Callahan's Fate by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy Read Free Book Online Page B

heaved a sigh.   With his rolling schedule, he worked the next
six shifts, then would be off Sunday and Monday.   He picked up the open wine bottle and drained
the remainder in a single gulp.   On
impulse, he grabbed his phone and dialed Raine .   She answered after one ring, her voice clear
and not sleepy, but still he asked, “Did I wake you?”
    “No,” she said. “I was reading.”
    “You wanna go
to Coney Island tomorrow?”
    “Is it open? I mean, it’s October.”
    “Yeah, sure, it’s always open.   There might not be much shakin ’,
but the ocean’s there and we can eat a hot dog at Nathan’s.   They haven’t closed in like a hundred years
except during Hurricane Sandy.   Whaddya say?”
    His heart stumbled over a series of
uneven beats as he waited.  
    “Yes, sure, I’d love to go to Coney
Island.”
    He let out the breath he’d been holding.
“Okay, great.   Meet me at the Essex Street
Station, all right?”
    “Okay. What time?”
    “Is nine too early?”
    Raine laughed, and he
delighted in the merry sound. “No, it’s perfect.   Hey ,Callahan ?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I’m glad you called.   Good night.”
    Joy spread wings within.   “Good night, doll.   I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    After he ended the call, Callahan sat
still and let his emotions rush through him, swift as a river.   The taste of happiness lingered, and to his
surprise, he slept and did not dream.
    ****
    Cal woke early, showered, and grabbed a
quick breakfast downstairs.   The strong
coffee tasted like last night’s last pot, but he drank it anyway.   The two donuts were fresh, and once finished,
he set out for Raine’s neighborhood with a light
heart and quick step.   Going to Coney
Island brought back some of the best memories of his childhood, and en route, he recalled some of the golden moments.   For once, he could think about his mom, Aunt
Birdie, and his brothers, Anthony and Aidan, without anguish or grief.   Callahan almost laughed aloud remembering the
long afternoons on the beach, splashing in the ocean, trying to ride the waves,
and falling asleep listening to the sound of the incoming surf.   He savored the taste of a Nathan’s hot dog
and the glittering lights of the amusements at dark.  
    At the Essex Street Station, he left the
train and emerged to wait for Raine .   Since he had arrived early, he thought about
walking toward her apartment, but Cal decided to give her a chance to show ..   Ten minutes later,
he spied Raine walking down the sidewalk.   She wore a bright red cable-knit sweater over
black jeans and boots.   A matching tam
perched atop her long hair, tamed back into a long braid.   He liked the way her face brightened when she
saw him, and he moved forward to greet her with a quick kiss.   Their hands touched and linked. “Good
morning, doll,” he said.
    “Hi, Callahan,” she replied. “It’s brisk
out this morning.”
    “Yeah, teach, it is,” he answered with a
wide grin. “Ready to go to Coney Island?”
    “Yes.”
    “Then let’s go!”
    He wanted her to have the best possible experience,
and since he preferred the Q train
when heading to Brooklyn or the beach, they rode the subway to several stations
until they were en route to the famed amusement park.
“So, you ever been before?” he asked as the train rattled across the East River
Bridge into Brooklyn.
    “No, and I’ve wanted to see it.   I’ve always heard about it.   Is it as wonderful as I’ve heard?”
    Cal shrugged. “I wish I could say yeah,
but most of it is still recovering after Hurricane Sandy.   It’s amazing how much has come back, because
most of the boardwalk was destroyed.   I
won’t lie—it was a bad thing all around, but the ocean still rocks and it’s coming back one bit at a time.”
    A cold shudder rippled down his spine,
the feeling which had always prompted his grandmother to say a goose was
walking over your grave.   As a cop, he’d
been out there for a while to