No More Swedish Meatballs Pt. 02

Kristen was in a dilemma. She didn’t want her dad to know that she and Rita went into the city without permission. She’d be grounded for life. But on the other hand, she was pretty sure Brandon wasn’t a cop. It didn’t make sense. First he checks out me and Rita, and now he turns up in a cop uniform saying Mom’s been in an accident. Something’s up. I have to warn dad.

“Dad,” Kristen said in a small voice. I don’t think that guy’s a cop. I got a look at him from the top of the stairs when he came in. I wanted to know who was here early. I thought maybe it was Rita. I’ve seen him before daddy.”

“What? When?”

“You’re going to be really mad.”

“No I won’t. Not now, anyway. Where did you see him?”

“Remember when I went Christmas shopping with Rita?” The words came out in a rush.

“Yes,” Karl said in an encouraging voice.

“Well, we didn’t really have permission to go. We went into Philly without telling anyone. We needed an adventure. Anyway, there was this man on the train watching us. We thought he was a pervert. He really gave us the creeps. He tried to pretend he wasn’t watching us but we could tell he was.”

“Jesus, kitten. You lied to me and to Rita’s parents?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry, daddy. But I swear this cop is the same guy who was watching us. I don’t think he knew we were on to him. We changed cars and that was the last we saw of him. But now here he is saying mom was in a car accident. It doesn’t make sense. He’s up to something.”

“Are you sure it’s the same man? This is important.”

“Yes.”

“Come with me. Quietly. I want you to take another look at him. Lizzy, you stay here.”

Together they sneaked to the tip of the steps. Kristen peered over the railing and took a long, hard look at the man below.

“Is it him?” Karl asked.

“Yes. I know it is. There’s something rotten about him daddy. You know I can always tell.”

It was true. Kristen was a sensitive little thing. She could read a person faster and more accurately than anyone he ever knew.

“Okay. I trust you. Now go back to your room and lock the door. Stay there with Lizzy until I tell you it’s safe to come out.”

“Alright.”

“Thanks for warning me baby. It took a lot of guts. But you’re grounded for going into Philly without permission. And I’m going to have a word with Rita’s parents.”

“It’s okay dad. I won’t do it again.”

Karl looked at his daughter long and hard. “That man didn’t hurt you or Rita did he?”

“No. He was just watching us. Dad,” Kristen asked suddenly, “Are you a spy or something?”

“No,” Karl assured his daughter. “But I’m doing some really important work that a lot of people are interested in.”

“Do you think he wants to kidnap you.”

“It’s possible. He probably works with Max. That’s why he knew about your mother.”

“Do you think Mom’s alright? I miss her. Even though I’m mad at her. I don’t think she’s coming to the party. Do you?”

Probably not. But that doesn’t mean we won’t see her again. I’d better get downstairs. I don’t want him to catch on. Give me a hug for luck.”

Karl returned to the living room Ned was sitting on the lazy boy across from the couch nursing a drink. Brandon had a plate of food on his lap and was on his second drink. He sure knows how to make himself at home, Karl thought. What a bastard.

There was a tense silence between Ned and the cop. Ned was trying to look grown up with his drink. His face was flushed from the unfamiliar heat of the alcohol. Karl strode into the room and looked at Ned. “Come to the kitchen, Ned. I want to talk to you. Let Brandon think it’s about the drink.

Ned looked at his father in confusion. He said I could have a drink. I wonder what’s wrong? He followed his father into the kitchen.

“I don’t think that man’s a cop,” Karl said. “Kristen saw him watching her and Rita a couple of weeks ago. She remembered him because he gave her the creeps. I don’t know what he wants but whatever it is, it’s not good.”

Ned tried to focus. He’d made his drink too strong and drunk it too quickly. “What do you mean?”

“If he’s a cop, why was he following Kristen and Rita?”

“Maybe they were shoplifting or something,” Ned said, slurring his words.

“No. That doesn’t make sense. Sober up Ned. I need you. Here,” he poured Ned a cup of coffee from the pot that was always on in at the Hansen home. Karl was a coffee freak. He’d been the first to come up with a pot that brewed on a timer. He’d have been a millionaire if he’d thought to patent it.

Ned drank the proffered cup of coffee. “Bitter,” he complained. “You said I could have a drink. So what does this guy want anyway?” he asked. He was starting to sober up. “Who is he?”

“He’s probably from Max,” Karl replied. “I think he was going to get me to go with him on the pretext that we were going to the hospital and then spirit me away. I’m working on some pretty sensitive stuff these days. I’m sure Max’s people would love to have access to it.”

“Christ, what are we gonna do?”

“We’re gonna stall him ‘til Jim gets here then we’re going to turn tables on him. He’s the one who’s going to be spirited away.”

“Do you have a plan?” Ned asked.

“Yes,” Karl assured him. “I’m going to need your help. I’ve ordered the girls to stay upstairs no matter what happens. I need you to baby sit him while I take care of a few things. It’ll only be a few minutes.

“Can I deck him? It’s a lousy thing he’s trying to do,” Ned said, ready to fight.

“Only if you have to. Try to take him from behind. He’s got training and you don’t. So be careful.”

“Yeah. But I know how to fight.”

“I know. But don’t fight him unless you have to. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” Especially you, Karl thought.

Karl went down to the cellar. He picked up the phone and called a panic number he’d been given when he was at Princeton. He wanted to have the troops on the way before Jim arrived. He tried calling the Phillip’s home but got no answer. That meant the family was on their way there.

Upstairs Ned and Brandon were eying each other warily. Brandon was getting jumpy. He hadn’t expected a delay. Play it cool he told himself. This is an easy operation. Nothing’s going to go wrong.

“Would you like another drink?” Ned asked. Get the bastard soused. It’ll make things easier, he thought. Ned felt like he was in a play but didn’t know the lines.

“No thanks. Can’t show up drunk at the station, even if it is Christmas Eve.” Brandon said. “What’s keeping your father. Every minute counts at a time like this.”

Ned didn’t reply.

“You know,” Brandon said wanting to scare the kid, “Your mother could….” He let his voice trail off and looked at his watch.

“Die.” Ned ended the sentence. He looked Brandon in the eye. What he saw made him realize with a gut wrenching lurch that his mom was probably already dead. And we could be next, he though, fear gripping him for the first time since all of this started.

A slight change in Brandon’s body language told Ned that Brandon was becoming suspicious. Ned willed tears to his eyes. It wasn’t difficult. He struggled with the thought that his mother was never coming back. He cleared his throat. “The accident,” he asked. “Was it bad?”

“I’m afraid so, son,” Brandon replied.

“Where did it happen?”

“On Lincoln Highway.”

“Where on Lincoln Highway,” Ned pressed.

“About ten miles west of here. Where the hell’s your father?”

“Was she badly hurt?” Ned continued the game, trying to look scared.

Brandon tried to play the part of a sympathetic cop. “I’m sorry son, I just can’t say. Where are your sisters?”

“Upstairs,” Ned said thank God, feeling fiercely protective. It was a new feeling for him.

A tense silence grew in the room. They both jumped when the doorbell rang. Saved by the bell. He hurried to open the door, hoping it was Phillips. No. It was Rita, all smiles, happily anticipating her first Christmas Eve with the Hansens. She’d heard about the parties all her life and always felt left out when she wasn’t invited. After all, she was practically a member of the family. And now she had those secret feelings about Ned.

She knew the second the door opened that something was wrong.

“Merry Christmas,” she started to say. She took a look at Ned’s face and stopped in mid sentence. “What’s wrong?” she asked in a loud voice.

“Shh.” Ned said harshly. “Go home, Rita, the party’s been cancelled.”

Rita peered into the living room. “Why’s there a cop in your house? Did you get arrested or something?”

“No. Just go,” Ned said urgently.

By this time Brandon had come to the conclusion something was up. They didn’t buy the story about the accident. Time for a change of plans. He strode across the living room and was in the foyer in the blink of an eye.

“Don’t send her away,” he said harshly. “The party’s just about to begin.” He pulled out his gun and leveled it at Ned.

Oh shit, Ned thought.

Rita was scared but she was like a bantam cock. Fear brought out adrenaline and aggression. Her eyes opened wide when she saw the gun. She looked from the gun to the guy’s face. It was familiar. Where have I seen him before?

Ned stepped between Brandon and Rita. He gave Rita a little shove towards the door. “Get out of here,” he said. “Run.”

Rita tried to get away but Brandon caught her neatly before she’d taken more than three steps. He jacked her up against the wall and pointed the gun in her face. “Try something like that again and you’ll get hurt,” he said roughly.

Rita recognized him then. “I know you. You’re the pervert from the train.” She wriggled and suddenly kneed Brandon in the balls. Then she bit down hard on the hand that had been holding her so tightly. Brandon let out a yelp. Her brother Tommy had taught her that trick. Never thought I’d use it, she thought as she pulled herself free from Brandon’s grip. Brandon was incapacitated long enough for Rita to fly out the door. Ned made the best of the moment and knocked the gun out of Brandon’s hand. The he let fly the hardest punch he’d ever thrown. Brandon had a glass jaw. He dropped like a stone. Ned grabbed the gun and stepped quickly away from the man.

Never underestimate the enemy, Ned thought. That had been Brandon’s mistake. He’d come in over confident and cocky, never dreaming he could be overwhelmed by two kids.

“Dad,” Ned shouted. “Get up here. I’ve got him.”

Karl heard Ned yelling and sprinted up the steps with his heart in his throat. If he’s hurt Ned I swear I’ll kill him. He was amazed to find Ned standing, seemingly calmly, holding a pistol aimed at Brandon’s head. Brandon had recovered quickly from the punch and was glaring at Ned, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Then Karl saw how shaky Ned was.

“Maybe I’d better take the gun, Ned,” he said. Looks like you caught a big one. What’d you hit him with?”

“My fist. I told you I could fight,” Ned said handing the gun to his father. He was caught between pride and huge relief.

“Go get some rope from the basement,” Karl suggested. Let’s wrap him up tight so we can give him to Jim for Christmas.”

“Okay.”

Brandon made a move to get up. “Don’t even think about it,” Karl said. Keep your hands where I can see them.” He motioned with his hand. “Sit up against the wall right there and don’t move. Don’t even blink.”

Ned was back in a flash with an old jump rope. He trussed Brandon up like a holiday turkey.

“Should I put a bow on him,” Ned asked gleefully. He was high as a kite on adrenaline. Brandon glared at him. His eyes said “I’ll pay you back for this.”

Lizzy and Kristen had been watching from the steps ever since they heard the doorbell. They’d been waiting for an opportunity to jump into the fray. Lizzy had a lamp to use as a bat and Kristen had a can of hair spray to use as mace. They’d watched in awe as Ned decked Brandon and retrieved the gun. After Brandon was tied up they ran over him and tried to hug him to death. Ned was embarrassed. “Get off me,” he said. But he was pleased.

“What happened?” Karl asked. “How’d you end up with his gun?”

The 3 kids all started talking at once.

”Slow down, I can’t hear a thing,” Karl commanded laughing. “Ned, you go first.”

Ned told the story from his perspective. “You should have seen Rita. She was fearless. She bit him then kneed him in the groin. That gave me the change to knock the gun out of his hand and drop him with my right hook.” Ned was proud of himself.

“Rita was here?”

“Yeah. She was early for the party. I tried to get her to go away but then that guy pulled out his gun.”

“Oh hell,” Karl said. “Where’s Rita now?”

As if on cue the door flew open. Rita was on the porch with Jim Phillips. “I was gonna call the cops, but he was a cop. I didn’t know what to do. But then Mr. Phillips pulled up so I told him what was happening.”

“Good timing,” Karl said wryly.

“Well, it looks like you’ve got everything under control,” he said giving a short laugh as he inspected the scene. Brandon was sitting on the floor looking ready to kill. His hand was oozing blood where Rita bit him. Kristen and Lizzy were still brandishing their weapons of choice, Ned was grinning and rubbing his knuckles and Karl stood by gun in hand, looking very proud of his family.

Jim’s family had been told to stay in the car when Rita ran up to them with her tale of trouble at the Hansen’s. Jim had tried to make Rita stay behind as well, but she refused.

“What happens now?” Rita wanted to know. “Is he really a cop? What did he want? What are you going to do with him? Call the FBI?”

“Hush,” Jim said to the precocious little nymph. “ I need to think.”

“Oh, I get it,” Rita said. She looked at Kristen. You were telling the truth about your mom and that guy being spies. I thought it was just a story.”

“You told her?” Karl said, perturbed.

“Yeah. Well she’s practically a member of the family. And besides, I knew she’d never believe it.”

“Who else have you told?” Karl asked sternly.

“No one. I swear.”

“Anyone else have a confession to make?”

Lizzy looked uncomfortable. “I told Katie. She’s my best friend. She didn’t believe me anyway. Now she will.”

“You’re not going to tell her about this.”

“But dad.”

“I mean it. Ned, did you tell anyone?”

“I told Jim, Jr., but he’s part of the family too. He’d never say a word.

Jim and Karl looked at each other. “Well, this is a hell of a thing,” Karl said. “Some Christmas.”

Karl looked at his watch. “The Meyer’s’ll be here any minute for the party. We’d better get this guy out of sight. I called the panic number when I realized what was going on so a team should be here soon to take him to where ever….”

“Right, lets put him in your bedroom. Up you go big fella,” Jim said. Karl and Jim picked Brandon up and hauled him up the stairs to the front bedroom.

“God I hate it when this stuff spills out into the family,” Jim said as they walked back downstairs.

“I don’t know,” Karl replied. “My family sure rose to the occasion.”

“And the others? Rita and Katie?”

“Katie didn’t believe it and Rita’s practically one of the family. She’s trustworthy.”

“I hope you’re right. Anyway, I’m afraid I’m going to have to miss the party this year. I’ll have to accompany our friend to Princeton.”

“I was afraid of that. What a lousy thing to have happen on Christmas. What’re you going to tell Wanda and the kids?”

“The truth. Something came up at work. They know the drill. It’s happened before and it’ll happen again.

When they got downstairs, Jim went outside to get his family. Karl put some Christmas music on the hi fi and the party began. The team from the Company arrived about ten minutes later to take Brandon and Jim to Princeton. The household was back to normal by the time Katie and her parents arrived. Soon the party was in full swing and the Christmas magic did its job. There were undercurrents, however. Marjory Phillips was dying to get Lizzy alone to find out what happened before they arrived and why her father suddenly had to leave. Ned stoically rebuffed Jim, Jr.’s questions. Rita and Kristen went off into a corner and jabbered away until Ned stepped in and asked Rita to go for a walk with him.

Karl watched as Ned and Rita slipped out the back door. There was an electricity between the two kids. God, was I ever that young? Karl wondered.

Rita and Ned walked up the street towards the little suburban town talking excitedly about what Rita was starting to think of as their “battle with evil.” She tried to get Ned to tell her what it was all about but Ned had other things on his mind. Rita’s thick hair was brown with amber highlights. Her sapphire eyes were bewitching. She was so petite yet full of life and energy. A true Irish beauty. He drew Rita into his arms. They enjoyed their first adult kisses together. Magic, Rita thought. So this is what all the noise is about. She basked in the glow of sexual arousal. If she was a little young for it – well she’d always been precocious. She already knew who she wanted to marry.

They kissed under a cold, half moon for a while. It was a beautiful world. Dark, but white and icy and topped off with colorful Christmas lights from the houses on the block. I wish I could stop time Ned thought as he risked a feel of Rita’s naïf breast under her coat and sweater.

It felt so good. Heaven, Rita thought when Ned’s timorous finger brushed against her little nipple. A shock of arousal went through her. My gosh, no wonder Arlene’s always hanging out in boy’s cars. The feeling was much better than the dizzy kind of sick feeling she’d gotten the other night from liquor. I could get used to this, she thought as she snuggled closer to Ned.

And Ned? Well, he’d never been aroused quite like this. Oh, sure, he’d been walking around for almost a year now horny as a goat. But this was different. This was real. It was almost unbearable. “We’d better go back,” he whispered huskily into her hair.

Rita gathered herself together. What a wonderful night! She thought. She grinned at Ned. “Last one in’s a rotten egg,” she called, reverting to childhood and safer feelings. As she took off running, her high, bell-like laughter filled the night.

“You’re a witch,” Ned shouted to her as he ran, slipping and sliding in the snow, hurrying to catch her before she got to the house. “I know,” she yelled back, laughing harder as she ran. He caught up with her just as they got to the gate. He swung her into his arms. Then they fell together into the snow, two bundles of adolescent love and laughter.

“How I wish this night would never end,” Rita whispered to Ned as they struggled to regain their comportment before returning to the party.

“Me too,” Ned sighed, and kissed her one last time “We’d better go back to the house,” He was intoxicated by with the smell of Rita’s hair. The moon shone brightly adding ghostly light to Rita’s dark tresses.

They walked through the gate and up the to the house hand in hand. There will never be another night quite like this Rita thought as they opened the front door.

The party was starting to wind down. Wanda and Katie’s mother Audrey had banged out Christmas carols on the old upright piano. The girls had sung happily, trying different harmonies with each song. Jim, Jr. had noticed Ned and Rita’s absence and figured things out. Good for Ned. Rita’s a real sweet kid. He was a bit jealous so he made himself a strong bourbon and water when no one was looking. A man has to know how to drink, he told himself. I wonder what went down here earlier. He was avidly curious.

Rita was still basking in the glow of her first adult kisses when she entered the house. So this is what all the noise is about she thought as she shivered with cold on the outside and a new unexpected kind of heat inside.