The Crusader Ch. 06

Jessica and Tully laughed. "Stage entrance is down this hall way," Rollie said and led the way.

They climbed the four steps up onto the stage and looked out at the theater seating. Row upon row of seats extended back from the stage with three different sections; left, middle, and right. In addition, on the mezzanine level, the private boxes extended from stage left around to stage right with the closest boxes almost overhanging the stage. A large barrier fenced off the area directly in front of the stage.

"Those boxes are going to be a problem," Tully said pointing to the boxes closest to the stage on each side.

"Those boxes go for a $1000 a seat for this benefit; don't think our guy can afford to sit in them. There are ushers standing outside of each of the boxes so he can't just slip in," Rollie answered. "The security guys will handle the area in front of the stage; what do they call it...the 'mosh pit'? We'll handle backstage and all entries to the stage area."

Tully walked around inspecting the backstage area. Jessica stood looking from the stage to the long rows of seats. "You would have been right at home Jess," Rollie said leering at her, raising his eye brows.

"What do you mean, right at home?"

"Back in the '40s and '50s, while the Fox was on the downturn, there were a lot of burlesque shows put on here; high class ones but still strippers were on stage." Rollie walked to Jessica and put his arms around her. "You're so beautiful that you would have given them all a run for their money."

Jessica smiled, kissed him, and said, "You're not going to get around letting Max call me your assistant that easy Mister."

"You guys either get a room or let's please get to work," Tully suggested as he returned to the front of the stage. "I talked to my guy on the Bunco Squad. He said there's no indication that 'Bubba' is involved with loan sharks; here or back east."

Rollie nodded. "So much for that idea, but let's keep an eye on good ole Bubba anyway."

The three friends inspected the area and the ways onto the stage. "There are only four places to get on the actual stage," Rollie summed up. The ones on either side on the front can be covered by the security detail guarding the mosh pit. Tully can cover one of the rear ones and I'll guard the other one. We'll be able to spot anyone trying to get at Max."

"What about me?" Jessica asked. "What am I, chopped liver?"

"I want you free to check out the crowd," Rollie explained. "You'll need to watch the seats, especially the boxes closest to the stage." He turned and looked directly at Jessica. "Jess you've got the best chance of spotting someone planning on doing something bad; just by body language and the look on their face."

Sid Colder climbed onto the stage and approached Rollie. "Max just got a call from the blackmailer or whatever he is. The guy said for Max to bring the money in a small satchel to the benefit concert. Max is supposed to bring the satchel to stage center after everyone leaves."

"Someone's getting impatient," Tully offered.

"The guy said no cops or security," Sid continued. "He specifically mentioned you Rollie."

"Where's Max?"

"In the dressing room with the other band members."

"Tell him to stay there; I'll come and talk to him in a few minutes." As Sid left to talk to Max, Rollie motioned Tully and Jessica closer to him. "Here's what we're going to do guys."

"Yes I definitely owe Frank at least a punch in the nose for getting me to put up with this caterwauling they call music," Rollie repeated. "If they played any louder, the band wouldn't need the amplified speakers. I should have charged more money for this duty."

He turned and saw Jessica standing in the wings watching the people sitting in the expensive boxes near the stage. Tully was at the opposite entry point to the rear stage. When we get Max through the show alive we'll deal with the blackmailer, Rollie thought.

Just as the Flaming Savages had finished their first song, Sid Colder had brought Rollie some foam earplugs. "They'll stop a lot of the noise but not all of it," he told Rollie before the band started their next number. By the sixth song, Rollie felt he would have gone deaf without the earplugs. The noise was cut by half by the plugs but Rollie still had a pounding headache. He could feel the vibrations of the bass guitar and drums flowing through him, amplified by the speakers.

Rollie had to make a concerted effort to pay attention instead of folding into himself. He continually scanned the rear stage area, the front, and the mosh pit. Rollie planned to stop an attack on Max before it could get started.

The band finished the show, with three encores, and left the stage. Tully followed them to the dressing room; Jim Steele, the security chief led the way. Rollie waited several minutes and followed taking Jessica with him.

Two hours later, a shadowy figure with long greasy looking hair, dressed in the outlandish clothing the band had worn for the show, made his way to the stage. He carried a small, seemingly heavy satchel. The figure climbed onto the stage, sat on a drum case and put the satchel on the floor beside him.

A man stepped from behind a huge group of speakers at the side of the stage. "Hello Max; I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to come and get you," the tall, thin blond man said. He held a large revolver pointed toward the sitting figure. The long haired band member turned around.

"You're not Max," the blond man said in disbelief.

"No, I'm Rollie Chambers." Rollie took off the wig that Max had worn for the show and dropped it to the stage.

In the dressing room earlier, Rollie had devised a plan for him to take Max's place for this meeting. "I was hired to protect you Max, I'll be damned if I'll let you go into a dangerous situation."

"You have to be calm when you face this guy," Jessica said to Rollie as he left the dressing room. "Don't directly confront him. Be diplomatic and soothing when you talk to him. He's going to be wound tight so take it easy Rollie."

Now facing the blackmailer, Rollie remember what Jessica had told him.

"What's your name Mister?" Rollie asked in a soft voice. "Like I said, I'm Rollie."

"Where's Max?"

"He was sort of afraid to come out here, so I took his place. C'mon buddy, what's your name?"

"Stanley, my name is Stanley." The man paused, got a wild look in his eyes and raised his weapon. "Get Max out here."

"Well Stanley, I've got to say it was pretty smart to write those blackmail notes to steer us away from you."

"Yeah, I knew Max had hired extra security. So I thought up this idea to get close to him. Get him out here," Stanley wave his gun around.

"How did you know about the extra security Stanley? I mean it was pretty hush hush."

"I've been working as a rigger for the band for the last six months. I was here when you came to the rehearsal last night and heard you and that big man discussing security arrangements. Started working for the crew back before Chicago and been close to Max all along, but never close enough; except for the warning with the balloon and paint ball gun and I didn't want to kill him then. I wanted him to think about his death and suffer"

"Wow, you sure had everyone fooled. Would you mind telling me why you want to kill Max; I mean so the rest of us could tell the world your reasons."

"Max is the devil incarnate," Stanley said. His voice raised in tone and volume, almost becoming a screech as he continued. "Someone has to stop his satanic music before he corrupts the whole world. No one else can stop him so I decided I would. I'll rid society of this attack on their souls." Stanley's eyes were opened wide and had a wild look in them.

As he finished his tirade, Stanley raised his pistol and pointed it at Rollie. "Get Max out her now," he demanded.

"You got him Tully?" Rollie said into the microphone attached to his communication ear bud.

"I have the solution," Tully said in a strong normal voice that carried to the two men on stage.

Stanley turned and looked up into the VIP box closest to the stage. Tully had a sniper rifle resting on the short wall in front of the box trained on Stanley. Looking down, Stanley saw the red dot from a laser sight in the middle of his chest. He turned back toward Rollie who now held a large pistol on him.

"Stanley, there's no reason any one has to get hurt here," Rollie said softly. He took several steps closer to the blond man. "Let's talk this out and see if we can stop Max some other way." By this time, Rollie was within two steps of Stanley. He holstered his weapon and spread his hands out to his side. "See, no guns. C'mon Stanley."

Rollie's first instinct, once he'd gotten closer to Stanley was to take him down. But remembering Jessica's warning he waited to see the results of his diplomacy.

"No, Max has to die," Stanley replied in a loud, almost frantic voice. "Who's that?" He asked noticing another person in the shadows.

Rollie turned and saw Jessica standing in the wings. Damn girl, I wish you'd stayed in the dressing room, he thought.

"That's my friend. She just wants to make sure you don't hurt yourself or anyone else," Rollie answered.

"No, I've seen her before. She's a devil too; just like you. You're one of Max's minions and she's your whore" he said while looking accusingly at Jessica.

Quickly Rollie forgot about tact when Stanley called Jessica a whore. He took a quick step closer and hit Stanley with a straight right hand. The punch didn't travel more than eight inches, but it was devastating. Stanley's head snapped back, he dropped his revolver, and slumped to the floor.

"So much for diplomacy," Tully said with a loud laugh.

When the police arrived at the Fox, and after the EMTs treated the unconscious man, they identified Stanley as one Stanley Grover. He had escaped from a mental institution in Chicago several months previously. Stanley thought he was God's own warrior sent to battle the Devil and his minions. Apparently he had fixated on Max and the Flaming Savages.

"What happened to being diplomatic?" Jessica asked as the police took Stanley into custody; they would return him to the custody of his doctors.

"I was diplomatic Jess," Rollie defended himself, "Right up until he called you a whore."

"Rollie, sometimes you're so..., I don't know, maybe protective. It's only a word."

"Maybe so, but I won't allow anyone to talk about you like that Jess. So sue me, but I won't let anyone, even a sick puppy like Stanley, insult you. I won't change my mind about that."

"No, I won't try to change you," Jessica said as she hugged Rollie. "I think I'll just love you."

A month had passed since their adventure with the Flaming Savages. Rollie, Jessica, and Tully were at the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Mo. It was a place that both Rollie and Tully felt connected to; they visited the sanctuary several times a year. Both men felt a kinship with the lobos, the alpha males, of the wolf pack. Jessica had joined with Rollie and Tully in making yearly contributions to help the center take care of their wolves. Rollie and Jessica had their arms around each other as they watched a litter of wolf cubs playing in their enclosure.

"Are you two ever going to get married?" Tully asked.

"I've got to hear this," Jessica said as she leaned against Rollie.

Rollie thought for several seconds. "See that lobo over there," Rollie said to Tully, pointing to a big grey wolf. "He's the alpha male of the pack and standing next to him is his mate; the alpha female." Turning to look at Tully, he asked, "Do you know that wolves mate for life?"

Not waiting for Tully's answer, Rollie said, "That's Jessica and me. We might get married, but it doesn't make any difference; we're mated for life."

"Good answer," Jessica said and kissed Rollie.

The End-- For Now.