"911, what's your problem?" a lady answered.

"i didn't dial 911 ma'me."

"are you calling from central park?" she asked.

"yes, but i'm not phoning in an emergency."

"then why did you dial 911?" she asked, with much irritation.

"look, i'm just trying to find lissell stacy or harry zimmerman," i said.

"detective stacy is out of town today, miss, i can connect you with captain zimmerman. what's your name?"

"carlee, carlee mccord," i answered.

"the carlee mccord?"

"lissell made detective?"

"yes, miss mccord, about six months ago, and you're really carlee mccord?"

"yes, i am, and could you please connect me with captain zimmerman?"

"one moment please."

"zimmerman," he curtly answered.

"harry?"

"carlee?"

"yeah, it's me harry."

"my god girl, where in the hell are you?"

"damn it's good to hear your voice."

"thanks harry, i'm on a pay phone over at central park, and i need a favor," i said.

"just ask babe," he responded.

"i need a street address for a terry sypes, he used to work at the zoo."

"hang on baby." there was a brief pause.

"i have the department on alert hon, hey, how's life on the mississippi?"

"it's the green, harry, and i haven't changed my name to marsha twain," i said, and giggled.

"so tell me, while i wait."

"oh, it's quiet harry, peaceful, i'm going back to school next month though out of state."

"wait, ok, there's two carlee, one at 2103 eastern parkway and one at the brown hotel," i wrote down the eastern parkway address.

"thanks harry."

"listen, sit down on a park bench, i'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"alright, i'll do that harry."

the park was nice, the weather warm, but what do you expect for july. i saw a couple of squirrels scurrying down a tree, and my mind wandered. was law school really right for me? i would be in my thirties when i got out. well, who would put their trust in a twenty five year old girl anyway. 'oh john, i just don't know if i can trust your estate in the hands of a girl who still sucks a pacifier.' i smiled at this thought. 'yeah especially one who works for dunghill and fosterd.' i almost laughed out loud. 'your honor, my i present baby carlee mccord, assistant district attorney for the county of jefferson, city of louisville, the great state of kentucky, she'll be procecuting marcus "pigshit" herrod et al.'

harry arrived, before i could laugh my way out of law school. i ran to him, i didn't want to, but i couldn't help it.

"oh my god, my god," i said as i held him and kissed him. tears rolled down my cheeks.

"easy baby, easy," he said.

"i've missed you so much harry," i whimpered.

"and i've missed you," he held me tightly. i grabbed his hand in mine.

"let me catch my breath, harry."

"take your time angel, i have an hour, and nothing would do me better than to just watch your beautiful eyes." we sat down on a bench. harry fingered the lower buttons on my blouse until he found my butterfly. "still have it huh?"

"yeah, and you better be careful mister, molesting a girl in the park in broad daylight." he smiled.

"i'm a cop, i can molest you if i want."

"how's lissell?"

"fbi is courting her heavy these days carlee. she's in quantico, virginia, today in fact, probably taking tests and signing papers."

"she brought a feebie to my place one day, about the leroy thing," i said.

"after you stopped leroy, baby, lissell was appointed liason officer to the feds. she did a brilliant piece of follow up work for them, busted him on all counts."

"did she change her major again?"

"yep. i think the feds are footing her bills."

"gosh, i'm glad for her, if this is what she wants."

"it's what every young police officer wants, carlee, a chance to be agent starling."

"she didn't fare that well in hannibal, harry." he laughed.

"she's sittin' on top of the world, angel."

"tell me about it, harry, the follow up."

"the documents that you retrived from his apartment proved invaluable carlee. she got him on your friend in bowling green's murder, then found one of the gothic chicks that hung around leonard primrode. she was in custody, but was institutionalized for detox, she claimed that she was with starlynn in new jersey when he came for her. the dates matched up just fine. they found a revolver in leroy's apartment that linked to gray's death, and the three kids. wahlah."

"all's well that end's well, harry."

"yeah, i guess so. now tell me about you?"

"i'm good harry, enjoying life on the river, made a few friends. i've been accepted in law school at william and mary's, with a few complications that I hope will be worked out soon."

"me too honey, anything i can do to help?"

"i may need some gestapo tactics in the next week or so."

"i can handle that," he said. i grabbed his hand.

"i've missed you so much harry," i said, as i felt tears in my eyes again.

"you're a honey carlee, you were big in louisville, i always hoped you'de come back and work for me."

"i'm not a cop harry."

"i hire trainees and consultants all the time babe."

"thanks harry," i said.

"can we have dinner tonight?"

"i doubt it sweetheart, i've got to look up a friend, and get back home, some workers coming tomorrow."

"is sex alright in the sticks babe?"

"you wouldn't believe, captain zimmerman," i chuckled.

"yeah, i would angel, i sure would." i kissed him good by and walked toward my car.

"hey, you bought a lexus?" he asked.

"very funny harry."

"i like the color, carlee." i stuck my tongue out at him. carie had married, i was invited to the simple ceremony in shelbyville, but i didn't like mr. carp, so i declined. i drove south to eastern parkway. when i found 2103, i went to the door. there were eleven mail boxes, each with a buzzer. i scanned for sypes, found terry on the third floor.

"yes, if you're selling, we ain't buying," a gruff female voice said. bitch. i thought.

"i'm looking for a friend ma'me, sidney sypes," i replied.

"carlee, it's carlee!" i heard sidney holler. "carlee, i'll be right down, please don't go away!"

"i won't baby, i won't," i answered. sidney ran to me as fast as his little legs would carry him. i squatted down, and hugged his neck. we both cried a little.

"i didn't ever think i'd see you again carlee," he whimpered. god, i could feel every bone in his body.

"sidney, you've lost a lot of weight sweetheart, are you eating ok?" i asked.

"you got the man that hurt me, carlee, you shot him dead." i smiled.

"well, i just couldn't let him get away after doing a thing like that could i?" he laughed.

"oh carlee, i love you best of all." i had to stand up, this position really was uncomfortable.

"whew, now i can look at you properly, sidney. you're a sight for sore eyes too, honey." as good as it was to see sidney again, he looked awful. his clothes didn't fit, way too big, he was bruised all over, looked like a picture off a milk carton.

"you still smell good, carlee, just like i remember. sometimes i wake up in the night smelling you, and i feel so good." something wasn't right with this picture, i could smell that, and it didn't spell mother.

"who was the lady that answered the buzzer, honey?" i asked.

"daddy's new---you know," he answered.

"new what sidney?"

"i'm not suppose to say that word, carlee."

"whisper it in my ear, baby," i requested.

"wwwhore, carlee." i kneeled down and held him tightly.

"i don't like this sidney, and where's your magic watch?" i couldn't hold back the tears.

"ssshe didn't believe it was magic," he said, snuffling. "mavis said she threw it in the river, called me a liar," he cried. i held him tightly.

"it's alright sidney, it's alright baby, i'll get you another bambi watch sweetie, it'll be just as magic. you'll see," i said, as my heart was breaking. i remembered when i was sidney's age, i was very clumsy, fell aound a lot. 'god carlee, people will think we abuse you.' dad would say. maybe sidney fell around a lot, i certainly hoped so. "how long has mavis been here sidney?"

"i'm not sure carlee, a few months, and it's daddy's friends that call her his....well, what i whispered."

"i know baby, what i really care about though, is that you're all right." there was a long silence.

"now that you're back, everything is fine," he said. i hugged him.

"what does your dad do now sidney, to earn a living?"

"he never told me carlee, but he's out of town a lot, i liked it better when he worked with the animals."

"at the zoo?" i asked.

"yeah, at the zoo."

"and just what in the hell is going on down here!" mavis was a whorey looking woman, near forty, rode hard and put up wet. she had mean eyes and a bad disposition.

"and just who in the god damned hell wants to know!" i snapped. she glared at me with fire in her eyes.

"i'm mavis creed, the boy's dad's friend."

"you live with terry?"

"yes, so what, none of your business."

"it's my business if i want to make it my business, miss creed."

"i don't know what in the hell you're talking about lady."

"i believe that sidney is being mistreated, and i have lots of friends in the police department. now tell me where terry sypes is at this moment." sidney started crying.

"now stop that shit boy, right now!" mavis snapped.

"miss creed, either you can tell me where the boy's father is, or you can tell the police, it doesn't matter to me."

"tell her mavis, i haven't seen carlee in over a year, and you're spoiling it for me," sidney cried.

"look! both of you, i'm not bound to stay here, i can leave any goddamn time i want to, and i sure as hell ain't telling you anything!" she pointed at me.

"get in my car, sidney," i said, as softly as i could.

"take him if you want lady, but terry's gonna be really pissed: he won't be my responsibility any more," she snarled.

"i don't think he was ever your responsibility miss creed."

"can i stay with you, carlee?" sidney asked.

"no baby, i'm sorry, but we'll get you some new stuff and a nice motel room, we can hang around until your dad gets back." sidney smiled, for a change. we checked into a red roof inn, the room was nice and large, two double beds. we deposited what luggage we had on one of the beds: this comprised my purse. i turned the air on.

"whew, that feels great carlee, we don't use fans at our apartment."

"good lord honey, its been in the high nineties for over a month, how have you stood it?" sidney grinned, but made no comment. "listen sidney, we'll need to get you some clothes, do you know your sizes?"

"no, i don't carlee." he looked embarrassed.

"well, we can't use these. let's go partner." he was at the door before i could grab my purse. a mall wasn't far away and we stopped in sears.

"may i help you?" a young male clerk asked.

"thank you, and yes, you can. we need some underwear and socks for my friend, and a shirt or two, some jeans, and we've forgotten his size." the clerk rolled his eyes. thirty minutes, sidney was fixed up. for a couple of days anyway. he had two pretty short sleeve cotton shirts with cowboys on them, and i asked him if he'd like a pair of cowboy boots.

"oh gosh, would i?" his eyes lit up.

"you'll need some pj's also sidney." i added. we found the shoe department, and sidney picked out a handsome pair of brown leather boots, pointed toes. the price was handsome also. he chose batman and wonder woman pajamas.

"i always think of you when i think of wonder woman ,carlee," he smiled.

"flattery will get you anywhere with me, sidney." we chuckled. the poor little tyke's sneakers weren't worth carrying out. they looked like good will or salvation army. i could have killed terry sypes. i threw them in a trash can, and we moved on. when we past the watch counter, i stopped. no bambi. "would a harry potter do as well, sidney? he looked at me with saddened eyes.

"sure carlee, he'd do fine."

"not for me fellow, i think he sucks, let's see what mr. schlimile has tomorrow." sidney hugged my waist. i stopped at the women's department and picked up a pair of pajamas for myself.

"cats, sid, you like cats?"

"love cats, carlee." back at the motel, sidney and myself decided on a large pizza supreme from godfathers. sidney showered while i waited for delivery. the pizza guy brought the pizza, in a very large box, two cokes that would probably keep both of us in the bathroom half the night.

"oh shit, got any salt on board?" i asked.

"sure lady, large or small?"

"what's the difference?" i asked.

"two bucks," he replied.

"small." we were in business. sidney looked so cute in his wonder woman pj's, he was happy. i knew that was important. i didn't know much about little kids, but i knew enough to know that a frown or a tear was bad, and a smile was great.

"let's eat, i'm starved," i said. and the race was on.

"i haven't had anything that good in years, carlee," he grinned, as he slurped his coke cup dry.

"i'm full as a tick sidney, but it was great."

"i love you, carlee," he said, and he hugged my neck.

"same here, sidney," i answered. "sidney honey, has your dad had this traveling job since he left the zoo?"

"no carlee, he had three or four others, but this one, working for the big guy that knows you, pays a lot more."

"what big guy, sidney?"

"oh, i'm not sure, a funny name, i just can't think."

"sam's a large man, sid."

"no, i remember mr. schlimile, this man makes me think of a pig."

"he looks like a pig?" sidney laughed.

"no carlee, he looks nice, it will come to me, his name. i wish i had my magic watch," he said. my watch wasn't magic, but i knew who sidney was talking about. pork pie anderson. i needed to contact terry, i wasn't sure that i hadn't broken the law by taking sidney. but golly gee damn, i couldn't stand to think of him staying with that horrible mavis, not for one more day. sidney yawned.

"could i sleep in your bed tonight, carlee, with you?"

"of course you can darling, i need to shower and make a few phone calls, you just lay there and relax."

i showered, pulled the price tag off my cat pj's and put them on. they were cute, not as cute as wonder woman, but cute. when i returned, little sidney was sound asleep. i pulled the covers down, tucked him in and grabbed the phone book out of a drawer of the night stand. little boy had a busy day. i kissed his cheek. could i get use to this? maybe. there was no laverne anderson listed. an anderson enterprises was, i thought that would do. it was close to eleven, a voice answered, half asleep.

"hello."

"pork pie?"

"god damnit we're closed, call back tomorrow."

"pork, this is carlee."

"carlee, well, that's different, where are you baby?"

"a hotel, i think i've kidnapped someone." he laughed.

"when will you know for sure?" he chuckled.

"this is serious pork, i've got one of your employee's son with me, and i'm desperate to get hold of him. the boy is sidney, his dad is terry sypes."

"i know them both, carlee, buy terry doesn't work for me."

"sidney says he does."

"terry drives for sysco boling, not me, sysco and me are, oh, ah, associates, kind of."

"then you don't know how i can reach terry?"

"no, i just supply trucks for her, carlee, she brought terry and sidney over to the track when they were doin' business, nice kid, by the way. look carlee, the best thing you could do is bring him over here or take him home, sysco has guys protecting her workers, and you certainly don't want to fuck with sysco boling."

"where are you pork?"

"at the track sweetie, you know my office, i'll put on some coffee and wait for you all." i knew that pork wouldn't be warning me for no reason, i felt that terry's employment was quite illegal and although i had never heard of ms. boling, i decided to go to pork's.

"we're on our way, pork, will probably take half an hour." i woke sidney. "we have to go baby." sidney wiped his eyes.

"why carlee?"

"i talked to porky pig, and he said we'd be safer with him at his office."

"oh, i was just getting comfortable."

"you were asleep sidney." he smiled.

"yeah, guess i was."

i decided not to check out, if something happened, i could always mail the key. as i opened my car door to let sidney in, a voice said "don't move!"