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Dalton File #7

Sitting in my car after that beatdown, I remembered Flip gave me something. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. I opened it up and found a piece of paper and a note inside.

The paper was a page ripped out of a notebook. A ledger page. This was part of Handsome Dan’s bookkeeping records. It had names, numbers, and dates. And to top it off, every entry was signed by Mary and approved with the initials HDD. I laughed to myself. That code shouldn’t be too hard to break. If this was legitimate, he obviously trusted Flip Callahan enough to get lazy with coding. ‘Lazy’ Dan Donovan would be more accurate…

Mary Dolen was Handsome Dan’s bookkeeper! If this page is real, I had the goods on him. Maybe we can put this thug away and give Mary her life back.

Then I read the note and it seemed all but certain:

You should be able to get a warrant. I know where he keeps the books and I’m ready to testify. Anything to free Mary. Tell Mary I still love her when you find her.

His signature was scrawled at the end.

Flip Callahan left me with two impressions. One was the impression on my face, and the other was the impression that Mary was still at the convent. However, this still seemed too good to be true. Why would Flip flip now? Why didn’t he go to the police sooner if he wanted to free Mary? Can I trust Flip?

After all this time I was so close, and I was anxious to go to the convent. But I couldn’t go there looking like this. I was bloodied and bruised. If I walked into a convent looking like this, asking to see a woman, they would probably call the coppers. I needed to look my best when I faced the nuns.

So I drove home to have a coffee and a bath. I was tired and sore. Mary would have to wait a little while longer. Mary didn’t know I was coming, but for me the wait was killing me. When I walked through the door of my pad, Gumshoe jumped off the couch and came over to greet me, rubbing against my legs and meowing in that gruff little meow of hers. She even sounds like a gumshoe.

***

How Gumshoe came into my life is an interesting story. As I left the church for the first time that Sunday after meeting Mary, I started walking home. I was fidgeting with the Bible I had taken from the church. I felt guilty leaving with one of the pew Bibles, but I was told it was okay. That’s what they are there for.

I fiddled through the Bible looking for the book of John. I wasn’t even sure if John was in the Old Testament or the New Testament. During fellowship I sat alone with Pastor Michaels, and he told me to start there. I found the words, In the beginning, and I put the Bible ribbon there to mark the place. I would sit down and start reading when I got home. I hadn’t opened a Bible since Sunday school, and I didn’t even remember what was in it.

I wasn’t baptized yet, that would come later when I understood more. Not everything, but more. For now, I was still grappling with the idea of a personal savior. Pastor Michaels was telling me things about a personal God that I had never heard before. As I walked home, I was thinking: I can have a relationship with God? Even me? He cares about me? It all seemed so unbelievable, yet as I walked home I was sure it was true.

I continued walking and mulling all of this over in my head, and then I started to get the feeling I was being followed. As a private eye, when you get this feeling you pay attention to it. At the same time, you don’t want the person who is following you to know that you know they are following you, so I didn’t look back.

When I took a right at the next corner, I peeked over my shoulder and I didn’t see anybody. I did see a scruffy-looking cat, I filed that away but didn’t think anything of it. Still, I had the feeling I was being followed.

I took a left at the next block as I neared my apartment and peeked again. Nobody there, but that cat again. I looked at this sad looking thing and she meowed this gruff meow that was almost scary. I said to her, “What, are you a gumshoe or something?” She followed me all the way home.

When I got to my apartment I opened the door and the cat sat on the threshold. I told her it was time to go home, and tried to shoo her away again. She looked up at me, meowed, and went into my apartment as if she owned the place. She jumped up on the couch, and that has been her spot to this day.

“I guess I have a new partner,” I said as I headed over to the portable bar and grabbed a glass. Gumshoe meowed at me and I looked at the glass in my hand. Old habits. I went over to the refrigerator and dug around. I found some orange juice and took out the carton. I thought, I wonder if this is good on its own.

I sat down with the glass of orange juice and opened the Bible. I started reading: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

My church is using the NIV translation, which Pastor Michaels said is easier to understand. I have to admit that at that time I didn’t fully understand much of what I was reading. But when I read about the light shining in the darkness it spoke to me. I can’t explain it any better than that. Gumshoe jumped into my lap and I continued to read, taking a sip of my orange juice. This stuff isn’t bad on its own after all.

Anyway, that’s Gumshoe’s story. And mine.

***

I swallowed a handful of aspirin, filled the tub with hot water, not warm, and sank inside hoping to ease some of the pain my whole body felt.

I started to pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you for getting me through today. I’m hurting and sore, but I am alive. Thank you for protecting me and thank you for the lead. I feel like I am finally close to finding Mary. God, please let this lead pan out. You have brought me too far to fail now.

Lord, you know that I struggle at times, but I’m trying. I know I say things I shouldn’t and I apologize. Please guide me the rest of the way on this journey.

After what seemed like soaking in the tub for an hour, I climbed out and dried myself off. My body didn’t seem quite so sore right now. I lit a cigarette. I’ve cut way back but I still need to give these up. I laid down on the bed. Gumshoe came in and laid down next to me. I fell asleep.

As I sat at home healing, the waiting game began. I was expecting a knock on the door. I didn’t have to wait long…

Coming August 8th: The Dalton Files: On The Flip Side