Goin Down For The Third Time

Monica sat next to her sister on our bed the next morning....They were waiting for me to finish getting dressed...

"Sis what are you doing to these guys?" asked Monica laughing...

"I'm not doing anything, what are you talking about?" asked Monique...

"You've got my Lieutenant, one of the coolest, devil may care, ladies men I have ever known's nose so wide open, you can drive a mack truck through it.....Do you know how many women used to faint when he came in a room?  Girls ..Other detectives and uniform cops alike used to call me ,crying because they were so in love with him and they wanted inside scoop...And you've reduced him to mush in little over a few months... Then there is Detective Wally Becker... cocky ,brash...Well you got him breaking the squadroom window because of you...and there is another detective over in major crimes who has started asking me about you." laughed Monica.

"Ouuu...I saw him..he's cute.....but...I'm taken now..."said Monique...

"You are?" said Monica.

''Yeah...Frankie and me are official.. We are a couple now!" said Monique..

"Well we better get re-inforced glass for our squad room door..because Wally Becker is going to have a fit."laughed Monica.

''Wally broke that glass?  Frankie was wondering who did that....Nobody seemed to know anything..He was furious..."A room full of detectives and nobody knows who broke the squadroom door?? Unbelievable." he snorted.....I cracked up laughing..." she said...

I walked into the room...I bent down and kissed Monica in the lips.....Then I pulled Monique over to me and kissed her on the cheek...She giggled like a school girl...

"Okay ladies let's go....We've got a big fish to catch today." I said.

"Your merman huh?" laughed Monique...

"He's no merman!!!...He's a crafty guy that's all...Who's about to be out crafted.."I said.

"Hey Partner...While you prep Detective Becker... I'm going to pay a visit to Mr. Rushford...Diane's fiance..It just occurred to me...She might have left her zip drive with him...For safe keeping."said Monica.

"It's worth looking into.."I said.

We both stood in the middle of the floor and kissed...

"We are going to crack this case bae" I said.

"We are!" said Monica, smiling...

"You two are so cute together!" said Monique.

II-

Warren Rivers smartphone rang at the Brokerage Firm he was working at...He was meeting with a client when he saw ''Unknown Number" come up on his phone..

He smiled..

"I have to take this." he said.

"Hello."

"Hello Mr. Rivers.. We need to talk.." came the voice.

"Talk about what? Do I know you?" said Warren..

''You do not...but you will soon enough..I know somebody you know..Diane Harper? That name ring a bell?" came the voice..

''Who is this?This is not a good time.." said Warren.

"Make it a good time...I've figured out that it was you that killed her...I don't know how you did it...but you did it and I know four million reasons why you killed her....Can you make time to talk to me now? Or do I have to call your boss? or worse....The cops?"came the voice..

"Uh....Ruh..Give me a minute."he said.

He looked at his client...

"This is a really serious call..Here take my card...I'll have to talk with you tomorrow." he said.

He went back to his call...

"Listen you...If you think this is some kind of joke..."he said...

"No Joke...I know you killed Diane....I at least know why...She's been investigating you for the past year..She found out you were stealing money from a few accounts...More than a few in fact and transferring them to dummy accounts in the Caymen Islands..In fact..I can tell you the account numbers and the banks.  See, she had all of this on a zip drive...You and the cops went back to her condo to find it....I think you beat the cops to it...They were baffled...but she had a copy...A copy I found at her boyfriend's house...He didn't know it was there...I kind of like took the liberty with his lock while he was out and found it in his house...Where she had told me she had it hidden before she met her untimely fate." said the voice..

"Who the hell are you?" asked Warren Rivers..

"Oh I'm a Private Investigator....My name is Henry Wright-Riggins...Google me..."

"What do you want?"asked Warren Rivers..

"I'm a reasonable man....I could turn you in to those two cops...They been workin this case hard..but they don't have a clue....and that wouldn't get me a dime or....You could bring me a suitcase...full of
say two million in cash to the 23rd Street Bridge....Tonight at midnight....and deliver it to me...For that,I'll give you the only Zip drive left and you're free and clear."

"So Henry....How do I know you're not pulling my leg? How do I know you're not a cop?" asked Warren...

''Well ,the cops don't even have a motive...They don't know and I don't know how you did it..If I gave them the contents of this Zip drive..They'd have motive and they'd start lookin at you and turn your whole world around..You can't afford not to deal..So meet me at the bridge or it's bye bye Warren..Bye bye to your cultured little life...Two million at midnight got it?"

"I'll be there...You thieving rat bastard!" said Warren.

"You embezzle two millie and you call ME A THEIF? Hahahahahahahahaha oh Warren, that's rich!"

(Click!)

Detective Wally Becker looked at Monica and me..

"How did I do?" he asked..

''Wally..You were great...."I said.

"You think he took the bait?" asked Wally..

"He took it..but he's not going to pay you...He's going to kill you...So wear Kevlar and a trauma plate..I'm going to have under covers all over that bridge..and I'll be there."said Monica.

"Yeah! Where will you be Nate?" he asked.

"Out of sight...he knows me...He knows me and Monica...We had dinner with him...." I said.

"So this is all on me huh?" he said.

"My sister is going to be there.." said Monica..

Wally's eyes lit up...

"Yeah? Why?" he asked..

"I've got a role for her to play...She'll be around." I said.

"She'll get to see me do my thing eh?" he said.

"Yeah."I said.

''Pretty Boy won't be there will he?" he asked.

''If You mean Lieutenant Cotton...I doubt it..." I said.

"Yeah,only us real PO-LICE..do the heavy lifting ,put our asses on the line.."he snorted..

"Okayyy Mr. Real Po-lice...Just don't blow this...we want to get this guy...Real bad!" said Monica.

''Don't worry...Sting is my middle name...Wally Sting Becker!" he said.

I smiled..

Monica chuckled....

It was on.

III-

Nightfall came...Monica sat in a cafe with Wally...a few blocks from the bridge...

''This briefcase has the Zip Drive in it..The one we copied..This case is made of re-inforced Titanium..If he pulls a gun out and goes for a head shot...This will block any bullet..You do have on Kevlar and a Trauma Plate right?" asked Monica..

"Of course...I'm no fool..." he said..

"Good...We supplied a phony Identification and profile for you just in case he googled you and I'm sure he did..He's real smart.."said Monica.

"Where is your husband to be?" he asked.

"He's around...There are unis and plain clothes all over the area...Stay on the bridge...Don't go near the water.."said Monica...

''Where is your sister?"he asked..

"She's around...She's doing something for Nate..She'll be able to see you in action..Don't worry."said Monica,smiling..

"Yeahhh..and she'll realize who is really the man for her..." he said.

"Wally...I can't right now..Okay?" said Monica.  "It's ten minutes to midnight..." she said.

"Go time! Time to get the bad guy...Time to get the show on the road..Time to rock and roll...Time to...."

"Just do it Wally." she said.

"I always imagined you saying that to me under other circumstances...." he said eyeing Monica salaciously.....

"WALLY GO!" she yelled..

"Yeah Okay...Okay." he said and walked down the street toward the bridge..

She cracked up laughing after he left.

It was a beautiful summer night....The waters were glistening..reflecting the full moonlight...The last few Kyakers were headed back to Boathouse row....

Wally stood on the bridge ,cool as a cucumber....

Meanwhile under the waters of the river..a man swam effortlessly, undetected by the Kyakers above or anybody...It was Warren Rivers...He had discovered when he was 16 that he was different..that he could breathe underwater for up to three hours at a time..That he was a mutant...Mutants are human beings..just like you and I , but they were born with  a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop some superhuman powers and abilities. There was a number of them in the population...All races...Both sexes..They mostly kept what they were a secret...Only a few are "out" as the saying goes... His ability was to breathe underwater for long periods and to swim faster than most humans....The reason he won all those swimming trophies..Unlike my Monica, who was a registered mutant and who went to Dr. Xavier's school for "Gifted"(Mutant) children...Warren never let on about his secret...He remained ....In the closet..as they say...

He came out of the water and looked around...Naturally,there was nobody around...He had a suitcase with him...He slipped on some slacks and some slippers and a polo shirt...He had another steel case with him and it didn't look like it had two million dollars in it..

What he didn't know was that my sister in law to be...Monique photographed him coming out of the water for the first time with a very powerful Micro -Laser camera...For the first time..He had been seen coming out of the water...

She was hidden in the bushes and guarded by an armed plain clothes cop...I took nothing to chance..

He quietly walked up on the bridge...

Wally turned when he saw him...

''Damn man..Where did you come from? Out of the shower? You're soaking wet.." He said.

''Actually..I came out of the river..."he said.

"That Nasty water???Yeah right!!!.....Anyway....You got the dough?" he asked..

"You got the Zip Drive?" he asked..

"Of course.." he said.

"Toss it to me..and I'll toss you the dough..." he said.

"Let me see the dough.."said Wally..

''Show me yours and I'll show you mine.." He said.

Wally opened his briefcase....He pulled out the Zip Drive and tossed it to him..He caught it...

"Okay...the dough.."he said..

"I'm afraid not!!!...You and nobody else is ever going to know my secret....I've worked too hard for this.."he said..

''What?"

He opened his briefcase and pulled out a silver plated .45 and aimed..

"I hate private dicks..goodbye Mister Higgins..." he said and fired three times..

Wally used the briefcase to block the three shots and dove for cover...

He came up with his glock drawn...

"FREEZE SLIMEBALL!" he said..

Warren fired at him again...Wally ducked and returned his fire..Missing him...

"FREEZE!" came the voices of six plain clothes cops..who rushed across the street...Detective Backer and the plain clothes cops gave chase....

Warren ran for all he was worth down the steps of the bridge to the beach and dove into the river...discarding his pistol in the murky waters...

"He got away.."said one cop..

"No..Look...It's a police boat!!" said Wally Becker....

A Police boat drove up and cast a net that snagged Warren Rivers and pulled him out of the water....kicking and squirming....

''Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...I DON'T BELIEVE IT.!!!!...I'VE BEEN CAUGHT!"he yelled...

I was on the boat with Monica by my side...

"Hey Warren!! You really are a great swimmer...mannn...Swimming from Manyunk all the way down here...and underwater too....So that's how you did it...I thought so."I said as he squirmed in the net....

''Let me go.,..You got nothin..Nate...Nothin...."he said.

"Oh you're wrong Mr. Fish man......We got the real zip drive...Her boyfriend did have it...And we know you embezzled  millions...Diane Harper knew it too and she was going to expose you...That's why you were at her condo..That's why you strangled her and then swam her all the way down here...far from the actual crime scene.. I gotta hand it to you...That was amazing, diving out that back window into the river...with a dead body and swimming underwater all that time..You're a real stud!" said Monica..

"I wasn't there...I have an alibi.."he screamed...still flapping about in the net...

"No...you don't.....She backed up on her story..She said she didn't see you at all that night or ever...And you know..You were smart to disable the cameras in the condo...But when we looked at the street cam along river walk, we caught you, with a dead body doing a header out the window into the river....Isn't that something?...And my sister photographed you coming out of the water tonight and you just tried to murder a police officer in plain view...Oh..we got you cold Warren...we got you cold..Murder..Attempted Murder...Embezzlement...You're done."said Monica..

"No...I'm not..."he said...

He had a file taped to his foot...he un taped it and sawed through our net and splashed back into the water.....

"I'm not going to jail...I'm not going to jail!!!...So long Nate, Monica..I'm OUTTTTTTTTTTTT!" he said and went back down into the river...He swam a little ways ..Came up once and waved...Then went back in the water...He was halfway down the river before we could turn the boat around..He came up a second time , waved and then dove under the water one last time..

And that was the last time we saw him....

IV-

I stood on the bridge a little while later...I had my arms around Monica..Monique brought me ,Monica and Wally Becker tumblers of coffee...

"Damn..We had him...We had him Mo-Mo..and he still got away..."I said.

"He won't get far..We got the entire Philly Marine patrol out on this river tonight...They'll get him..Plus, we froze all of his accounts...He has no money...and we got guys staked out at his condo and at Diane Harper's condo...If he shows up...He's arrested on the spot...This case is down partner." said Monica..

"Sorry Guys...I tried to shoot him..I shouldn't have hesitated.."said Detective Wally Becker..

"No..You did a hell of a job Wally."said Monica..

''I'll say..You were very heroic  tonight Wally."said Monique.

He smiled from ear to ear....

"You saw me Monique?" he asked..

"Yes...I even snapped photos of you in action..." she said.

"Yeah? I was heroic tonight...wasn't I? I looked into his cold deadly eyes...The eyes of a soul less monster and I didn't blink..I was about to shoot him dead."said Wally...

''Oh My god!!!..Let's go check the radio and see if they caught Warren Rivers."whispered Monica to me..

"Yeah ,good idea.."I said. I couldn't stand to hear this egotistical windbag, Wally Becker...

Monique looked at us longingly as if to say "Don't leave me here with him!!..."when Lieutenant Cotton drove up..She looked so relieved and glad to see him and he could tell..Wally Becker looked stunned...He stomped his foot in anger and frustration.

''Hey guys..Good News....We caught Rivers...Comin out of the sewers near the edge of the city...We put the cuffs on him and he's headed for the city jail...Damn good work...We got him for Murder one, Embezzlement and Attempted murder of a police officer...although...I'm willing to let him slide on that one." he said staring at Detective Becker balefully!!!..

"Frankie...That's not nice." said Monique......

Detective Becker stared at Lt. Cotton, smirked and walked away.....

"Good Job..All of you..Mr. Rivers will be going UP the damn river soon." laughed Lt. Cotton..

''You hungry babes?" he asked Monique who was leaning her head on his arms..

''I am.."she said.

"Come on...I know a late night spot...Good greasy comfort food...Let's go..."he said.

Wally Becker kicked the door of his car hard and stomped his foot..Monica and I saw him....He got in his car and sped off into the night!

I don't know if Monique or the Lieutenant saw him...They were too busy making goo goo eyes at each other...

''Let me tell Nate and my sister goodbye." she said.

"It's okay Sis..go ahead.." said Monica..

I put my arms around her waist and hugged her tight...Kissing the back of her neck....It had been some night... and the end of a long case...

''Wally  didn't take that too well at all." I said.

''Well,I can't blame him...He's been sending her flowers and toning down his act lately and doing little nice things for her and he thought he was getting through to her.....He has to feel pretty let down."said Monica.

"Yeah,I imagine...I actually feel sorry for the guy." I said.

"Yeah, me too."said Monica...

We stared into each others eyes on that bridge and then said in unison...

"NOT!"

And we laughed and laughed for a long while....

EPILOUGE:

Warren Rivers was convicted of the First Degree Murder of Diane Harper  and sentenced to Life..He recieved an additional 25 years for embezzlement and the attempted murder of Detective Wally Becker...

Lt. Cotton gave Monica and I the day off....

We sat in a 24 hour IHop later that night and ordered breakfast...

"I'll be glad to get home and get some sleep.." I said.

''Me too Bae...I'm just glad it's over.." said Monica..

Just then we heard the familiar voice of Detective Wally Becker..

"Hey Nate, Hey Monica...I can't get away from you guys tonight." he said..

Actually, we were thinking the same thing about him....

"Hi Detective Nellis,Detective Talbert...Soon it'll be Detective Nellis and Nellis.You two are so cute together..."came the voice of Detective Kylie White..The detective we suspected was helping Wally spy on Lt. Cotton's movements..

She was a good detective...but a gossiper....

''Wally called me up and offered to take me to breakfast...He was telling me that you all busted that guy that strangled that girl a few weeks ago..I thought that case was going to go cold.. Glad you guys got him....Well don't let us hold you up...Nice seeing you guys.."she said as they went to a corner and sat down...

"Guess there is somebody for everybody huh?" laughed Monica..

"Hope springs eternal." I laughed...and grabbed her hands and rubbed them between mine.