A Father's Wrath (2 page)

Bradley noticed two paramedics enter the
fundraiser with an empty stretcher, then disappear behind the
crowd. “Something’s happening.”

David and Lu turned their heads to the
direction Bradley was looking.

The paramedics returned with the stretcher, no
longer empty, now it had a little boy on it.

Bradley said, “I wonder if that little boy is
one of the cancer patients.”

While looking at his phone, Lu said, “So sorry,
but I must go.”

David asked, “Everything alright? You need
anything?”

“Everything is fine.”

CHAPTER 4

While the detectives were at the hospital with
Richie Carson and his family, Joe Martello completed his paperwork
at the precinct.

He couldn’t understand how some people could
have such bad luck. That poor family. It’s not enough that their
five-year-old daughter had been diagnosed with cancer, now this
atrocity had to happen to their seven-year-old son.

Joe finished his paperwork and hoped there
weren’t any mistakes. He turned it in to the sergeant on duty and
prepared to go home for the night.

Before entering the men’s locker room, a chubby
little desk cop named Amy was just about to pass Joe, but she
stopped. She was short and round, but she had a pretty face with
juicy lips and monstrous breasts. Not Joe’s usual type, but he
could definitely imagine her giving a mean blowjob.

“Hey Joe. You tell your girlfriend about me
yet?”

“Yes, Amy. I told her you’re my soul mate and
I’m leaving her for you.”

She giggled. “You’re a liar.”

“I’m not lying. I’m joking.” Joe
smiled.

“Cute.”

Joe asked, “Did you think about what I asked
you?”

“I did.”

Joe’s heartbeat increased. “And?”

“Is it true that you used to be a
lawyer?”

Joe nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Not only are you gonna represent me for free
if I get in trouble for this, but you’re going to feed my cat while
I’m gone.” While looking both ways down the hall, she retrieved a
flash drive from her pocket, stepped toward the drinking fountain,
placed it on a dry spot on the edge, then stepped back.

Joe didn’t think she would really do it. He
snatched the flash drive, then exhaled and said, “Thank you so
much, Amy. I owe you big time.”

“Why don’t you thank me over dinner tonight?”
She giggled.

“I was telling the truth when I said I’m one of
those rare men that would never cheat on his girlfriend.” He waited
for another cop to pass, then he leaned in close and whispered in
her ear, making sure she could feel his hot breath. “But if you
ever catch me when I’m single, I’ll give you the fuck of your
life.”

He kissed her on the cheek and then headed into
the locker room, leaving Amy frozen like a statue with her mouth
open.

CHAPTER 5

An announcement rang over the hospital
loudspeaker while a nurse stepped into the room, wrote something in
a chart, and stepped back out.

Wearing a paper gown and covered with a
blanket, Taylor was propped up on the hospital bed. His sandy blond
hair was a mess and his pale skin was whiter than
normal.

Richie became more frustrated by the minute as
he watched the detectives question Taylor and Taylor ignore their
questions. He tried using his best sympathetic daddy voice,
“Taylor, buddy . . . the police are your friends. They want to find
the bad man who hurt you, but they don’t know who he is. Please,
Taylor . . . you need to tell them what they need to
know.”

Taylor shook his head, but didn’t
speak.

“You tell them, boy, or I’m gonna give you the
beating of your life.”

Detective Hanna Perez said, “That won’t be
necessary Mr. Carson.”

Richie was glad that Gail and Chelsea didn’t
have to be there. He ignored Detective Perez and said, “Okay,
Taylor. Forget the beating. Let’s try this. Either you tell the
detectives what they need to know or I’m throwing your TV and Xbox
right in the garbage.”

“But, Dad.”

“But, nothing! You start talking right now,
boy! And speak up!”

Taylor began to cry.

Detective McCoy said, “Mr. Carson. What do you
say you and I step into the hall and leave Perez with your son for
a while? She’s good with kids.”

Richie didn’t answer. He just looked back and
forth at the two detectives and at his son who was still
crying.

CHAPTER 6

In front of the hotel, Bradley waited as
David’s bodyguard assisted David into the back of his limousine and
closed the door. The bodyguard then sat up front with the
driver.

David rolled down his window and said,
“Bedford, tell Lu to rest up tomorrow. Monday is going to be a long
day. We have a lot of money to make.”

“I’ll tell him.” Bradley stepped back onto the
sidewalk and waited for his own limo to pull up. He looked at his
Rolex. The fundraiser had ended at eleven and it was already eleven
thirty. He hadn’t heard from Lu since he’d left the table earlier.
Bradley had called twice, but Lu’s phone went straight to
voicemail. He texted once, but still didn’t hear anything
back.

Bradley’s limo pulled up. The driver got
out.

Still on the sidewalk, Bradley said, “I have to
go back in for something. Just keep circling the block until I text
you.”

“Yes, sir.” The driver got back in the
car.

Bradley wondered if Lu had gotten sick, or
maybe he’d called a hooker. He just hoped he wasn’t in his room
getting high. He didn’t need those kinds of problems.

The doorman stood at attention while Bradley
entered through the revolving door. The lobby was still quiet. The
elevator opened as soon as he pressed the button.

The girl behind the counter looked at him, and
for a moment, Bradley thought she was going to say something, but
she didn’t. True, he was black, but he was a middle-aged man
wearing a three-thousand-dollar suit and a ten-thousand-dollar
watch.

Bradley stepped into the elevator as if he
owned the building and the girl behind the counter went back to
texting. He loosened his scarf and unbuttoned his coat while
watching the floor numbers on the screen.

After getting out
of the elevator on the 29
^th
floor, Bradley tried calling
and texting Lu again, but there was still no response. He’d been in
Lu’s room earlier that evening to help him tie his bow tie,
otherwise he’d have to spend who knows how long trying to hunt down
the info.

Bradley headed down the wallpapered hallway,
then knocked on Lu’s door. Nothing.

He knocked again, louder. He heard movement
inside the room, so he called out, “Lu! It’s Bradley! Are you
okay?” He heard movement again, then silence. “Lu?”

Finally, the door opened a little and Lu peeked
out into the hall.

Bradley thought Lu was high on coke.

Lu opened the door. Bradley entered. Lu closed
and bolted the door.

“I am sorry, Mr. Bradley Bedford, but I have
family emergency. I must go home.”

“Home?” Bradley looked into the man’s eyes and
realized he wasn’t high, just scared. “What happened?”

“It is personal. I must go.”

Bradley noticed all of Lu’s things packed and
ready to go. The furniture shined as if it had just been polished
and the thick carpet looked as if it had never been walked
on.

“I am waiting for confirmation for my flight
now, then I must go, Mr. Bradley Bedford.”

“What about Monday?” Asked Bradley.

“One of my assistants must fill in.”

“This is the first meeting between your
country’s new government and my company. I cannot stress how
important your presence is.”

“So sorry, Mr. Bradley Bedford.” Lu’s phone
beeped. He read a text, then said, “My tickets are ready and my
taxi is on the way. I must go.” He grabbed his luggage.

Bradley grabbed Lu by the arm. “If you’re going
to ruin both of our careers, at least tell me why you have to
go.”

Lu’s thick glasses fogged up as tears ran down
his face. “I don’t know what is wrong with me. I just can’t help
myself. Those sweet little boys are just so beautiful.”

It took Bradley a moment to understand what he
was hearing—Ko Sin Lu was a pedophile? This could really fuck
things up for everyone.

Lu used the same handkerchief to wipe his eyes
and his glasses.

Bradley said, “Tell me why you have to
go.”

After blowing his nose and putting his glasses
back on, Lu said, “Do you remember the little boy that go to
hospital?”

“Oh my God.” Bradley held his hand against his
head. “That’s why you left the table?”

Lu nodded.

He wondered what exactly Lu had done to the
boy. Did he rape him? He must have. If he only touched or fondled
the boy, he wouldn’t have needed a stretcher and an
ambulance.

Bradley’s sons were teenagers now, but it
wasn’t long ago that they were as young and vulnerable as that boy
that the paramedics had taken out of the fundraiser
tonight.

Part of Bradley wanted to strangle the deranged
little man standing in front of him, but he knew there was still a
chance of salvaging things. “Okay. Maybe it is better you go home
for a while. I’ll speak with David about our next move.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Bradley Bedford. Thank
you.” Lu bowed.

Bradley didn’t bow, and he certainly didn’t
want to shake the man’s hand. “Just go.”

CHAPTER 7

After leaving the hotel, Bradley had sent David
a text, but David didn’t respond, so Bradley headed home for some
sleep.

He knew his wife would already be in bed, so he
keyed in his alarm code, then tiptoed into the house trying not to
wake her. His Luxurious Long Island home was always
spotless.

In the bedroom, Bradley stripped out of his
clothes and wearing jut his boxer shorts and undershirt, he slipped
into the bed next to his wife. She rolled over, but didn’t wake
up.

He spent about an hour thinking about what Lu
had done, but thanks to the alcohol, he was able to fall asleep at
a decent hour.

At 6:30 AM, his phone vibrated on the
nightstand waking himself and his wife. He grabbed it and silenced
it. “Sorry, baby.” He jumped out of the bed while putting on his
glasses, then glanced at the screen. It was David
calling.

Bradley entered the bathroom, shut the door,
and answered the phone. “David. I need to speak with
you.”

“So speak.”

“I need to meet with you.”

David sighed. “I’m on my way to DC already.
I’ll be back tonight.”

“Okay. Text me when you get back.”

“You know I don’t like that texting shit.”
David coughed. “I’ll call you.”

CHAPTER 8

Sunday morning, Joe wanted to sleep a little
later than usual, but he woke up when the sun came out, just as he
always did. He lay for a moment with his eyes open, staring at the
dark beige walls and white trim, thinking about that little boy
he’d found in the staircase.

He tried to think of something else, so he
thought about the same walls he was staring at. He’d painted when
he bought the house five years ago, but now the paint was getting
faded. Recently, he’d been thinking of painting again, but never
seemed to have the time.

Joe rolled over and spooned against his
girlfriend, Michelle, who was sleeping on her side. He moved her
long dirty-blonde hair to the side and kissed her neck. She moaned.
He kissed her again, lightly, close to her ear. She moaned again.
Joe knew Michelle loved it in the morning, even when she was
tired.

Michelle rubbed her round juicy ass on his hard
dick and whispered, “Put it in.”

Joe didn’t need to be told twice. Without
changing positions, he pulled her thong to the side and slipped it
into her from behind.

She moaned louder and louder as Joe pumped her
harder and harder. Within less than ten minutes, he blew his whole
load inside of her. She was on the pill, so neither of them ever
worried about it. Joe spanked her ass, then jumped out of the
bed.

The bathroom was just down the hall and was
spotless.

He had to wait a few minutes for his hard-on to
subside before he could urinate.

After brushing his teeth and taking a quick
shower, Joe went back into the bedroom where he found Michelle
asleep, still in the same position she was when he left.

He slipped on a pair of briefs, then approached
the bed.

After covering Michelle with the blanket and
giving her a kiss on the head, Joe put on a T-shirt, a pair of
cotton shorts, and a pair of slippers. He crept out of the bedroom
and closed the door behind him.