Chapter 17

"Uncle Paul. You can't do that. Booboo just killed three men. If we don't trust the police, we can't take him to the hospital. We need to get him someplace safe."

Bob was halfway around the building when he shouted, "Let's take him to the hospital where Jamie is. Ron's there. We'll worry about the rest later. We need for him to tell us what happened before we can do any more here."

Paul shook his head. "No! Sally's right. They have to report gun shot wounds. We go to the casino, get him stabilized and then to the ranch. That way we don't lose control. Sally! Call Ron. Get him to the casino."

Later that night, Callie and Ester escorted a clean and well shaven Booboo into the lounge. "TC," bubbled Callie. "We've got someone to put you in your place here. This is Booboo."

"Oh my god," shouted TC. It's Booboo Martin." TC reached his hand to Booboo. "Sir it is an honor to meet you. I thought that car accident killed you."

Everyone in the room, including Booboo, looked at TC as if he had lost his mind. "You know this guy?" Paul asked.

"Hell yes! Booboo Martin was in line to fight for the world heavyweight boxing title until he started hitting the booze. He tied a load on about a week after he lost a bid to the title and ran his car into Red Rock Canyon. They never found him.

"This was one of the meanest guys in boxing. He used to get drunk, beat up his girlfriends, and get into bar fights. He was arrested several times for assault, but he had a great lawyer and a lot of money. God knows what kind of champion he would have been if he didn't spend half his time in jail and the other half in a bar.

"He truly was the greatest. His hands were quicker than most featherweights. His feet were a blur. I saw him in New York a few years ago. He made Mohammed Ali look slow. He could float like a humming bird and sting like a rattlesnake, and could he take a punch. I saw him stand on the ropes and take an entire round of just pounding without lifting a glove. He just stood there and laughed at a guy that had 35 KO's. I've never seen anything like it."

"Booboo no hurt little girls. Booboo good boy." Booboo looked lovingly at Callie and took her hand. "Mamma give Booboo bath. Booboo loves Mamma."

Bob looked at Callie and mouthed, "Mamma?"

"That's what Sally calls me. He sort of picked it up from there. I see no harm in it."

Booboo looked at Bob. "Daddy get Booboo hotdog?"

Callie looked at Bob and mouthed, "Daddy?"

Bob just smiled. "Hang in there partner. I'll see what I can do."

"Booboo hungry. Ouch!" Booboo grabbed his bandaged waist where Ester accidentally brushed against him. "Aunt Ester. You hurt Booboo."

"I'm sorry, baby. Aunt Ester didn't mean to hurt you. Let me kiss it and make it better." Ester leaned to kiss the bandage on his side.

Booboo sighed. "Booboo better now."

"Good. Why don't you sit down while Daddy gets you some hot dogs? You need your rest if you're going to grow up to be a big boy."

Booboo laughed. "Booboo already big. Dr. Ron take care of Booboo."

"That you are, Booboo," said Ron. "You let me fix you owie just like a big boy. I am very proud of you. Let me look you over one more time, and I just might have another sucker for you."

"Candy? You have more candy? Booboo like candy."

Ron ran his hand through the scalp of the big man's now clean hair, stopped and frowned. "I think we need to get Randy out here before he goes back to the Cleveland Clinic. We might be able to restore Booboo to the real world. Some time ago, he has taken a major trauma to his head."

TC looked at Ron. "Who's Randy?"

"Randy Peterson is one of the world's best brain surgeons. He was out here for Jamie, but it was too late. He might be able to help Booboo, though. Might have to pay for a few hours with one of Callie's girls, but it'd be worth it."

Paul seemed to collapse into himself at Ron's words, but then shook himself. "I have work to do. I have to get back to the city to look for Sissy. Bob, you ready?"

"Just a sec, I need some coffee. You want some for the road?"

"Make it three, Bob," added TC. "I want to get this guy, too. He tried to hurt one of my ridding buddies."

"TC," said Paul. "Would it hurt your feelings if we kept you here for emergencies? We need someone we can trust in ready reserve."

TC nodded his head. "I see your logic. By the way, I've got the bouncer from one of my clubs in Columbus arriving this afternoon. Callie, could you have someone pick him up at the airport?"

"I think Jack has enough muscle around here for what we need," replied Callie. "Why bring in more?"

"Well, this muscle has a PHD in computer science, and I thought you might need some help in that fancy trailer house you have out back."

"Oh, I thought you said he was a bouncer at one of your strip clubs."

"He is. I have a high class staff."

Teresa walked into the room just then. "Is Steve coming? Why don't I take Callie's van and pick up Shawn from the hotel? Then we can grab our bashful hillbilly before the sins of the big city corrupt him."

Sissy lay back in the Lazy Boy and blew out a stream of blue smoke. "These Calcutta smokes are just great. I didn't think India made anything worth having. I guess I was wrong."

"Sissy," asked Sheena. "Isn't there anything we can say to make you go back to your folks?"

Johnny looked at the young girl. "Look kid you almost got us killed the last time we ran into you. I don't want to go through this again. I'm not happy about you being here. If it were up to me, you wouldn't be here. I think we need help."

"I don't have anywhere else to go. My parents threw me out. You want me on the street?"

"No," replied Sheena. "I can't believe they would do that. How could they?"

"My step dad found out about the screen test and wanted me to perform with him. He wanted me to go to bed with him. He said that since I was no virgin, there was no reason for me not to spread my legs."

"What about your mother?"

"She is more interested in Paul Brown's money than in me. She would send me to my father, except she won't allow a gay man to be close to me. She would rather I stay around a pervert."

"That's not gonna to happen," promised Johnny. "If Sheena says so, even if I disagree with her, you can stay here until we work something out, but I have to ask you to go outside if you're going to smoke. I can't stand the smell."

"I'm sorry. It's just that my nerves are raw. I barely escaped my stepfather raping me. He had me down on my back, naked and about ready to make love when someone came to the door and I was able to escape. I had to run for my life. That would make anyone nervous."

Sheena pulled Sissy to her as she comforted the young girl. "We should call the police about this. It's not right."

Sissy pulled away. "You can't do that. Paul Brown is the police. He can buy anyone. They would arrest all of us if they allowed us to live."

"Are you that afraid?"

"You have no idea. He is the devil."

"Mr. Smites has some contacts with the Las Vegas police. Let me call him. He's in town. I don't think he's mad about the Akron thing. He didn't know your age. He felt bad that he took advantage of you. What do you say about calling him?"

"OK," said a skeptical Sissy. "If you say so, but we need to meet before he contacts the police."

"We can work that out, because I know Akron was not your fault." came an accented voice from the back of the room. "I know Sally Brown talked you into this mess. We will work out something and get you somewhere safe."

"Mr. Smites whispered Sissy."

"What are you doing here," asked Sheena.

"Johnny called me and said he had a problem. He wouldn't tell me what it was, but I don't like my stars having problems. I came to help. Sissy, will you let me help you?"

"How can you help?"

"I have contacts and I have ways to make money that you would not have access to. I am not a charity, but I can hook you up. First we have to get you someplace safe. Do you trust me?"

Sissy fought down the inner voice that told her no, don't go. "Of course I do, let's go."

Steve stood in front of the baggage claim as he looked at the flesh pink SUV that stopped in front of him. Shawn jumped out of the front seat ran to the surprised man. As she hugged and kissed the blushing bouncer, she whispered, "Boy, are we happy to see you. We need to get you someplace where we can talk. You get in the front."

As Steve climbed into the pimpmobile he blushed deeper as Teresa leaned across the seat and kissed him on the lips. "God, are we glad to have you here. We need for you to go back to your computer background for a few weeks."

"Mr. TC called and told me to get here, but he didn't tell me why. Oh, by the way, thanks for first class. That's a first for me." The big man smiled, "In fact, being on an airplane is a first for me. Las Vegas is a first for me. Being outside of West Virginia or Ohio is a first for me."

Shawn said from the back, "When we put this project to bed, Steve, Teresa and I will take you out on the town and make this worth your time."

"Working for Mr. TC is worth my time. I owe him too much to repay."

Teresa looked at Steve. "What in the world are you talking about, Steve? We don't have anything you need to pay back."

"Miss Teresa, you don't know how much I owe Mr. TC. I can never repay him for what he did for me."

Shawn interrupted Teresa's reply as she leaned to Teresa's ear and said gently, "Unless you want to give up either you husband or your career, don't ask that question again. You don't want to know."

Teresa looked at her friend. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't ask me, I can't talk about it."

"Don't give me that bullshit."

"Let's just say that TC's history is a long, deep river, and that the water has not always been clear and gentle. More than that, a cop in love with TC shouldn't know."

"TC will tell me."

"Yes, Teresa, he will, but for your own good, don't ask him about it. Let me say that, in my opinion, TC has never done anything 'morally' wrong in any of his dealings with Steve or Steve's. Please don't go any further unless you're willing to have a major and unpleasant decision on your plate."

Later that night, Teresa rolled to her side and kissed TC's ear. "Lover, tell me why Steve feels he owes you so much, and don't give me the bull about not being able find a job after college."

"Baby, leave it at that. Steve couldn't find a job and I gave him one."

"No, there's more to it than that. I want to know."

"No!"

"I thought you trusted me."

"I do."

"Then why don't you tell me?"

"I don't have the right to tell you. There are more people involved than us."

"If you don't trust me, let me know. I can always move out. If we're partners in life, we are partners. If we aren't, then I'm out of here. I'm tired of all this shit. Shawn tells me to let it drop, you tell me it's none of my business, and Steve just tells me to ask you. I want to know what in the hell is going on."

"Babe, I can't tell you. It's not my story to tell."

TC reached for Teresa to comfort her, but she was already out of the bed.

"Fuck you! When you decide we are true soul mates and we tell everyone everything, I'll come back."

Teresa slammed out of their suite, stomped down the hall, and ran smack into Sasha as she was leaving her room. "Oh, I'm sorry," murmured Sasha.

"Who the fuck are you, and why in the hell are YOU hiding here?"

Sasha turned white, whispered, No!" and ran down the hall.

Teresa stood in stunned silence, shook her head and took off after the upset woman. "What the hell is wrong with everyone? Must be something in the fucking water," she muttered as she rushed down the hallway after Sasha.

Sasha was huddled in one of the deck chairs next to the pool wandering about what to do next. The pressure was just too much for her. If she didn't do something fast, she would blow up. She went to all the trouble. She took all the precautions. She was so careful. She did everything she could try only to have it all fall apart? She screamed into the night, "My God! Someone's got to help me!"

Teresa carefully coughed as she approached the distort woman. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just had a fight with my husband, and I'm afraid I took it out on you. I'm Teresa."

Sasha looked at an embarrassed Teresa. "Sasha." She extended her had to Teresa's already extended hand.

"I can really be a bitch at times. TC tells me I just can't leave the cop at the office."

"Oh no, not another cop! Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Funny, isn't it? I've never seen a cat house with so many cops around it not looking for pay offs. Look if I am any judge of people, and I am, you look like someone in trouble."

"NO! I'm not!"

"Yes you are. You just called to God for help. Is it possible that I'm who he sent? I have a very good ear, and when I'm away from home, I'm not really a cop any more. Come on give. What's your problem?"

"Why is that anyway? You know, why are there so many cops? What is this place? I thought it was a whore house."

"It is."

"No, it's a hell of a lot more that that. Come on you, give. Tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine."

"Are you afraid of us?"

"Sort of, but I am really afraid of Paul Brown."

"If you're one of the good guys, he's the last person you need to fear. OK, I'll tell you what I can, what do you want to know?"

"There is a hell of a lot of high priced security in this place. It's like something out of an Idaho weirdo compound. This isn't a normal bordello. Look at that trailer. Those raised flowerbeds look like spokes on a wheel, and there aren't any flowers growing there. That has some purpose. What is it?"

"I have no idea what those hills are. Jack does landscaping as a hobby. He may have just gotten carried away with a new toy. Well, there are three owners of the ranch. You know Callie and Ester, right?"

"Yes."

There is a third owner, Paul Brown. Paul owns all the land around here and leases this part of the ranch back to Ester and Callie for one dollar a year. Each of the partners gets one third of the profits, but Paul sends all his profits to support charity.

"Paul is also an inventor. No, let me modify that. Paul is also a very successful and rich inventor. He invents a lot of stuff for the military and law enforcement. Remember M from the James Bond movies?" Teresa went on without waiting for a response.

"Paul is M on steroids. Have you met Jack?"

"Yes."

"Jack is the wet or black ops part of the equation. I can't talk about what they do, because most of it is so far underground, that it doesn't exist. I don't even know the full extent of what they do, except that they are the good guys. He and Paul are partners in an operation call 'Security International Inc'. I'm not sure, but I think Paul only has about 15 percent of that operation. He acts as the bank and advisor.

"In addition to that, Paul has developed a group of what you could call the white ops part of the equation. Ester, Callie, TC, Ron, Bob, Shawn, Mathew, Jen, his mother, me and a few other cops make up that group. Rhonda was in the group, but she seems to be moving half in the white ops and half in the black ops. It makes me dizzy sometimes. I can see how it would confuse you.

"The entire operation is based on Paul's philosophy of life, "What goes around comes around."

"What?"

"Paul puts it this way. 'If I help you, you are obligated to help someone else, who is obligated to help someone else, who is obligated to help someone else, and so on. In the end, the good deed will come all the way back and land on the person who started the string of events. The Bible calls it, "Do into others as you would have others do into you.""

"So this is really good stuff?"

"It's the best."

"How do you get the help?"