Douglas Dorow - The Ninth District

They ate their dinners. Jack tried some of Julie’s salmon and she tried a bite of his steak. They fell into a comfortable conversation talking about the Governor case, and Jack’s new partner, Ross.

“You call him Junior?”

“I’ve had worse nicknames.”

Julie laughed. “I’m saving those for when I really need to get you. I’ll just tell the kids what nicknames you had.”

Jack almost choked on a bite of his steak. “Please don’t. Can you imagine?”

Jack finished eating and placed his napkin on the table. “The Fourth of July’s almost here. What do you say to the family thing at Nicollet Island for the day? Tonight shows we can still get along. It’s a tradition I would love to keep going.”

“Let me think about it.” Julie looked at her watch. “I better go.”

“Yeah, me too,” he said. He stood up and walked Julie to the valet stand out by the front door. They stood at the curb waiting for Julie’s car to arrive. “Give the kids a kiss for me.”

“I will. I almost forgot I have to report back to them. What do you think about getting a dog?”

“A dog? I guess it depends what Grandma and Grandpa think. But I’m OK with it as long as they help take care of it.”

Julie’s car pulled to a stop in front of them. Julie turned to Jack and put her arms around his neck. “Happy Birthday.”

Jack held on to Julie, his arms around her waist. He didn’t want to let go. Her hair brushed his cheek and he could smell a familiar mixture of shampoo and perfume. It was her smell and he missed it.

Julie ended the hug and pulled away. “I have to go, Jack. I’ll let you know about the Fourth.” She took her keys from the valet, got in her car, and drove away.

“Sir?”

Jack pulled his eyes from the taillights of Julie’s car. His Cougar was waiting for him. He tipped the valets, squeezed into his car, and looked at his watch. Time to go pick up Junior and see if they could find Sandy.

The pounding music and the flashing lights of the club created an atmosphere that the men liked. It was electric. The room oozed energy, lust, hormones, smoke, and money. The Governor and James sat at a table drinking scotch while they watched the women work the groups of customers in the room. The women were practiced. They could read the look in a man’s eye, his dress, his mannerisms, the style of his haircut, the condition of his hands and skin, and tell if he had money or not, if he was from out of town looking for fun and whether he was willing to trade some money for their attention.

James and the Governor were left alone. They belonged to somebody else.

James looked around the room. “Where is she?” He licked his lips and knocked back his drink. His words were beginning to slur and he was getting more boisterous. “I need some of that lovin’ tonight. And maybe a little celebration if I decide to buy that loft.”

The Governor signaled the waitress for another round of drinks. “Don’t worry,” he said. “She’s on tonight. She’ll be here. And, I’m sure she’s looking forward to seeing you. You two have really seemed to hit it off.” He looked at his watch and then around the room. Where was she? He looked at his watch again; to be late, tonight, of all nights. His hand instinctively slid to his belt and felt for his cell phone. Should he call her?

The waitress set their drinks on the coasters in front of them on the table. James leaned over to talk in the Governor’s ear. “Where is she?”

The Governor tried to avoid the spittle he felt pepper his ear and started to answer James’ question when he felt an arm around his shoulder. He looked back over his other shoulder and saw Sandy’s beautiful smile.

“Good evening, gentlemen.” Sandy spoke between James and the Governor so they could both hear her. She kissed James on the cheek and then kissed the Governor. “I’m so glad to see you both tonight.” Sandy walked around to face the men, dragging her fingertips along James’ neck, eliciting a shiver from him. When she got to the other side of the table, she leaned forward to talk to James, bracing herself with her arms on the table top, pushing her barely covered breasts together to further enhance her cleavage. “Is there anything in particular you had in mind for this evening?”

James stared at Sandy’s chest across the table, and then he looked up to her eyes. “We were just waiting for you.”

The Governor grabbed James by the arm. “Come on, James. Tell her the news. We plan to celebrate tonight.”

“Celebrate? Celebrate what?” Sandy asked.

James looked questioningly at the Governor.

“James, come on, tell her about the loft.”

“I’m thinking about buying a loft over by the river.”

“Thinking about it?” the Governor asked. “There’s nothing to think about. It’s yours. We’ll sign the papers tomorrow, but we’re celebrating tonight.”

Before James could protest, Sandy grabbed his hand and pulled him up from his chair. “Well, if we’re celebrating we need to move to some place more comfortable.” She started to lead James back to another room.

“Wait a minute. I need to visit the restroom before I get comfortable. I want to be able to give you my undivided attention. I’ll be back in a minute.”

The Governor and Sandy sat on the couch waiting for James. “Can you leave?” the Governor asked. “I want to take him to the boat?”

“If you pay for the time, we can leave.”

“OK, when he gets back, it’s your idea to go out there. It’s a beautiful summer night.” The Governor reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “We get this info tonight and we’re home free.”

The Governor saw Sandy’s eyes move and turned his head to follow her gaze. James was wobbling back towards them with a couple of drinks in his hands.

James handed the Governor a drink and flopped down onto the couch, spilling some scotch onto his shirt. “Shit, that’s a waste of good scotch,” he said. He put his arm around Sandy’s shoulders. “A toast to kick off my celebration. To my friend, for finding me an investment, a home, a new start on life, and this beautiful woman.” James clinked his glass with the Governor’s. “Thanks.”

“Salud.” The Governor sipped his drink.

Sandy put her arms around James’ neck and spoke into his ear. “James, if tonight’s so special, why don’t you ask if we can go out on his boat and celebrate. It’s a beautiful summer night.”

James looked at the Governor, his eyes unfocused. “Hey, buddy. I’ve never been out on your boat. Why don’t we go out there and seal the deal tonight?”

“For some of my clients I take them out on my boat to celebrate. Why should tonight be any different?” The Governor looked at his watch. “Can you leave early and come out to the lake with us?” he asked Sandy.

“I’ll meet you at the door,” she said.

James turned to the Governor and put his arm around his shoulder. “Thanks, buddy. This is going to be a great night.”

“Turn out the light!”

Tim flipped the switch to turn off the light that hung over the side of the small fishing boat, just above the water. The darkness of Lake Minnetonka immediately enveloped them. Clouds blocked out any moonlight. The only visible lights were the yellow electric lights from houses on the lake or flickering flames from fire pits along the shore. Plus, a few boats prowling the lake.

Tim and Matt were brothers, sixteen and fourteen years old from Excelsior, a small town on the south side of the lake. This summer they had decided they liked to catch fish and found the best way to do it consistently was to go at night and hang a light over the side of the boat. They set up a lantern with a shade around it, directing the light down into the water, just the way their grandfather had taught them. They had doused the light a few times tonight when boats had passed them. They had been sitting on the edge of a weed bed, illegally shining light into the water to attract the fish. They also didn’t have any running lights, which were required out on the water after sundown.