Exceptional Merit (35 page)

Kate then shook her head and jumped into the conversation.  “Forget it Kevin.  You have a test in math tomorrow.  You're not staying home from school.”

He protested and wouldn’t concede that easily.  “But mom, Dad always says we should take our heritage more seriously and I think he's right.”

“Forget it.”  Kate reinforced her decision.

“It's not fair.”

He looked up disappointed in his mother’s decision.  He turned toward his father, continuing to plead his case.  “None of the Jewish kids go to school on their holiday.  So why should we have to go to school on ours?”

James Keegan looked down at his son and was forced to laugh.  He patted him on the head, mussing his hair.  “Nice try sport.”

“I told ya it wouldn't work.”  Timothy would jump in at any opportunity to prove his older brother wrong.

Tonight was no different from any other night this week and Keegan's mind was preoccupied with the parade tomorrow.  Kate called the family to dinner.  Keegan couldn't help but wonder if tonight would be the last night he would spend with his family.  Kate had prepared a pot roast for dinner.  She promised corned beef and cabbage tomorrow as well as homemade Irish soda bread.  Keegan sat at the table through dinner and hardly even touched his food.  Kate had known something was bothering him all week but tonight was the clincher.  Kate asked her husband to help her with the dishes while the children got ready for bed.  Kate washed the dishes one by one,
and then handed them to her husband to be dried and put away.  “What's the matter Jim?  You haven't been yourself all week.”

He was relieved to finally get it off his chest.  He placed the final dish in the cabinet and looked at his wife.  After a deep breath, “Kate I'm scared.  I've never been so afraid in my life.  There's a death threat on Martin Devine at the parade tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure it's a genuine threat.”

Kate didn't understand what her husband was trying to tell her.  “So what does that have to do with you?  Why are you afraid?”

“Kate, I'm in charge of guarding his life tomorrow.”

“You mean you're in charge of the detail to protect his life, right?”  She wanted to be clear.

He explained in greater detail.  “Yes Kate, I'm in charge of the detail but I'm also going to be marching along side of him for the entire parade.”

“Oh no you're not!” she insisted.

“I have to Kate, it's my job.  You know that.”

“I don't care about your job, Jim.  I care about you.  If you're so sure this threat is genuine why in the world would you want to be anywhere near the man.”

It seemed to Keegan to be the same old story.  No matter how many times he tried to explain what being a cop was all about, she wouldn't understand.  Someone who wasn't a cop could never understand what it was all about.  It was about never backing down.  You'd go after a guy with a machine gun when all you have is your six-shooter.  You'd go after a six foot five inch, three hundred pound guy, that you knew was going to fight you.  You'd take on three guys at once if they challenged you.  You NEVER back down.  “Kate, it's my job.  I can't run away when I know someone needs my help.”

“Then call in sick.  Do whatever you have to but you can't go to work tomorrow.  It's too dangerous.”

The irony struck him just then that he had used a similar argument in an attempt to dissuade Devine from marching.  “You know very well I can't call in sick.  I'm running the detail.  This guy's life is in peril.”

Kate was angry now.  “And what about your life, Jim.  Who's worrying about that?  Who’s worrying about your children growing up without a father?”

“I don't want to argue Kate.  You know I have to go to work, so don't bother trying to talk me out of it.  I'll be careful.”

Kate wasn't so willing to drop the conversation.  “Jim, what about the kids?  What about me?  How could you risk your life for someone you don't even know and put your own family second?”

Keegan decided he wasn't getting anywhere with this and tried a new approach.  “Kate, how could I face you and my children each and every day knowing I'm a coward and a failure.  I'm proud of what I do and I can look anybody dead in the eyes and tell them that I'm the best.  How would I ever be able to look the kids in the eyes again if I were to run away from my responsibility?”

Kate left the conversation alone after that.  She knew no matter what she said her husband's mind was made up and there would be no changing it.  This was just one more example as far as she was concerned of the fact that her husband loved his job more than he did his family.  The two of them didn't speak to each other again for the rest of the evening.

It was shortly before midnight when he decided to turn in for the night.  He walked upstairs and checked in on his sleeping children.  One by one, he awoke them from their sleep to give them a kiss and a hug and to tell them how much he loved them.  The children returned their father's kiss but didn't think anything of it.  He then joined his wife in bed.  Kate wasn't yet asleep but she pretended she was.  He put his arm around her and held her tightly as he tried to go to sleep.

****************************

The alarm clock sounded at 7:30 a.m. waking James Keegan from his sleep.  He sat up in bed after shutting it off.  He looked to his right to see that Kate wasn't next to him.  She must be getting the kids ready for school, he reasoned.  He rubbed his eyes, which burned due to lack of sleep.  He estimated that he didn't fall asleep until sometime after four a.m.  He got up from his bed and looked out of the window to see a gloomy day.  The rain danced in a puddle outside his window.  It was a light rain accompanied by a gusty wind. 
Terrific
, he thought to himself.  He was going to be marching the entire parade in the rain.  It almost seemed apropos to him.  He hoped the gray skies weren’t an omen for what the day would bring.  He wondered if his luck could possibly be any worse.

At eight o’clock, Keegan was still in his bedroom when he heard a knock on the door.  The Keegan children marched into his room all dressed in green to celebrate the Saint Patrick's Day holiday.  They jumped on the bed with their father and in almost perfect synchronization spoke.  “Happy Saint Patrick's Day, daddy!”

Keegan grabbed all three of them in one big hug and returned their wishes.  He gave each of them a kiss and made sure to tell them he loved them.  Keegan remained strong while his kids were in the room but after they left for school, he could feel his eyes well up with tears.  He fought the tears back and wondered if the kids had just happen to come into the room on their own or if Kate had put them up to it.  He determined it was probably Kate's doing, but either way he was happy they did.

Kate loaded the children in to the Ford Explorer to drive them to school.  There was no need to make her kids wait at the bus stop on a rainy day like this one.  As she drove her kids to school, Kate couldn't help but think about what the day would bring.  She had laid next to her husband all night, watching him, as he tossed and turned.  After he had finally fallen asleep, she had rubbed his back hoping to help him relax so he could get his rest.  Kate, herself, didn't fall asleep all night.

She was both nervous about what was going to happen today as well as feeling guilty with herself for turning her back on her husband last night when he had come to bed.  He needed her support and she refused to give it to him.  Kate dropped the kids off at their school and wished them a good day.  She watched them run through the rain to the school.  She couldn't help but wonder as she watched them go what she would do if anything bad were to happen to Jim.

She looked at the clock in the car, noting it was a quarter before nine.  She hoped she would get home before Jim had left for the parade so she could give him a kiss goodbye and let him know she wasn't still upset with him.  She was glad she had at least sent the kids to wish him a happy Saint Patrick’s Day, just in case she didn't get a chance to.

Kate pulled into the driveway and saw the department Crown Victoria was still there.  She was relieved and went inside to see her husband.  She was just in time.  Jim was about to leave the house and begin his drive into the city.  He was scheduled to meet Martin Devine at ten fifteen at his law office.  Kate was pleased to see that Jim was wearing his dark blue suit.  It was her favorite suit of his and he looked as handsome today as he was on the day they wed.  Keegan finished adjusting his emerald green tie and shut off the television, which had been tuned in to the weather channel.  He turned to face his wife and was unsure what to say.  He decided to open the conversation with the oldest ice breaker there was, the weather.  “They said the temperature is going to drop into the thirties today and it might even snow.  I guess they don't know spring is next week, huh?”

Kate chose to ignore his comment about the weather.  “Jim, I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time last night.”

She had a tear in her eye.  Keegan took his wife in his arms and squeezed her body tightly against his own.  “I know you were upset sweetheart.  I understand.”

“I'm just worried about you Jim.”  Kate fought back the tears she could feel building up.  “Please Jim, be careful.”

“I will Kate.  I will.  I promise.”

Keegan put on his overcoat to combat the inclement weather.  He looked down at his watch.  “I gotta get going.”

Keegan looked his wife deeply in the eyes and gave her a kiss goodbye.  “I love you.”

“I love you too,” as she watched her husband leave their home for what she prayed would not be the last time.

The rain had turned into a misty drizzle by the time Keegan arrived at Martin Devine's law office for a final summation of the detail.  The three hundred detectives assigned to the detail had met earlier in the day with Captain Anderson and were given their posts and instructions.  The uniformed details were mustering up on various street corners throughout the parade route.  Keegan agreed that Captain Anderson would be in charge of the detectives detail while he would march next to Devine.

Keegan was immediately shown into Devine's office by his secretary when he arrived.  Devine, Captain Anderson, and a few of the detective's from the office were already there when Keegan walked in.  Keegan watched as one of the detective's was assisting Devine in adjusting the bullet proof vest he was requested to wear during the parade.  Once the vest was properly fit on Devine, he took an open hand and slammed it against the vest causing a loud thud.  “Boy, this is uncomfortable,” Devine announced.  “I don't know how you guys wear this.”

Keegan was glad to see that although Devine had been stubborn about some of his suggestions that he didn't balk at this one.  “It can save our lives Martin.  That's why we wear it.”

Martin Devine looked over in Keegan's direction and shook his head in agreement as he buttoned his shirt over the vest.  “I guess you're right, Jim.”

The starting time of the parade was drawing near so Keegan knew he too must get prepared.  He opened the duffel bag he had brought from home and took out his own bullet proof vest to wear.  He then took his Sig Sauer, nine millimeter handgun from its holster on his right hip where he almost always wore it. He removed a shoulder holster from his duffel bag and put it on.

Keegan figured since he was wearing an overcoat, he would never be able to get to his gun in time, should he need it, if it remained on his hip.  It didn't make any sense to even wear a gun if you can't get to it when you need it.  Judge Boden could attest to that.  Keegan placed the gun in the shoulder holster and put his overcoat back on.  He placed his hand in the right front pocket of his overcoat, feeling his .38 caliber Smith & Wesson Chief.  A second gun was much quicker way to rearm himself, if need be, than to try and reload his Sig Sauer.  He loosely fastened the strap of the shoulder holster and reached into the jacket with his right hand to make sure his Sig Sauer was easily accessible.  He had an eerie feeling he was going to need it today.

Gerald Flynn anxiously
waited at the scene he had predetermined would be the sight of the assassination, in front of Saint Patrick's Cathedral.  Flynn decided this would be the last place Keegan or anyone else for that matter would think he would attempt the hit.  They would think it was too risky and escape impossible, figured Flynn.

Flynn however, saw a different scene.  He saw one of mass chaos
; people running for cover at the most dense part of the parade route.  Flynn figured the more people, the more confusion and the more confusion, the better chance of a clean escape.  But the most appetizing thing this particular site had to offer was the media.  There would be hundreds of reporters and cameras there from all over the country to witness and hopefully capture the assassination on film.  Flynn, aside from being the closest thing to pure evil most people would ever encounter, was also an egocentric.  He couldn't wait to see his work all over the news and read about it in the newspaper.

Flynn touched the butt of the gun as it sat in his waistband as he thought over his plan one more time.  If Keegan was stupid enough to be there, he would go after Keegan first.  He would simply walk up to him and shoot him at point blank range right in the head, just in case he was wearing a bullet proof vest.  Flynn was confident in his disguise after it had passed the challenges presented it.  The one major drawback with the disguise was the weather.  Since it was overcast and lightly raining, Flynn knew if he wore the sunglasses it would bring unnecessary attention.  Not willing to take that chance so late in the game, he left the sunglasses at his hotel but he was still sure his disguise was flawless.