Grand Opening Ch. 01

Jack David Eastman," Charles read out loud.

The accompanying mug shot left no doubt in Charles' mind; the young man in the wedding photograph was Jack David Eastman, not Jack Duvalier.

X.X.X

Charles Villeaux went to the courthouse, presented his evidence to the District Attorney, waited for the Assistant DA to finish with the phone calls, and then waited for the District Attorney to find a judge that was willing to sign the warrant for the arrest of Jack David Eastman.

Vickie was sitting at the bar, doing her homework, a dancer was tiredly gyrating to Bob Dylan's 'Lay Lady Lay,' and five bikers were playing a game of pool when Charles Villeaux strode in.

"Jack David Eastman, I have a warrant for your arrest," he said loudly.

"Who?" Penny asked, taking the ladle out of the steaming pot of navy beans.

"Lower your voice; my kid's sitting right over there," Jack whispered hoarsely to the young officer.

Two of the bikers sidled closer, clutching their pool cues.

"Who? Jack Eastman?" Penny asked.

"Hey, um, Sweet Bit? Kind of a funny story," Jack said.

"Then sock it to me; I could use a good laugh," Penny said, pale face drawn tight.

"Um, it kind of turns out, hey guys, y'all go on back to your pool game there," Jack said.

"This cop bothering you?" one of the bikers growled.

"No, y'all just go on back to your game," Jack said waving them away.

"I'm waiting," Penny said.

"Honey, um, see, um, before I came out here, I um, I was known as Jack Eastman, in New Orleans," Jack hemmed and hawed.

Charles kept an eye on the five bikers that watched the trio with great interest.

"And?" Penny asked. "What's that mean?"

"And Jack Eastman killed a man in New Orleans," Jack said.

"Thought you were from Houston," Penny said.

"Nope, New Orleans," Jack said tiredly.

"You going to come along or..." Charles asked, reaching for his handcuffs.

"You want to make it out of here alive, keep them handcuffs where they are," Jack whispered to the young police officer. "I'll walk out with you, make it look like it ain't no big deal, hear?"

Charles looked into the mirror behind the bar again and nodded his head yes.

"I love you, Sweet Bit," Jack said and kissed his wife on her lips.

"You too, Old Man," she said, fighting the tears that threatened to spill over.

Vickie looked up from her Arithmetic homework as her father and the police officer walked toward her.

"Got to go with this nice policeman, but I'll be back as soon as I can, okay, Pumpkin?" Jack said softly.

"Yeah, okay," Vickie said and accepted her father's kiss, and rubbed her face where his unshaven face scratched it.

Jack smiled at that and made a point of grabbing her and forcibly rubbing his cheek against hers.

"Dad!" the girl squealed, bringing a smile to the policeman's face and a few chuckles from the bikers.

X.X.X

The trial, held in New Orleans, did not start until late November of 1971. Both sides presented their case, and then the jury took less than thirty minutes to find Jack David Eastman guilty of second-degree murder. The judge sentenced him to a term of no less than twenty five years.

Jack hugged his sobbing wife and wailing daughter before the bailiff removed him from the courtroom.

With a lurch, Jack remembered that it was Vickie's birthday that day.

*

*Author's Note: This is part one of a series of stories involving the Dead End Bar.

**Author's Note: I write these stories for my pleasure; I post them here for your enjoyment. Thank you for reading my story.