The Journalist (22 page)

“I was thinking of the larger context.”

“Oh. I think it’s something to do with the
universal propensity toward entropy.”

Zack, in thought, said, “An unconfirmed
source is reliable and another is confirmed and the source
confirmed is from the original unconfirmed source and all the facts
magically came from the horse’s mouth. Trouble is, some journalists
don’t know the horse’s mouth from the horse’s ass.” He banged his
stein on his desk. Coffee splattered. He clicked the set off.
“Let’s get out of here before TV reports the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ.” He started down the steps. “I can’t believe this.”

“Seeing is believing.” Ted followed.

Chapter Thirty One

12:35 p.m.
EST

A hand-printed sign inside the entrance to
the Jabberwocky announced: SOME GAMES CANCELLED DUE TO RIOTS.
Inside, large and small television screens, positioned around the
bar, beamed the offerings of still-scheduled college football. A
mixed crowd of imbibing patrons, talked, ate and watched the games
in the noisy stadium atmosphere.

A steady roar overpowered the TV blare, the
Jabberwocky’s decor_Art Deco paintings, fifty chrome bar stools
with red velvet seats, a sixty-foot block glass bar, scores of
tables and chairs, green plants, glass-sculpted naked
maidens_offered a gourmet menu ranging from deep fried mountain
oysters to lobster on a stick. The all female server staff wore NFL
team cheerleader outfits. The bartenders donned familiar football
referee black-and-white-striped shirts.

Perched on a stool at the bar, Zack sat with
Ted to his right, Jim on the left. Ted hovered over a platter of
fried chicken livers with a side of onion rings, iced tea his
drink.

Jim, decked out in a blue blazer, mauve tie,
khaki slacks and tan loafers, ate eggs Benedict and drank cream and
sugared coffee.

Zack munched on a fish sandwich, washing down
bites with Pepsi. He glanced at Jim. “Why don’t you take that coat
and tie off, Jimbo?”

“I’m just fine, thank you.”

Zack looked at his black T-shirt, then at
Ted’s wrinkled basic brown. “I feel under-dressed, how ‘bout you,
Ted?”

“Ted is always under-dressed.” Jim
smiled.

Ted shrugged.

Jim sniffed the air, “You guys reek.”

Zack rubbed the stubble on his chin. “Working
press.”

Ted ate.

Zack said, “So, besides ties and reek, where
are we?” He took a bite of fish sandwich and swore he smelled ocean
air, salt water.

“Jabberwocky.” Jim sliced through a soft egg
yoke.

Zack paused, “You still upset you had to
leave your guests?”

“If you only knew.”

“Think of it as serving a greater
purpose.”

“That’s funny.”

Zack watched a TV above the back bar that
displayed Notre Dame running back a punt for a touchdown. “Can’t
beat them Irish.”

“You’re lucky they’re playing in South Bend.”
Ted ate a fried chicken liver.

Jim looked over at Ted’s fried livers. “How
can you eat that garbage?”

Ted said, “You do know that those yokes you
are so neatly slicing are unborn chickens?”

Jim put his knife and fork down.

Zack chewed. “Tell us again, Jim, what did
Deputy Chief Glenda say about the tire tracks, footprints.”

“What I told you—five sets, truck, too. And,
get this, off the record, the deceased lady’s Lincoln is a Hertz
rental, out-of-state.”

Zack sipped some Pepsi. “Is it the delicate
surrounding of the Jabberwocky that is just now bringing this to
our attention, or were you waiting until Michigan scored against
Notre Dame?”

“It’s off the record.”

“Oh,” Zack said. “So, what are we, on the
record?”

“Deputy Glenda gave it to me in
confidence.”

“We know that. So, what did she say?” Zack
chewed.

“I think she likes me.”

Zack bit his tongue.

Jim continued, “Off the record, she said,
either way nothing would surprise her. Chief Manny’s theory is that
a couple of his officers might try to embarrass the department,
friends of that babe Tina Glenda replaced, six months ago. Tina’s
the one Manny fired for refusing

”

“We know the story,” Zack said.

“Tina Taylor wouldn’t polish Manny’s chrome,”
Ted said.

“Thank you, Mr. Stallings,” Zack said.

Jim continued. “Right. Anyway, off the
record, Glenda said they couldn’t confirm anything on that Channel
10 video

nothing on the dispatcher’s audio
tape. We listened, no reports, she said. Can’t identify the cops.
Internal Affairs has it. Bottom line, they think something’s
screwy

cops were impersonators.”

Zack paused. “Are you serious?”

“That’s what Glenda says.”

“What about the car?”

“They’re tracing it.”

“And that’s the sound bite for the day.” Zack
washed down a bite of fish with some Pepsi.

“Looks like a cover-up, which only adds fuel
to the fire.” Ted dredged an onion ring through a gob of
ketchup.

Jim, looking past Zack, said to Ted, “Want
some more ketchup?”

“No, thanks.” Ted pushed the ring into his
mouth.

Zack said, “What about the person who shot
the video? Did Glenda have any leads on that?”

“She said the people at Channel 10 are
playing hardball

reliable source,
confidential.”

“What I got.” Zack studied Jim. “Why don’t
you take that tie off?”

“Why is it, Bwana, you think I feel
uncomfortable with a tie on?”

“Social conditioning.” Zack ate a fry. “I
don’t understand.”

“What?” Jim drank some coffee.

“Whoever shot that video should be crowing
like a rooster, could be on Late Edition TV, write a book, movie,
Entertainment Wow, something.”

“Yeppur,” Ted said.

“If Glenda’s right, he’s working with the
impersonators,” Jim said.

“Could be a she,” Zack said.

Ted added, “And Channel 10 is protecting
whoever the source is ’cause the source told them if it got out the
sheriff would probably be wanting to grill him with an electric
dildo.”

Zack thought for a moment, mulled, then said,
“You know what bothers me most?”

“Not being out on
Veracity
,” Jim
said.

“That doesn’t bother me, it sickens me.”

Ted said, “Funny the D.A. hasn’t made a
statement. She usually would have had at least two press
conferences by now.”

“Mayor is where?” Zack asked.

“Some trade mission, out of town.”

“That is the problem in this whole thing,”
Zack sneered. “Everybody is out of town.” He wiped his lips with
his pink napkin and looked at Jim. “You really like this place,
don’t you?” He raised an eyebrow.

Jim swallowed a gulp of coffee. “Oh, and
another interesting thing—Glenda said the Hertz car

Lincoln, rented a month ago in Virginia, had Florida
plates

stolen.”

Zack studied him. “You keep trickling this
stuff out like it’s a who-dune-it for TV movie

does not any of this strike anybody as just a tad bit
whacked.” Zack sucked his front teeth. “A no-name lady gets dead by
two cops, car rented in Virginia a month ago, a TV station gets a
video of the lady getting dead and the cops deny everything.”

Ted said, “In the face of evidence, meaning
and reality, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain the truth.”

Jim sipped some coffee. “How come you never
went into politics, Teddy?”

“IQ prohibited it.” Zack bit a French fry in
half. “Missing persons—you check that out, Jimbo?”

“Two women, a teenager, female

that’s it,” Jim said.

Zack squinted his eyes. “Am I missing
something in all this, or am I missing something in all this?” He
paused, drank some Pepsi, mulled, looked at the Notre Dame score
then said, “You know what bothers me most?”

“Notre Dame is losing?” Jim said.

“This story just broke, what

?”

“Yesterday afternoon,” Ted said.

“Yes, less than twenty-four hours ago, on a
weekend, and Benny has been sticking his nose in it up to his
eyeballs from the start.”

“Whole thing is kind of wicky-wacky.” Ted
finished the last chicken liver.

“You ate that whole plate of chicken livers?”
Jim looked at Ted. “I can’t believe it.”

“I didn’t get breakfast.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Zack wiped his mouth with his napkin. “When I
look at these pink napkins, I don’t believe anything.”

“At least they give you a linen napkin here.
Not like some places I know.”

“You referring to The Tea Company?”

“Yes.”

The television set behind the bar, showing
the Notre Dame game, flashed a BULLETIN ALERT. Other major network
sets around the room followed.

The Jabberwocky erupted in: “Booo.” “Get the
fuck off there

” “Cocksucker

”

Jim said calmly, “Well, now, what do we have
here?” He leaned back as all the screens in the bar switch to the
Presidential seal. “Looks like the networks got something new from
el Benjamin.”

The fans erupted again, “Booo, get out of
here. Go back to South Carolina, Boooo, freak

”

Ted said, “I wonder if these people are ever
polled.”

“Benny, Benny, Benny, there goes the next
election.” Zack sucked his teeth.

The Presidential Seal dissolved to a medium
close-up of Armstrong behind his Camp David office desk. He wore a
blue cardigan sweater over a white dress shirt open at the
collar.

More mob screams: “Booo

” “Fuck you, Armstrong

” “Go
stick it

”

The camera zoomed in to Armstrong. He smiled,
and his mellow voice pumped from the PA system: “My fellow partners
in democracy

”

“Boooo.”

“Fuck you

”

Jim said, “Forgot the prayer.”

Armstrong’s mellow voice continued. “I’m
sorry to be interrupting some of your Saturday afternoon football
games, but this will not take long.”

“Boooooo

” “Get the
fuck outahere

”

Armstrong smiled.

“Looks like Ben’s going to pass the plate
again,” Zack said.

Armstrong: “My fellow partners, these are
truly trying times, but we must be firm in our resolve. I come to
you weary of heart this Labor Day weekend. You have seen the tragic
events of the past two days. I’m sorry to report that the situation
is not getting any better. Our field commanders report that several
cities are in full-blown anarchy. Indeed, a state of siege exists
in our nation. I understand some of you sports fans’ games have
been suspended. Well, we’ll be taking care of that in short
order.”

“Boooo.”

“Get off my game, you maggot
sucker

”

Armstrong appeared to tear up, “Let me say, I
do not take these steps that we must take lightly. I am doing it to
protect you and your families; the very fabric of our society is at
stake. (camera zooms in to extreme close-up) Therefore, in
accordance with the power thrust upon me as your
Commander-in-Chief, I am ordering the following: ‘Wherefore, in
accordance with Article Four, Section Four of the United States
Constitution that provides, in part ‘that the United States shall
protect each State on application of the Executive, when the
legislature cannot be convened, against domestic violence’, and in
keeping with Article Two, Section Three that requires the
President, me, to faithfully execute the law of the land, and
Article One, Section Nine, which allows the writ of habeas corpus
to be suspended in cases of rebellion or invasion when the public
safety requires it, I have as of noon today declared martial law in
all the United States and its territories.”

Zack, having sipped his Pepsi, dropped his
glass to the bar; it cracked.

Ted and Jim looked at him, said in unison,
“You okay?”

“Joe Case was right,” Zack said.

A female yelled, “Get that Jesus freak off
there

”

Boos and cheers. A cheeseburger thrown at a
TV set, a basket of French fries bounced off another.

Armstrong wiped a bit of sweat from his upper
lip. “Additionally, as of noon today, all our territorial borders
are sealed. In light of this, we have also secured the United
Nations building in New York. Unfortunately, this has necessitated
the expulsion of all diplomats until further notice, and of course,
our withdrawal from the organization.”

Armstrong smiled as the camera zoomed out to
a wide shot. “There are in our history many precedents for this
action, but I will not belabor you with them now. Let me assure
you, there is no need for alarm. Law-abiding citizens can all feel
at ease. For those who would seek to destroy and terrorize, the day
of reckoning is at hand. Thank you, good day, and I know that a
good God will bless America.”

“Boooo.”

“Fuck you

”

“Get a job, bunghole

”

Zack sucked his teeth, “I’ll be a son of a
husbandless woman. Gentlemen, we are under martial law.”

Football came back up on all the television
screens. Wild cheers followed.

Ted looked around. “They don’t seem to care
nor want to be reminded of nor be disturbed by an outside world’s
problems. Extraordinary.”

“That’s original,” Jim said.

Zack motioned to the bartender. “Check,
please.”

“I don’t believe it,” Jim said.

“What is it you don’t believe?” Ted
burped.

“None of it.”

“Believe it,” Ted said.

Zack said, “Seeing is believing.” His
thoughts turned to Mary’s safety. “Wonder what happened to
Mary?”