Fleetwood Mac-Part III of Fritz Series

The Reverend Doctor Jeff X Kalimba...aka a Friend

When the day finally comes I'm not prepared, in an unmarked car in off the rack suits my interrogators make their way from the gated entrance of our home to the front door. The kids are in school, thank God, but that's the only reprieve I have of this situation. Holding a beer Jeff comes out of his room in the guest house, he looks at me sternly mouthing "Keep it together". Fat chance. I'm already a wreck, and to prove it I light a cigarette with shaky hands. Stevie's inside working on a painting, it's a beautiful day. But we live in California everyday is beautiful unless it's hot. Dropping a hand in my pocket I step closer to my big brother as the big car comes to a stop a few feet in front of us. He's like a shield, his icy calm protecting me from myself.

Two men step out, middle aged paunchy, balding they look nothing like T.V. cops. They even smile when they greet us, introducing themselves casually as they admire the exterior of my home. The taller of the two, Shultz, makes a wolf whistle at my Mustang lifting his sunglasses off his eyes "Wow...she's a beauty, don't let em tell you money can't buy happiness huh?" we laugh. I don't bother to mention it was a gift before I ever had a nickel to my name. One of the last gifts from my father before he died, a cherry red 65 Mustang GT with a convertible top.

Ride Sally ride.

"Well I must confess I haven't really heard too much of your music. My wife likes that one song you guys do though...eh how does it go..." he starts humming awkwardly at his partner, the other man shakes his head "Rhiannon-that's uh-that's one Stevie wrote" snapping his fingers he nods "Yeah, she loves it. I'm more of a country fan, Hank Willams, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn" Jeff clears his throat and I wave my cigarette at him "Eh...this is my brother, older brother, um Jeff" right on que he grabs each of their hands making sure to pull both of them off their feet with what he calls his "Power grip" it's some kind of psychological mind game he learned in the Army. It got him a thousand dollars off his new truck, so it must work.

"You live here?"

"Some of the time, I'm actually on leave I'm in the army. Infantry" the other two nod in respect "Thanks for all you do, you guys are great" Jeff stands with his hands behind his back, the acknowledgment of his power and authority gives him a great deal of satisfaction. It's the same high he used to get by beating the crap out of me when we were younger. Putting me in my place, as it were.

Kicking at the dirt I throw the butt of my cig into a potted plant, "Um, you wanna come inside?" both men take off their sunglasses following me across the threshold "Steph! Stephanie, babe can you come out here?" Ginny rushes me jumping on the strange men's legs lowering my voice I scold her "Sorry, she's harmless...erm...have a seat I'll go get Stevie" I leave Jeff to exercise his mind control while I track down my wife. When I see her she's spotted with different color paints, a set of headphones over her ears as she puts the finishing touches on another landscape. It's a flower field, actually it looks like the field in Redwood Valley were we had our first date.

When she sees me she does a double take, lowering her headphones. I've been avoiding her for weeks, trying my best to stay away from what I know will be the inevitable uncomfortable questions that I'm dreading. She smiles, happy to see me, reaching out she pulls me in for a kiss keeping her hand in mine when we move apart "What do you think?" nuzzling her neck I let out a breath taking as much of her in as I can "It's good, looks familiar" patting my hand she puts another drop of blue in the skyline "Mhmmm...what's up?" kissing her neck I pluck up the last of my courage "The police are here"

"Police? What's going on?"

"I think they have some questions about what happened to Tom-I don't know" they probably already have all the evidence they need. They're just playing mind games, real ones not the crap Jeff's pulling in the other room. She sighs leaving her brush in a small jar of cloudy water "I don't know how we can help, I didn't even know he was in LA" but I did. I knew damn well he was in LA, because I made sure to find out. Slowly I follow my wife into the sitting room, all three occupants stand when they see her the two officers smiling broadly.