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Chapter Eleven: Hole in the Wall

"Kinda slow tonight, ain't it Reggie?" Joji called over to the old goat behind the counter who was cleaning glasses. "It's Monday night, Sheriff. If you don't start making this a regular thing, I might as a well close early these days," the goat said blankly. He was not known to be very social.

Joji, Reis, Marcus and Salina sat around a high rise table; they were the only ones in the whole joint. Joji and Reis managed to quickly change into casual clothes before making it over. Marcus also got to change out of his suit at his parent's house. Salina, however, remained in her black dress. The three had been there for about an hour, having finished eating a half hour ago and ordering drinks since they got there, the buzz was setting in for all of them.

Joji took a last gulp of his beer and boasted, "Hey Reggie, one more please. I ain't drivin' home tonight." Reggie came over with a full glass, took Joji's empty glass, and replaced it with the full one. "One step ahead, Reg."

As soon as Reggie left the table, Joji reached into the backpack that he had brought with him and took out a large file: the same one Reis and Salina had seen earlier in his office. He then placed the file at the center of the table.

"While we're all here," he said, "I need to discuss some quick business." Joji then opened the large file and pulled out a picture that was clipped onto the inner front cover which he presented to the three of them. It was a picture of the large black wolf; a caption in the bottom of the photograph that read "Calmonte Lighthorn".

Joji's eyes widened into a penetrating stare. "I'm sure that I don't need to stress to you again how important it is to keep an eye out for this guy, but I need to tell you why." Joji breathed deeply and said, "Calmonte Lighthorn was a vicious cartel who built up a crime network in New Orleans. One that became a machine of terror."

Joji placed the picture of the wolf on the table and pulled another picture. It was of Lighthorn and another dog, a tan German Sheppard. Marcus recognized the dog from Joji's family portrait.

Joji continued, "My father took him under his wing. He saw in Cal a younger version of himself. Someone he could leave his casino to so that he could retire early and spend more time with his family. Who I might say, all came into his life only shortly before. But what my dad didn't know...or least he didn't want to believe...was how dangerous Cal was."

Joji then picked up several other pictures. They revealed images of buildings being consumed in balls of fire, of a ship burning adrift on a river, and of bodies lying dead on the ground covered in blood.

"God" said Reis. Joji nodded, and then placed the pictures down. "I'm sorry...but that's what Cal really was. He was a sick sadist who took pleasure in wreaking havoc and causing pain. Anyone who got in the way of his criminal monopoly would either end up dead, or scared into submission. That was how my home was like till I was eleven. My dad denied that Cal was responsible for a long time...then he caught him in the act. Appalled that he was befriending a man who was destroying the city he loved, my dad became an informant, which eventually led to Cal's arrest." Joji held up a picture of Lighthorn in handcuffs, smiling while being escorted out of a rundown building by two hefty cops.

Looking at the picture, Reis asked, "Why didn't he get put away?"

Joji tilted his head, "Well every politician took credit for his capture and ever lawyer in the state either wished to prosecute him or defend him but...a technicality got him off." Reis dropped his jaw a little bit.

"Anyway," said Joji "He did manage to sneak a little revenge at my dad before he ditched town." Joji then held up a picture of a burning casino. The neon light sign that hung over the smoldering entrance read Atlas Casino. "It broke my dad's heart to see what he'd built up himself go up in flames. And that's what I fear about this community. We've come a long way in such a short time. But sniping people may turn into arson. And arson may turn into explosions. And I swear I am not gonna let that fucking bastard try to establish here what he had in New Orleans."

Reis, Marcus, and Salina were silent. Joji smiled again, gently pounding the end of his fist against Reis's arm. "Sorry, didn't mean to preach. But I thought I'd let ya'll be the first ones to hear the speech I'm gonna make to every newspaper, minister, and grocer in this county." Still, the three said nothing. Joji put the pictures back into the file, slapped it shut and then put it back in his pack. "That's enough of that," said Joji, "let's make the most out of the next half 'n hour."

Joji got up and moved over to Salina, reaching out his hand. "Would you like to dance?" he said properly.

Salina shook her head. "I don't think so." Joji moved closer. "I don't bite. I only want to dance. It's been awhile since I danced with someone else to the Rolling Stones."

"They're really your favorite. Aren't they?" said Salina. Joji nodded, "I blame my brother. I'm a fan, but he adored them since he was in the womb."

Salina stood up. "Well they're mine, too." She took Joji's hand. "Excuse us, guys," said Joji with a wide grin as the two began to walk over to the jukebox. Joji put a dollar in, which made the screen light up. He then scrolled down to the Rolling Stones.

"You pick." He said to Salina. She gazed at the screen and then, with gracious form, pressed it.

"How's Beast of Burden?" she said gazing up at the glistening brown eyes of the gray Shepkita, wrapping her arms around his torso. Joji complied by encompassing the slender cat with his large arms. "Always good," he whispered. The two began to slowly waltz back and forth, side to side, around and around as the vibes of the song carried them to bliss.

Reis put his hand on Marcus's. Marcus looked over, Reis was smiling at him, his face glowed and his eyes glistened from the indoor lights. "I think they like each other," he said. Marcus smiled back. "I bet he does." Marcus then laid his other hand on top of Reis's.

"Reis..."

"Yea baby."

"When was the last time we danced together?"

Reis's face sank a little and he moved his head slight away from Marcus in uneasiness. Marcus put his hand on Reis's cheek and moved Reis's eyes back over to his.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," said Marcus. Reis could not feel worse. As much as he loved to hold Marcus in his arms, he never felt comfortable dancing (with or without him) in public. Reis looked back over to the cat and dog on the floor. They were holding onto each other tighter, Joji had his head resting on the upper left of Salina's head. He was whispering something into her eye, and she smiled. But then Joji's eyes cut over to Reis.

Joji could see Reis and Marcus sitting at the table in a semi-embrace. They both were giving the faces of repressed exclusion. Something that Joji knew how to read like an etched note on the back of his hand. About fifteen feet behind their table was Reggie, standing behind the counter, cleaning his glasses as he glared at the wolf and fennec. Joji raised his head, and locked his eyes on Reggie until the old goat looked up to see Joji staring right at him. Joji jerked his head swiftly to the right. The goat got the signal and, slowly and bitterly, moved into the back kitchen. Seeing Joji jerk his head, Reis looked back to see that the goat was gone. He then looked back to Joji, who winked at him.

Reis smiled back and turned to Marcus. "Marc...love...I want to." Marcus's face lite up with joy as he led Reis from the table onto the floor with his gentle touch, holding onto Reis as the big wolf encompassed him with his arms. The way the lights on the high ceiling were spaced, Marcus was standing in the brightness of the neon, but the contrast of the light covered Reis. He felt as if an invisible presence was wrapping him in a cocoon, shielding him from the cruelty on the outside.

As Joji and Salina turned, Salina, whose head was only slightly rested on Joji's chest, saw Reis and Marcus waltzing only about five or six feet away from her. Her head swiftly stirred at the sight.

"Something wrong?" asked Joji. Salina shook her head, still eying the couple.

"Salina? Are you okay? Am I doing something wrong?"

"No. You're doing nothing wrong," said Salina. She then looked up to Joji, "I had no idea that..." Joji looked over to Reis and Marcus and then back Salina in a smile. "What? About them?"

"So you knew?"

"Reis told me. I fixing something for him and I think I dropped the wrench on my foot when he did," the gray canine chuckled, "I know what you mean. I never would have guessed it about Reis myself. Marcus I could 'cause he does act a little more..."

"It's just that I thought that Reis was married or engaged" Salina interjected, "The ring on his finger."

Joji gave a puzzled look before giving a quick glance at the couple a few feet away; he could then in fact see that Reis had a golden band on his left hand. Joji looked back to Salina, "Well I'll me a rock on a log. Guess it was coming after all."

"And you don't care?"

Joji's smile faded into a serious and straight face. "No. He's my friend. Not only do I not car but... I'm happy for him. He's had a really hard life you know. And if it weren't his...this relationship that he has, I think he'd have gone to prison...or worse..." Joji stopped and looked down, "No, I don't care. I'm doing my part by giving him a life and I'll let his fennec do his."

Salina looked up at Joji, staring straight into his brown eyes, "Tell me, why do you care for him so much? What sets him apart from the others under you?"

Joji paused for a second, giving a quick look at the wolf, moving his eyes up and down trying to get a full view. "I was the youngest in my family. There's something about him that makes him like the kid brother I never had. Someone I could show the ropes to for once."

"Is it his insecurity?"

Joji looked back at Salina. "Why don't we just enjoy the rest of the song." But as soon as Joji spoke, the song ended. "You love birds have a preference? We got one more credit," called Joji over to Reis and Marcus. Marcus was too settled on Reis's chest that it did not seem that an earthquake could disturb him. Reis smiled and shook his head. Joji reached over to the jukebox, not breaking his embrace with Salina.

"My turn..."

Joji selected another song.

"My favorite."

Salina gave another half-smile and rested her head on the hefty dog again. They turned, allowing Joji to get a full blast of the Reis and Marcus. He knew that look, it was the look instilled into his memory from the night his dad finally married his step-mom after over fifteen years of separation. Simply, the look of love. Love in its most uncompromising ideal, laid out in plain physical sight. The sight of two individuals so conditional to the other that a brief parting would make them less of themselves synchronized with the way the parents that he knew would interact with each other every day following that night. As the gray dog could feel the warmth of the black cat in his arms, he could not help but feel a sense of, as much as he did not like to think it, envy. He then moved his eyes away from Reis and Marcus, and looked through the wide glass window and out to the dark street light up by the orange street lights. Suddenly, going right past the window, he saw Alex walking up the street. He was not alone because on his right shoulder was a tall otter, wearing a purple jacket and dibbling a basketball in his left hand. The two were laughing about something. He can't see me, Joji thought to himself as the two were heading in the opposite direction where he was. THAT SON OF A-

"What is it, Joji?"

Salina's voice broke him out of his stupor, making him realize that the two were now gone.

"Nothing."

Joji placed his head on top of Salina's, frowning as he continued to stare at the window. Maybe I'm seeing things. Maybe he's home. God I need a smoke.