A Shaolin Easter to Remember
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The next day, Peter returned to the precinct for the sole purpose of picking up what was left of the basket and returning to the hospital. Before he could leave, he was waylaid by the captain and asked into his office for a private conversation. Deep concern was etched in his face.
"How is your father?"
Peter paced back and forth like a tiger in a cage. He ran his hand through his hair as if to comb it but it still was unruly. He tried to calm himself in order so he could get the right words out.
"As good as to be expected. The damage was minimized but he's still going to have to wear a bandage around his eyes for about three weeks."
"Will his eyes recover?"
"I've been thinking about what the Doctor said last night and she's not sure how much damage was done. She thinks he'll recover but they're not taking any chances."
Paul could see the look of worry and fear in Peter's eyes. Though Peter had gotten use to Annie being blind from the very beginning, this was another matter.
"Tell your father that we're thinking about him and we hope he recovers soon."
"I will, captain. He'll appreciate it."
"I'm afraid I have some bad news, though. There wasn't much left of the basket to get anything to trace. Only a few fragments of some casings and I'm having Kermit put a trace."
"Damn! All I have is the Easter card that came with. There wasn't a signature. There's got to be something there I'm missing." Peter started to leave when Captain Blaisdell summoned him back.
"One more thing, Detective. I know how hard this is on you. I really should assign this case to someone else who will be more objective, but I decided against that. You and your father are just starting to become better acquainted and you seem to be developing into a pretty good team. I understand your father has some special abilities. Maybe he can help you. And don't worry, son. Your father will recover. And if you need any help. You know who to ask."
"Thanks, dad." Peter was amazed at how his foster father could be so perceptive. He did not go out and say it directly, but Peter knew that if Paul Blaisdell did take him off the case, he would investigate anyway.
When Peter had been summoned by the captain, he hadn't had an opportunity to sit down at his desk. It was just then that he noticed a tall vase with flowers in it. And not just any flower, they were lilies, the type associated with funerals. A card was attached to the vase. A smile spread across his face as he opened it. At first he thought the card and flowers were "get well wishes" for his father from his co-workers in the precinct but that smile soon faded from what he read.
"You didn't enjoy my little surprise? I see your father got a bang out of it. How about a game of blind man's bluff then, with your father playing the part? Or how about cat and mouse? Or rock, paper, scissors? You up to playing the hero? Tag, you're it! Catch me if you can."
Just like the Easter card, there was no signature. But Peter had one thing he had not had before, a clue. He realized that both cards were handwritten. Peter shuffled through the stuff on his desk. He produced the other card from a folder that someone had started. It was all that forensics had so far. With both cards in hand, he knew just the person who could help him. Peter knocked on Kermit's office.
"Come."
The voice sounded gruff and somewhat distracted. Peter entered Kermit's domain. He learned a long time ago not to go barging in on this person. Kermit just might accidentally blow your head off before you even had a chance to say what it was you needed if you didn't bother to knock. At least that was the impression that Kermit wanted to convey.
"You got a minute, Kermit? I have something I want you to take a look at."
"Sure Pete, I'll be with you in just a minute. I have some unfinished business."
Peter watched as Kermit typed up what looked like a cryptic email to someone. Where it was going was anyone's guess. Kermit was rather secretive about those things. Soon the message vanished from the screen and Kermit turned to face the young man.
"What can I do for you young Caine."
Peter was a little amused. It seemed Kermit picked up a few phrases from the Ancient.
"I think I may have found a clue to who may have planted that bomb in that Easter basket that my father and I received."
"So, let's see it."
Peter handed over the two cards. Kermit read through them carefully. Peter continued to pace. Kermit could see being at the precinct and not with his father was driving the younger Caine to distraction. He could also see Peter had not slept much from the dark circles under his eyes. Kermit was aware that Peter had tried to hide the fact that he had been shedding many tears over this. Peter's reddened eyes, however, betrayed him and they threatened to pool up, again. Kermit could see Peter's mind was not fully here at the precinct. He had to get Peter's mind off his father and on to the case. Kermit then came up with the simplest of solutions.
"I don't see anything here."
"Not the messages, the handwriting. Both cards were handwritten. I was thinking with all your resources, you might have something on handwriting analysis." Peter's frustration and passion came out sounding curt and forced.
'At least he was thinking partially about this,' thought Kermit, but he still needed to calm him some way and get him to see the rest of the picture.
"Yeah, they might be able to analyze the handwriting and find out some personality traits this person has, but you're not going to find a name. Plus, the sample is too small. You need to have at least a couple of paragraphs to get any real information. The best you might be able to do is tell if it was a man or woman that wrote it."
"Well that's a start. Kermit, I'm really running out of ideas right now. There is just not enough to go on. Plus, I need to get back to the hospital. My father needs me. I can't think straight while he's in danger. I have this nagging feeling that something's going to happen if I'm not there."
Kermit pretended to examine the cards and their envelopes.
"Oh, I think you have more here than that."
"What do you mean?"
"Peter, first thing, get your mind off your father for now. I know you're worried about him but you need to be objective right now. If Blaisdell sees you like this he will take you off this case."
Peter breathed a deep sigh. Kermit was right. He had to get control of his emotions.
"You're right. I need to keep my mind focused on one thing. It's just been so hard. Let's get back to the cards."
"Here, take a look at the envelope of the first card, again. It's addressed to you and your father, right? What does that suggest?" Kermit paused for emphasis.
Peter finished Kermit's statement. Frustration was in his voice at having to restate the obvious, "That person knows both of us. My father told me the card had been addressed that way."
Kermit ignored the feeling of anger coming from Peter. He had to get Peter to see beyond the obvious.
"Right. Now, who would know both of you. Your fellow cops at the precinct but not all. Some only just met your father very recently. A few people in Chinatown, but most know either you or your father by association. What about someone from the past? Take a look and see if anything comes to mind."
"Master Caine and Petey?" Peter turned toward Kermit, now sitting back in his chair with a wide grin on his face. Peter felt somewhat chagrined at not having examined the envelope more closely. Kermit was right. He had been too wrapped up in his own emotions to see the obvious. Then something occurred to Peter that he had not thought of in years. It was more a memory. "You know, I haven't been called that since the temple. In fact, there was one kid that would always call me that. And it wouldn't be spoken with kindness. His name was James Nelson. His parents sent him to the temple hoping that the monks could try to teach him respect. He was there for only six weeks when the temple was destroyed. A lot of kids lost their lives. In fact, I do remember that James and I were the only two kids that did survive. And he knew both my father and me. If it is him, why is he doing this?"
"Are you sure it is him?" asked Kermit. "Peter, think. You're a cop. One clue doesn't make a case. What does the other card and envelope say?"
Peter checked the other envelope. The same name minus his father's was there. The first thing Peter noticed was that the handwriting was the same. He then reread the card and something in the message caused him to pause and stare. Blind man's bluff; rock, paper, scissors; and cat and mouse. They were games that were played at the temple, games that also had hidden meaning and lessons to be learned. Jim Nelson was always trying to get Peter to play the part of the blind man or the mouse. When Peter played the blind man, James would strike out at him using one of the rods. The jabs were not always gentle. And when they played rock, paper, scissors, Nelson would always play scissors to Peter's paper or rock to Peter's scissors, and James would strike him hard on the hand. Come to think of it, Nelson would always play a little too rough within the games, it was as if he was trying to get Peter injured. But, before it got too far, one of the Masters or Peter's father was always there to intervene. Peter did not understand what caused Nelson to react to him with such animosity.
*****
Peter remembered when James Nelson arrived. He had tried to make friends with the boy, but James was not interested in making friends. Instead, Nelson was more interested in learning how to fight, how the temple was laid out, and if the temple was attacked, how it would be defended. He disguised his interest by saying he wanted to be able to avoid trouble. Peter did remember when James asked such questions his father replied that there was no need to know that. The temple was safe from harm. Some days James would act the perfect angel as if to throw off suspicion. Other times he would mock their way of life and try to find ways of getting Peter into trouble and when that backfired, James would take it out on Peter when he got the next opportunity, usually when they played the games or when they were alone.
Later, Peter caught James trying out some of the "lessons" on one of the younger students. It would seem bullying became a hidden pastime for Jim Nelson. Peter remembered that Nelson would become especially violent toward others and him when Peter or one of the other boys would report him to the Masters for not doing his lessons or for sneaking out at night and return from some unknown place. Peter's father would punish the boy by giving him extra chores or sitting and meditating alone. Sometimes it appeared that the punishments worked, other times they would cause more distension and Peter would feel the brunt of it. Peter questioned why his father did not send James back to his parents. He would try to explain to his father about James' cruelty. His father would explain the need for understanding and patience. Given time, he had hopes that some day James would open up, embrace the anger within, and let it go to be free to receive the love that he needed. It was during these times that Peter would remember the many times he had disobeyed his father and he would do his utmost to be a better student. Yet something nagged at the back of Peter's mind that Nelson was more trouble than he was worth.
*****
'It just had to be him, thought Peter. He was the only one, other than the Masters that would know the reference,' he thought. Besides, Peter had played some of those same games with the Blaisdell girls and they played the games far differently. Moreover, Peter was beginning to put more pieces of the puzzle together from his past. He would have to talk with his father if his suspicions were true.
"If it is this Nelson character," began Kermit interrupting Peters train of thought, "There has to be more evidence that points to him. So far, you told me this kid continued to be cruel, even after being at the temple for six weeks. It almost sounds like he was partly responsible for your temple being destroyed. But he was just a kid then. What happened to him after the temple was destroyed?"
Peter thought back on that day. He would never forget it, the emptiness he felt. Someone had given him some other clothes to change into because his temple clothing had been badly soiled and damaged. He had been lucky not to suffer any burns. All he had were some abrasions and bruises from fallen debris. After Peter had visited what he thought was his father's grave, someone had led him and another boy to where a car was parked. The other boy had been James Nelson. They took both boys to an orphanage.
"I thought you were dead," Nelson stated sarcastically.
Peter remained silent.
"So, it's true. Your old man is dead. Serves him right after the way he treated me. He wasn't going to get away with it."
"My father treated you with respect and gave you every chance to redeem yourself," Peter said quietly.
"Respect?!? The man was a lunatic. All that crap about the Tao being the way was nothing but a bunch of bullshit."
"Watch your language back there," the driver growled.
"Ppppssssshshshsh," Nelson shot a raspberry at the adult who was driving knowing full well he could not do anything about it. "You know what, Petey, I'm glad your father's dead. In fact, I hope Tan discovers you're still alive. Maybe I should tell him, then he'll come and get you, too."
Peter sat back in the seat and let the words of Jim Nelson drown out as he slipped into a place of refuge. Conjuring up images of the pond, this would have to be his secret place for now. But before he did, Peter looked back one more time to watch as the temple receded behind them. He continued to gaze as he was being led from his father and the only home he ever knew. As the image of the destroyed temple disappeared from view, Peter's memories receded to the past as he returned to the present.
His last memory of the boy was that a few days later, the boy's parents came and picked him up. That was the last that he ever saw of him. On that day, however, the boy left him with one more threat. He threatened if he ever ran into Peter again, he would take revenge for all the pain that he had suffered while at the temple. He would see that Peter would suffer all the humiliation done to him. Peter remembered the hate that was still there within the boy's eyes. It was as if the killing of his father and the destruction of the temple had not been enough. For some time Peter had nightmares about that. Not until he was safely away in another city and being raised by another loving family did the nightmares stop. And now, it would seem the nightmare has returned. Still, Peter had to wonder why there had been so much hate in James Nelson. His father and the other Masters at the temple tried to help him. Peter looked at the card again. Deep down he knew it had to be James Nelson doing these things. It was the only possible answer that made sense. The only question remained was why. Why after all these years was this specter from the past bringing pain? And could Peter Caine stop him before he attacked, again.
End of Part 3
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2000.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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