Joyce rushed and picked up Feathers, saying, “my poor baby. That’s impossible, Becky. I don’t have any alcohol here.” But Joyce smelled Feathers’ breath and said, “It’s alcohol.”
Becky said, “I told you, Feathers needs AA!” They laughed.
Then Becky took out her cell phone and made a call to Tom, a top agent at the FBI.
Tom answered and said, “hello.”
Becky replied, “It’s Becky.”
“Oh, hi, Becky,” said Tom. “How are things at the Attorney General’s office?”
“Things are good,” Becky replied. Then she asked, “Brooks, have you been reading the Post lately?”
“Do you mean about Kathy Brooks’ disappearance?” Tom responded. “Why, yes. I understand that Kathy is one of your lawyers.”
“I’m worried about her,” Becky told Tom. “It’s not like Kathy to just disappear.”
“Ok, Becky,” said Tom. “Give me 24 hours.”
Becky said, “Thank you, Tom.” Tom hung up and Becky hung up.
While they were talking, Joyce was thinking about where her career was heading and that she needed a big story. She had covered stories throughout the city but nothing with a high profile that would put her elbow-to-elbow with her peers.
Feathers was starting to feel better, moving around in Joyce’s arms. She put him back on the bed and said to Becky, “I think I should take Feathers to the vet.”
Becky said, “girl, all that alcoholic needs is some fresh air. It works for me.”
Joyce laughed and said, “okay. Let’s go downstairs to Starbucks for coffee and to sit on the patio and later we’ll come back up and I’ll clean Feathers’ cage. I’ve been putting off cleaning it for a week. I’ll shower and get ready for the Caps game tonight.”
They were sitting on the Starbucks patio having coffee and chattering in the sunshine while looking at people and watching them have fun. Judge Brooks came out of Fennell Place to walk to the Chop House for dinner and saw Feathers sitting on Joyce’s shoulder. Judge Brooks came rushing across the street and slowed down when he saw Becky the DA.
Judge Brooks said “hello” to Becky.
Becky smiled and replied by saying, “hello, Judge Brooks. This is Joyce, a Channel 4 news reporter. She’s a friend of mine.”
Judge Brooks spoke to Joyce and asked the name of her parrot.
“Feathers,” Joyce told him.
Judge Brooks reached out to Feathers and Feathers tried to peck his hand. Judge Brooks pulled his hand back fast.
Feathers looked him in the eyes and said out loud, “I’ll kill you first, I’ll kill you.”
Judge Brooks blew up inside like a volcano. “Get that bird away from here!” he shouted.
Joyce quickly defended her bird.
“Don’t do that,” she told the judge. “You’re scaring Feathers.”
“Yes,” added Becky. “You’re being very rude, Judge Brooks.”
Now everyone sitting on the patio was listening. Judge Brooks gave Feathers an evil look and started to walk away, looking back over his shoulder at Feathers. He almost got hit by a car because he was hurrying. He walked into the Chop House.
Joyce thought something was wrong with Feathers because he never acted like that with people and he only repeated things she had seen or heard before. Becky was thinking well now, Judge, you’re ready to crack. She grinned.
Getting back upstairs in the condo, Joyce said, “Becky, you know where everything is. Make yourself at home.”
Joyce went to her bedroom, taking Feathers with her. “I’ll be a few minutes,” she called out to Becky, “then I’ll clean Feathers’ cage.”
Becky sat down on the couch and reached for the TV remote while sipping her coffee. She saw one of Joyce’s practice tapes on the table beside her camera. Becky picked it up and said out loud, “Girl, you better watch yourself. I’ll start doing this too.”
Becky put the tape in and let it play, looking on smiling. Then the tape went blank and she reached to turn it off. But then she thought she saw Feathers and turned it back on to let it play. Becky’s eyes got large and she shouted, “Joyce! Joyce! Girl, have you seen this tape?”
They both sat looking at the tape. Joyce said, “I left for work and I forgot to turn it off. When I came home the batteries were dead. I just took the tape out and left it on the table.”
They both got up and went to Feathers’ cage. Feathers was standing there looking up at them. Joyce opened the cage and looked inside; moving a blanket she saw a gold tennis bracelet filled with diamonds. There was more jewelry too, platinum rings, and gold chains. Becky recognized Kathy Brooks’ gold ink pen that had dried blood on it. Becky said, “Joyce, don’t touch them! Get me a plastic bag.”
Joyce knew this was her breaking story, the one that would put her on top.
Becky got on her cell phone and called Judge Paul Williams and said she needed a search warrant for Judge Brooks.
Judge Paul Williams said, “Becky, I’m at the 18th hole playing golf. Can’t it wait?”
Becky said, “No! He may catch on and run.”
Judge Williams said, “Ok, Becky. You better know what you’re doing.”
Becky thanked the judge and hung up and then she called Tom.
“Tom, I have evidence on tape and a bloody ink pen as proof that Judge Brooks has killed Kathy.”
Tom asked if she had them now.
Becky said, ”yes.”
Tom said, “I’m on my way.”
Becky asked, “Tom, can you meet me in an hour in front of the Chop House?”
Tom said he’d be there.
Becky put the ink pen in the bag for DNA testing. Joyce was on her phone, arranging for her news crew to meet her in front of the Chop House. Then Becky looked at Feathers, smiled and said, “Feathers, you’re going down for this.”
The women looked at each other laughing. Then they were on their way.
One hour later Judge Brooks came out of the Chop House, picking his teeth with a toothpick, when he saw the news team. The Judge laughed and said, “You even got the FBI here over a bird?”
Becky said, “Judge Brooks, you’re under arrest for the murder of your wife, Kathy Brooks.” Tom handcuffed him and took him away.
Kathy Brooks’ body was never found. Feathers’ tape and the DNA from the ink pen were all they needed to convict the judge. Monday morning, Joyce was leaving for work and said “bye” to Feathers. Feathers repeated this as he was looking at the sliding door. Joyce smiled and walked over to lock it. When she was walking out the door, Feathers hopped out of his cage, hopped down the hall to Joyce’s bedroom and turned on the radio. Joyce heard a voice coming from her bedroom. It was the radio saying, “What’s the deal, Pickles? Is everything kosher?”
Joyce screamed, “Feathers!” He turned off the radio.
THE END
