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  LADY JUSTICE

  AND THE

  BAD SEED

  A WALT WILLIAMS

  MYSTERY/COMEDY NOVEL

  ROBERT THORNHILL

  Lady Justice and the Bad Seed

  Copyright July, 2019 by Robert Thornhill

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names, incidents and entities included in the story are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, events and entities is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States of America

  Fiction, Humorous

  Fiction, Mystery & Detective, General

  LADY JUSTICE AND THE BAD SEED

  PROLOGUE

  As Leonard Wilson stepped into the bright sunlight, he heard the doors of the Moberly Correctional Center close behind him.

  This was the first time in fifteen years he had set foot outside of the prison. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the sweet smell of freedom.

  He smiled as he saw a man approach. It was Carl Henderson, the only friend who had stood by him during his incarceration.

  After an emotional embrace, Carl held Leonard at arm’s length. “How’s it feel to be free at last?”

  “Unbelievable!” he replied, his eyes glistening. “Now I can move forward and fulfill my destiny. Do you have everything ready?”

  Carl nodded. “It’s all set up, just as you asked. What do you want to do first?”

  “Head back to Kansas City,” Leonard replied. “The first thing I want to do is see my little brother, George.”

  George Wilson, nicknamed Ox by his fellow officers, and his wife, Judy, had just sat down at the supper table when they heard a knock on the door.

  “Are you expecting someone?” Judy asked.

  “Nope, probably a salesman. If it is, I’ll send him on his way.”

  Ox peeked through the peep hole and his mouth dropped open. “Lenny?”

  He opened the door and just stood there, staring.

  “Well,” Lenny said, grinning, “aren’t you going to invite your big brother inside?”

  At that moment, Judy entered the room and stared at the stranger. “Ox, who is this?”

  Lenny pushed past Ox and stuck out his hand. “You must be Judy. I’ve been so anxious to meet you. I’m Lenny, Ox’s brother.”

  Now Judy’s mouth dropped open. Her husband had only mentioned his brother once, telling her he was serving a prison term. Sensing it was a painful subject, Judy had never pressed the matter.

  Ox had gotten past his initial shock. “I don’t understand. Your sentence was for twenty years and it’s only been fifteen. How ---?”

  “I made parole. They cut five years off my sentence. Good behavior. Can you believe that?”

  Ox shrugged. “Well ---.”

  “I understand. My name in the same sentence as good behavior just doesn’t add up. Ox, that was the old me. I’ve changed.”

  “Changed? How?”

  “You may find this hard to believe, but I have seen the light. I have found Jesus and He’s steered me into the path of righteousness.”

  That was the last thing Ox expected to hear from his brother.

  “I know, I know,” Lenny said, “your hell-raising brother a convert to Christ. Hard to believe, but it’s true. Let’s sit down and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  Still dumbfounded, Ox and Judy took their seats.

  Lenny had a far-away look in his eyes as he spoke. “When I first went in, I had a huge chip on my shoulder. Nobody was going to mess with big, tough Lenny. I found out real quick that I wasn’t so tough.

  “I got crossways with the wrong guys, and one night they beat me nearly to death. I was so near gone, they brought in the chaplain.

  “That night, as I laid there, the chaplain was reading the Twenty-third psalm. When he got to the part that said, ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me,’ I saw a light. The light kept getting brighter and I saw Him! I actually saw Him! He didn’t speak, but somehow I knew that if I mended my wicked ways, He would lead me into a new life.

  “That night changed everything. I joined the chaplain’s prayer group and started studying the scriptures. Eventually, I felt God calling and heeded his call. Your brother is now an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church.”

  Ox couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You? A preacher?”

  “Indeed, brother. The Lord works in mysterious ways.”

  “How did you find me? We haven’t spoken ---.”

  “Yes, I know. We haven’t spoken since the day I was sent to prison. You never visited and I can’t really blame you. I was the black sheep of the family, the bad seed. Nevertheless, I kept track of you over the years. I’ve followed your career in the police department. I’m guessing you became a cop, at least in part, because of what I’ve done.”

  Ox nodded. “That was part of it.”

  Lenny turned to Judy. “I was so happy when I heard about your budding relationship with this lovely lady. I even had a friend at your wedding. He sent me pictures. Married to an army veteran and a cop. That’s just what you need to keep you walking the straight and narrow.”

  Ox was amazed at how much his brother knew about his life.

  “Now that you’re out,” Judy asked, “what are your plans?”

  “I’m glad you asked,” Lenny replied. “My plan is to continue God’s plan. He called me to the ministry, and that’s the path I will take. There are many people out there who are as lost as I was. I will bring them the word of the Lord and lead them to redemption.”

  “That’s a tall order,” Judy replied, skeptically. “How are you planning to reach these lost souls?”

  “I’ve been saving for fifteen years. I used the money to rent a store front where I will open my house of worship. I call it Heaven’s Door. That’s one reason why I came to see you today. I will be holding my first revival meeting Sunday. I would be honored if the two of you would come.”

  Ox and Judy just sat there, stunned. Ox was the first to speak. “Uhhhh --- sure. I guess so.”

  Lenny clapped his hands. “Wonderful! Heaven’s Door is on 12th Street just west of Prospect.”

  He rose from his chair. “Well, I must be going. Much to do. Will you pray with me?”

  Ox looked at Judy and she shrugged. “Okay,” Ox replied.

  Lenny knelt in front of them and took their hands. “Dear Lord, thank you for leading me from the valley of death and into the light. Thank you for my brother and his wife who have welcomed me into their home. Bless them and bless the mission you have set before me. Amen.”

  He rose, hugged each of them, and headed for the door. “Sunday evening. Six o’clock.”

  As the door closed, Ox turned to Judy. “What just happened?”

  CHAPTER 1

  What does a seventy-six-year-old private investigator do to drum up business?

  Absolutely nothing!

  Kevin McBride, my partner in Walt Williams Investigations, who is also in his mid-seventies, and I are content to take whatever business happens to fall into our laps, but if nothing comes our way, no big deal. As Charlie Harper on the TV show, Two and a Half Men, says, “Something always turns up.” And it usually does.

  In the past few days, nothing had tu
rned up, and I was at my desk paying bills when the phone rang. It was Ox, my partner during the five years I was an officer in the Kansas City Police Department.

  “Walt, you busy?”

  “Not really,” I replied, shoving the stack of bills aside.

  “Great! We need to talk.”

  “Come on over.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Ox was sitting in my office. I could see that he was troubled.

  “We had a visitor last night. You’ll never guess who it was.”

  If Kevin had been sitting with us, he would have replied either Elvis or the Pope, but since I’m not a smart-ass like him, I simply replied, “No idea.”

  “My brother.”

  That took me by surprise. I was with the man eight hours a day for five years, and even sometimes on the weekends, and I had no idea he had a sibling. It suddenly occurred to me that Ox had never told me much about his past life. I knew both his parents were deceased, but he had never mentioned a brother.

  “Really? You never ---.”

  He hung his head. “I know. I never told you. I guess I was ashamed. My brother, Lenny, has been in prison the past fifteen years.”

  My mouth dropped open. “Prison!”

  Ox nodded. “Lenny is a couple of years older than me. When we were growing up, he was always getting in trouble. He got mixed up with the wrong crowd and --- well --- you know the story.

  “He and his no-good buddies held up a liquor store. One of the guys got gun-happy and shot the clerk. Thankfully, the clerk lived, but all three of them were prosecuted for armed robbery. Lenny was sentenced to twenty years at the Moberly Correctional Facility. He showed up at our door last night.”

  “So he’s served his twenty.”

  “That’s what’s weird,” he replied. “He only served fifteen. He got out on good behavior.”

  “What’s so weird about that?” I asked. “Lots of guys are getting out early due to overcrowding.”

  “What’s weird is that Lenny never set foot in a church in his life, and now he shows up at our door an ordained minister. He claims he found Jesus in the joint, was saved, and has been called to the ministry. He’s starting his own church.”

  “Wow! That is quite an about face. You must be happy for him.”

  “I’d like to be, but ---.”

  “But you think it’s too good to be true.”

  “Something like that. After nearly thirty years on the job, my experience has been that very few actually turn their lives around.”

  “Miracles do happen,” I replied, trying to be supportive.

  “If Lenny Wilson has truly become a man of the cloth, then it really is a miracle. I’m too much of a skeptic to take his word for it.”

  “What will it take to convince you?”

  He took a deep breath. “That’s why I’m here. Lenny’s got a place over on 12th Street. He calls it The Heaven’s Door. His first service is this Sunday and he’s invited Judy and I to attend.”

  I could see what was coming.

  “And I suppose you’d like Maggie and me to come with you for moral support.”

  He looked at me pleadingly. “Would you?”

  What else could I say to the man who had saved my hide more times than I could remember. “I’ll talk to Maggie, but I don’t see why not.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I knew I could count on my old partner.”

  “We’re doing what?” Maggie asked.

  “Going to church,” I replied.

  Then I saw the concerned look in her eyes. “Walt! Are you okay? Are you dying?”

  “Why would you ask that?”

  Actually, I knew very well why she asked. I’m not a big fan of organized religion. I had attended a few services at Pastor Bob’s Community Christian Church, but that was about it.

  “I’m asking because the only thing that would entice you to a service would be the realization that you were about to leave this mortal coil and you were covering your bases just in case.”

  “I wouldn’t rule that out,” I replied, “but that’s not the situation this time. We’re going to hear Ox’s brother, Lenny, preach the gospel.”

  Her look of surprise was worth the wait. “What? I didn’t know Ox even had a brother.”

  “Neither did I.”

  I told her about the visit from my old friend.

  When I finished, I could see she was skeptical. “You’re telling me this convict, Ox’s brother, found Jesus in prison, and now he has his own church?”

  “That’s the story he told Ox.”

  “Do you really think that’s possible?”

  “I guess we’ll find out Sunday night.”

  Ox picked us up in his SUV at five-thirty and we headed to 12th Street.

  When he pulled to the curb, I thought I recognized the building. “Didn’t this used to be Benny’s Body Shop?”

  “Sure did,” Ox replied. “Old Benny got mixed up with some gangbangers and they turned the place into a chop shop. Something went sour and Benny wound up with a bullet in his head.”

  “So chop shop to House of God,” Judy said. “Quite a transformation. Almost as miraculous as that of your brother.”

  “Hey,” Ox replied, defensivly, “the Bible says, ‘judge not lest ye be judged.’ Let’s give the guy the benefit of the doubt.”

  I sensed that Judy had some reservations as to Lenny’s sincerity. I had to admit that I did too.

  The storefront had one regular door that led into an office area, and a huge overhead door that opened into the garage where Benny used to work on cars. The overhead door was open and a man stood on the sidewalk welcoming guests.

  His face lit up when he saw us approach.

  “Good evening and welcome to Heaven’s Door.” He grabbed Ox by the hand. “You must be Pastor Lenny’s brother and I’m guessing this lovely lady is your wife Judy. My name is Carl.” He turned to us. “Who are your friends?”

  I had no doubt that Ox was taken aback hearing his wayward brother called Pastor.

  “Uhhh, this is Walt and Maggie Williams. Walt was my partner for five years. I invited them to join us. I hope that’s all right.”

  “Of course, of course!” Carl gushed. “Heaven’s Door is open to all God’s children. Come in. We have seats saved for you.”

  When we entered, I heard music. Since this was a church, I expected to hear The Old Rugged Cross or What a Friend We have in Jesus. I was surprised to hear the Guns N’ Roses version of Bob Dylan’s 1970’s rock classic, Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. Suddenly, the name Lenny had given to his little chapel made sense.

  The old garage was filled with cheap folding chairs. As Carl led us to our seats, Ox whispered in my ear. “That corner over there is where we found Benny’s body.”

  I couldn’t help but wonder if you could still see the blood stains in the concrete. A real mood setter.

  I took my seat and listened to the words of the song.

  Mama take this badge from me

  I can't use it anymore

  It's getting dark too dark to see

  Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door, eh yeah

  Mama put my guns in the ground

  I can't shoot them anymore

  That cold black cloud is comin' down

  Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door

  They were not the most inspiring lyrics I’d ever heard, but as I looked around the room, I noticed that many of the people were swaying in their seats, mouthing the words with eyes shut tight.

  I was surprised that the place was almost full, and wondered how
Lenny had lured so many in such a short time.

  Ox leaned over and whispered again. “I recognize a bunch of these mopes. You probably do too. We’ve hauled most of them off to jail.”

  I took a closer look and he was right. The room was filled with vagrants, peeping Toms, and panhandlers. Then, on the far side of the room, I spotted a folding table filled with food and suddenly everything made sense.

  I whispered back to Ox. “Isn’t the City Union Mission just around the corner?”

  He nodded.

  I pointed to the buffet table. “These guys will listen to anything for a free meal.”

  He shrugged. “Pretty smart. If that gets them in the door, then that’s half the battle. Who knows, maybe some of them will get the message.”

  I had to hand it to my old friend. He was definitely giving his brother the benefit of the doubt.

  At that moment, the music died away and Carl came to the make-shift podium.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the Lord’s shepherd, Pastor Leonard Wilson.”

  Everyone clapped politely as Pastor Lenny strode to the podium.

  The room fell silent as Lenny just stood there, looking into the eyes of each person in his congregation.

  Then, he spoke. “Fifteen years ago, prison thugs beat me nearly to death. Barely conscious, I believed I was knocking on heaven’s door. I figured this was my punishment for the evil things I had done. Satan and his minions had led me astray and I was paying the price.

  “Then I heard a voice. It said that I had walked in the valley of the shadow of death, but I should fear no evil. The voice said that if I would walk in the path of righteousness, He would restore my soul.

  “I listened to that still small voice and it has brought me here before you today. Now I have a question for you. Look at yourselves. Are you walking in the valley of the shadow of death? Are you just waiting for that moment when you will be called to pay for the sins you’ve committed against your fellow man? Are you knocking on heaven’s door?