Page 31 of Cole's Joy
With the younger woman’s forearm in hers, Lois asked quietly. “What are you going on about? Who are you, and why are you accosting and attacking my date?” Lois had seen how stunned Cole was at the younger woman’s verbal and almost physical attack.
Before anyone could answer, they looked along the street when they heard the whoop, whoop of a police siren, and Loisimmediately let go of the other woman’s arm. The three of them stood there and waited for the two police officers to approach them.
“What’s going on here?” the male officer of the first car asked as the second patrol car arrived. They waited for everyone to gather on the sidewalk, and the first officer asked again what was going on. When no one said anything, he looked at Lois.
“Ma’am, since I saw you had this woman’s arm in your hand, I’m assuming that she tried to hit either of you.”
“Yes,” Lois answered honestly. “We had just left the steakhouse and decided to walk down the street and back before settling in for the long drive home. This woman started screaming at us, I believe she only said ‘excuse me’, but we ignored her. When she indicated she was talking to us, we stopped and waited for her. When she got closer she started cursing Cole out about him being a bastard and owing her money.”
“Do you owe this lady money, Sir?”
“No, I have absolutely no idea who she is. I’ve never seen her before.”
“That’s because you’re a fucking coward, and a low-life bastard!” the woman screamed, and that’s when the female officer stepped up closer.
“Please, refrain from the swearing,” she said, but Lois was under the impression that she had no problem taking the other woman to the ground if need be. “Why do you think this man is what you’re accusing him of being?”
“Because he left my mother at the altar!” she screamed.
“Lower your voice,” the first officer said firmly. “We’re all standing right here, you don’t need to scream your words. We’ll get to the bottom of this. I can tell by the expressions of these two, they are confused. Please, tell us what you’re going on about.” His words brooked no argument and the youngerwoman, Lois thought she might even be younger than her own granddaughter, drew in a deep breath and let it out in a rush.
“Twenty-five years ago, my mother was left at the altar by this dickweed because he found out she was pregnant. He left a note telling her that he wouldn’t be baby trapped, so he left her all alone to not only face the humiliation of being left at the altar but also to raise me by herself. Now that I’ve finally found him, I want him arrested for back child support.”
Lois looked at Cole and saw the shock on his face, and couldn’t help it, she giggled. That giggle turned into a laugh, and everyone looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “I’m sorry for your pain, but I think you have the wrong person.” She looked at the officers. “May I ask a few questions?”
“Go ahead.” The third guy, who had joined him during the younger woman’s tirade, nodded as he pulled out his notebook to begin to start taking notes.
“First, how old was the man that left your mother at the altar?”
“Mom told me he had just turned twenty-three.”
“And that was twenty-five years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Where was this?”
“Virginia.”
“What was the guy’s name?”
“Murray Coleman.”
Lois shook her head and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, but the man you’re looking for isn’t this guy.”
“You don’t know that, he could be lying to you.”
“He could, but he’s not.” She looked at Cole with a raised brow. “Do you want me to tell her, or do you want to?”
“Tell me what? Bitch, you better start talking before I…” She never got to finish her sentence because she’d raised her hand and took two steps toward Lois before she was brought tothe ground, flipped to her front, and had cuffs slapped on her hands. When that was done, the female officer helped her to her feet and walked her to the squad car. She put her in the back, slammed the door, then rejoined them.
“Tell me why that woman is wrong,” she said between clenched teeth.
“First, his name is Cole Mercury, second, today is his birthday, and he’s sixty-nine-years-old. According to that young woman, if it’s been twenty-five years, and he was twenty-three, that would make him fifty-one or two now. That’s a seventeen-year age gap. Three, I don’t believe Cole’s ever been to the state of Virginia before. I might be wrong, but I don’t think so. Four,” she said this next part with a wide grin. “Tonight is our first date. We’ve known each other for almost five months.”
“And tonight is your first date?”
“Yes,” Cole spoke for the first time since asking the woman if they could help her, and shook his head. He lifted his hands and looked at the three officers. “I’m going to get my wallet. I don’t have a gun on me.”
