Redwood Nine: Season 02 Ch. 07

They were talking about defending themselves from any kind of danger, natural, or man-made. Moon wanted nothing to do with any kind of firearms on the property. He would allow the guys to have their guns, as long as they were never brought out, or used. JT could only agree, as he knew he had no real say in commune policies. He left it off, telling them that they would do their best to keep trouble away from the farm at all costs and protect them. Moon didn't like that the club's business was spilling over into his life and the lives of his people. His intentions to live on the farm, were to get away from society's miseries and live peacefully. No one tried to defend them self anymore against that.

The morning seemed to continue the clouds of last night's discussion, as rolls of dark, grey masses, scudded across the sky. JT felt bad inside, knowing what Moon and the others wanted to achieve here and the club's actions were going counter to it. It was hard to weigh out the merits of each against one another. He knew that once committed and the act done, it was forever going to put them further into the darker side of life, crime becoming a part of their make up as a club. There seemed to be no logical answer to it, each holding its own, in worth and merit, that both had to exist. It was his dilemma, to find a way that they never came together.

They left their bikes in the shed and drove in to the clubhouse. JT opened the gate and got back in with Piney, Clay and Lenny, in Marlene's Riviera, stopping the door from closing, as he looked at the sign on the pole. Jake still seemed to be present with them and JT could sense it in himself. He knew there would come a time, when he would have to let him slip away from the real world and be a memory, but for now, Jake was alive and needed to be thought of, as such. He closed the door and saw that Piney and the others, were looking at him in wonder.

"Jake says hi."

"What?"

"Jake was just talking to me and said to say hi to you all."

Piney looked at JT perplexed, unsure if he was serious, or joking. He saw the same expression on the others as well.

"He did, Jake has a connection with me. That night brought us together and we know how to communicate, or something. He's watching out for us and he'll try to let me know if something isn't right. I don't know guys, I just hear it, or sense it, or something and I know it's real, not just shit in my head messing me around."

Piney shook his head and stopped by the clubhouse, as did Wally and the rest, in his car. JT heard the phone ringing in the office and dashed over to open the door. He scrambled over the desk for it and panted hello. He smiled happily hearing it was Marlene on the other end.

"Hi Mar, how are you feeling today? All set to see Jake's place a bit later?"

"Oh yes, I can't wait. I'm so excited, but nervous, because I have no idea what we'll find there. I was trying to think if there would be anything really private, that he wouldn't want everyone seeing, or reading."

"I get you. You know, maybe Art can help with that. He has to stay quiet about stuff, because he's my lawyer, so if anything turns up, he can decide who should read, or see what it is. Does that sound fair to you?"

"Very much. Thank you, Sweetie. Hey, I have some news for you. Some really, good news."

"Oh yeah? I could do with some of that. Hasn't been enough of that lately."

"No kidding. Anyway, I got a call a while ago, last night actually. Guess who it was?"

"Gianni?"

"Nope, Guess again."

"Clive?"

"How could that ever be good news?"

"Yeah, sorry. I don't know? Who?"

Marlene left a small pause for effect, then told him.

"Jimmy."

"No way. He really called you?"

"Oh yes. Not only did he call me, but listen to this. He has to set another meet with you, but this time it's on his own and on your terms. I said I'd take the meet here, except, I'm kind of worried about the cop at my door and if he recognizes who it is."

"Yeah, that wouldn't go over very well, would it? You know, I bet if Officer Unser was on watch, I could find a way to get him away from the door long enough to slip Jimmy in, then think of something to get him back out again, without being spotted."

"Oh, I like Wayne, he's very nice to me. I think he has a soft spot for me, too. If I order anything from room service, he'll go down and get it for me, as long as I keep the door locked securely. We might try something like that, that could work."

"Yeah, yeah, that does sound good. If I show up first and Jimmy calls to say he's there, you could call down and order something for us, like a lunch or something and they usually bring it on a cart, don't they?"

"Yeah, that's the way they do it, why?"

"I was thinking of this idea. Wayne goes down to get the order, like usual, nothing out of the ordinary, right? So we sneak Jimmy in, up the stairs and have a very, quiet meeting in your room with the door closed, so Wayne doesn't hear us, then, when we're done talking, I pretend I'm saying goodbye to you and I'll tell Wayne that I'll take the cart back down to service and he'll be happy not to have to make the trip. You could spice it up a bit and invite him in to have some of the stuff we ordered, that we leave for him. You lock the door behind him, making everything all safe and sound and treat him to a little, and I mean a little, Marlene magic."

"Oh JT, I do like how you think. I can certainly carry out my end and Wayne won't know what hit him. Your part seems to be perfect to do, nothing at all out of place there. You even look like a nice guy for doing Wayne a favour. Not a single reason to suspect you of anything, or me either, for that matter. Everything appears to be as everyday routine, as it has been."

"That's what I was hoping for, too. Just do things like normal and no one notices."

"I wonder how Jimmy will like being stuffed under the cart to get out again?"

"I say we don't tell him, until we have to. Make him think he'll be leaving the same way, then spring it on him, just like he sprung his shit on me. Let's see how he likes it. At least I'm not threatening his life, like he did to me. I'll just say it's the only way out of the room, unless he wants to climb down the side somehow."

"Great. I can't wait to see his face after that gets laid on him. He tries to look like he's so tough and powerful all the time, but really, he's such a softy inside. I know Jimmy's weaknesses, just like Gianni's. I didn't get this far in life, just having good looks and great tits. Well, used to have great tits anyway."

"Mar, honestly, you have fabulous tits, even with the scars. You flaunt them at any guy and he'll look past those scars and love them like all the others."

"Can I flaunt them at you and get you hooked on them?"

"I'm already hooked on them. I'm just not acting on it. I love Suzy, Mar. I sort of mentioned it to her the other night, about the three of us."

"What did she say?"

"She's not sure either. I mean, she definitely wants to make love with you again and I'm cool with that, but having some sort of relationship, or ongoing thing, she's not sure about, you know what I mean?"

"Yes, I understand. I do like that she wants to be with me still. She's a lovely, young woman I've grown fond of and more than just the sex part of things. She's done so much for me, Azure too. You know, that name really suits her, you know? Azure. I like it. I wonder what name they would give me, if they all met me?"

"No idea? You know, once this part of it is over and things are safe for you to go out again, I want to take you out there and meet them."

"Oh, I'd love that. I love being in the country and smelling the fresh air and everything is so peaceful."

"Then you'll love this place. We have most of the new framing done on the addition and pretty soon, we're hoping before winter sets in, we have it finished and it'll be awesome. It's mostly bedrooms really, so only two people have to share a room together. It's pretty cramped when twenty four of us sleep together after a love in and there's no room to breathe, let alone move around."

"Holy shit, JT, are you serious? Twenty four of you are there?"

"Yup, two dozen happy people running around naked and not a care in the world. Make love any time you feel like, with anyone who wants to do it with you, not too hard to take."

"Oh my God. I wouldn't know where to start. I wouldn't care, I'd get to everyone, sooner or later. Oh my, I think I'd like to be a hippie, JT."

JT couldn't help but start laughing, imagining a naked Marlene running around, lusting after every body that she fancied.

"Want some ideas on what the commune is all about, talk to the girls when they come and get them to share it with you. I used to think it was all bullshit stuff, all that spiritual gobblety-gook stuff and meditating, but being there and doing it, I believe in it one hundred percent. Want to hear something really crazy?"

"What?"

"Just a little while ago, just when you were calling actually, I stopped to open the gate and suddenly I can hear Jake talking to me, like he was standing right in front of me. I didn't see anything, but I could hear him plain as day. The guys think I'm going nuts again, but honestly, we made a connection the other night and we can communicate. He told me he can hear me clearly."

"Seriously? You can talk to Jake?"

JT could see Marlene wasn't questioning him to oppose, or doubt it, but more in hopes she could say something to him.

"Yeah, seems that way."

"Can you talk to him anytime, or make an appointment, or whatever?"

"I'm not really sure yet. I don't know how it all works. I just know he talks and I can hear him. I talk and he can hear me, but he seems to always talk first, so maybe that's how it works. You know what? When I see Moon and Spirit again, I'll ask them how it works and how to do it, if there's a way I can contact him first about something."

"Shit, JT, this just sounds so bizarre, but honestly, if you could say some things for me, so he knows how I felt about him, I'd be so grateful to you. We always just took things for granted and never really said how we felt about each other. I was laying there with him, just before Clive came in and was thinking how I loved Jake so much, that I would be more than happy with what I got from a settlement, after I divorced Clive. I never got to say those words to him and I would be so happy in my heart, that he knew that."

"Damn, Marlene, you were really going to do that?"

"JT, I was even realizing how futile an existence I was living. I would wake up miserable every day, worse if I had to sleep with Clive, instead of in my own bed. I told the asshole I didn't like his mattress and needed my own, just so I didn't have to get touched most of the time. My marriage was a total sham and it just wasn't worth the money I got, for what I had to put up with. Jake hung in there, year after year. He never pressured me to leave Clive, but I knew more than anything, that I was his life. He loved me more than anything else and accepted what I gave him. I didn't deserve such a wonderful man, as him, JT. I didn't. I was horrible to him and caused him so much pain and suffering, because he loved me."

JT could hear Marlene breaking down into tears, but knew she was letting go of harboured feelings of regret and the remorse for doing what she did. He listened to the sobs and weeping, feeling her pain in empathy. He waited until she calmed herself, listening to the sniffling and blowing her nose dry.

"I'm sorry, JT."

"No, Mar, it's okay. I know how you must feel, knowing that. No matter what you did with Clive, I know you loved Jake with all your heart and that's what matters, right? One thing I'm learning, is that love isn't always about fun and games. There's some serious shit that can fuck up and I mean, it'll fuck you up. I just had a crash course in it and let me tell you, I went through hell, just like you, having to come to grips with what it was and not what I thought it should be."

"Yes, you did, didn't you? Please JT, ask your friends how to do it and if maybe even I can talk with him. Oh God, I'd do anything, give anything, to be able to do that one last time."

"You know, I don't see why not. If you learn how to do things that we learned, no reason you shouldn't be able to do that, like I did and do now. One thing though, and I understand why Moon explained it to me that way, but we'd have to do it really soon. I know it's hard to understand some of this stuff, when you never heard it before, but trust me, it's real. Jake only has so much time left to be here, even in spirit form. His energy is supposed to go on to the next place, level, time, whatever, so we have to let him go. Moon says we could disrupt his cosmic flow of energy, by holding him back and he loses his place in line. I know it's more complicated than that, but it's the easiest way to explain it. Even Piney knew what he was talking about and that says something."

"If Piney can understand it and do it, then I know I can."

"Well, Piney can do it, because he learned to let go of things from the past and cleansed his spirit. You have bad energy inside you and you have to get it out, so you are in harmony with the good energy. You get that, right?"

"Yes, comes through pretty clearly. I must have a ton of bad shit I've been hauling around. Is it hard to get rid of?"

"Actually, it's pretty easy. They sit you in the middle of a circle of love and they start meditating, like you're doing and you all focus on love. It's like this light surrounds you and you can almost feel the bad stuff leave you. They did it to me and I felt really great afterwards. If you saw what I was like before they did it, you'd know how real it was. So, I'd say they could do the same for you. The girls would have you fixed up in no time, doing their thing in the daisy circle every day."

"What do they do in the daisies?"

"They did one last night and it was a special one, so they all had their hair done in braids and beads and flowers and stuff, then they sat around a fire naked and held hands. They did a meditation and then they all rose and they hugged and kissed and shared the power of what they received, with each other, making it more powerful, or something."

"I like the sounds of that. Sounds like a lifestyle I could really get into. So, all of those people are available for fun if I want? And they want, of course."

"If they accept you into the commune, that seems to be the way things work."

"Hmmm, I hope you can take care of this soon, I think I need a lot of healing, inside and out."

"We can talk about that soon. We have to be at Arthur's shortly, so we'll be by in fifteen minutes to get you. I have a few things to do here and get the guys going and I'm on my way."

"See you soon, Sweetheart."

"See you soon, Mar."

They hung up and JT went back and talked to the guys about the plan that was just made. The guys couldn't believe it, but JT assured them, that Jimmy was coming and meeting him and their business would come to a satisfactory end. JT got Clay with him and they took off in the Riviera to pick up Marlene. They pulled up to the front doors and parked, going in to the lobby and getting a nod from the clerk to go right up stairs. The doors opened and they saw it was the officer from the night of the murder. They walked down the hall to him, each showing recognition to each other.

"Officer Needham, nice to see you again. You doing the ride along today?"

"Nice to see you again too, JT. See, I remembered the initials this time. Yup, I'll be following you around. You're going to the deceased's residence, I'm told?"

"Yes, I was made executor, so I have to go and figure out what to do with his stuff."

"Okay, any idea how long you'll be?"

"Not sure, maybe an hour or so, maybe more. No one knows what to expect, once we're there."

"Yeah, I guess so. I just need to know, so I can call in and let them know the details."

"Gotcha, wish I could be more specific. Say, any leads yet on who the shooter was?"

"I wish I had better news to tell you. Without anything from Mrs. Brock, we're stuck with an average guy in a black Caddy. So far, they've checked out twenty seven possibles and none of them are even close to being a suspect. The chief has put out a call for a wider search to other parts of the state."

"So, this guy could be from anywhere? Out of state even."

"Yes, so you can see how hard it is for us, to even start somewhere."

"I hope she remembers soon, too, we all do. Jake was a great guy and didn't deserve this. His killer needs to be brought to justice."

"If we catch him, he most certainly will have justice served on him."

"Good to know and thanks, at least knowing something, is better than guessing."

"Like I said, I really wish it was better news."

"Yeah, nothing we can do, until then. I'll get Marlene and we'll get things underway, okay."

"Great. I'll go down and make sure the way is clear."

Officer Needham went to the elevator, while JT knocked on the door. Marlene was literally beaming with happiness, as she opened it. She was wearing a very, tight sweater and Capri pants, nothing but imagination, separating her from being naked and the soft, green colours covering her.

"Hi guys, just let me get my hat and bag."

Marlene walked to the table where her things were and the guys couldn't help but watch her hips sway. Marlene chuckled and the guys didn't know why, until they saw her looking at them in the mirror.

"Who wants a little piece of it? Don't be shy."

No one took her up on the offer, but stood embarrassed at being caught. She walked up and sashayed past them and down the hall. JT closed the door, as they rushed to catch up to her. They stayed as close as they could to her and Marlene took advantage of that, copping a feel of Clay's and JT's asses, as they rode down in the elevator. JT had to chuckle at Clay's reaction to it and the three were laughing, by the time the car doors opened on the ground floor.

Officer Needham wore a smile, seeing them come out and was happy to see the change in attitudes. He was thinking well of the guys, knowing they had brought some happiness to a very troubled woman, with little, or nothing to be happy about. He waited until the guys moved out and followed them the short way to Arthur Lowen's office, waiting in his cruiser and continually doing a circular check of the area, roof tops as well. Arthur and JT came out five minutes later and he followed both cars to the Harding residence in Lodi.

He parked across the street from the small, red stained house and watched JT and Clay, along with Marlene and Arthur, approach the house, then radioed in his status. They needed to get in touch with the San Joaquin Sheriffs, who had jurisdiction in the area. Mr. Lowen opened the door for Marlene and JT to go in, then went with Clay to the garage out back. A few minutes later, Lowen went inside and nothing moved after that, letting him take a more relaxing attitude.

JT and Marlene slowly moved about the room, looking at everything carefully, not touching anything, to disturb Jake's last moments there. Marlene walked into the kitchen and saw the dirty dishes in the sink and then looked in the fridge. She closed it and looked in a couple of cupboards she knew were for food and checked them.

"At least he was eating okay. The stuff in the fridge should get thrown out really soon, or it'll be really bad inside the fridge. The open stuff in the cupboards should go too, unless you like it and eat it yourself, or any of the others might like it. Take all the food for sure and anything here in the kitchen, you were saying you needed appliances and stuff for your clubhouse."

"You're right. I'll get Clay and the guys to come with the pick up and move it all. Here I was thinking when I came in, 'What the hell am I supposed to do with all this stuff?', now I have a use for it, thanks, Mar."