“Not enough to stop the killing,
Jim, not enough to stop it.”
Jim was standing outside the interrogation room. A couple of the other guards were going for a smoke break and invited him to join them. They stepped out a side door off the interrogation room where they could still hear Richards screaming. Jim asked, “Doesn’t that bother you?” One of the guards let out a laugh. “Are you kidding? That crazy fuck spends half his day yelling at the air, calling out to invisible people, all kinds of nutty ass shit. He’s just pissed off because we left him with an FBI agent. He hates the feds.” Jim laughed and lit a cigarette and said, “Well…I remember him from when he was tried and convicted. I was with the Marshal’s service in those days. I remember the one or two times I ran into him he was talking weird as shit.” The two guards laughed and were enthralled by the fact that Jim had been there from the start. They smoked and asked him all kinds of things about the now senile and psycho old man.
Devonwood Park was bustling with mothers and children. Every piece of playground equipment was in use, and the toddlers and little ones were basking in the sun and playing in the sand boxes. It was a little oasis in Panorama City that the LAPD had beefed up patrols in to run out the gangs and drug dealers to allow the area kids a place to play. Estelle Martinez had gotten off work early and had taken her two children to the park for some play time. She had just let her older son, Brandon, take off for the little kid swings and was taking Tina, her six-month-old, out of the stroller when she heard a familiar voice call out to her. “Estelle, is that you?” She looked around for the familiar voice and saw Lisa Farmer walking across Woodman Avenue and into the park. As Lisa approached, Estelle waved wildly and ran with Tina in her arms to hug her.
“Lisa Farmer, how are you? My God, girl, I haven’t seen you in years.” The two women walked back to where Estelle had been sitting, and she called out to Brandon to come and see Lisa. He ran over and gave Lisa a huge hug and said, “I thought I would not ever see you again.” She laughed at his slight lisp and said, “I have been away with some friends, but I could never stay away from you.” He got a big smile on his face just as an ice cream truck pulled up in front of the park. Lisa could wait. Ice cream couldn’t. And with the dollar bill that Estelle gave him, he took off for the truck, yelling what he wanted.
Lisa sat down next to Tina and said, “My goodness. Brandon has grown so much since the last time I saw him.” Estelle nodded and said, “It’s been two years, Lisa. You haven’t babysat for him for nearly two years. You look radiant. What are you doing now?” Lisa told her about the church she was involved in and the pastor that she had married. “I’m a pastor’s wife. Can you believe it?” Estelle had a disapproving look on her face. “Aren’t you a bit young to be a pastor’s wife? And does he know about the issues you have had in your life?” “He saved me from that life. He took me off the streets and gave me food and clothing. He helped me through the blood of Christ to receive salvation, and now I work with him and the rest of his church to spread the good news.” Estelle shook her head. “Honey, you have always been an easy mark for men. You are very beautiful, and, for your age, you know how to sell it. But you are not that bright when it comes to people taking advantage of you. Are you sure about this guy and his church?” Lisa nodded and started to ramble on and on about Erick and the whole movement.
After a few minutes, she turned her attention to Tina. “And who is this little bundle of joy.” Estelle looked on and said, “This little bundle is the result of too much vodka and unprotected sex.” “Oh, Estelle, what happened?” “Let’s just say that I went to a party with a few friends and had a few too many, and Tina, here, is the result.” Lisa frowned and asked, “Is the father in her life?” Estelle shook her head. “I don’t even know who the father is. It was a crazy night with a lot of men. I have no idea who the father is. Hell, girl, I didn’t even know half the men who were fucking me. I was just having a good time…and then this.” Estelle pointed to Tina.
“If you’re unhappy with the situation, why not put her up for adoption?” Estelle got tears in her eyes and said, “Why should Tina be punished because I did something foolish? I’m her mother, and I have done a lot of growing up since that night.” Tina was chomping on a cookie that she had all over her face and hands. She was smiling, and her jet black hair and brown eyes were set off by her pale skin.
Lisa looked around the park at all of the children playing and said, “I want to have a baby some day, but Erick says that he doesn’t want to bring a child into the world. He claims the end is near, and Jesus is going to return.” Estelle laughed and said, “I’m a Catholic, sweetheart. We’ve been waiting for that for a long, long time. All the fear mongering to keep us under control. There’s no second coming coming any time soon.” Lisa had a dejected look on her face, and she squirmed a little. Estelle looked at her and asked if she was okay. “Oh, I’m okay. Just a little sore. Erick doesn’t want children, and he doesn’t believe in birth control, so I take it up the ass two to three times a day.” Estelle laughed and said, “Honey, given the things you did when you hooked, I’m surprised that your ass even shuts anymore. He is right, though. It’s a one hundred percent way not to have a baby. But if it’s hurting you, why don’t you tell him?” Lisa got a serious look on her face, and Estelle ended the questions.
Lisa stood up and asked, “So, do you still live down the street with your dad?” “Yeah. My father passed away last year and left me his house and a nice life insurance policy to take care of Brandon. We have a great life. I’m really thankful for my father. He made it so I work if I want to, and we have enough through his trust to pay the bills and have some extra.” Lisa smiled and told her that was nice. “Well, it was really good seeing you again, Estelle. I have to get back to the church. We have an evening meal to prepare for our church family.” “Where is your church?” “Well, it’s not our church. It’s the First Baptist Church of Arleta. Erick rents space there, and we have a kitchen and feeding hall a few buildings down. You should come by some time and meet Erick and the family. The congregation is small but growing, and you are always welcome. I will even take care of Tina and Brandon for you if you want to take some classes or go to a service.” Lisa handed Estelle a brochure about the church, then they hugged, and she headed back to the church.
The Eagle had removed a small vial from the black belt that he had around his arms. He took out a twenty-three gauge needle and slowly twisted it onto the end of a syringe. Richards watched as the Eagle filled the syringe with a bluish-colored liquid. He stood up and grabbed Richards by the head and drove the needle directly into his carotid artery. “There. That will go directly into your brain and save us a lot of time.” Richards shouted obscenities and then calmed down. The Eagle stared into his eyes, and suddenly Bruno sat up and said, “What did you give me?” “Something to clear the cobwebs. What’s your name?” “Bruno Richards.” “What year is it?” Richards looked at the Eagle and said, “I have no idea. What year is it?”
“Let’s just say that you’ve lost four decades of your life in this prison.” Richards was calm and collected. He spouted out a few things in a logical and sensible way, and the Eagle said, “I told them you’re not crazy. You’re twisted with a sick ideology, but you’re not insane. What’s the last thing you remember?” Richards got a thoughtful look on his face and said, “I had taken the family out to Box Canyon for a camping trip, and we got busted by the fuzz. They accused us of murder.”
The Eagle had a small midi recorder in his hand and asked, “That’s it? That’s all you remember?” “Well…we dropped a lot of acid on that trip. I remember ordering some of the sisters to take care of the Lord’s work before our arrest.” The Eagle said, “Tell me about the family, Mr. Richards. Where are those that followed you after you went to prison?” Richards moved in his seat, and the Eagle grabbed his shoulder and said, “Stay still. You don’t want to make me angry.” “I know you. You’re the Iron Eagle…I’ve heard talk about you on the yard from inmates and guards. So…what? Did you come here to kill me?” The Eagle looked into his eyes and said, “You tell me.”
Richards nodded, and the Eagle said, “Now tell me about the family, and I will make sure you die fast. If you don’t, I will make it take a year, and no doctor will be able to figure out what the hell is wrong with you. You will just scream in agony from an unknown illness. I don’t figure you’ll get much sympathy from this place. There are a few of these guys that would like to watch you die badly.”
Bruno’s face dropped, and he said, “After the trial, the family splintered. They moved to different parts of the country. Most just left the life altogether, and they are damned to hell for forsaking me.” The Eagle laughed and said, “Yeah…you’re an angel. Who do you still keep in contact with?” “My wife, who I will marry in this life or the next. That’s about it.” “Charlotte Watson?” Richards looked surprised. “You know her?” “I know of her. So…you pass messages to her to give to your followers?” He nodded and began to slump in his seat. Sweat was dripping down his face, and he was having trouble breathing. “What did you do to me?” “I told you I came here to kill you. I’m starting the first phase of the death process. Who does Ms. Watson talk to on the outside for you? Who runs the family with you…in here and out there? You need to answer me quickly, or I’m going to make it really start to hurt.”
Richards lifted his head and said, “Charlotte. Charlotte deals with Arnest.” He was blacking out, and the Eagle asked, “Is that a first or last name?” Richards was out. There was a drop of drool running down the side of his face, and his eyes were glazed over. The Eagle took out a second syringe and a bottle of clear liquid and injected Richards again in the carotid artery. He used a finer needle and put it through a fold in his neck, so it would be undetectable. A few more seconds passed, and Richards was wide awake and screaming obscenities.
The Eagle packed up his kit and wrapped it around his arm, put his shirt and coat back on and said, “Have a nice death, Mr. Richards. It’s going to take a while, but it will come.” The Eagle knocked on the door, and a guard opened it. Jim was standing with two other officers and saw John emerge from the room. “Excuse me, gentlemen. I believe the FBI is finished talking to Mr. Richards.” Captain Rains met the men at the exit to the unit and drove them back to their waiting car. John thanked them for their time and got in the sedan, and they headed back to the airport. It was three p.m. sharp when the wheels of the jet lifted off the runway. Jim asked, “What did the Eagle get out of Richards?” “Not enough to stop the killing, Jim, not enough to stop it.”