Jail's Bait: Parole's Victim (Book 4)

At the top of the cliff the searchlights swept back and forth the area pointed out to them by Danny, set against the steep sides of the rain-battered cliff as those seniors who braved the thunderstorm, mostly the boys, looked on. Marquette and Joe stood near, also searching out the impossible black. “What made my son think he could drive down a mountain like THAT,” Marquette said, wet and bleary-eyed from fear as she searched for life-signs.

Joe put his arm around her. “He did it out of love for my son,” he said then; “Marquis would jump down a mountain to save Malik, and I’m really not surprised he would even try.”

“I know he’s a daredevil, BOTH of them are, actually,” Marquette added; “but do I hope Marquis and Kap find Malik.” Joe noticed that Marquette didn’t mention Rah-Rah, but he kept his comments about that to himself. He looked over at where the searchlights were frantically scanning the area Danny was so confident he saw something… he sure hoped that for the baby’s sake at least, Danny’s detective instincts were dead-on.

“Are you sure you heard something this way,” the security chief was yelling over the howling winds to the Detective/lawyer.

“I know I did,” Danny yelled back, still trying to peer through the stormy darkness. “But this cliff- its hard to see since it bends inward…”

“Hey YO,” said one of the senior grads, “I see sumthin- over hurr!!!” And he pointed straight downwards.

The searchlights swung where the boy pointed and, to everyone’s astonished belief, the beam finally pointed out a figure crouched on a jagged ledge about a quarter of the way down. It lifted its long arm and waived, while in its other arm a smaller figure squirmed.

“Oh my GOD,” Joe yelled out, “its Ray- and I think he’s got the baby!!!” He spun about and found the security chief. “I have an idea- when this was a ski lodge I remember there being a basket lift,” he said then; “try and see if you guys can find it,” he nodded towards the security. “Malik kept some of the lodge stuff back in the gate rooms.”

“Will do sir,” the chief replied smartly.

As the security group went back towards the black gates as Joe returned to his perch against the edge of the cliff, his heart in his chest as he peered through the windy rain. “Hold on, man,” he whispered…

*******

Over by the ambulance, as the EMT’s were busily loading Lamar into the stretcher, Joan heard Joe shout. She spun around to grab Claire. “Did you hear,” she said as Claire stared worriedly after her son.

Claire seemed to come out of a trance, looking at Joan. “Huh- oh yeah, I heard Joe, that Ray person is safe with the baby then?”

“I don’t know,” Joan said- “I’ll stay here and you go with Lamar.”

“Of course,” Claire said, turning towards the flashing lights again. “I’ll ask if I can get a ride with him in the ambulance…”

“Not yeaht, bayyby,” a deep voice said then, an arm grabbing her. Spinning around, Claire saw a wet, bedraggled Inamae X, cold fury radiating in his every move.

“Wha- OH GREAT LEADER,” she gushed then, “my son- he’s been hurt, I’ve got to go-”

“Yallz AINT GOIN NUWHURR, bayyby,” Inamae said then, scowling at her. “YALL’S GOT EXPLAINYN TA DOO,” he drawled, his grip on her arm tightening.

“Are you going with Mar ta the hospital or NOT,” Joan yelled then at Claire indignantly.

Claire looked over at the EMT’s which had finished loading and strapping Lamar down in the truck. She looked back at Inamae’s expression- and looked over at Joan. “Could you go with Lamar,” she asked then, apologetically. “I- I have to deal with this now.”

Joan looked at Claire with raw disgust. “And you wonder why the Hill Family wont fuck wit you,” she said darkly, wiping her wet hair from her face. “Tell Danny where his son is,” she said as she climbed into the ambulance and the doors were closed.

Claire looked at Inamae as the red flashing lights sped away. “Why did you make me DO that, GREAT LEADER,” Claire said, her eyes filling with tears. “My son-”

“AHHH SHUGAH,” Inamae said then, “don’t gimme dat bullshitt, yallz wasn’t thinkin bout da boy all dem yearz yallz wuz ridin my phat DICK, Yallz cant pull dat mutha card now,” he whispered in her ear while she stood there, her self respect stripped away as she cried again. “But I’m tyyred a playin dis hurr gayme wit u,” he said then; “we’z got sumthin ta discuss, rite now- wiffin yallz ex husband. GIT IM FO ME RITEE NOW,” he commanded.

*******

“HEAVE!!!”

The men grunted as they struggled to keep their grip on the basket lift suspended from a length of hemp rope slung over the side of the cliff, which was becoming increasingly slick against the driving rain. The lift was lowered down the side, winding and swinging wildly in the storm, and then the rope jerked. From the sudden, added weight, they knew Ray had gotten into the basket. They waited until he had some time to settle himself, and then the lifters began to try and pull the basket back up. The men were straining and groaning from fighting the harsh winds from ripping the grip out of their arms- when a rumbling, roaring sound came from out of the darkness.

Suddenly, to one side of the cliff those who were standing at its edge jumped back as, like a dark phoenix rising from a black pit, with a spray of mud the Duchati Cliff-Climber appeared, jumped up and over the edge, landing with a squeal of rubber and sparks on the wet stone walkway. A whoop of new excitement rose from the senior boys as Marquis and Kap, muddied and disheveled, dismounted from the bike, gasping for air as the rain continued to thunder down.

Marquis patted his bike absently as Carmen and Angelina came tearing out of nowhere and threw themselves on top of their boyfriends, yelping with delight.

“OH MY GOD, I cant believe you just drove that bike down a mountain and back again,” Carmen said, squeezing Marquis's neck tightly. “Don’t scare me like that again..!” Over on the other side of the bike, Angelina was doing the same sort of thing to Kap. Marquis pulled away gently from his girl as Joe and Marquette came running over.

“My god, Marquis,” Marquette squealed, throwing her arms around her son. “Please don’t try that stunt in this kind of weather again, baby!!” But Marquis was looking at Joe.

Joe swallowed, and took a deep breath- as deep a breath as one can take in a heavy downpour. “What did you find,” he asked directly.

Marquis and Kap looked at one another, and Kap reached into his sodden dress pocket. “Kap found this at the edge of the waterfall lake,” he said quietly as he held it out to Joe.

Marquette and Carmen peered into Joe's palm as Marquis dropped the object there- a glittering ring, inlaid with diamonds, splattered with traces of mud and blood.

Joe stared at it for a long time. “It’s Malik’s commitment ring,” he announced then, to Carmen’s, Angelina’s and Marquette's surprise. “He wouldn’t have dropped it unless- unless…” and then he walked away.

Carmen looked over at Marquis, who was still half-holding his mother. “But, there was blood on it,” she said then…

“What about… your father,” Marquette said then, searching her son’s face. “There was no sign of him at all..?”

Marquis looked back at her with his deadened look. “We looked everywhere, Ma. No one was down there… neither one of them. They must have fallen into the water; that lake is like 50 feet deep from what I remember.”

Angelina muttered then, “To fall ¾ of a mile into a 50- ft lake…” she bent over to Kap and whispered to him, “could they have survived..?”

“We didn’t see any trace of them,” Kap whispered back. “Let’s get you out of the rain,” he said then.

“Wait,” Carmen said as they began to head towards the game room; “they found Ray and I think Jamara too!”

“WHAT???” Marquis and Kap said, spinning to face her.

“It’s true,” Marquette verified. “They found Ray crouched on a ledge about halfway down, and it looks like he has the baby in his arms, but they couldn’t see him at first because the cliff was angled wrong or something. Security’s got a rope basket and all the fellas are helping pull them up. The helicopters don’t want to risk going down too close, the storm might blow them right into us.”

“I wanna help,” Marquis said then, pulling away from his mother and dashing across to where the crowd stood, trying to peer through the hard driving rainstorm.

“Hol up!!” Kap said, running, Marquette and the girls following after.

*******

Joe headed with purpose for the table that had been set up as a makeshift triage, and picked up one of the remaining functioning two-way radios, calling one of the helicopters in the air. “I need you to pick me up on the top of the house right now,” Joe said, heading for the interior of HT. “And find someone who has a map of the irrigation drains and lake routes from Mt. Rainier, get them on my chopper in ten minutes…” He switched the two-way off.

“It wont end like this for my son,” he muttered darkly as he disappeared into the house.

*******

Danny was squatting down on the ground, leaning over the edge of the cliff, trying to get a good glimpse of Ray to see if Jamara really was in his arms as the crowd heaved the hemp rope up, up, up- when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Claire crouching down next to him. “What is it,” he said then, irritated. “Is Lamar okay?”

“He-he’s lying down in the wait room we were in before the party,” Claire lied. “He’s asking for you, he wants to know whats going on.”

Danny cast one more look over the side for signs of Ray, then he grimly got to his feet and allowed Claire to lead him to the wait room, concerned about his son, Malik, the baby… and Ray. He didn’t allow himself to think during that whole terrible moment from Ray vanished over the side of the mountain to now, and he knew that he had almost experienced a wild grief over losing yet another lover, and if Malik isn’t found in one piece… what was he going to tell his son?

How would he help Lamar deal with the loss of his life-mate and best friend when he still hadn’t really gotten over what happened to Trey…?

And then he and Claire were at the door of the wait room, and they went inside- but to Danny’s surprise, Lamar wasn’t inside- instead a wet, white-robed man with a prophet-style beard stood by the rainy window, staring at him malevolently.

Danny turned around to Claire- he knew who this man was. “I don’t have time for this,” he said to Claire, turning again to leave the room.

“You’d better make time,” Danny-boy, Inamae said, clearly and distinctly. “You and I have to be officially introduced- finally,” he said, tossing Claire and Danny a couple of fresh towels. “Dry off, Claire, Inamae said, you’ll catch your… death.”

Claire frowned at Inamae in surprise. “What the-” she began. “Where’s your accent..?”

“Close the door,” Claire, Inamae replied coldly. “Unless you want the rest of the world to hear-”

“Look, Inamae, or whatever your name is,” Danny said then, coming over to get into the bearded man’s face; “I’m in the middle of something, so if you don’t want me to haul you downtown for harassment I suggest you leave, NOW.” And then he turned once more to leave the room.

“You’re right about one thing,” Inamae said to Danny’s retreating back; “my name isn’t Inamae X, it’s Jenkins- Lionel Jenkins.”

Danny stopped in his tracks.

“I see the last name’s familiar to you,” Lionel said then, his scowl turning into a wicked smile as Danny turned slowly back around. “Yes, my name is Lionel, they called my daddy Juke Jenkins. Heard of him..?”

Danny’s face paled.

“I guess you would’ve heard of him,” Lionel said then darkly, “seein as though he was YO daddy too.”

Claire looked at Inamae-aka-Lionel- and started to laugh. “OH GREAT LEADER, she said in guffaws, you’ve got to be joking…” she turned to Danny, smiling. “Tell him your father’s name wasn’t Juke Jenkins; you were named after your father, his name was Daniel.”

“Yes, Claire, that’s right,” Danny said then, his face still pale with shock. “My father’s name was Daniel- Daniel Jenkins; they called him Juke for all the jook joints he used to get drunk at.”

Claire stopped laughing. “How- HOW did you know that,” she said, frowning. “You told me all you knew about your father was his first name, that your mother never told you anything else before she died.”

Danny frowned at his ex-wife. “After Atreyu died, Joe and I traced his history. We discovered that the maid at Crimson Crest- Maisie Jenkins, his mother- was married to Juke at the time. My mother…”

“OUR mother,” Lionel corrected. “Laura Jenkins was my mother too.”

Danny stared at Lionel. “As I was about to say, Mama would’ve told me if she had another son; you’re lying to me.”

Lionel smiled again wryly. “She left me with Juke, and he just told everyone that mama died, to save face. He remarried and Maisie left him when he found out she was pregnant- he knew it couldn’t be his cause he was sterile after he had us, so he beat her until she ran away. Daddy had tracked mama down after that and found out that she had another kid; you, obviously- but when he brought her back to Seattle she refused to tell him where you were, so he killed her.”

“That part of the story is true; I found that out when I got older,” Danny said, slowly wiping his hand across his face; “we were living in south WA, she had left me with her sister, my aunt Crystal Clark- to go visiting back in Seattle, she said- but she never came back for me. We got the news that she had been murdered and the guy got arrested and sent to prison, I was still too young to get the gory details. My aunt Crystal raised me after that, and she changed my name to Clark, I never knew it was anything else. Aunt Crystal moved me back to Seattle when I was a teenager to go to high school here. But she never told me I had a brother; I still find it hard to believe that she would abandon one kid to save another.”

“I blame you for Mama takin off on me,” Lionel said then, stony-faced. “I wanted to pay you back for the years I was left without a mother, left with a psychopath who started hittin on ME when he didn’t have anyone ELSE ta hit on anymore.”

Danny blanched. “Look, we can play catch-up later, brother- if that’s who you really are,” he added contemptuously- “but right now I really have to get back outside.”

“Sure, I’ll let you get back to the only family you ever wanted- but just a moment,” he said then, a flicker of fire in his eyes. “I wanna let you know how I got my revenge on you.”

“I don’t CARE how you got your revenge on me,” Danny began, turning his back once again on Lionel.

“How’s my SON, Danny-boy?” Lionel exclaimed then.

Danny stopped and turned back again, staring at Lionel incredulously. “What do you mean, ‘how’s your son’..? I don’t know who your son is…”

“Sure you do, you should know him,” Lionel said pleasantly. “I’ve let you raise him these past 30 years…”

*******

“HEAVE!!!” The men groaned against the winds, pulling the rope up, up…

Marquis thanked God that the basket lift was left behind when the ski lodge closed down. As they pulled the lift closer, he began to hear the most wonderful sound- the frightened wails of a baby. Joe breathed a sigh of relief- if she could bellow like that above the wind, it meant she was ALIVE… Slowly, as the wails grew louder the basket came into view, and Marquis could finally make out who was inside.

Ray was sitting against the wall, holding in his lap a very frightened Jamara, whose ear-splitting wails had finally begun to subside as she looked up and noticed the crowd above her. Quieting down, she ducked her head into Ray's chest as the basket was carefully maneuvered up and over the edge of the cliff. A storm of applause exploded from the onlookers as Ray held out the baby. Kap was instantly there, taking Jamara into his arms while Marquis and a couple of the other boys assisted Ray out of the basket.

"Hey, the rain- it's slowing down," one of the girls exclaimed. And sure enough, the hard drive of the rain seemed to slack off, and then with a last rumble from above, stopped altogether as the angry, roiling clouds seemed to move off towards the Rockies in the east.

*******

Danny slowly turned around to regard the smug Lionel, Claire standing in between them, mute shock on her face. “Did you hear me,” Lionel said then as Danny came back over to him. “I am Lamar's real father-”

WHAM.

Lionel fell to the floor with a thump- howling and then spitting blood on the carpet- a piece of what looked like white enamel among the reddened wad. “Look what you did,” he said in a mollified, muffled tone. “You broke a twooth!”

“Don't put my son's name in your mouth ever again,” Danny said with cold heat. “MY SON.”

“Why, whats the matter, Danny-boy,” Lionel Jenkins said then, still spitting out blood. “You afraid twoo find out the twooth?”

“I know the truth already,” Danny said then, scowling at Lionel. “Even if you ARE my long-lost brother, there's no way you could be Lamar's father.”

“Ask yo WIFE,” Lionel spat- “that is, EX-wife,” he corrected, looking at Claire with disdain. “You DO remember why she left you and the boy..?”

“Of COURSE,” he replied; “she left to follow that silly militant group Africa's Issue and-” Danny stopped then, his eyes growing wide with horror as he finished the sentence; “...and to follow you.”

“That's right, little brother,” Lionel said triumphantly. “To follow Inamae Shazzad X- me. Are ya just getting it, little brother...? I've been in your life a VERY long time... you just never paid me any attention. But I've paid you attention, Danny-boy- I studied you and your marriage. I learned about your wife's back-to-Africa obsession, and it gave me the most brilliant idea,” he added with a Cheshire-Cat grin.

Claire stared at the man she called Inamae Shazzad X for over 30 years. “What... are you saying,” she said slowly, growing apprehension in her eyes.

“I'm sayin, bayyby,” he drawled then, “is that AFRICA'S ISSUE was born, created- just to get you into bed.”

Danny stared at Claire then. “Did you sleep with this guy while we were still married and living together...?!?”

Claire stared at Danny, her eyes widening each second with greater fright, her silence an unmistakable confession- then she fled out of the room, into the night.

Danny turned back to regard the smug man still laying on the floor. “Looks like the rain's stopped,” Lionel said casually, rubbing his jaw.

“You did all this- started a cult, went after my wife, broke up our marriage and now lay claim to my son- why, Lionel?” Danny asked with growing anger.

Lionel smiled softly. “Why, dear brother... revenge is the oldest reason in the book.”

“Revenge,” Danny asked then; “for what..? Do you think I took our mother away from you and because she protected me from Juke Jenkins she died for it..? Am I close..?”

Lionel's smile turned glaring. “As close to it as right on it,” he said then.

“You know what- we'll get this all straightened out,” Danny said then, turning to leave; “and when I get proof that Lamar is my son I'll have you arrested for long-term harassment.”

“And my lawyer will have you up on assault charges,” Lionel said then- “she's one of my flock; you don't know how far a lawyer will go for you, once you put a foot long dick in her pussy on a regular basis.”

Danny threw Lionel one more contemptuous look- then he strode from the room.

*******

Ray had been seen by the EMT's, bandaged and given a blanket; apparently he only suffered bumps and bruises from his horrific dive over the side of Mt. Rainier. He was toweling his hair off next to the basket, still at the edge of the cliff, staring down into the dark abyss that had almost claimed his life.

Marquis, a towel draped across his muddied shoulders, came over to Ray with fresh oversized towels and a steaming mug of hot cider. "Here," he said, handing him the towels and the mug.

"Thanks," Ray said gratefully, wrapping himself in the large towels and taking a sip from the mug. "Dat's real nice of ya."

"Well, you risked your life to save my little sister," Marquis said then, putting a hand on Ray's shoulder.

"I knew dat she was Danny's grandbaby," Ray continued; "I aint want him ta be hurt. Turns out he got hurt anyway, dey tol me about what happened wit Malik and that Rah-Rah guy." He took another sip of the cider. He looked up at Marquis. "Do I really look dat much like yo grandaddy?"

"Like I said before," Marquis replied; "like a ghost. I guess that's why I wanted ta come over and see if you was iight."

"I'm not, ya know," Ray said then- "not ya granddaddy back from the dead, I mean. An Danny ran a DNA test, jus ta be sure... I aint related at all."

"No sweat," Marquis replied, looking out over the edge of the cliff he had just skidded down and back up again. No trace down at the bottom of the mountain of either his birth father or the father of his heart... memories of the man who raised him until he was 8 years old flitted in and out of his mind, mixing with memories of the man who raised him from 8 years old to become the man he was today- if he had to think about it, he wasn't sure who's loss would hit him harder…

"They'll find em," Ray said grimly, sensing just what his thoughts dwelled upon. "I know how both of em must mean ta ya..."

"Hey- I did all I can, so let's just keep up the hope, and not talk about the worst," Marquis said with a shudder. He looked at Ray then, seeming to decide on something as he bent over to whisper in Ray's ear. "So, can I ask you a real personal question..?"

Ray looked up at Marquis sharply- then nodded. "If you want ta know if I'm really jus yo godfather's co-worker from outta town, then I'll tell ya- I'm no more his co-worker than you an your friend Kap are just friends..."

Then it was Marquis turn to look sharply at Ray. "You're very perceptive," he said then archly. "Of course, I didn’t think you would risk your life like that, jumping off of a mountain for just a co-worker/ email pen-pal… so I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine."

"Deal," Ray said, holding out his free hand.

Marquis taking it and smiling. "Thanks again," he said simply.

"I second that," Kap said, coming up with Jamara in his arms. She was wrapped in a towel as well, looking like a giant burrito. When she saw Ray, she burrowed out from under the wrapping and held out her arms to him mutely. Ray smiled and held out his arms, taking the baby back. "How ya doin, lil girl," he said softly then, laughing at Jamara's smile. "Seems like we been through a real bondin moment, you an me- I guess we gonna be friends..?"

Jamara giggled. "freds," she said then.

Everyone was startled. “Wow, I think that was her first word,” Marquis said then, smiling widely at the baby. “Let's get her into the house and get some dry clothes on her- ahh shyt,” Marquis said then; "where's the nanny? Where's Sophie?"

"rah-rah..." Jamara said with a frown.

The men mutely looked at her- then Kap and Ray looked at Marquis, fresh horror growing between the three of them. "You- you don't think," Marquis began, but then a shout came from towards the gates.

"MICHAEL!!! MICHAEL, WHERE ARE YOU???"

"Awww shyt," Kap said, paling, "it’s my mom! I forgot she was on her way to the party..." He searched the milling crowd, and spotted her. "OVER HERE," he yelled as she made her way towards them.

Cheynne DonaTello was still dressed in her waitress's uniform, hair disheveled from the rain, a look of fright on her stil beautiful, care-worn face. "Michael, security wouldn't let me in here, there are police and ambulances everywhere..! What in the hell is going on here-" she began, then she saw Ray- and stopped talking, her face going white as a sheet. "Oh, my god," she managed, seeing the man holding the baby in his arms.

Ray had suddenly caught sight of Kap's mother too- and stopped moving, his face mirroring her pale expression. Jamara lay back in Ray's arms, looking at the new arrival silently.

Marquis and Kap looked between the two of them- Cheyenne and Ray, who seemed like they were lost in a world of their own. “Ma… what's wrong,” Kap asked worriedly.

"Ray..." Cheyenne said haltingly; "how- how did you find our daughter...?"