The Waiting Room
~ Chapter Ninety-Two
Roux's Revelation
Ichabod
placed DeMarco’s mask into the box. BonBon found herself being
consoled by Lt. Victor but could see that he was distant in his
condolences. Crane knew that Victor had been jealous of DeMarco.
Victor was more than pleased that the Spaniard was gone.
But
even from where he stood, he could tell that there was no sincerity
in his words. Others felt it too but it was Roux who made the first
move.
“Bon Bon,” her name rolled off his tongue like a
breeze across an Irish field, his hand extended to her. “Won’t
you join our little group over here? I’ve written a new ballad that
perhaps you may enjoy? And…” he offered her a small white box.
“We have chocolates.”
The Cuban beauty dabbed her eyes
and leaned forward for a closer look at the tempting treats. She
glanced up to Roux and saw him nod, bringing the box closer to her so
she could have her pick.
She plucked a round chocolate from
its' paper and popped it in her mouth, savoring the sweet taste.
She reached for another but Roux withdrew.
“Another, only
if you come join us,” he said waving his hand in the direction of
the men who sat waiting for his return. “I am sure you know us
all…Cesar, Raphael and William Blake.”
Bon Bon glanced
beyond Roux. He watched as a strange look crossed her face.
“What
is it?” he asked as he turned to face his small band of friends.
His eyes came to rest on Raphael, who like Bon Bon had a look
of concern. He then looked to Cesar who was shaking his head and when
he caught Roux looking at him shrugged his shoulders and pointed to
the empty chair; the chair where Blake always sat. On the seat were
two items: his gun and a skeleton key.
“This can’t be,”
Roux mumbled as he went to the chair. Carefully he picked up the gun,
glancing about. Surely Blake would not intentionally leave his
six-shooter. He flipped the chamber and found it fully loaded and one
by one, ejected the bullets, including the one in the barrel. As if
it were still a deadly weapon he gently placed the weapon on the
table.
Then he picked up the skeleton key; the one Angie had
sent him.
“He would not have let this out of his sight,”
Roux said, and received confirming nods.
“Help me,” he
said to the other two men as he scraped the bullets into his hand.
Cesar picked up the gun while Raphael held out his hand to take the
bullets.
The three of them went to Crane.
“Constable?”
Roux’s voice brought the detective around. He looked to the gypsy’s
face then down to his hand where he held out the key. Crane took it.
“William Blake’s,” Roux explained. “And this was his
gun,” he waved towards Cesar who surrendered the weapon.
“And
the bullets,” Raphael added, holding on to them, seeing Crane no
longer had an empty hand.
“Were there others this morning?”
Roux inquired.
Crane nodded, placing the weapon into the box,
the key into his pocket. His concern was they might need the key to
the basement later.
“The Commander found these.” Crane
held up a pair of reading glasses and a briefcase. Roux recognized
them as belonging to Gene Watson. The Constable unlocked the case,
flipping up the lid. Inside was one photograph of a young girl. Crane
picked it up and handed it to Roux.
She was a beautiful
little girl.
“His daughter?” Roux asked. Crane nodded,
taking back the picture and returning back into the briefcase. “She
was the world to him.” Roux commented.
But Crane moved on
to another item off the table.
“And this was found by of
all people, Mr. Jung.” The policeman’s shield flashed gold in the
overhead lights of The Room. For a second Roux was blinded by the
light that bounced off the gold badge.
When Roux could see
again he saw the name on the badge.
Joseph Pistone.
Roux
shook his head, not remembering anyone by that name.
Crane saw
his confusion.
“We knew him as Mr. Brasco. Donnie Brasco,”
Crane cleared up the mystery.
“Another police officer
gone?” Roux asked as he searched The Room.
“I fear the
answer to your question is a solid yes.” Crane answered as he
placed the badge in the box.
Crane then pulled out the
skeleton key and held it out for Roux.
“Could you be so
kind and find me another empty box? I am so afraid that this one has
become full.”
Roux gave a small nod.
“Yes,
Constable, I am sure by now there is another empty box in the
basement.” The men watched as Roux left them, a sadness to him. He
paused before he entered the kitchen and turned, looking back to the
men.
But he was looking at one man in particular: his friend
Raphael, then sighed and disappeared behind the kitchen door.