The myriad cloud formations moving across the sky caused the sun to flicker on and off all afternoon. Paul and Carter stood on the porch of Lawrence Hertz's tawdry looking bungalow looking around at all the unfinished projects to the home. Some of the shutters were freshly painted and some were falling apart. Only half of the driveway had been repaved. Carter didn't even have the slightest temptation to horse play with Paul like he would've with Travis. Not after finding out Paul was gay. In fact as soon as the case was over he would tell Max to find him a new partner.
The front door slowly opened and the smell of mothballs emanated from the bungalow. Lawrence Hertz was wearing glasses so thick you would think he was blind. The lens in his glasses were so thick it made his eyes look like grotesque jaw breakers. You could play connect the dots with all the pimples on his oblong face.
Lawrence fumbled with the joystick on the arm of his motorized wheel chair.” What do you want?” He snarled while gazing at Carter's Doc Martin shoes.
Carter and Paul both flashed their credentials then Paul said,” May we come in?” Before Lawrence could answer Carter stretched out his sinewy leg, side swiped the wheel of the motorized chair, and proceeded into the kitchen. Lawrence pushed down on the joystick causing the motorized chair to do a 360 and pursued Carter while wheezing like he was about to have a heart attack. Paul shrugged his shoulders and followed the two of them.
“ You can't just come strutting in here like you own the place! Let me see your warrant!”
Carter rolled up the sheaf of papers they had obtained from Ebay and slapped it against Lawrence's chest then dropped it on his lap.” How's this for a warrant?”
Paul was disgusted at the condition the kitchen was in. The floor was so sticky it nearly glued his burgundy wing tips to the floor. Dirty dishes were piled up everywhere.
Lawrence unrolled the papers and glanced them over. “I don't know anything about this.” He said shuffling through the papers and stopping at the one with his picture on it.
Carter continued to query while Paul surreptitiously snuck inside the den and conducted a search.” Who did you buy this stuff for?” Asked Carter crossing his arms and glowering at the handicapped man. He was debating whether or not Lawrence was a paraplegic or just too fat to be able to walk on his own.
Lawrence continued to play dumb.” Buy what? For who? You're not making any sense.”
Carter kicked the left wheel on the motorized chair while stubbing his big toe in the process in an attempt to shake up the fat man.” Don't try to thwart me! We know that this stuff was purchased from your computer using your credit cards. Now you can either do this the easy way or we'll rip this place apart with such nullification that you wont be able to find a pair of matching socks!”
The thought of his home looking like the after-math of a giant pinata seemed to grapple his intellect. Loud thudding sounds came from the den from Paul vigorously tearing the place apart. Lawrence seemed to be oblivious to what was happening in the den. Perhaps with his old age he was hard of hearing.
The fat man nervously tapped the tip of the joystick with his thumb.” Okay, you got me. I did purchase these items several weeks ago. These items are not illegal. I didn't break any laws so what's it to you?”
The noise in the den grew louder but Lawrence was still unaware. Maybe he had forgotten about Paul. Carter continued,” These electronic gadgets were used in a kidnapping where several people died. We need to know who you bought this stuff for?”
The hairy pimples shuffled about the fat man's oblong face as he manifested a big clown smile.” I'm afraid I can't help you with that.” He said still smiling.
“ What do you mean?”
“ I've never met the buyer in person. He somehow found me and contacted me by phone. He said I needed money and he could help. I was instructed to leave the merchandise on the back porch and he would pick it up while I was sleeping. When I came out the following morning there was a little black bag full of money in the flower pot.”
Carter let out a deep breath and relaxed a little bit. ” Didn't you suspect he was up to no good?”
Lawrence looked at him like a school principal getting ready to lecture a menacing student.” Look mister.......”
“ Carter. Special agent Chris Carter.” He cut in.
“ Yes Mr.Carter, I'm a veteran of two foreign wars serving my country with great dignity. I got caught up in some friendly fire taking a bullet in the back of my spine paralyzing me from the waist down. Now my life is in shambles and the VA wont even send somebody out to help me go to the bathroom. I could care less if this electronic equipment was used to take out the president of the United States. I needed money and I've broken no laws.”
For some reason Carter could understand where the guy was coming from. He knew of some disabled veterans missing a leg or an arm and instead of getting treated like a hero people just ignore them and forget about them.” What about the black bag? Do you still have it?”
Lawrence pushed down on the joystick causing the chair to do a 360 and the motor made a whirring sound as he made his way to the cabinet under the sink. The escalating noise from the den grew louder and Lawrence finally figured out what was happening. He made a sharp left turn just before reaching the kitchen sink and made his way towards the den.
Carter followed after him also curious about all the commotion. He stood in the doorway completely astonished when he saw what Paul was doing. Paul had completely gone gung ho with the search ripping things apart and throwing items against the wall he had found in the closet. Paul was bent over in the closet and threw a flashlight over his shoulder nearly hitting Lawrence in the face. Paul had no idea they were watching him tear the place apart. Carter was impressed that a man who was purportedly gay could be so aggressive. He had encountered a lot of homosexuals especially in college but they were always known for being wussy and non-violent.
Lawrence began to wheeze progressively louder holding his stubby hand over his paunch as if having a heart attack.” You have no right to be in here! I know what my rights are!”
Paul came out of the closet holding up a Caroline work boot shoebox that was taped shut with packaging tape.
“ Put that down right now!” Demanded Lawrence.
Paul tried to pry the box open with his feminine hands but was having difficulty. Carter still stood in the doorway watching the proceedings as if it was some kind of circus act. Paul bore down on the shoebox using his pearly white teeth to tear apart the tape. Then with what little strength the weakling had, Paul ripped apart the rest of the box and dumped the contents all over the floor.
When the pictures laid strewed all over the carpet it suddenly got very quiet. Carter gaped and felt a pang of nausea in his stomach. There lying on the carpet was hundreds of pictures of child pornography.
Lawrence backed up his motorized chair and began to stutter.” I....um.....uh....”
Paul jumped down his throat.” I hope you're not too attached to that motorized chair because the one you're gonna get in jail isn't going to help you get around provided that you'll be able to fit in it.”
Still there was utmost silence as Lawrence mulled over the thought of rotting in jail. He was unhappy with his health care now, wait until he sees what the healthcare is like in jail.
Ironically Carter's cellphone began to chirp instead of Paul's which made him feel back in the loop. Paul watched Carter's face light up like a Christmas tree as he talked to Max on the phone.” Yes, yes okay boss. We're glad to hear. We'll be on our way soon.” Carter folded shut his cellphone and dropped it in his perpetual pocket of his Docker's pants. He looked at Paul with festivity and tugged on the bottom of his vest revealing his expansive chest.
“ We've got to go. Tina's awake.”