Jack's Rebirth Pt. 03

We took the kids home to two bassinets in our bedroom. Cramped, but we would make due till we found a place. Gloria was on a mission to heal so that she could get back to work and to being normal again. The criminal proceedings were progressing at a snails pace, but it was getting close. We were getting back. Soon it would be over. And than we could begin again.

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Trial and Punishment

The government isn't able to process passports in quicker than 4-6 months, so it was no surprise that the case against the 'druggies' dragged on also. That plus the fact that the big names busted at the compound had access to high powered lawyers who filed motion after motion to delay or dismiss everything lodged against their clients.

On the home front, our little enclave was thriving. The babies grew big and strong. Mommy healed up quite nicely, and daddy reaped the benefits of almost 3 months of enforced celibacy. We consummated our estrangement on a long four day weekend, starting on a Friday and ending late Monday evening, in February. Our anniversary. Four days. We went back to Padre Island. I know I had promised Gloria Bermuda, but the babies put a small damper on that-financially and emotionally. Besides, we had just closed on a small house out in Cut and Shoot, east of town, and things were hectic.

Last May, we had celebrated Micheal's birthday. There was a party at my parents and gifts were exchanged. Micheal had several friends and the presents ranged from baseball bats to remote controlled cars, books, Videos, cash, and magazine subscriptions, from Uncle Louie and Aunt Mary (Pick-Up, Van, and 4-Wheel Drive, Car and Driver, and Off-Road, to name a few). But the best (AHEM!) was a manila envelope from his Aunt and Uncle. Evie and Dan presented the envelope to Micheal, and also included his little sister. Not much of a gift.

Until he opened it, removed the four sheets of official court papers, and read them, informing the two children that their last name was now Stone- officially. The tears were all over the place. Everyone was crying. Even their tough dad got a little misty-eyed.

Soon they would be joined by siblings. That was another plus in their world. The following day, we went to see a friend of mine at the Animal Shelter. We were going to get a dog. He kids walked around amidst the usual collection of ankle biters, pit bulls, mutts, and -- what the hell is that thing? Nothing struck our fancy. Then Tracy (my friend) said there was a last choice to be considered. A litter of Irish Setters had been brought in. No mother, no papers (obviously), and they weren't even weaned. And the runt looked like a small ball of brown blahh. (Technical talk) I tried to talk the three of them into something else, even one of the other puppies, but the kids thought he was cute. And Gloria was in mother mode.

"He needs to be loved, nourished, looked after. MOTHERED!!" Takes care of that.

I turned to Tracy and said we'd take him ONLY if we could take him now. She said he had to be neutered and he wasn't old enough. State law. I glared at her, the kids whined, and Gloria gave her the girl look. She sighed and took the chart on the dogs, erased the penciled in 7 and entered 6, and said, 'What dog?'. Tracy was hugged, and I was a hero.

Anyway, our family was thriving. The State of Texas was proceeding with the kidnap charges, the County had assigned ADA Rachel Lowes to the case. We had a court date. Gloria would be the prime witness. The 'stupid three' as I referred to them had decided to fight the charges together, rather than separately. The ADA couldn't believe they were that stupid. She thought it was easier to hit them all with one shot, than to go after them separately.

When Daniel heard who got the case, he made a point of clearing his calendar to be in court to watch the proceedings. Evie and Amanda Adams, the young lady who caught the bouquet at our wedding, were also there. They were sitting with Gloria, flanking the infants on either side. The kids were sleeping soundly. As their mother often said, 'Just like their father. They can sleep anytime, anywhere. At the drop of a hat.'

Amanda was also engaged. To my oldest brother, who, you may remember, caught the garter.

Gloria was antsy; not nervous, just wanted to get at 'the bitch'. Her words, not mine.

At least, I don't think I loaned them to her. I was a very interested spectator.

The trial was a farce, from the prosecution's standpoint. First up was Jason Wildness, followed by Rafael Santos. Jason maintained he didn't know Gloria and had no interest in her physical well-being, or doing her harm. Rachel's only question was how well did he know Lauren Bobert. 'Intimately' he grudgingly admitted. 'Interesting' said Rachel.

"Do you owe a 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Texas license plate JAS-WIL??"

"Sure. You know I do."

"And can you explain how this vehicle was used to kidnap Mrs. Johnathan Stone? How it was occupied by three men instrumental with the 'kidnapping?' How your paramour, Lauren Bobert was in the vehicle also?? How you came into the garage, and willingly entered the vehicle, and you then drove away???"

As she was saying this, she cued the video from the garage security cameras, and the entire kidnapping played out, until it ended with the Escalade leaving. The courtroom erupted and only the repeated banging of the judge's gavel restored order. Wildness was stunned. He babbled and started to drool. The look on Rachel's face reminded me of the time I accidentally got a mouth full of dog.... Never mind.

Daniel let out a low whistle. 'Dam, she's pretty good!' he whispered. Evie shot him a look, but added, 'Yeah, she is.'

"NO further questions, Your Honor," she said.

The Judge looked at Jones. "Redirect."

"The defense has no further questions, Your Honor".

Next up, Rafael Santos. He said he tried everything he could to stay away from that 'disgusting, sleazy, low-life slut'. She was nothing but bad news. He had moved to California to escape her clutches. Didn't work.

Rachel's turn with Rafael started with "Why did you attack Gloria Ortiz sexually?"

"Hey, I was acquitted. It was consensual. She loved it."

"Until she didn't. She filed a restraining order against you and didn't tell you about your child, did ......" She didn't get any farther. He came unglued, jumped up and charged the gallery.

"My child? MY CHILD!! YOU FUCKING BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU." He was restrained and removed from the courtroom. I guess he didn't know .... For her part, Gloria never even flinched. She later told me she was so startled she didn't have time to move.

Then came Lauren.

Lauren Bobert. The defense painted her as a poor, depressed (?) lonely woman who was 'trapped' in a loveless marriage, hopelessly battling drug addiction, seduced by her aggressive boss, cast aside by her husband. Jason exploded, but the Judge put a stop to that. Seems like the defense was showing cracks. She had no designs on Gloria. Had never met her. Didn't know what she looked like.

Oh, poor me. Sniff, Sniff!! She was so glad that I had found someone. Sniff!!!

Rachel actually licked her pretty red lips as she stood and walked towards the witness stand.

"Ms. Bobert, why did you cheat on your husband?"

"OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR!! Facts not in evidence. And where is the relevance??"

Rachel faced the honorable Jim Jones, Lauren's attorney, but addressed the Judge. Her 2nd chair sprung into action with reams and reams of papers for the Judge. Then at Rachel's nod, identical papers for defense counsel.

"Your Honor, these are copies of all reports, forms, subpoenas, statements, and legal documents, already in the defense's possession, that cover the separation, divorce, and subsequent termination of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Stone's marriage. No where is it remotely close to Ms. Bobert's testimony." She turned and addressed Lauren.

"I think you might want to re-think your testimony, Ms. Bobert."

The Judge, Judge Eileen Hanks, was looking at highlighted papers, in particular the letter Lauren had written to Jack. It was marked exhibit #2, from the divorce proceedings, and #4 from the kidnapping case. The Judge raised her eyes and said, "Objections overruled. Ms. Bobert, if the rest of these papers are anywhere near as factual as they appear, I am holding you in contempt of court, and charging you with perjury. Bailiff, arrest Ms. Bobert."

Now it was Lauren's term to come apart. She was led away, in cuffs. The defense lawyers were dumbfounded, shuffling the papers they should have examined before trial.

The Judge spoke, "Mr. Jones, anyone else you care to call??"

"No, your Honor; the defense would like to speak with the ADA for a moment".

The Judge nodded and motioned for the two attorneys to confer. Jim Jones spoke to Rachel, proposing a deal. Misdemeanor assault charges, no mention of kidnapping and child endangerment. Minimum sentence, with probation for 7 years.

When Rachel stopped laughing, she said, "See you at closing, counselor." She turned and walked away.

The Judge asked Rachel if the State was calling any witnesses.

"Your Honor, I have over two and a half pages of names to draw from, all of which, having been in defense's hands for about a month, would make for very interesting and salacious testimony. But I am only calling one person. Mrs. Johnathan Stone."

Gloria rose and walked to the bench. She had been looking forward to this for several months.

She raised her right hand and swore the oath. Then she kissed the bible.

'Dam, this could be serious' I thought.

Rachel started. "Mrs. Stone, were you anticipating anything out of the ordinary when you went to work April 17th??" she said.

"Please, call me Gloria. I'm not that old. And no, I did not expect anything like what happened to me."

"And what did happen to you that day?"

So Gloria told the whole story, starting in the garage and ending with the collision on the road to the compound. In all it's grisly and slimy detail. Clearly, concisely, and with a glare towards the now full defense table. Lauren and Rafael had been brought back in, Lauren in an orange jumpsuit and cuffs, Rafael just in cuffs.

She was dumping everything on the court, airing all the pain and hurt she didn't even know she harbored. Every detail of the ride and the confrontation came out, along with the pain and fear at the recollection of the threat to her family. As she talked, she was healing, and feeling better. When she finished, it was like a weight had been removed. She broke her glare from the 'stupid three', and she sought out Jack, sitting behind their children. She smiled, that 'best smile' that had been mentioned, and she knew it was over. Jack smiled back at her and blew her kiss.

"No further questions, your Honor," said Rachel. The Judge turned to the defense table.

"Counselor?"

Jim Jones coughed and swallowed hard. He knew when he was beat.

"We have no questions for this witness, Your Honor" he said.

Rachel perused a few papers, and raised her eyes to the judge.

"Prosecution rests, Your Honor."

"Very well," said the Judge. "Closing arguments tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.. Court is adjourned." The gavel struck, the bailiff intoned 'All rise', and the judge rose and left.

The next day, court started at 10:00 a.m. sharp. The defense made it's pitch, and the prosecution summed everything up. It went to the jury, and 58 minutes later they came back with a verdict. Guilty on all counts, with a recommendation for the maximum sentences for everyone on all counts.

The Feds finally got their act together after the state finished, and it was a slam dunk on all the drug charges, smuggling, and bribery charges with the border patrol. Guilty on all counts.

The State passed the maximum sentences on all three. Lauren got 18 years, Jason 25, and Rafael 25 to life. The Feds, well, they would run consecutively after the State's. We were satisfied.

We got on with our lives. Twelve years passed. Micheal graduated and went to the Naval academy. Marilyn was accepted to nursing school. Jonathan and Evelyn were in middle school, and maturing nicely.

And their mother? Well, their mother was glowing with happiness. She was in love. As was I.

Every Sunday, she would kneel after mass in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, in her chaste dress, and long lace mantilla, a gift from me on our 1st anniversary, and say a simple prayer. It took about five minutes, then she would bless herself and rise. He kids and I would sit and wait in the pew behind her. I have no idea what she said, or asked. But she would always have a look of peace on her face.

And the sex continued to be great. I was healed. I was at peace. I was reborn. And so was she.

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5135 miles to the Northeast, in Hamburg, Germany, a very attractive woman of Asian extraction was standing in front of a night-club, when a portly, older man staggered out on the arm of a young, twenty something blonde. He was weaving as she was holding him up. As they approached his Mercedes limousine, his driver opened the back door. Three young Mossad agents came up and relieved the young female agent of her burden. They helped her into the back seat of a BMW which had silently pulled up behind the Mercedes. The car slipped away as they shoveled the drunk into the Mercedes.

They joined him and the driver shut the door, got in front and also silently disappeared into the night traffic. The tall, attractive woman smiled. The man's wife had been made aware of the many artifacts, artworks, sculptures, and pieces of jewelry he had obtained from the Nazis. She was his fourth 'trophy' wife and was disgusted by the man. She agreed to turn everything in question over to the war-crimes commission for return to the rightful owners or heirs. In return, she would get everything else he would leave behind when he 'disappeared'.

The woman smiled, then suddenly turned to face southwest, across the mountains, the ocean, and the continent beyond. She continued to smile. The visage of the dusky young woman formed and her words came into her mind.

"Whoever you are, wherever you are, thank you. For everything, and for-ever. Thank you." She was in a church. A good setting. The visage faded and Karma smiled. A good day.

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Epilogue

I apologize again for it taking so long. Life gets in the way, lots of time. If you waited, thank you. If you just found this, I hope you read the other two parts and like, or dis-like this. Again, it's my story.

Happy Fourth of July! Happy Birthday, America. God Bless everyone. Now, lighten up: I was told by one (Anonymous) commentator to loose the jokes. Tough.

When we returned from our latest trip, to New Jersey, I took the wife for a ride and we stopped to get gas. After I filled up, I got back in the car and told my lovely bride that I was assisted in filling the tank by a very lovely young Asian girl. VERY good looking. VERY helpful. She even help my hose as I pumped the gas tank full. (Ahem!) My wife stared at me and though, 'I know what he's fishing for. The stinker.' Heavy sigh. Finally-

"O.K.,What was her name?" "Her name? Her name-- Oh, I think it was Fue-Ling."

It's not so bad, sleeping on the couch.

Again, Thank you. The BEAR