Redwood Nine: Season 02 Ch. 10

"Oh yeah? You into riding, Wayne?"

"Yeah, Clay. Just 'cause I'm a cop, don't mean I don't have fun. I see you guys riding around and it looks like fun. I just don't know if I could handle it, or not."

"I bet you could ride mine. It's a smaller bike and a lot lighter than the others."

"Oh yeah? What kind you got?"

"Triumph, Daytona model. Six hundred and fifty cc's."

"Which one is that?"

"The only one that doesn't look like a real bike. The second one."

Wayne went around and looked at it, seeing the differences from the others. He never saw the sarcastic look he gave JT, for saying it wasn't a real one and needed an American motorcycle.

"Yeah, it does look a lot smaller, still don't know if I could ride it though."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I don't know how to work the things, the clutch and shifting and all that."

"Shit, Wayne, we can teach you that, it's easy. Tell you what, Buddy, if you really want to know how to ride, we'll find you the easiest bike to learn on and you can ride a bigger bike when you know how."

Unser was overwhelmed by the offer, once again, finding the outlaw bikers to be the nicest people he knew.

"You got it. I really want to ride one of these things. Like I said, it really looks like fun."

"Way better than riding a bicycle, but kind of the same. The gear shifting part is easy, once you get it figured out."

"That's the part that bothers me, Piney."

"We'll have you riding in no time, Wayne. So, hey, what's the good news you wanted to tell us?"

"Oh yeah. You know about Mar and that we put the finger on Clive Brock for the hit, but what you don't know, is that, I'm up for a promotion, because of this."

"No way! A promotion? What will you be then?"

"No idea really. Only place up from where I am now, is deputy chief, but I doubt I'm getting that job. Whatever it is, I hope it makes me more money."

"Why's that, Wayne?"

"Awww, it's nothing you guys need to worry yourselves about. Just got some problems at home to take care of now."

"Hey, you're our buddy, Wayne, of course it matters to us. What's up?"

Wayne looked at the concerned faces, knowing they were truly wanting to know.

"It's my dad. Took sick a little while back and he wasn't getting better. Doc says he has something wrong with his kidneys and they ain't working right any more. Says he has to go on this machine and get all his blood pumped through it, to clean it and stuff, 'cause the kidneys ain't doing their job right any more."

"Shit, Wayne, I'm sorry to hear that. He's going to be okay though, right?"

"Yeah, sort of I guess. Doc says there's nothing they can do to fix it, so he has to do this the rest of his life. Costs a fucking fortune too. Whatever I make from being a cop and what the trucking business pulls in, I can just make enough to pay for everything and nothing else. This promotion is going to really be a lifesaver for me."

"Hey, Wayne, you need any help or anything, just let us know. We'll do what we can to help out."

"You guys are really great guys, you know. I hear the talk at the station among the guys, about the club and how they feel about you. They don't know you, like I do. They just know the other clubs that do crime and figure you're just the same as them. I tried talking to them and saying you guys were different, but they don't care. They just want to believe what they think."

"You know we're different and that's all that matters, right?"

"Yeah, guess you're right. So, anyway, that's what I came to tell you guys. Just thought you'd like to know the hero bit is playing out like you said and I owe it all to you guys. Thanks, all of you."

Wayne was congratulated and assured that should they need them, the club was there to help. Unser got back in his cruiser and started it, looking at the bikes one more time.

"I'll let you know when I got enough guts to try out the riding thing, okay. You guys have a good day. Stay out of trouble now, okay?"

"We do our best, Wayne. Sometimes it just finds us."

"Yeah, guess it does. We'll see ya."

"See ya, Wayne. Deputy Chief Unser, I mean."

Wayne laughed at hearing it, but opined on the validity of it happening in reality, as he drove away waving out the window. As they saw him round the corner and disappear, Lenny turned to JT.

"You know JT, I don't even think he's put it together, that he's even part of it, like we are."

"Looks that way, Lenny. Guess we'll have to remind him, when that time comes and we need a favour."

The guys went back into the clubhouse, JT pondering the timing and need to inform Wayne that he was now an accomplice to their crime, by way of association and not divulging the knowledge of the kill. What did make him want to concentrate on Wayne, was the need to solidify their relationship to one of dependance. The more they could do for Wayne, the more obliged he would be to do things for them, using his pull in the station to smooth out any wrinkles life kept making for them.

"Guys, I want to do something for Wayne's dad. I want to see if we can raise some money for him, so the treatments don't bankrupt the poor guy. We have him in our pocket and can use him to take care of things, but this is something else. I see the way the people of this town look at us now, you guys seen it too. We have a chance to get them on our side more, if we look like really good guys doing something to help out a member of the community. We can get Wayne on board with it and make sure people know what it's for, so they'll be more likely to help out and put some money in the pot."

"Shit, JT, you're always working an angle, ain't you?"

"Always, Tom. One thing I'm finding about leading you guys, is that the shit lands on my shoulders to make things right. I respect every guys opinion, when it comes to voting on shit, but most of the time, I have to come up with the solutions to vote on and it isn't easy sometimes. I'm looking at this as a way to have people like us and not want to kick us out of town. If they think we're as nice as them and do good things for everyone, we look like people worth having around."

Voices sang out their understanding of where JT was going with it, seeing the need to look presentable, while conducting the illegal trade unbeknown to them, under their noses. JT was once again looked upon with admiration by his brothers, having praise heaped on him and adulation awarded to him. Clay smiled like the rest, but his mind seethed with the envy once more, seeing the magnitude of JT's leadership and his own shortcomings to ever think like him.

Once the discussion was over, JT said he had to see Marlene and figure out where she wanted to go. Wally reminded him of the real estate office and JT thanked him and said he'd stop and get a list of properties. He hugged his brothers and headed outside to his bike, while the others rolled joints and talked about their leader, sharing their feelings about him. Clay felt that was the last thing he needed to hear, or do and went to the office, pretending he had to look for something, his anger showing on his face, the moment the door closed behind him.

JT parked at the Holiday Inn and went up to Marlene's room. It felt odd not to see Wayne, or another officer stationed out front, then remembered there was no more need for protection. JT rapped the door with his knuckles and walked in, never expecting what met his eyes. He stood looking directly into the bedroom area and saw Marlene standing there naked, listening to the radio, as she applied lotion to her body. He closed the door quietly and watched her every move, as her hands glided over her smooth skin, touching areas JT wished he could touch.

Marlene turned to the door, sensing a presence watching her. She saw JT spellbound by her nudity and decided to play the moment. With the grace of a female tiger, she walked towards JT, her eyes fixed on his, as she approached. She stood right up to him, letting her body just touch his. JT looked in her eyes, her lust for him insatiable in desire. His own desires that he did his best to keep under control, were beginning to show and Marlene could see it. Her hands slid up his chest softly and went around his neck. Using a subtle pull towards her, her mouth found his and he was instantly lost in her seduction. His hands found her body and went to work exploring what he had only imagined she would feel like.

Jake's words about older women kept playing in his head, as he felt Marlene undressing him. He put aside any feelings for Suzy in his heart and mind, as raw lust and desire swept through him, helping her bare his body to her. Marlene slowly sank to her knees in front of him, undoing his pants and lowering them down his legs. He felt the cool air of the room wash over his manhood and then the warmth returned, by way of warm hands and an even warmer mouth. Despite the pleas of objection from his conscience not to do it, his fingers made their way into the rich, auburn tresses and held her to him.

Clay looked around the shop, unhappy and dissatisfied with how everything turned out. To him, this garage should have been his alone to have. He'd put in years of working with Jake, whereas JT had only been there for months. Nothing would convince him he was treated fairly in it all, nothing.

JT lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, as Marlene snuggled into him and caressed his body softly. She lay her leg over his and he could feel the heated core of her sex against his skin. Images of her from just moments before, played against images of Suzy and how he just proclaimed his love for her. Inviting Marlene to the commune to meet everyone, was becoming something he worried about. He tried to figure how everything would play out if it happened and who would be with who at the end.

The charred stump would keep the secrets it held, never divulging what it knew, until a keen eye might notice the pock marked surface and investigate. Nothing but some dried blood remained in the spot where Clive Brock used to be. Sitting several hundred yards away, deep inside the burrowed home of a family of gophers, little was left of Clive Brock's head, as the young pups nourished themselves on the nutritious bits inside, mom and dad helping themselves, as well. Nature thanked Clive for his kind contribution to the Circle of Life, as numerous species of animals and insects continued living, as a result of him.

Vinnie pulled into Louie's driveway, stopping behind the older Buick Le Sabre. He blew the horn and waited to see Louie's face when he came out. He got out and stood beside it, as Louie came out and was shocked to see his former boss' car being driven by Vinnie.

"How do you like my new car? It's a gift from Jimmy, for doing a good job and not fucking things up."

"Jimmy just gave it to you?"

"Yes, but I earned it. Like Gianni always says to us, 'Learn to earn', so I did and this is what I got because I did."

"No shit? Fucking eh, paisan. You fucking lucky goombah. Does one thing for Jimmy and he hands you a car. A fucking Corvette, no less. Must be really happy Clive went on vacation."

"Sure is. Went out to celebrate last night, I come by this morning to check up on him, fucking clothes everywhere. I counted four different dresses, before I got upstairs. I open the bedroom door and there's at least eight broads in bed with him. Fucking naked, every one of them. Fucking, sweetest tits on some of them too. I closed the door and left them to do what they do and came here to show you my car."

"And you don't call me about this thing? I get left out of this, why?"

"Eh? What the fuck? Who you talking to? You do remember the change in rank not too long ago? I'm a fucking boss now, not a fucking paisan, like you. Show some fucking respect, Louie, or you'll be doing shit work to make money."

Louie looked at Vinnie and knew he had stepped over the line. Despite their equal standing before, none of that mattered, once you moved up. The friendship had new rules and new boundaries and they had to be adhered to, or face the consequences.

"Sorry, Vinnie. I need to remember we're different now. No disrespect, my apologies."

Vinnie saw him humbled and put in his place, then reached to him and pulled him into a hug.

"Eh, we're still friends, Louie, just I got more say so than you. One day, it'll be you doing a thing and getting moved up, like me."

"Yeah, maybe, Vinnie."

"Learn to earn, right?"

"Yeah, learn to earn, Vinnie."

Vinnie held Louie by the face and kissed both cheeks, then put his arm over his shoulder and turned him to the Corvette.

"Want to take her for a spin and see what she's like?"

Louie looked at the car and then to Vinnie, his attitude perking up instantly at the chance.

"Sure, Vinnie, thanks."

Louie got behind the wheel, while Vinnie sat in the passenger seat, getting a sense of what Clive saw for the last time. Louie started it up and shifted into reverse and backed out. He moved it into first and revved the engine and popped the clutch, screeching the tires for twenty feet, or more, then shifted into second. The smiles were big, as Louie went for a joy ride in performance heaven.

Jimmy woke up and opened his eyes, sensing bodies beside him. He sat up and saw all the women on his bed and thought back to last night. He climbed over them and went to the bathroom, relieving himself happily, finding a song to whistle, as he looked at the bed and decided today was a day to enjoy his way and he had all he needed to enjoy it, just feet away. He flushed and checked his hair and smoothed it out, before crawling back on the bed and kissing all the girls.

Louie was enjoying the feel of the Corvette and the horsepower under the hood. They were taking a secondary road, nicely paved and seldom driven on, Louie going around the bends a bit faster, seeing how well it would handle. Louie couldn't believe he was doing over sixty, yet it tracked smoothly and effortlessly. He pushed it to seventy and Vinnie got a bit nervous, watching the scenery rush by in a blur. The last thing either of them expected to see, was a tractor pulling a flat wagon, loaded with fruit. Despite the high performance braking system, nothing could stop the front end of the Corvette from sliding under the back of the wagon, the axle shaft finally stopping the car.

The farmer slowly got up off the ground, feeling the pain of the fall and looked at the rear of his wagon, now sitting several feet higher. He walked back to look and saw the Corvette, then noticed the back of the wagon, was well past the passenger compartment. The smell of gas was present in the air, that made the farmer move further away as fast as he could. He made it ten feet back, when a wire shorting out, ignited the fumes and the car burst into flames, the heat singing his hair. The blast wave knocked him over, as the entire car was engulfed in flames. He rushed to his tractor and started it up, doing his best to get his wagon off the burning car. After several attempts, the wagon scraped violently off the top of the car, flames starting to catch the wood bed on fire.

He got far enough away and stopped again, rushing back to put the flames out on his wagon. When they were out, he turned to the car, seeing two headless bodies sitting in the seats, completely engulfed in flames. The gas tank exploded, making the farmer crouch on the ground in fear to protect himself. The flames roared with more intensity, now fuelled with an abundant gas supply. He started to rise, feeling it was safe, when a charred head hit the ground just feet away and bounced on the road. He signed the cross over himself repeatedly, muttering religious oaths in defence of what he saw. Once he found the strength in his legs, he began to run and all he wanted, was to be as far away from the horror as possible.

As Jimmy started on the third woman of the day, he was disturbed by the constant ringing of the phone and screamed out for Vinnie to answer it. After yelling three times, he got off the bed and picked up the phone, letting the caller know how pissed he was at the disturbance to his good time.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Jimmy Cacuzza?"

"Yeah, who's this?"

"This is Officer Jacobson of the Palm Springs Police Department. Do you know a Vincent D'Angelo and a Clive Brock?"

"Yeah, I know them, so what?"

"I'm sorry to inform you, Mr. Cacuzza, but there's been an accident and both of the gentlemen were killed."

"What? What you talking about, dead?"

"I'm sorry sir. The accident was rather horrific in nature and we're not really sure of one of the people, but we found identification on one, saying he was Mr. D'Angelo. We ran the plates and the car is registered to a Clive Brock. We are assuming that is who the other person is. Without a means of identifying him, we can't be sure."

"What do you mean you can't identify him, why not?"

"Sir, as I said, it was a rather horrific crash. Both people in the Corvette were decapitated and then the car burst into flames, burning both bodies beyond recognition."

"Holy mother of God, are you serious?"

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Cacuzza. There was no way to put out the fire and by the time the fire department arrived, the flames were pretty well out already. Do you know if Clive Brock and Vincent D'Angelo were driving the car today?"

Jimmy thought about what had been said. Despite the tragedy of the moment, a situation arose, where a finishing end to Clive could be made officially.

"I think they were. I know Vinnie loved the car and Clive always said he'd let him take it for a spin sometimes. You telling me the one time he lets him take it for a drive, he wrecks the car and dies?"

"As terrible as it sounds, that might be just what happened. If we can't truly identify the body in question, we'll have to assume it's Mr. Brock that's our John Doe, unless you can think of who else might be in the car."

"I can't think of anyone else. I know they were together yesterday and Vinnie was bugging him about driving it, so it has to be them."

"Well, thank you for your co-operation, Mr. Cacuzza. We'll be in touch if we find out anything else."

"Yes, please let me know."

Jimmy hung up the phone, looking off into space, as he thought of the end results this would bring. He turned and saw the faces on all the women, looking at him in dread of the terrible news. He shrugged and laughed it off to them.

"It's okay, nothing's wrong. It was a guy I know playing a joke on me. Wait till I get my turn back at him."

The girls believed him and laughed along, ignoring the prior call and what they thought it was about. Jimmy began hugging and kissing them, getting them back in the mood for more fun. He wasn't going to let careless stupidity ruin a day of fun for him. In his mind, there was no great loss to him, nothing that wasn't easily replaceable. Guys like Vinnie and Louie were plentiful, all waiting to climb up the ladder and earn large. His problems were solved, nothing tied anything to anyone and everyone moved forward peacefully.

JT felt Marlene's finger tracing a haphazard pattern over his chest and stomach, as he pondered his situation. He had done something he was told he should do to learn about life and did it with the woman he said would be the best to learn from. He trusted the man's opinion highly, that it was okay to do that and he did. He lay there now, thinking of how right everything was supposed to be, but nothing did. All the fantasies he had about her, should have remained fantasies, now that he had experienced what he had desired so greatly. Marlene was just as incredible in her talents, as he imagined, but the only real emotions involved in it, were lust and desire. He lay there thinking of what Suzy had told him earlier and wiggled his toes, knowing they hadn't curled tight, because of the talents lack of love.