seven: Sorry dad I had to get away. I have decided to see the almost shrink. I need help. This is not your fault. Call Jon, he needs to explain about the truck. I’ll call you later.

I decided not to call Agent Wilkes until I spoke to Mica. I pushed her memory number, and it went directly to message. “Leave it and I’ll call, or not.”

“It’s Ed. Maybe I’ll talk to you, if you call. Or not. Oh the FBI is ridin’ after me.”

I called to leave a message on Jon’s phone. Instead I got him. “Hey kid what up?” I asked.

“I had a friend of mine pull the Metro to your place with a chain. It rolls and the engine runs but when I put it into gear nothing happened.” he said.

“Okay, I’ll have a guy I know take a look. It’s old like me. It might need a hip replacement,” I said it with a laugh.

“You aren’t upset?” he asked.

“Nope, now after the mechanic tells me what happened, I might be. The little bitch is not an off road vehicle, even though it looks like one. I’ll let you know when it’s ready to go again,” I said.

“Okay,’ Jon said. “Are you coming to my graduation two weeks from now.

‘I promise, I will if I can. Got to go now business.,” I lied.

The mechanic I chose was calling E. M Hawks Auto Repair Service. “Hawk’s” he said simply.

“Ed Rogers, My grandson’s Metro pickup is fucked up.”

“Can you get it here,” he asked.

“I haven’t tried, but he said no,” I replied.

“You know the fee just to come listen to it, is twenty bucks,” He informed me.

“Yeah and if you open you tool box it’s more. I should have let you go to jail.” I replied.

“That good deed is null and void,” he said with a laugh. “I’m on a wheel bearing right now, but on the way to pick up a new one, I’ll stop and take a look see. You in a big hurry?”