Bennie and the Ace of Hearts

Chapter 10

Adam

My stomach fell when I heard the gunshots coming from the building, I was glad that Dan had called in his agents, and they had the building surrounded. God, if Bennie is hurt, I will never forgive myself, I was the one they wanted. I should be inside that building right now.

They threw open the door and rushed in, Dan yelled, “FBI, drop your weapon,” The gun shots started again, and I followed Dan inside. I saw a big man drop after Dan fired, my eyes quickly moved to the blood pool that was surrounding the body lying about halfway down the hall. Shit, that’s Bennie, I sprinted to him and tried to find a pulse. Fuck my hand was shaking so bad I couldn’t feel anything, I started to shake him, “Bennie, wake up, come on, talk to me.” God, I loved this man, even though we have only known each other a short time, I already couldn’t imagine my life without him. I held him tight, praying that he would be alright.

I heard the FBI Agents yelling “clear” as they made their way through the rooms. Dan kicked the gun away from the guy he had just shot and told the others he was dead. One of the other agents yelled, “I got a live one in here.” Several others rushed to the room.

As I was holding Bennie, I heard a sob behind me. I turned to see a kid sitting in the doorway with his knees pulled up to chest. His arms were holding his legs as he rocked back and forth. I gently let go of Bennie and went over to the sobbing young man.

I asked, “are you Gavin?”

He nodded, “is-is he dead?”

I heard the ambulance sirens getting closer, I suddenly realized what this poor 16-year-old kid had just witnessed. I turned to Gavin and pulled him up, come on buddy, your dad is waiting outside. I tried to block his view of Bennie. I led him out the door as the paramedics raced in to get Bennie. Gavin raced to his dad, who quickly embraced him, there was women standing next to him, I wasn’t sure where she came from.

 John asked Gavin, “are you ok?”

Gavin nodded, “yes,” then he turned the women, “mom, when did you get here.”

She gave him a hug and said, “I came as soon as they called, are you sure you’re ok.” She brushed the hair from his face as she hugged him again.

He broke down sobbing, “yes, but I think Bennie is hurt really bad.”

Bennie, shit I was so happy that Gavin was reunited with his parents, I nearly forgot about Bennie. I turned and ran back to the building. the paramedics were putting Bennie on the stretcher.

I grabbed Bennie’s hand as they started down the hall, I asked the paramedic, “is he…?”

The paramedic said, “we have a pulse, it's weak, but it's there. He has lost a lot of blood, we need to get him to the hospital quick. I ran alongside the stretcher as they wheeled it down the hall, as we got outside, I saw Bennie’s eyes open slightly.

He weakly said, “my car?”

I chuckled though my tears, “it’s fine, please hang in there, you’re going to be fine.”

As we went past Gavin and his parents, his mom said, “I am so glad you are alright honey.” As she pulled him in for another hug.

Bennie started to get agitated, “it’s her, it’s her.”

I squeezed his hand tighter, “shh, calm down, you need to save your strength.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek as they loaded him into the ambulance, I told Dan I was going to follow the ambulance to the hospital as I ran to his car.

He said, “yes, go, I’ll catch a ride with one of these guys.”

We got to the hospital, I watched as they wheeled Bennie away, the nurse told me they were taking him in for emergency surgery, I would have to wait here. I collapsed into the nearest chair, a minute later I was pacing the room. I sat again and stood back up. Shit, I can’t just stay here, I need to be doing something, anything. My phone rang, it was Dan.

I answered, “hey, have you figured out what happened? Do you have the guy that shot Bennie?”

He said, “whoa, slow down, it’s only been 20 minutes. We are on our way to the office now, we put out a BOLO for Jerry Boothe, we need to question him. The locals just picked him up and are bringing him in. Anything on Bennie yet?”

I sighed, “no, they just took him in for surgery, the nurse said it could be a couple hours. God Dan, I’m going nuts here, I feel so helpless.”

He said, “Why don’t you go home and try to get some sleep, the hospital will call you as soon as they have some news.”

“I’ll never be able to sleep, but I can’t just sit here, hey, can I come watch the interrogation?”

Dan paused, “I don’t know Adam, that's against the rules. If I do let you watch, you will have to wait in the outer room, you can’t ask any questions.”

I sighed, “I don’t care, I have to be doing something, I’m coming in, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

I walked into the FBI field office, an agent told me that Dan wanted me to wait with John, Gavin, and his mom in the waiting room. I sat next to Gavin, he still looked very shaken.

I asked, “how are you holding up Gavin.”

He stared straight ahead, “ok, I guess. How is Bennie?”

I said, “he is in surgery right now. I won’t know anything for a couple hours.”

Gavin looked down, “he saved my life today. It’s my fault he got shot.”

I turned to him, “it is not your fault Gavin, you did nothing wrong.”

John added, “he’s right son, you and Bennie are not to blame, the FBI is going to get the guy that did this.”

He didn’t seem to take much comfort in our words.

Dan came in, “ok Adam, they are getting ready to interview Boothe, you can come with me, and we’ll stay in the side room. Remember you are not going to participate in this interrogation in any way. You understand?”

I stood, “yes, I understand, thanks Dan.”

We walked in and stood behind the 1-way mirror, Jerry Boothe was sitting there with his lawyer, waiting for the agent to come in.

Agent Tom Webb entered and dropped a file on the table as he sat across from Boothe.

He started, “you have anything you want to tell me Jerry?”

Boothe looked to his lawyer then to Webb, “nope.”

Webb opened the file, “ok then, can you tell me how a customs agent with an annual salary of about 60 grand can send his kids to a private school, have a new boat that he keeps at a cabin on the lake, which by the way, he paid cash for, and buy his wife a brand-new Escalade?”

Boothe shrugged, “maybe he has a part time job on the side and knows how to budget.”

Webb nodded, “ok, do you have a part time job?”

He shook his head, “nope, I’m just good with money.”

Webb turns the page in his file, “so how do you know, Walter “Smitty” Smith and Tom Reece?”

Boothe stared at Webb, “never heard of them.”

Webb raised an eyebrow, “I have Mr. Reece waiting for me in the next room, I will be questioning him after I finish with you, you better hope he doesn’t tell me anything different. Mr. Smith is in our morgue, he was shot today after he took a shot at some of my agents. The reason I think you may know them is because we picked them up at the dock that you oversee.”

Boothe remained defiant, “still don’t know them.”

This continued for another hour, Webb presenting evidence and Boothe denying everything. When Webb brought up Gavin, Boothe really became agitated.

“That was not my idea!” He shouted as he pounded his fist on the table.

His lawyer grabbed his arm and shook his head. Boothe pulled his arm back.

“Oh, hell no, I am not taking the fall for her, you are working for her, not me.” He turned back to Webb, “I want a new lawyer.” He turned back to the lawyer, “you’re fired.” He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

Webb turned to the lawyer, “well Mr. Abbott, Agent Wilson will escort you out.” He motioned to the agent standing near the door. Then to Boothe, “Mr. Boothe, do you have a lawyer you want to call, or do I need to call for a public defender?”

Boothe snorted, “I have one, get me a phone.”

I turned to Dan, “shit that’s what Bennie meant, it’s her.”

Dan asked, “what are you talking about?”

“When they brought Bennie out of the building, he saw her and said that’s her. Cabot’s wife is involved in this. Damn it, that explained how she got there so fast.” I told him.

Dan looked at me, “you’re right, she wasn’t there when we went in the building, but 10 minutes later she was there acting like a concerned mother.”

Dan ran to the door, “Wilson, take him to the conference room but don’t take him through the waiting room, make sure he doesn’t use his phone.”

Dan told Webb what was going on and we headed out to the waiting room. He walked up to Wendy Cabot, “Mrs. Cabot, we have a couple questions for you could you please come with me?”

I saw the color drain from her face, fuck the bitch was involved, I am going to love to see her squirm. How could she put her own son in the middle of this?

Just as they were taking her to the interrogation room, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I reached in to get it, shit, my new tux was covered in blood from when I was holding Bennie. I answered my phone.

I hung up and yelled to Dan, “Bennie is out of surgery, they are taking him to his room in the ICU, I’m taking your car.”

He waved, “go, I’ll catch up with you when we’re done.”

I sped to the hospital, I stopped at the front desk and was told where to go to find Bennie.

The nurse said, “he is still unconscious, but you can wait in the room with him, he is still in critical condition, the next few hours are going to be tough for him. Does he have any family that we can call?”

I shook my head, “just a mother, but they aren’t very close.”

She looked at her notes, “is that Beverly Harlow?”

I nodded, “yes, I think that’s right.”

She rolled her eyes, “she wouldn’t even take our call, she was in some sort of meeting.”

I said, “yeah, that sounds about right, at least that’s how Bennie described her.”

She turned to leave, “well, I’m glad you are here for him, he’s got a long road ahead of him.” She shook her head, “some people should never be parents.”

I walked into the room and saw Bennie laying there, God he looked so pale and weak, but somehow still managed to be adorable. Tubes and monitors hooked to him, damn it, I should have been there for him. I was the one they wanted, I should be in that bed right now. I can’t stand that he is hurt and it’s all my fault. I sat in the chair next to his bed and took his hand, maybe it was wishful thinking, but I thought he squeezed my hand.

I whispered, “God Bennie, be strong, I was just getting to love you, don’t leave me now." My mind wandered, suddenly I saw that cheeky grin he had when he picked me up in the coffee shop. That first night we spent together, God his naked body was so sexy, why did that nipple ring turn me on so much. I love the way his cock filled my ass, I feel so empty without him. I want so bad to wake up in his arms forever. Please God let him pull through, I prayed.

I leaned back in the chair, never letting go of his hand, as the long day finally caught up to me and I drifted off.