The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (37 page)

             
“
Arthur,
”
she said.  She turned him around to face her. 
“
Arthur the poor boy
’
s been grieving all of these years.
”
 
Arthur walked away, tears brimming in his face.

             
“
And I haven
’
t!
?
!
”
 
Arthur exclaimed.  Maddie shook her head.

             
“
Then
,
Arthur, make the phone call,
”
Maddie said.

Arthur Moore picked up the phone and made the phone call that would change John Fowler
’
s life forever.

John
’
s PI Office

Chapter 92

John was whistling as he walked.  He had checked his messages for the PI Office earlier from his home.  Apparently his business phone had been ringing off the hook the night before and all that morning with the notoriety he had received from saving the
f
irst
l
ady
’
s life . . . and with the apparent resignation of the
p
resident.  He had listened to a few of the calls.  Most were more of th
e same type of cases he
’
d dealt
with in the past.  He really didn
’
t want to go back to those divorce and
cheating spouse cases, not after
the FBI case he had just completed.  He shuddered involuntarily at some of the old PI cases that entered his thoughts.

John had never more felt alive.  He wasn
’
t for sure how long this feeling would last, but for right now, it was enough.  He hadn
’
t thought twice about walking away from Sam
’
s case file.  He was seriously thinking over Trip
’
s offer of a return to the FBI.  He didn
’
t know what he would do.  Chet had all but begged John to return, and Jessica had acted indifferent about his return.  Jessica said they could
still
have a relationship and John not
be
a part of the FBI. 

John didn
’
t know how he would feel about that.  He could see them talking at dinner or some other place where they were together about what they did that day.  John didn
’
t think he could stand listening to Jessica tell him about some exciting case and then have to tell her about stalking out two very unattractive people to take pictures of them doing unspeakable things to each other for their
spouses.  The earlier PI cases reentered his thoughts, and John shivered
again
at the mental image.

John realized what he had just thought about; having a date with Jessica.  Things had changed so much for him in the past couple of weeks.  Heck, things had changed so much in the past two days!!  After the AA meeting last night he and Jessica had talked until two in the morning at the coffee shop about Sam.  Well that wasn
’
t true.  They talked about Sam for a little while and then they talked about the two of them.  It felt great!  John felt like he finally had a life!

John knew Sam would want him to move on, but John wasn
’
t sure he could have a relationship with Jessica and remain sane.  Jessica knew all of John
’
s faults.  Jessica had literally seen him at the worst place he had ever been in his life, and she still wanted to be with him.  That was some pretty heavy stuff, and John wasn
’
t comple
tely sure how he felt about
it
all
.  John shook his head and tried to stop thinking about his love life . . . or lack thereof.  That was another thought for another day.  John turned the corner, and stopped dead in his tracks.  Apparently he was wrong, that was a thought for right now.  John chuckled and waived to Jessica who was waiting in front of his building.  She looked at her watch as he walked up.

“
I don
’
t know
,
John.  I don
’
t think you can punch a time clock on time in the FBI any longer,
”
she said.

“
How do you do it?
”
John asked.  Jessica raised her eyebrows. 
“
How do you stay up past 2:00 am and still look so wonderful?
”

“
Flattery will get you nowhere with me
,
Mr. Fowler
,
but you
’
re welcome to continue to try,
”
Jessica said as she put her arms around John
’
s neck.  John
’
s heart began to hammer in his chest.  He knew Jessica was enjoying this.  She was trying to mess with him, and she was doing an excellent job!  To be totally honest John was enjoying
being messed with!  Jessica leaned in very close to his ear and whispered.

“
John
,
I should have said this last night, but I couldn
’
t.  Let me say what I need to say now.
”
 
John nodded, Jessica smiled coyly and continued. 
“
John
, I need you.
I don
’
t think I can make it without you.  I
’
m lost without you John.  I have never told a soul that before.  John
,
please stay.
”

John
’
s heart was abou
t to jackhammer out of his chest
.  Jessica could feel it beating against her.  She leaned back and took a look at him.

“
John . . .
are
you ok?
”
 
John nodded and summoned the strength to speak.

“
Jess . . .
are
you talking about the FBI?
”
 
Jessica smiled and touched her finger to his nose.  She turned and walked away.  Over her shoulder
,
she answered.

“
John, what else would I be talking about?  See you later.
”

John took a few minutes to compose himself.  He smiled and began to whistle again as he headed up the building stairs to his office.  John
’
s whistle died on his lips as he noticed a figure through the window of his office. 

John opened the door and walked in.  A very well dressed man was sitting on his couch. The man smiled.

“
John, John Fowler?
”

Something in John
’
s mind screamed not to answer and to walk out the door, but instead John answered
,
“
Y
es.
”
 
The man smiled and handed John a
folded piece of
paper.

“
John Fowler, you
’
ve been served.
”

John sighed.  He knew deep down what was coming before the man had served him.  He had to get back on his game.  That was the problem with this happy feeling; he missed the little things that he normally would
have
notice
d
.  John laughed.  Apparently there had to be a certain balance between happiness and
sadness for him to
be most effective.  John sat down and looked at the summons.  He decided to go ahead and open it and get everything over it.  His mouth dropped as he read the document.  His in-laws were suing him in civil court!  Not only that, they were suing him for the death of Sam.  His in-laws were asking for the trust that Sam
’
s grandparents had left to Sam and him to be turned over to them.  John let the paper fall to his desk.  John stood up and looked out his window trying to decide what to do.  His cell phone began to ring.  He looked down and saw the title,
“
Mommy.
”
 
John answered, thinking Chet had been served as well.

“
Chet, did they serve you too!?!
”

“
John, I don
’
t know what you
’
re talking about, but this is huge.  Bruce
’
s father has been kidnapped!
”

“
What!?!?
 
When?
”

“
We
’
re not for sure; it was just reported about an hour ago
. . . John, Bruce is asking for your help.
”

John looked out the window as the slow smile crossed his face.  While he felt sorry for United States
senator
Jeremiah Cosby, the fact Bruce had to break down and ask for his help made John
’
s day.

Chet was still talking. 
“
John!  John!!  Are you there!?!
”

“
I
’
m here
,
Chet.  I
’
ll be there in twenty minutes.
”

The End . . . For Now.

Chapter 1

John
shook his head gingerly and
checked his nose.  B
lood was freely flowing from it,
or was that from his forehead?  He really wasn
’
t sure at this point; all he knew was that he was a bloody mess.  John felt someone grab him by the leg and drag him behind a stack of boxes. As
John
turned to see who had saved him, he saw two of Bruce Cosby. 
Great, he thought, I
’
m seeing double.  It was then that
John
’
s stomach rolled.  He was
nauseous, though he wasn
’
t
sure if
it was
from the blow he took to his head or
seeing two of Bruce
.

“
You
,
ok?
”
Bruce asked.  John couldn
’
t quite make out what Bruce was saying.  Either he had asked him if he liked hay, or if he wore a toupee.  A shot rang out and hit the box over John
’
s head.  That he heard clearly!  John tried to remember how they got in this mess.  It was
all starting to
slowly com
e
back to him.  Senator Jeremiah Cosby had been kidnapped.  John and Bruce had tracked down the chief suspect, Luke McDonald, to this warehouse and were attempting to apprehend him.  John and Bruce had found Jeremiah a few days earlier, and thought they had Luke cornered in this building.  The only thing John knew for sure at that moment was Luke had pitched a grenade at John
’
s previous location.  The concussive force and the shrapnel from the explosion had about finished John off. 
If the boxes in front of him hadn
’
t taken the fragment damage, John wasn
’
t sure he would be here right now.

“
Stay back,
”
yelled Luke. 
“
I
’
ve got a bomb and I
’
ll take you out!
”

Bruce sneaked a quick peek at the device. 

“
John,
”
Bruce began. 
“
I think if I were to shoot the bomb
,
it would go off and t
ake Luke out without hurting us.
”

John stared at Bruce with amazement, put his finger in his ear and wiggled it around like he was trying to unclog it.

“
I
’
m
sorry,
my hear
ing must be extremely jacked-up.
I thought you just said you wanted to shoot a bomb!!
”
 
John exclaimed.  Bruce sighed.

“
John
,
you
’
re hurt and I can
’
t take a chance of that maniac getting away and killing my father,
”
replied Bruce.